This is a short one shot I came up with. Hope you enjoy.

Based on the song by Keane, but not a songfic.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

WARNINGS: CHARACTER DEATH

I came to Terebithia with a closed mind, and Leslie told me to keep my mind wide open, and that made all the difference.

I was thirteen the day I left Terebithia for good and placed the kingdom in the hands of my little sister. The Terebithians were sad to see their king leave, but it had to be done. I was haunted by memories of Leslie, and at least in the world on the other side of the bridge, I could get away. I could run until my legs gave out, drew until my hand cramped, walked until I found what I was looking for, even though I still don't know what that was.

In Terebithia, it was a small kingdom, although it never seemed that way with Leslie. I was the king, but what good is a king without the queen that made him one. I would never have known the traits of a king if Leslie had not introduced me to Terebithia.

Therefore, I left. I couldn't bare to be there and be reminded of my sweet Leslie everywhere I turned. I vowed to never return, but as I learned the day Leslie died, I wasn't very good at keeping my promises.

I was sixty-five years old the day I returned to Terebithia on the anniversary of Leslie's death.

I walked for miles, my feet never growing tired, as the grass tickled the soles of my bare feet. I'd left my shoes behind at my apartment and worn shorts and a T-shirt, as though I were taking a trip to the beach and not down memory lane.

Life was never easy, but with Leslie by my side, everything felt simple. When she died, life became more complicated than ever, and the hardships of life never vanished, nor faded.

I'm getting old; there's no denying that. I never married or had kids, and I pushed many people away. I tried to let May Belle in, but after a few years, I stopped trying to stop pushing people away. Trying to let people in took more energy than constantly being alone.

Now, I'm sixty-five years old, and I have no shoulder to lean on, no hand to hold. I lived my life alone, but I do not want to die alone.

That's why I came to Terebithia. It is the one place I have never felt truly alone, even if I had no company by my side. It is the place I can end this chapter of my life and embrace a new beginning.

"Welcome home, king," a voice whispered, and I turned to see the branches of a nearby tree waving at me. I could feel the eyes set deep in the bark looking at me. I'd almost forgotten how truly remarkable Terebithia was.

The farther I walked, the more I began to relax and recognize the world surrounding me. This was the place Leslie and I loved, our escape from the harsh reality awaiting us on the other side of the bridge. I'd forgotten how much I cared for Terebithia until this moment.

That was when the thought crossed my mind: All my life, I'd been searching for something, but I didn't know what. I'd left Terebithia to find it, but as I walked through the land, the feeling of being utterly lost began to fade with each step. Had I been searching for Terebithia my entire life, even as I ran away from it?

Maybe coming back to square one is just what you need.

I sat on a rock beside a crystal blue lake and stared out over the shimmering waters. The sun shined down on the water and made my own skin glow. The entire world was silent and serene, and I wouldn't trade this moment for the world.

"I've been waiting for you, Jesse."

I'd know that voice anywhere.

I was sixty-five years old and finally had someone to lean on. I was ready to begin again in another world with my best friend by my side.

I turned to face her and smiled.

"Hey, Leslie. It's been a while."

She was standing less than three feet away from me with Prince Terrian-who had died when I was sixteen- at her side. He was yapping with excitement, and she was grinning that golden smile.

"It has," she agreed.

I grinned. "We have so much to catch up on, old friend."

She held out her hand. "Let's go talk about it somewhere only we know."

I reached out and took her hand, watching as my wrinkles faded. I was no longer sixty-five years old; I was twelve once again and free from the loneliness of a life without Leslie.

We held hands as we strolled through Terebithia, together once again.

I left Terebithia with an open mind and my queen by my side.

"Keep your mind wide open."

Who knew that one short statement could make all the difference?

Kind of bitter sweet. Make sure to review.