Disclaimer: The Mediator belongs to Meg Cabot. The song lyrics belong to Sydney Forest.

Rating: T

Summary: Suze and Jesse, two strangers, both dislike Valentine's Day for one reason or another. But after being forced together by two separate minor emergencies, the day ends out better than both of them hoped for.

A/N: I know I should be writing out that other chapter of Broken Strings or Conflicting Danger, but at the suggestion to write a VD story for Mediator by Aparul and another for a different fandom, I just couldn't resist. So thanks for the push girlie, I hope you like it!

This was the idea that instantly came to me when I thought of our favourite couple. The first two parts are Jesse's POV; the second half is Suze's. :) I haven't put it as complete because no doubt I'll be adding another chapter to it in the future. And I'm sorry if it seems rushed or anything. I only had 24 hours to get this and my other one written in time for today.

I hope you enjoy, Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Love and hugs! Please review.

The room is empty, the lights are dim and my heart wonders, if I'll ever see you again.

Crashed Into You

As I sat in the coffee-shop looking around at the other people filling the hectic atmosphere, I felt a heavy press on my heart. Everywhere I looked I seemed to be assaulted with couples and declarations of love and cupid symbols. There was one couple sitting the corner booth, hands held between them gazing over the cups of their forgotten coffee, lost in each other. It was in the smile of the woman behind the counter as she decorated the sugary heart-shaped cookie with icing, a far-away expression on her face.

Not to mention the delivery man holding a large bouquet of roses, a big smile on his face for another customer receiving the mandatory flowers for someone on this specific day. His smile wasn't forced as he passed over the roses to the laughing girl who had just come out of the back to be greeted with the gift. From an admirer? A boyfriend? Who knew, but I turned away from the display, one thing abundantly clear as I felt the vibration of my pager go off clipped to my jean pocket.

I was beginning to hate Valentine's Day.

It didn't have anything to do with the failed relationships I'd found myself in over the years, I told myself as I checked my pager, finding there to be an emergency at the hospital. It wasn't because the holiday was over-done and sickly sweet, I decided as I threw my paper on the table and shrugged into my jacket. And it wasn't because I didn't have that special someone to share it with, every other person seemed to have, I swore as I stepped out into the frigid cold of New York, looking around for a taxi to flag down.

I stepped up to the curb, looking around for the bright yellow cab New York was littered with. But as seemed to be following the bad luck of my day already, not one came to me as I waved my arm trying to get one. "This day is shaping up to be even better," I muttered to myself as I raised my fingers to my lips, eliciting a shrill high-pitched whistle. "Taxi!" I yelled out the same time I heard a woman call.

I didn't bother looking around me as the car I hailed pulled up to the curb, my hand just reaching for the door handle when someone else did the same on the other side.

"Excuse me, this is my taxi," The woman said to me across the top of the cab. Her voice etched with barely controlled annoyance at my sudden interference and disrespect, expecting me to back down. "I just called it." She remarked, shifting her bag across her shoulders in a move that told of tension and nervousness.

"Sorry ma'am, you're mistaken; I was the one who just called for this cab. I'm in a hurry and I need it. I'm sorry, I'm sure if you wait a few seconds another one will come along." I placated politely, giving her an apologetic smile. Her green eyes flashed with something, raising her shaped eyebrow at me. She licked her lips drawing my eyes down to her full mouth, before I tore them away, slightly shocked with myself.

"I'm going to have to wait?" She asked sarcastically before shaking her head, determination set in the straightening of her shoulders. She had confidence she was going to win the battle we had found ourselves in, which made my own stubbornness ignite. "Look, guy, I'm in a hurry myself, I have an emergency and I don't have the time to wait for another taxi. So if you could be a gentleman . . .?" Although her tone clearly said she doubted it.

"I too have an emergency, hence why I'm in a hurry." I said, watching slightly fascinated as she pressed her lips together, biting back on her frustrated retort. Any other time and I would have conceded the cab to her out of politeness. But this wasn't any other time. "I have to have this one."

The woman was about to retort with another come-back when the drivers head came out of the window at an awkward angle and glared at us both. "Will you just decide already? I could have done another stop by now. If you haven't heard it is Valentine's Day. Unlike you too, I do have a life." And he disappeared back in the car, leaving the woman and myself glaring at the space he was just occupying.

