My first conscious thought was, "What is that excessive beeping!?"
Struggling to open my eyes, which was harder to do then it should have been, and I finally cracked them open. All I saw was a blurry white room, until I could finally focus and made out some sort of flower picture across the room and the darn beeping was coming from a machine next to the bed I was lying in. It took a bit longer for my brain to realize that the machine was attached to my arm and I was in a hospital! My heart rate picked up, which made the beeping even more annoying at the realization that I was back in my world!
Before I went into a full blown panic attack a tall familiar looking figure walked in and said in a calming voice, "Be easy Ariana, it's alright." I stared at Gandalf, who was dressed in modern day clothing, had short hair and a small scruffy beard. But the blue eyes that looked into mine were exactly the same, which did wonders to calm down my racing heart. He came over quickly as I tried to sit up, but a stabbing pain in my gut had me gasping and falling back in pain, "Don't move Ariana, your still injured."
I gasped, carefully moving my shaky fingers over the bandages on my stomach, "Gandalf! Where...why am I here!? What happened!? The war?"
Gandalf pushed a button, the bed whirred as it bent and raised me until I was sitting up. The he settled a hand on my forehead and sat in a chair next to the bed, "Calm down Ariana, it's fine. Breath easy and I will answer your questions."
I forced myself to take small, calming breaths and when my heart rate finally slowed, Gandalf removed his hand. He said softly, "Your back in your world, and the war is over. The Dwarves won." I looked at him, sensing he wasn't saying all of it. He took a deep breath and took my hand, "Ariana, you died. And the only thing I could do for you was bring you back the instant Bruce stabbed you. However some officers caught him just in time and called an ambulance, they saved your life. Bruce fired upon them and was shot and killed. Your safe."
I stared at him, my brain whirling as I tried to make sense of what he said. Finally it sunk in. The war was over! My friends had won. And...Bruce was dead and I was alive. I was safe from him!
Tears streamed down my cheeks and I asked softly, "I died? Again!? So then...I'm stuck back here?" All of this was too much, too much to deal with all at once. Half of me was happy, Bruce was dead the war had ended...but the other half was horrified because I'd never see Thorin or the others again.
Sobs wracked my body and it made my stomach hurt but I didn't care. Gandalf was there in an instant, hugging me as best he could and letting me bury my face into his shoulder. I wasn't sure how long I cried, nor did I know how all this happened. But Gandalf here proved it had happened. That mattered to me the most.
I finally pulled away and Gandalf held a handkerchief to my nose, "Blow." I couldn't help the watery smile that pulled on my lips as I did as I was told. He tossed the used tissue in the trash and asked me, "Better?"
I shrugged, not sure how I was feeling. But Gandalf seemed to understand, returned to the chair and sat there quietly. I looked around the bland hospital room, trying to get my thoughts together. Finally I asked, "So...what do I do now?"
Gandalf took a deep breath, and said softly, "Ariana, look at me."
I slowly found my eyes turning and looking into his dark blue ones, I saw sympathy and conviction in his gaze. He took my hand and gave a gentle squeeze, "I know your hurting, I know that things don't look very bright right now. But I need you to listen and believe me. It is not the end. It is another beginning. Your mother and father left you a house and some money. You can start over, live your life to the fullest. Your not broken, Ariana. Do you here me? You are still the most amazing woman I know and I will help you get through this. You will not be alone."
I was crying again by the time he was done talking, but it was because of the small ray of hope in my heart that maybe, just maybe, I would get through this new obstacle. A bit battered but not broken. And not alone.
0o0