Flawed *EDITING* (Chronicles of Narnia & Harry Potter Crossover) (PeterxOC)

97- Return to the "Real" World

Sorry I'm such a procrastinator. I also don't know why, but it took me a while to find one song for the sappy chappy. 😝 If you have any suggestions, you know where they go!

Chapter Inspiration:

- Just The Way You Are ~ Bruno Mars

I sat there, unable to move. Peter watched me with concern, not sure what made me so upset. Just as he tried to bend down to my level, I shot up from the ground and grabbed onto him like there was no tomorrow. Tears prickled at my eyes as I nestled my face into the crook of his neck. "Oh, Aslan. You really are here." I whispered, running my fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck. He frowned, stepping away a bit so he could see me better. "Laurel, what's wrong? You just saw me not even twenty minutes ago and you're acting like you haven't seen me in..." He stopped himself short, stunned.

Swallowing hard, I hoarsely whispered, "It's been a few months, for me at least." Peter stared at me with his mouth agape slightly. "You went back to Narnia." he murmured. I nodded, looking to the ground because I felt so bad. He grabbed my hands and laced my fingers through his, mustering the best, genuine smile he could. He leaned his face down so I could see him. "How was it? I want to know everything." Tugging me along, Peter sat us down on the couch. Pulling a blanket over us, I waved my hand to magically make us some hot cocoa. Peter stated at me in awe. A small grin swept my features. "Just a little something I've been working on. But anyway, it was...fun...I guess. It wasn't the same without you and Susan. Plus, I rarely got to fight."

Peter gripped my hands, running his thumb over my knuckles in a soothing pattern that made goose bumps crawl up my arms. "Tell me the story from the beginning." Luckily, our mugs arrived just in time for me to begin. I sipped my drink and told my tale. He listened patiently, sending me an annoyed look when I said I had been organizing the closet and spitting the cocoa back into the cup when Eustace came up. "Eustace Scrubb, our cousin, went with you? You poor thing!" He exclaimed, kissing my forehead. I continued the story, feeling tingly everywhere.

When the slave traders bit rolled around, I was a bit hesitant, seeing that he would either throw a hissy fit or break something. I made him promise not to get mad, which led him to be a bit cautious. When I broke the event, Peter's head snapped my way, his jaw clenched and a vein popping out on his neck. Ohhhh, no. He gripped me by the shoulders and asked dangerously low, "Tell me, are those assholes dead?" I gulped, nodding. He sighed with his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Are you angry with me?" I asked in a small voice. I despised seeing him mad and hoped he wasn't. Peter looked up at me and I saw tears caught on his eyelashes. I scooted closer to him, wiping away the tears. He leaned into me croaking at a whisper, "I...I just can't stand the thought of you getting hurt and I couldn't have done anything to stop it." I cuddled next to him, replying, "I'm okay, Pete. Really. Shall I continue?" He nodded, resting his head on top of mine.

I thought things through as we took a second to eat the Chinese takeout we bought, dreading the part about the temptation. He looked to me, with the cutest and innocent expression I've ever seen. Before I could even get the words out of my mouth, I broke down crying, ashamed. Stop blubbering like a baby, you idiot, I scolded myself. Peter dropped his food on the coffee table and hugged me tightly, shushing and reminding me of how much I had missed having his arms around me. I sniffed, rubbing my eyes. "I'm sorry," I apologized, embarrassed, "It's just that...I'm ashamed of what happened. I didn't tell anyone anything, that is...until now."

Slowly, I coaxed it out of myself, knowing that he would understand. And luckily, he did. As my tears continued to fall, he whispered soothing things in my ear, leaving butterfly kisses and playing with my hair. "You're human, Laurel. Just because you have magical powers doesn't mean you are perfect. Everyone makes mistakes." I giggled a bit, thinking of the Hannah Montana song. Peter's mouth quirked into a half-smile. "You're thinking of Hannah Montana, aren't you?" I nodded, giggling. He kissed my cheek, trailing his lips up to my ear, muttering, "Will you continue?"

