Author's note: Like I said guys, big chapter this time! I hope you all enjoy, please let me know what you think!

I do not own anything associated with Chronicles of Narnia, sadly! It's all C.S. Lewis!

Almost immediately the dark clouds and green mist started to dissipate, getting replaced with sunlight.

"The spell, it's lifting" Lucy cried as Edmund helped me onto the rope latter, climbing down behind me. "Edmund, Caspian! Christina!" Lucy called, "Look!"

Sure enough, only moments later, out of the mist came hundreds of boats, filled with strange people who had all been sacrificed to the mist. My legs shook as I slowly tried to lower myself onto the deck without falling. When I stood on the solid deck again I placed my hands on my knees and doubled over.

My breath came in gasps as I realized what I had just done.

"Why did I do that?" I choked as Edmund clapped a hand on my back.

"Are you alright?" he asked quietly, helping me to stand straight.

"Oh my god, we could have died! That was so stupid! Why did I follow you? I am such an idiot! It's like I have a death wish or something!" I wailed, smacking Edmund's chest.

He grabbed hold of my hands so I couldn't hit him again and looked me in the eyes, very seriously. I couldn't tell the emotions that lay behind those big brown eyes, but he smiled and leaned down, kissing both my cheeks quickly.

"You're not an idiot Chris. It's called bravery," he told me.

My heart started beating faster at this statement, and my cheeks colored pink as Lucy and Caspian both approached me. Lucy wrapped me in a tight hug, whispering in my ear how she knew we would beat it.

I looked to Caspian next as the crewmembers began cheering for the returning Narnians. The entire crew clapped and cheered loudly as Gael and her father pushed toward the front of the group, trying to spot their lost loved one.

"Mummy!"

"Helaine!"

Both of them jumped into the water, swimming out to meet one of the boats, where a woman greeted them, holding her child in her arms and kissing her husband.

An arm snaked its way around my waist as I watched the scene, a small smile on my face.

"Let's help them aboard, clear the deck!" Caspian called.

"You did it!" I told Caspian, turning to face him, putting both my hands on his shoulders as both of his found my hips.

"We did it. You were brilliant, just…brilliant," he marveled.

"We both know that you're responsible for this."

I embraced him then, quickly, so as not to ruin his Kingly reputation, but enough to satisfy my need for contact with him.

"Christina, stay here. Excuse me," he breathed, turning and running off.

My eyebrows furrowed as I stood and looked around the deck. It was busy with the entire crew rushing to clear off the battered and torn pieces of the ship so we could bring the Narnians on board. Everyone was soaking wet, from being thrashed around by the serpent., and there were a lot of people injured.

As I continued looking around I made eye contact with Edmund and Lucy.

Both of them were smiling, but looked confused. Probably looking for Caspian. Where had he disappeared to, anyway? What was so urgent that he couldn't take just one minute to celebrate with us before he ran off to kingly duties?

Caspian returned just as I was thinking that.

He gave me the same soul-searching stare that he gave me before the battle, and I shivered happily under the sight of it. If anyone were going to look that deeply into my core as a human being, I would want it to be Caspian.

"Christina. I have loved you since I met you, and the day I discovered you loved me too, I immediately had this made, for the right time."

He took his hands out from behind his back to reveal a small box.

"I know what I said before you left Narnia the last time. But Chris, we have survived two battles together, and countless heartache and pain. I don't know when Aslan plans to take you back to your world, but I will not be able to rest again without knowing that you are mine. Forever."

My heart stopped as he lowered himself onto one knee.

He opened the box and on a small cloth lay a very delicate ring. It was a silver band with a single, delicate pearl in the center. It was simple, but took my breath away all the same.

All sound and movement on the deck of the Dawn Treader ceased.

"Lady Christina Montgomery, would you do me the great honor of having your hand in marriage?"

I couldn't breathe, and tears found their way into my eyes and down my cheeks before I had even thought of an actual logical reply to his question. I loved him, of that there was no question. But was I ready to be married? At 19? What if Aslan made me leave again? How could I have a husband who lived in a completely separate world from my own?

Aslan, please.

Child, listen to your heart.

I was not surprised this time, hearing Aslan's rich voice in my head. Instead, it reverberated through my bones and spread warmth through me that slowly awakened every joint and muscle in my body, making me feel stronger and braver than I had ever felt before.

I knew my answer.

"Ca-Caspian," I stuttered, my heart beating a million miles a minute.

"Yes."

He stood, sliding the ring onto my left hand and lifting me into the air, spinning me about. I reached up and kissed him happily, a dazzling smile lit up his face as everyone aboard the Dawn Treader whooped and hollered. The sound itself shook the deck beneath my feet.

I could die happy now, knowing that Caspian wanted me as his wife.

