Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in the book or movie.
Thanks so much to Misha for beta-ing this for me!
Abby had always loved stars. She loved the way they lit up the dark sky. It was as if someone had poked holes in a blanket and covered the world with it. She spent a lot of time at the telescope on the balcony that was just outside her room. Abby's family had never understood how she could sit outside for hours in whatever weather with her astronomy books and her telescope. Sometimes she would take her little brother outside with her. Abby would point out the names of each star.
"Look at that star right there," she told Arthur once, as she pointed at a particularly bright star. "That is the best star out of all of them."
He looked up at his big sister. "Why, Abby?" he asked.
"That's Peter's star."
Arthur looked intently at the star. "Who's Peter?" there was pure innocence in his voice.
Abby picked him up off her lap and began gathering her books together. "Never you mind, Arthur. It's time for bed." She had never told Arthur anything about Peter. It never seemed right. Mother and Father never talked about him anymore. Indeed, it was as if he had never existed at all. Sometimes Abby would dream about him. When she would wake up, she found she couldn't remember if he was ever there. So she would slide her hands under her pillow until they reached a photograph. Abby would look at it. It was a picture of Peter holding Abby above his head. Her arms were spread out like the wings of a bird. Then the tears would come.
This evening like so many others, Abby was on the balcony, staring through the glass that she held so dear. She turned her telescope towards Peter's star. Why doesn't he ever come to visit me? Abby thought. Did he forget about me? She couldn't believe that. They had been so close. Then why did he leave? If he had truly cared about me he never would have left. Her eyes went back to her instrument. There was a star. It was coming straight toward her. It was barely increasing in size. Could it really be a star? It was too small. A firefly? Too big.
Abby rushed to the edge of the balcony to get a better look but it was moving too fast. The flying object flew straight into the kitchen window with a thump that made the girl cringe. Abby stared at the fallen flyer. She realized what it was and gasped.