Disclaimer-I do not own any rights to Bridge to Terabithia

Chapter 1

Jess Aarons thought he must be crazy as he stared out his bedroom window into the cold, dark morning. He was already freezing and that was with a blanket wrapped around him and socks on his feet. Yet, somewhere inside him there was an itch to go for a run. Early morning runs were as much a part of his day as breakfast and going to school or they used to be at least. Since the 5th grade Jess turned his love of running into a ritual. At one point it bordered on obsession as he was determined to become the fastest boy in the fifth grade. He smiled briefly as he remembered that day. That day he lost his bid to claim that illusory title. That of course was the day he met Leslie Burke. Jess's smile disappeared and he sat back down on his bed and fought the urge to go back to sleep. Still groggy and now thoroughly depressed he reached for his running shoes and began to put them on. He quickly muttered a curse word as he realized he forgot his socks. Jess fumbled through the dark and found a pair of socks and began the process all over again. As he laced up his shoes he was amazed at how fresh they felt. After quitting cross-country the year before the lifespan of his shoes seemed to extend significantly. It was one positive benefit from giving up something he loved.

Jess slipped out of his room, downstairs and out the front door with hardly making a noise. The last thing he wanted to do was wake anybody in his family. This was the only peaceful time the house ever experienced and he loved it. He picked up a slow jog as he headed down the path to the main road. He glanced over at the house next door. Once upon a time it was commonly referred to as the old Perkins place until Bill and Judy Burke bought it. Now it was better known as the home of Leslie Burke. He looked up to her window then pressed on with his run.

Jess plodded down the old dirt road and continued to question the wisdom of getting up earlier than necessary just for a run. Yet, he couldn't deny he loved the solace the experience gave him. It was like recharging his batteries. As he picked up the pace he reached the end of the dirt road and crossed through an old wooden gate and into an open field. Though familiar with the terrain the morning darkness left the landscape shrouded from view. Jess began to second guess each step he took. As he compensated for his lack of vision Jess suddenly felt one foot sink unexpectedly throwing the rest of him forward in a violent jerk. He slammed into the frost covered ground with one knee absorbing the brunt of the impact.

Jess felt a surge of pain flow through his knee. It didn't help that the ground was extra firm due to the December temperatures. He rolled onto his back clutching his knee as he winced in pain.

"Just had to go for a run didn't ya' Jess?" he muttered to himself. As he opened his eyes Jess noticed a break in the clouds and saw the twinkling lights of the stars. For that moment his mind forgot about the pain in his knee and thought only of her. The stars reminded him of the sparkle he saw in her eyes. Leslie Burke had the most beautiful eyes he ever saw. They gleamed with life and combined with her smile made an unbeatable combination. Jess smiled and struggled to get to his feet. His knee cried in pain as he put pressure on it. For a moment Jess wondered how he would get home if he couldn't make it on his own. He didn't have a cell phone and nobody knew where he went on his "therapy jogs" as his sister Maybelle called them. Well, nobody that is except Leslie.

To his relief and somewhat disappointment Jess found that his knee was bruised but not broken. He was able to walk albeit slowly and with a limp. Each step felt like a hot poker was being stabbed into his leg. To add to his misery the wind picked up and began to cool the sweat that dripped down his back.

"This isn't a very promising start to the day" he said as he began the long walk home. He trudged along the road occasionally looking up to the stars as they began to make way for the daylight sky. Seeing the sunrise was a forgotten treat that came with the morning runs. Jess remembered how much he used to look forward to seeing the sun rise. It wasn't something he saw much of anymore even when he was up early enough to do so. He just seemed to lose interest in them. It was similar to how he felt about the holidays. Just a couple years ago this time of year would have been Jess's favorite. He loved Christmas, from the multi-colored lights and Christmas trees to the old cartoon specials that came on television every year. Jess didn't welcome it this year. The holiday was three weeks away and he dreaded the whole affair. Even his family picked up on his gloom which was amazing to Jess since he considered himself a ghost in the household. His youngest sister Joyce-Ann had taken to calling him 'Scrooge' while his mom just looked upon him with sad eyes and a worrisome smile.