"Look I don't want to be rude, but you're going to have to get another one. I need this car; I don't have time to wait." The woman continued; her brows furrowed as her free hand clasped down on the top of the car in effect. I was wavering in letting her have it too, until I felt the buzzer of my pager in my hands only reminded me that whatever her emergency was, mine was more important.

Sighing with the amount of time it was taking just to decide a simple thing, I pushed aside propriety and asked. "Where are you going?"

"What?" She blandly enquired, tilting her head.

"Where are you going? Maybe it can drop one of us off if we're going in the same direction as one another. We may as well share it if we can't make a decision to whose going to have it. We're both in a hurry, so why don't we do each other a favor?" She looked almost horrified by the idea and stared at me for several seconds before she found her scathing voice again.

"You want me to share a cab with you?"

"Or you can get another one. Either way, I don't have the time to wait around for you to make a decision. He's not going to stick around much longer if we stand here having a debate about it." I pressed, trying not to tap my foot or raise my watch to see what the time was. Instead, I let my eyes skim over her features as she gazed up and down the road, looking for an answer. Tracing her small nose and wide green eyes with fascination. The shine to her shoulder-length hair, cut in what I was some kind of choppy layered style.

And then her expression was turned back to me, cutting me off.

"Fine. I'm going to Brookdale Hospital." She bit out, looking as though she was sucking a lemon. Even with her features twisted with a sour expression, it didn't take away from her natural beauty. And then I shook myself out of that thought for having it at such an inappropriate time. It was all the valentine messages flying around, I reasoned with myself. That's all it could be. I was getting it thrust into my face whether I liked it or not.

Raising my eyebrows at the run of luck she was going to the same place as I was, I shook myself out of my daze. "Perfect, I'm going to the same place. Let's go."

Not bothering to wait for her disbelief or question, I opened the door and slid onto my seat. The woman's door opened and delivered her seconds after. The driver muttered something under his breath causing the unknown woman to retaliate. "Cut the crap, we need to get to the Brookdale Hospital." She said, glaring through the plastic pock-holed shield before sitting back against the seat in a huff. Her brown canvas bag settled across her lap with her slim fingers worrying at the loose threads.

"Both of yous going to Brookdale?" The cabbie asked, even as he set off into the traffic. When I gave him a nod of confirmation he shook his head and made one last comment for the rest of the drive. "Hmph, must be fate."

The unknown woman rolled her eyes and tapped her free hand against her leg. I wondered what kind of emergency she was rushing too if it was at the hospital. But I wasn't feeling brave enough to ask. Instead I settled for making a formal introduction. She could choose to give me her name or not. I doubted it would have gone much further to make my day even better than it already was. As soon as we reached the hospital we'd be going in different directions anyway.

"Sorry about this," I started, drawing her eyes around to me. "I'm Jesse De Silva," I continued, giving a semblance of a smile she didn't return.

"Well I'm already sharing a cab with you I might as well give my name I guess," She muttered despondently, scouting through her bag distractedly. "Suze Simon," She said, carrying on when I raised the question of what it was short for. "Suze short for Susannah." She turned back to watching the traffic fly past us as the cabbie took corners a little too sharply and his speed a little too quick. "I'm going to the hospital; I don't want to end up in it. Wanna slow down a bit?" She asked hotly.

He slowed minutely to point out he heard her, but said nothing.

Susannah rolled her eyes again and looked back at me, her gaze flickering over my appearance. "Kinda convenient you going to the hospital too, don't you think?" She asked, saying what she had obviously wanted to say before I jumped in the cab and took away the chance.

"Just a stroke of luck, I guess," I said shrugging at her question. "You can't be too threatened by having to share a cab with me, you did agree after all." She raised her brow at that. "Are you always this pleasant to strangers or do I get special treatment for trying to nick the taxi I called first?" I smiled to take the edge off my words, even going so far as to see a small tilting of the corners of her lips at my question.

I was feeling quite proud of myself by this point as I sat back and waited for her answer. Whatever her emergency was, it had left her tensed and pushed to snapping point. I didn't want to be the one of the receiving end of that tirade. I was counting my luck for getting away with such an offer of sharing the taxi in the first place. I certainly didn't want to push the feisty Susannah too far.

