Disclaimer: I own none of the characters from Lord of the Rings.
Ch1 Funeral
The procession of cars went slowly through the village streets. Every so often they would stop to allow people walking along the road to wave their sorrow to the family. It had all happened so fast, no one had really expected to find the girl alive after so long but everyone hoped. The family had hoped but in their hearts they knew there was no chance of finding her alive.
It had been almost two weeks since the three students had been found in a deserted part of the New Forest. It had taken the police this long to try and figure out what had happened. They had searched the entire place and looked at every bit of evidence, including Ned's body but at first they could find nothing, until one of the surviving girls, Bob, had told them there were two other bodies in the Forest. One was a ranger who died trying to help them; the other was a man the police had been looking for for several years Frank.
Unfortunately neither Bob or Fred had been fit to talk for several days after they were found. Fred had been so badly injured that she couldn't make a statement and Bob had been found in great shock and even when she did tell them what happened it was clearly nonsense. She had spoke of little people and evil wizards, the things of fairytales rather than fact.
Eventually Fred had been able to speak to the police and had told them what happened. Frank, the criminal had been hiding in his hut when Bob, Fred and Ned had found the hut. Thinking it was a place of safety they went inside where Frank had taken them hostage. He had stabbed Ned with some kind of poisoned blade and then tortured Fred. Bob had managed to get them both free before he could hurt her too much.
After a few days the ranger, Paul found them and tried to help them but Frank stabbed him. Paul had managed to cut Frank's throat and had passed out. In fear Bob and Fred had hidden the body and helped the two injured people into the woods to find their way out. Paul had died quite quickly and Ned had died later, which was when both collapsed from exhaustion and waited until the search party found them.
It wasn't a great explanation but the public demand to solve the case had made it so the police had accepted the theory and put an end to the case.
Bob and Fred knew that that wasn't the truth. Of course Frank had been a murderer and Paul had been a ranger but the rest of it was fake. Bob had at first tried to explain to them about Middle Earth and how they escaped from Orthanc and how Fred had been brutally tortured by the evil wizard Saruman. The police had called her mad and got her to see a psychologist. They had moved on to Fred and she had told them the 'truth'.
Now the investigation was all over and the opinion was that the evil Frank had killed Ned and Paul and tortured both the surviving girls. People had easily accepted this and ignored Bob's instance that she was telling the truth about the Middle Earth incident.
It was the day of the funeral and neither Bob or Fred were looking forward to it. Fred had been advised that she should stay in the hospital and watch it on the television but she had been outraged and insisted that she would be there in person at her friend's funeral. Bob had been the same. Although her injuries weren't as bad as Fred's she was still not ready to go walking about in the cold and rain but like her friend she insisted she be there. No one was going to stop them.
Now they rode in the black limousine in the procession and looked out of the black tinted windows into the slight drizzle making everything seem even more grey and dull. Fred was just sitting there not even moving but Bob couldn't help but feel incredibly nervous for some reason. She didn't understand it. Maybe it was just because this was the last time she would get to say goodbye to her friend.
Both were deep in thought and didn't even consider talking to one another. Fred had been extremely quiet ever since she had been rescued from the forest. Not that anyone blamed her, after all both of them had been through a lot and many people had sent their deepest sympathies but the two still hadn't make an official public appearance.
Fred was thinking about everything that happened, she had tried to forget but those horrors just wouldn't leave her mind. The torture, the smell of Orthanc, the fear, the doubt and the worst thing of all the deaths of two people she cared about. David had died saving her life and Ned had died protecting Frodo. She wished she could tell someone about this but there was no one that she trusted enough or that would believe her, except Bob of course.
Bob was thinking very much the same thing. Even after three weeks she had not been able to shift those feelings she had when Fred was in Orthanc. Her visions never came back but the thought of what had happened was still there. Strangely she could still feel that intense fear that Fred had sent her. She could also still feel it off Fred. Every time something moved unexpectedly Fred jumped. If something was out of place or irregular then Fred got edgy. Bob couldn't blame her, for the first week she was the same. Fred had been through a lot and all Bob could do was help her.
The service had been held earlier in the church that Ned always went to. Bob had said something that she had prepared. The whole congregation had listened intently when she had begun.
