Peter groaned trying to raise his hand as he heard Susan, begging him to wake up. He wanted to tell her they were going to be ok, that he was going to be okay and ,more importantly, so was she.

"Peter, I need you. Please, please wake up. I don't know what I'm doing."

He fought against invisible restraints of his illness, battling uselessly to open his mouth. All of his attempts were fruitless. He wasn't strong enough.

"Peter, can you hear me?"

He felt his sister's weight on the side of the bed as she pressed a warm hand to his frozen forehead. "You have to stay with me, Pete. You once promised to always take care of me and Lucy. Remember, when we were just kids?"

He wanted to assure her he would keep the promise and that he did remember but he couldn't. He felt he head rest against his chest, the tears were falling thick and fast, soaking through his shirt in a matter of seconds.

"Lady Susan?"

His sister raised her head from his damp shirt, patting it gingerly with light fingers as if to remove any evidence that Susan Pevensie cried. "Merlin?"

Peter tried to roll on his side with no success; his strained grunts fell on deaf ears. Who was the other person in his room? It wasn't as if he was dead, he was still heir to the throne of Narnia. He deserved some privacy, especially when incapacitated.

"May I be so bold as to talk with you, my lady?"

'No you may not,' Peter longed to scream. Who was this person being so forward with his little sister? The only person who behaved that way towards her usually was Rabadash, but this anonymous person's voice was too soft and gentle to belong to the Calormen prince.

"You may, Merlin."

"Somewhere more," Susan's companion paused for a moment. "Private?"

Peter could feel the gentleman's eyes on him, from what he could tell it was a wary stare, wondering how much the unconscious prince could hear.

"We can stay in here. No one will disturb us and," Susan sniffed gently. "Peter's not going to hear anything or repeat our conversation to anyone."

The male voice, Merlin, moved closer to Susan, sitting in the creaking armchair across from the bed while Susan shuffled on the bed, neatly redistributing her weight so that none of her limbs fell to sleep.

"Merlin, if this is about before, I am sorry. I was an emotional wreck but nothing can excuse my behaviour. I did not behave appropriately and so I must thank you for your discretion regarding the matter."

Peter could have been knocked down by a feather; well that is, if he had in fact been standing. Susan behaving inappropriately? In all the sixteen or so years he had known her she had always behaved so primly, admonishing him when his behaviour became out of hand and teaching Lucy proper etiquette for a young, well to do lady.

"Actually, my lady, I don't believe there is anything to forgive. If you want to pretend nothing happened between us then I will not object. However, I came to you today to ask for your hand."

Susan gasped, one hand flying to her throat, the other clasped Peter's cold, still hand. "Excuse me?"

"I asked Lord Coriakin, as your guardian, for permission; He agreed. I only wish Prince Peter was well enough to allow me to ask for his blessing."

Susan was silent for a few moments. Peter growled despite the fact neither of his companions could hear him. He wanted his sister to be happy, of course. His siblings' happiness meant more to him than his own. He had learned that the hard way; taking out his misery on Edmund had hurt him more than Lilliandil's actual actions. He wanted to give this Merlin person his brotherly speech, the one he had been rehearsing for years, ever since Prince Caspian of Telmar had admired her beauty a great many years previously. He had spent many hours in the looking glass refining every line until it was perfect. It was just his luck that when the time came he couldn't actually give it.

Susan jumped, staring at Peter's hand as if it had just scurried across the room unaided and reattached itself before her very eyes. "He twitched."

Peter felt his heart lurch hopefully. She knew he wasn't gone. He fought against his invisible confines, praying that Aslan might allow him this fractured method of communication.

"Merlin! He's moving! Oh praised be Aslan, Peter's alive." Susan wept openly; grabbing Merlin's other hand, holding it to her heart along with her brother's.

"Do you feel he approves of a union between us?" Merlin asked timidly, not wanting to insult either Pevensie sibling.

Ever full of good ideas, Susan smiled suddenly, leaning close to Peter's ear. "If you agree to the union, move your finger twice, Pete. If not, don't move it at all."

If he was able to make any sound Peter would have groaned at that moment. Did Susan not realise how difficult it was for him to move his finger once? He felt as if his whole energy reserve was pouring out of him in waves each time he twitched. Still, he had to let Susan know how he felt, didn't he? He owed her happiness after everything they had been through, each of his siblings deserved that much, if he could but give it to them.

"I'll count down, Pete. Ready?"

Peter clenched his muscles, not that anyone would have noticed, readying himself for the miniscule movement.

"Three."

He clenched his jaw, bracing himself for the drain that he knew was soon to come. He would fight the pain, for Susan.

"Two."

If only the stupid illness allowed him to take deep breaths.

"One…Okay, Peter, let me know."

There was an awkward silent for a few moments. Susan looked anxiously at Merlin before returning her attention to Peter's freezing fingers, tightly gripped against her own, warm palm. It took a few more seconds but just as she began to give up hope Susan felt Peter's long finger twitch; once.

Her eyes swelled with fresh tears as she realised that he truly could hear them. Her brother was still there, even in the cold, unmoving shell he was currently confined to. The second twitch came seconds later.

Susan gently kissed her brother's cheek, dampening his cheek with tears before turning to Merlin, gently wiping her tear stained cheeks delicately with one hand.

"Marry me," she gushed, offering out her ring finger.

XXX

A/N I know it's been a while since I updated, but I was so out of inspiration for this chapter, I ultimately started it twice, this one was the best so I hope you lovely readers enjoyed it, I'm sorry it's short. The next chapter will be longer and we will pay some attention to Edmund and Lucy. Please don't complain about the speed of Merlin and Susan's engagement or their ages, considering the time period, girls were getting married young and to people they had never met. Please R&R, I love to hear what you guys think of this story. There isn't too long to go with this fic, four or five chapters, give or take?