A/N: Look who's finally back with an update! Let me make one thing clear: Narnia is home. So I will NEVER abandon this story, even if it takes me eight months to get another chapter out. If there's ever any question of what's going on to delay updates, I post statuses at the top of my profile every so often, OR you can check my tumblr! It's mostly Narnia content, but I do also post about my writing woes, lol. Anyway, on to chapter-specific notes.

Chapter Notes: I think part of the reason I struggled to get this out is because Susan's arc in this chapter reads like the start of a bad romance novel, and her story arc is NOT NOT NOT about romance. It's about relationships in general. This is just the first of many. But, yes, unfortunately, it reads like a bad romance. (Like, it's good. I'm happy with it. This story is just not supposed to be a romance, which is why I keep saying it's bad, lol.)

Anon Reviews
lovefrombelarus: Aww, thank you for your sweet words! *hugs* Don't worry; this story will definitely absolutely never be abandoned! I'm glad you're enjoying it (and I'm hoping you'll still be around now, so many months later, haha!).
HermionePevensey: I'm flattered then that I got one from you! ...I'm even more flattered you think so highly of it. *cries tears of joy* *hugs* And no worries; I haven't abandoned this! ...I just hope you'll be back after all this time. *sweat drop*
SerenaEdmunds: *cries* Y-you left me t-two reviews...because you c-care so much... *cries some more* I'm sorry I left you hanging! It makes me happy you think so highly of this work. :3 Ah, yes. I wanted to do something differently from everything I've seen, haha, but more than that, there's actually a very specific reason for that. (No spoilers though, haha, so I can't say what that reason is yet! I will say you are right about Peter, though. :))
chickencomes1st: I'm so sorry I left you hanging! I do feel horrible... especially since, you, too, left me two reviews... *cries* *also hugs* I am not Catholic myself, but I have very specific reasons for why I made Peter's roommate such, haha. Since I am not myself, I just hope I don't get anything wrong. (Please do tell me if I do, though. I don't try to get things wrong, and I would want to fix it if I ever do!) Ah, yes. I have lots of plans for Edmund, ahahaha. (Nothing this chapter though. :P)
All4Aslan: Thank you, as always, for reviewing! I have a lot in store for Peter and his roommate and they definitely don't get a long very well for a while, ahahahaha. *hugs*

...I hope all my signed-in reviewers don't feel left out, because I just hugged all my nonys. So, hugs for everyone! *hugs*

Chapter Five

Friday nights were always slow and a bit lonely, and Susan found herself always working then. She would start at two o'clock and leave promptly at eight, and for those six hours, she would do more in the way of needlework than she would in the way of shelving books. Students were more preoccupied with having fun than working on papers, and she couldn't say as she blamed them. If she had chosen to continue her education, she was sure she would have taken Friday nights to herself as well.

She glanced at the clock and sighed. Five more minutes, then she could lock the doors and go home. At least, she hoped that's all there would be to it.

Robert Thatcher, as it turned out, had not enlisted and just so happened to be a student on the very same campus where she worked. Once he had found out she worked in the library, he would come by often, especially on Friday nights when he knew she'd be working. No matter how many times she rejected him, he couldn't seem to take the hint and came back week after week, still hoping to get a date. However, he hadn't been waiting for her last week, so she hoped perhaps another poor girl had captured his fancy, and he'd leave her alone now.

She packed up her embroidery and, deciding there was little point in staying open for one last minute, stepped out into the chilly autumn air and locked the doors behind her.

"Evening, Miss Pevensie."

Still facing the doors, keys in hand, Susan inwardly groaned. Telling him off had apparently had very little effect, so perhaps she should try a different approach, she thought. Turning around, she walked straight passed him without so much as a glance.

"Oh, come now. Don't be that way."

Susan kept walking as if he wasn't trailing behind her like a little lost puppy, and yet he kept right on talking. "You were quite harsh the last time we talked, you know. It wasn't very lady-like. You should be grateful I even came back."

