A/N: (regarding 2nd review) I know that Lucy sounds a bit young, but in this fic I have pushed their ages back a year so Peter is 14, Susan is 12, Edmund is 11, and Lucy is 8. As to why Mr. Pevensie's cooking breakfast instead of Mrs. Pevensie: it's because Saturday's a special day and I want him to (so there)...

Chapter Two

"Matthew?" Helen said one evening. "Have you noticed the children are acting a bit strangely?"

Matthew continued reading the evening paper. "Are they, dear?" he asked, not really listening.

Helen sighed. "Yes. This morning, Edmund asked me if I would save the bone from the steak. When I asked why, he just shrugged and said it was a secret. And they all look so tired…"

Matthew took his eyes off the paper. "Honey, they're children. I'm sure whatever they're up to can't be that bad."

Helen looked at him. "Just talk to them, alright?"

Matthew folded up the newspaper and stood. "All right dear, I'll talk to them, although I'm sure it's nothing."

- - - - - - - - - -

"Okay," Peter said, tapping the notebook with his pen, "so this week, I have Mondays, Susan has Wednesdays, Edmund has Tuesdays, and Lucy takes Fridays, which leaves Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays open. And since we all have after-school activities and church…."

The four of them were gathered in the boys' room. Tumnus was scampering back and forth as happy as could be, jumping up and trying to lick their faces.

"We could drop them," Susan suggested.

A sudden knock on the door made them all flinch. Peter hurriedly stuffed the notebook under his pillow while Lucy raced Tumnus to the wardrobe. Closing the door most of the way (but leaving it open a crack), she turned and put a finger to her lips. "Shhhh…."

The door opened and their father entered.

"Hi, Daddy," said Lucy.

"Hi, kitten," said Matthew, smiling fondly. "Your mother wants to know what you're all up to. She says you've been behaving strangely."

"Oh, uh, nothing," stammered Peter. "We're just playing checkers."

"You have no board," Matthew pointed out.

"We mean 'we're about to', right, Peter?" Susan said hastily.

"Yeah, that's what I meant," Peter said, avoiding his father's eyes. He was a lousy liar.

"Does Mum need us?" Edmund asked, as the puppy let out a frightened bark.

"Where did that bark come from?" Matthew asked.

"Outside?" they said hopefully.

The puppy barked again.

"That sounded like it was coming from inside the wardrobe," said Matthew. To the children's dismay, he went over and opened the door. Tumnus bounded out happily and ran over to Lucy.

Matthew looked angry. "Right," he said in short, clipped tones. "Downstairs, all of you."

Hanging their heads, the four guilty children trooped downstairs.