A/N: Pretty short chapter, but am pretty sure the *content* makes up for it anyways. Enjoy!

chapter 33; making up

He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. It was almost impossible to reconcile the angel of devastation she was on the fighting field to the woman who clung on to her life scared of the searing hot needles biting into his shoulder as Delilah stitched her up.

"Don't ever do anything stupid like that again or Aslan help me I will-"

Aline raised her eyebrows, "You will? What? Leave? Disappear again? Like you just did?"

"I-" Edmund began, "thought that was what you wanted."

"No Edmund that was not what I wanted. You just.. sprung that on me and then you left. You did not give me time to think, you did not wait.. you just left. Without a word to me, for weeks! You didn't even bother writing a damn letter.. or something!?"

Despite himself Edmund couldn't help a smile, "You're mad at me because I didn't write to you?

She rolled her eyes, "That's" Aline began though not before wincing in pain as Delilah stitched through her skin again."that's not the point." Aline sighed. "I do not want to fight with you again, Ed."

"This isn't fighting. We're talking."

"Talking," she sighed, "something we both need to work on don't you think?"

"You're right. Maybe I do suck at talking. And maybe I don't want to talk to you because every time I try, you turn everything into a fight."

She gasped. "I turn everything into a fight?"

"See!"

"Leave."

"Fine. I will. And maybe I'll send Peter over to take care of you. Will that make you happier?"

"I can take care of myself thank you. Why in hell would I want Peter here?"

"Because..." something hardened in Edmund's face. "Because I have no need to explain myself to you."

"I wish you a speedy recovery, Lady Aline."

With that he turned. He seemed done. And the only thing she could feel was numb.

"So that's just it?" Aline called, this time fighting back her tears that were threatening close to spilling. "You hold me and comfort me while I'm in pain like you bloody care and then you just.. walk away without a fight?"

Edmund paused in his step. This time he didn't mind that he was now well within earshot of everyone in the infirmary. Somethings just had to be said.

"Maybe I'm done caring. Because I'm definitely done fighting. I'm done fighting for you and I'm done fighting with you."

Aline gasped for breath. The fresh pain that coursed through her newly stitched arm felt nothing in comparison to what coursed through her heart. A single tear flowed down her cheek. Then followed by another. And another.

"Lady Aline," Delilah's quiet voice cut through to her. She looked up at the healer nymph as she wiped through the mess on her face, vaguely registering for the first time that she'd seen and heard everything that had gone on in between them. "It isn't my place to intrude but if I may?"

She could only sniffle in response.

"Maybe.. it isn't too late to let certain people know what we truly feel about them. But sometimes.. if we hesitate long enough, we might never get the chance to again." Delilah looked to the Just Kings rapidly distancing figure.

And then as if a light bulb went off in her head. Aline knew exactly what she should do. Well, she'd said it herself, he was too egostic for his own good anyways. Maybe she had to do this. If only to placate this growing ache in her heart that felt like it was going to swallow her whole.

"Wait-" she called but as she saw he left the infirmary taking a left. With an encouraging look from Delilah, Aline swung herself off the bed. Cradling an aching arm against her burning chest, and her vision blurred with the onslaught of tears Aline rushed forth as fast as her legs carried her.

What Edmund did not in the least expect as he walked away- hoping this would least be for the last time, was to have the wind knocked out of him as a rushing figure crashed onto his. Without having to turn Edmund knew who it was. Those delicate arms now finding firm around his torso stopping him in his tracks could only belong to one person.

"Don't.." he heard a sob and as if on instinct Edmund turned cupping her face in his hands as he took in her reddening eyes and the earnest yet determined look in her eyes as they looked deep into his own. "-leave again. I'm not letting you leave me again."

Edmund could only look on at her in first confusion, and then a sliver of recognition as he realised.. exactly what her words meant. But what he struggled with was acceptance. He could not accept that finally after everything they've been through.. finally he was hearing what he wanted to hear. From her. The woman who held his heart in her hand and didn't even know of it.

I don't want to leave you again, Edmund wanted to assure her. Not if you don't want me to. But his words froze within him. He'd spent too much of his lifetime pushing people away that when someone resisted, someone better at pushing him away only to draw him closer.. Edmund for once did not know what to do.

