AN: First of all, I hope I did this chapter justice. I needed it to be the culmination of everything, answering (hopefully) all the questions that were raised throughout the previous chapters, and ending Receiving Grace on a high note. I actually finished this today at work (when I should have been working, shh!) and started tearing up at some points in it... hopefully that's a good sign! Secondly, as I mentioned before I've decided to do a third part to this and will be posting a scene from it to get some feedback/judge interest. Dunno when that'll be... Anyway, enjoy!

"Welcome home, Queen Susan," the figure said, smiling widely at her.

"Princess Georgiana!" Susan exclaimed happily, rushing over to greet her friend. Georgie pulled Susan into a tight hug, keeping her close for several moments. When the two women pulled away, Georgie smiled widely and held up her left hand.

"It's actually Queen Georgiana," she smirked. Susan glanced at Georgie's hand and saw the large ring Edmund had purchased in Terebinthia when they had traveled before, its diamond and small orange stones glittering in the sunlight.

"So you really are my sister now!" Susan said, smiling widely at her new sister-in-law. Georgie rolled her eyes and returned Susan's smile.

"I see you got your ring back," she said. Susan glanced down at her left hand where her coronation ring sat.

"Yes! How did…" she trailed off at seeing Georgie's sly smile.

"You're welcome," Georgie said, raising her eyebrows slightly.

"I guess Robert wasn't really lying when he said it was a family heirloom," Susan muttered. Georgie laughed lightly before stepping away from her. Susan's eyes widened as they landed on Georgie's rounded stomach.

"I'm going to be an aunt!" Susan whispered as she placed her hand on Georgie's stomach. Georgie nodded and replied, "I guess I am, too. I met your charming son just a while ago. He's you and Edmund all over." Susan laughed.

"I always said he was just like his uncle," she said. "So he's here?" Georgie smiled gently and nodded.

"Of course he is. Didn't Aslan tell you that?" Georgie asked.

"Not in so many words," Susan answered. "He didn't explain why I'm here though. Did we… are we… did we die?" Susan stammered, finding it hard to ask.

Georgie gave her a crooked smile and replied, "Well… not… exactly." Susan stared at her in confusion. "Let's go sit for a bit and talk," Georgie suggested, taking Susan's arm.

They walked to the river that ran through the field where they were standing. It was then that Susan really took in her surroundings. The familiar field felt like home to her. She knew the river that rushed in front of her and knew that if she followed it, it would lead her to Cair Paravel. Glancing down, she saw that she no longer wore the clothes she had worn earlier in the day. She was now dressed in a deep blue Narnian gown, the fabric feeling more beautiful on her skin than she had ever imagined. Running her hand down the dress she became confused as it passed over her stomach.

I know there was a bump there earlier today, she thought to herself. Her head jerked up and she caught Georgie staring at her sympathetically.

"It's not there anymore," Georgie said quietly.

"Did I lose it? Is my baby gone?" Susan asked as panic set in.

"Not… gone…" Georgie replied slowly. Susan grabbed her arm, forcing the two to stop.

"Georgiana, if you don't stop talking like that so help me I'll lock you in a cell again," Susan threatened, her irritation growing from Georgie's cryptic answers. Georgie laughed lightly before moving towards the grassy bank of the river and sitting slowly.

"Come sit next to me, Susan. I'll explain what I can," she suggested, patting the spot next to her. Susan hesitated momentarily before walking towards her new sister-in-law. Sitting, she demanded, "Okay, spill Georgiana. I want to know everything." Georgie sighed and stretched her legs.

"I can only tell you what I know to tell you. That doesn't include everything," Georgie said irritably.

"Well, can you tell me why I'm here?" Susan asked.

"You're here because you asked to be here," Georgie said.

"When? When did I ask to be here? Aslan said the same thing, but that doesn't explain what I'm doing here!" Susan said exasperated.

"When you were in the car, you wished to be in Narnia. But it was more than just wanting to be here; you wished to be in a place with your family that would help you to live how you were meant to live, to be who you were meant to be. In the case of you and your husband, this is where you can be who you were both born to be," Georgie explained.

"I don't remember wishing for all of that exactly," Susan said slowly. Georgie shot her a sly look and shrugged.

