Second Chance
A/N: In this chapter, "alternate" refers to the new reality (Leslie and Jesse are alive) and "original" refers to the old reality (Leslie, and now Jesse, are dead).
Chapter 4
His Place in Heaven
Alternate
Jesse blinked into focus, glancing around. He couldn't remember losing consciousness; the last he remembered, he had completed Death's puzzle. His eyes brought the room into focus – a hospital room.
His activity did not go unnoticed by the hospital staff; they immediately went to work, muttering in urgent tones.
"This doesn't make sense!" one doctor exclaimed.
"He woke up!"
"How?"
"Notify the family! Now!"
Commands rang through the hospital now, piercing Jesse's consciousness. He grabbed his head before passing out.
It wasn't until later that Jesse woke up, still in the same hospital room – only this time, he saw three people. May Belle, his mom, and Leslie.
"May Belle? Mom? Leslie?" he croaked out, only it came out different.
"Shh, don't try to talk, Jess," Nancy said.
Jesse turned his head quickly toward the clock, trying to see if they would understand.
"He's trying to say something!" Leslie exclaimed happily, before flashing an apologetic glance at Nancy. "But what?"
"How long was I out?" Jesse asked; this one came out more clearly.
"Jess, you've been unconscious for three years," Leslie said. "We were so worried!"
"Three years?" It was getting easier for him to talk.
"Since you were in a car crash," Nancy said. "What were you doing with Miss Edmonds on a Saturday?"
"Wha?"
"Jess, Miss Edmonds car crashed when you were going home from the museum." May Belle.
"How is she?"
"She died, Jess," Leslie said. "And the rope broke a week later."
The rope! The thought sped through Jesse's mind like a bullet train.
"Leslie? You're alive?"
"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"
"Oh... Of course you are!"
"Jess, are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
"Jess," Nancy broke in. "I'll let you two catch up, as you seem to have a lot to say. But, if you need anything, feel free to ask. You won't mind, right, Leslie?"
"Of course not," Leslie said. "If Jess needs anything, I'll get you."
With that, Nancy left, taking May Belle with her. Now, only Leslie and Jesse sat there, in the dark hospital room. An awkward silence descended between them.
Original
"While Jesse Aarons' time among us was short," the minister said, proceeding to praise Jesse. None of the people at the ceremony listened to him. All were involved in personal recollection, for each had their own memories of Jesse.
Finally, after what seemed to the participants to be hours, the minister finished and the funeral proceeded to their cars.
"Mama, Daddy, can I stay with Jesse for a bit?" May Belle asked. Her cheeks had trails of tears that she had frantically tried to wipe away futilely.
"Sure, May Belle," her father said.
May Belle walked over to Jesse's grave, crying lightly.
"Jess," said May Belle. "I'm sorry for not understanding. I'm sorry."
She turned and walked away, tears rolling down her cheeks.
Alternate
Leslie was sitting in a chair at Jesse's bedside. This seemed so strange to her. He hadn't woken in three years, and now he was good as new. The doctors weren't even telling him to rest.
"Jess," she said. "Why did you ask if I was alive?"
"Just a dream, Leslie. Nothing to worry about." Jesse said. "Just something I saw while I was unconscious. But I'm so glad you're here!"
"I'm glad you're awake. I was afraid you'd never wake up. Who'd be king of Terabithia then?"
In spite of himself, Jesse laughed.
"How is Terabithia faring anyway, my Queen?"
"I don't know, my King. I have not been there in many a moon."
"You haven't changed at all, Leslie. Still imaginative as ever."
"I hope you haven't, Jess. Because we'll have to go to the Sacred Grove once the doctors let you out."
"Whatever for?"
"To thank the Spirits for delivering you from death's door."
Jesse smiled at Leslie's choice of words. "I agree, my Queen; we should visit the Sacred Grove. Not for my deliverance; rather, for yours."
"What do you mean?"
"You'll think I'm crazy, or I'm imagining things."
"Maybe you're right, Jesse. Besides, if it's that important, we shouldn't say it anywhere except in Terabithia."
"Yeah..."
The next few minutes were filled with comfortable silence.
In Terabithia, the darkness of night descended more rapidly than elsewhere. But even this blackness could not mask the appearance of a dark figure – the Ruler himself.
"I will destroy the kingdom of Terabithia, Jesse Aarons, so that you may breed no more capable of defeating my Puzzle," he said. "For your victory is unnatural to the way of life."
He raised his hands, sending out a swarm of termites and other wood-eating insects at the tree that held the Terabithian castle.
"Destroy it!"
The insects went to work, chewing the tree and the wood of the treehouse. Slowly but surely, a creaking sound spread through the forest until the castle fell to the ground.
"Let's see what your imagination can do now."
With this, the Ruler disappeared into the darkness.
Original
The Aarons' home was pitch black, all the curtains drawn, yet not silent. Everywhere, the sounds of sobbing.
Nancy looked at the clock. Ten o'clock. Time to get Joyce and May Belle to bed, but she couldn't. She couldn't tell them to go to bed. She was too tired.
Jesse, she thought. I hope you find your place in Heaven.
A/N: Sorry for the short chapter, but this seemed like the best place to end it.
I hope the jumping of realities wasn't too confusing, but I didn't want to drop the part about Jesse dying in the original one completely, as it shows what the Ruler's price is, and provides a way to nullify the canon ending without actually nullifying it.