The joy was overflowing from my heart, making it hard to keep an elated smile off my face as Lucy and Edmund hugged me. I felt absolutely numb, in the best way possible. Nothing that was happening felt real, but every single one of my senses was in overdrive at the exact same time.

Lucy squealed, tears pouring down her cheeks as she squeezed me in a suffocating hug.

Edmund did not react like his sister, and for a second, the smile fell from my face. Edmund kissed both my cheeks, and pulled me into a tight hug, nuzzling his face into my neck.

"I love you, Christina. You're my best friend, and I want you to be happy."

That was all he said, and as he pulled away, his smile reached his eyes, and I genuinely let out a great (somewhat embarrassing) sob of joy. Every emotion bubbled over in this moment, as my closest loved ones were here, supporting me on the happiest day of my life.

Caspian wrapped his arm securely around my waist as we faced the incoming boats of Narnians, which were very close at this point. I had honestly forgotten about them in my pure bliss.

"We did it!" Lucy cheered, leaning against Edmund as she faced Caspian and I, "I knew we would."

"Wasn't just us though," her brother stated with a knowing smile.

"You mean-?"

"Hey! Hey, I'm down here, Lucy! Over here!"

I stood for only a second, wondering where I knew that voice, before I gasped and followed the other three to the other side of the ship. We had to weave through the last remnants of the serpent's attack and the crew members cleaning, but it did not take long.

"Lucy, I'm in the water, Lucy!"

"Eustace!" she exclaimed.

"I'm a boy again; I'm a boy!"

"Eustace! I see your wings have been clipped" Reepicheep wailed, hoping into the water to swim with him. "Where sky and water meet, where waves grow ever sweet!" the little mouse sang.

"It is sweet! It's Sweet!" Reep squeaked, "look! Look!"

I narrowed my eyes and looked in the direction Reepicheep was pointing. A few hundred yards away from us, white flowers floated on top of the calm water's surface.

"Aslan's country," Caspian spoke, "it must be close."

"Well, we've come this far," Edmund mentioned.

"Captain, drop anchor. Get all those people aboard once the deck is clear. We're going to explore." Caspian told Drinian as he prepared one of the spare boats.

As some spare crewmembers prepared the boat, Edmund, Caspian, Lucy, and I decided to change before we went to find Aslan's country. Lucy and I headed back to Caspian's chamber as the boys went below deck.

Lucky for me, I found a spare shirt in Caspian's wardrobe. It was a light blue shirt with no detailing, very simple and practical. Lucy helped me remove my armor and put on the shirt, which was a tad bit too large for me. I tucked it into my pants and fastened a belt around my waist, along with my sword.

When we reemerged on the deck, we found all three boys, freshly changed, seated in the boat, waiting for us. A very enthusiastic Reepicheep was also seated in the boat.

Lucy and I climbed in, facing Caspian and Edmund, who were rowing, with Eustace behind us.

The Narnians and crewmembers alike waved us off as we were lowered into the water and began rowing toward the flowers floating off in the distance.

"So what was it like? When Aslan changed you back?" Edmund asked after a while rowing.

"No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't do it myself. Then he came towards me. It sort of hurt, but it was a good pain. You know, like when you pull a thorn from your foot. Being a dragon wasn't all bad. I was a better dragon than I was a boy, really. I'm so sorry for being such a sod."

"It's okay Eustace; you were a pretty good dragon." Edmund joked.

"My friends, we have arrived!" Reep muttered.

There, in front of us, was a long island with crystal clear water and gorgeous sand. But the sand itself only lasted for a little while before a huge, startling wave rose up from behind it. The wave was continuous, never falling but always changing.

Just like Aslan.

My heart soared, as Edmund and Caspian jumped out of the boat, pushing us ashore and anchoring us on the sand. I took Caspian's hand, a light blush creeping onto my cheeks as I looked at the ring on my finger, and climbed out of the boat. I walked beside Lucy, Caspian on my other side, toward the wave.

Shouldn't Aslan be here by now?

"Aslan?"

At Eustace's words I turned and faced the great king, happiness filling my heart.

"Welcome Children. You have done well, very well indeed. You have come far; now your journey is at its end."

"Is this your country?" Lucy wondered.

"No, my country lies beyond," he gestured toward the wave.

"Is my father in your country?" Caspian demanded.

"You can only find that out for yourself, my son. But you should know that if you continue there is no return."

Caspian stepped forward and I grabbed his arm. He didn't look at me.

I flinched at his response and immediately let go. Alsan looked at me and nodded. Blinking back the tears, I watched him walk towards the wave. This was something he had been dreaming about his entire life. That is, seeing his father again. Of course I couldn't hold him back. Even though we had just gotten engaged, I would not be selfish enough to keep him from his dream.

Once he reached the wave, he ran his hand through the water, but never actually entered it.

Then he turned and walked back to me.

"You're not going?"

