Disclaimer: I own Alec and Allie, and their dæmons. That is all. Phillip
Pullman owns the rest.
A/N: This is chapter 5, the must-see chapter if you've been following the story.
~*~ Travel ~*~
Over the next few months, Lyra and Alec met regularly in the garden for lessons. Lyra was doing very well. Also, she was getting better and better at reading her alethiometer. She also, however, was missing Will terribly each day. She kept running through the memories they had shared.
When they first met in Ci'gazze, at the little café.
Their first kiss, in the world of the mulefa.
And when their dæmons had settled.
These were all great memories that Lyra still remembered vividly, and treasured deeply. She missed Will with a heart-wrenching ache, not unlike when she left Pan on the shore of the world of the dead. She was determined to find him again. She wouldn't let him down.
~*~
Soon, thought Alec. Soon Lyra would be ready. The lessons had been going very well. She was now able to travel long distances. And, she had begun to travel from her room to the Botanic Garden to get to the lessons. He was proud of her, there was no doubt of that. She had achieved so much in such a small amount of time. They had been working for almost twelve months now. Twelve months into his own training, he hadn't accomplished half as much as her. She was so determined; he sometimes worried that she was pushing herself too much.
As for Alec's feelings for Lyra…well, things had gotten better. He liked her no less now; it was just that he had come to his senses. He realized that they could never be more than great friends, which they would be, for many years to come. It was just, the pain he felt had become dulled. It was just part of what everything felt like. Like when you get a cut, at first, it stings horribly, and it seems like it will never end. But then, it simply becomes part of the background, and you hardly notice it, even though it still hurts a lot. It was like that for Alec.
~*~
It was odd; Lyra was usually pretty good at figuring people out. But Alec had confused her. However, after spending so much time with him, she had begun to feel like Alec…well, liked her. At first, she had thought he was just a naturally friendly person, but she soon noticed how he got much happier-looking when he saw her. And how he always listened to her, and smiled at her. And also…how he flinched at any mention of Will.
Lyra was walking through the Botanic Garden, on her way to a lesson with Alec. Once she reached the big oak tree, she sat down on one of those massive roots. Pan jumped up next to her. She gently stroked his golden- red, pine marten fur with her fingertips.
"Pan," she said, "when did it get to be so complicated? One day we were running about Jordan College, without a care in the world. Then, all of a sudden our world is turned upside down." She sighed.
"Don't worry, Lyra." Said Pan. "Once we find Will and Kirjava again, things will be much better."
"I suppose…"
~*~
"Hi, Lyra." Said Alec.
"Hi." She replied.
"Lyra, I think you're ready. No, I iknowi you're ready." Alec said confidently, grinning at her. Lyra looked up, she had not been expecting that. Her, ready? Wow. She suddenly became very excited, for she might be seeing Will soon. She grinned too. They were going to try and travel to a different world! Lyra grinned even wider when she remembered that tomorrow was Midsummer's day.
~*~
They began at once. She slipped into the trance, and pictured the Botanic Garden in Will's Oxford. She imagined herself surrounded by the flowers and birds, sitting on the bench where she came every year…and then it happened. Lyra was on the bench, in Will's Oxford!
She stood up, and walked around a bit. She nearly cried out loud with joy and satisfaction. She'd done it. She wouldn't go to see Will now though, besides, how would she find him? She would wait until tomorrow, Midsummer. She knew where he'd be that day. She hugged Pan. He couldn't wait until tomorrow, same as her. Then, they came back to their own world, where Alec was waiting for them.
When Lyra saw Alec, she ran up to him and hugged him tight.
"Oh Alec! It worked, it really worked! Thank you so much! You don't know how much this means to me! I couldn't have done it without you." And Lyra kissed him on the cheek. Alec reddened slightly.
~*~
The next morning, Lyra and Pan were in a giddy state. Allie laughed out loud at the sight of Lyra. "What is going on with you?" Laughed Allie.
"Nothing," answered Lyra, "we're just excited to be meeting with a couple of old friends today." Lyra was filled with nothing but love for Will.
~*~
Lyra and Pan spent the whole morning in the Botanic Garden. (In their own world). When it was nearly midday, Lyra went to the bench. The bench that she knew Will would be arriving at any minute. She could hardly get into the trance, she was so excited. But she made herself calm down…and a minute later…
~*~
Will was walking down a path in the garden. The path that led to the bench, had to stop a moment. He blinked hard a couple of times and rubbed his eyes. He must be dreaming…it couldn't be…
But it was.
"Lyra…" Said Will uncertainly.
"Will!" Shouted Lyra, spotting him.
"Lyra!" He cried. And they ran to embrace each other.
~*~
A/N: Cliffhanger, yes! I'm sorry, but I just couldn't resist. I promise, I'll post the next chapter as soon as possible. And remember: Read and Review!
