Chapter 2 - Running

Hey guys!! This is Chapter 2 of my story, and Caspian and Susan are in for more adventures in the upcoming pages. Why is Susan running? What will the others do about it? And how in the world did Caspian manage to get there to begin with? All that and more answered in this next chapter!

Before she even quite realized what she was doing Susan found herself running faster then she could ever remember. She was running away from the feelings she had when she saw him standing in the doorway, running from the way he smiled at her. Running from the hope that his sight had instilled in her. Never again would she let herself dare to hope the way she did before they left Narnia two years ago. Her heart couldn't take it again.

So she ran up the drive, not knowing where she was heading. Just anywhere but there. In the corner of her mind she knew that running would do her no good, and that she was probably better off just facing the situation head on, but that sensible side was losing the battle against the instinct to avoid the problem all together. So she continued running. Away from all the possibilities, away from Peter and Edmund, and Lucy, and most of all Caspian who she could hear call her name behind her. She ran until she reached the end of the Professor's drive, and then she turned the corner and kept running until she was out of breath.

At some point she stopped, feeling exhausted, and collapsed on the ground. Why was any of this happening now? What had she done to deserve another chance to get her heart broken? If she got close to him and he left again she wasn't sure she'd be able to function. Yet she couldn't turn off the tiny little part of her that was jumping up and down like Christmas had come early at the idea of seeing Caspian again. Of hearing his voice. Of kissing him…

Maybe she was going insane.

"Susan." She kept her gaze on the ground as a figure approached her. She knew without looking up or really hearing the voice who it was, and she tried to avoid the questions she knew would be in his eyes as long as possible. But he wouldn't let her, instead he crouched down beside her and lifted her hair gently out of her face.

"Are you okay Susan?" Finally daring to look at him she felt her breath catch. He only looked a few years older then when they'd last seen him, and the years had done him good. His face was slightly more mature, and a little bit of stubble was forming on his chin. But as before it was his eyes that captured her. They held wisdom and maturity unheard of for such a young man, ruling Narnia had obviously taught him a lot. She moved her gaze to study the rest of him, instead of answering him straight away. That scar there, on his arm, had that been there before? And his hair was shorter then before, cut to stay out of his face. He was breathtaking, and that scared her.

"Are you alright Queen Susan?" He asked again, searching her face for an answer.

Desperately she tried to find her voice. "I'm fine."

"You do not look fine."

"That's one way to flatter a girl." The joke tore from her unbidden, but it made her feel better. If she could joke then, just maybe, she would be okay.

His face froze, and he seemed to take her comment seriously. "I only meant that-"

"I know," She said smiling at him, "I was joking."

Her mind hadn't quite caught up with what was going on yet, but the urge to run away was calming down. Now she instead was studying the face of a man she never thought she'd see again. She hadn't gone a day without thinking about him in two years, and now he was crouching before her with that adorable worried look on his face. She had to get back to her siblings so they could distract her from the onslaught of being with him alone. Still a little shaky she stood up and gestured towards the house.

"We should head back, the other's will be worried."

His expression turned to confusion at her sudden change in mannerism, but always the perfect gentleman he merely nodded and followed her. The walk back was every bit as uncomfortable as the few second long conversation they had. Susan refused to look at the Narnian King, and he couldn't stop looking at her. Maybe he hadn't forgotten about her completely. She wondered how long it had been for him since they last saw each other, but didn't dare to speak. Part of her thought this was all a dream, and that soon she would wake up. She pinched herself to test the theory.

"Ow." So not dreaming then.

"Are hurt Queen Susan?" Caspian asked concerned.

Susan shook her head, still unable to speak. After what seemed like years they reached the top of the Professor's drive and saw Lucy sitting on the stairs waiting for them. When the younger girl spotted the two shapes heading towards her she stood up and ran over to them.

"Oh you're back, the other's will be relieved. Now where in the world did you run off to Susan?" Her expression changed to one of disapproval, that reminded Susan very much of their mother. "You had us all quite worried. You're lucky Caspian ran after you, or Peter would and he was set to give you quite a talking to."

In her head Susan was laughing. Lucky that Caspian came after her? At the moment she would have much preferred that her elder brother had found her, lectures and all. She didn't say anything to Lucy though, instead choosing to continue walking towards the door. Lucy's attention had shifted to Caspian anyways.

"Are you going to tell us how you got here? And how long has it been in Narnia? Is my DLF alright? Have you seen Aslan lately? Though I suppose you must have if you're here…oh has Narnia changed much?" The girl clung on Caspian's arm while she threw the questions at him, and the look on Caspian's face as he struggled to answer her was amusing. When one has no younger sisters it's terribly difficult to keep up with somebody else's.

