Disclaimer: I do not own Keys to the Kingdom, or any other book series for that matter, save for the copies of the books on my bookshelf :P
One Step Closer—A Keys to the Kingdom fanfic
She remembered the first time they had climbed the stair. It was one of those things that she knew she would remember, even if she was washed between the ears again.
Arthur had been a little younger then. She hadn't, really. Piper's Children didn't age much. And Arthur had his own world to go grow up in. Hers was lost to her.
But everything that had happened that one Monday had happened for a reason. Even herself, once a seemingly uneducated inkfiller from the Lower House, knew that.
Being Monday's Tierce had given Suzy some amusement. Old Primey had her hands full as soon as Suzy moved into the Dayroom. She had a perfectly enjoyable life…or so it would seem.
Now she and Arthur, the Heir and Master-to-be, were climbing the stair again. They thought they'd never have to, but in the position they were in now, it was necessary. Arthur's mom was missing.
"C'mon," Arthur said to her, holding out his hand. Suzy grasped it, and squeezed it in hers.
Memories of the last climbing of the stair came back to her. He had held out his hand, and she had taken it, but loosely. He, in reaction, had tightened his grip on her hand making sure that there was no chance that she could let go.
Their eyes had met, and the gaze had held for a moment or two. "I don't want you to fall off," had been Arthur's explanation. And he meant it.
Suzy shook the memories out of her head, and nodded to Arthur.
"Whatever you say, Artie."
Arthur winced at the nickname, but pulled out the fifth Key. The shining metal reflected his features for a second, before glowing brighter, and working to do his will.
They were in a small storage room for records in the Lower House. Suzy looked around them, spying piles of paper arranged in the shape of steps. Another second, and an inhumanly high jump, and they were on it, then on glimmering white marble.
"So," Suzy asked quietly as they climbed, "We're going to find your Mum, and then you're going to go back home with her and the rest of your family? Is that the plan?"
"Probably…something like that…" Arthur answered.
Subconsciously, Suzy stepped faster, and looked away from him.
"Suzy?" she heard Arthur ask, but she didn't reply, just stepped faster. Soon enough, she was higher on the stair than he was, nearly dragging him along.
"Suzy!"
"What?!" she yelled back.
Arthur was taken aback by her shouting, and looked at her differently.
"Sorry," Suzy said, blushing, "what'cha want?"
"I was going to ask, 'who's leading whom.' Suzy, slow down! Relax, this is an adventure."
"Well there ain't gonna be many more after this one!" Suzy said, and turned away again, continuing her strenuous pace.
"What?" Arthur was perplexed.
"I said-" Suzy began, but as she turned around to face him, she lost her footing, and tripped.
Suzy scrambled to gain her balance, but she was unsuccessful. She fell.
"Suzy!" Arthur cried, just barely catching her before she fell off the edge of the stair. He didn't let go of her, instead pulling her closer to him, so that she was safer.
Arthur and Suzy carefully backed away from the edge until they were no longer in danger, sighing with relief when they were back in the middle of the stair again.
"I reckon that was close," said Suzy shakily, and leaned closer to Arthur.
"Yeah, it was," Arthur replied. "Are you alright?"
"Now I am, thanks."
They both blushed as they realized that they still had their arms around each other. They quickly pulled apart.
"Let's rest a bit before we keep climbing," suggested Arthur.
"Sounds decent," answered Suzy, sitting down on the white marble.
They sat there for several minutes, before Suzy turned to Arthur, realizing that he had been looking at her.
She looked at him weirdly, and he blushed.
"You're older!" Arthur said.
"What'ya mean?"
"Well, you just…look older. Maybe a year older, around my age. I thought Piper's Children didn't grow up…"
"We don't usu'lly, but I guess it's all this being around you and your great Keys," said Suzy, pointing to the one in his hand.
"Oh." Arthur looked down. "Y'know, I am going home soon. No more being the master…"
"Yeah, and no more adventures with me…" said Suzy sourly.
Arthur looked at her curiously. "What?" he asked.
Suzy glared at him. "Don't play dumb with me, Arthur. After you an' I beat Saturday and her minions, you'll be going home for good. Sunday just sits there, I bet he won't care a bit 'bout you, and he'll leave you alone. No coming back to the house for you.
"And when you finally do come back, if you ever, you'll be all grown, and have a family and kids to look after, an' I'll still be stuck here with old Primey; an' I'll still be a kid, an' you'll not be my friend anymore!"
Suzy's voice cracked on the last sentence, and there was a hint of tears behind her voice. She looked away.
Arthur was unsure of what to do, but he decided to follow his instinct, so he hugged Suzy as hard as he could. Suzy hugged him back, as tears trickled down her face.
"Suzy," Arthur said, pulling away a minute later, "What makes you think that I'm going to leave you here?"
"What?" Suzy asked, wiping off her face.
"When I leave to go back to my world…I want you to come with me. If that's alright with you, that is-"
Before Arthur knew it; Suzy had her arms around him, and was hugging him hard.
"D'ya mean it, Artie?"
Arthur smiled to himself as he hugged Suzy back, finding that he didn't mind the nickname as much as he said he did.
"Yeah," he said, "I mean it."
Suzy pulled back. "But where'd I stay?"
"I don't think my parents would mind if you stayed with us. Not after all the insanity there's been back on Earth. And the house is big enough, loads of extra rooms. You could go to my school, too."
Suzy pulled back to smile at him gratefully.
Arthur smiled back; his heart skipping a beat as he looked her over.
Before he even knew what he was going to do, he had already leaned in closer, and kissed Suzy quickly on the lips.
They sat for a few moments afterwards, looking away and both blushing scarlet.
"We should get on goin', now," Suzy finally said, breaking the silence.
"Yeah, we should," said Arthur calmly.
They stood, and Arthur was thoroughly surprised, when Suzy hugged him again.
"Just…thanks…" Suzy said as she pulled back, blushing again.
"You'll be okay then?" Arthur asked, holding out his hand to her. She ignored it, preferring to put her arm around him instead.
"What do you think," she said, kissing him back, "Artie."