He was trying to rile her up, and she knew it, but she wasn't going to take the bait this time. Just like her sister, she needed to take a new approach to her situation. If the cold shoulder didn't work, however, she wasn't sure what else would be left to try.

"Really now, you are playing hard to get - ."

"I do believe the lady has made it quite clear she has no interest in you, good sir."

Susan stopped short, Robert almost running into her back as the newcomer stepped out of the shadows of the Student Life building beside them.

"I don't believe this is any of your concern," Robert growled.

"You are clearly bothering the lady, so I've made it my concern."

As the stranger stepped forward, Susan noted he was a head taller than Robert, and Robert was, by no means, short himself. She squinted in the dim light, trying to make out his face. He was obviously a student here so chances were good she'd seen him before, but it was already too dark to tell.

"I just want moment of her time, that's all."

"I watched her tell you off two weeks ago from the window there -" he nodded towards the building he'd just come out of - "so something tells me you've already had a moment of her time."

Was he...grinning? He was definitely grinning, she decided. He appeared to be enjoying this more than she was. Or perhaps he was trying to look more confident and intimidating? She remembered using that very tactic herself while ruling in Narnia. She had made many a dignitary uncomfortable in her presence with only a grin.

In the distance an owl hooted, pulling her from her thoughts back into the quiet night. The two men had lapsed into a silent standoff; she would be here all night if she waited one of them to give in.

"As delightful as this is," she stated, "I have to be getting home. Good evening to you." Without waiting for a word from either man, she turned on her heel and continued towards the station at a brisk pace. A moment passed, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Robert wasn't giving chase - at least, not tonight.

Quick footsteps on the pavement behind her made her groan out loud. Even when confronted by someone else, Robert just couldn't take a hint, could he? She whirled around, setting her expression into the no-nonsense mask of her former queenly self. "Now look here, I have a half a mind - ." She stopped short. That wasn't Robert.

"My apologies," he chuckled. "I was only hoping you'd allow me to walk you to your destination. It's getting dark, and I wouldn't feel right letting you walk alone."

"Yes, well, I can take care of myself."

"I have no doubt about that, actually."

"Then, thank you for getting Robert off my back, but I'll be just fine to get home." She turned and started off again. "Good evening to you, sir."

"You're not even going to ask my name?" he called after her.

Without missing a beat, she called back, "Why would I? I appreciate the help, but I didn't ask for it." She could hear him laughing behind her, but he wasn't following her.

"Good evening, then, Miss Pevensie."

Susan took a few more steps before realizing he knew her name. Stopping, she turned her head to look for him again, but he had already disappeared. She shook her head as she picked up her pace, realizing she was never going to make it home at this rate.

A coincidence, she thought. It's just a coincidence that he knows my name. She frowned. Honestly, he'd probably overheard it in the library one day. But why bother to remember it? She sighed audibly into the quiet night. Why couldn't these silly boys just leave her alone already?

Lucy bit her tongue as she listened to Patricia Jenkins rattle on about how women should stick to feminine pursuits if they bothered working outside the home at all.

"After all, that's the way it's always been, since Adam and Eve. Why should we think to change it now? It's always been the woman's place to run the home and the man's to work and go off to war. Those women who were pilots are just plain batty if you ask me."

It took everything in her being to not tear into her classmate about how utterly wrong she was. Taking a deep breath, Lucy chose to smile instead and, keeping her voice pleasant, posed a question. "So what do you think about Deborah then?"

Patricia frowned, looking down her nose to where Lucy sat in the grass behind her. "What are you talking about, Pevensie?"

"Deborah. You know, Deborah and Barak? From the Bible. She was a judge who led into battle because Barak was too much of a coward. Not to mention later on in that battle General Sisera was killed by a woman. That's not really 'woman's work,' wouldn't you say?"

"Yes, well, they were doing the Lord's work, so I guess that would be an exception," Patricia snorted. "Besides, if she hadn't been at home at the time, that woman wouldn't have been there to kill the general. But now days, women shouldn't be involved in those things."

"Why not?"

