"So he arrived out of the blue three months after the accident" Cassidy repeated. She was now pacing back and forth across the living room.

Lucy sat on the floor by her grandmothers feet watching her mother.

"Yes." Susan said calmly.

"How do you explain something like that to people?"

Susan laughed lightly.

"You always have thought practically. That never even occurred to me at the time." She replied. "All I knew was after being so alone the man I loved was beside me again. I had a reason to live again."

Lucy sighed.

"That's so beautiful." She whispered. Her grandmother reached down to stroke her head. "you had been apart for so long."

"Eight years yet. I was only fifteen when I met him. now here I was at twenty-two falling even deeper in love. It's a truly fascinating thing Lucy, falling in love. I have seen great magic in my time, but nothing as great as love."

/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\

"Have you?" he asked, looking over at her holding the wooden spoon aloft. She watched as a drop of stew fell down, onto his arm.

"Have I what?" she repeated distractedly.

"Have you left the house."

"I have. Of course."

"when was the last time?" he asked gently.

"My… My uncle collected me one day to go sign some papers."

"Susan. That was probably weeks ago. I have been here nearing four days now and no one has called save the postman…"

"People stopped calling a while ago, I don't really remember when. But they tried. But my aunt and uncle did try to get me out. To get me to come stay with them a while. Which was pretty amazing as they also lost a child. I had friends, girls from around, they all visited once or twice. And there was a delivery boy a few times I think. But I couldn't do anything. I couldn't leave here. And I just slept…" her voice trailed off. "…its like this black cloud fell and I couldn't get through." She smiled weakly at him. "The other day in the garden was the first time I cried."

"I will never pretend to understand your grief." He said solemnly "But I will do all I can to ease your pain." He turned back to his job, his vow settling heavily upon them both.

She stood and wrapped her arms around him.

"You already have, more than you know."

"Why don't we go out tomorrow? Just do one thing."

"Do you think you're ready for to see London? The radio startled you this morning." She smiled resting her chin on his back.

"I thought there was people in the kitchen. It is not that funny. Don't change the subject."

She bit her lip and closed her eyes.

"I would… we could…" she started, then pursed her lips. He put the spoon down and turned his head to face her.

"Yes?"

"We could visit them?" she said softly. "I… I haven't been since the funeral." He nodded, then lifting her hand up he kissed it gently. She breathed deeply. "Are you sure you can cook? Cause it smells like it's burning." She said after a moment.

/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\

"Ready?" the voice cut through her reverie. She took one last look in the mirror and pulling her hat down a tiny fraction she turned. The breath was knocked out of her slightly as she saw him. Standing at the door in Peter's grey wool coat, and her father's brown shoes, he looked so perfectly in place. His dark complexion still as striking in normal garb as it was in his shining armour.

"You look very well." She smiled. "Let's go."

"I'm quite excited to see your world Queen Susan." He said offering his arm to her. She took it smiling.

Clutching her bag she watched as he opened the door and led them out into the sun.

"Let's take you on your first bus ride."

/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\

"He was so in awe of the world around him. it was the most beautiful distraction I could have possibly been given." Susan smiled grasping her daughters hand. "He asked question after question, trying to look at everything at once. I know its hard, but can you imagine seeing cars for the first time. Or shops and parks he was completely overwhelmed."

Lucy laughed

"How did you possibly explain it all?" she asked.

"As best I could. Caspian was an extremely open minded person, nothing scared him he was just fascinated."

"Did you take him to the cemetery?" Cassidy asked.

Susan nodded slowly.

"I did."

/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\

She felt her knees shake as she took in the sight before her, the mound of earth that still rose high above the ground around it months after it was disturbed.

His arm wrapped around her waist and held her upright. She reached up to grasp at his coat.

"It's ok." He whispered. "I am here." She leaned against him completely as tears filled her eyes.

"I… they're in Aslan's country now. I know that." She muttered. "But we still buried them in the ground." She said shakily. "My family…" he held on as she bent down, placing her flowers gently on the earth. They stayed there crouching on the footpath for a moment in silence. The wind blew around them lifting the bottom of their coats.

The silence of the grounds surrounded them but with his steady warmth to lean on she felt more secure than she had in a long time. He didn't move or speak, letting her lead things.

"Let's go home" she whispered after a few more minutes. "We'll have to come again soon to… to organise a headstone."

He saw her clenching her jaw and drawing a deep breath.

"Let's go home." She repeated standing up.