"I have been asked to say something about Ned. I have been thinking about this for a while and I have decided that there is very little I can say that you don't already know. Ned was a good friend and I know that she had many friends that are here in this church today. I only met her a few years ago and in that time we've had both good and bad times but we always remained friends. No matter what happened Ned could make you laugh, even when you were angry with her.
"Ned would have wanted us to be happy today, but how can we when she's not here with us? It's quite simple really. We should be happy that she is no longer suffering and that she is at rest. Probably making all the angels up there laugh." Bob's voice began to tremble slightly so she stopped and closed her eyes before looking to Fred sat in the front row. Fred smiled and nodded her encouragement. "Ned saved us, I have no doubt about that. We owe her everything. She was brave and she kept us laughing right up until the end. We will all miss Ned. I know I will but we should remember all the good times we had rather than the bad times."
Bob had looked out into the crowd and smiled before turning to the closed coffin and smiling.
Now it was the part both girls had been dreading. The burial. The procession came to a halt outside the gate to the graveyard. People began to get out of the cars slowly as if a mark of respect. Almost everyone was wearing black including Bob and Fred. Slowly people made their way down the path towards the rectangular hole in the ground. Ned's coffin was at the front being carried slowly by people dressed in black with top hats.
Bob and Fred got out of their car and followed down the path. Bob allowed Fred to grip her arm for support, something they had become used to doing the past few weeks. They walked with their eyes staring at the coffin wishing that this wasn't happening.
They finally reached the grave and looked at all the people holding their clean white handkerchiefs to their faces. Bob and Fred couldn't help thinking how much Ned would have hated all of this.
They were allowed to the front by some of the family friends who had known Ned only a short time and met only at Christmas and birthdays. Bob and Fred watched silently as Ned's coffin was lowered into the ground and the priest said the last few words. For a moment everyone stood there not believing what was happening. This was the end. Slowly people began walking away, leaving behind only the few that wanted to say a private goodbye.
Soon Bob and Fred were the only two left standing next to the open grave. The other people had gone off into their cars and gone back to someone's house to drown their sorrows in booze.
Bob stood silently looking at the wooden box as if something was going to happen to it, which they both knew wouldn't. Ned could get out of a lot of things but she couldn't defy death. They silently remembered everything that had happened in the New Forest and in Middle Earth.
After a while Fred said,
"This is all my fault. She would still be alive if it wasn't for me."
"You know that's not true." Bob said comfortingly putting an arm around her friend's shoulders. "None of this was your fault. If anything it was mine, I was the one who forced you two into saving the Hobbits."
Fred shook her head. "I don't suppose we should be blaming ourselves but it's hard not to. Ned didn't deserve to die. That's something I never thought I'd hear myself say." Fred's attempt at humour didn't even amuse her.
The wind picked up slightly as an attempt to make them feel worse than they already did. They could see very little through the rain now falling on their black clothes. Bob was a little anxious. Fred had been unwell for some time and it probably wasn't a good idea for either of them to be out in this kind of weather.
"I wish I'd never ran into the forest that night. Remember the pony?" Fred said almost laughing.
"How could I forget? You know, Ned found that so funny."
"I bet she did. That's so like her, laughing when I get scared. I can't believe I was so stupid."
"You can't change the past Fred no matter how hard you try. You can wish all you like but you know it won't come true." The irony of this comment wasn't lost on either of them.
Fred nodded still looking into the grave wishing that none of this was happening. She couldn't help but feel guilty no matter what Bob said. It was her fault. She had gotten caught and Bob had to rescue her instead of helping Ned. Now she couldn't believe how stupid she'd been getting frightened over a horse was far better than killing your friend and getting tortured in a fictional planet.
Bob was also thinking about what happened, she believed she was responsible for what happened. If only she hadn't done that stitching and performed some proper first aid on Ned instead of believing her when she said she was alright. Bob didn't believe for a second that Ned would have died if she had been there.
Both looked at the grave thinking about their friend and what they could do. Finally Bob broke the uneasy silence. She threw her rose onto the brown coffin and said a quiet goodbye to Ned. Fred reluctantly did the same. She smiled at the coffin in a final farewell. Both stood for a moment longer before turning around and going towards the limousine that was waiting for them.
