(A/N: Technically this chapter should be in April's POV, but I have to stay with Peter for this one. Enjoy! Just a little warning: things do heat up between them and get a little steamy. Chapter Song: Limbo by Ludovico Einaudi,  Peter POV.)

After what felt like hours Peter and April went into the kitchen. They were emotionally exhausted having worked through, sometimes not so calmly, his anger at her relief of not being pregnant in their world, her anger at his taking the blame for the miscarriage, and dealing with knowing he would have rather died and stayed in Narnia so their child could have lived.

He saw the note again and it hit him. He and April had the house to themselves, on purpose, planned by his parents! He shook his head in disbelief, and felt humbled and honored at their trust in him and love for them both. She, looking at the note, slipped her hand into his and squeezed. She flipped the paper over and he saw a note scrawled by his father, in a code his father created to play games with a much younger Peter and Edmund. Ed was always better at ciphering, which was probably why he excelled at it in Narnia. Peter remembered enough to figure this one out and went into his father's study. He was delighted by what he found there. At April's questioning, he said he would tell her later.

They got something to drink and stood looking at each other for a moment, tired and emotionally spent. But he had to make sure they were finished.

"Is there anything else we need to discuss to make things right between us?"

She shook her head. "There are some things I want to share with you. Aslan...Christ used your absence to cause me to trust in and depend on Him and I learned some things I need to talk with you about, but later. I'm tired of feeling right now."

He smiled a half smile at her. "Me too. So, what now?"

"I think I just need to be held by you, can we do that?"

"Of course, but let's go upstairs to the sitting room."

She started to move past him but he gently captured her arm. Surprised, she turned toward him. He couldn't help but stop her. It had just occurred to him what he almost lost and what he had again. He had to tell her, but how?

Her eyes were bright and sparkling as if she knew his struggle, making him lose speech for the millionth time that evening. All he could say was her name, "April." His voice was husky and his own blue eyes intense. He was like a man just rescued from the desert. He was parched and only she could quench his thirst.

He slowly pulled her into his arms. Her waist was so tiny in his large hand and he knew his grip tightened slightly as his other hand came around to her neck tenderly drawing her even closer. Her soft sigh was music to his ears as his eyes left hers and found her lips. Those lips that he knew were so sweet. Slowly he brought her to him and brushed his lips against hers. It was his turn to sigh as he pressed them gently onto hers reveling in the feeling of her again.

The electricity between them had not dimmed, in fact it was made brighter by their time apart and their struggle to find each other again. When she parted her lips the energy became even more brilliant as the passion built between them. He loved the feeling of her body against his, her lips so responsive, and her tongue dancing in perfect rhythm with his. It was bliss and love and all too soon desperation crept in. One of them moaned and she pulled back instantly looking panicked. The spell was broken and he knew it had been too much, too soon. Frustrated, he knew he had to move slower. He smiled gently at her to cover his feelings and led her up the stairs.

They settled in on the couch and he held her. It felt so nice to have her in his arms but his body wanted more. It was so difficult not to touch and kiss her where he wanted but she kept sending him signals that she was not ready. He began to get more than frustrated until it occurred him suddenly why she was acting like this.

He stood and held out his hand. Looking surprised she let him pull her off the couch. He hugged her close.

"Come on, it has been a long and emotional day, let's go to bed."

"But, Peter...I...I don't, I just..."

"Separately, love. My parents will be gone tomorrow and we will feel better after we sleep. It is okay. We will take all the time you need."

"I'm sorry...I mean, I know you..."

"It is okay, love," he said kissing her forehead. "We have lots of time."

She sighed and melted against him. "Thank you!"

He knew he had made the right decision. He pulled back to look into her eyes and said, "Don't ever forget that I love you...in spite of everything that has happened."

She gazed back at him in amazement and he realized what he had just said. Her eyes filled and her head bowed. "In spite of," she whispered. He pulled her close again in a deep hug. They both knew that Aslan had foreseen this trial for them. As curious as he was when Aslan first told him that he would need to love April...'in spite of', he would not have wanted to know what he had to go through to get to this place.

He walked her to her door and kissed her gently. "Sleep well," he whispered.

~~0~~

He was coming from the lavatory after readying for bed and almost ran into his Dad. His parents had just returned from their evening out.

"Hey, Dad. Thanks for your, um, gift and for giving us time this weekend. I really appreciate it. It will make things...easier."

"You're welcome son," his Dad looked at him curiously.

"We made a lot of progress tonight, but we still have a ways to go."

His father nodded and clapped him on the shoulder. "Just be patient, son. She'll come around. They always do."

Lying in his bed, frustrated and alone, he tried to sleep. He needed her, but he knew it had to be on her terms or he could do more damage to their relationship. He eventually slept, but awoke with a start hearing his door open. Ever since the pirate raid in Narnia he always jumped with alarm when someone entered his room in the night. He almost took Edmund's head off one night at school when Ed came in after studying late. This time he calmed quickly when he saw a glow of white in the dim hall light before the door closed again. His heart started beating quickly for a different reason when he heard her whisper.

