I own nothing Tolkien...Glorfindel/OC, will be fluffy later.

Would love reviews to know what you think so far, this is my first LOTR fanfic.

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As Kate left her Karate class she heard a commotion in the alley next to the dojo. Karate had not taught her to be stupid so she reached for her cell phone to call for help, but then the old man's voice cried out piteously for help and she disregarded her common sense and turned and ran towards the two figures kicking at the old man that lay on the ground.

"Hey! Leave him alone!" She shouted coming at them full tilt. The men started, saw her coming in her gi, the black belt flying in the wind and must have decided it was not worth a fight and took off running. Kate knelt beside the now unconscious man and checked his pulse, it was a bit erratic but strong, and his raspy breathing indicated he may have sustained a broken rib. "Sir, are you alright?" She rubbed some blood off his cheek with a handkerchief that she saw in his shirt pocket. He slowly opened his eyes and looked at her.

"I-I think so." He tried to rise and winced, doubling over, holding his stomach. Kate looped her arm around his middle and helped him into a semi standing position.

"You sit in my car and I will call the police." Kate said.

"No! My dear child, let's not involve the authorities. You were just in time; I am only a bit bruised." He said and Kate looked at him strangely, those men had nearly killed him, and probably would have if she hadn't happened upon them.

"Let's at least get you to a doctor." Kate said, helping him as he limped down the alley.

"Yes, I think that would be for the best." He grunted.

"Do you want me to call an ambulance, or do you think you can make it to my car?" She asked.

"If you don't mind driving me, my dear." He said.

"Of course not. But I really should call the police."

"No, no, please child, I am in no mood for a barrage of questions." She looked at him as he said this. He really looked quite old and was probably afraid that if he had them arrested they would seek revenge, it was a fear for many people, and she nodded.

Kate got him loaded into her car and drove to the nearest hospital ER. He asked her to please stay with him as he had no family to call and would appreciate a ride home, and feeling sorry for him she agreed. An hour and a half later they discharged him with a prescription and words of caution about being out and about alone at night. As they settled into her car it occurred to Kate that she had never asked his name.

"You know we never introduced ourselves, my name is Kate Peters." She smiled at him.

"My name is Alatar Morinehtar, but do please call me Al my dear." His smile was wan, the pain killer they gave him evidently kicking in.

"It's nice to meet you, wish it wasn't under these circumstances." She said. "You don't have any family at all that can help you while you recover?"

"No Kate, I am sorry to say I don't." When she asked for his address he shocked her by saying the address to her apartment complex.

"Al, I live there too! That is so strange!" Kate exclaimed.

"Indeed! What a coincidence, we have been neighbors and never knew it." He smiled kindly, but it seemed to Kate he didn't seem too surprised, but she shook off the notion.

"Well, then, if it is agreeable to you I check with you in the morning and evening over the next couple days just to make sure you are all right." Kate patted his wrinkled and line hand gently.

"My dear girl, you are too kind to an old man!" He coughed slightly and adjusted painfully in his seat. When they arrived at the complex, she discovered his apartment was in a different building than hers, which probably explained why they hadn't met. Fortunately he was on the bottom floor so getting him into his apartment was too difficult. He went to his bedroom to change and Kate took a minute to look around. HE had managed to channel English Library into the neat modern efficiency of the apartment, and it made her smile because it seemed to fit him quite well. An entire wall had bookcases and it was filled with beautiful leather bound volumes. Large books were scattered on the coffee table, and on a side table that was next to an over stuffed leather chair complete with matching ottoman.

"Al? If you are ok I will go to the pharmacy and get your prescription filled, ok?" She called out.

"That would be wonderful my dear." He shuffled into the room in his brocade robe and slippers and handed Kate a roll of bills.

"I believe this is too much Al." She grinned at him.

"Take it and bring back what you don't need, I wouldn't have you go out without enough." He smiled kindly over a set of half glasses that he had slid out of the pocket of his robe. "Luckily for me I had an extra pair since those young men broke mine." A shadow passed over his face and Kate felt so sorry for him. She smiled and went out the door, returning soon enough from the 24 hour pharmacy down the street, then saw him medicated and tucked in before she went home to enjoy a hot shower and her own bed.

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Over the next couple of months Kate and Al became fast friends, she took care of him while he recuperated and he became her confidant. Kate's parents had died while she was in college so she really missed having a father figure to talk to. Kate enjoyed leafing through Al's very impressive collection of first edition books, and she often borrowed them at his insistence. One evening, she was idly dusting the shelves as Al sat reading the newspaper when she ran across a beautifully tooled volume of The Lord of the Rings.

"Al! This is the first fantasy book I have seen; it is so out of character for your collection, and for you!" She grinned at him. Al looked over the top of his spectacles at her and his eyes crinkled.

"Well of course, Tolkien was a colleague of mine, as well as a fellow W-er, friend. He inscribed it himself if you would like to see it." He smiled broadly as Kate nearly dropped the book in surprise.

"It says 'They will never believe it, your friend John.' How funny, I suppose he means no one will believe the two of you were friends, how funny. He must have been fascinating." She tilted her head at him, still grinning.

"He was indeed." Al replied, "Have you read it my dear?"

"About 15 years ago when I was a freshman in high school." Kate said.

"Well then, tell me, who was your favorite character? The tortured Aragorn, the handsome elf, or the ill fated Boromir?" He chuckled.

"Oh come on Al, you know how I like older men, how can you be sure it isn't Gandalf?" Kate laughed. "Or maybe Theoden?"

"Oh ho ho, now you tease me." Al continued to chuckle. "No, no, none of our travelers seem suited to you. With your beauty (she blushed), kindness and intelligence, not to mention superior fighting skills, it would have to be an elf, mayhap the haughty Haldir, no, that isn't it, someone even more heroic." He frowned in concentration. "I know! Glorfindel!" He barked out a laugh and Kate was over whelmed with laughter at his glee.

"Oh yes indeed, the mighty Balrog slayer! That is definitely the man for me, but how do we go about convincing him of that?" Kate was getting into it, and the two of them laughed again. "Hmm, and while we are at it, how do I get to Middle Earth and how in the world would we communicate?" Her laughter pealed out. "And there is the problem of him being immortal and me just being an average human."

"These are obstacles that can be overcome I think, if the right words are spoken." Al had stopped laughing and was looking at her speculatively. The woman was not appreciated like she should be and he intended to see her have something better. Kate put the book back on the shelf and flicked the duster one last time.

"Oh Al, I do love you, you know." She bent and kissed his cheek softly. "You are the best friend I have ever had, but now my friend I am going to the grocery store before we starve to death. What can I bring you back?" Al gave her his list and thanked her, watching her go out his door, his eyes calculating.