Disclaimer: Narnia and the characters you recognise belong to C.S. Lewis.

A/N: Alright, I might have lied a little about this being longer. However, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

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Lucy and Susan led the family across the streets, talking pleasantly and dressed their Sunday best, whilst behind them Edmund talked to Mr and Mrs Pevensie, and Peter walked on in silence. He felt better today than he had that Friday night when he'd lost some self-control and thought so much about Narnia. Nonetheless, a low mood had settled over him since then.

When faced with his siblings and parents, however, he put on his usual, cheery mask. There was no point worrying them with his own dreary feelings. The day was bright and cheery, the end of August, and the blue skies did help to brighten his dark thoughts. It was always there however, the doubting, the pain, lingering in the back of his mind.

Often, Peter would find himself wondering what his parents thought of their children. There was age in their eyes, age far beyond their bodies, glinting behind the irises and flashing whenever trying to show a particularly strong emotion. Didn't their parents realise? Didn't they know that their children were breaking apart?

"Peter," Mrs Pevensie called over her shoulder, "do hurry up. We don't want to be late for the service."

"Sorry, Mother," he said, quickly, and caught up with his brother and parents. Edmund grinned at him as he did so, most likely taunting him silently for being somewhat scolded, but Peter simply smiled back. He barely, if ever, got mad with his brother anymore. They were best friends, really, despite the age gap of three years.

"Ah, here we are," Mr Pevensie smiled, as they turned a corner of a street to see their church across the road, which they crossed over together. As they went the sunlight caught onto Lucy and Edmund's blonde hair, and Peter smiled a little wider. He remembered, sweetly and painfully, days on the shore by Cair Paravel, the sunlight pouring onto to them and washing away any stress or worries.

The sun in England wasn't as bright, or beautiful, but he tried hard not to think about that.

They entered the small church, sitting down at the front and filling a whole pew by themselves. Peter sat between Susan and Edmund, the familiar heaviness returning at the sight of the crucifixes and the pictures adorning the place. Susan looked quite at home, her long white fingers brushing some dust from the bible in front of her, and Edmund looked comfortable, gazing around at the place with interest and warmth in his face.

Peter began to wonder why he was the only one with such silly fears when it came to religion and blasphemy, until he saw, beside Susan, that Lucy had her eyes closed, and her head bowed, her cheeks pink. There was something in her pained expression that touched him, that made him realise that perhaps he wasn't so alone.

"Su, can I change places with you?" he murmured to his sister, who started, but stood up for him as she registered his request. He smiled in thanks, and moved up, and Susan took his place, striking up conversation with Edmund. Peter looked down at Lucy, remembering what he had heard her sobbing the night before. She glanced up at the sound of movement, and he was alarmed but somehow unsurprised to see tears in her eyes.

Not knowing what to say - and having to remain silent, as the priest walked around to the front of the church - he simply took his youngest sibling's hand in his and squeezed it, wearing a smile to show her he was there and he understood.

She blinked, the tears somehow fading before they had fallen, and gave him half a smile.

xxx

"Really, Edmund!" hissed Mrs Pevensie, as they stood to go, her face burning as well as Edmund's. "Falling asleep in church! I've never been so embarrassed! What's your excuse, young man?"

Peter was trying his hardest not to laugh, and behind him Susan and Lucy could be heard doing the same, at the horrified and embarrassed expression on his brother's face. He mumbled something under his breath, and Mrs Pevensie swiped him - not too hard - on the shoulder, with her handbag.

"I didn't get a lot of sleep last night, alright?" Edmund muttered, rubbing his shoulder, and scowling at his brother and sisters. "I had a lot on my mind."

"That's no excuse, Ed," Mr Pevensie sighed, and Edmund bowed his head, ashamed. They walked down the aisle in a stiff silence after this - Peter, Susan and Lucy at the front, still suppressing giggles - but as they made to leave a pair of people also tried to use the doors.

It was a girl - well, a woman - of around twenty, holding the hand of a boy who could be no older than sixteen. They looked somewhat alike, and so Peter assumed they were brother and sister. She came to a halt, took a step back and motioned for the Pevensies to go in front of her, smiling.

"Oh no," said Peter at once, motioning himself. "You first."

"Thank you," the woman smiled, and she and her brother made their way out of the doors, into the sunny streets. The Pevensies soon followed, Edmund still blushing, and Lucy now giggling good-naturedly.

"You know," Mrs Pevensie said, thoughtfully, watching the backs of the pair Peter had let go in front of them. "I do believe that they're the pair who have moved in opposite us. I saw them in the garden yesterday."

"Should we go and introduce ourselves?" Mr Pevensie asked, sounding interested.

"I'll pop over tomorrow morning and welcome them," Mrs Pevensie said, decisively. "It might not be wise to bombard them with the whole family in one go. Especially not when some of us evidently have no manners!"

She shot a dark look in her youngest son's direction, who rolled his eyes in turn. Peter laughed and clapped his brother on the shoulder. They walked on through the midday sun, chattering pleasantly amongst themselves, and Peter took a moment to examine Lucy. She seemed better now, talking to her father, and he was satisfied. He didn't want her hurting as much as he was.

"Peter," said a voice suddenly, and Susan took his arm, leading him a little ahead of the rest of the family. She was smiling sweetly, and Peter had an ominous feeling she was about to ask something of him. "Peter, I have a question for you."

Peter chuckled, raising his eyes to the sky. "Very well, let's hear it."

