Chapter 1: Life Returns

It had been a year since their return to earth and life had changed dramatically for the girls.

They all were rescued off the island with their parents waiting back in the states. They got national attention as being the only survivors and had to come up with a quick story. Luckily they managed to play it off that they had been stranded on the island the whole time, also that they couldn't call before because they had lost their stuff and finally found it recently. Besides, who was going to argue? They were asked to do TV spots, magazine interviews, and even appear in TV movie.

Tricia cleared up things with her family who were just glad to see her. They shared a close and loving relationship and things couldn't have been better. She kept up with her archery lessons with Rachel and they stunned the class with their sudden improvement.

Rachel's parents began doting on her and supported her in all she did. They took her traveling and tried to take her mind off of the accident, as she still seemed saddened by it.

Holly tried to be happy again with her family, but she felt so empty without Merry and how they had parted. Eventually she started to feel a little better and tried living again. Even when she went back to fencing and started competing she found little joy.

Yet with all that attention and happiness there came complications. Even though they had supposedly been on the island for a few months (which seemed almost impossible to the girls who had been in middle earth for two years) there were rumors. So the girls forced themselves to fin suitable boyfriends to keep the media off their backs. None of them really liked their boyfriends and they were sure that their "boyfriends" only wanted the attention. Their public kisses were awkward and messy at best, and they rarely saw each other unless it was at a big event. Memories of their loves were still too fresh.

"So, it's been a year. To think…we're really 19 because of our aging in middle earth, but here we're only 17 and everyone thinks we've just matured a lot. Funny." They all knew it wasn't, not really. The three had gotten together and visited the beach of Florida that they had landed on after being rescued. Holly stood gazing out at the water idly while Tricia and Rachel sat on a nearby beach towel.

"Kind of silly, huh?" Tricia was trying her best to cheer her friends up, but nothing seemed to be working, and she didn't feel like being glad either. The nearby boardwalk was buzzing with tourists and locals alike, maybe some mindless fun would help lighten the mood. "Why don't we go to the amusement park?" her friends looked at her oddly. "I want some cotton candy, besides, might be fun." She could feel weight being lifted from the gloomy air and they walked towards the park smiling a little.

After getting some food and refreshments they sat down at a table and tried to look inconspicuous. They were fairly well known and not a day passed where they weren't stopped on the street.

"I can't believe it has been a year…seems so much longer. Not like when we were with the fellowship…were we with them?" Rachel held her head in her hands. "I've been noticing that for some times I've been beginning to forget things, about our time there." She could tell that her friends had too.

"If not for Merry's ring…I'd probably think it was all a dream." Holly toyed with the trinket round her neck and sighed. "I miss him so much."

"Maybe it was all a dream…" Tricia sighed, knowing in her heart she was wrong.

"Either way…our old lives have resumed…and we have to move on." Holly looked sadly at her friends "No matter how much we don't want to." They all looked at the ground in silent remorse, wishing that they could see their friends and loves one last time. "Well, I'm going to go through the fun house, just for a lark. Either of you want to come with me or should we meet up later?"

"I'm going to go check out the bumper cars." Rachel said with a half smile.

"A walk on the beach sounds nice." Tricia sighed.

"Alright, we'll meet at the beach right down there in a half hour, okay?" They nodded and separated to try and console themselves separately in their own strange way. Not taking any heed of the shadows that followed them intently.