When inside Bob stared out of the window. Fred soon noticed the tears running down Bob's face. She touched her friend's shoulder. Bob looked around and smiled at Fred whilst wiping the tears away.
"It's been a long day huh?" Fred nodded waiting for Bob to say something else. "I just can't believe we'll never see her again. None of this seems real. You know, like it's a dream." Fred nodded again.
"We always thought that nothing would ever happen to our group. We were wrong. Ned did all these crazy things, walking on hot coals, skydiving, bungee jumping and nothing ever happened to her. One day out in the forest and she gets hurt. This guy Frank found her weakness. He killed her, nothing else. We always thought she was indestrucable or something but she wasn't she was human and now she's gone and I know it's hard to accept but it's true and there's nothing we can do about it.
"It still feels like she's alive but she's already dead. You know that."
Bob nodded slowly. She looked across at Fred and smiled sadly. "You're right. She's gone and there's nothing we can do to change the past, no matter how much we want to. It looks like it's just you and me now."
"And Mark." Fred corrected her.
"And Mark." Bob said quietly. "I didn't see him at the funeral, did you?"
"No. He probably didn't want to get in the way you know Mark."
"I guess. It just seemed strange that he wouldn't go, he knew Ned almost as well as we did. I just thought I'd see him that's all."
Fred nodded. "Maybe he didn't want to say goodbye like that." Fred suggested.
"You're probably right." Bob said. "I don't know about you but I'll be glad to get home."
"You mean back to the hospital for me? I hate it there. I wish I was back at school." Fred said.
"I know what you mean. My mum won't let me go back to school yet either, she insists it's too soon."
"Did she find out about Marie? I completely forgot to ask."
"No. I didn't tell anyone. No one seemed to care how we got out there so I kept quiet. I hope you didn't mind."
"No I didn't say anything either."
"Thank you."
"Hey, how could I? You sister helped us, we were the ones that caused the trouble, its got nothing to do with her." Bob smiled at Fred.
"Do they have any idea when you can go home? I really don't feel like going back to school on my own. You know how awful it is losing someone."
Fred looked down at her hands and smiled sadly.
Bob realised instantly what she had said. "Fred, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. After everything that's been happening lately with you and the police I completely forgot about David. I know you loved him."
"Yeah. But there's nothing I can do to bring him back so let's talk about something else. Please."
"Sure." Bob sighed. She'd really forgotten about David. However, now she was reminded that memory came back. Watching him go up in flames like that was terrifying. What was worse was that he had done it all for Fred. Bob couldn't imagine what that felt like. She had tried to talk to her friend about it but Fred had said nothing making up some excuse like she was tired. The police wouldn't have asked her about it as they had no idea that David even existed.
They soon reached the hospital and Fred got out of her door, eager to escape the cramped car. She stood at the door and said goodbye to Bob.
"I'll come and see you soon. I promise." Bob said as Fred turned away.
"Okay. Don't be too long. You know how boring it gets in here with no one to talk to."
"Yeah." Bob shouted back.
She watched Fred be met by a nurse and a doctor and sit down in a wheel chair they had ready for her and she got back into the car and the driver went on his way. Bob really didn't want to go to this party thing after. She couldn't understand why people would care about finger food when someone had just died.
She told the driver her address and asked him to take her there instead of the party. All she wanted to do was sleep. Ever since she had been taken back from Middle Earth she had constantly felt tired, even after days of rest. The doctors said she just needed to relax, hard to do when your friend has died and the other is unwell.
There was something else to it though. She couldn't quite understand it. She couldn't help thinking that it was because of the power she had been given by Gandalf. When he had given it to her she had felt so strong and powerful and now she felt like a normal person. She was sure that she was suffering some sort of withdrawal from this power.
In a way she wanted it back. The feeling of being superior to everything and everyone else was incredible and she wanted to feel that again no matter what it took. She had tried to drive these feelings out of her mind, hoping they would go away eventually but they hadn't. That feeling when she had defeated Saruman had been overwhelming and she had loved it.
