Hey guys! As promised, I tried to get this chapter up faster. This time you get to take a peek into Eragon's head and see what's going through his mind. Enjoy!

Saphira: Max, you're forgetting something.

Max: NOOO! Don't make me!

Saphira: Just do it. *Gives lilmissykrazee the stink-eye* Don't make me come over there.

Max: Fine. I don't own Eragon or Saphira or any of it. I do own Rose and the plot of this story, but that's it. *grumbles to self* Happy now, Saphira?

Saphira: *smugly* Yes.

Anyway, happy reading.

Eragon POV

A hand lightly shook my shoulder, and I leapt to my feet and to my senses. I flew across the clearing and whipped my sword out of its scabbard to point at the person. As I took in the details of the scene, I realized that she was as beautiful as Arya, but in a more earthly way. Her deep brown hair was tied back in a braid that lay coiled over her shoulder, and her light grey eyes were wide with shock, her body still kneeling where she had woken me. There were dark circles under her eyes, though, almost like bruises, and her eyes held the haunted look of someone who has seen things that no person should ever have to see. I started throwing questions at her in rapid succession. "Where am I? What happened? Who are you?"

"One thing at a time." She never took her eyes off of the blade in my hand. "I'm Rose. You're on my farm in Montana. As for what happened, I have no idea. I was riding my horse when there was this explosion. I came this way to see what it was, and I found you." She got an odd look on her face, then said, "Hold up your hands, palm out."

I saw no harm in the action and held up first one palm, then the other. "It can't be," she breathed. "Shadeslayer? Eragon?"

I darted forward to touch the tip of my sword to her throat. "How do you know my name?" I knew my face might be frightening her, but at the moment I didn't care. Her throat moved as she swallowed hard, glancing down at the blade millimeters from her throat. She said, "There's a series of books in my world, based on you and Saphira and all of your adventures. I never thought they were real, though, until now . . ."

She seemed like she was telling the truth, but I couldn't be sure. "How do I know I can trust you? You could be lying." I reached out my mind towards hers, and searched her memories as she lowered her shields. There were some she kept hidden from me, but I sensed they were of a distinctly personal nature, and were very painful, so I left them alone. "I would never harm you. It's just me out here. I don't even go into town. Everything is delivered." Her mind corroborated what she said, and I withdrew, satisfied. I stepped back and sheathed my sword. She relaxed fractionally, though she stayed on her knees. "Alright. You seem honest enough, though you know the ancient language, which is odd. But I want you to swear that you will never betray me or Saphira."

She sighed, then quickly gave her oath. Her knowledge of the ancient language was puzzling, but if there truly were books about Alagaesia, then it could be easily explained. Saphira suddenly yawned and stretched. Then she seemed to remember what had happened, as she jumped up, ready for a fight. I called to her. "It's alright Saphira. She's a friend." I don't know what happened, but she's a friend.

I trust your judgment little one. If you say she's a friend then she is, but I will form my own opinions of her.

Saphira stalked over to Rose, curiously sniffing at her clothing. Rose surprised me yet again when she gave the traditional elven greeting to Saphira. Saphira opened her mind to both of us. Well met indeed, little one. Very strange things have happened today. Perhaps we can untangle this mess with your help. I knew the power Saphira's mind held, so I sympathized when I heard the slight tremor in Rose's voice. She promised to do what she could to help us. Saphira startled me slightly with her invitation for Rose to call her by Saphira, but I took it in stride.

Eragon? I like this one. Don't mess it up.

Saphira! You know me better than that!

Just be careful with her. She's more fragile than she seems.

What do you mean she's "more fragile than she seems"?

Exactly that. You will have to find out for yourself.

While we were talking, Rose seemed to remember something. "I'm neglecting you! You two are my guests! Let's head toward the house and I'll get you settled in. I'm afraid you will have to fly, because the trees are too close together to allow you to walk Saphira. Would you permit me to fly with you and show you the way?"

I smiled. "Of course. You can sit in front of me so you don't fall."

Saphira crouched low, and I gave Rose a boost into the saddle then climbed up behind her. She shifted slightly, like she was trying to get comfortable, but I didn't comment on it. Her small frame fit neatly against my own, distracting me for a slight moment. Saphira then launched herself into the air. As she gained altitude and speed, Rose let out a wild yell of sheer happiness. Saphira flew in a loop, reversing land and sky, and I chuckled at Rose's antics. She turned and grinned at me, and I was momentarily dumbstruck at the sheer beauty of it before I returned it with a smile of my own. She seemed dazed for a moment before shaking her head and turning to Saphira. "Head south. The house is about two miles from here. You can't miss it."

I hadn't realized she owned such a large piece of land. I mused over that for a little bit until I heard her sigh. "What's wrong?" I asked.

She shook her head. "Nothing. It's just so beautiful up here. It's so free."

I nodded my head, remembering my first time really flying with Saphira. "I had the same reaction the first time I flew with Saphira. I didn't want to come back down to earth again."

