Title: Dragonfly in Amber

Author: FaithfulPureLight (and her sister)

Disclaimer: I wish. I really do! But alas I do not and I am only borrowing them. (Looks over to her lawyer. "Was that good?" lawyer nods. "Yay! Ok on with the introductions and then the story!" sister cheers in the background. I pull out Edmund and Peter and my sister pulls out Lucy and that witch Susan. "We own u as soon as the documents are done remember that") again just kidding!

Rating: For reasons explained later I am rating this a M for mature

Summary: Lucy starts having nightmares that she can't remember. Soon Edmund and Peter are too. What could be so terrible that our heros would willingly forget a memory of Narnia?

Dedication: to all my siblings who offer me comfort and keep me working. And are willing to let me talk their ears off so that u get this story

Finchly, England

Chapter 2: Nightmares and Memories

Peter's POV

A train whistle blows, jarring me from my fitful dozing. I am disoriented as I look around the compartment. What am I doing here? The train jerks back to life, sending me sprawling on the floor. I was not prepared for that.

I pull myself back onto the cushioned seat, a slight wince at the sore back. I know what I'm doing on this train. It should have come as no shock. The conductor calls for the next stop. Finchly. I am on my way home to see my family. Well, to see my siblings. I think I consider them family more than my parents.

I mean, we've been a family for more than 20 years. Narnia, and here in England. That's why it hurts so much to see Susan drifting away. She hasn't said it out loud yet, and I pray that I am wrong, but I can see Susan drifting away from Narnia. She doesn't believe in our adventures, taking them to be the imaginary games of bored war children.

I hope my younger siblings, Edmund and Lucy don't see what I see. It would crush them to know that the Queen who was a sister, mother, and friend to them has disappeared; replaced by a sister who mocks our adventures, and who tries to be around us as little as possible. The realization will be especially hard for Lucy. Although Ed enjoyed Susan's occasional mothering, Lu has always been closest to Su. They were best friends the way Edmund and I have become. When Lucy finally understands that Susan has forgotten, and is not coming back I fear the pain may become unbearable.

The train skids to a halt and I pick up my suitcase. I try to hide the smile on my face as I lean towards my companion in the car. My good friend Charlotte Airdiel lives in the very heart of London, while I live on the outskirts. She has come home for the winter holidays as well, and I want to say goodbye. I shake her gently, stifling a laugh as she jerks her head up.

"Bye Charlotte. I'll see you soon." She has me in a hug before I can say anything else. I relax into the familiar feeling and smell. She is the one person I have completely trusted since the four of us have come back to Narnia. I don't mean to say she knows about it, but I think if my brother and sisters said it was ok, I would tell her. I feel that she would understand, not completely but more than other people would. She's talking.

"You had better call Peter Pevensie! And I mean it! None of this, your to busy to drop your friend a call. The only excuse I will except, is that you are with your brother and sisters." I give her a small smile. Charlotte knows how much I have missed them. She seems to simply know that I am closer to my siblings then most our age. It's amazing how well she can read me. She even knows not to call herself my best friend; knowing that position has been claimed long ago by my younger brother.

"I'll call Charlotte. Don't worry." I pull away from her hug before hurrying of the train. The crisp clean air is refreshing after the stuff compartment. I wave as the train pulls away, watching until Charlotte is out of sight.

I look at my watch. It is early in the morning, just past midnight. My family thinks I am arriving later today. I wrote them saying that the earliest train time would meet the station at five this afternoon. Mom wrote me back, saying that Ed and Lu were so excited she could hardly control them. I wonder what they'll do when I walk down to breakfast later in the morning.

I hale a cab and soon am paying him at my house. As he speeds away I look up at my childhood home. But when I think of home I think of Cair Paravel. The ache in my heart hurts a little more. I am walking up the steps, although not paying attention to where I am going. I am to deep in thought.

It is true that when I think home I think Cair Paravel. When I think my country I think Narnia not England. And when I think of a loving family I think of my brother and sisters. And the ache that I know we all feel in our heart and souls grows a little more. But while England may not be Narnia, and the house not be home, England does have one thing. The thing that keeps me from giving into this pain. My siblings are still my siblings. And that's enough to make anywhere they are; home.

OoOoOoOoOo

The kitchen light has burned out. I have to feel my way around the room, tripping over chairs and boots. The stairs loom towards my left, and I swing that way wondering how many hours of sleep I will be able to get before breakfast. No more than three I am sure. It will take me a while to get to sleep.

I am at the foot of the stairs, praying to the lion that they will not creak when I here a scream. I know that scream. Know it all too well. The stairs fly under my feet as I take the three or four at a time. I rush down the hall as mother peeks her head out of her room. She is too startled by my presence to realize that someone is still screaming. Susan's door opens slowly and I catch a glimpse of a red haired girl behind my sister. I can hear Susan telling her friend she'll be right back. It is a comfort to know she is running behind me, all lady like manners gone in the moment of helping her younger sibling.

Edmund has already rushed from his room, slightly ahead of me as we skid to a halt. He has pushed the door open and is hugging my youngest sister. Neither realize I am there as Edmund tries to reassure Lucy. It must have been one hell of a nightmare. She's white as a ghost. I hear her sobbing into my brother's chest.

