Once Upon A Time...

[furrylogic]

Topic Title – Once Upon A Time...

Topic Description – VJ & Lily all grown up. G rated.

Type of story: one-shot

Rating: G

Main Characters: Lily & VJ

Genre: Fantasy

Warnings:

Is Story being proof read: No

Summary: Lily and VJ all grown up and reunited.

Hi guys - so this was my story written for the FanFic challenge... cept Ive edited it a little, adding in more memories and changing it a bit. But really its actually been written for an assignment for one of my courses at uni. SO I'd really like some constructive criticism on it, as well as any positive comment ofcourse. Any feedback is great but it'd be a big help if I could see how other people react to the story and that. So here it is and I hope you enjoy it.

Oh and this is it, sequels or follow-ups may occur with time but for now this is a finish product (aside from more editing Ill be doing)

Thanks

-Anna

Once Upon A Time…

Prologue

A tree.

Children’s laughter bubbling forth from within its depths.

The vines upon it overgrown, twisting and weaving, each with its own spirit, own energy. But brought together they overpower the fragile brown base as if a hundred arms are all extended out, reaching to find another arm. Causing it to struggle against the suffocating weight. As if it is being strangled to death.

But it screamed life.

A hideaway filled with innocence.

Another hidden giggle carefully muffled so as not to give away their hiding place.

A secret.

“Shh. They can’t find us. I won’t let them.” He whispered to her. For her, this was just a game. But for him, it was so much more. “I don’t want them to take you away from me.” He muttered quietly.

She smiled up at him. She knew. She was leaving but there was nothing she could do about it. At twelve years old she knew more then she ought to. But right now she just wanted to be immersed in their world once more. A world of make believe, of friendship, of young love.

It was that world that she was aching not to leave. The world where only the two of them existed.

Slowly she glanced across at him. His sandy blonde hair falling across his deep blue eyes. Quietly she shifted herself closer to him and whispered to him “I’ll never forget you V.J.”

Placing a soft kiss on his cheek she didn’t wait for his response. Gathering all he courage she had she ran for her life.

He sat stunned, his hand slowly reaching for his cheek. He could see her dark hair cascading down her back. But he couldn’t chase her. Once she made her mind up she was unstoppable, something he loved about her. Softly he sighed, “I’ll never forget you either Lily.” And smiled sadly to himself as he watched her figure fall out of sight.

-

She didn’t realise she was crying until she tasted the salty tears on her lips. Hastily she brushed them away. A memory. That’s all it was. But even now, nine years later, it was still the most real thing she had to hold on to.

Moving to Queensland had been one of the hardest days of her life. Never had she felt so alone before. A feeling that had never gone away. She had cried herself to sleep for weeks – mourning a life her parents hadn’t thought she’d miss that much.

Slowly she had become used to her new life. But there was a spark missing from within. A passion that had never been rekindled.

A loneliness no one could replace.

-

As he walked through the crowded halls he paid no attention to the stares he received. He’d seen them all before, the same kids, giving him the same looks, for the past nine years. Ever since she’d left.

He couldn’t help the small smile that played on his lips at the thought of her… Lily. Since she’d disappeared from his life nothing had ever been the same. Sure his life was ok, but it had never really been the same.

He’d never really been the same.

And he couldn’t help but feel the loneliness that came over him every time he spared a thought for her.

-

Silence.

Overpowering silence.

Tears flowing freely down her cheeks only to be hastily brushed away. Slowly she lifted her eyes looking into theirs. Couldn’t they see the pain, the hurt they had created within..

No.

All they could see was a twelve year-old child.

Their child.

It was their choice. Her parents. Their choice alone. She would just have to adjust and learn to live with it. They were the parents in the end. They knew best.

And all she could do was cry.

The landscape around her was becoming blurry. A fresh batch of tears falling down her face.

But she couldn’t stop, not to brush them away. There wasn’t time.