"Well, we embellished on what you actually wished for. Getting to see Narnia again, living where you were meant to live: same thing really. We figured we knew better than you did," she laughed.

"Maybe you do," Susan laughed as well before continuing. "But how are we here? Robert said you had died, so I can only assume we're in Aslan's Country. You said we didn't exactly die. What did you mean? How are we here in Aslan's Country if we're not dead?"

"Again, you're here because you asked to be. Your place is here in Narnia; it always has been. It's a little unconventional, coming here when you're not dead, but then again, I suppose it's a little unconventional to have come to Narnia at all," Georgie said.

"So we've just come here, like before? Will we go back again?" Susan asked. Georgie shook her head.

"Yes, you've just come here like you always have, by magic. But unlike the other times, you won't go back. You're here to stay as long as Aslan's Country lasts," she explained.

"And my husband and son?" Susan asked.

"Ah yes. Your husband and son. Your son is having the time of his life getting to know his new home and being a prince. And that fool cousin of mine greeted me as King Robert the Hero. Your doing, I presume?" Georgie teased. Susan laughed loudly.

"That sounds like Robert. But they're both here? Can I go see them?" She started to rise, but Georgie placed a hand on her arm, pulling her back down.

"You'll have eternity to see them. We're not quite finished talking yet," Georgie warned. Once Susan had sat again, Georgie gave her a warm smile. "I can't tell you how happy it makes me that you and Robert finally got together and married. I really did hope you would," she said, squeezing Susan's hand.

"You knew about us? How?" Susan asked, surprised.

"Susan, look around you. This is Narnia, exactly as it was when you knew it. Only better, you could say. Although you may not have known at the time, there were places in Narnia where you could see what was happening in other areas. There's a hermit who lived near one such place; he had a pond that could show you other places and people in Narnia. That pond is still here, only you can now see others outside of Narnia. Your brothers and sister and I have been keeping an eye on you. It was very sad at first; even harder later watching you go through what you did with the loss of your siblings. Peter and Edmund could barely watch. Poor Lucy tried harder than they did – you know how determined she can be – but she could never make herself watch for very long. It hurt them too much to see you hurting so badly.

"I stayed when they couldn't. I wanted to make sure you were alright, even if you might not have been at first. When I saw my cousin enter the picture, I was more elated than I had been in a very long time. Which says a lot, since time has little meaning here. Knowing you both as I did, I knew all it would take would be one look and you two would instantly fall in love. Of course, leave it to you to ruin all my happy plans by going off to France," Georgie teased. Susan's cheeks reddened.

"But all worked out as I had hoped. You both found your heads and found each other. I really couldn't be happier," Georgie finished.

"I couldn't either. Well, at least I thought that earlier; that was before I came here. Now I positively know I couldn't be happier. Do my brothers and sister know I'm here?" Susan asked as she nervously played with a blade of grass. Georgie laughed brightly.

"Of course they do! It was all I could do to get them to wait back at the castle. I finally insisted they show Robert and Edward around," she said.

"Are they still angry with me for everything? For giving up faith in Narnia?" Susan asked quietly. Georgie leaned over and put her hands on Susan's face, forcing her to look up.

"Susan, they were never angry with you. You have to understand what it was like for them. Their place was always here with the life they chose, with the loves of their lives… although Lucy's a different story. But it's her story to tell, not mine. Their futures were always meant to end here. Yours was not. You were meant to find happiness outside of Narnia, which you did. That's the main reason why you never found it in Narnia. They could never understand that about you, why you gave up on Narnia so vehemently. Maybe you didn't either.

"But had you not, had you still loved Narnia as much as your siblings did, you would have been on the train that day with Lucy or standing on the platform with your brothers. You would have died along with them, never knowing true happiness. You were never meant to find that in Narnia, but now that you have, Narnia has become your reward," Georgie explained. Susan's eyes began to tear up.

"I wished to come here before, you know," she whispered. Georgie dropped her hands and shook her head sadly.

"No you didn't. That night at the fountain, you didn't wish to come to Narnia. You wished to be with your siblings again. As you said then, that wish was for the impossible. Your wish then was only for yourself, to ease your pain. You wanted to be dead with your siblings so badly it nearly blinded you that night to the love of your life. You weren't ready to enter Narnia again in that state. When you wished in the car to be here, it wasn't just to be with your siblings. It was so that you could be the queen you are meant to be so that your family would always know happiness. You were ready to enter Narnia again, and so you did," Georgie said.