It was the first time she had ever wanted Gandalf around. She wanted his power again. In a way she was afraid of what she was feeling. The need for that power was always in her thoughts and she couldn't avoid it. At the same time she wanted to get rid of them and make things normal again, she might even be able to put those terrible images of Fred being tortured behind her. She still had flashbacks of those images even after three weeks. The feeling of having her eye poked out was too much and she could still feel it sometimes, she wasn't sure whether it was Fred doing it now or her own mind, either way she didn't like it. She got the feeling that Fred still didn't know she was doing it in Orthanc.
Bob remembered what she had thought when she had first seen her friend being thrown into the room before Saruman. The terrified look on her face when she had seen her. Bob couldn't forget what she had done to Fred. Sticking pieces of sharp metal into her hands would have made her frightened.
She remembered Fred saying at the time that it wasn't her fault and that she had no choice but she hadn't spoken to Fred about it since. She didn't want to bring up those bad memories again.
She thought back to when she had seen Fred lying in hospital the night after her operation, only a day after being discovered in the forest. Fred was sleeping whilst Bob sat at her side not knowing what to do. She had a large bandage over her left eye and her right one, when open, was blood shot. She had cuts all over her face as well as large bruises. She had the deep red marks on her back where Saruman's Orc's had whipped her. The numerous cuts, bruises and marks had made her almost unrecognisable the first time Bob had saw her properly.
When she had been able to talk she was so dosed up on painkillers that she hadn't been able to say anything sensible. However, when she spoke to the police she made perfect sense and had said everything Bob had told her. Bob had come up with the story of Frank and Fred had just filled in the details. Both had told the same story and everything was closed after that.
Luckily Fred's father had said nothing about the Fellowship or Aragorn although he had told his daughter. Apparently he didn't think the police would believe his story anyway so what was the point in telling the real truth.
All of this was great but what really amazed Bob was that when she had went to the doctor in the hospital he had told her that someone had put an excellent dressing on her wound. Bob couldn't believe it. There was Fred, just come back from being tortured almost to death in Orthanc and then getting up and helping Bob with her now insignificant wound.
Bob smiled at the thought and brought herself back to her senses when she realised she was home. She got out of the car and thanked the driver. She walked to her front door and looked up at the sky, which was now turning blue, and the sun was slowly coming out. She smiled and walked into her house.
Ch1 Funeral
The procession of cars went slowly through the village streets. Every so often they would stop to allow people walking along the road to wave their sorrow to the family. It had all happened so fast, no one had really expected to find the girl alive after so long but everyone hoped. The family had hoped but in their hearts they knew there was no chance of finding her alive.
It had been almost two weeks since the three students had been found in a deserted part of the New Forest. It had taken the police this long to try and figure out what had happened. They had searched the entire place and looked at every bit of evidence, including Ned's body but at first they could find nothing, until one of the surviving girls, Bob, had told them there were two other bodies in the Forest. One was a ranger who died trying to help them; the other was a man the police had been looking for for several years Frank.
Unfortunately neither Bob or Fred had been fit to talk for several days after they were found. Fred had been so badly injured that she couldn't make a statement and Bob had been found in great shock and even when she did tell them what happened it was clearly nonsense. She had spoke of little people and evil wizards, the things of fairytales rather than fact.
Eventually Fred had been able to speak to the police and had told them what happened. Frank, the criminal had been hiding in his hut when Bob, Fred and Ned had found the hut. Thinking it was a place of safety they went inside where Frank had taken them hostage. He had stabbed Ned with some kind of poisoned blade and then tortured Fred. Bob had managed to get them both free before he could hurt her too much.
After a few days the ranger, Paul found them and tried to help them but Frank stabbed him. Paul had managed to cut Frank's throat and had passed out. In fear Bob and Fred had hidden the body and helped the two injured people into the woods to find their way out. Paul had died quite quickly and Ned had died later, which was when both collapsed from exhaustion and waited until the search party found them.
It wasn't a great explanation but the public demand to solve the case had made it so the police had accepted the theory and put an end to the case.
Bob and Fred knew that that wasn't the truth. Of course Frank had been a murderer and Paul had been a ranger but the rest of it was fake. Bob had at first tried to explain to them about Middle Earth and how they escaped from Orthanc and how Fred had been brutally tortured by the evil wizard Saruman. The police had called her mad and got her to see a psychologist. They had moved on to Fred and she had told them the 'truth'.
