(A/N) This is mostly fluff have fun reading.
Disclaimer: I do not own CoN
~Eustace's POV~
Pole was staring out the window the whole time, I had watched her trace a raindrop falling down the window with her finger; it had been an awkward hour and I wasn't sure what to say to her it was difficult to talk to her and I couldn't understand why my throat closed up any time I tried.
We were on a train to her parents house in the country where her Mother had had an accident, she hadn't been awake for a couple days and she had recently woken up to say Jill's name; so she had been requested to come as soon as possible by her Father, and she was never allowed to say no to her father.
I was going for moral support and only moral support. I so wanted to say something to make her feel better but nothing I thought of sounded right, there were no words to say. I couldn't touch her to let her know I was there for her, like if I touched her she might fall to pieces under my touch; I couldn't take her hand, I couldn't touch her shoulder, I couldn't even elbow her in good fun like we always do; that especially.
The rain sounded loud when we stepped onto the platform, I pulled up the umbrella that I had brought and looked at Jill, she had an umbrella in her hands but she didn't put it up instead she just stood there getting soaked; I offered my umbrella to her but she didn't make any movement.
"Just take it Pole."I said softly, wiggling the handle at her slightly. She didn't do anything. I stepped closer to her so the umbrella was covering both of us, but we were closer as well. I took her suitcase from her hand reaching across her. She turned to look at me and we just stood there staring at each other, I could feel myself getting hotter despite the cold rain that had already made me a bit wet before I could get the umbrella up. People were walking hurriedly by, holding newspapers and umbrellas over their heads, everything seemed slow for some reason though.
I didn't know what was happening it happened all so fast, but the next thing I knew Jill was kissing me; it was hard but easy going, not hungry. I felt spasms and flashes all over my body, I was electrified.
We heard someone cough pointedly behind his and the kiss broke, I wanted it to keep going but at the same time I wished it had never happened, I couldn't even remember who had instigated it.
"Jill."The person who had coughed said. I turned to see a pleasant looking woman with a disapproving frown on her face.
"Hello, Mrs. Arlig,"Jill said in a voice so quiet it surprised me, she could be quiet when she wanted to be but never this quiet. "How is she?"
"Tisan't good lass."Mrs. Arlig said with grave sternness, still looking at me. Jill pursed her lips and nodded her head. "The carriage is just round the corner, let's get a move on."
I couldn't hold both of our luggage and the umbrella, and Jill saw this so she she took one of the two suitcases and walked pass me to duck under Mrs. Arlig's umbrella. I thought I saw the faintest shade of red on Jill's cheeks but she rushed past me so I couldn't get a good look at it.
~Jill's POV~
I couldn't believe it, correction, I can't believe it. I kissed Scrubb, how could I do that; it must have been the recent rush of emotions or some such thing, everything's been so hectic . . . I just don't know.
It was an awkward walk to the carriage, long drive in the carriage, and walk to the house from the carriage. Anywhere a carriage is involved I am positive it will be related to awkwardness, and I vow never to speak the word carriage, if I can help it, ever again.
"Let's get you and your,"Mrs. Arlig stopped to look at Eustace, Mrs. Arlig usual pleasant nature was not so pleasant at this very moment. "Friend settled."
I knew there would be a talk from her after Eustace was out of sight and out of hearing distance.
Mrs. Arlig was the housekeeper and cook for my parents she was married to Mrs. Arlig who also served my parents as mostly a handy man and a butler, but we call them family because that is what they are. Only that they both find it their place to be the pro tempore father and mother for me when the situation raised. The situation was arising, and had been since Mother had had her accident.
We walked the hallways that were so familiar to me. We came to my door and I stepped into the room everything the same as I had left it the last time I had been there I just stood there holding my suitcase.
"I am going to show your friend here to his room."Mrs. Arlig was saying. "You. Do not move from this room."She told me pointing at the floor.