"A bit of both," Susannah smirked lightly, not giving me anymore than that.

I nodded and turned away, trying to relax for the rest of the journey before I was plunged into an emergency I still wasn't sure it was for. No doubt some idiotic person caught in the aftermath of a romantic stunt gone wrong. I'd seen too many of those over the years and I didn't appreciate my day off being interrupted by one. Even if I was warming up to the unexpected company and that I hadn't wanted the day off in the beginning. According to my 'friends' at the hospital, I needed the day off to enjoy the day with that special someone.

When I pointed out I didn't have a special someone, they only remarked I should use the time to find one. And my eyes swivelled back to Susannah when that memory came back.

I turned my attention to emergency mode as we pulled up in front of A&E, Susannah and I swinging our doors open at the same time and throwing money for the fare through both windows as we marched off to the entrance. Susannah's quickened pace trying to match my long strides through the hustle and bustle around reception as we walked up to the desk. I saw Susannah stiffen out the corner of my eye as I got addressed first.

"Morning, Doctor." The receptionist Claire greeted me with a silky smile I had learned to ignore over the time I had been working at Brookdale, taking the paper-work she handed me with a nod. Susannah still standing at my side raised her eyebrows as she looked me over again. A new realization to chew on as she found out the truth of why I was here. But she didn't do what most women do when they hear I'm a doctor. Susannah just turned away, talking to a distracted Claire as I left them to it.

Walking away from Susannah Simon I glanced back only once seeing her march down a corridor in the opposite direction of myself. My brows furrowed releasing a heavy sigh as I watched her disappear from sight.

xXx

I sighed with relief at getting to leave for the rest of the day, cradling the Styrofoam cup in my hands, inhaling the warm fumes of the coffee I brought from the cafeteria, to replace the one I had to abandon back the coffee-shop. Shaking off the irksome feelings for being brought in for something minor and hardly worth an emergency page; I pushed open the double doors from the commissary and headed for the elevators. Pressing the call button I took a sip of my very hot coffee.

Only to choke and feel it burn my throat when the elevator doors opened to reveal the subject of my wandering thoughts while I was attending to the emergency; Susannah Simon, lounging against the back wall of the lone elevator.

She raised her eyebrows in surprise when she lifted her head and saw who the elevator had stopped for. I tried blinking past the sudden tears coming to my eyes as the coffee seared my throat and I suppressed the coughs building in my chest from choking. She connected her eyes with mine; both unable took away from each other, causing the tension to build.

It was only broken when the doors started to close, my hand whipping out to stop them just in time. Making the split decision of taking the stairs or suffer the too small confines with the feisty woman, I stepped into the elevator, seeing the floor I wanted already lit.

"I didn't think you were going to get in for a second there," Susannah commented, raising her chin when I turned to look at her. "I don't bite that hard you know." Although she gave off a care-free stance and attitude, I thought I could sense a small un-comfortableness around her. Whether that was due to my presence or the moment before, I wasn't entirely sure. "I didn't mean to make you cry seeing me here, either."

This time I was the one who laughed, finally releasing the irritating cough I had yet to splutter from my hot drink. "No, you just made me choke on my coffee because I didn't expect to see you again. No harm done." Much to my surprise she laughed lightly, ducking her head with a light tint dusting her cheeks from my vantage point. I found it interesting, considering how brash and confident she was when we were bantering over the cab.

But I soon realized I've seen people react to emergencies in different ways and Susannah Simon's behaviour was no different. At least she seemed more relaxed now.

"How bad was your emergency?" I asked before I could stop myself. I mentally kicked myself for asking such a personal enquiry to fill the void, when Susannah turned to me with raised brows at my up-front question. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that. Just pretend I didn't just put my foot in it." I turned back to facing the metal doors, wondering why nothing and everything seemed to be working in my favor with Susannah, when I noticed we still hadn't stopped to let anyone on.

"It wasn't as bad as it could be," Susannah said breaking the potentially awkward silence, causing me to jerk my head in her direction startled she would actually answer my question. "It was my best friend, Gina. She had a run in with a car because she wasn't looking where she was going as usual. She's okay though it only clipped her. She got away with a sprained ankle, but the doctors want to keep her in overnight just to be sure she's not suffering from a concussion or anything."

