Disclaimer: The Chronicles of Narnia, all characters, places, and related terms belong to C.S. Lewis. The plot is mine.
Author's Note: Well, this turned out to be much longer than I expected. :shrugs sheepishly: Just goes to show you how unpredictable writing can be. I hope you all will enjoy this all the same.
Peter is 9, Susan 8, Edmund 6, and Lucy is 4.
Dedicated: For Capegio, SugarHighNutcase, and TimeMage0955.
A New Journey
The train station was bustling with activity. Peter, standing on the platform, surrounded by pieces of luggage, his hands buried deep inside his coat pockets, hardly noticed. He stared hard at the train waiting to pull out of the station. Soon, very soon, he would get on board and be on his way to boarding school for the first time. He swallowed hard. Despite being a little excited as the day of departure had neared, he was now nervous and…scared.
Suppose he had one of those rare, frightening nightmares? Dad and Mum wouldn't be just down the hall. Or what if he doesn't get along with the other boys? Doesn't make any friends? What if he becomes homesick? And his siblings…will they really get along all right without him for so long?
Susan had tried to assure him that she and Edmund and Lucy would be fine. "I'll stay with Ed during a storm, if he does not go to Mum and Dad," she had volunteered. Peter had been little comforted by her cheerful assurance.
A large hand gently squeezed his shoulder, and Peter relaxed a little. He turned and gazed up into his dad's face. Mr. Pevensie smiled down at him in understanding.
"It will be all right, son," he said. "Your teachers will be there to help you. And your mother and I will expect to hear from you."
Peter nodded silently. His gaze moved to the rest of his family. Mrs. Pevensie's cheeks were already wet while her eyes were full of pride. She cradled Lucy in her arms, while flanked on either side by his other siblings.
Susan blinked back tears and gave him a small encouraging smile when she met his uncertain gaze. Edmund was gazing steadfastly down at his shoes, biting his bottom lip. Only Lucy seemed unaware that her oldest brother would not be coming back for several months. She happily played with her teddy bear.
Peter swallowed thickly as he gazed at his siblings. He was going to miss them all terribly.
A short sharp whistle sounded from the train: the ten-minute warning.
Peter glanced at his dad. Mr. Pevensie nodded. Squaring his shoulders, the boy stepped closer and extended his right hand. Mr. Pevensie hesitated a moment before accepting the hand. His father was suddenly at a loss for words as his eyes became misty and he cleared his throat. The firm handshake lasted a long moment.
"You'll be all right, son," he managed in a husky tone and offered his eldest son a smile. "I'll miss having you to help keep your siblings out of trouble."
Peter chuckled at the attempted humor and blinked his eyes rapidly for a moment. He returned Mr. Pevensie's smile, and his dad released his hand. He then turned to his Mum and Lucy.
Mrs. Pevensie carefully handed Lucy to Susan. She enfolded Peter in a long hug. Gently she kissed his cheek. Peter clung to her.
"Your father and I will always love you, Peter. No matter what happens," she said quietly in his ear. "Remember that."
Some of Peter's fear melted away at her words, and he relaxed; feelings of peace began stirring inside him.
"I will, Mum," he replied.
Slowly she pulled back and smiled at him. "Good lad."
"Peta going bye-bye?" Lucy asked suddenly, pausing in her playing.
"Yes, your brother is going bye-bye," Mrs. Pevensie answered with a shaky laugh.
Peter shook his head slightly as he looked at his little sister. "Peter," he corrected her.
"Peta!" Lucy said, dropping her bear as she held her arms out towards him.
"Peter," he repeated, taking her from Susan.
"Peta!" She wrapped her small arms around his neck and giggled with delight when he swung them around in a circle.
"I will miss you, Lu," he murmured as he kissed the top of her head.
She grinned up at him, then startled him by saying, "I luv you, Peta!"
His eyes started to burn, and a smile tugged on the corners of his mouth as he returned her to a teary-eyed Mrs. Pevensie. "I love you, too. Bye-bye."