Anyone else would have been lost already in bushland like this. Thick tall tress, branches that shut out the sunlight, except for every now and then. You could see where the branches didn’t quite reach and a ray of sunlight would be allowed through.

But she didn’t need to see her path to find her way. She knew this path by heart.

Up ahead she saw their tree. And she knew he would be waiting for her inside. Their hideaway.

Somewhere no one knew about. Something no one could take from them. Ever.

She slowed down a little away from the tree. Wiping away some stray tears that continued to fall no matter how hard she fought against them.

A crunch made her look up. There he was, his blonde hair sticking up, out of place. Just as it should be.

She looked him up and down. Then shut her eyes as tight as she could manage, imprinting his image into her mind.

Into her soul.

He’d never known her to look this way before. He knew when she was happy; her eyes would light up like they had a million fireflies hovering around inside them. When she was sad or upset her eyes would glaze over, like a misty morning and he couldn’t bring himself to look at her, for fear he wouldn’t be able to find her amongst it all.

But now…

Now was something different to him. And heartbreaking to see.

A single tear fell down her cheek. Slowly, unsure of himself, he reached out and gently brushed it away.

“We’re moving away. They’re taking me away from my home, my life. From you.” She mumbled quietly, the tears silently streaming down her face once more.”

All she was met with was silence once more.

Slowly he started shaking his head. “No, no I won’t let this happen. We’ll find some way. I won’t let you leave here. I won’t let you leave me”

-

Watching the raindrops descend down the window a new thought now occupied her mind. At last she was going back. Finally she was making her way home.

They had told her a week ago, announced that they felt the need for change. And something deep inside of her had stirred. For the first time in so many years she had smiled, really smiled at them. For the first time in so many years she felt hope ignite in her soul. She was going home.

-

He sat stunned at the news he’d just heard. His hand shakily feeling his cheek as the memories came flooding back. Her dark hair flowing down her back, blowing in the gentle summer breeze. Her breath, soft against his skin. Her voice, sweetly murmuring those words he’d never forgotten.

Life without her had never been the same. Growing up without a father, his father, had made things hard. But when Lily was there she made that ache go away. Lily had been his world. His everything. When she had left he’d shut the world out. A life without her wasn’t the same. He’d been left with a hole no one could fill.

Now… she was coming home.

-

She could see him running along the bush tracks leading towards her house, his mother rambling well behind him.

She smiled brightly as he scampered towards her his feet clumsily kicking up the dry leaves lying on the ground.

Mesmerised by their movements, she sat watching the reds, yellows and browns twirl in circles, then slowly cascade down towards the dirt trail where they finally settled back into their original resting place.

Free.

He reached her on the porch and instantly reached for her hand. Glancing at her father behind her, he gave her an approving smile, indicating ‘yes’ for them to leave.

Without wanting to waste another second they were off, hurrying off into the bushland that encircled the house. “Be careful” was all her father warned before they were out of earshot.

But they were alone, free to explore and imagine their every desires.

Alone in their own personal playground.

When they became short of breath they slowed down, calming their beating hearts. Walking quietly now so as not to break the magical atmosphere the bushland they knew so well, always created.

And so their playtime began.

“This way.” She giggled with delight, a bright smile crossing her feature.

Without waiting for a response she took off down a hidden path. Somewhere he knew they’d never been before. He wouldn’t let her go alone, they’d never be alone as long as they had each other. So with a brave face and a glimmer in his eyes he ran after her.

He didn’t have to go far to find her. There she was, standing still, gazing up at a tree. It was huge, towering over the other trees around it, and as they looked up into its lost branches a dreamlike sensation came over them.

Vines had tangled themselves around the base thickly as though they were holding so many gentle pieces together and without them, they would all fall away into nothing.

She turned towards him, her eyes shinning vibrantly, knowing inside that this place was special.

Like it was meant to be theirs.

All theirs.

“Lets never tell anyone about this place.” She said softly to him. “Lets just always let it be ours. Our special place. For just you and me.”

