Bridge to her:

Jess sighed as he dismounted his sleek black Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14. Normally he wouldn't even be here, but today was a special day. He looked back at the old wooden bridge he had made almost ten years ago. He shook the hair out of his eyes. It had gotten quite difficult to adapt from his short hair to longish hair after having decided to let it grow out.

In one hand he held his helmet and in the other he held a bouquet of white roses. It had been quite difficult for him to get the time off for this special day but somehow he had managed to convince his boss to let him. Being one of the best free lance artists in the world had him stretched thin but in return he had a rather large income coming in. He smiled as he looked up at the fort that was still in good condition, well only because he would fix it up whenever he found the time to come.

His sister didn't come here very often anymore, you know being a teenager and stuff. She was at that stage where all she wanted to do was shop, and that a bunch of trees is just boring. To him though this place still held the magic that it did ten years ago, well not as much as eleven years ago but it still held magic.

He walked over to the fort and looked at the sketch that he had drawn last year. It was what he pictured Leslie would've looked like if she had survived, at the age of nineteen. He smiled and placed the flowers in front of the tree. "Hey Les, I'm back again." He said to the picture that hung on the tree. "Was kinda tough this time though." He said with a small smile.

"I had to put in extra overtime on a painting for two weeks straight, but at least I was able to get the day off." He said looking down at the flowers. "You don't know how hard it was to find these white roses, would you believe that almost every shop in the past three towns were out of stock?" He asked imagining the look of disbelief that would've been on her face.

"Don't worry, I'm gonna grab my sketch book and begin on it right away, then I'll be outta your hair." He told the picture turning to return to his bike. He walked over to the back and unloaded his sketchbook and his special art supplies. He always used the best supplies available usually but when it came to this day, he would always go out of his way, just to find something better than he usually used.

It always turned out to be same brand. The very brand that she had bought for him. He grabbed his stuff and walked over to the tree once more. He leaned against it and sat down. He then did what he always did before begining anything art related. He closed his eyes and opened his mind wide open.

He pictured her standing in front of the bridge, her blonde hair flowing down to her waist. Her girly curves slightly exposed from the blue blouse she wore along with a pair of blue jeans. A few holes in them. He then opened his eyes and got to work. He put his pencil to the paper swapping when needed.

"Doesn't she look lonely?" A voice asked from the side. Without even bothering to acknowledge the voice he began sketching himself beside her. His arm wrapped around her shoulders. "She looks sad doesn't she? You should have her smiling." The voice told him to which he sighed. "Look I appreciate the critisim but I'd appreciate it, if you kept your thoughts to yourself." He said shaking his head.

"You really should be smiling. I mean being with someone she loves, in a place she deeply cares about, she'd probably be happy." The voice told him to which he grinded his teeth together. He turned to respond to the speaker and his mouth fell agape. There standing in front of him, was someone that should've been dead. Yet she was standing there so alive. It was as if his sketch had come to life. There standing in front of him was Leslie Burke, in the very same outfit he had thought of.

"You got almost every detail perfect, except for the smile of course." She told him with a smile. Without thinking about it Jess pinched himself expecting her to fade away but much to his displeasure or maybe his happiness, she didn't vanish. "H-how?" He asked still in shock. "I told you Jess, this place is magical." She said looking over the picture.

"Terabithia." He said exhaling a deep breath. "Yep." She replied looking down at the picture. "So you gonna change it so I'm smiling yet?" She asked as he nodded dumbfound. "I- I might need a reference, so do you think you could give your best smile?" He asked as she nodded and smiled brightly. He went straight to work and erased the serious expression in his sketch and began correcting his 'mistake'. He studied every feature of her face and put it on the paper.

"There aint that better?" She asked after he had finished. "So, not that I mind but why are you here?" He asked setting down his pencils. She smiled and grabbed his arm. "To stop you from being all depressed." She told him as the scenery began to change from the dull forest to the magical land of Terabithia. "Come on sloke poke! Adventures are awaiting." She told him pulling him along.

For a good six hours the duo explored every inch of their world. They laughed and talked as if she had never died. Jess enjoyed every moment he spent with her but deep in his heart, he knew that it wouldn't last. He longed to have her at his side but he knew that was impossible. Eventually they stopped and began to watch the sunset. "It's beautiful isn't it?" She asked as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"Ya. I wish this time could last forever." He said as she smiled at him. "Remember you can have anything you imagine." She supplied thoughtfully. He shook his head with a grim smile on his face. "Ya, unfortunately I can't have the one thing I really want." He told her holding her tight. "Really and what's that?" She asked curiously as she leaned her head on his now toned chest.

"A bridge that would lead to you." He told her softly. She tilted her head to the side and raised an eyebrow. "You can." She told him not understanding the question. "I wish but unfortunately the moment, I leave this place, I won't be able to see you for a long time." He said sadly. She stood up and removed herself from his grip and ran off. "Leslie!" He called out as she vanished from his sight.

He hung his head down knowing that their time was probably up. But to his surprise she came running back with his sketch book in hand. She handed it to him as he looked down at it. "You want me to draw a picture?" He asked as she shook her head. "No, I want you to create a bridge that will lead us to a place, where we can be together forever." She told him with a small smile.

Against his better instinct he complied and took the sketchbook. With a pencil in his hand he began drawing a bridge. The bridge was made of a golden light leading to a golden plane. "There. Happy?" He asked as she nodded. "Yep, so what are we waiting for?" She asked as he tilted his head to the side. She merely pointed ahead of them at a golden bridge made of light. He did a double take as she grabbed him and pulled him from his spot. "Come on Jess!" She cried dragging him towards the bridge.

Before he knew it he was sprinting ahead of her holding on tightly to her hand. He smiled as they entered the golden plane. Once Leslie had caught up with him, she took a moment to catch her breath. "So does this mean?" He asked shortly to which she nodded. "We'll be together forever." She told him as tears found their way into his eyes. He didn't waste a moment as he pressed his lips to hers doing what he had longed to do so for years.

She kissed him back just as passionately as the bridge began to fade. When they pulled apart they looked longingly into each others eyes. "Leslie." He told her as the bridge became shorter and shorter. "Yea Jess?" She asked to which he smiled. "I love you." They said in union as the bridge faded completely leaving the soul mates in their own plane.

Back on earth, a gate materialized in front of Taribithia, and the picture of Leslie that hung on the tree of the treehouse was replaced with one of her and Jess standing in front of golden plane looking into each others eyes longingly. Jess was never seen again after that day. Some think he died and he put that picture up there to prove that, but others thought he merely dropped off the grid because of his grief. Only Anna Belle would believe that he had been reunited with Leslie. Only she would know the truth because others would refuse to believe it. Because things like that only happen in books right?

Haven't seen the movie in years but yesterday I suddenly remembered it and the song Keep your Mind wide open. Thus inspired this fict. Hoped you guys liked the happy ending the two deserved.