Far Away

By: phix27

A/N: The song is "Far Away" by Nickelback. I can't even listen to that song anymore without becoming really sad. I just had to write this story. Warning: It is very depressing. Just so you all know.

A little red-haired boy was standing by the river, trying to skip rocks on the water like his older twin brothers. His face had a smudge of dirt on his right cheek and his jumper was red with a big "R" on it in white. His feet were bare. His brothers had taken his shoes. But he didn't mind. He threw rocks after rock into the water, but they always splashed and sank.

"Whatca doing?" a little girl asked behind him.

She was going to be a beauty when she grew up, that was for sure. Her eyes were sea foam green and wide with an innocence that only came with youth. Her jet hair was pulled up into pigtails on the top of her head. She was wearing a pink ruffle dress with flowers on the hem. There was a doll in her hand. It was dragging on the ground and dirty.

"Tryin' to skip rocks across the water," the little boy said.

"Oh," she replied.

The little boy turned back to his rocks and the little girl sat on the ground to play with her doll. They sat like this for along time, enjoying each other's company without words.

The little girl looked up from her game to study the boy. He had a mess of red hair, with freckles that dotted across his nose and cheeks. His eyes were the color of milk chocolate. His tongue pointed out his mouth in concentration.

"What's your name?" she asked.

He turned to look at her, rock in hand and asked why.

"Cause I want to know who you are, silly!" she giggled.

He continued to study her, then answered. "I'm Ron."

The little girl smiled. "I'm Maria."

This time, This place

Misused, Mistakes

Too long, too late

Who was I to make you wait

Just one chance

Just one breath

Just in case there's just one left

'Cause you know

You know, you know

Three years later, Ron and Maria were six. They'd kept in touch since that day they'd first met. Fred and George, Ron's twin older brothers, watched the two while the played. Sometimes they joined in.

"Tag, you're it!" Maria yelled, poking Ron on the arm and running away.

Ron slowed to a walk. "This isn't fair," he whined. "It's only you and me playing so of course I'm always it."

Maria jogged up to stop in front of him. "Maybe Fred and George will play with us."

They looked over at the eight year old boys, who were napping against a tree. Then they looked back at each other.

"Maybe we could play something else," Ron suggested.

Maria smiled. It was the smile Ron knew meant she was up to something. "I've got something we could do," she said.

She grabbed his hand and pulled him over to where her bag was laying. It was purple and had a little yellow bird on it that Ron didn't recognize. Maria told him it was called 'Tweety Bird' but he always forgot. She dropped his hand and opened the bag to rummage inside it. After a minute, she came up holding a little wood thing with a hole in the middle and strings running down it.

"This is a guitar," Maria explained at his confused look. "My mum gave it to me for my birthday a while back, but I'm not very good. See?"

She strummed the strings in a tune that sounded a little like 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star' but Ron had to agreed it was bad. Maria grimaced after she was done, then held out the guitar to him. Ron looked at it, then her in disbelief.

"Go ahead, try," Maria nodded. "You've got to be better then me."

So Ron took the guitar and tried to copy what Maria did. Fred and George looked up from where they were laying on the ground to look at Ron then each other, in disbelief.

And so, Ron the musical genius was discovered.

That I love you

I have loved you all along

And I miss you

Been far away for far too long

I keep dreaming you'll be with me and you'll never go

Stop breathing if

I don't see you anymore

Time passes, like it always does. Maria and Ron are now eleven. This is the summerbefore Ron leaves for school. Their standing by the river that has become their hangout as the sun steadily sets.

Ron was dressed in a T-shirt that Maria had bought him, it said "I heart NY". They didn't know what 'NY' really meant but they thought it was funny all the same. He was also wearing a pair of faded old jeans.

Maria was wearing a purple dress with hearts all over it with her hair in a ponytail. Her feet were bare, but that was typical for her. She usually didn't wear shoes.

"Do you really have to go?" Maria asks quietly.

"Yeah," Ron says. "But don't worry, I'll be back for Christmas and over the summer."

"I'm really going to miss you," Maria says, leaning into Ron's chest. Ron hesitates for a second, then wraps his arms around her.

"I'm really going to miss you too," he whispers.

They stand like that for a long time, till the sun turns the clouds pink and orange. They're content just to stay like that. Maria lifts her head.

"Ron?" she says softly.

"Yeah?"

"Can I give you a kiss goodbye?" Maria hesitates to say.

"Sure," Ron asks, confused.

Maria always gave him kisses on the cheek, it was just her way of showing affection. So it really caught him off guard when she stood on tip-toe and placed a light kiss on his lips. He blinked a couple of times before looking down into her big, green eyes.

"Oh," was all he said.

