Hiiiii!!!!!!!! Sorry for the wait but I was catching up on school work and my other stories, but enough of that! First of all I'd like to thank my reviews of chapter 3:

G-Matt and PM17V! Your words are many of value to me! And secondly, I will be shutting myself up now so you fine people can enjoy chapter 4 )!!!! Enjoy!!! )

Disclaimer: Own nothing.

Oh boy was he in trouble!

"Maybell!!!"

Still no answer. He had been back to Terabithia. No Maybell.

He had been home. No Maybell, just a "she said she was going to look for you Jess. Did you miss her?" from his mother.

Now he was back in the woods searching for her. He couldn't believe what had happened! This was make-believe! Everything was! It was impossible! Yet it didn't explain Leslie's sudden appearance. Very alive appearance! Or so he every much hoped! Or Maybell's disappearance.

He was extremely worried. What would happen to her? Had she really been kidnapped or was it just a hoax of his imagination working overtime and she was really hiding from him? Questions of the explainable and answer of the unbelievable went shooting through his head.

Argh! This entire situation was driving him insane! He wanted to scream!

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Leslie swayed on her unsteady feet. She felt like she was about to vomit and faint at the same time and her head was about to explode. It had not helped in the slightest when she heard a scream of "Leslie!" and someone ran straight into her, nearly knocking her over and clinging onto her middle.

But through her groggy and misty mind she was sure she recognized that voice.

"As you see the girl is very pleased to see you," she heard the familiar hiss of the Dark Master that no groggy and misty mind could conceal, "but that would be expected considering her life is in your hands."

The comment brought Leslie out of her state a little and she looked down at the clinging person and found the big, tear-filled, brown eyes of Maybell Aarons staring up at her.

"Maybell?" she said weakly, "What are you-? How did you get here?"

"I was looking for Jess and then something happened and he," she pointed to her Dark Master, "brought me here and said he is going to do bad things to me and Jess."

She buried her face in Leslie's stomach and began to cry, as a scared young child would at the comments imposed upon them by an evil presence. Leslie looked up at the Dark Master.

"Why are you doing this?" She snapped, "what will you achieve?"

"Oh everything my little pretty!" the Dark Master leered at her, "But I need aren't kill the boy and his sister if you are to do one thing for me."

"And what is that?" Leslie spat, taking a firmer grip on Maybell.

The Dark Master gave her a smile that made shivers pass through Leslie and his voice was so raspy with excitement and knowing of the horror he had in store for her made her cringe, "Join Me."

Leslie glared at him, "I said already I would never!"

"Well then," the Dark Master chuckled rapidly, "I shall make you watch the boy's blundering sister die a most agonizing death!"

Fear and horror exploded like fireworks inside Leslie at the Dark Master's words and she pushed Maybell behind her, "Alright, alright, just…wait."

The Dark Master looked back at her and said sarcastically, "I believe you have changed your mind Dear Queen?"

Leslie bit her lip.

Okay think about this Les, she told herself, there has to be a way out.

But deep down inside, Leslie knew she had no choice and after a few long moments of silent debate Leslie gave a defected nod and lowered her face so that the Dark Master could not see her tears.

Whether the Dark Master could see her tears or not seemed not to bother him in the slightest. He was celebrating. Now he would get rid of the boy with the girl's oath! He knew now she'd never betray him, especially not in fear of causing harm to the boy or his sister.

"Go," rasped the Dark Master happily, "I have plans to make."

"But…Maybell?" gasped Leslie, "Take-take her back."

"She will go back," said the Dark Master, "But once my plans are ready. Now go."

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With a heavy heart and feeling defected and worried Jess walked down the dusty road towards his house. Just as he reached the front yard his father came out of the greenhouse, holding a dirty and greasy rag and a suspicious expression on his face.

"Jess," he said, "have you seen Maybell? You mother said she went out looking for you."

Jess had been searching for Maybell all afternoon but no such luck and the sun was beginning to set and this caused Jess to become very anxious, "No, I haven't seen her since we got off the school bus."

Jess thought it would be best if he lied and left out the part of his experience with the shadow being and it having abducted Maybell. He wasn't the slightest bit sure that if father would believe him.

"You let her walk home alone?" his father asked sharply, "Jess, you're supposed to look after her! She's your younger sister."

Jess knew what was now coming; he'd be blamed for this. He knew it!

"What's the matter with you!" his father snapped, "I've told you before that you are to walk home with her and watch her! Now look what's happened!"

"Well it's not my fault," snapped Jess suddenly, "I'm not her freaking babysitter! If you were around a bit more, instead of spending so much time working then maybe she would have someone to look after her when Mum's busy!"

He hadn't realized what he had said before the words had already tumbled out of his mouth and he felt slightly shocked and ashamed of himself when he had realized what he had said.

