A/N Let me start by saying how sorry I am that I've taken so long on this. You see, I had it done some time ago, but then I rewrote it several times and it's ended up going in an entirely different direction. I've decided that, even though I love poor Tumnus being hopelessly in love and struggling to say it, I'm going to go with exposing it early on and seeing how they deal with it.

Hope nobody minds. This may not flow too well with the previous chapter, but it's better than no update, isn't it? Oh, and since a lot of you thought the first chapter was too short, I've tried to do better with this one (it's longer by about 450 or so words).

Enjoy it everyone!

x x x

In spite of his hasty exit the evening before, Tumnus appeared once again a few days later, just as he always did. Before long he and Lucy were seated together in one of the gardens of Cair Paravel, sheltered from the warmth of the day beneath a tree. They were sitting as they always had, close side by side, Lucy's head resting on his shoulder as they spoke quietly together. As always, she remained completely unaware of the fluttering heart so near to her, as well as the faint blush that had crept across his features. She shifted slightly, lifting a hand to pick idly at the scarf he was wearing.

"Surely, Mr. Tumnus, you're not planning to bundle up on such a lovely day?" Lucy frowned.

"Winter really isn't very far off, Lucy, it's never too early to prepare."

"But aren't you warm?" she pulled the scarf from his shoulders, draping it around her own and burying her face in the fabric. She had always loved his scarves, they were so well worn the material was softer than anything, and they had a strange sort of smell to them. It was like tea, and something else that she could never quite place. She breathed it in happily, unaware that Tumnus was smiling at her.

"I've never been warmer, Lucy."

"Mmm...you say the oddest things sometimes."

"Do I?" Lucy didn't say anything for a moment, but began to fidget with the scarf. Tumnus watched her, his smile fading when he saw her begin to wriggle.

"Are you all right?"

"That's what I've been meaning to ask you." Lucy sighed, pulling the scarf away from her face to give him a reproachful look before lowering her gaze. "I saw the other night, but in my excitement about...what you told me..." here she blushed a little. "I'm afraid I forgot. Still, I should think if you had a problem you would tell me..." Tumnus frowned worriedly. There was no way to tell her that she was his problem. At least, no way that he could see.

"I don't have a problem, Lucy."

"Yes you do, I know you do!"

"Lucy, it's nothing that you need to bother yourself with."

"But I can't bear the thought of you being unhappy..." she still wouldn't look at him. After a moment of silence, Tumnus lifted her chin gently so that she would look at him.

"Dear Lucy...you can't save everyone from their problems."

"Yes I can."

"Lucy..."

"Are you going to tell me?" Lucy sighed, knowing he would have told her that, even as a queen, she couldn't fix everything for everyone. Still, Tumnus stared at her, considering it. It would only be a matter of time before he had to tell her. Even he wasn't naive enough to think he could keep something like this hidden forever. He was extremely worried, mostly about how she would react. More than anything though, he was frightened. Frightened that this, if she were unhappy, could be the end of them. Frightened to be cast aside by his beloved Lucy, as he had seen happen with so many of Susan's suitors.

Even so, it was tearing at him. Tearing at him as it had done for years, ever since it had occurred to him that she wasn't a little girl anymore, that she had grown in intellect and beauty much too quickly for his liking. When had she ceased to be his Lucy and become the Lucy he wanted, wanted more than anything he had ever imagined wanting? He had often berated himself for these feelings, knowing very well that they were both improper and useless. It would never work..

It didn't seem right to him somehow. She was a queen, and he was only a-

"Silly faun." Tumnus started when he felt Lucy tug at his beard. He hadn't realized that he had drifted into thought without answering her. Leaning once more upon his shoulder, she was watching him amusedly, a faint smile playing along her lips. Tumnus remained silent until she poked at him again. "Have you forgotten me?"

"I'm sorry, Lucy." He said, pushing her away gently. A nervous sigh escaped his lips as he took her hands in his own. There was nothing for it, it would have to be said sooner or later.

"I admit, recently I have been somewhat...troubled..."

"Oh, do tell me, please, Tumnus!"

"Dearest Lucy..." hesitantly he began, feeling her hands tighten where they lay in his own, "I'm afraid...it's you..." he felt rather than saw the way that she jerked, pulling away from him. For a moment he didn't realize why she suddenly looked so hurt, but then he realized what he had said.

"Did...did I do something wrong?" she asked, her voice breaking as tears began to well in her eyes. Tumnus shook his head frantically, going after her as she rose and made to go indoors.

"No! No, that's not I meant at all! Please, let me finish..." Lucy paused at the door, turning to glance at him tearfully. Unable to help himself, Tumnus began to stutter a little in his panic. "It...it'ss just...you see...i-it's ...b-being with you, I don't..." he stopped, not knowing what to say. Now that it came to it, with Lucy upset and himself already flustered, it seemed that anything to do with what he needed to say had flown out of his head. Unfortunately Lucy didn't know this. She stared at him a moment more, her tears beginning to fall freely.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Tumnus." it came out as barely a whisper and suddenly she was gone. Tumnus shook himself, everything he had wanted to say suddenly coming back to him as he followed her indoors.