"Peter? Are you awake?"

"Yes, love. Are you well?"

"Can I be near you?"

"Of course!"

He moved over in his tiny twin-size bed and arranged the covers for her. She slipped in beside him and placed her back to his stomach. He draped his arm around her waist and pulled her into him. He sighed, very happy to have her close, especially since they were in his bed, but he pushed those thoughts aside. She was whispering.

"I don't know why I am being weird about this, I have never shied away from you before..."

And she was right. Even on their wedding day, she was responsive, almost eager and had very little hesitation since then.

"Don't be too hard on yourself. I know exactly what is happening."

"You do?" she asked, incredulous.

"You don't trust me, not like you used to. I hurt you and being the prideful fool I am, I almost let you walk away from me, from us. It will take time to rebuild that trust and as difficult as it might be, I am willing to wait until you are ready."

"Yes, I can see that. Thank you," she paused, "I love you, Peter."

His arm tightened around her as his heart constricted. It was so nice to hear her say those words again.

"And I love you."

Then they slept.

~~0~~

There was only one window in his room. Because of the war and with Edmund being such a light sleeper, his Mum had installed black out shades, so the room was very dim even for mid-morning. He heard his parents leave and felt a rush of exhilaration knowing they were alone. He was determined that she would not be grumpy when she woke. It had long been a joke and became a habit for him in Narnia to kiss her awake or to kiss her out of her natural inclination to wake up grumpy, since she was not a morning person. Now, how was he to accomplish that while staying true to his goal of letting her set the pace? He had to begin to rebuild the trust.

They had not moved much in the night, the bed was too small for that. He slowly moved her hair off her neck and gently kissed where her neck and shoulder met. He smiled remembering how he had discovered that spot. It was during the first night they had spent together on the sofa downstairs on that beautiful, but very platonic night. His heart skipped a beat when he remembered that it was also the first place he kissed her after they were married. She sighed and moved against him. Was she awake? He breathed on the spot and she moved again. He inwardly groaned, he really needed her.

"May I?" he whispered in her ear.

She nodded and he moved away more of her long blond hair, but her whole body tensed. So he took his time running his fingers through its soft silkiness for many minutes. She relaxed into him content with his gentle touch.

He said softly, "Let's play a game. You are the puppet-master and I am on the strings. This is your show. You tell me what to do, how to do it and I will obey. But, it is a building game. What has already been allowed can be done again and again. What do you think? Do you want to play? I know I said we would wait until you are ready, so if you say no, I will understand."

"But, you need me," she said quietly.

"Yes."

She was quiet and his pulse was hammering with anticipation. He had to do something to take the awkwardness away, to put her in control, and to take the pressure off. They had never played any games before.

"Yes," she said, "but, we will stop if I want us to, no matter where we are?"

She drove a hard bargain, but he had to agree.

"Yes, I know I need to earn your trust back and maybe this will help. So...what happens next in our game?"

"Kiss my neck, please?"

"Gladly!" he smiled. Only this time, he hovered over her translucent skin, slowly breathing onto the pulse point, enjoying seeing it speed up as he teased her ever so slightly. His lips were gentle and soft and then he moved to the spot he had already kissed, taking that little liberty only, seeing that it fit into the 'rules'.

That started things off nicely. She made sure he did things slowly, light touches, teasing caresses, slow and lengthy kisses. He was really enjoying himself, and he could tell she was happy with this arrangement too. She stayed relaxed and even laughed when he tickled her, on command of course. He kissed and touched exactly where and how she wanted and it was a wonderful lesson for him on how to woo her. They were at the point of almost no return for him when she suddenly stopped his hand with hers.

"I'm scared, Peter," she whispered.

"Of what, love?" he breathed.

"Of getting pregnant, I couldn't handle that again," her voice broke.

"Shh, love. It is okay." He sat up and pulled 'the gift' out of his nightstand. Her eyes opened wide.

"I should have showed you earlier," he said, handing her the box. "They are from the PX, army issue. These are your...'precautions'...as you phrased them, before we were married in Narnia."

Her sigh of relief was audible. "Do we know how to use them?"

"We will certainly find out!"

He laid her back on the bed and came down next to her. She smiled and breathed, "Kiss me Peter."

"Where?" he asked mischievously wiggling his eyebrows.

She laughed and brought his face to hers, "Here!" she whispered against his lips and kissed him.

They finished the game, both very satisfied with the outcome and both feeling like winners. He was stroking her hair again and she was stretched out against him, her head on his chest. He hoped they could play this again sometime with him directing her.

He ventured, "Do you think we could play again, later?"

"Definitely!" she said turning to look at him.

He saw a devious gleam in her eye and a coy look on her face. "But first, I happen to remember a certain someone saying in Narnia that he liked to sing in the shower?"