15: Help will come

"Why haven't we explored these caves before?" Edmund muttered with a laugh as he glanced upwards at the stone ceiling of the caves him and his brother were currently in.

"I have no idea." Peter replied with a smile. "But they truly are stunning."

"They really are." Edmund agreed. "And they're not too dark either, I'd hate to carry around a torch down here."

Peter chuckled a little. "You did tell Susan and Lucy where we'd gone didn't you?" He questioned as they walked deeper into the caves.

"Course I did." Edmund said, raising an eyebrow at his older brother. "They'd freak if they couldn't find us in a few hours."

"They were alright with us going?" Peter said.

"Yes Peter." Edmund replied. "Do you really think I would've dragged you out here if they'd said no."

"No." Peter said with a smirk. "Not even you would risk doing that."

Edmund shook his head a little. "I really hope Philip didn't mind being left outside." He said after a while, glancing behind him but noticing they were too far into the cave to see the entrance they'd come in through.

"I think he prefers it." Peter told his brother. "But we won't be in here for long."

"Give it fifteen minutes and then we can go for a ride across the beach?" Edmund suggested, a small smile on his face because he already knew what Peter's answer would be.

"Sounds good to me." Peter replied. "Really Ed, I dont know why you even bother to ask, you already know what my answer will be."

"Just thought I'd double check." Edmund grinned. "Sometimes you never know with you."

Peter raised an eyebrow at his brother before shaking his head a little, sighing when some water from the ceiling dropped down into his face. "That's cold." He muttered.

"I dunno why everything's now wet." Edmund muttered after smirking at his brother. "It hasn't rained for at least five days."

"We've probably gone too deep into the cave." Peter replied, jumping forward when water dripped down his back.

Edmund let out a laugh at this, but blinked quickly when a drop landed straight in his eyes.

"Who's laughing now." Peter muttered, smirking at Edmund.

After rubbing at his eyes, Edmund gave his brother a playful glare before sighing. "Perhaps we should start heading back. It keeps getting darker and wetter the further we go in."

"Yeah, I think that's probably a good idea." Peter agreed, worry taking over his voice.

Edmund rolled his eyes with a laugh. "You worry too much." He muttered, turning around a taking a few steps back.

Peter raised an eyebrow as he followed. "I do not." He said. "I only-"

But he stopped dead when the sound of falling rocks reached his ears, as did Edmund. "What was that?" He practically whispered.

Peter took a deep breath. "Let's get out of here." He muttered. "It's not safe anymore."

Edmund nodded at him, but they'd barely taken three steps when the cave ahead of them began collapsing.

Peter's eyes went wide, and without hesitation, he grabbed his brother and threw them both to the floor against the rocky wall, gripping him tightly to his chest and praying that nothing was going to happen to them.

Peter must've hit his head and passed out when he threw him and his brother to the ground, because the next thing he knew he was opening his eyes, waking up to his arms wrapped tightly around Edmund, who's breathing was heavy as he lay there, eyes wide and a look of shock on his face.

Peter lay still for a moment or two before taking a deep breath. "Ed?" He whispered. "You alright?"

Edmund swallowed hard. "I - I think so." He murmered. "Although I can feel blood rolling down my leg, which probably isn't good."

Worry in his eyes, Peter slowly sat up, groaning when his head began to pound, but ignored it and sat Edmund up straight against the wall.

"Did you hit your head?" Edmund asked, sounding as worried as Peter felt.

"I'm not sure." Peter replied. "I might've done." In all honesty he knew he had, but he didn't want to worry Edmund, not now.

Still being able to see slightly because it wasn't actually pitch black, Peter glanced down at Edmund's left leg and swallowed hard to see his trouser ripped slightly, blood seeping into the material. "A rock must've come flying and cut you." He explained, trying to keep his voice steady.

Edmund nodded a little before glancing around, only to see they were now trapped in a small space, probably not even big enough for Peter to lay down straight in. "We're trapped." He muttered. "With no food, no water, no way of getting help... and probably soon no oxygen either, I mean, theres obviously some oxygen getting in, but just not enough."

Peter swallowed hard and glanced around, looking for any way out, but there was none, only a small hole in one of the stones blocking there way out, which was currently letting in alarming amount of water in. "This place is filling with water." He choked, glancing down at the water puddling on the floor. "We'll drown if we don't get out of here."

Edmund snorted. "I'll go under before you will." He sighed.

