[twenty: Don't you dare say it Genevieve]

The seven Narnians headed forward into the sea of lilies, Caspian and Edmund simultaneously pulling on the oars so that their longboat would go forward as the others simply gazed at the lilies around them. To any bystander they looked like a real family, the six human Narnians and the noble mouse all enjoying each other's presence so much that they all appeared contempt with life - even if two of the seven were not.

Among the seven sat Eustace Scrubb and Ronald Lee, the two sat next to each other with their hands interlocked - something the two found comfort in as they started through the lilies, Ron picking one up and handing it to Eustace who managed a smile at the boy he now knew as his friend.

His best friend at that.

Genevieve and Lucy sat at the back of the boat, Genevieve helping Lucy untangle her hair as she wanted to have it down in the immense heat - very aware that Edmund's eyes never left her every movement as a soft smile planted itself onto his face.

He couldn't be happier.

"So, what was it like when Aslan changed you back?" Edmund asked Eustace, the contempt silence between them halting as Eustace took his eyes away from Ron to focus on his cousin as a smile formed on his features.

"No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't do it myself. Then he came towards me. It sort of hurt, but it was a good pain. You know, like when you pull a thorn from your foot." Eustace described with a shrug of his shoulders, a wistful look on his face as he thought of the lion when they had first been acquainted. "Being a dragon wasn't all bad. I mean, I think I was a better dragon than I was a boy, really. I'm so sorry for being such a sop."

"It's okay, Eustace. You were a pretty good dragon." Edmund complimented and Eustace smiled happily as Ron wrapped his arm around the boy's shoulder, sending him a tight squeeze.

"You got that right."

"My friends, we have arrived." Reepicheep stated from the front of the boat and they all turned to look at the island - wide eyed with smiles on their faces.

Caspian and Edmund drew the boat into the sandy bay, the golden embers of the sand feeling warm on their feet as they stepped out onto the island - leaving the boat be in the bay. Edmund held his hand out for his wife, Genevieve taking it as he helped her out of the boat and pulled her close to him as they walked across the sand. In front of them appeared to be a giant wave, one a surfer would love to ride at high noon on the day of a competition to show their worth but there was something magical about it - how it stood on its own as if closing off the entry to somewhere far bigger.

Somewhere familiar to Genevieve the whole time.

"Aslan." Eustace stated as he spotted the lion walking alongside them, every single person turning to loom at him with wide eyes and a smile - Genevieve clutching to Edmund as she knew what was coming but didn't want to admit it.

"Welcome, children. You have done well. Very well indeed." Aslan started as he looked to them all with a proud look on his face. "You have come far, and now your journey is at its end."

"Is this your country?" Lucy asked as she and Edmund shared a look.

"No, my country lies beyond." Aslan stated as he looked towards the wave, everybody following his gaze.

"Is my father in your country?" Caspian asked out of curiosity, Aslan turning back at him monetarily as he sent the King a tense look.

"You can only find that out for yourself, my son. But you should know that if you continue there is no return." Caspian took a few steps towards the wave, his eyes darting over it as he held his hand freely into it - watching the water ripple against his hands before he stood back, much to everybody's confusion.

"You're not going?" Edmund asked and Caspian only shook his head.

"I can't imagine my father would be very proud that I gave up what he died for." Caspian retaliated as a soft smile broke onto his face as he looked to Aslan. "I spent too long wanting what was taken from me and not what was given. I was given a kingdom. A people. I promise to be a better king."

"You already are." Aslan stated and Caspian smiled at those words.

"Well said." Ron interrupted the silence and everyone chuckled as they looked at him. "What? I thought he deserved more recognition. Where's the simultaneous clapping and standing ovation?"

"Always so dramatic child." Aslan stated towards the Daring Knight before he looked to them all. "Children."

"I think perhaps it's time we went home actually, Lu." Edmund broke the silence and Genevieve's heart broke in that moment as she released his hand, tears threatening to fall.

"What?" She whispered but t was barely audible as she tried to stifle a sob against her lips.

"But I thought you loved it here." Lucy whispered before she met Genevieve's gaze. "I thought you loved her."

"I do. But I love home and our family as well. They need us." Edmund stated before he turned to Genevieve and took her hand in his. "I'm sorry my love."

"Your Eminence..." Reepicheep stated as he stepped forward and bowed towards Aslan, the man who bore him his most prized possession. "ever since I can remember, I have dreamt of seeing your country. I've had many great adventures in this world but nothing has dampened that yearning. I know I am hardly worthy but with your permission, I would lay down my sword for the joy of seeing your country with my own eyes."

"My country was made for noble hearts such as yours," Aslan stated with a smile as he watched a proud look cross Reepicheep's face. "no matter how small their bearers be."