"They'll take good care of her here." I reassured Susannah, seeing the relief that it was something minor. "She's in more than capable hands."

"I know, I'm not worried about her," She answered, suddenly filling the air with a light laughter again. "Gina fully intends on making the most of having handsome doctors at her beck and call for the rest of the day and night. As she put it, 'Valentine's Day is looking up'. It's the doctors I feel sorry for." She remarked wryly, making me wonder just what her best friend was like as she turned to look at me again. "How bad was yours? Your emergency I mean."

"It was superficial. Nothing to warrant a need for me to come in really. It was just another fool trying to do something 'romantic' for their partner," I shook my head at the senses of some people and carried on. "Valentine's Day seems to get more out of hand and ridiculous each year it rolls around."

"Tell me about it," Susannah commented.

I turned with a sympathetic look, finding someone else who obviously disliked the holiday as much as I did. But Susannah was gazing at the floor, her shoulders stiff with tension again. I went to offer some comfort but the sound and feel of the elevator coming to a stop with the doors opening to release us, made me put it to the back of my mind. I gestured for Susannah to step out first as I followed after.

I was a step or two behind Susannah as we walked past the reception desk and out into the cold February air. I zipped my coat up to my neck trying to block out the chill, cursing myself for my lack of foresight to bring a scarf with me when I stepped out my door this morning. But very grateful for the hot coffee still in my hand with its rising steam and strong aroma.

Susannah came to a stop, rubbing her cold hands together to ward off the chill, looking down towards the entrance where we had pulled in while I pulled out my cell-phone and attempted to get a signal. I was loathed to walk back into reception and use the phone there to call a taxi, for fear Claire would strike up a conversation I wouldn't be able to get out of. I was wondering why I was using a phone that barely worked when I noticed the yellow taxi pull up in front of us.

Susannah walked around the waiting car, pausing with her hand on the silver metal handle before she looked up at me still standing there.

"Do you have a ride?" She asked, casually leaning across the car talking to me. A little taken a-back by her question I shook my head, raising my phone to say I was going to call my own taxi when she cut me off. "Want to share a cab with me then?" I raised my eyebrows in surprise, seeing the faint blush across her pink cheeks. But that could have been from the cold. "Call it a peace-offering for me being a little bitchy earlier."

Never look a gift horse in the mouth, my mother would say as I smiled, touched by her offer.

"Are you sure don't mind? I can always risk getting cornered by Claire and call for my own taxi." I commented, gesturing behind me to the reception of A&E. Susannah laughed and told me to jump in, so I happily stepped up and shared the car with her again. I was slamming the door closed just as Susannah gave her address to the driver.

"He can swing by wherever it is you're going first if you want?" She asked, sitting back from the window to look at me.

"It's okay; we're going past your place first. I don't mind sitting back and enjoying the warm car for a while." I said, making a point of lounging back in the seat, stretching my long legs out as far as I could. Susannah watched me with an equally warm smile before we fell into a comfortable silence as we left the hospital behind. I snuck glances over at her every now and again, noticing how relaxed and at ease she seemed the second time around.

But was that because of the relief for her friend? Or was she as comfortable with my company, as I was with hers? Again, I didn't know. But I wanted to find out.

xXx

I could feel Jesse's eyes skipping over to me every now and again the whole cab ride home. It wasn't an uncomfortable feeling, just more like he had something to say but didn't quite know how to say it. At least the atmosphere was more comfortable then the first time I had to share a cab with him. I was still asking myself what the hell I was thinking sharing a car with someone I didn't even know. I must have been crazy to get into a car with him twice! He could have been anyone.

But . . . I don't know, something told me I had nothing to fear from him. Jesse was right, I wasn't threatened by him, I would have put him on his ass by now if I was.

What did I know about the man sitting next to me? Other than he's a doctor and has Spanish origins that his thick accent made me break out into goose bumps when I first heard. A doctor with thick glossy black hair I wanted nothing more than to run my hands through to see if it was as soft as it looked. Not to mention his scarred eyebrow my eyes kept catching when he'd raise them. But that was just his appearance. A damn good-looking man that had manners I thought were dead in men.

