A/N. Okay, girls, from today on my situation with the network is gonna be more difficult than ever and I really don't know when I can update next, but don't worry-I'm not gonna make you wait too long! Now, on with the chapter.)

Chapter 18.

"So…we're on this ridiculous boat and lost in a tempest. Brilliant. Days and days of being tossed like a pancake and not the slightest sign of land. The only consolation is: everyone is finally as miserable as I am. Except for that show off talking rat, he's one of those annoying "glass is always half-full" types. Though I wish it was the only thing to worry about. I can't believe I broke down like that in front of Lucy Pevensie, out of all people. I actually cried in front of her and even hugged her. Completely unacceptable. Or is it? She did try to comfort me today and she almost sounded like she actually cared, weird enough. What if she did care? What if…"

Suddenly Eustace heard a knock on his door and closed his diary, stuffing it in his sock as usual. "Who's there?"

"It's me, Lucy." Came the gentle and cautious voice from the other side. "May I come in?"

He thought about it for a moment and decided it would be quite stupid, not to mention extremely rude, to tell her to go away after what she did for him. "Um, sure." He said and watched the door open as Lucy entered the room and went to sit on the bed next to him.

For a few moments they were silent, then Lucy asked "So, how are you feeling?" he looked in her eyes and could tell she didn't mean his physical health.

"Well…better, I guess." In truth, he did feel slightly better about this Edmund and Edelle thing, though he still didn't know for sure how long it will take him to get over it completely. "Do you know where is she now?" he asked.

Lucy wasn't fond of lying, but she had to, for Eustace's sake. She saw Edelle sneak into Edmund's room and didn't see her coming out. But telling Eustace that would be the equivalent to killing him now.

"She's in her room, probably already asleep." She said with a straight face, giving him no hints to doubt it.

He nodded his head and they once again sat in awkward silence. This time it was Eustace to speak up

"Look, Lucy, I'm sorry about today. My behavior was…"

"Perfectly normal." She cut him off, with an understanding half-smile "There's nothing to apologize for."

Her words relieved him, but he still felt a bit uneasy. After all, she was the only person in the world to see him at his most vulnerable state. One part of him was still embarrassed about it, the other felt like he owed her something, simply because she was there for him when he most needed to be comforted.

Lucy noticed his inner debate and decided to try and convince him more "Eustace, it's okay. Really. You just needed to let it all out to someone. You found out that they were together and then walk in right at the moment they were kissing. You're suffering your first broken heart and your reaction is nothing to be ashamed of." She assured him.

He sat there, taking it in. Maybe she was right and there was nothing to be embarrassed about after all…then his head jolted up and he looked at her wide-eyed "First? You mean, there will be more?"

She looked at him and couldn't help but chuckle at his horrified expression. "Well, let's just hope not, okay?"

He slowly nodded his head and smiled too. For several moments they were just quietly chuckling at each other and Eustace couldn't help but notice that her warm smile and kind eyes did a surprisingly good job at taking his mind off his trauma. For the second time in his life he felt like he had someone that understands him and doesn't hate him because of his exterior obnoxiousness. Who knows, maybe they could even become friends…

"Hey, um…would you like to come to Caspian's training room tomorrow morning?" Lucy suggested.

"Why?" he looked at her, puzzled

"Well, we could find you a dagger or some sort of weapon and I could try and teach you how to use it."

He smiled at that, after all, being a boy inevitably meant subconsciously liking swords and fights. "Yeah, great, I'd love to"

Lucy smiled back "Okay then, I'll come for you at ten. Goodnight, Eustace."

He nodded "Goodnight, Lucy." And with that she exited his room, leaving him to relish in the feeling of having someone around again.

Despite having Edelle's warm body cuddled to his side, Edmund was having trouble sleeping tonight. Strange thoughts just kept intruding his mind. He couldn't understand where such thoughts were even coming from. He kept tossing his head from side to side, as in attempt to shake them out when suddenly he heard a woman's voice

"Edmund…"

He glanced down at Edelle; she was fast asleep and even if she wasn't, the voice most definitely couldn't have belonged to her. For a moment he thought it was just his mind, but then he heard it again

"Edmund…come with me…"

Now he could hear it as clearly as if someone was standing right next to the bed. He quickly turned his head and his eyes widened in shock: merely two feet away from the bed was no other then than the White Witch. Although, all her form was in the green mist, she seemed so real as she spoke

"Come with me…join me!" she extended her hazy hand. At that Edmund's expression turned stern and he reached for his sword when he felt someone shake his shoulder and then…he was awake.

"Edmund!" he heard Edelle's troubled voice as he opened his eyes and jerked upwards on the bed he looked at the spot the witch had been just now, but ,of course, nothing was there.

"Edmund…" Edelle sat up and put her hand on his face, making him look at her "What is it, love? You've been tossing so violently, I almost fell out of the bed." She asked, without a tone of annoyance, but with great concern instead.

"Oh, Edelle…" he let out a relieved sigh and took her hand from his face, kissing her palm. "It's nothing…thank god you're here." He said, panting slightly and pulled her to him, holding her tightly to his body.

At that moment Edmund couldn't be more thankful that she was really here, in his bed, with him. So if he had a nightmare again, he would wake up anyway and find her fragile form snuggled up to him, and that alone would make him forget about all the nightmares in the world.

As he embraced her, she sighed sympathetically and wrapped her arms around his torso, soothingly caressing the bare skin of his back. After a few moments he let go of her and they lay back on the bed. He once again cuddled her to his side and she wrapped her arm over his rock-hard abdomen and rested her head on his chest.

"You know, I couldn't sleep well either. I was having a dream…it wasn't exactly a nightmare…it was just really strange…"

He furrowed his eyebrows "What was it about?"

She shook her head "Some other time."

He sighed, but let her dismiss the theme for now. "Well, so either we're both going mad, or something's indeed playing with our minds."

She sighed too and snuggled further into his side "Try to get some sleep okay?" she said with care and his grip tightened around her

"Yeah, you too. I love you."

"I love you too."

And this time they really did manage to get some peaceful sleep through the whole night

As always- revieeeew! You've been terrific at it lately, so please don't lose the grip! Love ya all!