In Element

Susan and her siblings are struggling to re-adjust to their lives but when the call to save Narnia arises will they risk everything again?

AN: I know I promised a long chapter but the chapter after this one got so far away from me that this one is shorter than I intended it to be. Due to this you'll probably get the next chapter very, very soon indeed; like tomorrow most likely. Hopefully you'll all let me off with the guarantee of a quick update. And thank you for the lovely reviews, you guys are amazing!

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The front door slammed as they finally made it home and no-one had still not said a word since Peter's announcement. He had spoken the truth and they all knew it, they just didn't know what they were going to do about it. As much as they wanted to help Narnia and would do all they could, what they could do was actually very little. Edmund had been right when he'd said they had no control over getting themselves to Narnia. And they had each realised that it seemed they had no control over these visions either.

"I'm going to start on dinner," Susan said quietly. "So it will be ready for when mum gets home."

"I'll help!" Lucy answered but the usual cheer from her voice was gone.

The two girls scurried off into the kitchen, leaving their brothers standing motionlessly in the hallway.

"Do you think I should have told her?" Peter said abruptly, his gaze focused intently on the carpet. "About the Narnians, being tortured."

"I don't like it any more then you do Pete, but if she had found out we'd lied to her it would be a lot worse," Edmund answered moving forwards so he was slouched against the hallway doorframe, watching their sisters. "Besides if we end up finding a way back to Narnia and the first thing we see is Narnians being tortured at least she has a heads up."

"I know," Peter said slowly. "I just hate that she has to know these things. She's too young."

"In one way yes," Edmund chuckled. "But in the other way she's been a queen and grown into adolescence. She already knows these things, deep down. We just have to remind her it's happening to people she cares about."

"I wish we could shield both of them from this. Susan as well as Lucy."

"No you don't," Edmund chuckled darkly again. "You wish you could shield all of us from it. You'd take it all on if it meant we didn't have too."

Peter smiled wryly, finally meeting his brother's gaze. "You know me too well."

Edmund was about to retort when a small scream erupted from the kitchen. In a flash both boys were in the kitchen standing next to their frozen sister, who was staring at the sink with huge eyes.

"Lucy what is it?" Susan cried, clutching her sister's shoulders.

"Aslan," She whimpered, tears welling up in her eyes. "I c-can... see... Aslan."

"What's happening? Where is he?" Edmund asked but all Lucy could do was whimper wordlessly.

Peter dropped to his knees next to his sister and gripped the shoulder Susan wasn't attached to. "Lu?" He started gently. "I know what you must be seeing is awful, especially if it's Aslan. But I need you to concentrate and look around you. We need to know everything we can if we're going to save him, ok?"

"Alright." She whispered.

"Do you recognise where he is?"

"The f-field... by his How."

"Is he alone?"

"N-no."

"Who's with him?"

"Creatures," She whispered. "Like the ones that attacked Caspian and tried to bring back the white witch. Dark creatures."

Edmund swore and Susan took a deep shuddering breath but Peter didn't allow his thoughts to wander, instead keeping his focus solely on his sister.

"What are they doing there?"

"They're watching h-him... Guarding him. He's... oh Peter! He's all tied up!"

"Is he hurt?"

"I c-can't see any wounds," her voice was so small that Peter had to lean in to hear her. "But he doesn't look right. He's not his colour... No! He's fading!"

"It's alright Lu," Susan tried to soothe her, pulling her into an embrace as Lucy's eyes focused on them instead of the faraway land she had been seeing.

"This isn't good." Edmund understated darkly as Lucy threw herself against Susan, her sobs wracking both girls' bodies.

"No, it's not," Peter exhaled as he got to his feet again. "And it doesn't give us much more information. Only that Aslan's been captured."

"That may explain why we're only seeing Narnia though. If Aslan's power is being drained or attacked somehow he may not have the strength to bring us back."

"So what would?"

"The Deep Magic." Susan said, her voice muffled by Lucy's hair.

"Of course," Edmund breathed. "It's tied into the very fabric of Narnia's existence, connected to all things that are living within Narnia. It must be the basis for what brings us each time but Aslan must control it."

"So the Deep Magic is trying to pull us back, so that we can help, but whoever is attacking Narnia has taken a counter-measure to that by capturing Aslan." Peter said slowly.

"They must have a very good idea of how it works then." Susan said quietly, leading all their thoughts to one person in particular.

"Jadis." Edmund hissed.

"But she's dead." Lucy sniffed.

"She's been killed twice now, maybe she can't die." Susan said uncomfortably.

"We don't know it's her though." Peter answered reasonably.

"Who else could it be?" Edmund snapped.

"Anyone, for all we know!" Peter retorted hotly. "There is no use jumping to conclusion Ed. Jadis is a possibility but we still don't know what's going on. We need more information."

"So what do we do? Sit around until we have enough 'visions' to understand what's going on?" Ed shouted.

"I don't like it any better than you do." Peter replied quietly.

"Shouting at each other isn't going to help." Susan murmured.

Lucy got up and walked over to Edmund offering her arms out for a hug with a watery smile. With a sigh he pulled her to him, hugging tightly before releasing her.

"I think I need to cool off," he said sheepishly. "I might go for a quick walk if that's alright."

"Don't be too long." Peter said as he leaned back against the table.

"I'll have dinner ready soon." Susan added as she moved to the stove.

"Alright." Ed replied, opening the back door and letting rays of bright afternoon sun spill into the kitchen.

"Susan!" Peter yelled, chairs crashing to the ground as Lucy screamed.

Edmund spun on his heel to see what had happened to his sister, only for empty air to meet his gaze. Looking frantically at his brother they both saw the confusion and panic in each other's eyes, proving what they couldn't say aloud.

Susan was gone.