But I still don't know him. Looks can be deceiving after all. I wouldn't have guessed he was a doctor standing on the other side of the car this morning. His build and the obvious muscles he was packing beneath that brown tweed jumper and black leather jacket, I'd have put him down as more of a fire-man than a doctor! But there I was, shocked and startled when the flirty receptionist called him by his title. A receptionist all but drooling over him, while he stood there and blatantly ignored her 'come-hither' looks and smiles. So he also happened to be a good-looking man who wasn't arrogant about his irresistible looks.

That was another surprise I wasn't expecting.

When I told Gina all this after I got over my rant at her for not being careful, she exclaimed I was mental for not getting his number. 'Jesus Simon, what were you doing bitching at him for? It sounds like you just met the perfect guy! I had to sit through. When I pointed out I was in a rush to get to her she just scoffed and threw me a crazy look, shaking her head in pity. I dropped it after that, because she was right of course. I was just knocked over by his . . . sincerity, I guess.

But it didn't stop me from feeling the guilt as I sat in the uncomfortable hospital chair, watching Gina unashamedly flirt with her doctor. It only reminded of the delectable Spanish stranger.

There's a word for men like Jesse, I decided as we pulled up to my apartment block; unpredictable. But in a good way that makes you go back for more because you want to know what they do next. Which made me wonder why he was so off Valentine's Day? Not that I was much better, but the guy must have woman flocking to him. It sounded a little more than just the uncomfortable awareness of how single you are when this day comes around.

"See you around," I said to Jesse with a smile when we came to a stop, climbing out of the cab when he gave me a nod back. I leaned through the open window giving my fare to the driver and turned to my steps. That was it, no heart-felt goodbyes. No, it's been nice or swapping of numbers. Just a cold February afternoon where I was supposed to feel light as a feather and overwhelmed with emotion to celebrate the day of love. It was just as crock and a disappointment.

"Susannah,"

I turned at the sound of Jesse calling my name stepping out of the car, leaving the door open. He stepped forward to meet me at the bottom of the steps where I stood one up from him. It wasn't as if he had to crane his neck, he was beyond six foot as it was. "Did I leave something in the car?" I asked him, wondering why he'd call out to me so randomly.

"No. I was wondering if you would like to have dinner with me tonight?" He asked boldly, his dark brown eyes I could happily drown in never wavering while he waited for me.

I blinked a couple of times trying to get past the shock of his question. One I hadn't seen coming, which just proved my point about Jesse; unpredictable. "You're taking a leap asking me out. We don't even know each other." I hedged surprised my night wasn't going to turn out with me nursing my bruised ego for a few days, because I let the perfect guy slip through my fingers before moving on and adding it to missed chances. He barely knew me, and he wanted me to spend the evening with him?

Jesse shrugged one of his broad shoulders in an effortless movement. "Well I know you share a dislike for Valentine's Day as I do. I don't have any plans, so why don't we spend the night hating it together?" He asked. "And you're right; I am taking a leap because this isn't exactly something I've done before. Asked a woman out on a date I've barely spoken to. But I'm willing to take the chance for one night if you are." He was putting himself out there, on the off chance I could laugh in his face and tell him where to go.

I really would be a cold-hearted bitch for doing to him, what I would be terrified of experiencing myself in his shoes.

"Sure, okay, why not," I answered a little bubble of anticipation making me get butterflies, giving him a small encouraging smile when I saw the relief in his shoulders relaxing. Just how much courage did that just take him to ask me that? "Just tell me when and where and I'll meet you there." That way, it gave me the chance to back out if I didn't want to go, or talked myself out of it. A call to Gina was going to have to be in order before I did anything else.

He gave me a smile that was brighter than the others, showing his straight white teeth. "Great, do you know where the Far East Fusion is?" He asked, waving behind him at the impatient cabbie. I nodded, it was near one of the favourite bars Gina and I frequented. A small and intimate Chinese restaurant. "Meet there about 7.30?" He asked, backtracking to the taxi still beeping.

I laughed at him not watching where he was going. "Yeah, I'll see you there."

He flashed me one brighter grin and jumped in the open door of the taxi, slamming it closed. I turned to go back up the stairs when his taxi drove away, unlocking the foyer doors and collecting my mail from my box before climbing the stairs to my second floor apartment. All the while, I was seriously questioning my sanity for accepting a date with a guy I had only spoken to a handful of times.