Now the investigation was all over and the opinion was that the evil Frank had killed Ned and Paul and tortured both the surviving girls. People had easily accepted this and ignored Bob's instance that she was telling the truth about the Middle Earth incident.
It was the day of the funeral and neither Bob or Fred were looking forward to it. Fred had been advised that she should stay in the hospital and watch it on the television but she had been outraged and insisted that she would be there in person at her friend's funeral. Bob had been the same. Although her injuries weren't as bad as Fred's she was still not ready to go walking about in the cold and rain but like her friend she insisted she be there. No one was going to stop them.
Now they rode in the black limousine in the procession and looked out of the black tinted windows into the slight drizzle making everything seem even more grey and dull. Fred was just sitting there not even moving but Bob couldn't help but feel incredibly nervous for some reason. She didn't understand it. Maybe it was just because this was the last time she would get to say goodbye to her friend.
Both were deep in thought and didn't even consider talking to one another. Fred had been extremely quiet ever since she had been rescued from the forest. Not that anyone blamed her, after all both of them had been through a lot and many people had sent their deepest sympathies but the two still hadn't make an official public appearance.
Fred was thinking about everything that happened, she had tried to forget but those horrors just wouldn't leave her mind. The torture, the smell of Orthanc, the fear, the doubt and the worst thing of all the deaths of two people she cared about. David had died saving her life and Ned had died protecting Frodo. She wished she could tell someone about this but there was no one that she trusted enough or that would believe her, except Bob of course.
Bob was thinking very much the same thing. Even after three weeks she had not been able to shift those feelings she had when Fred was in Orthanc. Her visions never came back but the thought of what had happened was still there. Strangely she could still feel that intense fear that Fred had sent her. She could also still feel it off Fred. Every time something moved unexpectedly Fred jumped. If something was out of place or irregular then Fred got edgy. Bob couldn't blame her, for the first week she was the same. Fred had been through a lot and all Bob could do was help her.
The service had been held earlier in the church that Ned always went to. Bob had said something that she had prepared. The whole congregation had listened intently when she had begun.
"I have been asked to say something about Ned. I have been thinking about this for a while and I have decided that there is very little I can say that you don't already know. Ned was a good friend and I know that she had many friends that are here in this church today. I only met her a few years ago and in that time we've had both good and bad times but we always remained friends. No matter what happened Ned could make you laugh, even when you were angry with her.
"Ned would have wanted us to be happy today, but how can we when she's not here with us? It's quite simple really. We should be happy that she is no longer suffering and that she is at rest. Probably making all the angels up there laugh." Bob's voice began to tremble slightly so she stopped and closed her eyes before looking to Fred sat in the front row. Fred smiled and nodded her encouragement. "Ned saved us, I have no doubt about that. We owe her everything. She was brave and she kept us laughing right up until the end. We will all miss Ned. I know I will but we should remember all the good times we had rather than the bad times."
Bob had looked out into the crowd and smiled before turning to the closed coffin and smiling.
Now it was the part both girls had been dreading. The burial. The procession came to a halt outside the gate to the graveyard. People began to get out of the cars slowly as if a mark of respect. Almost everyone was wearing black including Bob and Fred. Slowly people made their way down the path towards the rectangular hole in the ground. Ned's coffin was at the front being carried slowly by people dressed in black with top hats.
Bob and Fred got out of their car and followed down the path. Bob allowed Fred to grip her arm for support, something they had become used to doing the past few weeks. They walked with their eyes staring at the coffin wishing that this wasn't happening.
They finally reached the grave and looked at all the people holding their clean white handkerchiefs to their faces. Bob and Fred couldn't help thinking how much Ned would have hated all of this.
They were allowed to the front by some of the family friends who had known Ned only a short time and met only at Christmas and birthdays. Bob and Fred watched silently as Ned's coffin was lowered into the ground and the priest said the last few words. For a moment everyone stood there not believing what was happening. This was the end. Slowly people began walking away, leaving behind only the few that wanted to say a private goodbye.
Soon Bob and Fred were the only two left standing next to the open grave. The other people had gone off into their cars and gone back to someone's house to drown their sorrows in booze.
