Overshadowed (Thor/Narnia Crossover)

Part XI

Edmund rolled over, blinking. The sounds of Susan and Lucy making breakfast in the kitchen downstairs reached him along with warm smells. He snuggled his blanket closer, still waking up. Eustace sat on the floor, tying his shoes.

"I see you're finally waking up, cousin." He looked disgusted as always, but maybe that was just his face.

Edmund sat up. He'd slept like a rock, not waking up once in the night. He stretched, yawning. Peter opened the door, coming over.

"Hey, look who's up." He ruffled Edmunds already mussed hair. Edmund smiled sleepily, pausing at the action. It felt like it had just happened recently, but he had no memory of why. He scrunched his eyebrows together. Most of yesterday seemed fuzzy now that he thought about it. He knew he'd missed work, but he didn't know why he had. He shook his head, standing.

"Breakfast is almost ready. Come on." Peter started for the door.

Eustace shoved out before him, shutting the door loudly. Peter shook his head, making eyes at Ed. Edmund stifled a laugh.

"I'll be down in a second. You go on." He waved a hand at Peter.

Peter grinned and went into the hall. Edmund could still hear Eustace on the stairs. Changing quickly, Edmund tried to think over the day before, still bothered that his memory escaped him. He could remember the day before that and the morning of yesterday, but that was it. He recalled angrily leaving on his way to his after-school job. Then his memory clouded, letting him remember but pieces of it. He knew he'd apologized to Mr. Richards, but why had he missed working in the first place? All he could think was that he'd been taking a walk to calm down.

Edmund shook his head, trying to clear the fog. Maybe he'd been tired. It didn't really matter. He pulled a sweater over his head, simultaneously heading for the door, nearly tripping on a stack of books on the way. He popped his head out just in time to avoid it. A hazy moment of his dream seemed stuck in his memory. A voice from a figure he couldn't identify.

"Make the most of this chance, Edmund."

Who had said it? And why? Nothing else from his dream came to mind. Dreams were funny things, but this felt so meaningful, so heartfelt- yet sad.

A goodbye.

Edmund smoothed his hair down, trying to calm the messy locks. All of that hardly mattered. Dreams were imagination. Unrealistic. Today felt like a new chance, for what, he was unsure, but it gave the feeling of a second try. A start over. Every little trouble he had with his family seemed small when he realized he still had them with him. As much as he tested them, pushed them away at times, he loved them.

He left the bedroom, bounding down the stairs, hurrying to the kitchen where Susan and Lucy stood, Lucy cutting something, and Susan rinsing a dish in the sink. Edmund gave Lucy a short hug from behind, quickly backing up again.

"Love you, Lu."

Lucy turned, fruit in hand. "Oh, Ed! I love you too!" Her surprise was clear, turning almost to suspicion. "Why?"

Edmund shook his head. "No reason. I I just don't think I tell you enough, and I do love you."

He had the overwhelming need to tell his entire family how much he loved them. He couldn't tell Mum and Dad yet, and that upset him, but it also made him more determined to tell everyone else. He had a strong sense that he'd almost lost them all forever, and it frightened him. Whether it was the fragments of a forgotten dream bothering him or something else, it gave him a need to tell everyone what he often forgot. He touched Susan's elbow.

"Love you too, Susan." He patted her shoulder.

She smiled at him. "Love."

She dried her hands, offering a hug. Edmund accepted it, barely, before darting from the kitchen, Susan shaking her head behind him, smiling and Lucy laughing, the fruit still in her grasp.

On his way to the table, Edmund went past Eustace as complaining and pig-like as ever. At this moment, it couldn't bother Edmund, and he grinned, slightly shaking his head as he walked by without a word. That was the love he could show to Eustace- being non-confrontational. Avoiding him was the best he could do. Peter looked up as Edmund entered, a smile lighting his eyes. Edmund returned it, stifling a yawn. Lucy leaned into the room behind him.

"Five minutes til breakfast should be ready." She moved away, holding the bowl of cut fruit.

Edmund sat beside Peter. He turned, nodding with a smile at Ed. "You know, I'm proud of you for taking responsibility for your mistake yesterday. It was grown up of you to take care of it on your own."

Edmunds chin lifted, and he started to smile. Even if he didn't know why he had skipped his job, he was glad that Peter was pleased.

"Thanks," He paused. "And Pete?"

"Yes?"

"I love you." Edmund looked at Peter, almost embarrassed that he'd actually said it.

Peter patted Ed's hand, then put an arm around his shoulders, hugging him reassuringly. "I love you too, Ed."

Edmund hugged him back. Things got hard sometimes, became so scary or confusing that Edmund got angry and frightened. He lost sight of what was still good and often forgot how much his family loved him- and how much he loved them. Peter was tired and scared too, but he always made time to be there for everyone else. He was trying to protect them. He wasn't perfect either, he would mess up, but he was doing the best he could, just like Edmund. Ed would try to remember that.

Peter let go just as Lucy entered, bringing a bowl of fruit, and Edmund began to feel squirmy, the hug growing a bit too long for his personal comfort. Susan followed with more of the food.

"Hungry?" She grinned, putting it down and taking a seat beside Peter. Eustace reappeared, sliding a plate onto the table, then sank into a chair across the table, arms crossed furiously. Lucy smiled around a bite of fruit, her cheerfulness contagious. Edmund laughed.

Here it was chaos, it was messy, and it was hard, but it was safe. It was his family.

It was love.