Helen, Lucy, Jill and I moved around the kitchen preparing the pretty large dinner for all of us as Ed and Eustace moved around the extended table setting it with a record playing in the back ground. Plucking the last rolls—one of the few things that I was excellent at making—out of the pan, I tossed it in the basket and started in to set them on the table right at Edmund passed and moved to grab one.
"Don't even think about it," I moved it over to the side and out of the way.
"Awe, but I should rightfully get the first one," He smirked and reached for it right.
"No way, you can have one at dinner," I turned and secured the towel over top of them.
"Just one," he reached around, daring to grab for one right as as Lu walked out with one in hand. "What?" He asked incredulously.
"I can see why you like them so much," She smirked, "they are so warm, the butter and jam just melt right in."
"Alright, give me it," He rushed forward and giving a small laugh, as she rushed one way while he grabbed for her roll I rushed around the table. "I'm the fiancé. I should get first dibs."
"You get them all year," Lucy laughed as she ran around the corner and onto one side of the table beside me as he rounded the corner and paused across from us. "In fact, I think that everyone should get one before you."
"She does have a point, Love," I grinned, catching onto what she was getting at, I pulled off the towel. "Eustace!" I called and having been watching from the side he was ready and caught the roll as I tossed it to him.
Taking a large bite he nodded in approval, "delicious."
"Jill!" Lucy called and tossed one to her.
"You're right Scrubb, these are good," She teased as she took a bite.
Giving a small growl of frustration while smiling he rushed towards one side and giving a small squeak, I grabbed the basket and rushed around to the other side with Lucy.
"Alright, what are you kids doing?" William spoke as he moved in the archway from the hall.
"Hey, Dad try one of Eres' dinner rolls," Lucy grabbed one from the basket and tossed it to him.
Catching it, and obviously catching on a bit by our placement, he took a bite and nodded in approval. "You know, you're supposed to side with me now. Not Lucy," Ed smirked over at me.
"And miss this fun?" I giggled slightly right as there was a clatter and ding of the front door opening and we all paused in our battle as Peter stumbled in.
"Hey!" Hey shouted out and excitedly the others rushed forward, Helen moving out of the kitchen.
Setting down the basket, I grabbed two rolls, using Edmund's distraction to my advantage. "Hey, Eres," He grinned as I made it to the front and gave him a hug.
"Hello," I grinned as I stepped back from the hug. "Here, have a dinner roll. I made them myself."
Not really understanding, but hardly going to turn down food after the trip he took it. "Thanks."
"You've got to be," Edmund started from beside me and giving a laugh with the rest, except for Helen and Pete, I turned and just shoved the other roll into his mouth, increasing the laughter of Lucy, Jill, and Eustace.
"What is going on?" Helen asked in the motherly fashion, but with a small smile.
"Nothing, Mum," Ed answered with a grin, happy he got his treat.
Just shaking her head she turned back to Pete. "Well, hurry along and get your bags in your old room, dinners almost ready," Helen smiled, leaning up to kiss him on the cheek.
"Where's everyone else staying?" He asked as Helen and William started back into the kitchen, him telling her about what was happening with the rolls.
"Eres and I are bunking together," Lucy answered, "Edmund with Eustace…"
"Just like old times," Ed chuckled mussing up Eustace's hair.
"…and Jill with Susan," Lucy finished.
"Speaking of…" He trailed off looked around at us, dampening the mood a bit.
"Party," I frowned and he opened his mouth, letting out a silent 'ooohhh' as we all nodded. Shaking his head slightly in disbelief he started up the steps as Helen called us back into the kitchen and soon we were all gathered around the table, the one empty spot quite noticeable at the side of the table.
The questions started for Peter about his classes and how studies were going when it took a sudden left turn and moved to the wedding.
"So have you thought about children," Helen asked taking another turn and both Edmund and I proceeded to choke on our drinks and food. Coughing, I heard the rest of the kids snickering as I looked over at Edmund just as he did me.
"Mum, I think that's a bit soon," He stifled out, still coughing slightly.
"Yes, I think that will come after our schooling is over," I nodded adamantly.
"It's just I'm not getting any older and Peter here isn't giving me any options." She smiled and almost instantly his snickers stopped. "Plus I've seen you with the children at church," She looked at me, "your very good with them."