And so I told him everything else, taking us well into the night. By the time I was done, it was one in the morning. I buried myself under the covers, feeling the sensation of sleeping on flat ground odd. Peter jumped into the bed, almost squashing me, and curled up against my body. "Goodnight, my love. I'm glad that you're home." I smiled, kissing his palm. "There's no where else I'd rather be than with you." I fell asleep quickly, mentally and physically tired. But a few stray tears trickled down my face at the retreating thoughts of Narnia.

~

I was back early from work one day a few weeks later when Peter came bursting through the front door, scaring the living shit out of me, with a smile so wide I had to, too. "What is it?" I asked, grabbing his books from his hands. Throwing his coat and bag to the ground, he lifted me up as if I weighed nothing and twirled me around, laughing.

I giggled a bit, lacing my fingers around his neck as he set me down, his fingers gently digging into my sides. Peter's eyes were that lovely shade of cerulean blue, the color of the ocean on Cair Paravel's shore, with a gleam dancing in the color. "I got the internship!" I gasped, hugging him tightly. "Oh, Pete! I'm so happy for you!" Ever since one of his teachers recommended him to apply for an internship for more experience in the field he was dying to be involved with, he'd been doing nothing but studying and doing paperwork.

He let go of me and picked up his stuff, practically skipping into the office. "I'm in the ER department, which you know I wanted badly, and I'll be observing and working with the surgeons! Not to mention the internship will count for credit." My heart melted as I watched him from the comfy chair sat at my desk, his face lit up. For at least three weeks he had been extremely nervous and tense, for both the evaluation and the interview. Of course, he had been worried for nothing.

Taking my fingers off of my temple, I shot up from the chair, suggesting, "We should go out to celebrate." Peter cocked an eyebrow, skeptical. "Are you sure you're up for it, Laure? You've been working your butt off all week for that big conference tomorrow. Maybe we should stay in." I shook my head sauntering out of the office and into the bedroom containing our walk-in closet. "No way! We are going out to celebrate your amazing accomplishment!"

I rummaged through the minimal amount of dressier clothes I had when a pair of arms snaked around my waist and a head rested on my shoulder. Peter pressed his lips to my neck, his tongue and teeth flicking and nibbling here and there. "Hello there." I muttered, a bit lightheaded. He smirked against my skin, whispering seductively, "Hi." His hands rested on my hips, his fingers tracing the hem of my shirt.

"What are you-" I mumbled, laying my head on his shoulder. His fingers caressed my stomach, not too high that I was uncomfortable. His lips breathed hot air onto my skin made the hair on the back of my neck stand up, as he whispered, "How about...we don't go to the restaurant and we can stay here? I know you're tired." I stepped out of his grasp, out of my trance, and turned to him, glaring. "Are you kidding me, Peter? You think seducing me will change my mind about going out? What kind of impression do you think that gives me? That you can use me whenever for whatever and I'll just succumb to your every whim?! This is the twenty-fucking-first century! Which means that I will not hesitate to stand up for myself!"

Peter stared at me with awe and other emotions I couldn't name. I stared back with my arms crossed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for that to come off as asshole behavior. I was and still am just concerned that you may be overexerting yourself with all the work you've been doing. I'm truly sorry." He looked to the ground, his fingers clenched over the bridge of his nose. Biting my lip, I realized that I may have been a bit too harsh. I sheepishly inched forward and kissed his cheek. "You're right, I am a bit tired. I'm sorry for being a bitch, I just want to celebrate something amazing you've done. You know, it's the first time in a while that I've seen your eyes light up with excitement and passion about something."

Peter looked up from the ground, a small smile creeping up his face. "Let's go out later in the week, when you've rested. Tomorrow, you have a big day." I nodded, heading back into the living room. "And Laure?" Peter called. I turned. "Don't ever call yourself a bitch or so help me."