A mocking laugh escaped her. "I can understand that," she muttered. I looked at her strangely for a moment, wondering what she meant by that and if this was part of what Saphira had been talking about.

Silence dominated the rest of the flight back to the house. Soon I could see a graceful two-story house rising out of a large clearing in front of us, and Saphira drifted to a soft landing. I slid out of the saddle and looked back up at Rose. I called out to her. "Jump down. I'll catch you."

She smiled and slid out of the saddle. She fell quickly into the cradle of my arms. Her head turned towards me, our eyes met, and for a second there was nothing in the world but me and her. A strange feeling washed over me, almost like I wanted to kiss her. I set her down quickly before I could act on the impulse and cleared my throat nervously. "Thanks for catching me," she said. A small smile quirked my lips. "You're welcome."

She turned and started toward the barn where I could hear the soft sounds of horses. After a moment, I started after her with Saphira following close behind. Rose was surrounded by horses, and she was giving them carrots. I smiled as I watched her interact with them, seeing the true love she held for her horses. After she sent the last few remaining horses out the door, she leant on the frame with a small frown on her face. I didn't like that frown, and had this urge to do whatever I could to take it away and make it better. "What's wrong?" I asked.

A small sigh escaped her. "It's Shadow. He still hasn't come back to the barn. I'm just kind of worried about him. He was my first horse and I've had him for a long time."

She looked so despondent that I would have done anything in that moment to make her smile, even if I didn't know why yet. "Would you like me to call him for you?"

The look of hope on her face as she turned to me strengthened my resolve as she asked, "Would you? It would make me feel better if I knew he was safe."

I turned to face the open door and let the power infuse my voice as I called for Shadow. Within moments he appeared at the edge of the woods. Rose cried out in joy as she ran forward to meet him. Their reunion was heartwarming, and I could see all the love she held for Shadow, and his for her, shining in their eyes. I chuckled lightly to myself as she admonished him for scaring her, and followed them back into the barn. "You really love that horse don't you?" I asked, grinning at her.

She shrugged. "They're all my babies, but Shadow will always be special to me. He's been mine for a long time, and he helped me through some rough patches. I'll just get his tack put up and give him a rubdown and we'll go up to the house, ok?"

After she settled him in his stall and gave him a rubdown, she led us up to the house. I was curious when she left her boots on the porch, but then she explained that it was to keep from tracking dirt into the house. "Smart idea," I commented.

She led me to the kitchen, where she opened a window so that Saphira could stick her head in. Curiosity sparkled in Saphira's eyes as she took in where we were to stay for however long we were in this world. Rose told Saphira that there were hunting opportunities on the property, but warned her to be careful.

I will little one. I think one or two of those deer sound very good right now. I will return later. Behave, you two.

"What—" "Saphira—" Rose and I looked at each other and just laughed at our false starts. She turned towards the body of the kitchen and asked me, "Are you hungry? I have some food that might fit your tastes, if you'd like something to eat."

I shook my head. "No, thank you. I ate just before . . . all of this."

She went very still then, hands resting on the counter in front of her. She seemed to be contemplating something. "I think we need to talk about that," she said. "Come sit with me."

She led me to a small table in a room off of the main kitchen, and said, "Why don't you tell me what happened to you first?"

"Alright," I said as I sat down across from her. "I was camping with Saphira on my way back from a scouting mission. I thought I saw something in the woods a ways off, and went after it to see what it was. I came to a small creek and went to jump it. I landed on a rock, slipped, and fell backwards, hitting my head on something. I blacked out and woke up here with you kneeling beside me."

She hummed quietly, then told her side of the story. "Well, I was riding Shadow in the woods when I heard this huge explosion. He reared and threw me, and then ran off. I hiked over to where I had heard the explosion come from, and found you. You were lying in a blackened ring about 20 feet across, kind of like the one Saphira's egg appeared in. You know the rest."

We sat quietly for a while, contemplating the situation. At length, she asked, "Do you want to see the books? The ones about your world?"

"Sure," I said. I was eager to see just how accurate the stories about Saphira and me were. She hesitated, then asked, "Wait a minute. How similar is your alphabet to mine? Twenty-six letters? The grammar is pretty much the same."

"Yeah. If you could just show me the letters you use them I'm sure I can work with that."

"Fine with me," she said. She walked into the kitchen and grabbed a pad of paper and scribbled the alphabet on the top piece. As she handed it to me, our fingers brushed for the slightest instant, and a current ran from her hand to mine. She jerked her hand back quickly, and said, "These are all the letters from A-Z. Let me go grab those books off of my shelf for you. I'll be right back."

With that she dashed up the stairs. I heard a door close from the second floor, and leaned my head into my hands with a groan. What was happening between us? Why was I feeling this way about a woman I had only just met? I scrubbed my face with my hands and sat up with a sigh. I looked at the paper she had given me and quickly memorized the alphabet on it. Then I leaned my head back against the wall and stared out the window at the sunset. Several minutes later, I heard soft steps padding down the stairs. They stopped before they reached the kitchen, and I slowly turned my head towards Rose. She stood at the bottom of the steps holding four books in her hands. "Are those them?" I asked.