Giving a small smile I nodded as Edmund took my hand reassuringly. Now, around Christmas was typically the hardest time for me in accepting the fact that Uncle Lune, Corin, Cor and Aravis along with their children were gone. "Yes, well I had some experience helping raise the younger children at the orphanage," I offered sticking with the back story.
"One day but not too soon," Edmund answered and raised my hand, kissing my inner wrist softly as Helen along with Lucy, and Jill gave out 'awws.' "Besides, I don't know what you're talking about Mum, last I heard, Pete's got a girl." He smirked over to his brother across from him, who immediately took an unnatural obsession with cutting his meat as his mother turned to look at him.
"Peter William Pevensie, have you forgotten to tell me something?" She frowned, pouring on the guilt along with the effects of the full name.
"Ed," there was a distinct jolt to the table as Edmund stifled a groan, "doesn't know what he's talking about Mum."
"Come one, Peter," Lucy prodded and turned the puppy dog eyes on him, which even at twenty-two he couldn't deny her that.
"It's just been a couple dates, but she's very smart and nice," He rushed out and then took a big bite of his potatoes, suggesting to close the subject, though Edmund's ploy had worked and no longer was the spotlight on us, or even relationships as we continued on with dinner.
Soon, after all the dinner dishes were taken away and cleaned we found ourselves in the living room, with Lucy, Jill, and I laughing at the boys as they tried to center the tree in the stand while we untangled the lights. Both Helen and William had retreated upstairs for the time being which meant they were wrapping the presents as us kids tried to set up the tree, but it wasn't going very well so far.
"No, more to the right," Eustace huffed slightly and Peter shoved it over to the side.
"Watch it!" Edmund shouted from his place under the tree where he was tightening the bolts to hold it in place.
"The other right," Eustace muttered, getting a chuckle out of Jill.
"There?" Peter questioned with a sigh.
"A little further," he gestured.
"Oh come on!" Edmund huffed.
"There," Eustace shouted as he ran to the side to make sure that it wasn't leaning to either side.
"Good, because I'm tightening this either way," Edmund spoke and with a few muttered words he emerged as we all moved around to look at it. With a small laugh, I reached up to help him brush the fallen pine needles out of his hair as we got started, Peter and Lucy grabbing a string of lights and getting started as I crouched down and popped the top on one of the boxes of ornaments with Edmund.
"Remember you're first Christmas here?" he chuckled and quickly I shoved him in the shoulder, causing him to fall back on his butt as I looked at him wide eyed and heard Peter, Lucy, and even Eustace start chuckling as well.
"What?" Jill questioned, looking around at all of us and I narrowed my eyes to Edmund as he held back full blown laughter.
"It's not my fault that I didn't understand the concept of a Christmas cracker," I huffed and immediately all the laughs broke out even more. Pouting, I flopped back on the couch as I started re-hooking the box of ornaments. "You're all horrible."
"What, how?" She asked incredulously.
"I spent all my time trying to memorize the stupid carols and Polly and I didn't get to crackers so when Lucy said it was time for the Christmas crackers I made the mistake of asking him," I tossed a painted wooden snowflake at Edmund who was still chuckling, "why we were having biscuits with dinner. Helen and William thought I was crazy, or something." I could see it on Jill's face, trying to restrain the laughter which the others were just bursting with now as the memory undoubtingly repeated itself and just waved her on. "Get it out," I sighed and a bubble of giggles broke through. "You, Mister," I pointed at Edmund, narrowing my eyes, "are in the dog house."
"Oh, come on," he gave the crooked smile that made it oh so difficult to stay mad at him. "It's a good Christmas story."
"No, it's horribly embarrassing story," I corrected.
"Well I've got one better for Jill and Eustace, even better than Eres'," Lucy came to my aid. "It was our first winter in Cair Paravel…"
"What? No," Edmund quickly moved to get up but knowing this story well I quickly lunged and pushing him back down while sitting on his lap, I clamped my hand over his mouth. Wide eyed Jill flipped her eyes between the scene and already laughing Peter.
"So," She began again despite the murmurs behind my hand. "We were all messing around outside in the snow and having a snowball fight when we stumbled onto this group of wild geese by the training grounds. And I don't even know what he did," She laughed and Edmund mumbled something that distinctly sounded like, 'I didn't do anything.'