Peter's heart skipped a beat. "No you will not." He said as firmly as he could.

"You're taller than me Pete." Edmund muttered. "You'll be able to stay above the water for longer."

"I'll put you on my shoulders if I have to." Peter said, and Edmund could easily tell he wasn't joking. "Besides, we can just swim up."

"Wait, do you think maybe Philip heard the cave collapse?" Edmund said suddenly, eyes going slightly wider.

Peter swallowed hard, trying his hardest not to take a deep breath instead, seeming as they were gonna run out of oxygen at some point. "He must've heard it!" He said. "We might actually get out of this alive."

"If help comes in time." Edmund sighed, glancing down at the water, which was now coming up over his legs.

Peter too stared at the water for a while before glancing back up at his brother. "It will." He murmered. "We'll get out of this Ed, I promise."

Edmund managed a small smile for Peter, but he didn't seem too hopeful.

"Okay." Peter murmered. "Let's think about this. We need to try and not breathe as deeply and as much, and when the water rises, we'll have to stand."

"Really thought this through haven't you." Edmund muttered, smirking. "Perhaps that hit to your head finally knocked some sense into you."

Peter raised an eyebrow at him. "Very funny." He muttered.

"Is - Is your head actually alright?" Edmund asked a moment later, worry replacing his laughter.

Peter frowned a little and placed a hand to the back of his head. "I don't feel anything." He mumbled with a shrug.

"So you'll be alright?" Edmund asked hopefully.

Peter gave him a nod and a reassuring smile. "Course I will." He said gently, placing a hand on Edmund's shoulder.

Edmund gave him a half smile and attempted to sit up a bit better against the wall, only for his eyes to go wide and for him to double over, one of his arms going up to wrap around his stomach.

Peter's heart skipped a beat. "Ed?" He choked. "Ed what's wrong?"

Edmund swallowed hard. "I dunno." He murmered. "It - It feels like some of my ribs are cracked."

Peter's eyes went wide. "What?" He whispered. "How are-" He stopped dead, his face falling. "When I threw us to the ground... you must've hit the floor harder than I thought you did."

Edmund glanced up at him, seeing the guilt in his eyes and sighed sadly. "You also saved us both." He said firmly. "We'd both be buried under a ton of rocks if it hadn't been for you, so quit feeling guilty."

Peter swallowed hard, but he knew Edmund was right so he just nodded and sighed. "Just let me know if they start causing you anymore pain." He murmered.

Edmund nodded a little at him. "I will." He breathed.

"I guess all we can do now is wait for help." Peter whispered after a while, shuffling over and sitting beside his brother with a sigh.

"I guess yeah." Edmund mumbled, swallowing hard at the fact that the water was almost up to his waist by now. "It would help if we had something we could block that hole with, that's where all the water's coming from."

"Its not just coming from there Ed." Peter pointed out. "Its dripping from the ceiling too, and there are plenty of other places It's getting in through now too."

Edmund sighed. "You know," He mumbled. "This isn't exactly how I wanted to spend the day."

Peter chuckled a little, knowing that Edmund was trying to lighten the mood. "Me either." He breathed, before swallowing hard and wrapping an arm around his brothers shoulders, pulling him close whilst trying his hardest to he careful.

Edmund winced at the movement, but eventually settled with his head resting against Peter's chest, wrapping one arm around his waist.

"Everything's gonna be okay." Peter whispered in his ear. "Help will come."

He continued whispering for the next ten minutes, before he heard Edmund let out a quiet whimper.

"Pete." He choked, and when Peter glanced down, he saw the water was now up to Edmund's neck, and immediately stood, pulling Edmund gently with him.

Edmund staggered a little, wrapping an arm around his stomach as he stood beside Peter, now a lot more safe than he had been, but the water was rising fast.

Peter didn't stop whispering comfortingly to his brother until the water once again reached Edmund's neck, and that's when he began to panick.

There was absolutely no way Edmund could swim with cracked ribs, no way, it would be absolute agony for him.

Edmund seemed to of also figured this out because he took a shuddering breath and buried his face against Peter's shoulder. "Help's not coming is it?" He whispered, voice quiet and choked.

Peter swallowed hard and tightened his grip around his brother, placing a kiss to his soaked hair. "It will." He murmered. "I promise you'll be alright, we'll both be alright."

But Edmund shook his head. "I can't swim like this Peter." He whispered. "You and I both know that. But you can, as the water rises, you swim up, you'll have a better chance at surviving."

