The next morning came, and Jess knew it was time. He ate, did his chores around the house and, as usual, met Damien along the way.

"Come on, there's something moving around the house. I want to find out what it is," Damien said after Jess was done milking. Jess shook his head.

"I'll be there in a minute. There's….there's something I need to do first."

"Well, hurry up," Damien said before walking back to his house. Jess walked around to the back of the house where he set the milk down. Looking at the sky, he knew a storm was coming soon. Leslie walked up behind him.

"Bye, Jess," she said softly as the wind started to pick up. Jess looked into her green eyes for what he knew would be the last time.

"I love you, Leslie," he whispered stretching out his hand. Leslie put her transparent one against his and smiled.

"I'll never really leave you, you know," she said.

"It feels like it," Jess muttered, but smiled all the same.

"Now, oh king, thy queen must go. But you must continue to care for Terabithia with thy princess," Leslie said in her most royal voice.

"And you can even let Damien in on the secret if you want," she added in an afterthought.

"Tell Damien? A secret between me and you?" Jess asked in disbelief as he echoed May Bell's words from three years ago. Leslie smiled deviously.

"I can't pretend I didn't hope you'd say that," she said. Jess grinned at her.

She turned and began to run in the opposite direction.

"Leslie, wait!" Jess shouted. Her head turned and he saw her sparkling green eyes look questioningly at him.

"I'll never forget you!" he said. She laughed.

"That's good to know, Jess." Then she continued running as the wind swirled around her. Eventually she completely disappeared. Jess stared at the place where Leslie had been only moments before and wondered what life would be like without her again.

"Jess, come look! I found a raccoon!" Damien's voice reached Jess's ears as though from very far away. It was then that Jess knew, it was time to let go. He looked one last time where Leslie had run to, which happened to be in the direction of Terabithia, and sighed. It was a happy sigh.

"I'll never forget you," he whispered again before running to join Damien with his new discovery.

A/N: so, there you have it. The last chapter! Well, there's still an epilouge, though...haha. So sorry I haven't given this to you guys before! I was being lazy and not wanting to do it.

And don't worry, I'm going to say all my 'thank you's' in the epilouge. :-D