Sorry it took so long to update. I had a case of writers block. Also, I was thinking over the subject of who to pair Amber with. I decided, that I will continue the planned romance I had for the story. I will continue until the end, but I will also write the alternate version. it will be called A Little Found Gem Also an important note, I have always planned for this story to focus more on the adventure over the romance.
I do not own LoTR.
Amber laughed at the impression Pippin did of Lobelia Sackville-Baggins. Amber had only met her a day before, but she already disliked the woman. Pippin seemed quite pleased by Amber's reaction to the mime.
He looked at her, and said, "How do you like the Shire?" Amber smiled wavered as she said, "It's really nice. I just wish that my brother was here with me." She felt a sting of pain her heart, Austin would have liked it here. He was the calmer one, like their mother Andromeda.
Amber had inherited much of her fathers fiery personality, and she found more pleasure in dreaming of adventure. But the mundane life in Hobbiton was pleasant and soothing, in the two weeks since she came, she had began to feel slightly restless. She found herself smiling at the simple pleasures there. In fact, one of the things that she liked the most about the Shire was Pippin and his smile. She didn't understand why she liked it so much, but she had found that he could make her smile when no-one else could.
Amber leaned back against the tree and watched her hobbit friends talk. It had taken a while, but Sam had finally gotten used to her slightly. At least he didn't seem so untrusting anymore.
Pippin looked over at Amber, and spontaneously asked, "What is Tulsa like?" Amber paused for a minute to think. She looked at dark brown eye as she said, "First, Tulsa is nothing like the Shire. I doubt there are many places on my world that are."
She paused for a moment again and continued, "Tulsa is basically split into two groups. On the west side, you have the socs. They're the rich, lucky ones who get cool cars, fancy clothes. And if you're a kid my age, and you get in trouble with the law, your parents can and probably will bail you out. all the ones I've seen or met seem cold, almost unfeeling."
Amber frowned at the ground as she continued, "Then you have the east end greasers. We don't have a lot of money, were all portrayed as criminals or if were not, then were gonna be one some day. Greasers seem to feel things strongly, and we wind up looking trouble a lot of the time."
She paused to drink some water before she continued, "There are probably some normal people there, but you don't meet many. They probably are just keeping themselves out of the fight between the greasers and socs. If so, then I don't blame them for it."
Amber chuckled bitterly, "Its kinda stinks the socs will "jump" or attack lone greasers in groups of at least three but mostly for or five. Because of this, us greasers will get mad and jump them in response. But the law will just see the attacking greasers as violent criminals, and put us in jail. I think that must be why a lot of greasers are criminals, the law just is too perverted for most to pay any attention to."
Amber closed her eyes as she spoke, "A lot of my family used to be like that. They would steal, get into fights and other things. They stopped doing that, but were still greasers."
Pippin shivered as he asked, "And what is your home like? And your family? Amber opened her eyes to look at him as she said, "Well, my parents are Dallas and Andromeda Winston. There's also my twin brother Austin, and little sister Natalie. My dad still has a bit of a temper, even if he has calmed down since he was my age. Me and him tend to get into fights rather than talk. Aust and mom are the calm ones, they'd rather talk out a problem than get in an argument. And Nate, she's somewhere in the middle of all of us. Honestly, we don't have much when it comes to money, that's why I worked in the stables."
Sam frowned, "But you're just a kid, you shouldn't have to work!" Amber chuckled, Sam was right she shouldn't have to work. "That's just the way things are, like it or not." Sam muttered to himself as Frodo asked, "And what is the rest of you family like."
Amber chucked, "First you have my Aunt and Uncle, Persephone and Two-Bit Mathews along with and my cousin Bailey. Aunt Seffy is my mother's sister. The three of them seem to share the same strange kind of humor."
Amber took another drink of water before she said, "Then you've got my uncles, Darry, Sodapop, Ponyboy, and Johnny Curtis. My mom and uncle Johnny were actually adopted as family by the Curtis when I was just a baby. Darry is the big, strong, smart guy out of all of us. johnny is really nice, and is always there when me or my brother need to talk to someone. He's been through a lot so it really helps. Uncle Pony is quiet, and a bit forgetful, but he always knows where to find the best books to read. And Uncle Soda, he always seems to be happy, out of the four of them, he is the only one of them to be still married. He and his wife Katie have a son, Jared. Uncle Pony actually got married to someone, but Lizzie dies shortly after giving birth and their boy Artie died in his sleep. The other two, Darry and Johnny aren't and have never been married."
