I stared out the window, like I did on most nights, just gazing at the stars mesmerized by there brightness, by there mystery, there Magic.

I let out a content sigh.

This was perfect, I was alone, no Nicolas around to watch, or make noise.

No Jane to annoy me, or to cause mischief.

They were down the street at their friends house, they'd invited me to but I'd said no. I'd never met the, what was there names?

I cant remember, but any way I'd never meet them. I can remember Jane telling me that I'd get along real well with the oldest.

'He's almost as annoying as you" she'd muttered under her breath walking away.

Nick seemed to like, who-ever-he-was though.

Said that he was a lot of fun, just like me he'd said, fun and nice.

Jane had snorted at that.

God, Jane and Nick.

I loved them both to death, but it was hard being the oldest.

Especially with dad gone off to the war.

I thought about dad for a moment, his dark brown hair and his stormy grey eyes.

I looked just like him, well hair and eyes wise anyway.

I had my mum's face, high cheekbones, perfect eyebrows and small lips.

Or that was how mom always put it, I didn't they were, well perfect, they were just…normal.

I wonder how she is I thought silently twirling the string of hair curly hair between my fingers.

She was always at the bank now, barely saw her anymore, she was in conference in London for a few weeks.

To say the least, I didn't like that at all.

I mean was she stupid, all the attacks on Britain were mostly in London.

I tried to tell her so to, but she wouldn't listen.

We were out side on the porch a car was waiting for her on the street. She'd kissed our heads and given Jane an Nick big reassuring hugs they'd looked close to tears.

I, being well, me was still trying to convince her this was a terrible idea.

But she just ignored me as usual, my mother unlike myself had a one tracked mind.

She'd put on her best smile and said,

'It's on the out skirts of London sweetheart I'll be fine'

'No you wont,'

I'd said stubbornly.

She had gotten that frustrated look on her face.

A sure sign that I was to be quiet or I would get an earful.

I was never one to care about those looks

She turned her back to us and made her way across the porch toward the steps and the cab on the street.

I was so angry at her she was just going to leave us here, in the middle of war, and go off to the center of all the bombings she was mental!

She was halfway down the stairs when I couldn't hold in my anger anymore.

'Mum your being stupid prick! You're just going to leave me here all alone with Jane and Nick so you can get blown up by a bloody bomb-"

Then in a flash shed come back up the porch in front of me absolutely fuming.

'Lyra Marie, don't ever speak to me like that again.'

Then my supposedly, sweet, caring mother smacked my face hard with her right hand.

My head had turned to the side upon impact, my cheek still holding a sharp pain.

I keep my head turned to the side.

She'd never hit me before. Deep down I knew I'd deserved it but I let my anger boil silently.

It stayed silent for a moment.

'O, sweetie I'm so-'

Shed started quietly in a worried voice.

'I don't want to hear it,'

I hissed storming for the door opening it, the stopping looking back at there faces.

Jane just looked blankly at mum her expression unreadable.

Nick how ever looked scared looking at mum with wide eyes.

Mum had a sad look on her face she looked like she really regretted what she did, but I didn't care she already did it and there was no way to undo that.

I stared at her face for another moment then sneered silently.

'Hope you do get blown up, we'd be better off'

The I'd slammed the door, and went up to my room.

That was a week ago and mother wasn't due back for at least another 3 weeks. Shed called almost everyday since then, talked to nick and Jane but when she asked for me I always refused.

I would not give in to her.

I shook the thought away.

Think a better thought I told myself mentally still staring at the stars.

Dad.

I smiled.

I could remember back before Nicolas and Jane were born.

When he used to take me down to park and wed just stay there playing cricket for hours, well trying anyway.

I want very good then.

Then suddenly the images of him getting in the bus, I guess you could call it, came in my head.

He kissed us all on our heads and gave Nick and Jane a big hug.

Then he'd came over to me and wrapped his arms around me.

'Take care of your brother and sister for me will you?'

'I will, Dad' I'd said shakily

'Take care sweetie'

He said silently giving me the biggest grin he could manage. Then he went over to mum and kissed her quickly the he hopped in the back of the truck.

That was the last time I saw him, that was about four months ago.

Then a shuddering thought entered my head, What else could I remember about him?

I thought hard trying to remember his face, and I did but it was fuzzy and… that scared me.

But I quickly shook away the thought, I wasn't allowed to be scared anymore I had to stay strong for Jane and Nick.

Jane, hated the war, shed changed ever since dad left, shed become grumpy and snappish all the time.

She'd started to keep her black curly hair up in a ponytail all of the time, only leave a few strands down on the right side that sometimes covered her eye.

I didn't blame her foe changing either, but that didn't mean I never did anything about it.

With mom gone all the time, I was the only one who could.

The war had changed me to in ways.

I could barley ever just have fun and relax anymore.

Since dad left and mom was at the bank all the time, I had to take there place,

Now that I thought about it, I hadn't had a decent conversation with Jane in a looong time.

She usually picked on Nick, I yelled at her for it, she yelled back, that was how it was now.

Nicolas, didn't really take the war seriously, he stayed the same laughing, playful, yet incredibly smart for his age, He was just a kid.

They were both just kids really, Nicolas , 9 and Jane was 12.

I was the adult, well I'm only 15 but It seemed like I was sometimes.

But then suddenly my thoughts were interrupted as a siren sweep through the street.

Oh-no.

They weren't supposed to happen here I thought frantically.

Anywhere but here.

I felt my skin pale instantly as I hopped up from my seat next to the window and ran out on the porch.

I rushed down the steps, only one thought on my mind.

I had to get Nick and Jane.

I shivered slightly as my bare feet touched the stone side walk but, ignored it as I broke into a sprint toward the end of the street.