She waved her hand at Eustace to follow her and she was not to be argued with, I tried to catch Eustace's eye but he avoided all eye contact with me. I did have one small thing to amuse me seeing Mrs. Arlig take Eustace to the guest room. In the attic. The room farthest away from me.
I took a moment to look around the room before gently placing my suitcase on the bed that had been made recently and the pillows plumped. I sat on the bed smoothing the top blanket with my hand.
I knew it was no great travesty what had happened to my mother, she had simply knocked her head about and was unresponsive for. . . I let out a sob at the thought my mother being in asleep for those 3 whole days. Why had my Father not asked for me sooner, she had to wake up before he would call for me?
~Eustace's POV~
I had placed my suitcase on the bed in the attic guest room and was about to open it up when I heard someone from behind me.
"You must be the Scrubb boy Jill was bringing."The man said when I turned around.
"Yes sir."I replied, having an odd feeling that I should be standing at attention around him.
"I'm Mr. Arlig."
"Mrs. Arlig's husband I presume?"For some reason this innocent statement felt like I was over stepping my boundaries.
"That's correct."He stepped closer, and if it were possible I stood straighter. "Now I don't know the kind of man you are," He looked at the floor as he took deliberate steps. "And I won't be one judge you to quick."He was much closer now. "But if you do something wrong with my lass Jill you won't just have one father to worry about."
"Yes,"My voice squeaked, why did my voice have to squeak? "Sir."
I really wanted to hide right then, I may be 16 and getting close to 6 feet tall but I was bug to this man, and if Jill's father was anything like him I was really beginning to doubt my survival of this weekend.
~Jill's POV~
"Now,"I heard Mrs. Arlig say from my doorway after about 7 minutes, I knew because I had to much time on my hands and had come to counting how long my time went between human interaction. "You are going to tell me what that seen was on the platform."
I groaned inwardly. "Do I have to?"Trying to avoid the talk that was being brought up.
"Yes!" She took a seat in the armchair that was across the bed. "Sit."
"What exactly are going to probe for?"I asked wanting to cringe.
"You will find out."
"Will I?"I asked uncertainly.
Mrs. Arlig didn't move a muscle for a few moments but then said. "What happened on that platform, has anything like that happened before?"
"Oh please, Mrs. Arlig it was a harmless kiss."
"How harmless?"
"Oh just stop it."I said.
"We were all gone while you stayed and studied, did you kiss any other boys?"
"No, how could you possibly think that."I folded my arms, and I muttered. "And how is it any of you business?"
"What was that?"I snapped at hearing these disapproving words, I knew in the back of my head I shouldn't blow my top but I didn't listen to the back of my head. I blew.
"How is it any of your business."I said emphasizing certain words.
"I don't like that tone lass."She said with a calm voice, that only added fuel to my fire.
"You have no right to mediate my tone."I yelled.
"While your mother is. . ."
"Is what. Because she has barely woken up, so what were you going to say?"
"I am going to be the one to tak care of you while your mother is . . ."
"Do not bring my mother into this."I spat turning away, my arms still folded.
"I will if I want lass, and I am just making sure you are okay."
"You are not."I stopped swallowing back the sob that was threatening to break out. "My-my."I collapsed in a fit of sobs. I felt Mrs. Arlig sit down next o be and then she pulled me into her arms using comforting words and shushing me, I might have sobbed for hours before I spoke, hiccuping my way through the words. "You knew this would happen."
"I wasn't completely sure."I sobbed a little more and then sat up out of grasp.
"I'm sorry for what I said,"I said looking down. "About my mother."
"Quite alright lass."She stroked my hair. "I knew you needed a good cry anyway, from the looks of you when you arrived."
"Please don't bring up the platform."I insisted. "If you could leave me alone to settle in I think I would be appreciative."
"Of course deary."She stood up and hugged me for a few long moments, it was a nice to be held for second. Mrs. Arlig left I went to open up my suitcase. Wait a moment those are not my books, I didn't even bring books, and what is. . . is that a man's shirt. Oh no I have Eustace's suitcase how did that happen? I had a flash of when I reached for one of the two suitcases my eyes hadn't left Mrs. Arlig.