/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\

"We took a different bus home so I could show him some sights of London." Susan said picking up her cup of tea.

They had moved to the kitchen when Lucy's stomach had growled loudly, and were sharing a plate of sandwiches and pot of tea.

"It really helped me, just that simple act of showing him London. It soothed me. He was like a child seeing… seeing a television for the first time." She laughed. "Eyes wide, mouth open the biggest smile." Her hand covered her mouth. "Reminded me of how I felt the first time I explored Narnia."

Cassidy reached over and held her daughters hand absentmindedly stroking her thumb.

"By the time we got home I felt like a new person."

/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\

"It was magnificent." He repeated. "So tall and beautiful and that… that time keeper."

"Clock." She corrected.

"That clock. Beautiful."

"I'm glad Big Ben had such an impact." She laughed looking in her bag for keys.

"I love this place already." He said looking back onto the street. She smiled at him and unlocked door.

"Susan dear? Is that you?" came a voice from through the hedge. Caspian tensed a the intrusion as Susan made her way onto the footpath.

"Hello Mrs Wright!" she said as the elderly woman came into view.

"It is you dear, I thought I heard you laughing but I thought I must be hearing things."

"No it is me." She said taking the woman's hand gently.

"Well I've never been more glad to hear such a joyful sound." Susan's heart melted. "How are you my dear. I have not seen you for weeks. I have had Olivia drop some food in every now and again, we still have a key you know, but she never saw you."

"I am much better than I was I must say. Thank you for being so kind! I must thank Olivia when I see her."

"Your parents were good people darling, I would do anything to help them." It was then Susan felt the tears beginning to fill her eyes again.

"Thank you…" she muttered attempting to continue smiling. She watched as Mrs Wrights attention was grabbed by the man coming towards them.

"Oh who have we here?"

"Oh Mrs Wright, this…" Susan started at Caspian puzzled. He stepped forward and bowed lightly

"I am Caspian, Caspian Telmar." He said quickly. "Pleased to make your acquaintance." He continued reaching out for her hand.

"Doretha Wright" she replied "likewise" the older woman purred as she shook his hand. "Caspian?" she repeated and raised an eyebrow at Susan.

Then the way it all must look dawned on Susan.

"Yes Caspian, my…. My husband." She stuttered quickly. She felt his head whip around and look down on her. She saw the confusion overwhelm Mrs Wrights face. Her brain flew into action. "His parents are friends of my fathers, I stayed with their family last summer in Europe and…" she smiled up at him. "We married at the end of the summer when my family joined us." He reached down and took his hand. "Cas… Caspian is a marine engineer and shipped out and we intended… my parents intended in announcing officially when he returned." She swallowed a lump in her throat. "But…"

"I didn't receive any communication until a few weeks after and I came straight here." Caspian took over seeing her struggle.

"Oh my dears, congratulations!" Mrs Wright pulled her into a hug. "A little joy is all the world needs."

Susan smiled as the woman kissed her cheek then moved to kiss Caspian's.

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"It rolled off the tongue so easily that lie." Susan continued.

"Like one of your stories." Lucy interrupted.

"Ah but all my stories are true, this was just a fabrication."

"It was what society needed no?" Cassidy interjected.

Susan smiled at her daughter, she saw so much of her brother Edmund in her.

"It was what my heart needed."

/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/

Susan clutched her sides in laughter as the tumbled through the door.

"what is so funny!" he asked taking off his coat.

"Caspian Telmar?!" she said

"What else would you have had me say?" he said sitting to remove his shoes.

"Well I don't know…" she unfastened her own buttons. "Caspian the tenth, King of Narnia, Emperor of the Lone Islands, Lord of Cair Paravel, Lord of Telmar, Duke of the Lantern Waste, Duke of Galma and the Seven Isles, Baron of Ettinsmoor, Coun of the Western Marche, Emperor of Dragon Island."

She draped her scarf across herself dramatically brandishing an imaginary sword.

"It does sound much more impressive doesn't it." he smirked and rose to stand in front of her. "What about what you said?" he asked and she dropped her hand.

"What about it?"

"Your husband?"

"I… I had to say that, how else could I explain to a seventy-year-old woman that I had a man staying in my house alone with me…" she said reigning herself in. "It is not acceptable."

"Well then. We had better resolve that." He continued reaching into his trousers pocket. Her head shot up and her ears began turning pink.

"What?" she whispered.

"Marry me my Queen."