Sure, I've been out on dates with guys I barely know. But I usually let them make the effort to prove why I should go out with them. I don't want to be talking to someone who tells me his life story all evening, boring me to tears. But it was kind of different with Jesse. And really, what could one night hurt? I just wouldn't be watching and eating anything that reminds me of the love stuck day. No cursing and thinking bad thoughts about my past loser boyfriends, or the guy that first broke my heart and started it all, all night.

I was going out on a real date, with a real genuine guy. And just like that, as someone snapped their fingers hypnotizing me, the doubt set in. Was I doing the right thing going out with a virtual stranger? Was I doing it because I didn't want to be along on Valentine's Day, envious of all the others who had plans for the big night? And then Jesse's words came back to me.

'I'm willing to take the chance if you are?'

xXx

I was trying not to let my nerves get the better of me as I walked up to the restaurant Jesse asked me to meet him at, ten minutes later then he asked. But I was late for two reasons. One, a girl is always late for a date. I mean I didn't want to seem too eager or anything. And two, I was having trouble talking myself into moving out of the door. It was just dinner. No strings, no hidden depths just a simple dinner. I repeated that to myself as I walked through the door, the instant aroma of oriental cuisine hitting my tingling sense, making my stomach growl.

Gina had asked me why I was so nervous. But it was simple. Because I was going to dinner with a guy I only met this morning where we were close to having a full blown argument over a taxi. I don't even know when my annoyance and frustration with him had disappeared to be replaced with butterflies and eagerness to share my cab with him. He could have originally just gotten in the car and driven away leaving me there. But he didn't. He tired to be polite and civil about it.

More than I'd been anyway.

I looked around the darkened place with its reds, gold's and creams decor. One of too few places that weren't teeming with hearts and bow and arrows from fat chubby cupids. I saw many tables through the archway into the dining area, most of them empty. My eyes swivelled to the sound of someone laughing by the bar, falling on the broad back and crisp black hair of Jesse. Who was holding a bottle of beer in his hand, talking to the barman.

Taking a deep breath and shrugging out of my coat so I was standing in my dark denim jeans, feeling good with my favourite pair of high-heeled boots. Not wanting to look too casual, I'd stuck my black satin sequin top to finish it off. A top that clung to my curves in all the right places and felt good to wear. I'd moved aside the dresses and skirts. I'd have frozen before I'd even reached the restaurant. I brushed off imaginary lint and started for the bar, zeroing in on how great he made his dark faded denim jeans look. Or how perfect the white shirt with its rolled sleeves to his elbows set off his gorgeous tan.

Sensing my gaze Jesse turned finally seeing me. I sucked in a breath when I noticed the open shirt showing me peaks of his equally tanned chest, flawless chest. Dragging my eyes back up, I spotted his smile creating a dimple in his right cheek. The only boyish appearance I could pin on him. The rest was pure, unpredictable male goodness. I noticed the muscles in his arm bunch as he moved to put his beer down to greet me properly.

"Hey, worried I was going to stand you up?" I asked reaching out to tentatively take his offered hand, flushing when he leaned in to brush a brief kiss across my cheek. I inhaled the strong but not too overwhelming scent of his cologne.

"More wondering if you were going to take the chance with a stranger," He retorted, stepping back and releasing my hand, sweeping his gaze over my outfit. His eyes came back to my face within seconds. "You look great, Susannah." I blinked at the use of my full name. I thought he'd just called me that before because he was trying to get my attention. Sure, I haven't met any other Suze's in New York. But he'd never offered an alternative other than my full name either. "What drink would you like?"

I stepped up to the bar, laying my cream woollen coat over a stool, peering at the choice, but just settling with something simple. "Sweet white wine, please." The barman nodded, turning back to do his order. "I'm sorry I'm late, I was trying to shake off the doubt if this was a good idea or not." Jesse chuckled and I wondered why the hell I told him so much truth. Instead of a little white lie like the bus was late or something less revealing then what I'd just said.

Jesse was turning my brain to mush already.

"It's okay; I was trying not to let the disappointment creep in that you wouldn't show. After-all, we didn't exactly meet under normal circumstances," He commented, blinking a couple of times before he shook his head, looking down at the bottle of beer in his hand. I tried not to laugh at the thought of Jesse having the same problem with not being brutally honest like I was and gave him a sympathetic glance. If anything it just put me at ease and broke the ice.