In the house Peter, Edmund, and the Professor were sitting in the drawing room talking quietly. When the other three came in they all looked up, and Peter rushed over to Susan. She couldn't tell whether he was angry or just disappointed. Looking back at him she silently begged him to understand. His face softened and he nodded.

"You're okay then Su?" Ed said from the couch. "It's quite rude running away like that."

Rolling her eyes she sat down on the nearest couch. Caspian sat next to her, and answered Edmund. "It wasn't rude, Susan just needed a moment to herself. She is okay now."

After everyone had settled down and stopped talking the Professor turned to Caspian. "Perhaps now is a good time to explain how and why you are here."

"Yes, of course." Caspian turned to acknowledge the rest of the room. "I am here as a messenger from Aslan. He says that sometimes, situations arise that even he cannot forsee. He wants you to return with me to Narnia."

"To Narnia! That's brilliant!" Ed exclaimed, jumping up. Lucy though, was more observant.

"Situations even Aslan can't foresee." She looked troubled. "What's going on in Narnia Caspian?"

The King looked troubled, and Susan was distracted by curiosity from her need to avoid looking at him. Whatever was going on back there, it couldn't be good. Not if Aslan sent Caspian to come get them, and especially not if he was thinking about sending Peter and Susan back as well. If he was thinking about that. Maybe this was just a call for Edmund and Lucy.

"It has been three years in Narnia since you left, and not all of my citizens are happy with the way things are. Some feel that there is too much bad blood between Narnia and Telmarine for the two nations ever to coincide. Fighting has begun in remote locations, and we're afraid it may start in more heavily populated locations."

Susan was reminded of the angry Telmarines right after the final battle, and even of the attitudes of some of the Narnians who still resented the Telmarines for taking their land. None of them had thought the transition would be easy, but fighting was a bit much. But why would Aslan want the four, or two she thought sadly, of them to go back because of something like that?

Caspian continued his explanation. "There are riots starting, and even rumors of some of the rebels talking to Archeland. Things are getting to be really bad. Aslan says that the worst is yet to come, and so he wants you to return."

"All of us." Peter looked almost hopeful, "Or just Ed and Lucy?"

"All of you." The four siblings shot excited looks at each other, and Susan felt as if she'd lost her breath. All of them. It was like getting a second life, they never thought they'd be able to go to Narnia again. To see the fields and Cair Paravel, though it might still be a ruin. Her face lit up in a wide smile.

Caspian though still looked serious. "There is one condition."

Of course, Susan thought, nothing could be that easy. "What is it?"

"Aslan says that nothing happens the same way twice." They all smiled, even the professor, at this familiar phrase. "If you are to return, you will become the same age you were when you left Narnia the first time."

They were all silent, and Susan felt her heart speed up. The same age they were the first time? That would make her, she counted quickly, thirty years old. That was quite a jump from her current age of 19. How old was Caspian? He was 19 when they'd first been there, and if three years had passed that would make him 22. She would be eight years older then him. She stopped that path of thought quickly. It wouldn't be smart to let her heart get involved again anyways.

"That's bloody brilliant!" They all turned to Ed, who's face was lit up triumphantly. "We'd all be adults again, and wouldn't have to be treated like silly kids! And Pete, do you remember how much stronger we were back then?"

"And I would be tall enough to fit into my dresses again." Lucy said wistfully, "If they're still there."

A grin was beginning to form on Peter's face as well. "There were definite advantages to being older. Did he say how long we would stay though Caspian?"

This is what Susan had been waiting to hear, and she was hoping the answer wouldn't be painful. "He said that he cannot say exactly, because he doesn't know how old each of you will be when you die."

"So forever then." Edmund looked positively blissful. "What are we waiting for?"

The professor spoke up from where he sat, quietly observing the children. "What do you think Susan?"

As she answered Susan could feel Caspian looking at her intensely. He was obviously worried about what she would say. Did he think that she didn't want to come back with him? That was partly true of course, but not because of him. If anything she wanted to go with him too much, and that is what held her back. "It sounds…" she paused, unsure of exactly what she felt, "Like we're needed. If Aslan sent the King to call us back that is."

She still couldn't say his name.

"Well then Caspian, how do we go about getting back?" Edmund stood up and looked around, as if expecting to see a door.

Caspian's eyes still had not left Susan's face, and she got the feeling that if she looked up he would have a million questions in them. Questions she couldn't, or maybe wouldn't, answer. He seemed reluctant as he tore his gaze away from her and answered Edmund. "All you have to do is follow me."

They all stood up, Susan wondering the entire time where this would lead them, and what they would find at the end.

Hope you guys liked that chapter! It was mostly just setting up the plot. So yes, for the rest of the story the four Pevensie kids will be adults. More details on that in the next chapter. Please review and tell me what you think!!