Note: Hey so thanks to all my loyal readers who supported me with the copy issue. Hopefully that person won't continue and if they do...well then they're just an asshole. Well people as always R&R. And you know where this story was first. Also I might be starting a Lord of the Flies fic but kind of an AU one with a Ralph/OC pairing in which all the characters are slightly older. If anyone's interested in co-authoring it let me know. Thanks everyone and I love you guys for always being there for me! :)
At five am the door to the Aarons' house opened and shut and a very tired Jess trudged in carrying a tiny wooden box in his hand and a welding mask in the other.
"Morning Jess!" a voice chirped from the kitchen. Jess jumped and dropped the mask, causing a loud clammering noise as it fell to the floor.
"Leslie? What are you doing up so early?" he whispered.
"I don't know. Couldn't sleep I guess...why were you outside? Wait a sec...you look awful. Haven't you slept?" she asked.
"Gee thanks Les, and no I haven't. I was just about to go do that now." he mumbled. She smiled and walked over, planting a kiss on his cheek.
"What's in your hand?" she asked. He stuffed the box in his pocket.
"Nothing. I'm tired. Uh...clicker's on the table if you want to watch TV. Night. I mean...morning." and with that he jogged up the stairs. Leslie shrugged and went back to the book she'd been reading without giving it a second thought.
Once Jess was safely in his room, he dropped the welding mask on a pile of clothes and sighed, opening the box and looking at his work. Inside was a tiny ring. It was silver and had a little diamond in the middle...well cubic zerconia but whatever.
Jess had found an old pocket watch his great uncle had given him and melted it down to form the ring, then he'd dug around for cufflinks he'd gotten from some dead relative too and painfully taken the little "diamond" out to make the middle of the ring. It was no fancy ring he'd seen Mrs. Burke wearing but it was Jess's and he hoped with all his heart Leslie would like it.
He closed the box, put it in his bedside table drawer, and flopped down on his bed, exhausted from working on the ring all night...in his defense he'd had to start and restart five times before he was satisfied. When Jess finally fell asleep, he was dreaming of his life with Leslie.
Meanwhile about an hour later, downstairs, May Belle had joined Leslie and was now watching TV while her mother made breakfast. Leslie had tried to help but ever since the shooting, Mary hadn't let Leslie do much of anything. It may have seemed to most like they were up oddly early, but early mornings were a thing of routine at the Aarons house.
"May, would you go try to wake Jess?" Mary asked.
"Can't Joyce do it?" May Belle whined.
"Joyce isn't feelin' well. She's still sleeping." Mary replied. May Bell sighed and started to get up.
"Wait! Jess just came home like an hour ago." Leslie said.
"What? Where was he?" Mary asked worriedly.
"I don't know...out. He wouldn't tell me. He was carrying a welding mask though, kinda scary." Leslie joked, crinkling her nose.
"Probably out working on a project or something, mom." May Belle tried to calm her mother. Mary let out a deep breath.
"You're right." And everyone returned back to what they'd been doing.
At around 2 pm Jess walked down the stairs, hair damp from a shower and the wooden box in his jeans pocket.
"Well, well, well good afternoon sleeping beauty." Leslie giggled from her spot at the table where she was playing Mystery Date with Joyce and May Belle. Jess smirked and bent down, quickly capturing her lips before pulling away when he saw his sisters snickering at them.
"Leslie, you wanna go for a walk?" he asked. He bit her lip and looked at the younger girls, silently begging permission.
"Go ahead." May Belle sighed, rolling her eyes playfully. Joyce looked slightly annoyed but said nothing. Leslie mouthed thank you and then followed Jess out the door.
They walked and talked for a while before they got to the entrance to Terabithia.
"This is the first time we've been here since..." Leslie trailed off, instantly regretting bringing it up.
Jess nodded knowingly, and they walked side by side across the bridge and further until they got to the burned down kingdom.
"I still can't believe it." she whispered, running her finger along the trunk of a burnt tree.
"Just think though, in a few months time we'll have it back. Better than before too." Jess said, smiling. She turned to him, eyes innocent looking.
"Do you really think so?" she asked. He nodded and gently placed his hands on her shoulders, turning her around so she faced the burnt mess.
"Close your eyes." he whispered. She obeyed him.
"Is your mind wide open?" he asked, his breath hot on her ear.
"Of course." she replied.
"What do you see?" he asked.
"I see the treehouse, but bigger so we can still fit. And I see the Terabithians welcoming us back after so long. I see the sparkling lakes and eventually I see us entering the castle. And the Troll's there too." she giggled.
"Want to know what I see?" he asked, pulling the box out of his pocket. She nodded and he opened it and took a small step back.
"Ok...then turn around and open your eyes." he said. As she turned around he got down on one knee and held the box out in one swift motion. Shock crossed her face, followed by an emotional, realizing smile, as her hand clasped over her mouth.
"I see us being king and queen together forever. I see us going back to the castle every day as husband and wife. I see a little prince and princess playing in the castle, while we're there of course." he said, Leslie's eyes pricked with tears.
"Leslie, I love you so much. I can't even explain it. And I know you think we're really young but I want to sped the rest of my life with you. I get to marry my best friend. There's really nothing else to say. Leslie, will you marry me?" he asked. Leslie nodded slowly as tears poured down her face at the same time a happy laughter escaped her lips.
"Yes!" she exclaimed. He smiled and slid the ring onto her finger then put his hands on either side of her face and kissed her with the most passion he ever had before. She clung onto him for dear life and when they pulled apart, he wiped the tears of joy away from her eyes.
"I love you." she whispered, staring up at him.
"I love you too." he replied, kissing the top of her head. They stood there in silence for a minute before he pulled back slightly.
"Oh...and the troll. The troll was there too." she laughed and kissed him quickly before he put his arm around her and they walked back to the house soaked in each other's love.