"You ready to eat?"

"Yeah, food sounds good," Jesse led me away from the bar and into the dining area where there was a group of girls giggling and laughing over their drinks, obviously celebrating Valentine's Day just as single as the rest of us. But I bristled at the admiring looks they gave Jesse as he walked me over to a small table in the corner. He pulled out my chair for me, surprising me even more. "Oh, thanks. And here I thought chivalry was dead." I smiled letting him drape my coat across the back of the chair.

"Not in every male," He winked, sitting down across from me.

And that was it. With the honesty and the nerves out there, the conversation just flowed for the rest of the evening. We'd both obviously been questioning why or how we'd got where we were, sitting across from one another. But neither of us openly said anything. I didn't pay any attention to the other people coming and going over the hours I sat there with Jesse, chatter constantly flowing between us. The food was delicious and the company was even better.

I learned about his family, of his closeness to his sisters and parents, even with them living in California. He told me stories of what they're all like answering my questions of what it was like having such a big family. And I told him about my mom and dad; and about being a lone child. And that Gina was more than my best friend. She was like my sister. We swapped the pros and cons of having siblings and being on your own. In the end we both decided we wouldn't change any of it.

We both obviously had different backgrounds, raised in differnet ways and environments. But it didn't make either of us feel small or insignificant. Jesse had a way of dropping to your level whether he could understand or not.

He asked me about my crazy best friend, where I told him she was the one girl who has been there for me through everything. Of the highs and lows friendships go through over so many years. How she threatened to beat the crap out of the guy who broke my heart in college, but is the first to try and shove me into a blind date. I told him some of the horror stories we used to get up to when we were young and reckless.

And most shocking of all; Jesse listened to it all.

He didn't interrupt me once, but listened and soaked up every last word I said. He was polite and charming the whole night. He was the perfect gentleman and just showed me what it was the other men in the past were lacking. We shared fortune cookies getting stupid and ridiculous messages that were good to have a laugh over. I even tried my first taste of Sake, swearing I wasn't ever touching it again, downing my wine just to get rid of the taste. It was the most relaxed and care-free first date I'd ever been on.

Shame it was going to be the last.

When I eventually noticed the time and the emptying restaurant, I had to come back down to reality and remember where I was. "It's getting late I should really go. I promised Gina I'd go and see her in the morning; hopefully they'll be releasing her." Jesse nodded, picking up the small dish with the tab. "Here, let me put some money toward that – "

"Not a chance, put your money away. I'll pay for the dinner, querida," Jesse cut me off, reaching out to lay a hand over mine stalling me from getting my purse out. A shiver raced through me when I got past the feel of his hand on mine and remembered what he said. He didn't seem aware he'd said it so I held back asking what it meant. It sounded so . . . personal. "I was the one who invited you to dinner, don't bruise my ego." He grinned, so I nodded pulling my hand away.

"Back in a minute."

I watched him walk across the dining area, my eyes watching his every move. Querida? I sighed taking my eyes away from where he stood paying the bill. I was going to have that word echoing through my head for the rest of the night and following week probably. Curiosity always was my downfall and would probably be if I looked up the word I didn't even know how to spell and find out the truth. Maybe it was best left forgotten, like our one night together was going to be.

"Ready to go?"

I jumped at the very deep, very masculine voice drawling in my ear. More surprised by the pleasant humming through me then the actual surprise of him being so close. The closeness I liked. A lot. More than I should have done. "Sorry, I didn't mean to make you jump," He grinned apologetically, pulling my chair back letting me out. I waved off his apology, turning to see him with my jacket open and ready. "Here."

Ever the gentleman.

"Thanks for the dinner and a good night," I said casually, making a show of buttoning up my jacket when he smiled and reached out to lay a curl back over my shoulder. His fingers absently playing with the ends for a few seconds before he realized what he was doing and dropped it. I waited for Jesse to shrug into his own jacket, wrapping a scarf around his neck to ward off the chill and promise of coming snow. He walked me over to the door, but we were stopped before we got through it.