"I think he must have hit one of them with a snowball," Peter laughed.
"Must have," Lucy nodded, "but all of a sudden these geese were chasing him across the lawn." Instantly Eustace and Jill erupted in laughs. Giving a groan behind my hand he slumped forward and I gave a small giggle.
"It's payback," I whispered, and leaned my forehead to the side of his as I dropped my hand.
"Uh hum," He muttered, but the pout only made me smile wider and I pressed a soft kiss against his temple before standing back up and grabbing he box of ornaments.
About three hours later, through joking and messing around, we all stood in front of our masterpiece. Now all that we had to do was put the angel on top of the tree, however that typically was a whole family thing and was proving to be a little difficult since Susan wasn't home yet.
"Everything done?" Helen asked as she and William walked in.
"Except for the angel," Peter held it up.
"I guess that can wait for tomorrow," William muttered, you could feel that he was a little disappointed in fact that she wasn't here and maybe a little angry as well. "Well, I'll leave you kids alone and head to bed."
"Me too," Helen yawned.
"Night, Mum, Dad," Lucy smiled up to them as they gave a wave and stepped back out of the room. Moving back around to the couch, I grabbed the blanket off the back of the couch and curled up in my favorite spot, the corner. And as Edmund settled down beside me, I moved my feet over his legs as he slung the blanket over us both and Peter sat down beside him.
Walking over to the radio, Lucy turned the dial and through a few scratches finally came a clear station with Christmas Carols. Smiling I leaned my head over onto the back of the couch as both she and Jill settled on the two seater and Eustance sat down in the arm chair.
This was the life that I loved, right here settled in a comfortable room with my family surrounding me and the love of my life right beside. Now, it hadn't turned out exactly as I expected all those years ago. Now it was in a dirty city with weird traditions like Christmas crackers and we were all in a small overcrowded house at this point but in a way I almost preferred it. Maybe it was because I'd had years to live this life and maybe it was because I knew that there was no chance that I could lose Edmund like I'd had so many times before, or maybe it was because I was supposed to have this life but I was comfortable.
We sat there just talking about what we had been doing at school and how everything had been going in this world, having decided to save most of our other stories for when Professor Kirke and Polly got here after Christmas. Then before we knew it the clock was striking twelve.
"I think I'm gonna go to bed," Lucy yawned, having already been nodding off for the past thirty minutes.
"I'll go with you," Jill, stood up and stretched.
"Night," we all chorused and with waves, they shuffled out of the house and I could heard their footsteps creak up the stairs and down the hallway to their bedrooms. Soon enough Eustace followed and by 12:30 Peter was yawning.
"You two don't do anything that you wouldn't want to do in front of Aslan," He joked as he stood up, stretched and moved towards the hallway. Grinning, Ed reached over and grabbed one of the throw pillows, chucking it at the back of Pete's head. Having sensed it or something, Peter tipped his head to the side so it flew past and with just a wink back he disappeared, moving up the stairs and into his bedroom.
Just then on the radio playing softly off to the side my favorite Christmas carol since I got here started playing, White Christmas. Looking over to where Edmund was about to fall asleep himself, his head tipped back against the couch I gave a small smile. "Dance with me," I whispered and just rolling his head over to the side, he gave a small smile and sat up. Pulling the blanket off our legs as I turned around, he took my hand and pulled me up with him before guiding me out into the empty space in the middle of the living room.
Unable to hide the wide smile, I linked my hands behind his neck as he wrapped his arms around my back as we started to dance to Bing Crosby's soothing voice. "You don't even fight me anymore," I whispered, looking up to him.
"There's no use," He smiled back down to me, "I'm going to lose anyhow."
"True," I giggled softly and leaning down, he pressed a soft kiss against my lips.
"Plus," he continued as we pulled away from each other and he brought one of his hand up, taking my hand and pulling me out in a small spin, "I've gotten better."
Smiling, I spun around and then back into our stance. "Also true," I accepted and moved in closer, resting my head on his shoulder right as that feeling hit again that something was wrong.
"Is everything all right?" Edmund whispered and hoping more than anything that it was, I nodded and just cherished this moment.