Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the story Bridge to Terabithia

I am just a fan of one of the most emotionally powerful books that I have ever read.

Chapter 5

The young resident doctor returned from delivering Leslie to Jesse's room. He came up to the huddled group of Aarons' and Burke's, and explained how important it was for Jesse to see Leslie. He went on to say that Jesse had been so distressed that he was unable to rest until he could see for himself that Leslie was ok.

He said that he hoped he hadn't offended any one, particularly the Aarons', since they had been allowed only a brief visit with Jesse until visiting hour. The Aarons assured the doctor that they understood and that they were well aware of Jesse's unique friendship with Leslie. When asked about his reference to king and queen, he told them that he had been sworn to secrecy and he said no more about it. Then with a smile he said goodbye and left to make his rounds.

Visiting hour was announced and Mr. and Mrs. Aarons went down the hall to see their son. He wasn't very good company; he fluttered in and out of consciousness, just mumbling gibberish now and then when spoken to. Leslie, feeling uneasy and intrusive, slid off the chair and slipped out the room, wishing she were invisible.

Jesse's mother remained with him, while Mr. Aarons went back to the waiting room to get the others. Then the rest of the Aarons family and Bill and Judy Burke took turns, a few at a time, and went down the hall to see Jesse. The baby, Joyce Ann, oblivious to the situation stayed in the waiting room with the others comfortably asleep in her stroller.

May Belle looked apprehensive as she went down the hall with Ellie and Brenda on either side of her holding her hands. She was afraid that he would be mad at her for following him to the creek. She felt it was her fault he was hurt. He had looked up and saw her hiding in the bushes and he had yelled at her, "May Belle," he scolded, "what are you doing here? Go home, you go home now." He was quite angry with her. That's when he lost his grip and tumbled out of the tree, landing on a jagged log that lay there. Then bouncing off the log he crashed onto the rocks that lined the banks of the creek. He rolled down the embankment tossed against the craggy rocks, then splashed into the cold rushing water of the creek. She thought he was dead when she pulled him out of the swirling water and dragged him up the embankment as far she could, with strength she didn't know she had.

Leslie was in the waiting room sitting with Mr. Aarons. She had been working on an idea that came into her head earlier when she was talking to Jesse. She turned to face Mr. Aarons and asked, hesitantly, "Mr. Aarons?" He turned to face Leslie and said,

"Yes Leslie?"

"May I talk with you for a minute?"

"Sure Leslie what is it?"

"Privately?" she asked sheepishly, Mr. Aarons looked at Leslie puzzled as to what she might want.

"Ok, um… let's go down there," he said, and he pointed down the hallway. Leslie and Mr. Aarons got up from their seats and headed off down the hall. Further down the hall and around a corner they found a bench tucked into a small alcove along the wall, it seemed private enough, so they sat down. Leslie was nervous her hands were sweaty and her heart was pounding.

"What can I do for you Leslie?" Mr. Aarons asked, his voice soft and deep. He was looking at her, making her feel uncomfortable.

"Ah um Mr. Aarons I was wondering? You see my dad isn't very handy, he doesn't even own tools. Well, maybe a hammer and a screwdriver but that's about it. So I was thinking, like ah if I need um a favor ah um I want um I need…" She stuttered, and stammered, tripping over her words, she was so nervous. She looked down at her hands while fidgeting in her seat.

Mr. Aarons was a tough, mean looking man: not that he was mean, he was really quite gentle, he just had a gruff look about him, and sometimes it scared Leslie, like now.

" Leslie," he said smiling at her, " don't be nervous just ask me, ok."

She took a deep breath and said, "I need your help um ah," then she just blurted it out, "I need to build a bridge."

"A bridge?" Mr. Aarons laughed, "what kind of bridge?"

Taking a deep breath and finding her courage she answered forcefully.

"A bridge across the creek where the rope swing was hung." Jesse's father's face went hard; his eyes took on a steely look. He looked away from her and sighed deeply, then he turned to face her again, his stern eyes burned into her and he frightened her even more then she had been before. She never expected this reaction.