On my knees, I'll ask

Last chance for one last dance

'Cause with you, I'd withstand

All of hell to hold your hand

I'd give it all

I'd give for us

Give anything but I won't give up

'Cause you know

you know, you know

Ron was enjoying his time at Hogwarts during his first year. He'd made some friends, including the famous Harry Potter and a Muggle-born named Hermione Granger. He wrote Maria often, sharing everything he was learning and his friends. Both were young yet everyone knew that they were soul mates. In love from birth, their mothers said. They usually didn't write for a couple of days after they'd received or sent a letter. So Ron was really surprised when Maria sent him a letter the day after he'd just received one.

Ron opened it to see what this was all about. Fred and George walked over to read over his shoulder like they always did with Maria's letters. After all, she sometimes included messages for them in it.

Dear Ron, Fred, and George,

I hope you all are well. I know you're probably wondering why I'm writing this letter, since I just sent one yesterday. Well I'll tell you in a minute, but I just wanted to say that I'm glad you're all having fun at school. I wish I was there with you. Maybe this would be easier to say in person.

Well, here goes. I have cancer. It's specifically called Hodgkin's disease. It's a rare disease that means my immune system is basically attacking my body from inside out. There is no cure. The doctors don't know how much longer I have to live.

I know this is very depressing news, but try to stay positive. I hope to see you guys soon.

Much love to each and every one of you with 10,000 kisses,

Maria

That I love you

I have loved you all along

And I miss you

Been far away for far too long

I keep dreaming you'll be with me

And you'll never go

Stop breathing if

I don't see you anymore

Ron sat in his room the night after he got the letter, guitar beside him. His eyes were red and swollen from crying. He'd been at it all night until he'd run out of tears. Fred and George had stayed for a while, but they had gotten tired and gone off to bed. It was just as well. Ron was no better with their company then without.

Steady breathing and Neville's snores were the only sounds in the room. Running a hand through his hair, Ron stood up. He pulled a robe over his pajamas and grabbed his guitar.

It was a full moon, Ron noted as he stepped outside. His mind was numb as he walked to the lake. A rock jutted out into the calm waters and that is where Ron chose to sit. He propped his guitar upon his hip and began to strum.

The next day, Ron received a letter. He thought it was from Maria at first- she hadn't written for a few days. To his surprise, it was from her mother. He read the few lines scrawled there and then stood up to get Fred and George.

They were angry at first- Ron had interrupted their conversation. When Ron shoved a letter under their nose however, they became curious. Grabbing the letter, George scanned the note with Fred reading over his shoulder.

Ron, Fred, and George,

Come quickly to St. Mungo's. Maria's dying.

Mrs. Carrs

So Far away

Been far away for far too long

So far away

Been far away for far too long

But you know, you know, you know

Fred, George and Ron ran through the front doors of St. Mungo's, Ron holding a guitar. Maria's mother waiting at the front desk. He eyes were red and puffy, just as Ron's had been a few days ago. They walked as fast as they could to Maria's room, where her father was waiting with Maria.

Ron hadn't been crying when he walked into St. Mungo's- the shock hadn't hit yet. But as he looked at his love lying in that bed tears flowed from his eyes.

They once vibrant girl with the sea foam green eyes and glossy black curls was gone. In her place was a skeleton. Those locks of beautiful hair were gone, as a result of chemo. Her eyes were watered down and glazed over. Bones jutted out from her face and under the hospital gown. Even the blanket of the hospital bed could not disguise the fact that Maria was near death.

Ron stood by the door as one by one, the family said goodbye. Maria kissed each one in turn smiling and saying I love you to all. All were crying and left the room until only Ron was left.

Slowly, so as not to scare her, Ron approached the bed with guitar in hand. Maria smiled when he sat down in the chair next to her bed, her eyes at half-mast. Her hand reached for his and he grasped it tightly.

"I love you," she sighed.

"I love you too ma cherie," Ron said, tears streaming silently down his cheeks. "I wrote a song for you."

"Did you? I love your music," Maria said, eyes closed now.

"Do you want me to play it for you?" Ron asked, thumb caressing over the back of her hand.

Maria nodded, too weak to even talk. Ron dropped her hand reluctantly and picked up his guitar. He strummed and began the opening chord to 'Far Away'.

I wanted

I wanted you to stay

'Cause I needed

I need to her you say

That I love you

I have loved you all along

And I forgive you

For being away for far too long

So keep breathing

'Cause I'm not leaving

Hold on to me and

Never let me go

Somewhere between the second verse and the second chorus Maria passed away. She never heard the full song. Fred and George came in at some point to take him back to Hogwarts. Every June 1st Ron went to her grave to leave flowers, for June 1st was the day they first met at that lake.

Ron passed away fifty years later. He never married; he could never love anyone but Maria.

They say that if you pass that spot by the lake where they first met and the lighting is right- you'll see a little black haired girl being chased by a little red headed boy.