"Well, Mandy - you know Mandy, blonde haired with big green eyes - well, we've both been invited to a party tonight, the Edisons are throwing one - and she needs a date. Will you --"

"Su," Peter interrupted her, and her pretty face fell. "Susan, you know I never say yes. I don't want to go to a party. I don't know your friends."

"But it will be fun!" Susan insisted, determinedly ."You need to either settle down or have fun, it's useless hanging around at home. You're being a bad influence on the other two."

"I am?" Peter asked, trying his hardest not to sound hurt. Sometimes Susan said things without considering how others would feel, and he knew he had to forgive her for this fault like always. It wouldn't do to start an argument with her. "What do you mean by settling down or having fun? There's nothing wrong with my life now."

Susan went a little pink, but pressed on. "Look, I don't mean it in a horrible way, Peter, you know that. It's just that most men your age either are making their lives - you know, with a full time job and with a wife, or are living their lives through parties and such. You just seem to live your live through your family, it's not right. Ed and Lu are turning out the same way, now, as well."

Peter frowned, heavily. "Come off it, Susan. Are you honestly saying I'm somehow abnormal? My life's fine as it is."

"I know," Susan sighed, though somewhat disapprovingly. "So how about this party tonight? You never know, you might enjoy it. You might meet a nice girl!"

"I'm fairly sure I will," Peter smiled, giving in. "But that doesn't mean I will want to dance with her, let alone settle down. However, I shall give in this once and come with you and whoever your friend is. Don't get used to it."

"Thank you!" she enthused, her dark green eyes glittering. "You'll have a wonderful time, I'm sure of it!"

xxx

"Poor Peter!" Lucy gasped, barely able to breath through her laughter. At her side Edmund was clutching his sides, in hysterics, his face red from breathlessness. They trundled through the streets, heading home, their laughter echoing across the empty roads. It was eight in the evening, and they had just gone to glance in at the Edisons' party, to see Peter stood in the corner, seeming positively horrified at all of the frilly girls and smug boys around him.

"Susan didn't seem to impressed at his attitude," chortled Edmund, referring to the dark looks thrown across the room from dancing sister to standing brother. "We should have gone in and saved him, you know. It would be the noble thing to do."

"I'd rather not feel Su's wrath, thanks," Lucy laughed, wrinkling her nose. "Her friend - Mandy, was it? - didn't look too happy either. I don't think her date's exactly what she imagined him to be."

"Well," Edmund sighed, sobering up slightly. "It was silly of Susan to expect him to enjoy himself. Those girls aren't his sort, are they?"

"What is his sort then?"

"You know, Lu, I just don't know," Edmund confessed, looking thoughtful. Lucy thought about it herself, and realised she, too, had no idea. "He's never courted, has he? I mean, not really even in - in Narnia."

"Narnia," Lucy repeated, just to taste the word on her tongue. Shaking herself, she realised that Edmund was finally talking about it, and smiled, widely. "You're right, even there he didn't find love. Do you think he ever will?"

"I hope so," Edmund sighed, looking at the sky, as they stepped onto their own road. "None of us have, yet, have we? I'm sure we all will. Peter's a nice chap, I'm sure he will."

"I don't know," Lucy replied, quietly, coming to a halt and looking down at her feet. Edmund walked on a few steps before realising he no longer had a companion. Frowning, he walked back to her, and she felt ashamed that once again tears were in her eyes. "Oh, Ed, I'm sorry."

"Stop being sorry," Edmund said, gently. "Look, come here."

He pulled her into a tight hug and she let out a great, shuddery breath, nestling her head into his shoulder. She was grateful for him, grateful for his caring and understanding nature. "I just don't know. Most girls my age are really different to me. What if I never find love, because - because, well, I don't know if I can ever love anything truly in this world."

"Do you love your family?"

"I - of course I do!"

"Well then, you can love in this world. You're a wonderful person and you'll find somebody, I'm sure of it."

"How can you be so sure, Edmund?"

"I can't," he confessed, voice cracking slightly as he admitted it. "I can't, no more than you can. The thing is, I'm sure of Him, and that's all that matters really, isn't it?"

"Aslan, or God?" she asked, pulling away and looking at him. His expression changed from concern to something indescribable as she asked it, and he gazed at her in silence for a moment or two.

"Both, Lucy," he whispered at last, as though letting go of a deep secret. "Both of them."

"You're sure enough that He'll forgive you for falling asleep in church, then?" she smiled, suddenly wanting this strange and serious air to end. She felt a huge rush of gratitude for Edmund, who understood, who knew. He laughed, messing up her blonde hair, before stretching and looking to the sky again. As he relaxed, his eyes fell upon the houses, and he straightened.

"Look sharp!" he said, suddenly, causing Lucy to jump. "We're being watched."

"Watched?" she asked, sharply, and followed his gaze. She realised that her brother was looking at the house across from their own, at the topmost window. The boy from earlier that day at the church, who had been holding his sister's hand, was staring down at them both. When he realised they both were looking back at him, he went red and turned away.

"I wonder what they're like?" Edmund asked, as he and Lucy made their way towards their own house. "The girl seemed polite enough earlier."

"She did," Lucy agreed, glancing back up at the window. "I'm sure we'll get to know them well."

As Lucy got into bed that night, she couldn't help but glance towards the window and wonder about the curious boy across the road.

xxx

Watch therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. Matthew 24:42

xxx

A/N: Please review, I'd love to know what you think.