"Your Majesty." Reepicheep bowed again as he looked to the Great Lion with a smile.

"No one could be more deserving." Caspian stated and Reepicheep became flustered at this.

"Well, I..."

"It's true." Edmund stated as he held Genevieve close to him, the girl sending the mouse a smile as they both bowed.

"You deserve this all Reep." She stated and the mouse bowed towards her, happy her got the chance to work alongside the woman who had been his inspiration since he was so young. Lucy and Genevieve both advanced towards Reepicheep, kneeling in front of him as they shared a common thought.

"May we?" Lucy asked as the two girls held in tears, the mouse playfully rolling his eyes as he looked to them.

"Well, I suppose. Just this..." Reepicheep was interrupted when the two girls wrapped their arms around him and held him close to them - both knowing how much they would miss him as he wrapped his small arms as far as he could around the two.

"Goodbye, Lucy. Goodbye Genevieve." He whispered as the two let the noble mouse go as Eustace and Ron stepped forward to greet him, still hand in hand.

"Don't cry." Reepicheep told the two as he watched the tears spring to their eyes, threatening to fall.

"I don't understand. Will I not see you again? Ever?" Eustace asked him as Ron kept a firm hold around his shoulder - trying to stop the tears falling from his own eyes as he looked to the very mouse who he had known for so long.

"What a magnificent puzzle you are, and a true hero. t has been my honor to fight beside such a brave warrior and a great friend." Reepicheep stated as he bowed towards Eustace before he turned to Ron, chuckling as he watched the tears fall. "Now it's a surprise to see you crying fellow knight."

"I just," Ron whispered as he looked at Reepicheep as a couple more tears fell. "You were the one who taught me how to fight, how to stay true and how to feel strong despite my physique and now I just can't believe you're going."

"When we met you were only a small boy, a boy who was living in a Narnian daydream. It has been a honour to live in a lifetime where I was able to meet you and become so accustomed to you being near." Reepicheep said as he jumped up to hug the boy around the shoulders. "Never stop believing my dear friend, and watch over Eustace for me."

"I promise." Ron whispered back as he released the mouse and stood back, Eustace holding him close as the boy sobbed into his chest upon the knowledge he would never see Reepicheep again.

"I won't be needing this." Reepicheep stated as he ran towards the wave, where a small boat the size of a mouse was waiting for him as he plunged his sword into the sand and waved back one last time before riding the wave.

And then he was gone.

"This is our last time here, isn't it?" Lucy asked the lion as tears fell from her cheeks, Edmund grasping tightly onto Genevieve's hand as he prayed this wasn't the last time.

"Yes. You have grown up, my dear one. Just like Peter and Susan." Aslan stated as Genevieve let a pained sob surpass her lips, Edmund pulling her into his chest as his heart deflated and tears formed in his own eyes before cascading down his cheeks.

"Will you visit us in our world?" Lucy asked as she stroked Aslan's mane, trying to stop the feeling of her heart breaking as she looked at the Lion she had loved for many years/

"I shall be watching you, always." Aslan simply whispered as the three eldest Pevensies looked at him with sad eyes, Caspian alongside Ron and Eustace staying back to watch the interaction.

"How?"

"In your world, I have another name. You must learn to know me by it. That was the very reason you were brought to Narnia." Aslan stated as he looked over the three with a sad smile. " That by knowing me here for a little you may know me better there."

"Will we meet again?"

"Mm. Yes, dear one. One day." Aslan whispered as Aslan roared, a whirlpool appearing in the middle of the wave as a sign of the children's way home - though nobody truly wanted to leave knowing it was their last time.

"You're the closest thing I have to family." Caspian stated as he overlooked them all with tears in his eyes before he turned to Eustace and nudged his shoulder. "And that includes you, Eustace."

"Thank you." Eustace whispered back before Genevieve ran into Caspian's arms as he held her close, tears falling freely from her eyes.

"You were the big brother I never had." She whispered to him, Caspian chuckling as he held the girl close to him as he tried to ignore the pain in his chest. "I'm going to miss you so much."

"I'll miss you too." Caspian whispered back as he let go of her, watching as she approached Edmund and tackled him in a hug.

"So this is it." Genevieve whispered to him, watching as Edmund shook his head as he looked at her and tightened his grip on her.

"Don't say that Genevieve." Edmund whispered as tears fell freely down his cheeks. "Please don't say that."

"I want you to know that every moment, every single second I have spent here in Narnia has been so wonderful because you have been in my life." Genevieve whispered as she tried to hold back her tears as she spoke, her heart breaking with every word. "When I first came to Narnia I was this quiet introvert who had no friends, who felt alone in this world but upon meeting you I changed for the better and I will never forget a single moment that we have spent together - even when I was mad at you."