He didn't mean to lash out like such but he was confused, hungry, tired, miserable, anxious and was getting blamed for something he could not explain and hardly believed himself, although he had seen it with his own eyes. But that didn't change the fact that he had earned a sudden and sharp slap across his face for his loss of temper.

His hand went instantly to his stinging and hot right cheek and he staggering backwards from the force of his father's blow and almost fell onto the dusty ground.

He looked up in shock and surprise at his father who was breathing heavily and glaring down at him like an angry bull, "If you are so much of a fan of me not working, which pays to get food onto your plate and a good education, then you can forget about dinner tonight. You can go hungry. Now get out of my sight!"

Stumbling onto his feet Jess moved past his father and hurried into the house. He moved through the front door and ignored his mother's cries of "Jess! What's going on?! Where's Maybell?!"

He went straight to his room and slammed the door shut. Anger pumped through his veins. He wanted to run. He always ran when he was angry. Running allowed him to let go of the steam that was raging through him. But there was no room to run in there. He was in this small little room. Trapped in this room and trapped in his own world!

He was angry at his father

He was angry at himself for saying such hurtful things to him

He was angry at not having anything to eat until tomorrow morning.

He was angry at not being able to run

He was angry at not having Leslie here to help him

He was angry at himself for letting Maybell to be caught

He was angry at himself for not being able to find Maybell

He was angry at himself for not being able to stop himself crying.

So that is what he did. He could not let out the rage out through running so it was temporary replaced by tears. The long steam of tears...

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"Leslie?"

Leslie turned her head towards Maybell who was staring at her, "This-This is not a g-game anymore, is it. The Dark Master is real."

Leslie gave a sigh, "Yes, Maybell, he is very much real and it never was a game. I just hope Jess can stop him."

"But you are going to help him Leslie," replied Maybell, "He misses you very much. I miss you too, but not like Jess does. You will help him; won't you?"

Leslie stared at the younger girl, her mind ticking a hundred miles an hour, "Maybell you have to understand. I have no choice; if I don't help the Dark Master he will hurt Jess and everyone else I care about until I finally join him."

"But you do have a choice," said Maybell, her voice gaining more confidence and she began to speak more passionately, "Everyone has a choice! Like you can set my free now, can't you? Jess always said to me, close your eyes but keep your mind wide open! He said you taught him that!"

However Maybell's words did not affect Leslie in the slightest, "Maybell this is different. This is your life and Jess' life! This is serious!"

After a moment's silence Maybell said very quietly that Leslie almost didn't catch her words, "You are Jess' life."

It took Leslie a moment to register Maybell's comment and when it had Leslie's blonde head snapped up at Maybell in shock at her words, she opened her mouth to respond but she was interrupted half way doing so.

The Dark Master appeared before them in a puff of black smoke.

"Time to go little ones," he rasped out, "Want to see your brother again little princess?"

Maybell jumped to her feet while Leslie didn't move from the floor. Black smoke surrounded the two girls and in a few moments they disappeared and all that was left was a lonely nothingness.

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Jess had been asleep for a while when a loud bang made him shot up straight in bed and become wide awake. Suddenly the sheet that was pinned up to separate his part of "stuff" from the rest of the room was torn down and he was met by a dark outline of Brenda.

"Maybell's back," he gushed, "She's downstairs."

Without further explanation or waiting for her younger brother to reply she rushed from the room and Jess heard her quick footsteps down the stairs. Pushing the covers back Jess followed his sister's direction and he jumped down the stairs and arrived into the kitchen.

His father was standing at the kitchen bench preparing drinks. He looked into the living room and saw his mother sitting there with sisters. All his sisters, including Maybell!

"Maybell!" he exclaimed, "What happened to you?!"

He had completely forgotten about the rest of his family being in the room and all he wanted to know was if he really had gone insane with thinking that some evil creature had abducted her.

"She got lost in the woods," said his father, "looking for you!"

Jess glanced at his father and was suddenly aware that all his family was staring at him in a rather strange way.

"What?" he said

"Well Maybell would never have gone missing if she wasn't looking for you. Mum and Dad had to call the police," said Brenda suddenly, "They found her in the woods."

Jess' stomach dropped a few inches. They blamed him for the worry and trouble Maybell's disappearance had caused them. Why was everything his bloody God dame fault?! Without waiting for anyone else to speak he turned around and walked back up the stairs and ignored his mother, who called for him.

He slammed the door shut and was so annoyed and upset that he hadn't even noticed an extra person in the room. He pinned the sheet back up so it was secure and turned around and was about to go back into bed but froze.

It took him a moment to process what he was seeing. This was some sort of bad dream that he was sure he was bond to wake up from and find he had to get ready for school and that Maybell was asleep in the room with him, and had never have been abducted by evil creatures.