He looked across at his best friend, his other half, she was more a part of him than anyone else he knew. Slowly he shrugged his shoulder and smiled gently back at her before quietly saying “Ours, always ours”

-

Laughter rang out, waking her from her sleep. The giggles of a distant memory bubbling forth having been cleverly concealed for the years past. Sighing and looking out the window she spotted the sign “Welcome to Summer Bay” just ahead of them.

Home, she thought to herself.

Pulling into the driveway of her childhood home she could see it hadn’t changed. Perhaps it was even more welcoming now than it had been when she had left. Cautiously creeping in the front door she peeked around the corner, taking in the dust covered mantle pieces and creaking floorboards. Walking out onto the back veranda she took in the bush land surrounding the property. Without thinking her feet lead her to a path hidden under years of dead leaves, but one she could never forget.

-

Footsteps.

Slowly crunching the fallen leaves. The surrounding trees muffling the sound. No one had been here in all the years, except him. It had been his sanctuary, his life. They were coming closer. Their strength imminently apparent. Like they knew the pathway on which they were walking, hidden long ago. As if they knew.

No one knew the tree was here. A tree that had the hidden depths of a haven, a hide out those two children had found. Somewhere that had become almost a home to them.

In a world otherwise full of strangers.

-

Gazing at the landscape before her, tears began to well in her eyes. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw her childhood hide away. So many memories began flooding back. The tree, its vines still smothering its life away. But now, it seemed to have given in to their hold on it. Slowly it was dying inside and out.

Somewhat like she had been. Something she didn’t want to happen again. A glimmer of something seized her attention. Sandy blonde hair.

-

Little by little he had made his way out of the tree. Carefully. Timidly.

Never once expecting to come face to face with the person he cared for most in the world.

-

It was their 9th birthday and all the kids from their class had been invited for the party. But all they really wanted was to be together. That’s all they ever needed.

To be lost in the world they created for themselves.

Quietly they had crept out the back door and made a run for it. Running to the only place they knew they would never be found.

Her dress flying in the wind as she ran freely down the path, fairy wings placed on her back making her feel as if she could fly. She had never felt so alive.

She danced in a circle around him, laughing in delight as a look of content crossed his features, his blue eyes coming alive, his gentle smile lighting up his face.

She smiled shyly and graciously said “Happy Birthday V.J. This has been the best day of my life.” Laughing at her own shyness she began dancing and singing one of her fairy songs.

And he, he sat and watched intently, gazing at her innocent form, and murmured gently “Happy birthday too Lily. I’ll never forget this as long as I live.” And sat back to watch her, captivated, as if the whole world was there to watch her dance.

As the sun set, her wings glimmered in the light, making them come alive, and he had never felt more at home with the world they became lost in.

She was his other half. And he knew deep down that it was her and only her that could make him feel this happy. This alive.

And she, in that fairy dress, was a picture that would be imprinted into his very soul for the rest of his life.

-

The memories of the fairy wings glimmering in the fading sunlight, of her face laughing in delight came flooding back. Her smiling face and her dark hair, her eyes… those dancing eyes.

He had stared for so many hours at those eyes. And spent so many years trying to forget them. But now they were there, staring right back at him. Her eyes, seemingly deep with thought and worry now. She smiled at him, and for the first time in years he felt a light inside him come alive.

As the sun began to grow fainter behind them she seemed to glow with a light, a fairy princess come home.

A fairy queen.

-

The first thing she noticed were his broad shoulders. Wide, strong, manly. His sandy blonde hair hung low across his eyes, tussled across his head as only the surf can do. But those eyes, staring so intently at hers.

They were the same. Still that vivid blue with that spark of life floating around within.

The same eyes that had haunted her memories for years. Those same eyes that had kept her alive.

-

“Hello Lily.” He said softly to her, her eyes beginning to dance with emotion, feeling, love.

“Hello V.J.” She smiled tenderly at him, a feeling coming over her she hadn’t felt in all those years. “I’m home.”

-

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