"I mean.." Aline groaned, clearly at the lack of response on his part. "I'm not mad at you for not writing letters, Ed. I'm mad that you.. ugh I'm- I don't want to keep going back and forth and I was wrong-"

"Okay." Edmund cut her off, his hands still cupping her face. "Aline, it's okay."

"Okay? That's all you have to say?"

"I mean.. then let's not go back and forth, Aline. I don't want to either."

"That's it?"

"Well," there came that stupid smirk she hated so damn much. "that's way more than what I got the last time I tried to talk to you eh?"

Before she could reply as a frown creased her forehead he interjected. "I'm done fighting too Al. And I mean-" looking into her eyes was definitely a mistake, the King thought off handedly. For once again he found himself drawn into their depths and all he could think about was kissing her.

I will not kiss you again, not unless you ask it of me.. he had promised her earlier a nagging voice at the back of his brain reminded him.

"I missed you," he managed, Edmund now released the hold he had on her, his hands dropping uselessly to his sides, "I don't want to spend any more time away from you, only of course if that's what you want too."

At that, a tentative shocked smile brightened her features, almost as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing and when she did, Edmund couldn't help but smile at her himself. Saying that out loud, and that too to the one he wanted to hear it the most felt.. relieving. And now for sure he knew where he stood with her, no more mind games or going back and forth, she knew he liked her now. And she felt the same!

This felt new. Just as Edmund took it all in, he felt her arms go around his neck and she buried her head in the crook of his neck as his hands felt their way around her waist pulling her closer. As they hugged, the question where do we go from here hung heavily on both of their heads.

And there they remained for a good minute before Aline pulled away a bit too abruptly for his liking. And that frown on here face surely not good news.

"Before anything," the girl began as Edmund knew whatever was to come out of her mouth next, he didn't care. He would agree. The way she was oblivious to the hold she had on him only made him fall for her more.

But Aline did not say any more, instead her hands reached for his arms as her fingers made quick work untying the favour, Lady Carissa's kerchief that she'd tyed on and Edmund could do no more than smirk at her obvious jealousy.

"Has anyone told you how much more prettier you get when you're jealous?"

"Stop." she blushed, refusing to meet his gaze, "I'm not jealous.. that.. color.. just looks god awful on you."

"There they are!" Lucy's unmistakable voice called out from the corridor and the both of them stumbled back a feet from each other.

"And I see they've not killed each other yet." Susan called out as the sisters made their way to the couple a suspicious frown creasing her forehead as her eyes darted in between the two of them.

"Oh Aline, how is your arm? Delilah said she'd stitched you up." Lucy quipped "Are you alright? Does it hurt?"

"I am fine, it wasn't as bad as it seemed."

"That was terrifying to watch!" Susan deadpanned, "And dangerous." Lucy added. "And stupid."

"See, I told you it was-" Edmund chimed in his disapproving voice back but not without a note of tenderness in it, as Aline glared at him as hard as she could, and before she could fire back Susan rolled her eyes, "Both of you! That was the stupidest thing the both of you have done so far, you both were behaving like little kids fighting over some candy and Edmund-" she rolled her eyes with an exasperated shake of her head here, "but- Aline I definitely expected better from you."

"I'm very so-" but Edmund cut her off before she could apologise, this if anyone's fault, would be his. She had no need to apologise to anyone, not to him, nor to Susan.

"There, you've finally met Mother Susan." Edmund cut in grinning only for his sister to playfully smack the top of his head. "Calm down Mother Hen, see we've made up already."

Susan's gaze once more darted between the two of them in a manner that Aline couldn't help but blush, especially considering how they did in fact make up. "That's great then. I shall see you two at the Ball."

"The ball?"
"What ball?"

Confusion ran across Aline and Edmund's faces. Not another ball, considering how the last one went along.

"The ball to celebrate the dryads being found and you returning of course, dear brother." Lucy smiled sweetly as she bent down pick the yellow ker chief that had fallen to the ground. "Though of course don't worry this would be a small, quaint affair of Narnians only."

"Oh and I believe this belongs to you Ed?" she tossed the piece of yellow cloth as a knowing smile now graced both the sister's lips at the dead give away that was the both of their reactions. "Come along, Su.. maybe we should give these two more time to.. make up."

A/N: Uh-oh so Lu and Su know what's up! Now that we finally get the #Edaline story line in motion, next chapter you will be seeing a v prominent character in the Narnian Universe making a appearance. WHO DO YOU THINK THAT WOULD BE? Let me know in the comments below!