"It's...just not very ladylike, that's all."

"What defines 'ladylike'?"

"Being proper."

"Define 'being proper'."

Patricia stood up from the bench with a huff. "You are insufferable, Pevensie. You know exactly what I mean by it."

"But supposing I don't. Why don't you enlighten me?" Lucy sighed inwardly. It was exhausting dealing with her this way, and she wasn't even sure it was making a difference anyway.

"If you need me to explain it, then your upbringing was even worse than I'd supposed it to be." With a flounce of her curls, she turned and stalked away, her posse close on her heels.

"You two have never really gotten along, have you?"

Lucy turned her attention back to her friend. "Never. She calls me insufferable, but she's the one who is so closed-minded to new ideas."

"Not that I disagree with you, Lucy, but why do you even care what she thinks about it?"

"You do realize that stuck-up prig is going to have children of her own someday, don't you, Marjorie? And she'll pass on what she believes." Lucy paused. "What do you think about the Women's Movement? I want an honest answer."

Marjorie thought for a moment. "I hadn't thought much on it, honestly. I think it's great, what with petitioning for equal wages and all, but what's so wrong about women not participating in government? It's kind of boring, don't you think?"

"It's wrong because women don't need men to think for them. We have brains too, after all. In fact, we think of things that may not occur to a man at all." How many laws, she wondered, had she drafted in Narnia that her brothers hadn't even considered? She'd lost count before the end of the fifth year of their reign. She stood as the bell rang for class to resume, brushing dead leaves and dirt from her skirt. "Women are not incapable leaders."

"Well," Marjorie commented, following Lucy into the building, "I know one woman I'd definitely support in a political office."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. You."

Lucy smiled. "Well, I'm glad I have at least one person on my side."

Marjorie shrugged. "I may not want to be involved myself since I don't really know anything about it, but you know a lot and do want to be involved. I don't think you should be kept out just because you're a girl."

"You're not just saying that because we're friends, are you?"

"Of course not! Don't be daft," Marjorie exclaimed as they sat down in their seats. "I think I've always believed people should be able to do what they want. I don't know; you just seem like the kind of person that could actually make that happen. Someday, anyway."

"Thank you for that. Sometimes I wonder if I truly can."

"I think if it's you, you'll find a way."

Susan tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear as she slid the last book in her load back onto the shelf. As she turned to go back to the front desk, she couldn't stop the sigh that escaped her lips. She didn't mind her job, but it certainly wasn't what she had thought she would end up doing. When she was young, she had wanted nothing more than to be a housewife, like her own mother was. But then they had gone to Narnia, and she had been so much more. She didn't know what she wanted now, but she was sure that shelving books for the rest of her life wasn't it.

This was only temporary, she had to remind herself. She could pursue other things later, but for now this was what she had to do. That acknowledgement didn't make it easier to bear, however. After everything in Narnia, such monotonous work was almost maddening sometimes.

Susan sat down behind the desk and almost immediately a tall man approached, three books tucked under his arm.

"I need to check these out, please."

"Of course." Her eyebrows rose as she glanced at the titles. "Rather heavy reading for a Tuesday, isn't it?"

He chuckled. "I suppose so, but I don't plan to read them through. I've got a paper due soon; they're just for a bit of research."

She glanced at his student ID card before filling out the check-out cards and handing the books back. "Well, enjoy your researching then."

"Oh, I will. Biology is fascinating to me. I hope to teach it myself one day." Taking the books off the counter, he turned to leave before pausing. "By the way, has Mr Thatcher bothered you again since Friday, or is that just a Friday thing?"

Susan started, her gaze flying from the desk to where he still stood. "Pardon?"

"Robert Thatcher. He is quite taken with you and doesn't seem to be able to take 'no' for an answer." He half turned back to her. "He is quite persistent, I'll give him that, at least."

She realized then that the man who had chased Robert off was standing right in front of her. He had been here frequently since she had started working, but how long had he been observing her to know so much? "Terrific. Now I have two stalkers instead of one."