"Genevieve..." Edmund whispered but the girl only shook her head.

"Please let me speak Ed," She pleaded and he nodded as he looked at her with a sad smile. "The worst part of saying goodbye this time is that I know there won't be a hello ever again and that hurts so much Edmund as we once had all the time in the world but now our end is here and I'm not ready to accept it. This will always be my most painful parting and I do not regret that at all because you have been the only thing that has kept me going for all these years and I love you so so much. I want you to keep the locket to remember me by, I couldn't live having ti back and knowing that you had nothing from me."

"Genevieve, we knew this was inevitable." Edmund whispered as his own tears started to fall down his cheeks.

"If this was meant to be then why is my heart breaking?" Genevieve asked him as the two sobbed together - the two staying interlocked in each other's arms as they looked at each other. "I can't do this Edmund."

"The reason it hurts us so much to separate is because our souls are connected. Maybe they always have been and will be connected both in this world and in our own. We've lived a thousand lives before this one and in each of them we've found each other and maybe each time, we've been forced apart for the same reasons as this one but that only means that this goodbye is both a goodbye for the past thousand years and a prelude to what will come in the future." Edmund whispered towards her as he sent her a sad smile. "Thank you for being my everything, the only thing that made me want to get out of bed in the morning and live the next day as I knew that I would be seeing you again one day - and now our future in uncertain. I don't think I can say thank you enough times."

The two sobbed together, the two feeling as if they were in their own world as the others around them all manged to shed their own tears upon seeing the two's final encounter - Caspian holding Lucy close to him as the two cried upon watching true love break before their eyes in a moment of true tragedy. Meanwhile, Ron and Eustace stood at the side crying at their words but their hearts breaking for another reason. They knew their plan would be successful and this goodbye was unnecessary.

But they couldn't interrupt them.

"I love you so much Edmund." Genevieve whispered as the two locked eyes again, Edmund's hand caressing her cheek as another tear fell from his eye.

"If this is it then I think we should end it right." Edmund whispered before he closed the gap between them.

The moment their lips touched, the world vanished instantly. Genevieve's eyes fell closed, and all she could feel was him. His warmth, his touch, his being. It was agony, knowing that this was the last time that they could share this experience before they were strangers again. Her heart ached when his hands cupped her cheeks and pulled her closer towards him, taking in this final embrace, this kiss of death. Her whole body craved more, craved him, but it couldn't last. It was just for now, and neither could take it. Soon they could feel tears stinging in their eyes, and when he pulled away for air, Genevieve pulled him back in. She was intoxicated— she was intoxicating him, but it didn't matter.

Nothing would matter after this.

"I couldn't even complete my purpose." She whispered and Edmund shook his head as he looked at her in confusion.

"But you've always protected Narnia Genevieve." Edmund stated in confusion. "You fulfilled your purpose."

"My purpose was never to protect Narnia." Genevieve stated and Edmund's eyes widened as Genevieve placed her hand on his cheek and kept their gaze locked. "My purpose as the Eve was to protect the young boy who was manipulated by the Witch."

"What?"

"My purpose was always to protect you." She whimpered as her body wracked with sobs, trying to form the words as Edmund's eyes widened looking at her.

"Don't say it." Edmund whispered as he watched her try to form the words. "Don't you dare say it Genevieve."

"Goodbye Edmund." She whispered as she placed one last kiss to his cheek before pulling away from him, her heart breaking with every step she took as she embraced Lucy and ensured her that she would be okay before she pulled back and hugged Eustace too before walking to Aslan and bowing in front of him.

"Why did you want me to have the charm bracelet?" Genevieve asked him and Aslan smiled sadly at her as he placed his paw on her shoulder.

"For the same reason you gave Edmund the locket," Aslan stated as he looked at her. "So you have something to remember."

Genevieve sobbed as she embraced the lion fully and wrapped her arms around him, the lion smiling sadly at the girl as she did so. Narnia had been her home for so long and knowing that she wasn't coming back to the love of her life and her real home left a hole in her heart that wouldn't be filled ever again.

"Goodbye Aslan." She whispered before she stepped back and looked over the people she loved most one more time before the five children walked towards the wave, Genevieve and Edmund keeping their gaze as they walked forward hand in hand - not wanting to let go of each other until Eustace stopped, his hand in Ron's as he looked at the lion.

"Will I come back?" He asked hesitantly and the lion only nodded.

"Narnia may yet have need of you, and for you my young Knight." Aslan stated as he looked at Ron who had a smile on his face at the words. "I await your calls for your return."

And with that they all walked through the portal.

And Genevieve no longer felt Edmund's hand in hers.