Black And Blue

AllzStar

I was running on empty. My footsteps, frantic and heavy as I ran too slowly, were the only thing pumping my heart. I found I couldn't make my feet move fast enough. I was taking too long. I needed to be there now, but they took their time, like the little old lady that everyone hates getting stuck behind when you're driving.

When I saw the blood, I felt I couldn't keep control of my speed. I was going far too fast. The world was dreary as I sprinted across the field of coal grey grass towards that marvellous head that was bleeding all over it. But it was so far away. I felt like a blind horse; I could only see what was directly in front of me. The rest of the world was shaking and blurry and didn't matter at all.

I fell onto my knees when I finally reached her. Caspian was crouching over her but stood aside as I took her beautiful face in my hands. Her eyes were shut against the world, against me, her face creamy pale and her full lips parted as her head fell back slightly. I called her name softly, but there was no response. I observed her head more carefully and nearly screamed when I saw the wide gash and the bright red blood staining her blonde curls and the grass beneath her.

A monster, perhaps a red, fiery dragon, rose up inside of me, its tail coiling all around my insides before rising up my throat. Its eyes became my own, and I felt overheated as it vomited a stream of white-hot flame. I turned to Caspian and he backed away at the fire in my eyes.

"What—did—you—do?" The dragon inside of me was getting impatient; it wanted out. But not yet.

Caspian's eyes widened as the heat was placed on him. "I did nothing!" I cried, throwing up his hands. "She turned around, and then fell into me. I think she hit her head on my sword was we went down." His eyes softened a little as he tried to reason with me. "Peter, I did not mean to hurt her. Honestly."

The dragon growled. Let me out. "Whether you meant to or not is irrelevant. You still hurt her. Her head is bleeding. What if she's forgotten everything again?"

Caspian let his eyes drop to the ground.

The dragon growled again, louder this time. "Did she?"

He didn't answer.

"I'm not going to ask you again, Caspian," I said through my teeth. "Has she lost her memory again?"

Without meeting my eyes, he slowly nodded. "I think so. She didn't recognize me."

Before I could chain it down, the dragon exploded in a massacre of flame and fury. A horrible sound escaped its mouth, a terrible roar that shook the atmosphere around it. Several people backed away from me as the monster burst forth.

She stirred, and the beast held its tongue in anticipation as it gazed at her face.

A crease appeared in between her eyebrows as she awoke.

"Jaxx?" I asked.

Her eyelids fluttered as she struggled to make them open. She peered up at me through tiny slits in the skin. "Who are you?"

Edmund pushed me aside before the dragon could scream again. He bent over and stuck out his hand. "I be Edmund!" he cried, smiling like a fool. "What's your name, I 'ere wonda?"

The look of bewilderment suddenly turned to one of recognition, then joy, then agony. She groaned and touched her bleeding head. "Edmund?"

He dropped to his knees and took her hand away from the gash. "Yes. Are you alright?" He was very serious now, his brow furrowed dramatically.

She blinked a few times, looked up at my brother. "Yes, I think so. My head feels a bit funny."

I fell down next to her and took her hand, squeezed it. "You forgot again."

"Seems like whenever you do something that you did before it helps me remember," she said quietly, breathing deeply.

"That's not good enough," I said sharply. "We can't have you forgetting things every time you get hit in the head. You can't forget me again, Carmen."

"Don't…call me Carmen," she breathed.

"She is fading," warned Caspian, advancing cautiously.

"Perhaps we should bring her to Lucy," suggested Edmund.

I scowled. "She isn't going anywhere. Got get Lucy, Ed. Now."

He got up and sprinted to it.

"Is there anything I can do?" Caspian offered.

I glared at him. The dragon was back and rumbling softly in my gut. "You can back away and shut up. That'll help." I looked at the circle of Narnians that were all observing the scene wearily. "All of you! Find somewhere else to be. I mean now!"

The instantly scattered.

I was alone with Jaxx now. She was breathing heavily, staring up at the sky. The color was just beginning to pour back into her cheeks. She turned her gaze and met my eyes, smiled softly. "You worry too much, Peter."

"I have a right to be worried," I snapped.

"No. It's not a big deal."

I pursed my lips. "What if we're ever in a battle and you get hit in the head and forget everything? You'll die."

"At least I'll die fighting for my country."

"No."I took her hand to my mouth and pressed my lips to it, then held it against my face.

Edmund and Lucy arrived then. Lucy unscrewed the cap of her cordial and fed Jaxx a tiny drop. I watched as the large cut on her head sealed itself shut. But the blood that remained was enough to make me feel ill.

*

I cried out as the icy water ran down my back, sending several nasty shivers up my spine. It was bad enough having it smother my head, but I didn't need melting glacier water anywhere else.

I was bending over a large tub. Peter stood behind me, his hands covered in sweet-smelling soap. He had been washing the blood from my hair, but now he was just massaging my head. His strong fingers kneaded my scalp to the point where I thought I'd fall asleep. The towel I had wrapped around my chest was slipping slowly as my fingers slackened; the only thing keeping me from passing out was the fact that if I dropped that towel I'd be naked.

The smell of soap and blood lingered in the air, but neither was more powerful than the smell of him. Peter had always had a particular smell to him. He smelled of a spice I couldn't name, but I had always loved it.

"Peter," I groaned as he rubbed my temples. "I'm going to fall asleep if you don't stop."

He laughed softly before turning off the tap. "I don't know how you could fall asleep with ice pouring over your head."

"Mmm," I mumbled, smiling slightly. "It's just your touch."

He dried my hair with a towel before helping me straighten up. I sat on my cot, clutching the towel around my torso. Peter sat down beside me and I leaned on him, my head on his bare shoulder.

"Tired?" he asked.

"Mmm," I replied again, closing my eyes. I remembered then that I had barely slept last night and for only two hours the night before.

Peter ran his hand up and down my arm, pausing at my bare shoulder blade. "You should rest."

"We should rest," I chided. "You haven't slept either."

I heard his chuckle shudder through his chest. "Alright. We'll have a nap, then."

Never letting me go, Peter laid me down on the cot. We were both facing the same way as he secured his arms around my chest, nestling his head against the base of mine. I felt totally at peace. This was the way it should be in Narnia. Constant rapture, being with the one you love all the time. Not battling in wars and fighting for the throne that was always Aslan's anyway.

"I love you," Peter whispered again in my ear. He squeezed me tightly so that his bare chest was curving wonderfully with my bare back.

I sighed happily and was going to reply, but I was asleep before I could get the words out.

Hey guys!

Well that chapter wasn't very long, sorry.

And no, they don't do it. Yet…mwhaha! Just kidding.

Well, as I mentioned in my Authors note: I am going to finish this story (there's like 30 more chapters to write *eyes widen*), and then I'm going to rewrite it immediately after. There are so many mistakes in here! And my chapter titles are lame. So yeah.

Anyways, R&R people!

I'll try to get the next chapter up this weekend.

-AllzStar