21: You didn't kill me

                                    

                                          
"Peter!" Edmund cried, only two seconds after Susan had let him begin searching again. "Peter please!" 
                          
Susan watched him sadly, wincing when his voice cracked and he tried to keep back a sob. "Ed don't scream so loudly okay?" She murmered, resting a hand on her little brother's shoulder. 
                          
Edmund glanced at her before sighing and nodding, calling Peter's name a little quieter next time. 
                          
They continued searching for another half an hour, before Lucy stopped dead, her eyes going wide as she reached out to grab Edmunds arm. "Ed." She choked out. "Look!" 
                          
Edmund followed Lucy's stare, and his heart skipped a beat when he found himself staring at his older brother.
                          
Peter was a short way away, huddled against a tree with his knees drawn up to his chest. He was shaking hard and Edmund could easily tell he was crying, and hard, which caused his heart to shatter. "Oh Peter." He whispered, taking a step forward. 
                          
Susan quickly grabbed him though, and after a frown from Edmund she sighed. "Take it easy." She said gently. "Be gentle, he thinks you're dead okay?" 
                          
Edmund took a deep breath as his eyes filled with tears. "Okay." He choked out, before hesitantly walking over to Peter, the others staying behind.
                          
"Peter?" He murmured hesitantly as he knelt in front of his brother, an unsure tone to his voice.
                          
Peter completely froze.
                          
"It's me Peter." Edmund said softly. "I'm alive, you didn't kill me." 
                          
Peter hesitantly raised his head until he was staring at Edmund, his eyes wide in shock and disbelief. "E - Ed?" He choked, voice barely above a whisper. 
                          
Edmund made it a point to smile kindly and nod his head. "It's me, I promise." He said, wishing it was daytime so he could see his brothers face a bit better. 
                          
Peter didn't say anything for a long while before he took a deep, shaky breath. "But - But you're dead." He whispered. "I - I killed you." 
                          
Edmund immediately shook his head. "No you didn't Peter." He said firmly. 
                          
"But-"
                          
"No Peter." Edmund cut him off. "It was the magic, don't you remember?"
                          
Peter slowly shook his head, two tears sliding down his cheeks as he did. 
                          
Edmund sighed. "Peter, you lost your memories remember?" He explained. "But you got them back when you saw me getting hurt, but because you got them back, I nearly died and you had to save me. Whatever you killed, it was the source of the magic Peter, it wasn't me. You didn't kill me, I'm alive, I promise."
                          
Peter seemed to think for a very long time, before he swallowed hard. "It wasn't real?" He whispered. 
                          
Edmund shook his head. "The magic made you see your worst fears." He murmured. "None of what you saw was real, I am absolutely fine. And you saved me as well, you destroyed the source of the magic." 
                          
Peter was silent again for a long time, before he leant forward and placed his hand to Edmund's cheek. "Promise me this is real?" He all but whispered, tears still rolling down his cheeks. 
                          
Edmund's own eyes filled with tears, and he had to force back a sob as he nodded his head. "I promise." He choked, pushing his cheek against Peter's hand. 
                          
Peter let out a sob of pure relief and pulled his little brother into a tight hug, holding him against his chest and placing kiss after kiss to the top of his head. "I - I'm so sorry I believed it." He choked after a while, shaking his head slowly. 
                          
"Its not your fault Peter." Edmund reassured him from where he had his face buried against Peter's neck. "It was the magic." 
                          
"I - I saw - saw you-" But Peter couldn't say anything else around his tears. "It was awful." He eventually whispered. 
                          
"I know." Edmund sighed. "But none of it was real, I promise. It was all the magic." 
                          
Peter clung to Edmund as tightly as he dared, not speaking for a long time before: "You're awake." 
                          
Edmund chuckled slightly. "Course I'm awake." He teased with a grin. 
                          
Peter smiled softly but still didn't pull away. "I never thought you'd open your eyes again." He murmured. 
                          
Edmund swallowed hard and sighed. "Neither did I." He whispered. 
                          
Peter only then pulled away, staring into his brothers eyes. "You held on." He said, voice quiet. 
                          
Edmund gave him another smile followed by a nod. "Yeah." He breathed. "I held on, you wanted - needed me to, so I did." 
                          
Peter almost couldn't contain his laugh as he pulled Edmund close again, holding him as tightly as he could manage, and smiled even wider when he saw Susan and Lucy rushing over, both of them flinging their arms around the two brothers. 
                          
"I'm so happy you're awake Eddy." Peter choked out after a while of just silence between the four. 
                          
Edmund nodded slowly. "I am too." He mumbled, gripping Lucy's hand in his right, and Susan's in his left, his head resting against Peter's chest. "I missed you all so, so much." 
                          
Peter nodded in agreement, placing a kiss to the side of Edmund's head. "We all missed you too." He murmured. "More than you know." 
                          
Edmund smiled at this, and after a while took a deep breath. "You reckon we should head home?" He asked gently, still not having the heart to pull away even as his sisters broke from the hug. 
                          
Peter now wrapped both his arms tightly around his brother, holding him gently and resting his cheek on the top of his head. "I think that's a very good idea." He whispered.
                          
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