"May I ask, what is going on in here? " Lucy looked shocked. She didn't know much about romance, but she did know that this didn't look good. Her mouth was open just a little, and Peter and Rebecca could see her confusion. The two of them stood there, not quite sure how to explain this too little Lucy. Their minds were both racing, trying to think of how to get her to A) believe them and B) not tell Susan anything.
"Well, Lu, you see, this isn't what it looks like, I promise you that," said Peter nervously. Lucy looked at him skeptically, then at Rebecca, and then she looked back to Peter. "Lu, please believe me, nothing happened, Rebecca and I were just talking. There's nothing irregular about this." Peter tried his hardest to sound convincing, but he could tell by the look on her face that it wasn't working.
"Peter, I really want to believe you, but if you were just talking, then why is your pajama top lying right there on the floor?" Lucy pointed to the striped shirt lying near the bed in Rebecca's bedroom floor. Rebecca tried not to laugh at the little girl's aloofness; she also resisted the urge to laugh at the look on Peter's face. Why would Peter be in here, without his shirt on, and clearly lying to me if there was "nothing going on"? Why would he try to hide something if there was nothing to hide? Wondered Lucy, as she stared quizzically at Peter and Rebecca.
"Alright Lu, please take a seat, because this could take some time in explaining, but I too promise you that this is not what it looks like." Rebecca spoke for the first time since Lucy entered, and Peter felt his cheeks go red as he realized that Rebecca had made the perfect decision in what to say. Lucy sat down in the center of the bed, prepared for their explanation. Rebecca and Peter sat down on either side of Lucy. Peter put his arm around Lucy's shoulder, gave it a little squeeze, and when she turned to him, he smiled at her. His smile raised her confidence in him, she really wanted to believe him, and Rebecca, but the sight didn't look too promising to her.
"Alright then, what's the deal?" asked Lucy.
"Rebecca and I, we are, alright, before we say anything that we may regret, we need you to promise not to tell anyone what we tell you, not Edmund, not Oreius, not Mr. Tumnus, and especially not Susan, alright?" Peter wanted to make sure that she wouldn't tell anyone, not yet at least. Lucy nodded her agreement, still wanting to trust Peter and Rebecca. "Ok then, Rebecca and I are, well, we're a little bit more then friends, but we weren't, well, you know. Listen Lu, I really, really like her, please don't tell anyone." The last part, Peter whispered to Lucy. Lucy smiled, and giggled a little bit.
"Well, I guess I believe you, but if nothing happened, then why can't I tell Susan, and why was your shirt off?" Lucy laughed a little. Peter sighed quietly, and was about to run his hands nervously through his hair, when he stopped himself, because Lucy knew this to be a sign of nervousness for Peter.
"It was hot in here this morning, and assumed that it couldn't hurt anyone to take it off, it's as simple as that, and about Susan, she doesn't seem to approve too much of any relationship between us, especially at this time. She wants me to be able to focus fully on the impending war, and I understand that, but I can focus on both things, and I really don't think that Susan needs to know right now."
"You see, Lucy, Susan has spoken to both of us, subliminally, in Peter's case, and directly in mine, to stay away from each other." Rebecca offered information to let Lucy know that there was some reason in safeguarding this information from Susan.
"Rebecca is correct in saying that, and as soon as this is all…over…you can tell Susan whatever you want about this, so long as you don't add anything to it. Thank you very much Lu, for being so understanding, but you see, you and I have to go, because Susan was just here, and she is coming back to talk to Rebecca very, very shortly." Peter stood up, pulled on his shirt, and took Lucy's hand. Lucy too stood up, and smiled at Rebecca. "I will see you later," Peter said to Rebecca, as he and Lucy left her room to go to his.
"Peter, can I please talk to you? That's why I came to see Rebecca, I was hoping that maybe she'd seen you recently." Once Lucy and Peter had reached Peter's room, the two of them sat down to talk.
"Lu, what is it? Are you all right?" asked Peter, nothing the slightly nervous look on Lucy's pale face. Again, he put his arm around her to comfort her, but this time, she shied away from him.
"Peter, I'm scared, I don't want to go to war! Edmund told me that my job is to heal, not to hurt, and that I must stay in safety until the end, so that I can heal the others. This I will do, for the sake of others, but I don't want you, and Ed, and Susan to go fight. You almost died last time, and Ed came eve closer. I'm afraid that we-that we may not be quite as lucky this time. I know that you think that I am young, and that I do not pay attention to minor details, but there's something else that you're not telling me. When you said when this is all over, you meant the war, but you slowed down your speaking immensely, and Rebecca's face went rigid. I can't help but think that you know something more about this, and I know that you are unsure of the survival of this family." Lucy let a silent tear run down her cheek, and she wriggled into Peter's arms. Peter squeezed her tight. "Peter, I don't want to go home, but I don't want you to die. You have been a great father, and Susan an excellent mother since we left home, but allowing us all to fight may not be a good idea."
"Lucy, I do want you to stay, and I can ask Ed and Susan not to fight, but that is their choice. The are old enough to make their own decisions, as am I, and I must fight. It is my duty, and as much as I want to make sure that we, as a family, stay together, I cannot in away, guarantee that all of us will make it back through that wardrobe." Lucy's face fell, and she burst in to tears. Peter patted her on the head, and as she cried bitterly, he felt tears rise to his eyes. He tried to blink them away, he didn't want Lucy to know that he was just as worried and scared as she was, but he couldn't keep everything in. For several minutes, Peter held the crying Lucy as he let silent tears fall onto the sleeve of his pajamas. It took Lucy quite a long time to realize that she was not alone in her tears.
"Peter, it's going to be alright, isn't it?" asked Lucy looking up. "You will keep us safe, just like you promised mother you would."
"I am going to do my absolute best to keep everyone in this family safe, and well, and I will be the first one to be injured if it comes to that. Try not to worry, and don't let your concern show, you are very strong, and I know that you can get through this. If you like, Mr. Tumnus can join us for dinner tonight, would you care to invite him?" Peter was putting his best foot forward, and trying be as nice as possible. He smiled when he noticed Lucy's face brighten a little with his offer.
"Thank you Peter, I would like that very much!" Lucy didn't stop crying, not right away, but the tears slowed. She stood, gave Peter a hug, and exited to go and find Mr. Tumnus.