As Jess neared his home he instinctively glanced over at his neighbor's house, specifically her window. The bedroom light was on and he thought he saw the shadow of someone in the window Jess stopped and stared but quickly realized his eyes must have been playing tricks on him. With the curtains drawn he couldn't possibly have seen anyone. Jess reluctantly limped away and disappeared into his house to get ready for another day.

Jess scanned the cafeteria for an empty table while trying with all his might not to drop his tray. He quickly realized carrying a back pack full of books with a tray of food and a limp didn't go well together. Off in the corner he spied a lonely table and made his way for it. He eased into a seat and breathed a sigh of relief. Anytime spent off his leg was time he appreciated. Jess took a couple bites of his frito-chili pie when he heard a familiar voice.

"Hey Jess, mind if I sit here?" Jess looked up to see Kyle Travis, a tall, lanky teen that accounted for his only real friend these days.

"Hey Kyle, have a seat" he said pointing to an empty chair. Jess quickly noted that his friend's blonde hair was freshly cut in a distinctly military style. It didn't surprise Jess. If Kyle Travis was known for anything it was his love for the United States Marine Corps. The boy had been obsessed from an early age with becoming one of the few, the proud. He was teased mercilessly by other students for his desire. Kyle simply didn't fit the profile of a potential marine. In high school society he fell somewhere between nerd and nobody. It was one reason Jess always liked him. Kyle never belonged to any 'crowd' or clique. He was just Kyle. In spite of all the harassment he wasn't deterred from chasing his dream. If anything Kyle found motivation in the abuse he received.

"Don't tell me you went and joined over the weekend?" Jess asked as he pointed to his friend's new haircut.

"Nah, can't join 'till I'm eighteen" he said as he began stirring his frito-chili pie into some strange concoction. "Well, that's not exactly true," he corrected himself. "Technically I can join since I'm seventeen but I'd need my parent's signatures."

"And that's not gonna happen" Jess added with a laugh.

"Not in a million years" Kyle replied. "But that's okay, I can wait. Besides the marines aren't going anywhere" he said with his trademark big smile. "What'd you do to your leg Jess?" he asked after gulping down half his lunch in one bite.

"Huh?" Jess answered absent mindedly.

"Your leg, you've been limping all day."

"Oh, I went running this morning" Jess replied as he began to glance around the cafeteria. Kyle waited for Jess to provide more details but upon realizing he wasn't going to decided to find out for himself.

"I take it the run didn't go well then?" he asked.

"Huh" Jess said startled. "Oh, I tripped and landed on my knee…just bruised" he answered as his attention was clearly focused on something else. Kyle looked over to where Jess seemed fixated. It didn't take long to realize what had his friend's attention.

"Go talk to her Jess" Kyle said as the last half of his lunch disappeared in another gulp. Jess jerked out of his trance now aware he was being watched.

"Talk to who" he said sheepishly. Kyle rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Come on Jess let's not forget I've known both of you since 7th grade. The beautiful blonde sitting at your 3 o'clock, hair in a pony tail who just happens to be staring at you right now."

"What?" Jess asked as he looked over his shoulder. Kyle was right she was staring at him. For a brief moment their eyes connected. Her soft green eyes with the sparkle like the stars were every bit as beautiful as the first time he saw them. They were the eyes of a queen, his queen. In that moment Jess remembered that day long ago on a bus ride home when she offered him a stick of gum. He remembered the smile that lit up her face like a beautiful sunrise when he accepted her act of friendship.

There was no smile on her face this day. She quickly glanced away and Jess reluctantly returned to his lunch. His appetite, however, was gone and he pushed his tray away. Kyle was the only mutual friend Jess and Leslie ever shared. They befriended him when he attracted the wrath of Scott Hoager and Gary Fulcher. Misery loves company and the three became good friends. Kyle was the only person Jess would talk to regarding Leslie. Even Maybelle learned to leave the subject alone.

"When are you two gonna get over yourselves?" Kyle exclaimed as he began to feast on Jess's leftover lunch.

"What do you mean get over ourselves?" Jess asked a bit irritated. "She needs to get over herself. I'm not the one that ran off as soon as some other friends came along" he said in anger. "Her boyfriends need to get over themselves too" he added. Jess's face was beginning to flush as he crossed his arms across his chest. Kyle knew he struck a nerve and did not really desire to make his friend any angrier. However, he was well aware how much the loss of Leslie's friendship was eating away at Jess.