~Eustace's POV~
Mr. Arlig had left me with quivering knees. What was wrong with me I had faced so many more dangerous threats in Narnia then Mr. Arlig.
I set to work opening my suitcase to unpack. Where are my books. I went digging through the clothes to see if my books were on the other side. What on earth is that?
"Scrubb!"I heard from behind me. I whirled around to see a shocked Jill holding another suitcase. My suitcase to be exact. "Step away from the suitcase."She said her voice sounding scary so quiet. She moved forward and put my suitcase on the bed, closed her own harshly, and carried it away to the doorway.
"We should talk Pole."I said, surprised at my own sudden boldness.
"Maybe Scrubb, but not today."She left the room.
~Two days later~
We still hadn't spoken about the kiss, and any time Jill and I even looked at each other Mr. Arlig spotted it and would give me 'the look'. And I had met Jill's father who seemed like a stressed out fellow, although considering the circumstances it was understandable. Jill's mother had woken up but she seemed only to remember that Jill was a little girl about 2 who she had to take care of. It had been a hard couple of days.
I was going to the library because I had finished all of the books I had brought, and saw Jill sitting in the window seat looking out with a lonely expression. I was unsure of whether to step in or not but made my decision by walking in, shaking knees.
"Um, Pole?"I asked cautiously.
"What?"She said, her face never changed, and she had developed on that odd habit of tracing the window of where the rain drops were dripping down, and she was doing it right that second.
"How are you?"
"How do you think?"She responded.
I was so close to her now, she was within arms length. "Do you want to talk."
She sighed. "No."
"Can I get you something?"
She stood up suddenly making my legs shake, and yelled. "No, so why don't you leave me alone."
I couldn't explain it but I wasn't going to take no for an answer. "No."
"What?"
"I am not going to leave you alone, we are going to talk."
"Why?"She demanded, her eyes were tearing up but she still looked beautiful. Where did that come from?
"Because you need to."I took her elbow and led her to the couch.
"No."She said ripping her arm out of my grip. "I won't sit on there and talk to you like you are some kind of therpist."
"I'm not a therapist, I'm you friend."I said, and she resumed her near blank expression from a few moments before.
"No."She said.
"Yes."I said and sat her down on the couch.
We just sat there for a few minutes neither one of us saying anything, both waiting for the other to start. And then I realized we didn't need to talk, we didn't need to do anything, I didn't need to do anything I just had to be there for her to be a shoulder to cry on, even if she would never cry on it.
"I won't pretend."I started. "To know what you are going through, but I will be. . ."I swallowed thinking about what I was saying. I strangled out that first word. "Here. For you."
Silence.
Nothing.
Why isn't she saying anything, come on Jill just say something.
"Why do you even care?"Her voice was monotone. I was taken aback from it.
"How can you say that? We have been through so much together, the both of us not just one or the other. I know things are hard right now but when was I not there for you?"
She looked away.
I tried to get her to say something but she wouldn't give in. I eventually left her sitting there, I didn't like to but I doubted I had a chance to get her to say anything.
~Five days later~
Jill's POV
Mother was getting slowly better, the doctors said that it was a minor injury and that she would remember everything within another two days, I was relieved and felt like I could actually breathe again after the recent week.
Eustace was still acting weird but in truth so was I. I didn't understand boys and I doubted I ever would. Every time I thought about the kiss or the fact that he might have gone through my clothes, I would start to feel heat light up my cheeks and it was an uncomfortable feeling. It was so new, so unexpected; I didn't like it.
As soon as we had come it was time to leave again, Father didn't want me getting in the way with mother, that now that they knew what was wrong with her, there was no need for me to be here anymore. I suppose I should feel resentful of my father but I had already gotten that feeling over and over whenever I was sent away to the Experiment house, My mother would never see me off father would keep her in the house, give me my bags, and then send me off in a taxi with train tickets; it was the norm for us. I suppose I did have Eustace but the way we had been acting towards each other made things difficult.