A baffled look crossed his face. "What? No. I'm not stalking you."

Susan crossed her arms over her chest, leaning back in the chair. "Really. I know nothing about you and yet you know rather a lot about me - more than you should, anyway, considering this is the most words we've ever had occasion to exchange."

"Well," he murmured, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, "'stalker' is such a strong term…"

"What would you call it then?"

"Admiring from afar?"

Susan rolled her eyes. "Look, I appreciate what you did, but please just leave me alone. I'm really not interested in someone who can't walk up to me and start a conversation without 'admiring from afar' for months beforehand."

"Well," he shifted uncomfortably, glancing away, "you are a bit...intimidating - though I don't mean that in a bad way."

"Intimidating?" No one had used that word to describe her since her first suitor in Narnia. She had thought Lord Rhaelvez wasn't actually interested in her, but when the truth had come out, they'd had a good laugh about it. The courtship hadn't worked out, but they had remained good friends until the end. She had heard from others in the castle that visiting dignitaries often used that term to describe her, but only the lord from Terebinthia had ever dared to say it to her face. But, here and now, in a different world, someone had done it again.

"I'm not sure that's really the right word, but…" He paused. "If I'm being perfectly honest, you caught my attention because you're not like other women I've met, and I could tell that the moment I saw you."

"Flattery," Susan interrupted, eyes narrowing, "will get you absolutely nowhere with me."

"Yes," he smiled, "I had surmised as much. I suppose that's part of the reason you're intimidating." He turned for the door again. "I do apologize, Miss Pevensie. I did not intend to be disrespectful, but I am afraid I have come off as such."

And then he was gone, leaving Susan to frown at the door as it swung closed behind him.

Lucy sighed as she folded the letter and slipped it into the waiting envelope. She was writing to her parents, to Susan, and to Edmund and mailing them together to save on postage. Overseas post was expensive. Edmund had only been able to write once because of it and had crammed letters to all of them into one parcel, resulting in much shorter letters to each of them than Lucy knew he normally would have written. It was the same to send him mail, as well. Their whole family would write a short letter and all of them would be bundled and sent together. As a result, she didn't hear from him nor get to write to him as much as she would have liked.

Setting it to the side on top of the envelope neatly addressed to Peter, she pulled another sheet of paper in front of her and started her last letter.

My dearest Susan

Do you remember Prince Rabadash? (Of course you do; who could forget?) Well, this certainly reminds me of then. I guess people like that exist in every world. Too bad Aslan can't simply turn Mr Thatcher into a donkey, too. But look on the brightside: at least he can't threaten war on us - although I do dare say that is the only brightside in all of this. I do pity him though. After all, he's going to spend the rest of his days chasing after someone that is, for him, completely unattainable. I do pray that one day soon he will decide to leave you alone.

It does sound as though neither of us is having much luck, doesn't it? The girls here are as ignorant and snobbish as always, but I am grateful to have Marjorie on my side still. I do believe she is the only one.

Lucy paused, rereading what she had written, before continuing on with everything she'd been up to as of late, including one particularly amusing story involving the Headmistress, a bird, and a giant puddle. Upon hearing the bell signaling dinner, she quickly finished so she could drop her letters in the post on her way.

I do so miss you, Susan. School isn't quite the same without you here. I cannot wait for the Christmas holiday when all of us will be together again, even if only for a brief time.

Sending my love and praying for you always
Your loving sister,
Lucy

She folded the paper, sealed the second envelope, and, grabbing her coat, headed out of her room.

A cool breeze met her as she pushed open the door of the dormitory. It was nearly November now; less than two months remained until she would be reunited with her siblings again. That thought alone caused a warmth to spread in her chest and at the same time filled her with a deep longing.

'Soon,' she kept telling herself. 'Soon we'll be together again and can talk openly about Narnia and can help ease the ache in each other's hearts.'