Why was this happening to him? Why?! Maybe he was so guilty about her death she had come back to haunt and torture him. Why may you ask was he having these thoughts? One very simple answer: Leslie Burke was sitting on his bed, looking straight at him.

"Leslie?" he whispered, she remained silent and just continued to stare at him. She didn't look pleased to see him in the slightest; in fact she looked miserable, just as bad as he felt.

"What-? C-Can you tell me what is going on?" said Jess, hardly about to believe his eyes.

She said nothing, just looked down from him to her hands in her lap. She looked as if she were about to burst into tears and this made no scene whatsoever so Jess had to pinch himself to make sure he was still awake. He concluded that he was very awake and decided it was best if he tried a different approach.

He moved towards her and put a hand on her shoulder and was surprised to feel the solidness of it; her real skin and bone. He noted that she tensed at his touch and he was confused by this. They were friends weren't they? Best Friends?

"Leslie?" he said again more quietly and he saw down beside her. And suddenly he did something that shocked both Leslie and himself. He suddenly hugged her; out of the blue with no prior warning. He just hugged her.

"Your real!" he exclaimed a little more loudly then he had intended, "Your alive!"

It was as if feeling that she was so real and living and breathing and finally admitting to it out loud made it seem all the more possible and crystal-clear.

"Jess-?" said Leslie speaking for the first time, "since when were you the emotional one?"

He let her go and looked at her and although he suddenly felt equitably better he questioned her, "What's the matter? What's wrong?"

She opened her mouth as if to answer but nothing came out. She looked back at him and realized he was watching her. She studied his face for a moment; his white face held a concerned expression and his hazel eyes were bright and attentive and his dark brown hair was rather messy. For the first time she fully recognized he had a rather good-looking boy.

"I-I can't stay for long," she whispered, "He sent me."

"He?" said Jess in confusion, "who's he?"

"The Dark Master," said Leslie

Jess' eyes grew wide, "The Dark-?"

"He sent me to warn you," Leslie cut through his question, "to warn you to stay out of Terabithia. Or if you don't he will come after you and everyone you hold close to you."

"Leslie what are you talking about?" asked Jess, completely lost, "the Dark Master is gone. We destroyed him."

"No Jess," said Leslie, getting to her feet, "He's here and he's after Terabithia. It was he who took Maybell and me. Promise me you'll stay away from Terabithia."

Jess rose to his feet and slowly backed away from the bed, "Leslie! I'm not staying away from Terabithia and what do you mean he took you? You hit your head on a rock and drowned in the river outside Terabithia."

"To you and everyone else I did," said Leslie slowly, "I did die, in a certain way, but I'm still alive. He wanted to keep me alive because I'd be of use to him. If I'm alive that means my imagination is still alive, my mind and heart are still beating, but…some…things are different. But please Jess, please stay away from Terabithia."

She was on her feet now and walked towards him, "Please Jess promise me."

Jess stared at her, firstly because of what Leslie was saying and secondly because her face was close to his, more closer then it had ever been and it made Jess' mind turn jelly-like.

"Jess?" she said quietly, "promise me?"

"Y-yes," he breathed, completely distracted with her closeness rather then what she was asking.

"That you will not return to Terabithia?' asked Leslie

"Yes," said Jess quietly again, absent mindedly.

They both remained silent for a moment looking at each other. Then Leslie raised one of her hands and ran her fingers lightly through the front of his hair and she narrowed her eyes in curiosity and confusion when they fell onto his right cheek.

It was bruised and swollen and she moved her fingers from his hair and gently ran them down his cheek. At her action Jess' stomach filled with crazy butterflies and his heart was in his throat so he couldn't speak. They only thing he was aware of was her fingers lightly moving on his cheek.

"What happened?" she said, removing her hand away from his face and stepping back slightly, "Did you get into a fight at school?"

The path where her fingers have traveled along stung more then when his father had slapped him. It took a moment for Jess to answer her and he finally managed, "N-no, I got my dad angry and he slapped me because I said some pretty hurtful things."

There was silence again and Leslie said, "I have to go. I can't stay long."

"Why?" demanded Jess, sounding more offended then curious.

Leslie looked at him in surprise and Jess felt his cheeks burn red and he looked away from her, "You just got here, what's the rush?"

"I have to go," said Leslie, as if she was ignoring his question, "Keep your promise."

Jess looked back up at where she was but was slightly shocked to find the space in front of him empty. Leslie was gone and her last words hung in the air. Keep your promise.

"Keep your promise?" repeated Jess in confusion out loud, trying to remember, "what promise?"

Well what do you think? It's a long chapter and I stayed up extra late to finish it! I'm really tried so I'm going to bed! Goodnight and please, please review!