Please note that the timeline with movieverse may be different than bookverse. I'm going by what I've heard from the movie (VDT), and of course Lewis did say The Voyage of the Dawn Treader was set after the war.

Title: Friends of Narnia

Author: Jenn

Summary: [Movie/bookbased] Time between the Sliver Chair and the Last Battle is a fascinating one. How did the Pevensies – Peter, Edmund, and Lucy, along with Eustace Scrubb, Jill Pole, Digory Kirke, and Polly Plummer become the Friends of Narnia? And what made Susan not?

Rating: PG

Timeline: Post The Sliver Chair/pre-Last Battle

Spoilers: For the 2005 and 2008 movies, and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader as well as the 2010 movie. And minor ones for The Silver Chair, The Horse and His Boy, and The Magician's Nephew.

Category: General. No Romance. Non Slash.

Disclaimers: They're not mine, they're copyrighted to and belong to C.S. Lewis. The movie is based off of Lewis' work and copyrights also go to Walt Disney, 20th Century Fox, and Walden Media. Not making any money for this story. This fic is just for enjoyment.

Thoughts and quotes from the movies and books are in italics.

Eustace

The Pevensies

Finchley 1946, Winter Holidays

"There's Peter and Edmund," Harold, no, Dad said. I was still trying to call my parents Mum and Dad. Though Mum hated it.

"I wonder were Frank is?" Mum asked.

I knew that my mother loved my Aunt Helen. But I was not so sure about my Uncle Frank and my cousins. And somehow, I knew Mum, did not care for my cousins after what happened over the summer holidays.

"Peter, Edmund," Dad greeted the two older boys politely when we saw them.

"Uncle Harold, Aunt Alberta, how was your trip on the train?" Peter asked as he took Mum's bags.

"It was quite horrid, mostly," Mum answered. "The woman sharing our carriage had a screaming toddler and a fussing baby."

That had been true. And a year ago I would have been complaining along with her. I had tried to help out though…

"Would you like to lie down once we get home?" Edmund asked. He took my suitcase. I smiled at Ed in thanks.

"I think that would be good. Did you remember to leave the window open?"

"Yes, Aunt," Peter answered for his brother.

"Where is Frank, I thought he would meet us here." Mum asked as we headed for the automobile.

"Dad still had some work at the university." Peter answered.

"Was the trip really bad?" Edmund asked in a low voice as he fell in step with me.

"Some, but I tried to keep the toddler busy with stories, you know…" I let my voice trail off.

"Eustace, you have to take care what you say," Edmund warned me.

"I know, I know. But everyone thought it was a story. And you know Al- I mean Mum-"

"Eustace Clarence," Alberta said in a sharp tone. I winced inwardly. "It's not nice to whisper in public. And Edmund, with you being older, you should know better."

I caught Peter's frown, and he looked like he was going to cut in.

"Eustace was only telling me about the train ride, Aunt Alberta," Edmund said. I saw he shot a look at his older brother.

We got to the automobile shortly after that. The trip to the Pevensie house was not a long one, but an uneasy one with my parents in the automobile. I felt it best not to talk during the ride.

"Do you plan to be a doctor or a surgeon, Peter?" my father asked.

"Just a doctor, Uncle Harold."

I had a bit of trouble seeing Peter as one. Maybe it was because I could not see Peter as a king of Narnia, though I was beginning to. But what came to mind was, as a doctor, Peter would need to be kind and compassionate. That was hard to believe, at least from knowing Peter before I myself changed.

I know I had said I would be quiet, but I was curious. I had only guessed the reason why Peter had wanted to become a doctor in the first place. "But now that the war is over?"

I did not realize my mistake. I noticed Edmund's body tense up in the front seat. Why had that upset him?

"What about it, Eustace?" Peter asked as he looked at me trough the rearview mirror. "People still need doctors now that the war is over. And besides, I have some years left of school left." He answered, than looked at Edmund before he looked back at the road.

"At least you don't have to worry about war, my boy," my father said. "Which is fortunate for you."

I felt fear tie a knot in my stomach. How could my father just say that? Of course he did not know that Peter and Edmund knew all about war.

"Of course, when I was you're age, Peter," began my father.

I wanted crawl in a hole somewhere. Of course, it wouldn't be the same as what happened in the Underworld…

"All this talk about the war is making my headache worse," Mum complained. "Edmund, do you have any thoughts about your future, this being your last year. And since you have to take your O-Levels, next year will be here before you know it."

"I've got some ideas. I've been thinking of different things ever since Peter started university. One thought I've had was to became a lawyer."

"That's quite impressive. If you both get the jobs you want, you can make good names for yourselves and make handsome salaries, too."

My cousins were saved from answering when we got to my aunt and uncle's home. But I knew my cousins were uncomfortable with my parents at this point, even I felt uncomfortable.

As we made our way to the front door, Lucy came running out and threw her arms around me. That was something I was not used to. I was surprised. But Lucy did not seem to mind that I had not hugged her in return.

"It's good to see you, Eustace. Hello, Aunt Alberta and Uncle Harold," Lucy greeted cheerfully and smiled at them.

"Hello, Lucy," Alberta, er Mum said, and though she was polite, her words were a bit chipped. "Could you let us through the door, dear?"

"Oh, of course, Aunt Alberta," Lucy said. She moved to let us through.

Later that day…

"Isn't Susan going to hear about my trip?"

"I'm not sure," Lucy said, she stood and left the room to see. But she was back moments later with Susan.

"I was hoping to see Mary today," she said. I wondered if my coming had inferred with that.

"Su," Edmund said, "We just left school two days ago, and Mary only lives a few blocks away. Besides, Uncle Harold, Aunt Alberta and Eustace did just come today."