Bob stood silently looking at the wooden box as if something was going to happen to it, which they both knew wouldn't. Ned could get out of a lot of things but she couldn't defy death. They silently remembered everything that had happened in the New Forest and in Middle Earth.
After a while Fred said,
"This is all my fault. She would still be alive if it wasn't for me."
"You know that's not true." Bob said comfortingly putting an arm around her friend's shoulders. "None of this was your fault. If anything it was mine, I was the one who forced you two into saving the Hobbits."
Fred shook her head. "I don't suppose we should be blaming ourselves but it's hard not to. Ned didn't deserve to die. That's something I never thought I'd hear myself say." Fred's attempt at humour didn't even amuse her.
The wind picked up slightly as an attempt to make them feel worse than they already did. They could see very little through the rain now falling on their black clothes. Bob was a little anxious. Fred had been unwell for some time and it probably wasn't a good idea for either of them to be out in this kind of weather.
"I wish I'd never ran into the forest that night. Remember the pony?" Fred said almost laughing.
"How could I forget? You know, Ned found that so funny."
"I bet she did. That's so like her, laughing when I get scared. I can't believe I was so stupid."
"You can't change the past Fred no matter how hard you try. You can wish all you like but you know it won't come true." The irony of this comment wasn't lost on either of them.
Fred nodded still looking into the grave wishing that none of this was happening. She couldn't help but feel guilty no matter what Bob said. It was her fault. She had gotten caught and Bob had to rescue her instead of helping Ned. Now she couldn't believe how stupid she'd been getting frightened over a horse was far better than killing your friend and getting tortured in a fictional planet.
Bob was also thinking about what happened, she believed she was responsible for what happened. If only she hadn't done that stitching and performed some proper first aid on Ned instead of believing her when she said she was alright. Bob didn't believe for a second that Ned would have died if she had been there.
Both looked at the grave thinking about their friend and what they could do. Finally Bob broke the uneasy silence. She threw her rose onto the brown coffin and said a quiet goodbye to Ned. Fred reluctantly did the same. She smiled at the coffin in a final farewell. Both stood for a moment longer before turning around and going towards the limousine that was waiting for them.
When inside Bob stared out of the window. Fred soon noticed the tears running down Bob's face. She touched her friend's shoulder. Bob looked around and smiled at Fred whilst wiping the tears away.
"It's been a long day huh?" Fred nodded waiting for Bob to say something else. "I just can't believe we'll never see her again. None of this seems real. You know, like it's a dream." Fred nodded again.
"We always thought that nothing would ever happen to our group. We were wrong. Ned did all these crazy things, walking on hot coals, skydiving, bungee jumping and nothing ever happened to her. One day out in the forest and she gets hurt. This guy Frank found her weakness. He killed her, nothing else. We always thought she was indestrucable or something but she wasn't she was human and now she's gone and I know it's hard to accept but it's true and there's nothing we can do about it.
"It still feels like she's alive but she's already dead. You know that."
Bob nodded slowly. She looked across at Fred and smiled sadly. "You're right. She's gone and there's nothing we can do to change the past, no matter how much we want to. It looks like it's just you and me now."
"And Mark." Fred corrected her.
"And Mark." Bob said quietly. "I didn't see him at the funeral, did you?"
"No. He probably didn't want to get in the way you know Mark."
"I guess. It just seemed strange that he wouldn't go, he knew Ned almost as well as we did. I just thought I'd see him that's all."
Fred nodded. "Maybe he didn't want to say goodbye like that." Fred suggested.
"You're probably right." Bob said. "I don't know about you but I'll be glad to get home."
"You mean back to the hospital for me? I hate it there. I wish I was back at school." Fred said.
"I know what you mean. My mum won't let me go back to school yet either, she insists it's too soon."
"Did she find out about Marie? I completely forgot to ask."
"No. I didn't tell anyone. No one seemed to care how we got out there so I kept quiet. I hope you didn't mind."
"No I didn't say anything either."
"Thank you."
"Hey, how could I? You sister helped us, we were the ones that caused the trouble, its got nothing to do with her." Bob smiled at Fred.
"Do they have any idea when you can go home? I really don't feel like going back to school on my own. You know how awful it is losing someone."
Fred looked down at her hands and smiled sadly.