I can not take anymore of this. I need to be in that room! And I am by Lucy and Ed in an instant, hugging Lucy as best I can without taking her away from Edmund. She feels me beside her and lifts her head, her eyes shining with tears and surprise. She gives a little gasp before burying her head into my own shoulder. I look at my brother, wondering if he will take this as an insult. But apparently he does not mind. He gives a shaky laugh and gives me a hug as well before going back to rubbing Lucy's back in small circles.

Susan sits on the end of the bed, a worried air about her. I smile at her, but she does not seem to find solace in my smile the way Ed and Lu do. Lucy has finally calmed down enough so that Ed and I can find out what scared her so bad.

"What was it Lucy? Surely it wasn't the same one as last time." Susan speaks first, a tone in her voice that I do not like. I throw a glare at her, warning her not to push it. Lucy ignores it, looking between Edmund and me.

"It was awful. I know that much. But..." She does not need to say it. She can't remember the nightmare. It happens to Ed and I quite often too. I'm not sure which we prefer more. Remembering what we dreamed about or not.

"The one image I have is being in a room with one narrow window. It wasn't Cair Paravel though. The man in the room with me was dressed in Calormen style clothing. He had a very firm hold of my wrist..." She stopped to rub the wrist in question, almost as though it still hurt. "But I don't remember anything like that happening in my memories. Nothing even similar."

Edmund and I exchange a worried look that does not go unnoticed by Susan or Lucy. "What is it?" Lucy asks, her voice quivering. Edmund shakes his head.

"I don't remember ever even leaving you alone in the same room with a Calormen." He says quietly. I nod in agreement. Nothing of any sort comes to mind. Aside from Susan, Lucy had been safest during our Reign. She had come to battles of course, never allowing herself left behind, but that had been more for healing then fighting.

Susan tenses at the end of the bed. I try not to react, not wanting Edmund and Lucy to notice. I will talk to Susan after I calm Lu down. She has just had a terrible nightmare. She doesn't need this as well. But not much escapes Lucy's eye when it comes to Susan, Edmund, or I.

"Susan?" Edmund turns to look at his older sister as Lucy's voice trills threw the silence. Susan bites her lip before speaking. I pray to Aslan that she does not hurt them. Not tonight...please dear Aslan not tonight.

"You simply had a bad dream Lucy. It has nothing to do with the," Crap. She's going to say it. She's going to break their hearts. Aslan knows she's already ripped into mine. I can still remember the conversation before I went to the University.

(Flashback:)

"Su? Aren't you coming to talk to talk with Ed, Lu, and I about Nar..." I couldn't even get the name out before she snapped.

"Peter grow up! There is no such thing as Narnia! It was just a game we played at the Professor's to keep ourselves from getting bored. Your eighteen! Your going to the University. It's time you grew up too."

She had slammed her mascara down, and was on her feet. I could see no trace of Queen Susan the Gentle in her eyes. Now I saw only Susan. A Susan I did not like. My temper rose, and I took a deep breath, trying to keep it in check. It would not help matters to blow up at her.

"How can you say that Susan? How can you turn your back on your friends, your country, yourself, us?" She glared at me.

" You're the one turning your back Peter Pevensie! England is our country! My friends are here! They are real, not part of an imaginary game! I am perfectly fine. I am being true to myself. You're the one who won't let himself go because of a stupid baby game! And you're leading Edmund and Lucy on this. This this...stupid thing! If you won't grow up for your sake or my sake, grow up for their sakes!" She pointed towards the other room where our siblings waited. "I know how much you care about them. So stop pretending for them!" She stood, breathing heavily.

" I can't do that Su. I'm the one of the two of us staying strong. Especially," I emphasized the word. " for their sakes!" We were shouting by now. I hoped that Ed and Lu couldn't hear. It would crush them.

"What would Aslan say?" I add in a whisper. It appears I have struck a nerve with my last speech. She picks up one of her many hair brushes and throws it at my head as I leave the room.

(End flashback)

Please don't let her say it. I am begging of Aslan. "The games we used to play." She finishes. I flinch, watching my other siblings for their reactions. They seem stunned, but not as stunned as I would have thought. Maybe they did know that something had happened to Susan.

Whatever friend she has over is calling her, and without a backwards glace, Susan leaves. I think that hurts Lucy even more than the denial about Narnia. That Susan would leave her, hurting and scared from a nightmare.

I gather her into my arms. Even at thirteen she is small and light. "Come on guys." I lead them towards my room, which I next to Ed's. Lucy doesn't protest. I think she is afraid to be alone again. Edmund looks once towards his room, and shakes his head. He won't leave Lu alone either. I wonder if he's been having nightmares as well. I look to Lu, who nods her head slightly. Apparently both my brother and sister have been having a hard time with nightmares.

I put Lucy on the bed, laying down next to her, leaning slightly against the pillows and headboard. Ed lays down on her other side, one arm around her shoulders. She curls into my chest, a small smile gracing her lips as she falls asleep. The nightmares have left her for the night. And Edmund seems to realize this too, for he is asleep in minutes.

I mean to stay up all night. To wait a day or so longer until I can sleep as well. But the comfortable position Lu has put me in, and the lulling of Edmund's breathing has me to sleep minutes after my baby brother.

Tonight the three of us will be safe from nightmares. We have each others companionship and that is more than enough. But tomorrow will bring new problems and new nightmares, not to mention Susan's denial and ability to make that ache intensify immensely. But tomorrow is not here yet, and we sleep peacefully as we once did in Narnia.