I hugged Mr. Arlig and he spoke the same comforting words that he always did when I was leaving "Things will be better next time" and "Just believe" but no words helped me. I hugged Mrs. Arlig next not saying anything and got into the taxi; I had thought that Mrs. or Mr. Arlig would take me to the train station like they had to come get me, I suppose it was Fathers doing really. Scrubb, the gentleman that he was had already gotten in and was leaning away from me looking out the window on the other side having already put both of our suitcases in the back of the taxi.
We got to the train station and were waiting for our train on the platform, right were we had kissed. The tension surrounding us was nearly unbearable.
~Eustace's POV~
It had to be this place again, again!
I knew I should probably say something but I was really hoping she would say something first.
"Pole."I said at the same time she said.
"Scrubb."She turned an endearing color of red, and I knew my own face was probably close to that very same color.
"What do we say?"I asked, finding a sudden interest in my shoes and rubbing the back of my neck.
"Do we really have to say anything?"She asked me with a pleading face.
I was quiet for a moment collecting my thoughts. "I think we should."
"You shouldn't think so much, it gets you in trouble."She scowled at me.
I rolled my eyes when she said this. "Thinking isn't all bad."I argued.
"It is when you let yourself be blinded."She said turning to look at the empty train tracks.
I was utterly confused now. "How have I been blind. . ."I didn't get to finish because she interrupted.
"I kissed you!"She said, her voice sounding anything but calm and as quiet as she could I supposed, there wasn't really anyone else there but there were a few people. "That's how you've been blind."
I didn't understand the logic to this in the least. "How?"
"Oh, how like a boy."She responded her face looking at me like she detested me. "Were you always this dense or were you born this way?"
"I don't understand Jill."I said with forcefulness. She looked taken aback when I said this, I couldn't understand why until I realized I had said her name, not just her last name her first name. It was the first time I had said it out loud and it felt like I had gotten this weight off my chest, and it sounded so good to hear her name out in the open air.
"You. . ."She stopped. "You said my first name?" It was a question. Why?
"Yes."I said slowly and cautiously. "Why?"
She just shook her head looking at me with a dazed expression. "I just realized. I think I love you."
I picked the wrong time to be snarky. "I thought you said thinking got you into trouble." I was very glad she hardly noticed as she was staring hard at me, but then the realization sunk in on what I had said.
"Really, I say I love you and you say that!?"She demanded.
This was not going how I had imagined it. Not that I had imagined it happening, just no, I mean yeah I guess I thought about but. No. "I think it runs in the family."I said through my teeth.
She scowled at me. "Go jump on the tracks!"She said.
"What?"
"You heard me, go jump on the tracks you'll do a better service to yourself and me if you let the next train run you over."
"Jill be reasonable." She flinched when I used her name this time.
"No! I confess something deep to you and all you can say is I shouldn't think that way. I guess you don't share the same feelings, I got over being reasonable a long time ago."
"Stop it Pole."I said as she started turning away and walking away from me. Gosh I was an bloody idiot. She was walking faster, I rushed towards her and grabbed her elbow; in turn she whipped around and slapped me hard across the face. She detested me I knew but I had to tell her I was a complete idiot to be such a git after she told me those. . . .those three very life changing words. "I'm an idiot."I said touching the red skin where her hand had had contact with my face.
"Yes you are, good to know I didn't have to explain 'that' to you!"
"And I should never have opened my mouth to say those words after what you said."
She didn't say anything.
"I should have just. . ."
"No! I don't want to hear it."She said, and started walking away.
I reached for her again, missing her arm I followed her saying. "You're going to listen."
"I've no reason to."
"Well now you do." I grabbed her and spun her around, our lips connected and I felt the electrifying feeling spill into my body. We kept kissing for about a minute when we released we just looked at each other, and it came to me I said those words, just when I thought there would be no words. "I love you."
She smiled, so beautifully.
No words. . . .
(A/N) I hope you liked it please review :)