Suddenly I was knocked off my feet by a terrible shaking from the ground, followed by a BOOM!

I slowly got to my feet and looked behind me, the house at the opposite end of our very street exploded into flames.

Mary Lindsey's house.

Shed never talked much to the shy silent girl at school, and now…I guessed she never would.

I've got to get my family, right now.

i turned and ran as hard as i possibly could toward the end of the street, towards my family.

When I finally reached the house I went up to the white oak door and banged as hard as I could breathing frantically my mind racing.

If this door doesn't open in the next five seconds..

One seconed before I was about to go barging through the door a woman opened the door her eyes wide and her face frantic, her curly brown hair a total mess, not that I had right to say that I probably looked the same, if not worse.

I mentally shook my head my family.

Where were Nick and Jane?

I opened my mouth to ask

"Your Lyra"

She stated hurriedly before I could ask her.

"Where-"

I tried again.

I fell roughly backwards as the porch shook violently as another bomb was dropped near by, the closeness of the eruption leaving a slight ringing in my ears.

The woman sprang quickly to her feet her expression near crazed held nothing but worry.

"They should be heading for the shelter come on!"

She yelled over the siren grabbing my wrist and pulling me into there living room the suddenly stopping seeing a young boy with black hair looking awestruck out the window.

Her eyes nearly popped out of her head.

She released my wrist.

"EDMUND! GET AWAY FROM THERE!"

She screamed drawing the curtains hurriedly then ushering the both of us quickly into the hall.

He looked over at me quickly before adverting his eyes to the stair case.

My sister ran down the stairs her blonde curls bouncing rapidly as made her way down followed closely by a girl about my age holding Nicolas's hand.

Then finally a tall boy about my age came barreling down dragging a little girl in tow.

"COME ON!"

The woman yelled helplessly ushering them in front of us grabbing my wrist once again.

We then quickly sprinted out the back door and across the yard screaming incohent commannds all of our eyes looking back and forth from the small shelter in the back of the yard to the dark shadows lurking high in the night air.

The woman finally let go of my wrist quickly pulling a key from her pocket, slinging the door open.

"GET IN, QUICKLY NOW"

She pressed urgently, her voice barely audible over the ringing sirens combined with the sounds of the distant eruptions.

I was about to enter when I heard a gasp from behind me.

I turned quickly on my heal.

My sister grabbed the Edmund boy's hand as his eyes went wide.

"Wait! Dad!"

I then watched with horror as Edmund, still holding my sisters hand ran back inside the house.

"EDMUND! JANE! GET BACK HERE!"

The woman yelled frantically over the blaring sirens.

"I'll Get'm"

"I'll Get'm"

My voice rang out along with the voice of the older boy.

We glanced at each other for a moment, his soft blue eyes connected with mine and he nodded slightly, then ran towards the house.

"PETER! LYRA!"

We ignored her and ran through the back door and through the hallway.

Were did they go.

Then I spotted them.

They were in the living room looking for something, then, Edmund I guess was about to pick a photograph as rumbling shook the living room.

"GET DOWN"

"JANE, GET DOWN"

We got to them and I threw myself and Jane onto the floor just as the window exploded.

We have to get back out there right now .

I pulled her to her feet quickly and ran for the back.

Jane resisted my grip trying to go back as soon as we got to the hallway, I looked at her exasperated then

I looked back to see Edmund reaching for something on the floor Peter roughly tugging on his arm to get him up.

"EDMUND!"

Jane shouted desperately as she tried as hard she could to break free of my grip.

Not going to happen, If she thought I was just let her run off and get killed she had another thing coming.

I gritted my teeth and pulled her with all of my might she screamed slightly as I pulled her through the hall with ease, but she keep struggling thrashing wildly.

"STOP ACTING BLOODY STUPID! PETERS GOT'EM! JUST COME ON!"

I basically dragged her through the back door and then out to the open shelter door throwing her inside

Mrs. Pevensie's eyes grew wide.

I opened my mouth to scream at her for being so bloody selfish when the older boy, or Peter I mean threw Edmund inside.

"Come on idiot!"

He shouted harshly throwing Edmund to the floor.

"Why do you always have to be so selfish!-"

Peter started glaring at Edmund with fierce eyes,

"Jane why are you always so stupid!-"

I screamed my face turning blood red as I walked toward her.

"You just always have to do the exact oppistite of what I say!"

He continued.

"You could have gotten us all killed!"

We yelled ringing out in unison .

I didn't even sneek a glance at the boy next to me, All I could think about was jane.

How could she be so stupid.

I parted my lips slightly to say more.

"Peter, Lyra" the woman, Mrs. Pevensie, snapped.

She then put her arms around Edmund as he pulled a picture of a man to his chest, letting out silent tears.

I looked over at Jane still glaring at her, ignoring the tears in my sisters eyes as she quietly pulled a small photograph out of her pocket.

I stared at her for a moment, It was a picture of dad.

My glare softened slightly on my face, I sat down in front of her on the small mattress

I asked her in a quieter yet still threatening tone.

"Why cant you just do as your told?"

"Why cant you just do as your told?"

I tore my eyes away from Jane as I looked unbelievingly at Peter at the same moment he looked at me.

He looked me over for a moment, and I took the opportunity to do the same to him.

He had short Dirty Blonde hair and soft baby blue eyes his face was only slightly of round with the remnants of baby fat.

He was tall as well , maybe a inch or two taller than me.

Wow , he's… Cute, I thought unintentionally as my eyes connected with his again.

I turned quickly from his gaze, well I believe Jane was right for once I thought ruefully.

Peter Pevensie and me just might get along.

As Peter closed the shelter door throwing us into darkness I could have swore I saw a small smile on his face.

And Just Maybe I told my self mentally he thought so to.