"I want you to tell me what happened next. After you saw the woman. What did she do to you?"

"…To me? Well…"

Lucy's heart sank. She must've been a little too excited, but she hadn't even heard the rest of his sentence! Trying very hard not to look so suspicious, she stared hard into her brother's eyes and spoke very slowly.

"Edmund, she didn't do anything to me, but… but she killed you. It was terrifying. Everything happened so slowly, the way it does in movies. To be exact, she sort of grabbed you by the hair and threw you to the ground. And while you lay there, I could only stand by and watch you while you suffered. She raised that horrible wand of hers and stabbed you with it-"

"Argh!" Edmund gasped and clutched his side where that same wand had pierced him not too long ago. What just happened? It felt as if something had actually stabbed him there. Lucy was watching with wide eyes. He was doubled over and his knuckles had gone white. He looked up and squinted at Lucy.

"Edmund… are you okay?" Lucy crawled over to the side of the bed and wrapped both her arms around him. He flinched at her touch, but made no move to throw her off him as he had done so many times before in the past.

"Yeah, I'm okay," he whispered, realizing the position they were in. He turned, feeling suddenly uncomfortable and Lucy had to let go of him. "I'm okay."

"Are you sure? Do you need the Nurse?" she insisted. Something didn't seem normal. Maybe breakfast had been a little dodgy after all.

"So, huh. She stabbed me. Funny, right? She stabbed me right here," Edmund said, lifting his shirt and pointing to the scar that so many days ago had nearly left him for dead. But he was definitely grateful that Lucy had been there, otherwise he wouldn't be comforting her now. Or at least, trying to comfort her. Lucy immediately averted her gaze and focused hard on a fly that was buzzing around his head. But she was still looking at him. Oh no…

"Yes, why- th-that's a big scar there, Ed!" Lucy stuttered, her eyes shifting from the fly to his finger, and back again. Damn it. She wanted to rush out of her room, but then he would probably try and stop her. Or maybe not?

"You okay, Lu? Not scared anymore, are you? Not of the big bad witch, eh?" Edmund cooed. Lucy stared at him. "I'm playing with you, Lu. Don't look so freaked out. Otherwise I might just, you know… tickle you!"

Lucy barely had time to register what he was doing, and all of a sudden he had her flat on her back on the floor, giggling as he tickled her neck, her arms, everywhere. She couldn't even remember what the nightmare had been all about, until he stopped tickling her.

"Well. This is actually pretty awkward," Edmund breathed. He had both hands planted on the floor on either side of Lucy's head so he was looking directly at her from above. Lucy was staring up at him with a look on her face that he couldn't quite place. She looked almost transfixed, mesmerised by him. But… no. That was disgusting. Him? And her? She was his sister, for goodness' sake!

Lucy closed her eyes, and Edmund froze. Why did she close her eyes?

"Lu?" he whispered. She didn't open her eyes, nor reply. God, she was starting to freak him out with all the staring and no-replying.

"Lucy! Wake up! Wake up, you're scari-"

"Boo!"

Lucy sat up so quickly Edmund did not see it coming. He did not even feel the small gasp coming from Lucy as her lips somehow found his. He did not even feel his own heart pounding as she somehow got a bit carried away and wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned into him at the same time. He did not even feel the confusion and fear boiling up inside of him when she stood up slowly, forcing him to go along with her. Lucy was still unaware of what she was doing even when she began to cradle him in her arms, both of them lying on her bed, huddled together not as lovers, but as the young children they had been, protecting each other when the monsters of the darkness closed in around them as they slept. And for some unknown reason, Edmund Pevensie began to cry.