"I don't know Leslie," he said shaking his head, then went on scolding her, "I think you kids got your heads up in the clouds. You need to come back down to earth. Jesse's in that room back there all busted up cause you kids got no sense," he swung his arm out and pointed a finger back down the hall in the direction of Jesse's room. Then swinging his arm back he shook his finger at Leslie as he continued berating her.

"You need to get serious and forget about playing Tarzan or whatever it is you do out there, swinging on ropes and whatever." Then he sighed and softened a bit and continued, "you need to face reality, and focus on the important things."

Leslie felt like she might cry and tried to hold back her tears.

"Now don't go crying," Mr. Aarons said seeing the tears forming in Leslie's eyes. "I didn't mean to make you cry," he thought maybe he had over stepped his authority scolding Leslie as he had done, after all she wasn't his kid.

"I didn't mean to scare you. I just want you to understand that life ain't all fun and games." Then becoming more firm, but still gentle, he said, "I don't want Jesse playing out there anymore, do you understand?" Leslie nodded her agreement. He stood up and said, "come on now Leslie, let's get back to the others."

Leslie was crestfallen. She had hoped Jesse's dad would help her, her own dad would have. Unfortunately when it came to building things Bill was useless.

As they came up to the others, Bill could sense something was wrong. He looked at Leslie, then at Mr. Aarons, then back to Leslie again. Then as Leslie came up close to Bill he asked her, "what's the matter honey? Did Mr. Aarons hurt you?" Then putting his hands on her shoulders and bending low to bring his face close to hers, he asked, "did he touch you? What happened?"

"No dad, we just had a disagreement," she said, looking at Bill with sad eyes.

Bill didn't want to think the worst of Mr. Aarons, he didn't want to believe that he would hurt a kid, but you hear so much about that sort of think these days that his concern overwhelmed him.

"Are you sure you're ok Leslie, because if he hurt you I'll…"

Leslie broke in cutting Bill short, and said, "it's ok dad, we just had an argument, ok… that's all."

Leslie thought about her dad picking a fight with Mr. Aarons. Now that would be a sight. Imagine: a Latter-day, hippie, peacenik, pacifist, picks fight with ex Marine sergeant. Maybe if Mr. Aarons was in his son's condition Bill might have a chance, maybe.

After their encounter Leslie avoided Mr. Aarons, Bill would take her to visit Jesse after school when Mr. Aarons was still at work.

By Friday Jesse dreaded seeing Leslie almost as much as he was excited to see her: dreaded only because she brought him his schoolwork. Leslie would spend the afternoon helping Jesse with his schoolwork and then the next day return it to Mrs. Myers.

"Why do I have to do schoolwork today? He grumbled, " its Friday?"

"Because," she said, "you have to pass the sixth grade so we can be together next year."

"Well…Lets see. If I repeat the sixth grade, I'll be the fastest," he said smiling up at her.

"That's no reason to stay back Jesse Aarons," they both laughed at that.

"Why can't we take a break today, you can help me over the weekend; I'll do it then I promise."

"But your dad will..." She cut herself short, she didn't want Jess to know about her argument with his father.

"My dad will what?" He asked, a bit confused.

"Oh nothing, I have to go to the bathroom I'll be right back."

She had to escape so she wouldn't have to explain that she had been avoiding his dad, and since he would probably be around over the weekend she didn't want to be here. She was trying to come up with a good excuse as to why she couldn't see him over the weekend. She just couldn't think of one yet.

When she returned she said she would drop the subject of schoolwork only if he promised to do it over the weekend. He agreed

Mr. Aarons had left work early that Friday afternoon and stopped by the hospital to see Jesse. He walked up to his son's room and stepped in but quickly stepped back out again without being noticed. Leslie was there with his son, and things were awkward ever since their argument last Saturday night (Jesse's first night in the hospital), so he was going to go down the hall to the waiting room to wait a few minutes before he interrupted them. He was becoming quite concerned this past week about his son's relationship with Leslie; something about that girl worried him. When Jesse comes home from the hospital he's going to put his foot down and forbid him from seeing her.

He was still standing at the door about to turn and leave when he overheard them talking about "the kingdom," his curiosity was peaked. Kingdom, what could that mean? Then he remembered last Saturday night, the doctor called Leslie her majesty and referred to Jesse as the king, it made him wonder.

