Hey guys. A couple of things I needed to tell you. One, this chapter will be in Susan's POV because I love writing as her, I've discovered. Second, I have decided that I actually like the idea of writing by memory of the movie instead of the book, because honestly I haven't read the book enough to have a good grasp on what happens (I lost the book so I can't copy anymore) and I like the movie better anyway, so I am gonna write from now on that way. Sorry if I lose a few readers because of it, but I don't like how it's turning out doing it how I was, so I am no longer gonna do it that way. Thanks to those of you who understand!

Now let me just respond again and you can read!

luv: Susan is mad at Peter because he told Caspian to not be with her, obviously, and she's mad at Caspian because not only did he not tell her why he didn't want to be with her, but he also made her think he didn't like her anymore in the process.

lolajam77: I know right! By the way, it is so good to know that I'm not the only one that talks to the characters when I review!

Disclaimer: I'm running out of weird ways to say 'I don't own this.'

SUSAN'S POV:

For the next few days, I stayed mostly in my quarters, never coming out. Lucy would come in with my meal three times a day, and would sometimes stay for a bit to talk, but other than that I just stewed over the revelation. How could Peter make Caspian do that, knowing how much I liked him? And how could Caspian agree to do so?

After a while, my anger subsided and slowly turned to hurt and confusion. My brother shouldn't have made Caspian stay away from me knowing how I felt, and Caspian should have at the very least told me about it instead of just leaving me in the dark about it.

I decided finally, about a week after the incident, that I wasn't mad anymore and I should probably start going above deck again. So I got up early like I usually did before the sun rose and went above deck to watch it do so. I had found during the Golden Age that if you got up very early, you could hear the mermaids singing.

I walked to the side of the ship and looked out over the calm waves as the sky started turning a light purple as the sun rose. I breathed a long, content sigh. This was what I needed to calm down. Small clouds moved across the sky and blocked out the still rising sun for a moment. The sky was turning a dark blue now.

Suddenly I heard another sound other than the breeze that had been going past. Behind me, someone was walking up the deck to where I stood. I stiffened. I knew those footsteps. It wasn't Lucy- hers were barely able to be heard. It wasn't Edmund- he wouldn't be up at this hour. And it wasn't Peter- his footsteps were quicker and a bit louder.

The footsteps were Caspian's. Evenly paced and just noticeable, his footsteps sounded on the deck as he walked forward until he stood next to me. "I'm sorry," he said quietly, coming to rest beside me. "I should have told you why. But I guess I thought you would get mad at Peter- I didn't want that. It was just better to simply tell you we couldn't be together and leave it at that."

I stood in silence, my eyes never leaving the sky. But he stood facing me, looking down at me with all-seeing eyes.

"I didn't think it was even important anymore when you told me that you wanted to be just friends as well. So I just left it how it was, and I never bothered to talk to you about it again."

Silence.

"But I really did like you the whole time, so I just found it easier not to talk to you at all, lest my true feelings show and I accidentally break my promise to your brother or go against your wishes. Either way, I didn't want to do either, so I just left you completely alone, no matter how it made me feel."

I finally turned to look at him, but I wanted to turn away as soon as I did. In his eyes I saw nothing but pain, sadness, regret… and something else I couldn't quite put my finger on. It looked sort of bittersweet, but I couldn't quite tell what it was.

"Caspian," I said finally. "I'm not mad anymore." "Really?" said Caspian hopefully, his expression relieved. I nodded, and he smiled, but I shook my head slightly.

"Caspian," I said. "I'm not mad anymore, but I am hurt. Yes, I would have been mad at Peter if you had told me, but I would have respected the fact that you made a promise. You shouldn't have just not told me. It hurt me. I thought you didn't care."

"Of course I care!" said Caspian. "But I didn't know what to do. You have to understand Susan, I did what I thought was best. I didn't know any better." I looked at his eyes again, and I knew that what he said was sincere. I sighed. "Caspian," I said. "I just don't know what to do."

"Please Susan," he said. "I don't expect you to still like me. I only want you to forgive me. I promise, I didn't mean to upset you or make you feel like I didn't care. Please just forgive me." I turned back to the ocean, biting my lip. By now the sun had risen and it was approximately six in the morning.

I turned back to Caspian and gave a broken half smile. "I forgive you Caspian," I said. "And I do still like you. But right now, I think I need to go talk to my older brother. I need to hear his explanation as well." Caspian nodded and hugged me lightly before walking away.

I sighed. Well, I thought to myself. Now I have to go talk to my older brother.

I began walking around the ship, where already the crew were awake and working, and began looking around for my brother. I went to the galley, where I knew breakfast was being served, and luckily I found him and my other siblings there eating already, talking and laughing.

I walked in and instantly the room went quiet. I looked at the floor as I sat and smiled lightly at a crew member when they gave me my food before finally looking up at my still-silent siblings. "Good morning," I said, hoping my voice wouldn't waver as much as I thought it would.

"Good morning Susan," said Edmund. "Feeling better today?" "Yes," I answered. "Quite so." I turned to Peter. "Peter," I said. "I apologize for my behavior. I would be very happy if you could join me on deck later so that we can talk." "Of course," said Peter, frowning in confusion. I smiled lightly.

