Disclaimer: I own nothing but Melina and her story.

Ch. 1 How could this have happened?

"Mely! Mely come down stairs!" Melina groaned and rolled out of bed. As she walked down the stairs of her two story home she heard her parents and little brother giggling in a hushed manner. In confusion she leapt down the rest of the stairs and found them all gathered around the kitchen table, tons of gifts towering on it, threatening to fall over and bury her brother.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!" They all shouted in unison. Melina's smile could barely be contained on her face. Her cheeks were so bunched up it hurt.

"Thank you so much." Her voice could go no higher than a whisper from the enormity of her gratitude. She hugged each of them in turn and sat to a large breakfast made by her father and mother.

"Open this one first! This one first!" Her little brother Nate yelled handing her a small poorly wrapped package. Melina smiled in amusement and opened the gift.

Inside the wrapping paper was a small horse of clay that her brother had made as his first grade art project. Melina smiled even wider and looked at her brother. "Thank you Nate! Horses are my favorite."

"I know! That's why I made it for you!" He was hopping up and down on his knees in the chair, his elbows on the table.

"Nate careful." Their father laughed. "You're going to make all the presents fall." Nate sat back down and twitched excitedly. "Here. This is from your mom and me."

Melina opened a rectangular package. From the wrapping it looked like a large book. But when opened, it was much, much better. The cover was brown leather and in the middle in gold cursive was the word MEMORIES beneath that was a picture of her with her family and dog at the river they used to kayak in. Her eyes welled with tears as she opened the cover to reveal the first page. It was a scrap book, it looked like they had spent hours putting it together. Throughout the book memories leaped at her through pictures. Her tears spilled over her cheeks. "Thank you." If she had spoken any louder her voice would have surely cracked.

"Well, your father and I figured that since you'll be moving away now, we'd get you something to remember us by." Her mother smiled brightly though tears threatened in her own eyes.

As she went through her presents Melina found a note book filled with the lyrics of her favorite songs. A book of pictures from her favorite artist (Her best friend), and other miscellaneous things from the rest of her friends and family. Through the rest of breakfast Melina couldn't stop smiling. "This has been really great! I think I'm gonna get going though. Surprise Jason by being early. Then we can get to the camp ground early."

"Alright baby." Her father hugged her followed by her mother who couldn't seem to let go. Finally her little brother hugged her tightly.

"Are you sure I can't come?"

Melina smiled. "You wouldn't like it." She assured him before walking out of the house with her luggage and all her gifts. She drove for fifteen minutes to her boyfriend's house. They had been planning for three months to take a camping trip on her twenty first birthday. He would of course supply the alcohol because he was a bigger drinker than she was and he knew more about alcohol. When she arrived at Jason's house there was an extra car out front. Who else could be there? He didn't say that any one else was coming. But then again he didn't tell her a lot of things. Unlocking the door Melina could hear something else he hadn't told her. She walked to his kitchen and saw it as well. He was having sex with one of her friends. Melina's eyes filled with tears. What was he doing? How could he do this to her? Hadn't she given him everything? Hadn't she given up everything fro him? She was leaving her family and moving with him to New York, on the other side of the country. She had never questioned him, never argued with him. And now he was doing this? "Jason?" Her voice yet again not above a whisper. This time out of confusion and hurt.

Jason and Gabriella looked over and their eyes widened. Jason dropped Gabriella off the counter, and off his hips. Melina's cheeks were covered in tears and more were pouring out by the second. "Melina! What are you doing here?!" Jason hurriedly zipped up his pants.

"Apparently walking in on something that's been going on a while." Her hurt, blurred eyes focused on Gabriella. "How long?"

"Six months." Gabriella answered unashamedly.

"Gabby!" Jason yelled at her putting his shirt on. He was attractive. Maybe she could forget? No.

"…We've only been going out for a year…You got tired of me so fast?"

"Please." Gabriella interjected. "He was begging for me after the first three months. You think you're good enough for him? An ugly middle class girl like you? You'll never be good enough for him." Melina and Jason stared at her. She was right of course. Melina looked her over. She had beautiful auburn hair that went to her shoulders and covered a pixy shaped face. Her curves were very small complimenting her small figure. She was right.

"I'll….I'll just leave you two then. Good bye." Melina turned to walk to her car.

"Wait! Mely wait!" Jason caught up to her and turned her around roughly by her arm. She winced and knew there would be a bruise later. "You can't just leave me! No one leaves me!"

"Well I am." She got in her car.

"I love you." He said desperately.

"No you don't." She put her car in reverse and sped home, going well over the speed limit and driving recklessly.

When she pulled into the driveway she was relieved to say that no one was there. Laying her head in her pillow she cried ruthlessly until her pillow was so soaked with tears, there was no dry place for her to place her head. When Melina stopped crying she sniffled and sat up. Thinking she should clean herself up before her parents got home she went to the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face. When she raised her head someone was staring back at her. The cause of her misery. The one person she hated. Herself.

She glared at her reflection. She hated her long curly red hair. Her almond shaped green eyes that stood way out against pale skin with awkward freckles dotting her nose. She gazed at her too curvaceous petite body and grimaced. She had covered them in baggy jeans and a sweatshirt so no one would notice. Her feet held flip flops, the only shoes that fit comfortably and unfortunately showed off her feet that were calloused from walking everywhere barefoot.

Fed up with her body and her reflection she screamed and let her small fist fly at the unsuspecting mirror. The mirror shattered and fell to the floor. Melina looked at her hand and saw blood covering it. She felt a pain in her feet and looked to see that some of the glass had landed on them, cutting deeply into them. She didn't move. She just looked down and saw the hundreds of her looking back. The door behind her swung open and Melina heard a female voice screaming a name. Was it hers? Was it her fathers? She didn't know. And she really didn't care. She just wanted to go away. Just to go away. She wanted the darkness threatening her vision to take over. Maybe she should take off her backpack first? But she couldn't. She was out before she could do anything.

Melina heard a brook and people talking. Her head hurt horridly. She felt soft dirt on her cheek and in her nose. Her eye brows drew together in confusion. She tried to open her eyes slowly but it hurt so bad that she couldn't. The voices around her spoke in hushed tones.

"Where does she hail from?" One beautiful male voice asked.

"We know not. Her ears are elven, but her clothes are not of any we know." Another, older voice answered.

"Let us try and rouse her." Yet a third suggested.

Melina forced her eyes to open despite the pain and stared at four men with long white, blonde hair. "My lord! She has awaked!" The elf that had yet to speak told the seeming leader.

A tall beautiful elf that looked oddly familiar crouched down next to Melina. "What is your name?" His voice was melodic and light.

"Melina." She whispered. He smiled and she clenched her hand to fight the oncoming blush. As she clenched her hand pain shot through it and she remembered. She winced and gave a small cry from pain.

"Do not try to move your hand. It is badly wounded. We will need to get you to a healer. Where do you hail from?"

Melina looked at him curiously. "Um….Salem, Washington." It was his turn to look confused. "Please…what is your name?"

"Forgive me." He looked sheepish. "I am Legolas Greenleaf." Melina's eyes widened. Legolas moved to return to his companions. Melina turned and looked up at the sky. How did all this happen? Was it all a dream? Would she ever see her family again? She started to cry silently. She turned on her side and cried more. How could this have happened?