Author's Note:
While watching the Neverending Story, I came up with a story idea. What if Bastian put away the book for a long time and forgot about it? What if someone else happened upon it much later? Would progress of Fantasia depend solely on the book's use? Then I came up with a little one-shot. I decided to make it a romance, since it seems like something that hasn't been done here a lot. As far as I'm concerned, this will remain a one-shot, though the old saying is true... never say never.

Disclaimer:
I do not own Atreyu, Fantasia or any of this fantastic (forgive the pun) world that Ende originally created.

Songs that helped the inspiration flow:
"Bad Beginning" - Series of Unfortunate Events ; "Decode" - Paramore

It was almost sunrise. I waited impatiently for the first rays to glimmer over the hilltops, though the golden hues would never match the glow of the object that I held in my palm.

The Auryn gave off a soft glow just then as the music began. Soft, yet clumsy notes from the ocarina I'd given Atreyu for his birthday now echoed around the empty, silent clearing. The only other sound was the trickle of the small stream that wound randomly through the grass. I closed my eyes and sighed, breathing in the scent of jasmine, lavender and sugar. I leaned back against Artax, who stirred and perked his eyes toward's Atreyu's attempt at a minuet.

I opened my eyes again and looked at Atreyu. He had grown so much since the last time we'd been here. The first time I met him, we were both small children, barely in ages consisting of two digits. I'd found a strange book in my attic that day, blown a fine layer of dust from the cover, and cracked it open. I remembered hearing the gasps of surprises and unintelligable murmuring that seemed to come from the very pages of the volume, and the next thing I knew, I was standing in this same clearing.

Atreyu had been sitting quietly at this stream, feeding sugar cubes to Artax and humming softly to no one in particular. I startled him at my sudden appearance, and he spun to face me with his bow and arrow drawn. With my hands raised above my head in surrender, I'd stared helplesslly at the green-skinned boy that was now a potential threat to my life. "Don't hurt me, please." I had begged him. Atreyu must have seen the fear in my eyes, because he then lowered the weapon and asked me my name.

"Lillith Lunaire Bux"

"Bux?" He'd repeated, a look of familiarity registering on his face, and he then asked my father's name. "Bastion!" He exclaimed, and just like that he'd relaxed and invited me to sit with him. I sat there for a long stretch of time, just listening with my mouth wide open in shock. It was the first time I had ever heard long, impossible and amazing tale of my father's heroics that helped to save this land called Fantasia from the Nothing, and how he and Atreyu had become friends.

After that day, we began meeting at the cliffs overlooking the Ivory Tower whenever possible. Before long, I had immersed myself in the amazing realm of Fantasia, and become entranced by all of it's wonders. I had also gained a friend, one who had etched a permanent mark in my life and my heart. No one else had ever come close.

Now, though our features had sharpened and our perceptions of the world had altered (mine at least), I still recognized some of the soft features that Atreyu had managed to keep. His eyes were still wide, curious and innocent; his build, though slightly muscular now, was still slender; and his voice, though it had never been child-like to my recollection, still held the same serious tone when he spoke. However, it was plain to see that my frequest visits to Fantasia had allowed Atreyu to grow and change. Though I'd been aware of all this before now, something about this stolen moment made me see him differently.

Then I realized that the music had stopped, and that he was trying to ask me something.

"Lilli?"

I blushed slightly, and felt butterflies fluttering in my chest. "Yes?"

Atreyu pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger and glanced at me with nervous eyes. "Lil... do you remember what I told you?"

I nodded. "That we're all part of a neverending story..." I recited, my voice trailing off into a question mark.

Atreyu hopped up and padded softly across the grass to where Artax and I rested. He took my hand in his, and continued. "The Auryn delivered a message to me this morning... one that I think I should share with you... though now isn't the right time."

I pulled myself into a sitting position. "Why not?"

Atreyu shook his head. "The time just isn't right... it hasn't come to pass. However, it made me curious, and I want to ask you something."

Artax snorted and turned his head away from us, as if to give us more privacy. My throat suddenly went dry, and I gulped. "Sure."

Atreyu paused for a moment to assemble his question, then stared into my eyes and asked, "Do you believe that two people can share the same story... forever?"

My mouth dropped, and my eyes flew to our interlocked fingers. Though I'd known on some level all along, the reality of his question hit. Forever. My heart warmed in that instant, and my reply came to me as naturally as air. "Yes, I do."

He relexed and smiled then, and I felt something inside me click. It was like a switch had been turned on, allowing me to see a dark room for the first time. Everything about this moment had to be predestined. It was just too perfect not to be.

"Lillith!" a disembodied voice suddenly called out, "Lillith, unless Atreyu is helping you with your Valedictorian speech, it's time to come back to the real world now."

Then again, perhaps destiny needed help with it's sense of humor.

I groaned as Atreyu chuckled and helped me rise to my feet. "You'd better go. Give Bastian my apologies. I didn't realize what time it would be in your world."

I rolled my eyes upwards at the now bright-pink and orange-colored sky. Of all the stupid, petty things my father could interrupt with at this moment! "I'm sorry." I muttered as anger flooded my face, but Atreyu's finger touched my lips midway through my apology.

"Just sleep. You have responsibilities that you can't forget. Besides, I'll be here when you get back."

I sighed and threw my arms around him for our ritual hug, though this one lasted several seconds longer than usual. I pulled away and met his eyes for the first time since I'd given him my answer, and his gaze sent what felt like an electrical current through my system. The Auryn glowed brightly around my neck. I removed it and placed it back on Atreyu, but the glowing continued. I took as a good omen.

"Sweet dreams, Lilli." he smiled.

I grinned back and closed my eyes tightly, wishing against my will for the dark confines of my artificial, plastic world. I took a deep breath and opened my eyes to find myself back in my room; in my bed with the Neverending Story propped open on my lap.

"I'll see you tomorrow Lil." Atreyu's voice echoed from the pages. I looked down and scanned my eyes over the text that had recorded the entire scene, twice to properly embed every word, then kissed my finger and touched it to Atreyu's name.

"Tomorrow." I repeated.