"No Ed." Peter said, shock in his eyes and worry in his voice. "Look, I'll carry you."

"You can't swim whilst carrying me Peter." Edmund sighed, feeling the water reach his chin, and he couldn't help but shudder. "Promise me you'll swim up?"

"Ed stop it." Peter said firmly. "I will carry you."

And then, as if to prove a point, Peter grabbed his brother and lifted him up, balancing him on his hip despite him being nearly 14 years old.

Edmund gasped in shock before crying out in pain, wrapping his arms around Peter's neck and his legs around his waist, choking back tears.

"Okay, shh." Peter murmered in his ear, wrapping his arms around his back. "Sorry, I'm sorry."

Edmund swallowed hard. "You idiot." He choked, trembling. "You can't carry me Peter, there's no way you can stay above the water."

"Watch me." Peter said firmly, feeling the water now reach his neck, and it was quickly rising. "We're gonna go under in a minute okay?" He explained gently. "I'll give it a while before swimming upwards, then when we're above the water again, grab hold of the wall, you hear me?"

Edmund, now shivering from the cold water, slowly nodded his head. "Okay." He whispered, and then the two fell silent, until the water reached Peter's lips.

"Peter." Edmund choked, voice full of nothing but panick.

"It's okay." Peter murmered, tilting his head back to talk. "You ready for this?"

Edmund shook his head. "Not really." He sighed. "But I don't think we've got any other choice."

"No," Peter whispered. "I don't think we have."

They waited for a little bit longer, before the water eventually reached Peter's eyes.

He held his breath until he saw Edmund go under too, before kicking off the ground and swimming up.

The second they were above the water again, Edmund reached out with one hand and grabbed the wall, watching as Peter did the same and also placed his feet to the wall too, obviously trying his hardest to stay above the surface.

"See." Peter murmered. "Easy."

"It won't be easy when the water reaches the ceiling." Edmund choked in reply, resting his head back against Peter's shoulder and tightening his grip around his neck, gripping the wall so hard his hand was starting to hurt. "I'm so cold."

Peter sighed and nodded. "So am I." He breathed, trying to keep his shivering to a minimum. "Why couldn't it of been warm water."

Edmund managed a small chuckle. "It's always the way." He breathed, his teeth chattering.

After that, for the next ten minutes, Peter and Edmund slowly made their way up with the water, and by this time Peter's breathing was heavy and forced, but it was clear he didn't want to take a deep breath.

"Just breathe Peter." Edmund choked. "We're gonna drown before we run out of oxygen anyway."

Peter sighed a little but did as Edmund had said, pushing himself off the wall and up slightly as well.

"Aslan help us." Edmund murmered, turning his face and burying it against Peter's neck, his ribs causing him agony by this point, especially with the position he was in, but he ignored it, not wanting to cause Peter anymore worry.

"We'll be alright." Peter murmered in his ear, kicking up a little and placing his feet back to the wall. "Help will come."

"I really hope you're right." Edmund whispered, before falling silent.

The two said nothing for the next three minutes, before to Peter's horror, a rock about the size of a tennis ball fell from the ceiling and landed straight on Edmund's head, before falling into the water with a splash.

Peter's eyes went wide when he instantly felt Edmunnd go limp. His arms loosened around his neck, his legs slipping down from around his waist, and Peter had to quickly grab him and haul him up, panick in his eyes. "Ed?" He choked, now struggling to stay above the water without Edmund's help. "Ed, oh Aslan Ed wake up."

But Edmund didn't respond in the slightest, ans it was clear that the rock had knocked him out.

Glancing upwards Peter swallowed hard, hoping no other rocks would fall, because that would be a disaster for both of them.

"Ed - Ed you have to wake up." Peter choked, unsure of how much longer he could keep his brother above the water. "You have to help me, wake up Ed. Wake up!"

But still Edmund didn't wake, he was well and truly out cold, and Peter was alarmed to see a trickle of blood running down the back of his head, but now that he came to think of it, his head was starting to pound too from when he'd hit it.

The next minute Peter spent trying his hardest to keep his brother above the water, but his arms were now shaking, his feet just kept slipping off the wall, and they were dead from kicking.

He now knew that there was no way he could stay above with Edmund any longer. "I'm so sorry Ed." He murmered, tears now rolling down his cheeks as he shivered a little. "But if you're going under... then so am I."

And with that, he allowed them both to sink, there really was no other option, plus the water had almost reached the ceiling too. There really was no chance of survival.