"Jesse!" The barman called out, running up to us. "You forget these," He held out two fortune cookies in the palm of each hand, gesturing for us to take one each. Reluctantly I did, fingering the red foiled packet in my hand. He bowed his head to us, grinning. "Enjoy the rest of your Valentine's." And he was gone, leaving us speechless by the door, fortune cookies in hand.

"That was weird. Must be because it's Valentine's Day or something," Jesse pondered before moving to open the door for me. "What do you say to sharing a cab with me? Once more for old time's sake. It would seem a shame to not end the night without it." I giggled and blushed at the memory of the first cab drive and quickly nodded my head in agreement. Watching as he hailed a cab with ease.

"Why not," I murmured, pulling my coat closer around me as the cab pulled up to the curb and Jesse opened the door for me. "Thanks," I said again, sliding in to the warm interior, sliding across the seat so Jesse could get in. It felt even smaller and more cozy sitting in the back of the car at night. The lights and life of the 'City that never sleeps' gliding past in a soothing rocking to the car. I looked at Jesse when I felt his hand reach over and hold mine lightly. I didn't shy away from the touch, but I wasn't sure what to make of it either.

All too soon the cab had pulled up at the curb of my block again. Jesse asked the driver to wait as I climbed out of the car and walked up to my steps. Jesse came around from his side, meeting me as I stood before him. "Thank you for taking the chance and having dinner with me tonight, Susannah. I really enjoyed myself." He said, removing a piece of hair that had gotten stuck to my lips.

"Yeah, I did too. It was nice to meet you stranger," I said as carefully as possible. "Happy Valentine's Day, Jesse." I stepped forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek, giving him a smile before I turned and walked up my steps leaving Jesse to turn around and get back in the car. I buried through my pockets for my keys, listening to the cab door shut and drive away. I didn't turn around when I finally got the right key in the door. And I didn't get my hopes up when I heard a car screech to a stop a couple of yards down my road.

But in the end, I really had no choice.

"Susannah!"

I quickly turned hearing Jesse's familiar shout, watching him run to my steps climbing them two at a time to reach me. I parted my lips in surprise and to ask him what he was doing. But that question and anything else was gone the moment Jesse's large tanned hands cupped my face so gently and kissed me. A slow, tender kiss that left me gripping his jacket in my hands sighing at his gentle touch and caress, his tongue skimming across my lips asking entrance I automatically gave him.

I stood there at the top of the steps of my home, my hand wrapped around the back of his neck melting in his arms sharing the best kiss I had ever experienced with someone I still, barely knew.

His hands had left my face seconds after we'd fallen into the unbelievable kiss, to wander down my back. He left me breathless with shock and wanting to feel and know more of him. In one simple kiss that definitely didn't feel like a goodbye as we slowed and came up for air. The tenderness in that one intimate moment had shaken me to my core. I was trembling in his arms as his dark black eyes gazed at me with affection.

"Just in-case it's not fate." He breathed.

Jesse brushed a quick kiss to my swollen, tingly lips and disappeared down the steps just as quickly as he bounded up them. Jumping in the taxi and taking off so quickly, I thought I'd imagined the whole day and night, including that kiss that was going to be haunting my dreams for the rest of my life. Knowing who exactly would be on the answering end to those fantasies I'd never get away from.

I finally blinked through the daze when a cold breeze blew over me, making me dig through my pockets for my keys that were hanging in the door. I felt something cool and crinkly in my deep cream pocket that turned out to be my free fortune cookie from the restaurant. Glancing up once at the taxi that was out of sight, I teased open the packaging, snapping the cookie in half as I pulled out the slip of paper with one small black phrase written on it.

'Soon life will become more interesting,'

"'It must be fate,'" I murmured, echoing the first cabbie's words from this morning, looking back down at the strip of paper in my hand. A slow soft smile creeping across my face when I slipped the paper into my pocket, popping half of the cookie in my mouth. I turned the key and disappeared into the foyer going up to my apartment. Even as I laid in bed that night, feeling too good to sleep, replaying the kiss over and over again; I wondered if I would ever see Jesse De Silva again. Who knows?

Either way, I decided as I turned over snuggling into my bed; it had shaped up to be the best Valentine's Day, yet.

I'll be waiting; I'll be watching under a blue moon, the taste of heaven, only happens, once in a blue moon.