Sighing, she slowed to a halt on the strangely empty sidewalk. "Aslan," she whispered, casting her gaze to the gray skies above. "I know You said You're always with us - even here in England - but it's so hard. It's so hard to even look for You here when my heart longs to be with You again, in Your presence. Be with my sister; I know she sometimes doubts You. Please give her the faith she needs to keep pushing on. Be with Edmund; I've only had one letter from him, and it seems he's doing well, but I know he struggles, too. He's never liked being away from us for long, but this situation has placed him on his own. Bring him home safely to us. Be with Peter. Bring someone alongside him to encourage him in his studies. Be with us all. Help us not to lose sight of what is most important. To Aslan I give these things."

With another sigh, she started back on her way, her heart lighter than it had been a moment before. A smile crept onto her lips. Aslan would hear her and answer. He would take care of them.

He always did, after all.

Susan had come to dread closing up the library on Friday nights but had no good reason to ask for that time off either. Any of her coworkers she had told about her predicament had responded in like-kind: "Robert Thatcher? You should be flattered he's paying you attention. I don't see the problem."

And with those words came an even better understanding of her sister. Harassment shouldn't be seen as flattery. Susan knew that respect regardless of gender was, in part, what the Women's Movement stood so forcefully for, and now, if only for that reason, she almost wanted to join herself.

Squaring her shoulders, she stepped outside and locked the doors behind her. This ended tonight, even if she had to punch him in the nose herself.

As she turned to leave, a figure moved from the shadows where he was leaning against one of the pillars.

"Good evening, Miss Pevensie."

Susan stared, her lips pursed. "You again."

"Well, I thought you'd probably be happier to see me than Mr Thatcher, at any rate."

"Yes, but I do believe I told you to let me be as well."

"You did, and I am, I promise. I only addressed you so I wouldn't startle you, but really I'm just here as a deterrent. He did come by, you know, but when he saw me here, he left. I guess he didn't want a fight tonight." He paused. "I really am sorry, you know. I didn't mean any disrespect, and I still don't now. I realize I've lost your respect already, but I don't like seeing boys harass women, so if you'll bear with me, I'll keep him from waiting for you when you close up. I know you can handle yourself, but you shouldn't have to."

Susan studied him carefully. He seemed sincere, and he was certainly the first person outside her family to acknowledge Robert's actions as harassment. He may have gone about getting her attention in the wrong way, but he didn't seem like most men she'd met. On top of that, he seemed vaguely familiar in that way someone you used to know does when you see them again after years apart but don't recognize them at first. Still, that didn't mean she had to like him. "You cannot lose something you never had and you never had my respect, but I suppose I should at least say 'thank you' then." She stepped to the side. "So, thank you."

As she started off, she caught a glimpse of the smile that lit up his face. She didn't have to like him, but she supposed she could still be grateful. She had taken only a few steps away before calling out to him, almost before the thought had fully formed in her mind.

"Walk me to the station."

"Pardon?"

She could hear the puzzlement in his voice, and turned back towards him as she repeated her statement. "I said, walk me to the station. You offered the other night, and now I'm taking you up on it."

He quickly closed the distance and, as they headed down the path, he asked, "What made you change your mind?"

Susan didn't so much as spare him a glance as she answered. "My father brought me up to appreciate those who show kindness. He also taught me to be kind to others; you never know when you'll need a favor, after all."

Her companion chuckled. "He sounds like a smart man."

"The smartest I know," she replied with a smile of her own.

They continued the rest of the way to the station in comfortable silence. As they walked, Susan couldn't help feeling as though this new acquaintance was actually a very old friend. It was strange, but perhaps not bad. When they arrived, he tipped his hat, bid her a good night, and turned back towards the campus.

"You know," Susan called to him, causing him to pause and turn to face her again, "I never did get your name. I see so many people in the library that I'm afraid I can't recall it."

With a smile, he replied, "Jacob Lewis. My friends just call me Jack, though."

Susan couldn't help but return his smile. "Well. Thank you again, Mr Lewis." Without another word, she turned and descended the steps.

'Jacob Lewis,' she thought. 'Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to have someone like him around, after all.'