Peter held his breath until he hit the floor, and brought Edmund into his lap, gripping him as tightly as he could.

And there he sat, until lack of air made him lightheaded, and eventually darkness consumed him.

Peter was not expecting at all to wake up, which is why it was such a shock when his eyes flickered open.

He at once became aware of someone pressing down continuously on his chest, before his eyes went wide.

Rolling onto his side he began to cough up the water in his mouth, choking slightly as his hands fisted into the sand beneath him. His chest burned as he gasped for air, tears stinging at his eyes and eventually rolling down his cheeks. But he could breathe again, and he didn't think he'd ever felt so grateful. He found himself shivering a second later, his teeth chattering, and felt someone drape a blanket over his shoulders.

With a frown he collapsed back onto his back, blinking in the sunlight before coming face to face with Orious, who was knelt beside him, and Peter had no doubt it was he who had been doing the compressions which had no doubt saved Peter's life.

"Your majesty." Orious breathed. "Thank Aslan you're okay."

Peter took a deep breath, finally realising that he was laying on the beach, sand sticking to his clothes and filling his hair... but he really didn't care. He was alive, he hadn't drowned, and neither had-

Peter's eyes went wide. "Edmund!" He choked, his voice hoarse as he sat bolt upright.

"Be careful!" Orious warned. "Give yourself time to recover."

"No!" Peter cried. "Edmund."

He glanced around, and froze when he spotted Edmund.

He was laying in the sand no more than three metres away from him, unconscious by the looks of it.

Susan and Lucy were knelt next to him, Susan doing compressions with probably a little more force than she had too, but Peter couldn't really blame her.

ignoring the dizzy, sick feeling, he shuffled over and pushed Susan's hands gently out of the way, taking over and praying that Edmund would wake.

"Come on Ed." He choked, counting in his head along with the compressions as Susan sat back, her eyes wide in shock as she stared at Edmund.

"Peter you're alright." Lucy murmered, sounding relieved even if she was still worried about her other brother.

"Yeah, I am." Peter choked. "But-" He stopped dead, unable to bring himself to say it, so he just continued counting, watching Edmund's head as it rocked back and forth from the force of the compression. "Come on Ed! I swear if you don't wake up-!" It was then that he realised he was probably damaging Edmund's ribs even more, but he had to wake him up, he had to do it, otherwise Edmund was dead.

This continued for almost another two minutes, before Edmund's eyes suddenly snapped open and he began choking on the water in his mouth.

Peter swallowed hard and rolled him quickly onto his side, cringing as Edmund coughed up the water, shaking hard as he gasped for air.

When Edmund had finally got his breath back, Peter sat him up and leant him against him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and placing a kiss to the top of his head. "You're alright." He murmered, placing a kiss to the top of his head.

Edmund took another deep breath, wincing at the pain is caused him before burying his face against Peter's neck.

Peter noticed him flinch and sighed a little, turning to Lucy. "Can you use your cordial?" He asked quietly. "His ribs are only cracked, it should heal them." It was only then that he noticed how hoarse his voice was, and he quickly cleared his throat.

Lucy nodded and immediately grabbed her cordial, Peter tilting Edmund's head back despite his brothers protests.

"I don't need it Peter." He choked. "I'm perfectly fine."

"Open your mouth Ed, now." Peter snapped firmly.

Edmund sighed, but knew Peter wasn't going to take no for an answer, so he hesitantly opened his mouth, allowing his little sister to let one drop of her cordial to drop onto his tongue.

Peter swallowed hard when he saw the cut on Edmund's head heal over, and after a moment or two he placed a hand to Edmund's ribs, smiling a little when his brother didn't even flinch. "Thank Aslan." He breathed, once again having to clear his throat.

But Edmund had other things on his mind. "How an earth did you get us out?" He choked as Susan wrapped him tightly in a blanket.

Susan sighed. "It doesn't matter." She murmered. "All that matters is that we did it."

Peter nodded a little, thinking that he couldn't really care less how they got them out, only that they were out. "See." He murmered in his brothers ear. "I told you everything was gonna be okay."

Edmund took a deep breath before smiling gently. "Yeah." He breathed. "Yeah you did."

Okay, the reason I haven't update "the hardest thing I've ever had to do" is I've had a bit of writers block and I completely forgot it was Tuesday the other day, but I'll try and update it as soon as possible, but in the mean time have this one shot ;)