"Sorry man, didn't mean to piss you off" Kyle said apologetically. He looked over where Leslie was sitting and saw that she was again staring at Jess. He couldn't understand how two people who were as close as Jess and Leslie could be so stubborn. In general he regarded both of them as above average when it came to maturity but this separation was bordering on absurd. He quietly returned to eating Jess's leftovers and turned his attention to his future aspirations in the Marine Corps.

Leslie quietly slipped through the front door cautiously looking around for any sign of her parents. Being several hours past her curfew on a school night wasn't likely to sit well with Bill or Judy. Leslie, however, was planning on both of them being too worn out by her baby brother to notice. They, along with her, were all suffering the effects of sleep deprivation in the wake of having a new born in the household. Judging from the silence in the house Leslie figured she was safe. She tip toed upstairs and inched her way into her room with the stealth of cat stalking its prey. Secure that she was out of harms way Leslie collapsed on her bed. All she wanted to do was go to sleep. The allure of some desperately needed shut-eye was powerful. However, the heavy backpack resting on her floor was full of homework that was in dire need of being completed.

She sighed and sat back up. Even worse now she was hungry. If she wished to do something about that it would entail another perilous journey down stairs into the kitchen where virtually everything made a noise that would wake her brother. Leslie decided the granola bar in her backpack was going to have to suffice. She hoisted the overburdened pack onto her desk and quietly fished for her snack. As she was pulling her books out she happened to look out her window which looked down on the front yard of the Aaron household. Leslie wondered what Jess was doing at that moment. Most likely he was drawing in his sketchbook. In all the years she knew him he always ended his evenings by sketching. Somehow she doubted that had changed. With a longing look she closed her curtains and sat down for a long night of studying.

It wasn't long before the tedious text of Dickens took a toll on the teen. Leslie was on the verge of nodding off when she heard the familiar chime of her cell phone signaling an incoming text message. Though not really in the mood to talk to anyone, even if only in text form, she instinctively reached over and flipped open her aqua blue phone. Leslie took one look at the message and groaned. Since entering the world of dating she quickly learned that giving out her phone number was something that required careful consideration. It needed to be guarded like a matter of national security. Leslie often joked that she was going to start requiring a background check on any potential boyfriend. Staring at the message she decided against responding. It only encouraged them when she did. She never understood how simply saying 'hi' to a guy gave them the idea she wanted to go out. Instead she shut off her phone and returned to Dickens.

Though she desperately wanted to sleep showing up to class with unfinished assignments simply would not cut it. It was out of character and her parents would never tolerate it. Well, if they actually knew that is. Leslie felt an odd sensation just then. Part of her wished Bill and Judy had caught her coming in late. It was odd in the sense that in the past few years she enjoyed the lack of attention she received from her parents. It gave her a certain level of independence. Before her teenage years Leslie would have given anything for Bill and Judy to pay more attention to her. Now with a baby in the house she became even more distant in their eyes. Of course when she had Jess the loneliness was never so bad.

"I'm thinking about him again" she said to herself. Ever since watching him hobble through the cafeteria Leslie couldn't stop thinking about him. It wasn't that she didn't think of Jess on a regular basis but today was different. When their eyes met for that brief moment she saw that same boy she befriended years earlier; the lost and lonely boy that became her best friend, the boy that accepted her for who she was, wild clothes and all. Today he seemed as lost as she felt. Of course Leslie was always surrounded by 'friends' but nobody like Jess. The deep connection she shared with him simply couldn't be duplicated with anyone else. If that was the case then why were they acting more like strangers then best friends? What happened to them? Even Bill and Judy grew concerned when they realized Jess was no longer their daughter's constant companion. They, like Leslie, trusted him. If anyone gave them piece of mind when it came to their rather reckless first born it was Jess Aarons. Yet, now it was like sitting down to dinner and finding only salt and no pepper.

Leslie was happy to see Kyle sitting with him at lunch. At least he wasn't alone. Kyle was a good friend, someone they both had relied on in the past. Now he was the only bridge between the former king and queen of Terabithia.

A/N: As always thank you for reading