"I wish I could go to Terabithia," he heard his son say.

"Maybe we can," Leslie said.

"Leslie, even if the rope was still there I couldn't swing over on it, not like this," he said referring to his current condition.

"Maybe there's another way, I'll think of something."

"I don't know Leslie, I think my days of being king are over, back to the dumb old Jess."

"Don't say that Jesse, please don't."

"Good afternoon Mr. Aarons," Bill said stiffly as he came up to Jesse's father.

"Oh... hello Mr. Burke, I was just coming in to see Jess."

"Yeah," an awkward silence drove a wedge between them. Bill, he knew, was angry with him for scolding his daughter and Leslie, he suspected, had been avoiding him. Bill broke the fragile veil of silence and said.

"I've come to pick up Leslie, we'll be out of your way in a minute," Bill spoke with a formal tone and shifted uncomfortably on his feet. He escaped into Jesse's room to collect his daughter. Jesse senior heard them saying their good-byes. Then Bill and Leslie came out of Jesse's room passing him in the doorway. Leslie looked up at him, and he could see fear in her eyes, and something else, a question was in there, her eyes seemed to be asking him "why?" He felt a stab of guilt in his heart, but remained resolute and frowned down at her.

"Hey Jess how are you feeling?"

"Hi dad, ok I guess," he looked sad.

"What's the matter Jess you should be happy you're going home on Monday. Just a couple more days here."

Jesse just stared off into space looking lost. The silence between them was deafening, punctuated only by the occasional sounds out in the hallway. After several minutes of silence Jesse's dad cleared his throat and asked, in a hesitant stilted voice "so Jess, what is this place Terabithia?" Jesse's head spun around to face his father, shock registered on his face, he looked horrified.

"How do you know about Terabithia?" Jesse asked, he was angry, like someone protecting a loved one, or a sacred temple. Like someone willing to die for their beliefs.

"I...ah ...overheard you and Leslie talking about it and well..." he had just violated his son's privacy and trust, realizing he had pried into something private and intimate between him and Leslie. He stared down at his hands, his rough rugged hands. Hands that have done hard work, the kind of work he was use to, not this. Now he had trod onto some unknown territory, and he didn't know what to do or say. He wished he could take it back, but it had been said, and it angered Jesse so deeply that his reaction alarmed him.

Then Jesse spoke breaking that stone hard silence, he spoke as if in a trance, from a distant place, as if from another world.

"It's our place," he said," a place where we become strong and fearless." He paused, and with a sad sigh he turned to face his father. "It's a symbol of our friendship." Then looking deep into his father's eyes as if to challenge him, sensing that he felt they were too young for these feelings, he said, "it's a symbol of our love for each other." Then pointing to his father's wedding ring he said, "it's like that." His father looked at his hand and the ring, turning it on his finger, watching the gold glint in the light; thinking about what it stood for. Then looking at his son, into his son's eyes, eyes that had a wisdom and intensity that was far beyond his twelve years; he was overpowered with emotion. It left him speechless. A lifetime of memories and emotions flashed before his eyes in just those few moments, then finding his voice he said.

"So... that place...that place across the creek, it's that important to you?"

"Yes, it is" he said and looked off into the distance again. Jesse had a sadness about him that Mr. Aarons could feel fill the room. Losing Terabithia, he sensed, was to Jess like the death of someone close to him. He felt that his loss was as deep as if Leslie herself had died.

The phone rang at the Burke's house. Leslie raced to answer it, thinking it would be Jesse. He had been calling her in the evenings and sometimes they would talk for hours.

"Hello," she said expecting to hear Jesse's voice; she did only it was Jesse senior not Jesse junior. A shiver ran up her spine when she heard him ask for her father.

"Yes, just a minute Mr. Aarons." She said, and went to call Bill to the phone. She stood by listening in until Bill shooed her away. Leslie went to the kitchen where Judy was reading the newspaper over a cup of coffee. Bill came in a few moments later and announced he was going out with Mr. Aarons. That's weird Leslie thought what does Jesse's dad want with Bill? Then as Bill was pulling out of the driveway and too late for her to stop him it occurred to her that they were going to have a fight. When she expressed her fear to Judy, Judy laughed and said they were grown civilized men and they weren't going to fight.