Susan only shot him a look, but did not say another word.

"Eustace, tell us how you and your friend got into Narnia and what happened. You did say something about Caspian's son the prince having been under an enchantment?" Peter commanded more than asked.

"Narnia? We're going to talk about Narnia?"

"Susan," Lucy started to say.

"I'm going to see if Mum needs any help in the kitchen, excuse me," Susan interrupted and got up and left.

"What was that all about?" I asked. I was quite confused. Ed and Lucy said Susan had been known as Queen Susan the Gentle in Narnia, and from the little bit I saw of her earlier and now, I was having a hard time believing it.

"Susan's had the hardest time handling being back here," Peter said. "Since I've been away at school, I guess it's gotten worse." He looked at Edmund and Lucy when he said this.

"Peter," Edmund started, "Lucy and I've been at school as well. With Susan now done with school, I don't know what she's been up to. She doesn't talk to us."

Lucy now spoke, with sadness in her tone. "I think being in Narnia that second time, I think that it made it worse for her, now that she can't go back."

"Surely she still can't be hung up on Caspian?" Peter asked.

"What do you mean hung up?" I asked.

"I guess you can say Susan and Caspian were a bit sweet on each other the last time we were there," Peter answered.

I blinked. Susan and Caspian? "But you two never-"

"Because there was nothing to tell," Edmund cut in.

"But, but… What about Ramandu's Daughter?" I protested.

"You were there, Eustace. You saw what Ed and I did. And you've been to Narnia since then."

Yes, I remembered the looks and words exchanged between Caspian and the girl at Ramandu's Island.

"Caspian promised to go back to her, and since you said he has a son, I imagine that's what happened."

Lucy also added in a soft voice. "I remember the look in Caspian's eye when he looked at Susan, and as much as I love Susan…" Here she sighed. "It was nothing compared to how he looked at the Star's Daughter."

I did not know what to say to that. Could that be why Susan did not want hear about Narnia?

"Well," Peter cleared his throat. He looked uncomfortable. "Eustace, you got into Narnia with your friend?"

"Yes, quite right." I said. I started to tell them how Pole and I got into Narnia, but Peter interrupted.

"I know this is after the fact, but how could you just tell someone about Narnia?"

"I felt I could trust Pole," I answered, I did not want have to get defensive about it, but I would if I must.

"You felt that you could trust her," Peter repeated. Then he turned to his brother. "Ed, didn't you tell him how important it was not to let anyone know?"

"Yes, both Lu and I told him, and explained about the differences in time, too."

"Peter," Lucy said, "I'm sure Eustace could trust… Pole. Um, Eustace, what is your friend's first name again?"

"Jill." I tended to forget that my cousins didn't go to a 'modern' school sometimes, at least one that everyone calls each other by their surname name. At least Experiment House was not quite as bad as it had been before.

"Jill, thank you. Anyway, if I had been in Eustace's place maybe I would felt I could have trusted her also. Besides, we did tell the Professor about our first trip." Lucy said.

"Who?"

"That's different!" Peter protested. He got up and started pacing, but there was not that much space in the room with two beds and the two dressers.

"I don't know, Pete," Edmund said. "I mean, yes we did lose four of his fur coats in the wardrobe."

"Who's the Professor?" I asked. I hope I would get an answer.

"Professor Kirke." Edmund replied, turning to me. "We stayed with him during the air raids. Plus, he is the only one who knows about Narnia besides us."

"You told him about Narnia because he was missing fur coats?"

"No, Susan and I told him that Lucy got into Narnia through the wardrobe, at the time we thought Lu was making up stories."

"Or that I was crazy."

"Lucy…"

"Well, I'm sure you thought that."

"It didn't help that I went in after her," Edmund cut in. "Once I met the Witch, and then met up with Lucy, she told Peter and Susan that I had been there too, but I said I only been pretending."

"I see." And I did, it did make sense. Lucy was always truthful. And remembering how mean Edmund used to be, I could see that happening.

"So once we got into the wardrobe and reigned, then came back through again, we told the Professor. He told us not to try to get through Narnia again through the wardrobe."

"But Peter," I asked, "You studied for an exam this past summer with him. "Did you tell him about your second trip too?"

"I did, I guess like you, I felt he could be trusted. And he did know about our first one."

"Does he still have the wardrobe?" Edmund asked.

"No, he gave it Mum and Aunt Alberta's godmother, Aunt Polly, I don't know if you remember her."

"Polly Plummer?" I asked. "Yes I think so, I haven't seen in her some time, maybe two years. She's the one who gave Mum the picture of the Dawn Treader."

"Is she?" Lucy asked. Her eyes lit up.

"That's what Mum says. That's why she won't get rid of it."

"All right," Peter sighed, "I was wrong, Eustace trusted Jill about Narnia. Though, Eustace, don't make a habit out of telling just anyone."

I nodded. Part of me wanted to say something a little smart. Though I should not, after all, Peter was (or was he still?) the High King of Narnia. If not for just that, he was my oldest cousin, and deserved my respect.

"I guess I should go back to where I was. So I was there with Pole when we heard Them. What I mean by 'Them,' is some of the bigger and older classmates who liked to bully some of the younger ones. Anyway, Pole and I ran for it. But we found a door that is usually always locked. But this time it wasn't. When we opened the door the day on the other side was sunny, not cloudy. We went through…"

O – O - O

Notes: Each chapter will have a different point of view. At least that's the plan. I don't know how long the fic is going to be, I've only just started it. (Meaning if you are wondering if it will bridge The Silver Chair to The Last Battle, which would be a three year span, I don't know.)

Everyone's age

Peter - 19

Susan - 18

Edmund – 16

Lucy – 14

Eustace – 13

Thanks for reading. Please review. Jenn