Alternate ending

Winnie Foster had made up her mind. She had often thought about if should or should not drink the water, and now, as she neared her seventeenth birthday, she had made up her mind. She hadn't seen Jesse tuck since she had helped break Mae out of jail, but as they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Ever since he had left she often wandered to the magic spring where it all started, wondering how it all went wrong. Why he had to leave. She had been nothing but a naive child then, but she had grown into a young woman. She was often told that she was beautiful and was shown plenty of attention from the opposite gender, but she never returned their affection. Jesse was always there, lingering in the back of her mind. But it had been nearly 7 years ago now, and he probably didn't even remember her. Winnie let out a laugh aloud, startling several birds that had been wandering around the huge tree with the "T" carveved into it. She certainly wouldn't drink the water if he didn't want her too anymore! After a lot of consideration, and many trips to the spring, she had come up with her solution. If Jesse came for her she would drink the water. If not, then too bad. She couldn't spend her whole life hanging off Jesse Tuck. Winnie ran her hand along the "t" feeling the rough bark against the pads of her fingers, and headed back home.

Late that night, Winnie was just drifting to sleep go when she heard a knock. Suddenly alert, she froze. She heard it again coming from... the window?

"Hello?" Winnie whispered, not wanting to wake her parents.

"Winnie? Is that you?"

"Jesse!" Winnie said shocked, as she quickly ran to her window and let him in. "what are you doing here? It's almost midnight!"

"I came here 'cuz I just have to know. Did you drink the water?"

Winnie just stared at the same 17 year old she had met before. He hadn't changed a bit.

"Not yet" she carefully worded

"Yet?" he asked with an excited look on his face. Winnie smiled. He still cared. She explained her plan and he got a guilty look.

"Sorry about not coming sooner. With mom being a criminal and all, we couldn't come back. I just dropped by to see you cuz we was passing by Treegap. I wanted to yesterday but mom and dad wouldn't let me. I had to sneak out. They don't know that I'm gone," He sighed, "are you sure that's what you want? To be stuck with me?" Clearly arguing with himself mentally.

"Jesse, I've really thought this through. I've had 7 years to think it over. This is my final decision. The only thing left on my mind is how long it will take me to pack"

Jesse laughed "Ok then. We are just passing through so you don't have that long. We leave tomorrow."

"I'll go to the spring in the morning. Meet you there at 9?"

"See ya there"

After feeding her parents some story about moving out, to which, after quite a screaming fit, they said to write often, Winnie took her pack and went to the spring. The air had that comfortable summer feeling, not too hot but not too cold either. A perfect day for traveling. As she neared the magic spring that had started it all, she saw Jesse and waved. He ran out to meet her.

"Are you absolutely sure? "

"Yes Jesse. Absolutely sure. "

Winnie took a glass from her pack and held it under the spring. She waited until it was halfway full then held it up.

"To forever"

And she drank.