"Bye-bye," Lucy echoed happily, waving a hand.
Peter waved back and then looked at Susan. She had rescued Lucy's teddy bear from the platform and now hugged it tightly to her chest. She met his gaze and gave him a small smile. The next moment she wrapped one arm around him.
"Are you sure…" Peter trailed off, hugging her back.
"We'll all be fine," she said softly. "We will miss you, but we will be fine."
Her brother swallowed thickly. "I'll miss you, too."
"Mum will help me write you."
Peter nodded and stepped back from his sister. "Good-bye."
"Bye."
Holding Susan's eyes for a final time, he turned to Edmund.
The boy's head was bowed as his eyes bore holes into the top of his shoes. His hands were jammed into his coat pockets. Peter frowned as he went to Edmund. Uncertainly he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his coat.
"You'll be all right, Ed?" his voice trembled slightly.
His brother nodded, not raising his head.
"You can go to Mum and Dad or Susan during a storm, you know that," Peter went on, wishing Edmund would look at him.
Edmund nodded his head wordlessly again.
"And you'll help Mum with Lucy?"
For the third time the boy's head nodded in consent. His brother's frown darkened slightly.
"And…and you won't try climbing the apple tree while I'm gone?"
Edmund's shoulders shook as he looked up, and there was held-back laughter in his voice as he softly spoke – finally, "No, Peter, I won't."
Peter's face softened and he sighed. "Good." He studied his brother's face before extending his right hand. Edmund stared at it and then took the hand in his own and weakly shook it. "Bye, Eddy," Peter said.
Edmund jerked his hand from his brother's as though it was on fire. Before Peter could feel or understand anything, he found himself in the death grip of a younger brother.
"Bye, Peter," Edmund cried, his voice muffled by Peter's coat.
His shock lasting only an instant, Peter's arms wrapped tightly around Edmund's shaking body, and he rested his forehead against the top of Ed's head. Several tears escaped from behind his closed lids and fell.
"I-I-I-I'll miss you-u-u," Edmund added in an unsteady tone.
"I will miss you, Ed." Drawing a deep breath, Peter continued, "I'll be back, I promise."
He felt Edmund nod slowly and sniff loudly before reluctantly letting him go. Both boys wiped at their cheeks. Feeling slightly embarrassed, Peter sneaked glances at the others. Mum was smiling with tears streaming unchecked down her face; and Dad was wiping his own eyes. Susan was not completed dry-eyed. Only Lucy was not crying. When his gaze fell on Edmund again, Peter discovered his brother smiling sadly at him. Peter patted his shoulder fondly.
"All aboard!" the conductor's call filled the air.
Rubbing his sleeve quickly over his eyes, Peter gathered up his luggage and faced his family.
"Well, off you go," Mrs. Pevensie said when the others simply looked at him.
Peter nodded, gave them all a brave smile, and moved through the crowd to the train. Susan and Edmund strained to follow his progress through the crowd. They glimpsed him enter the third compartment behind the engine.
Several moments later, a brown-haired boy leaned out a window and waved at them. Susan and Edmund, followed by their parents, moved a little toward the edge of the platform and waved wildly back at their brother. Amidst the noise filling the station, Peter's shouts reached them:
"Good-bye! Bye, Lu, Ed, Su! Bye, Mum! Bye, Dad! I love you!"
"Bye, Peter!"
"Don't forget to write!"
"Good-bye, dear!"
"Bye-bye, Peta!"
Susan and Edmund, their arms tiring, did not stop waving and calling to Peter until the train had pulled out of the station and disappeared round the bend.
"Bye, Peter."
The Pevensies were among the last to leave the station. Lucy talked to her teddy while her family was silent. Susan walked alongside Mrs. Pevensie, while Edmund and Mr. Pevensie lingered behind.
"He promised he will be back," Edmund said softly, glancing over his shoulder at the empty tracks.
"And he will," his father replied, smiling down at his son.
Edmund looked up at him and reached for his hand. A slow smile lighted his face. "He will."
Hand in hand, they left the station.
THE END