"And my child?" Susan asked, placing her hands on her stomach. Georgie leaned over again and covered Susan's hands with her own.

"Have faith that things will be taken care of for you," she said, giving Susan a knowing smile.

"What do you mean? I was pregnant before I came here," Susan said.

"That's one of those things that I'm not meant to explain to you," Georgie said. Susan's lips drew together angrily.

"Well, then I suggest you take me to someone who can," she said, her voice lowering. Georgie laughed and hoisted herself from the ground.

"There's the Queen Susan we all know and love," she said cheerfully. "I'll take you to Cair Paravel." Susan stood, brushing her dress off. "Oh, I believe you'll probably want this," Georgie exclaimed.

"Want what?" Susan asked curiously. Georgie held out a gleaming gold crown towards Susan. Susan's eyes widened as Georgie reached up and placed the crown on top of Susan's head. When Georgie straightened back, Susan lifted her hand to touch the crown that had been a permanent fixture on her head for so many years.

"I never thought I'd see this again," she said softly, a wide smile on her face.

"Now you look perfect," Georgie said, returning Susan's smile. "Let's get you home."

Susan and Georgie walked arm in arm to Cair Paravel, Susan asking how her siblings had fared, how Edmund and Georgie had gotten married. Georgie answered most of her questions, occasionally giving her another cryptic answer that she could not answer a particular question. Their walk seemed to last for hours or no time at all; Susan could not tell as time seemed to not exist in this Narnia.

As they neared Cair Paravel Susan suddenly stopped, jerking Georgie to a stop as well. "What is it?" Georgie asked, surprised at their quick stop.

"Am I the oldest now?" Susan asked.

"The oldest? Why do you ask that?" Georgie asked.

"Well, I've aged since my brothers and sister died. I'm nearly thirty! Peter was only twenty-two, and Edmund and Lucy were much younger. Am I older than they are now? Am I going to look like the oldest?" she asked frantically. Georgie laughed loudly, the sound of her laughter making Susan forget her worries and join in with her.

"Susan, you really haven't changed a bit!" Georgie exclaimed. "No, you won't be the oldest. You'll be the same as you always were. Age here really has no meaning; some friends of yours came here with your siblings, Lord Diggory and Lady Polly – or I suppose as you know them, Professor Kirke and Polly Plummer – and they were much older at first, but now that they're here, they're both much younger. Hardly older than we are, I imagine.

"Edmund has a theory about that. He says we've all transformed into the ages when we were happiest. He said he was nineteen when he died, but he looks the same as he did when we were all in Narnia together before. Although, you can't really just look at someone and say what age that person is. It's all very confusing and I just let Edmund try to explain and mostly tune him out," Georgie explained, laughing as she finished. Susan laughed as well, knowing her younger brother had always tried to theorize things when it came to Narnia. Georgie linked her arm through Susan's again, tugging her slightly and said, "Come on. I think you've kept everyone waiting long enough."

The two women walked through the castle gates entering Cair Paravel. Susan looked at her home, marveling at how much better it looked; the castle better than she had ever remembered. She smiled as they passed the large painting of her and her siblings, happiness filling her as memories of her years at Cair Paravel returned to her. Georgie led her out of the castle and began walking towards the gardens.

They entered a large garden where their orchard grew, the smell of apples permeating the air making it crisp and sweet. Susan smiled as she caught sight of her son running towards her.

"Mummy! Mummy, Aunt Lucy is here!" he cried, throwing his arms around Susan's legs.

"Is she, darling?" Susan said, stooping down to hug her son.

"Yes! And Uncle Peter and Uncle Edmund and they showed me all sorts of neat stuff that I can do! And Uncle Edmund said he's going to teach me to use a sword and-" Edward stopped suddenly as Susan hugged him tighter, placing a kiss on his cheek. "Mummy, stop it! You can't kiss a prince!" he cried, squirming out of Susan's embrace. She laughed and ruffled his hair.