Bob realised instantly what she had said. "Fred, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. After everything that's been happening lately with you and the police I completely forgot about David. I know you loved him."
"Yeah. But there's nothing I can do to bring him back so let's talk about something else. Please."
"Sure." Bob sighed. She'd really forgotten about David. However, now she was reminded that memory came back. Watching him go up in flames like that was terrifying. What was worse was that he had done it all for Fred. Bob couldn't imagine what that felt like. She had tried to talk to her friend about it but Fred had said nothing making up some excuse like she was tired. The police wouldn't have asked her about it as they had no idea that David even existed.
They soon reached the hospital and Fred got out of her door, eager to escape the cramped car. She stood at the door and said goodbye to Bob.
"I'll come and see you soon. I promise." Bob said as Fred turned away.
"Okay. Don't be too long. You know how boring it gets in here with no one to talk to."
"Yeah." Bob shouted back.
She watched Fred be met by a nurse and a doctor and sit down in a wheel chair they had ready for her and she got back into the car and the driver went on his way. Bob really didn't want to go to this party thing after. She couldn't understand why people would care about finger food when someone had just died.
She told the driver her address and asked him to take her there instead of the party. All she wanted to do was sleep. Ever since she had been taken back from Middle Earth she had constantly felt tired, even after days of rest. The doctors said she just needed to relax, hard to do when your friend has died and the other is unwell.
There was something else to it though. She couldn't quite understand it. She couldn't help thinking that it was because of the power she had been given by Gandalf. When he had given it to her she had felt so strong and powerful and now she felt like a normal person. She was sure that she was suffering some sort of withdrawal from this power.
In a way she wanted it back. The feeling of being superior to everything and everyone else was incredible and she wanted to feel that again no matter what it took. She had tried to drive these feelings out of her mind, hoping they would go away eventually but they hadn't. That feeling when she had defeated Saruman had been overwhelming and she had loved it.
It was the first time she had ever wanted Gandalf around. She wanted his power again. In a way she was afraid of what she was feeling. The need for that power was always in her thoughts and she couldn't avoid it. At the same time she wanted to get rid of them and make things normal again, she might even be able to put those terrible images of Fred being tortured behind her. She still had flashbacks of those images even after three weeks. The feeling of having her eye poked out was too much and she could still feel it sometimes, she wasn't sure whether it was Fred doing it now or her own mind, either way she didn't like it. She got the feeling that Fred still didn't know she was doing it in Orthanc.
Bob remembered what she had thought when she had first seen her friend being thrown into the room before Saruman. The terrified look on her face when she had seen her. Bob couldn't forget what she had done to Fred. Sticking pieces of sharp metal into her hands would have made her frightened.
She remembered Fred saying at the time that it wasn't her fault and that she had no choice but she hadn't spoken to Fred about it since. She didn't want to bring up those bad memories again.
She thought back to when she had seen Fred lying in hospital the night after her operation, only a day after being discovered in the forest. Fred was sleeping whilst Bob sat at her side not knowing what to do. She had a large bandage over her left eye and her right one, when open, was blood shot. She had cuts all over her face as well as large bruises. She had the deep red marks on her back where Saruman's Orc's had whipped her. The numerous cuts, bruises and marks had made her almost unrecognisable the first time Bob had saw her properly.
When she had been able to talk she was so dosed up on painkillers that she hadn't been able to say anything sensible. However, when she spoke to the police she made perfect sense and had said everything Bob had told her. Bob had come up with the story of Frank and Fred had just filled in the details. Both had told the same story and everything was closed after that.
Luckily Fred's father had said nothing about the Fellowship or Aragorn although he had told his daughter. Apparently he didn't think the police would believe his story anyway so what was the point in telling the real truth.
All of this was great but what really amazed Bob was that when she had went to the doctor in the hospital he had told her that someone had put an excellent dressing on her wound. Bob couldn't believe it. There was Fred, just come back from being tortured almost to death in Orthanc and then getting up and helping Bob with her now insignificant wound.
Bob smiled at the thought and brought herself back to her senses when she realised she was home. She got out of the car and thanked the driver. She walked to her front door and looked up at the sky, which was now turning blue, and the sun was slowly coming out. She smiled and walked into her house.