: )
A/N: This is chapter 5, the must-see chapter if you've been following the story.
~*~ Travel ~*~
Over the next few months, Lyra and Alec met regularly in the garden for lessons. Lyra was doing very well. Also, she was getting better and better at reading her alethiometer. She also, however, was missing Will terribly each day. She kept running through the memories they had shared.
When they first met in Ci'gazze, at the little café.
Their first kiss, in the world of the mulefa.
And when their dæmons had settled.
These were all great memories that Lyra still remembered vividly, and treasured deeply. She missed Will with a heart-wrenching ache, not unlike when she left Pan on the shore of the world of the dead. She was determined to find him again. She wouldn't let him down.
~*~
Soon, thought Alec. Soon Lyra would be ready. The lessons had been going very well. She was now able to travel long distances. And, she had begun to travel from her room to the Botanic Garden to get to the lessons. He was proud of her, there was no doubt of that. She had achieved so much in such a small amount of time. They had been working for almost twelve months now. Twelve months into his own training, he hadn't accomplished half as much as her. She was so determined; he sometimes worried that she was pushing herself too much.
As for Alec's feelings for Lyra…well, things had gotten better. He liked her no less now; it was just that he had come to his senses. He realized that they could never be more than great friends, which they would be, for many years to come. It was just, the pain he felt had become dulled. It was just part of what everything felt like. Like when you get a cut, at first, it stings horribly, and it seems like it will never end. But then, it simply becomes part of the background, and you hardly notice it, even though it still hurts a lot. It was like that for Alec.
~*~
It was odd; Lyra was usually pretty good at figuring people out. But Alec had confused her. However, after spending so much time with him, she had begun to feel like Alec…well, liked her. At first, she had thought he was just a naturally friendly person, but she soon noticed how he got much happier-looking when he saw her. And how he always listened to her, and smiled at her. And also…how he flinched at any mention of Will.
Lyra was walking through the Botanic Garden, on her way to a lesson with Alec. Once she reached the big oak tree, she sat down on one of those massive roots. Pan jumped up next to her. She gently stroked his golden- red, pine marten fur with her fingertips.
"Pan," she said, "when did it get to be so complicated? One day we were running about Jordan College, without a care in the world. Then, all of a sudden our world is turned upside down." She sighed.
"Don't worry, Lyra." Said Pan. "Once we find Will and Kirjava again, things will be much better."
"I suppose…"
~*~
"Hi, Lyra." Said Alec.
"Hi." She replied.
"Lyra, I think you're ready. No, I iknowi you're ready." Alec said confidently, grinning at her. Lyra looked up, she had not been expecting that. Her, ready? Wow. She suddenly became very excited, for she might be seeing Will soon. She grinned too. They were going to try and travel to a different world! Lyra grinned even wider when she remembered that tomorrow was Midsummer's day.
~*~
They began at once. She slipped into the trance, and pictured the Botanic Garden in Will's Oxford. She imagined herself surrounded by the flowers and birds, sitting on the bench where she came every year…and then it happened. Lyra was on the bench, in Will's Oxford!
She stood up, and walked around a bit. She nearly cried out loud with joy and satisfaction. She'd done it. She wouldn't go to see Will now though, besides, how would she find him? She would wait until tomorrow, Midsummer. She knew where he'd be that day. She hugged Pan. He couldn't wait until tomorrow, same as her. Then, they came back to their own world, where Alec was waiting for them.
When Lyra saw Alec, she ran up to him and hugged him tight.
"Oh Alec! It worked, it really worked! Thank you so much! You don't know how much this means to me! I couldn't have done it without you." And Lyra kissed him on the cheek. Alec reddened slightly.
~*~
The next morning, Lyra and Pan were in a giddy state. Allie laughed out loud at the sight of Lyra. "What is going on with you?" Laughed Allie.
"Nothing," answered Lyra, "we're just excited to be meeting with a couple of old friends today." Lyra was filled with nothing but love for Will.
~*~
Lyra and Pan spent the whole morning in the Botanic Garden. (In their own world). When it was nearly midday, Lyra went to the bench. The bench that she knew Will would be arriving at any minute. She could hardly get into the trance, she was so excited. But she made herself calm down…and a minute later…
~*~
Will was walking down a path in the garden. The path that led to the bench, had to stop a moment. He blinked hard a couple of times and rubbed his eyes. He must be dreaming…it couldn't be…
But it was.
"Lyra…" Said Will uncertainly.
"Will!" Shouted Lyra, spotting him.
"Lyra!" He cried. And they ran to embrace each other.
~*~
A/N: Cliffhanger, yes! I'm sorry, but I just couldn't resist. I promise, I'll post the next chapter as soon as possible. And remember: Read and Review!
: )