She jumped slightly and nodded. She moved towards another room with several large cushiony chairs and beckoned me to follow her. As she sat down in one of the chairs, she handed me three of the books, and tucked her feet under her. "If you have any questions, just ask; I'll be right here reading, OK?"

I nodded, then settled back into the cushions, opened the first book, and started to read. As I got deeper into the book, I was stunned by how accurate the stories were. Even the smallest pieces of the story were told in astonishing detail. Halfway through the second book, I looked up at Rose. I just sat there watching her for a minute or two, seeing her reactions to the book she was reading. Seeing how her face would scrunch up with suppressed laughter at parts and how she would blink back tears at others. She got completely involved in that other world. I smiled a little, then went back to reading.

Saphira came back a couple hours later and settled down alongside the house to sleep. Then about an hour after that, Rose closed her book. I was halfway through the third book in the series about Alagaesia, and still marveling at the accuracy. She yawned and uncurled herself from the chair to stretch. "I'm going to go to bed. How about I show you where you can sleep ok?" She handed me a piece of paper to mark my place, and I set the book down on the table and followed her. She led me up the stairs to a modestly sized room painted in shades of blue. She gestured around her, saying, "You can sleep in here. If you need anything I'm right next door."

She turned to leave, but I stopped her with a hand on her arm. She looked up at me, curiosity shining in her eyes. I opened and closed my mouth several times, trying to marshal my thoughts into some coherent order. Finally, I said, "I just wanted to thank you for doing so much for me."

A delicate pink flush colored her cheeks, and she shrugged as she brushed off my thanks. "It was the right thing to do. I'm sure you would have done the same for me had the tables been turned. Good night, Eragon."

"Good night, Rose. Sleep well."

She slipped quietly from the room, and I sighed. Today had been exhausting, and things still whispered in my ears. What had happened to send Saphira and me from our world to hers? Was it magic? Some freak accident?

But all the more puzzling was my connection to Rose. What was happening to me? I had never had this kind of instant connection to anyone, not even Arya, who I thought I loved.

I shook my head, trying to clear these confusing thoughts from my mind. Maybe things would be clearer in the morning after some sleep. I slid into the bed and made myself comfortable, and with one final sigh, slipped into sleep.

I shot upright, breathing hard like I had just run a race against Blodhgarm or one of the other elves. And lost. What had woken me from my slumber? I felt a sudden urge to check on Rose, even though there was no danger I could detect. I padded into the hallway, and stopped at Rose's door. Putting my ear I heard whimpers coming from inside the room, and quietly opened the door.

The coverlet was on the floor, and the sheets twisted around her legs. She mumbled between whimpers, inaudible words and pleas. But as I moved into the room, her cries gain volume, and I could make out what she was saying.

"No…. no…. Oh, God please no…"

"No" what? What was she talking about? What horrors haunted her dreams to turn them into nightmares? I leaned over and shook her shoulder, trying to wake her up. "Rose, Rose! Wake up! Wake up, Rose!"

Still she dreamt. I sat on the edge of the bed, shaking her harder. "Rose, you have to wake up!"

Nothing worked. She even shied away from my touch, as if it was a part of the nightmare. Still, I had to keep trying. I shook her again, and finally she shot up with a scream, still locked in the terror. "Rose!" I yelled, "It's just a dream! It's me, Eragon!" That seemed to shake her from her sleep. She looked over at me, and burst out in tears. I reached over and pulled her into my arms. She curled into a ball in my lap, still crying. I gently tucked her head into my shoulder and slowly rocked back and forth, shushing her. "It's ok, Rose. It's just a dream. It's just a dream."

Slowly, her sobs quieted. She sat up, wiping at her eyes and sniffling. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up or anything."

I shrugged. "It's fine, Rose. I don't mind. I woke up, and had this urge to come check on you, and I'm glad I did. Do you want to talk about it?"

She looked me square in the eye and said, "It's a long story, and it's not a pretty one. Are you sure you want to hear it?"

"I'm sure."

She sighed, and crawled out of my lap. She sat up against the head of the bed, and patted the space next to her. "You might as well make yourself comfortable. We'll be here for a while."

I scooted up next to her, and tucked her into my side. She wiggled a little to get comfortable, then began her tale.

Hey guys!

Sorry for the huge gaps between chapters. Combine a crazy class schedule with writer's block and you get the idea….

Anyway, I'm waffling between several different possibilities on where to take the story from here, and I want your opinion.

Rose is a shapeshifter, and her family was killed by people who found out what they were, and the same people are hunting Rose. (probably she would be a werewolf)

Rose is completely human. Her family was killed in a shooting, and the gunmen are still looking for her. (Or something along those lines.)

At this point, I am favoring the shapeshifter option, but let me know what you guys think. Whichever option receives the most votes will be how the story unfolds.

Until next time!

-Max