"I can't imagine my father would be very proud that I gave up what he died for. I've spent too long wanting what was taken from me and not what was given. I was given a kingdom, people, love." He stepped towards Aslan.

"I promise to be a better king."

"You already are."

He turned to Lucy, Edmund, and Eustace, "Children?"

"I think, perhaps it's time we went home, actually, Lu," Edmund confessed.

"But I thought you loved it here."

"I do, but I love home. And our family as well, they need us," Lucy looked away. This was it. This was what all of us had been dreading since the day we arrived here. The day we went home.

Reepicheep scurried forward and bowed to Aslan, "Your eminence," he muttered, "Ever since I can remember I have dreamt of seeing your country. I've had many great adventures in this world, but nothing has dampened that yearning. I know I am hardly worthy, but, with your permission, I would lay down my sword for the joy of seeing your country with my own eyes."

"My country was made for noble hearts like yours, no matter how small their bearers may be."

"Your majesty," he bowed again.

"No one could be more deserving," Caspian stated.

"It's true," Edmund agreed, bowing his head.

"May I?" Lucy asked, bending down in front of him. "Well, I suppose, just this once." She scooped him up into a tight hug. "Goodbye, Lucy," he murmured. After she let him go I knelt down so I could look at him.

"You were my first friend in Narnia, Reep. I'm going to miss you," I mumbled, patting his back tenderly. He smiled. Eustace stepped toward him, sniffling as he thought of what to say.

"Don't cry," the mouse told him.

"I don't understand," the boy sniffled, "Will I not see you again? Ever?"

"What a magnificent puzzle you are. And a true hero. It has been my honor to fight beside such a brave warrior, and a great friend." He told Eustace, bowing elegantly before running off to a tiny boat that sat at the bottom of the wave, waiting for him.

He paused for just a moment, to stick his sword into the sand, and then he hopped into the boat.

He paddled up the wave, which looked like a momentous triumph for a mouse, and never glanced back as he reached the top and disappeared into Aslan's country.

I couldn't help but cry; that was the last time I would ever see Reepicheep.

"This is our last time here, isn't it?" Lucy asked as Edmund placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Yes, you have grown up, my dear one, just as Peter and Susan."

"Will you visit us in our world?" she was on the verge of tears. I let out a dry, humorless laugh. She was always so much stronger than me. She would stay strong through the end, I knew.

"I shall be watching you always," the lion promised.

"How?"

"In your world I have another name. You must learn to know me by it; that was the very reason you were brought to Narnia. That by knowing me here for a little you may know me better there."

I already knew who he was. I spoke to him every day when I had been taken back last time.

God.

"Will we meet again?" Lucy sniffled.

"Yes, dear one, one day."

With that he released a ferocious roar. At the noise, the center of the wave began to deform. Slowly, it turned into an archway, followed by a tunnel, with a bright light at the end of it. Everyone gathered around Caspian, who looked sick.

"You're the closest thing I have to family, and that includes you, Eustace."

He reached over and patted the boy on the shoulder with a smile. "Thank you," Eustace mumbled, patting Caspian's arm nervously. Tears streamed down my face as he hugged Lucy and Edmund. The siblings said their goodbyes to Aslan, Edmund bowing and Lucy throwing her arms around his neck, and then they turned toward me.

"I'll miss you," I blubbered, looking at all of them.

Before he could reject me or say anything on the subject, I hugged Eustace, laughing at the blush on his cheeks. I must have held Lucy for a good five minutes, whispering "You're a sister to me, I love you," over and over again.

She was crying too, by the time we pulled away.

I almost dropped dead of a broken heart when I looked at Edmund.

I bit my lip so hard that I actually bled, which I hadn't done in a while, when I hugged him. Screaming and Wailing was not what I wanted Edmund to remember me by.

Edmund Pevensie was my closest, dearest friend in the whole world. But he lived in a different time than I did. He would never return to Narnia. I didn't even know if I would. This was the very last time I would ever see my best friend. The last time I would hear his voice; the last time I would look into his eyes.

"You'll always be my best friend," I choked out, his shirt already soaked through with my tears.

"I love you, Edmund Pevensie."

"I love you, Christina. This is only a goodbye for now, I'll see you again someday," he whispered. "It's time to go," Lucy breathed to Edmund, looking at me with pity in her eyes. I clung to Edmund for a moment more before letting go, almost falling into the sand from the grief.

Never again would I see the Pevensies alive.

"Can I come back?" Esutace asked as they turned to leave.

"Narnia may yet have need of you," was the lion's cryptic reply.

I watched them walk away, disappearing into their own world. Giant tears streamed down my face and off my chin. Narnia wasn't truly Narnia without the Pevensies. They made everything warmer, happier.

The memory of them would forever be burned into my mind. I made up my mind then: I would tell their stories to my children, and my children's children. Taking a swift glance at Caspian I altered my thoughts: our children.