Presently the breakfast talk began again, and I felt happier than I had in a while as I talked again with my siblings. Caspian never came down for breakfast, but I learned that this was because he had already eaten before he met with me earlier.

After breakfast, Peter and I went on deck to talk, standing next to the edge of the boat.

"Susan," he said. "I'm sorry for telling Caspian that he couldn't be with you, knowing your feelings. But I did it because of how you were before we came back. You were constantly sad. You rarely even gave a fight any more when mother and Aunt Alberta started fixing you up like a lady.

"I didn't know you anymore; you had sunk so far inside yourself. I rarely saw you smile, and when I did it was brief. I didn't want you to feel that way again if you become attached to Caspian again while we're here and then we have to leave. You weren't yourself, and I hated seeing you that way."

"It's alright Peter," I said. "I know why you did it. I'm no longer mad that you did it. I'm slightly hurt, yes, but I carry no ill will toward you anymore. But I do need you to understand that I know very well what will happen if I go back home after being with Caspian while I'm here.

"Peter, I'm not a little girl anymore. I know how to handle myself. That's why I told him myself that we needed to remain friends. That's why I let it go when he said the same, and that's why I ignored the feeling I had when he did so. I need you to understand that I can take care of myself Peter. Please understand that."

Peter looked at the ground. "I know you're growing up now," he said. "But it's hard for me to grasp. Your whole life I've been there looking after you. Back in the Golden Age, I tried to understand how you were growing up as well, but then that whole big thing happened with Rabadash, and now it's harder to do so. I just don't want you to get hurt again."

I leaned up and gave him a hug. "It's okay," I said. "I know how hard it is. Heck, Lucy is all grown up now too. It's hard even for me to believe that she's becoming a young lady. But we have to." He hugged me back, smiling. "You always were the sensible one," he said. "I'm glad that you didn't grow up to be one of those simpering silly girls that were always coming to Cair back in the Golden Age."

We laughed together at that. This was perfect.

It wasn't until the sun was going down that I found Caspian again.

He was standing at the hull of the ship, a spyglass in one hand as the other rested on his knee, which was propped up on top of the front of the ship. "Caspian," I said, coming toward him. He jumped at the sudden sound from behind him before turning around. "Oh," he said. "Hello Susan."

"Hello," I said quietly. "I just wanted to see you. I haven't seen you all day." "Oh," said Caspian. "I apologize. I have been very busy today, you see. I haven't been intentionally avoiding your company, I promise." "It's alright," I said. "I understand. Has Captain Drinian come up with an update? Do you know where we are headed?"

"Yes, actually," said Caspian. "I was actually just looking at it. A little farther out there is a small island, just far enough away that you couldn't see it unless you were actually looking. We are going to dock there next to restock and then we will see from there where we will go."

(YAY! This chapter is officially longer than the last one!)

"Alright," I said. "Do you know how many days it will take to get there?" "It will probably be three more days until it becomes visible," said Caspian. "But after that it will be another two until we dock." I nodded before looking down. There was an awkward silence for a few moments.

"Caspian," I said finally. "What's happening to us?" "What are you talking about?" Caspian answered. "I mean," I said, sighing. "That all of this voyage, we have barely talked, and when we have it was either brief or ended with some sort of harsh feelings or bad tempers."

"I don't know," said Caspian. "I don't want it to be that way though. "You have to understand, Susan. I don't want you to be hurt, but every time I see you I just want to hold you in my arms and tell you that everything will be alright. I want to be able to be with you. But I don't want to upset you or your brother. I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place here!"

I sighed. "I still like you Caspian. Heck, I'm pretty sure I'm in love with you. I don't want to lose you. After all of the friends I lost the first time I left, I don't want to lose you too. I know I won't be able to stay, but at least for now I want to be with you." I looked down now, tears in my eyes.

I don't know what I expected Caspian to do then. But whatever it was, it was nothing like what actually happened.

He put his hand under my chin and lifted my face for a moment before leaning down and kissing me. For a moment I was surprised, but I quickly got over that and closed my eyes before putting my arms around his neck and leaning up a bit. I sighed happily. This was the thing I had been waiting for since I left last time.

After a moment we both pulled back for need of air, and when we did his eyes were wide. "I'm so sorry," he said. "I just-" "It's alright," I said quietly. "You just surprised me for a minute." "Susan," he said, running a hand through his hair (This was a habit I had noticed he picked up since I left). "You know that we can't-"

"Caspian," I interrupted. "Please don't tell me that we can't be together. I love you, Caspian. I don't want to lose you. If I have to hurt when I leave, at least I want to be able to be with you until then. I don't want to leave off like we did before." "Susan," said Caspian. "What about Peter?"

"I'll talk to him," I said. "I already told him today that I needed to be treated like an adult now. I'm sure he will understand as long as we don't do anything crazy like try to keep it from him. Please, Caspian." Caspian took my hands in his. "Alright," he said, a smile on his face. I grinned and leaned up, giving him a small kiss.

"But we have to talk to him tonight," he said. "I don't want him to be mad at you or me." I grinned again. "Alright," I agreed. I gave him a hug, wrapping my arms around his torso as I buried my face in his chest. This is the best feeling in the world, I thought.

So? What did you think? Review! Until next time,

-CahillGirl2001