"I'm your mother and I'm a queen, so I'll kiss you any time I want, little prince," she teased. Edward rolled his eyes, reminding her so much of Edmund. She leaned towards Georgie and whispered, "I hope for your sake, your child is more like you than Edmund." Georgie laughed.

"I don't. I was a nightmare as a child!" she said.

"Come see Aunt Lucy!" Edward cried, grabbing his mother's hand and tugging her. Susan allowed herself to be pulled, her heart beginning to race at the thought of seeing her sister again. The three walked further into the garden, going through a small archway that opened into a larger courtyard. At the far end Susan saw four figures standing, two women and two men. The smaller of the women turned, her fair hair shining in the sunlight.

"Susan!" she cried, lifting her skirt and running towards where Susan, Edward and Georgie stood.

"Lucy," Susan whispered, letting go of her son's hand and rushing to her sister. She threw her arms around her little sister, pulling her tightly to her as tears streamed down her face.

"Oh, Susan! I've waited and waited and now you're here!" Lucy exclaimed, squeezing her sister tightly.

"Lu, don't be a Susan hog," a deeper voice came from behind them. Susan pulled back and saw Edmund standing, a wide smile on his face.

"Edmund!" she cried, throwing her arms around his neck.

"It's about time you got here, Su," he teased. He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly as he lifted her off the ground and spun her around. When he placed her back on the ground, she pulled back and placed her hand on his cheek.

"You're so much older than you were last time I saw you. I can't believe it, look how your hair has grown, and you look so happy!" she exclaimed, running her hand over his face in a motherly fashion. Edmund groaned and grabbed her wrist, pulling it away from him. With shining eyes and a mischievous smile, he said, "If you don't stop your mothering, I'm sending you back!" Susan and he both laughed, remembering all the times Edmund had scolded Susan about her mothering.

"Susan," a grave voice interrupted their laughing. Susan turned and saw Peter, a solemn look on his face. She noticed he, too, had aged, looking more kingly than she had ever seen him. She turned from Edmund and stepped towards her brother, preparing herself for whatever he might say.

"Susan, I-" he started, his voice catching. Closing his eyes briefly and swallowing, he continued, "Susan, can you ever forgive me for how I treated you?" Susan's eyes widened in surprise and she shook her head slightly.

"Peter, there's nothing to forgive," she whispered, stepping into her older brother's arms and wrapping hers around him. He did the same, hugging her tightly and placing a brotherly kiss on her cheek. When she pulled back, she looked at her brother, her eyes beginning to tear up again.

"It's me who should be asking for your forgiveness. I behaved so dreadfully and hurt those who meant the world to me," she said softly. Peter smiled and shook his head.

"It's as you said: there's nothing to forgive," he said, wrapping his arm around his sister. Susan reached out with her free arm and pulled Lucy closer to her, leaning her head against her sister's. Edmund chuckled and stepped forward, wrapping his arms around his sisters. The four stood like that for several moments, embraced in a hug, happiness enveloping them as they were finally reunited. Susan felt a sharp tug on her skirt.

"Mummy! Come on! I want to show you everything else!" Edward cried impatiently. Susan loosened herself from her siblings' arms and turned to her son, giving him a sharp look. Sighing, she turned back to her siblings who had all stepped away and shook her head.

"He definitely has his Uncle Edmund's impatience," she said.

"And his mother's set of lungs," a voice said from behind them. Susan gasped as she spun towards the voice. Robert was walking towards her, smiling widely and carrying a bundle in his arms. Susan rushed to him, her heart speeding excitedly. When she reached him, she stopped suddenly when she saw the bundle he was carrying move. He chuckled and pulled back the blanket that covered it, revealing a baby in his arms.

"Meet your daughter, Queen Susan," he said softly, leaning forward and placing a kiss on Susan's head.

"My daughter?" Susan whispered, placing her hand gently on the baby in her husband's arms.

"I haven't named her. I thought you might want to do the honors," he said. Susan thought briefly before deciding.

"Lillian Grace," she finally whispered. "May I hold her?" Robert rolled his eyes and carefully passed the baby to Susan.

"You're her mother; you obviously don't have to ask," he said as he wrapped his arm around her waist. Susan stood in awe of her daughter, smiling as the baby waved a tiny fist towards her.

