Chapter Six: A Second Chance

Susan nudged him. "Go talk to her."

Peter gave her a pained look but he knew he had to. He found her out at the look out post, realizing that it was where she went to be alone and to think.

"Nell?" he asked softly.

She turned to him, her eyes tearing. "What happened to you, Peter?"

"What do you mean?"

Nellie looked directly into his eyes, and this time he didn't look away. "You used to be the most caring person I know. You were so loving. But now, you hardly look at me, you've held me once since we've been here and kissed me twice since we were reunited. Before, you were calm and collected as a king but now you're just so angry! You're… you're not the Peter I fell in love with."

"Nellie!" he said. "Nellie, I can prove to you that I still am that person."

She continued to look into his, now wide, blue eyes. They were full of love and they were also scared. Scared that he was losing her. They made her heart break even more.

"Not many people get a second chance, Peter." She told him, trying to be strong, but her eyes started to tear up again.

"Nellie, my love, please let me prove myself to you!" he said to her, stroking her cheek. "I love you, so much." That struck a cord. Nellie realized she couldn't win. She loved him too much.

"Oh, Peter." She said, letting the tears fall freely. "I love you, too!"

A huge smile made its way onto Peter's face. She realized that it was the some exact smile he had given her at the train station, the one he had given her all those years (if you count their years in Narnia) ago when she had told him she loved him, the same smile he had on their wedding day. He grabbed her and kissed her, and then pulled back. "I am truly sorry, my love. You are the best thing to ever happen to me and…"

She rolled her eyes. "Oh don't go all mushy on me, you idiot. Let's take this slowly. I mean, you're sixteen and I'm fifteen, we can't have a very serious relationship yet. We didn't when we were sixteen and fifteen before." She smiled. To anyone else, she would have sounded crazy. Peter nodded. "But don't think I'm not still mad at you." He groaned, but nodded again. She grabbed his hand. "Come. I think the others will be worried about us if we take too long."

They found Lucy, Edmund and Sophie in Lucy and Susan's room. Sophie saw their intertwined hands and beamed at them.

"So everything's alright between you two?" she asked.

"Yes." Nellie replied cuddling closer to Peter. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

Suddenly the door to the room burst open and Trumpkin ran it. "Your majesties! You better come quickly!"

"What is it?" asked Lucy.

"Caspian."

They all followed him to the Stone Table chamber. Nellie and Sophie stopped when they heard something they thought they were rid of.

"One drop of Adam's blood and you free me. Then I am yours, my King." said the chilling voice.

"Jadis!" Sophie gasped. "But how? Aslan killed her!"

Nellie was too shocked to say anything.

"We have to help him!" said Lucy.

Peter unsheathed his sword and ran in, Edmund and Trumpkin right behind him. "STOP!"

Lucy, Nellie and Sophie followed behind them. When they entered the room, they saw Peter fighting a Hag, Edmund fighting a Werewolf and Caspian with his hand, cut across it, extended towards a wall of ice. In the ice was the woman they hated to the most. The woman that had kidnapped them, lied to them and pretended that they were her daughters.

Lucy ran over to Nikabrik, who was fighting Trumpkin. Peter had beaten the Hag and ran to Caspian. He shoved him out of the way and pointed his sword at the Witch, "Get away from him!"

Nellie and Sophie ran to Caspian to make sure that he was unharmed.

"Peter, dear." she said, smiling at him. "I've missed you. Come, just one drop. You know you can't do it alone."

Nellie watched in horror as Peter lowered his sword, almost giving in to her power. She figured out that you had to stand in the circle to be affected.

"Peter!" she yelled to him, trying to ignore the pull of Jadis's magic. "You can't give in. Fight it!"

Before he could look at her, the ice shattered and Peter dodged out of the way. They looked up and saw Edmund with his sword held high.

He looked at Peter. "I know. You had it sorted."

He walked away, Sophie and Lucy following him. Nellie got to her feet and saw that Susan on the other side of the Table. She looked at Peter and Caspian, an angry look in her eyes and stormed away. Caspian and Peter looked at each other; Caspian ran his fingers through his hair, let out an exasperated sigh and walked out of the room.

Peter sat down on the steps of the table and just stared at the carving of Aslan. Lucy cam back in and joined Peter. "You're lucky, you know." he said to her.

"What do you mean?" Lucy asked him.

"To have seen him." he replied. "I just wish he'd given me some sort of proof."

Nellie sat down on the other side of him and wrapped her arms around him. "Maybe we're the ones who have to prove ourselves to him."

They heard foot steps and turned to see Edmund. "Pete. You better come quickly!"

He looked so panicked that they all jumped and followed him to the look out perch. They joined Caspian, the professor, Trumpkin and Sophie. They looked out and saw the gigantic Telmarine Army advancing on the How.

"Peter! We can't fight them. We don't have large enough army!" said Sophie.

"Sophie, we don't have a choice! Either they attack us or we attack them!" argued Peter.

Nellie sat next to Susan. "There is another choice Peter. You know we can't do this without Him!"

"We've waited for him long enough, though!" said Edmund.

Peter looked at him. "No. Nellie's right. We've tried on our own, now we need Him." He turned to Lucy. "Do you remember where you saw him?" She nodded. "You can ride out and find him, then."

Lucy beamed at him, finally feeling like she could do something.

"Kegs and kettle drums. That's your next big plan? Sending a little girl into the darkest parts of the forest, alone!" cried Trumpkin.

Peter looked at the dwarf. "It's our only chance!"

"And she wont be alone!" said Susan, standing beside Lucy.

"Haven't enough people died already?" Trumpkin asked her.

Trufflehunter stood. "Nikabrik was my friend, too. But he lost faith. Queen Lucy hasn't, and neither have I!"

"For Aslan." said Reepicheep.

"For Aslan." repeated a bear.

Peter looked around. "We need to hold them off until Susan and Lucy get back."

"If I may." said Caspian, standing and looking at Peter. "Miraz may be a tyrant and a murderer, but as king, he is subject to the traditions and expectations of his people. There is one in particular that may buy us sometime."

Peter looked at Nellie, who gave him an encouraging look and smile. He looked to Caspian, "What is it?"

"A duel to the death."

Peter thought about it and then nodded. "I'll do it!"

"WHAT?!" shrieked Nellie. "Isn't there any other way?"

Peter walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her. "It'll be alright, my love. I have dueled before."

A tear slid down her cheek. "Peter…" she whispered.

He kissed her and held her to him. He looked up at Caspian and Edmund. "Let's send Miraz a challenge. Are you sure he wont refuse?"

Caspian nodded. "A new king relishes the chance to show the Telmarine people his courage."

Peter held Nellie tighter to him, never wanting to let her go.

Sorry! So sorry it took so long! I had no idea how to write this chapter but today I got a sudden inspiration while working out in my wellness class (I know random, but hey, it's me!)!

Please review!

XOXO Jenny