Lost and Found

49: It wasn't your fault

Peter lay there, staring at the canvas ceiling of the tent, Edmund wrapped in his arms and fast asleep, but as for himself, he lay wide awake, unable to sleep despite his tiredness and illness. 

"Peter..."

Peter turned his head to look at Susan, swallowing hard at the upset look on her face.

"You should sleep." She told him, lowering her book that she'd been reading. 

Peter sighed. "I can't." He whispered, not wanting to wake Edmund up. 

"Why not." Susan murmured. "You look shattered."

Peter glanced down at Edmund. "I don't wanna wake up and find it all a dream." He choked, Susan barely hearing him. "I finally have him back-"

"You have him back Peter." Susan said firmly. "It's not a dream, I promise." 

Peter glanced back up at her, taking a deep, shaky breath before nodding slowly. "It's just hard to believe." He muttered. "He's been gone for so long." 

"I know." Susan breathed. "I get that, but he's okay now, he's back with us." 

Peter bit his lip, his arm tightening around his little brother, his head pounding. 

"Peter please sleep." Susan sighed. "You're sick, and the one thing you need right now is sleep." 

Peter swallowed hard. "I'm fine." He whispered. 

"You're definitely not fine." Susan said, eyebrow raised. "It's been a long, stressful month, for you especially."

At this point Peter's eyes were drooping, but he was still fighting to stay awake, despite him losing said fight. 

"Sleep, now." Susan said gently but firmly. "I'm right here if you need me." 

And despite everything he'd said, Peter finally drifted off into a deep sleep, Edmund held gently in his arms.

----------------------------------------------

Peter was woken Aslan knows how long later when he heard his brother let out a heartbreaking scream, and glancing across at him found him trapped in a nightmare, thrashing against the covers and crying out, tears streaming down his cheeks. 

Glancing around Peter saw no sign of either of his sisters, but didn't pay much attention to this and quickly turned to his brother, sitting up and grabbing his shoulders. 

He eventually realised he was feeling a lot better than he had been before sleeping, and shook his brother, murmuring under his breath. "Come on Ed, wake up." He choked. "It's just a dream."

Edmund continued screaming for a while, before Peter shouted at him, causing his eyes to snap open. 

What happened next was a bit of a blur to Peter, he remembered his brother waking up, scared eyes staring deep into his, before Edmund lunged up and he felt a searing pain shoot through his nose, instantly feeling blood soak his face. 

He collapsed backwards and fell off the hammock, landing with a thud and a groan as his hand went to his nose, a loud ringing in his ear the only thing he could hear. 

He heard shuffling after a while, and forced his eyes open, only to see Edmund stagger across the tent and disappear outside, causing Peter's heart to stop. 

"Ed!" He cried as loud as he could, struggling to his feet and heading out after his brother. 

Whatever Edmund had dreamt about must've been bad for him to be this scared, so scared he was trying to run away, and it broke Peter's heart. 

He dashed outside and ran after his brother, eventually catching up with him and flinging them both to the ground, sand flying up into his eyes and making him blink a few times to get rid of it. 

Edmund screamed when he hit the ground, trying to pull free from Peter's grip, but he didn't have a lot of strength so it was easy for Peter to keep a hold of him. 

Ignoring his steadily bleeding nose and pounding head, Peter tightened his grip around his brother's waist and placed his mouth to his ear. "Ed shhh, it's me, it's Peter." He whispered. "You're safe, it was a dream, you're free, you aren't there anymore. Come on, it's me, your brother, you're safe, it's me, it's Peter."

Peter mumbled this none stop for ages, until Edmund finally stopped struggling and slowly glanced up at him, tears rolling steadily down his cheeks as a look of realisation crossed his face. "Pete?" He choked. 

Peter gave him a small smile, blood dripping down onto his lips and chin from his nose. "It's me." He breathed. "You're okay." 

He spotted Susan and Lucy walk out the other tent, looking shocked at what they saw, but Peter told them to stay where they were with only a look. "It was only a dream Ed." He whispered.

Edmund stared at him for ages, trembling before he raised his hand and placed his fingers to Peter's nose. 

Peter shook his head. "It's okay, I'm fine." He reassured him, trying not to sound like he was in pain, which he definitely was. 

"I - I did that?" Edmund choked out, eyes wide and scared. 

Peter sighed. "It wasn't your fault." He said softly. "You were scared, I understand."

Edmund let out a sob. "I'm so sorry." He murmured brokenly. 

Peter placed a kiss to the top of his head. "Don't be." He whispered. "It's fine."

Edmund didn't say anything for a while, before lowering his head. "It was awful..."

"Shhh," Peter breathed. "It was a dream, you're safe now, you aren't there anymore." 

Edmund swallowed hard before burying his face against Peter's neck. "Promise?" He whispered. 

"I promise." Peter said firmly. "It was a dream." 

Edmund nodded slowly. "I'm sorry." He choked again. 

Peter shook his head, his heart breaking. "I said it's okay Ed." He sighed. "It wasn't your fault. You had a dream, woke, got scared and defended yourself."

"Defended myself from you!" Edmund cried softly. 

"Did you know it was me?" Peter asked knowingly. 

Edmund hesitantly shook his head. 

"Well there you go then, you defended yourself after a horrific nightmare." Peter told him. "It wasn't your fault, if anything my reflexes are at fault." He added with a gentle smile. 

This got a tiny smile from Edmund, before he wrapped his arms around Peter's waist. "Thank you." He whispered. 

Peter frowned. "For what?" He asked. 

Edmund smiled weakly again, tears in his eyes as he answered his brother. "For saving me."

-------------------------------

Sorry for the lack of updates, aha lol