I'll Find You

Chapter 2

A/N Wasn't actually going to write a second chapter but thanks to some great reviews I decided I may as well write one. Wish me luck!

Disclaimer: I don't own Bridge to Terabithia.

The silence was complete, total and to be honest awkward for all except two people.

It was these two people that drew the attention of others and accidentally promoted the quiet.

Jesse Aarons and Leslie Burke did not even notice the silence until it was broken.

"Leslie, who the hell is this douche, why are you on stage with him and how do you know him!?" James screamed at Leslie and this was why Jesse and Leslie noticed the silence because it was not just broken but shattered by James' questions.

Leslie didn't know whether to answer or not, although she knew the answers, but she did not know if she should tell this teenager who had asked them of her.

She decided to tell because he had been kind to her in the past and was one of her few friends here, even though she did not like him much.

Leslie opened her mouth, "She doesn't have to answer you," Jesse had interrupted her and had spoken in such a polite manner that Leslie wished he hadn't when she saw James' lips begin twitching in anger.

"What do you know, you're just the entertainment," James said this menacingly but Leslie could hear the hidden curiosity.

As Jesse stood thinking how best to answer, Leslie watched James and wondered how she could not have noticed how possessive he was and it sickened Leslie to think how much she had changed since she and Jesse had parted.

Jesse smiled and laughed a little.

Leslie looked quizzically at him and he winked, it amazed Leslie how at home and relaxed she felt around Jesse even though she hadn't seen, or spoken of him, in years, "Her name is Leslie Sophia Burke, her mother's name is Judy Samantha Burke, her father is Bill 'William' Frank Burke. She has, or maybe had, a dog called Prince Terrian or 'P.T.' for short."

All the time Jesse said this he didn't look away from Leslie's eyes and she smiled when she thought of how much he still remembered. "She has a completely overactive imagination which is why she is perfectly suited to be a writer like both her parents, she is always willing to help others, like Janice Avery who was the school bully and Leslie reached out to her and now Janice is who she wants to be, I think she works with some child abuse program now. Leslie is the most gifted person I have ever met and I just noticed that she has the most beautiful smile I have ever seen."

James looked completely flabbergasted and the rest of the hall looked a mix of confusion, yearning and understanding.

Leslie spoke now, "This is Jesse Jack Aarons, his father is Jack Curtis Aarons, his mother is Mary Laura Aarons, his sisters are Brenda, Ellie, Maybelle and Joyce Anne Aarons. He gave me P.T. In a wood near our homes', he also has a great imagination and due to this is an amazing artist and now musician. He lived on a farm, had to work very hard and, according to Jack Aarons, always had his head in the clouds. All this makes Jess Aarons who he is and I wouldn't change it."

Jesse and Leslie laughed and some of the school laughed with them but quietly, respectfully.

James, however did not laugh, he puled himself onto the stage and ran full pelt at Jesse.

He collided with Jesse and stopped abruptly while Jesse was thrown back into the drummer and his drums.

Jesse lay dazed and James turned to Leslie and slapped her full in the face.

Her neck snapped to the right and she turned slowly back to face James.

His teeth were bared and little flecks of spittle flew from his mouth.

His eyes were alight with fury.

Until Leslie's palm smashed into his nose, he doubled over clutching his face, blood seeping through his fingers.

He grunted in pain and reared up again to attack Leslie.

He didn't get the chance; as soon as his spine was straight a fist hit him and his face crumbled in pain before smoothing and he collapsed onto the floor.

He was out cold.

Leslie looked at Jesse, who, in all honesty, looked surprised he had knocked James out.

Jesse smiled and looked to Leslie, his hand was once again being held out towards her.

She took it and they walked out the doors into the stillness of the night.

The crowd they left behind watched them go before all the females burst into conversation, trying to decide what had just happened.

The males stared at each other with puzzlement clear on their faces.

James didn't wake up for several hours, and when he did, he had been diagnosed with a minor concussion and his head had to be wrapped in bandages to hold his nose in the correct place until it healed.

Leslie Burke wasn't in school the next day but she returned two days later and her friends got to know Jesse Aarons very well in their years of college because he and Leslie were only apart when he had a gig and she had school.

So, in the end, he found her.

A/N Well I hope you liked it, that's it for this story. And please review; I love hearing what you guys think. Thanks to all who have reviewed.