"How is she here?" Susan asked. Robert inhaled sharply, hesitating to explain. "Robert?" Susan asked, pulling her eyes away from her daughter.

"It's funny how people enter Narnia. Some come through a piece of furniture or a painting, some are sucked in by magic, and some swim across a pond. We're some of the only ones here who entered into Aslan's Country, the true Narnia, without dying. You, Edward and I all had a choice in coming here. We all asked to be here, wishing to be when we went through that tunnel. Our daughter, not being born here or in England, didn't have that choice, as she was still unborn. Now that she has been, I suppose, born, it's obvious what her choice is," Robert explained. Susan stared at him confusedly.

"She's just a baby. How could she make that choice?" she asked. Robert smiled and replied, "How could she not choose to be with you?" Susan smiled down at her daughter, running her finger over her nose. Robert leaned down and whispered, "You should have told me you were pregnant, love." Susan's head jerked up surprised at his words.

"I was going to. I had only just found out. Did you know?" she asked.

"Susan, do you honestly think I don't know my own wife's body? I saw the changes. I liked the changes," he said, the corner of his mouth lifting into a sly grin.

"Shh! Not in front of the baby!" she hissed, her cheeks darkening. Robert chuckled and pulled her closer, dropping a kiss on her head.

"Are you happy, love?" he whispered. Susan looked down at her new baby daughter who squirmed happily in her arms. She looked up to see her siblings, standing in the courtyard watching her and her family. Edmund had his arms wrapped around Georgie, both standing with silly grins on their faces. A familiar woman was leaning against Peter – Laira! Susan thought – watching with happy smiles. Lucy stood next to Georgie, holding her hand and Edward's. Lucy and Edward both wore matching excited faces, looking as though neither could hold his or her excitement in another moment. Finally, Susan looked at her husband, taking in his warm smile and loving ocean-blue eyes. She nodded and leaned into him.

"I'm very happy," she said.

It could have been hours or merely only seconds later when Susan found herself leaning against the low wall of the garden. She stared out into the vastness, taking in its wonder. The horizon seemed to go on forever, a never-ending world filled with places she had only dreamed of. She had left the Great Hall, where she had been reunited with all her friends from the past, and the uproar that was there in honor of her return. A giggle overtook her as she remembered Edward's reaction to his new baby sister.

"I think as a prince of Narnia, I should be able to hold her," he explained, his voice very serious. Susan smiled and instructed him on how to hold her as he sat in Susan's throne. After warnings to be careful with her head, Susan and Robert stepped back, letting their children get to know one another. "Now Lilli (as Edward had quickly nicknamed her), you're a princess now. And since I am your older brother and a prince, you will need to listen to what I tell you," he explained to his sister. Susan stifled a laugh, remembering a very similar explanation she had given to Edmund when they were younger.

Susan now shook her head at her son's antics, saying a quick prayer that Lillian had inherited her Aunt Lucy's stubbornness, knowing her daughter was in for a rough ride if she had not. Hopefully she got some of mine as well, she thought, smirking at her own stubborn traits.

Susan jumped as she felt an arm wrap around her waist. Looking up, she saw Lucy standing next to her and wrapped her own arm around her younger sister.

"Your family is beautiful, Su," she said softly as she leaned her head on Susan's shoulder.

"Thank you. I'm so happy to be back with you," Susan said, leaning her head on Lucy's.

"What about us?" Edmund asked, coming up on the other side of Lucy. Peter stepped to the left of Susan and put his arm around her shoulders.

"We've missed you too, you know," he teased.

"I've missed you all so much. Life just wasn't life anymore without you," Susan whispered, her eyes glazing over with tears.

"Oh, Susan… stop that," Edmund groaned.

"Oh, shut it, Ed. I'll cry all I want," Susan laughed.

"Oh! It's so good to have you home!" Lucy squealed, wrapping her arms around Susan.

"It's good to be home, to finally feel like there is a home," Susan said softly. The four stood against the wall, arms wrapped around each other, staring at their home, their kingdom.

Breaking the comfortable silence, Peter said, "Now that you're here, it's finally home. For all of us. Without you, Narnia hasn't truly been home yet."

Susan smiled and whispered, "As long as we're together, we're home."