Amber drank some more water before she said, "There's also My Uncle Steve Randle. He also isn't related, to any of my family, but he's like family. He would sometimes take me and Aust to the place where he and Uncle Soda worked, and showed us all the cool cars that he tested out. He was act actually engaged once, but his fiancé, Evie, was killed by a drunk driver. Last of all is my great Aunt Marge. she's my mom's Aunt, but we don't get to see her a lot. She's just too busy with work."
Frodo nodded, all the hobbits seemed a little stunned by the amount of death, and violence that she spoke of in such a calm manner. Amber sipped her drink, and hopped they wouldn't ask about her family any more. But Frodo opened his moth and asked, "And what of you grand parents? Do you have any other family?"
Amber paused, that was one thing that she never liked taking about. If it was someone from Tulsa asking, Amber would have frowned, and snapped that it wasn't their business, and hit them if they pushed her to tell. But this was Frodo, he had become something of a big brother to her.
Amber breather deeply before she said, "Alright then. First you've got my dad's father, August Winston and My grandma Elanor Winston. My grandma died when my dad was six, so I really now nothing about her other than that she apparently was good and kind, and my dad loved to listen to her laugh. My dad's father on the other had, was not such a good person. He would beat my dad, and get drunk, then beat him even worse. He was the one that made my dad into the angry criminal that he used to be."
Sam gaped at Amber as he croaked, "But you don't go around hurting your family! You just don't!" Amber sighed, "I know that, but he did. He also tried to kill me and my mom before she gave birth to Nate."
Pippin shivered as Merry said, "And your Mom's family? They can't be that bad." Amber stared at her feet as she spoke, "My moms father was Christopher Campbell and my moms mother was Cassiopeia Campbell. They were not really great parents toward my mom, especially after mom was attacked on a train, and my Aunt was kidnapped. After that, they almost ignored my mom even though she was just six. They actually sent My mom to My cruel great Aunt Christina to 'grow a spine'. later they found out my mom's parents was surrounded by 'uneducated hooligans' they forced her to come back 'home'. They also locked mom in her room when they found out that she was pregnant with me and my brother, and told her they would throw us into a trashcan when we wore born."
Amber's mouth twitched as she saw the stunned faces that looked at her as she continued, "There is also My great Uncle Jeffery and his wife, Cassie and their daughters Vivian and Lilian. I also have a Great Aunt Adelaide. You've already heard about My Great Aunt Cristina."
Amber closed her eyes as she nearly whispered, "I only met my mother's family once. They came to my fourteenth birthday party. I remember how they looked at all of us with such contempt. They told my mother that she was stupid and useless, and both she and Aunt Seffy were such great disappointments to the family. They looked at my uncles and their family and called they uneducated, criminals who were just wasting every ones time and money. Then they looks at me and Aust, and Nate. They told us we were disgusting brats born out-of-wedlock. They told us we would just be 'good-for-nothing blights on society'. The left shortly after that, and haven't contacted us in any way since. Good riddance I say."
Frodo swallowed as he said, "Your great Aunt Cristina can't be that bad, she did take care of your mom." Amber chuckled bitterly before she said, "great Uncle Jeffery said my mom's shy demeanor would 'destroy his kids self-esteem'. Great Aunt Adelaide said she would upset her prize wining bull-dog. great Aunt Marge was sick and didn't want My mother to catch whatever it was that she had. great Aunt Cristina actually said that my mom was a 'weak-willed girl' but she didn't have a prize wining bull dog or kids to take care of, so she got to take my mom while her parents went to Paris for a vacation."
Amber leaned gloomily against the tree. Sam shook his head as he said, "No offense, but that group, they stink like a kettle of rotten fish." Amber smiled weekly, and nodded. There was silence for a minute before Pippin said, why don't we go do something fun? It's like were at a bar with no beer."
Amber laughed. Pippin had gotten her to smile again, like he always did. She smiled said why don't we go pester Lobelia again." Pippin grinned as he said, "I bet I can get their first." Amber laughed again, and chased after Pippin and Merry.
Well, I'm quite pleased with this. For people who haven't read my first story, this will explain a lot, and for those who have, its more of a review and what happened after the first story.
Please review. I really want to know what you guys think.