"Are you sure mom?" she asked, feeling a little less concerned, hoping Judy was right.

"Of course they aren't going to fight honey, don't worry." Judy felt a pang of doubt but shook it off thinking herself foolish.

Mr. Aarons was up early Saturday morning. It was the dawning of a beautiful spring day with the dew sparkling on the grass and dripping lightly from the fingers of the trees. Down by the creek the birds chirped announcing morning and keeping company with the squirrels and the chipmunks. The water was lower then it had been a week ago, and Terabithia looked beautiful from this side of the creek. All was crisp and clean and new. New beginnings, new hopes, new dreams, a new day dawning.

"What are you doing up so early?" His wife had asked, still half asleep.

"I've got some chores need doing," he said in a deep whispered bedroom voice, "just go back to sleep, I'll be back later."

It was 10:00 in the morning when he pulled up to the Burke's house; he went up to the door and knocked.

"Good morning Jesse," Bill said with a wink as he answered the door.

"Did you get it?" Mr. Aarons asked.

"Right here," he said patting the breast pocket of his jacket.

"How did you make out?" Bill asked Mr. Aarons.

"Got everything we need."

"Good, I'll get Leslie," Bill said, and went off to do that. Jesse senior waited in the hall just inside the door. He heard Bill call to Leslie, and a few moments later they were back. Leslie had a look of dread on her face; she had that same look of fear and questioning in her eyes that he had seen there before.

"Good morning Leslie," he said and smiled at her.

Good morning Mr. Aarons," she said sheepishly, with that frightened expression still on her face.

"Leslie," he began, "I've come to apologize to you for the other night, can we talk," then looking up at Bill said, "alone?"

Bill looking and feeling awkward said, "I'll be in the kitchen," and he left them alone. Leslie invited Mr. Aarons into the golden room where he took a seat; Leslie sat across from him.

"Look Leslie," he said, stroking his chin, "I'm real sorry about last week. I didn't understand what that place meant to you two. I know I said you had your head in the clouds, but it was me that had my head up somewhere, and it wasn't in the clouds," he chuckled at his little joke; Leslie didn't get it.

"So I'm here to apologize to you."

"It's ok Mr. Aarons, I guess I'm sorry too, it was silly of me to ask you to help me build a bridge, you're right and I know it's not practical, but I just felt so sad for Jess."

"Hey not so fast," he said, " you asked for my help your majesty, and my help you shall have."

"Huh, what? I don't understand," Leslie said, it had her head was reeling.

"The royal carpenter is at your service," he said bowing with a playful flurish. "We have a bridge to build."

"Really?" Her face beamed a great smile that lit up the world.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes and we better get started if we want it finished by the time Jesse comes home."

"Oh but Mr. Aarons, Jesse said that that's not your land on the other side of the creek."

"You're right, it isn't, that land belongs to the old Perkins place," he said smiling.

"But we own the old Perkins plac..." Her face showed recognition, "we own the old Perkins place." she squealed.

"That's right, and I'm sure your parents won't mind."

Leslie went to Mr. Aarons and gave him a hug.

"Thank you," she said, with tears of joy in her eyes.

Then Bill came in the room saying, "hey what's going on in here?"

"We're going to build a bridge dad."

"Really?… Good, because now I know what to do with this building permit," he said holding up the document, with a big smile on his face.

Judy had come into the golden room from the kitchen after hearing Leslie's squeal of surprise, and with a sly grin she said.

"So that's what you two were up to last night."

Author's notes:

First: I would like to take a moment to credit MadTom. Many of the ideas for this story came out of his 'Groundhogs at Terabithia' story. Two examples from this chapter are, Bill Burke as a "Latter-day hippie, and Mr. Aarons as an "ex Marine sergeant." You'll find that there are several more examples throughout this story.

Second: I've advanced Leslie and Jesse to the sixth grade in order to make them a little older. I still think I'm portraying them older then their years, but hey, it's fiction.

Thanks for reading and reviewing.

Percy55

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