I've only seen the movie, not the book, but really liked it, and knew I had to write at least one FF on it, so here it is!

Tell me what you think please as I don't think I did the best job with keeping them in character. Anyway, enjoy!

Happy New Year

The door to the Burkes house swung open to reveal a lively New Years Eve party in full swing inside. It was Mr Burke who greeted the Aarons at the door as they entered the spacious hall way which now was filled with what looked like half the neighborhood.

Saying goodbye to his parents and May Belle, who was currently trying to hide inside his mums skirt (his other sisters had managed to wheedle out of going to the New Years party), Jess weaved through the throng of brightly dressed party goers, smiling briefly to any faces he recognized, until he caught a glimpse of the only real person he'd being looking forward to spending the evening with - and immediately let out a burst of laughter! Hearing the sound, Leslie spun around and glared at the culprit, a faint tint of red on her cheeks. Marching up to him she pointed a finger warningly up to his grinning face.

"Don't you dare utter one more word Jesse Aarons or I'll smack that stupid smirk right of your face!" She growled,

"Oh, I'm sorry," He grinned, looking down at Leslie's sparkling pink, polka dotted smock. "I wasn't aware Butterfly's were invited to this party."

Leslie scowled, eying enviously the more reasonable shirt and jeans that Jesse wore.

"A Christmas present from my Grandmother." She sighed, picking at it in dismay. "I think her fashion sense died with the sixties, but Mum and Dad said I have to wear it at least once in front of her."

Jess bit his lip to stop himself laughing again. "Oh come on. I think you look cute."

Leslie looked in disbelief from the dress until she saw the teasing smile on his lips. Flushing red she jumped after the fleeing Jesse yelling threats and obscenities as they dodged through the bewildered crowd.

Three hours later the two sat in a comfortable silence on Leslie's front porch sipping lemonades as the party continued on behind them, the unnecessarily loud music replaced gratefully by the cool night air.

Leslie's poor dress had not survived the night without injury, now sporting several rips, drips and crumbs of party food, as well as a large grass stain where she had half tackled, half jumped Jesse after he made one to many comments about her frock.

Jesse stretched, yawning as he did, then winced suddenly, rubbing his left shoulder.

"That punch really hurt you know." He grimaced, letting go of his shoulder.

"Serves you right." Leslie replied absent mindedly, twirling her lemonade bottle cap in her hands. "You shouldn't have let yourself get hit by a girl."

Jesse shrugged and took another swig.

Suddenly Leslie looked at him, that sparkle of excitement that he'd come to know and love so well in her eyes.

"What is it?"

"I want to go to Terebithia!"

He looked at her blankly.

"What, now?"

"Yes, now!"

"But, Leslie, it's like eleven o'clock… and… well, won't our parents wonder where we are?"

"Oh don't worry," she said dismissively. "Every adult in there is completely drunk; they won't even know we've gone. Besides, it not as if we'll be going for long. Oh come on," she said, dragging him to his feet at the reluctant look on his face. "Look, we'll bring PT as well; he could probably do with getting out of that house."

She called for him and he obediently came trotting out of the garage, one of the only quiet places in the house, to greet them, jumping into Leslie's arms. Jesse smiled, his mind made up. It would be nice to see it before the year ended.

Some time later, the two were sitting quietly with PT asleep across their laps in the castle of Terebithia, otherwise known as the tree house, munching on some apples they had left over in a basket.

Jesse took the last bite at his apple before lobbing the core as far as he could into the large bushes opposite them. They landed with a dull thud, causing something to squeal in fright, scampering off into the undergrowth. Leslie grinned at him.

"Squogers aren't going to disturb us tonight, don't worry." He looked at her.

"And how would the great queen know that?" He said lazily, leaning back onto the floor.

"Because nothing can disturb us tonight. Not even the Dark Master." She replied dreamily, looking around the peaceful forest, and up at the now cloudless sky, before following suit, and leaned back to join Jesse on the floor. Suddenly she looked at her watch, and raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"It's almost midnight."

Jess murmured back in acknowledgement. There was a pause. Leslie sat up, pushing her ridiculous dress out of the way. "Well?"

"Well what?"

"We have to kiss."

Jesse sat up with a start. "What?"

She rolled her eyes. "It's traditional. At midnight on New Years Eve, a boy and a girl both have to kiss. And I don't plan on breaking that tradition." She stated stubbornly, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Jess nervously fiddled with his shirt wrist. Suddenly he didn't seem able to look Leslie in the face. "Wha-"

"Oh, hurry up!" She exclaimed, looking at her watch again and dragging him round to face her. "We only have thirty seconds to go!"

Jess abruptly found himself face to face with Leslie, the pale moonlight glancing off her face, picking out every detail, making her, Jess thought with a lurch, look very pretty.

"10 seconds." She breathed, finding herself short of breath, his soft brown eyes meeting her green-blue ones.

"5"

"4"

"3"

"2"

"1"

Their lips met briefly in a soft, sweet, kiss that spoke a world to both of them, before they broke away.

"That was…" Leslie started, hesitating for a second, for once lost for words.

"Nice." Jesse finished for her, smiling.

Fireworks suddenly erupted in the sky around them, breaking the moment but filling the night with colors like a celestial rainbow. It was Leslie who spoke first, and reluctantly said "I guess we better be getting back soon."

"I Guess." Jess agreed, and grasped her hand, his eyes looking up to the sky.

"Happy New Year, my Gracious Queen." Jesse smiled, looking back to her.

She gripped his hand more firmly, and returned the smile. "Happy New Year, my Good King."

Yeah, I know, that was really cheesy.

Review!