Disclaimer: Don't own. Won't own. Lyrics and title don't belong to me either.

A/N: Lysander. I love him sososo much, so we get a Lysander centric ficlet. :)

And how can the world want me to change,
They're the ones that stay the same

- "I'm Still Here" by John Rzeznik

I'm Still Here

Lysander was ten years old when he realized that he didn't see the same things that everyone else did.

His whole family had gone on a trip to Switzerland, up in the mountains. The Alps had been absolutely beautiful, and Lysander had always been the sort of person that appreciated beauty. They had hiked up the mountain side all together, just the four of them.

"What we're going to see, boys," Lysander's father had struggled to say as the elevation got steeper. "Is the biggest nargle nest in all of Europe! It's going to be extraordinary!"

His mother smiled at her husband. "I wish Daddy could see this," she sighed as she pulled Lysander closer to her, because he was always one to try and get away. "We're almost there now," she told her sons, who were showing signs that they were getting tired as well. She was the only one who seemed not to be bothered by the thinning air and long walk.

They all hiked for two more miles without speaking and all of a sudden they were there. Lysander's father put his hand in the air. "Quiet! We might scare them all off."

Lysander makes sure to tread on the ground lighter and they all practically tip toe to the mouth of a cave. "Mother nargles are very fierce when it comes to their children," his father continued to tell them. "They might attack, so no sudden movements, do you understand that boys?" Their father pauses and he cocks his head to the entrance of the cave. "Do you hear that?"

His sons both nod, and only one of them is lying. Their mother puts a finger to their lips and the four of them all silently creep into the cave. When they get there all Lysander can see is rocks and black and ugly, nothing like the spectacular sunset outside. The cave is surrounds everything, making him feel claustrophobic. He doesn't like this, not one bit.

But his family is looking up like they are seeing something incredible. All of their mouths are opened wide and their gaze is steady. They are obviously seeing something, but Lysander just doesn't know what it could be.

There. Is. Nothing. There. Nothing.

"Lorcan," he whispers to his twin, unsure as to what might happen if he broke the amazed silence that had grown between the small family. "What is it? What are you seeing?"

His parents don't seem to even notice that their youngest son had just spoken and it is with reluctance that his brother turns to look at him. "The nargles, of course! You can see them, can't you? There are so many of them."

And with that his brother turns back to the ceiling of the cave. There's nothing reflected in his eyes other than the darkness and the arches that the cave made. Lysander wants to reach up and tug his mother's shirt, she always explained things that he didn't understand to him, but he didn't want his mother to look at him the same way that his brother did, as though he was crazy.

So Lysander looked up at the empty and bleak ceiling before walking out and going to watch the sun set.