Kyli closed her eyes and let her mind fall into the abyss, curious to see where she would land this time as the door opened for her.

When she opened them once more, she was deep within a forest, the sounds of a stringed instrument strumming and the smell of roasting meat in the distance. Steadying herself with her cane, she made her way in that direction, the sounds and smells growing stronger with each step. Eventually, she reached a clearing, and stopped just at the edge, taking in the sight before her.

A small campfire burned in the center as a group of what appeared to be hunters sat around it, enjoying a meal. They were clad in leather, their bows and arrows all kept close to them, and their boisterous (if not slightly drunk) singing filled the night air. Kyli remained where she was, a smile on her face as she admired the sight before her. Part of the fun of traveling was observing different settings from a distance. This was one of those moments, and the accompanying music was only a bonus to her.

As their song drew to a close, there was laughter, words she could not make out from where she stood, and drinking. Though she would have loved to remain where she was, watching them in their merriment, the forest was growing dark and she preferred to attempt to find her way out, hoping their presence meant there was village close by. Kyli turned to take her leave, but with her first step forward, a branch snapped beneath her feet.

"What was that?"

"Someone out there?"

"I think I saw something... Oy! You!"

She could have fled. She could have disappeared and left without a trace, and they would have been unable to stop her. But there was a curiosity in her that had always been her weakness. And she had learned before in the past, there was not always a need to be so hasty to escape.

She gave herself a moment, making sure her head was clear in case she did need to make a quick exit, and turned back around, finding they had all lept to their feet in response, some of them already reaching for their weapons. She approached them slowly, trying to appear as non-threatening as possible, and as the hunters saw her coming, their stances relaxed somewhat at the sight of an unarmed woman with a limp. Their weapons lowered.

"Are you lost, lass?" one of them called, watching her with mild confusion. "It's not wise to wander this deep into the forest alone."

"I'm afraid I am," she answered with a half smile. "The forest got dark on me, so I followed the sounds of singing. Hope that's all right..." The hunters exchanged glances with each other for a moment, seeming unsure of what to do with her.

"Then you best come sit with us 'til morning," called another one in the group. The body language of the surrounding hunters made her suspect he must have been their leader. There was a friendly smile on his face, and he waved her over. "We've plenty of food and drink if you're hungry."

Kyli surveyed them carefully. Their demeanor was nothing more than welcoming, and she felt she could trust them. But she kept her head clear and ready, just in case.

"I'm actually not very hungry," she said, making her way up to them and taking a seat. "But if you don't mind... I'd love to hear another song."

"You heard the lady," the leader spoke aloud to the others. "Another song!"

As the strumming began once more, Kyli reached in her pocket, discreetly turning on her phone and sliding the cursor in the direction she knew would turn on the camera. Pressing the button on the side, she sat back, the camera only capturing the inside of her pocket, but the microphone capturing their sounds.

"I never realized you were so interested in music..."

Kyli's fingers stopped their movements over the CD cases, and her head poked up from the bargain bin, smiling up at Thranduil as he briefly skimmed over the adjacent display. It was apparent in the way he hardly looked anything over that he did not share her interest, or at least not as intently, but he had been more than happy to pull over when the promotional sign in the window had caught her eye.

"You're not?" she asked, returning her gaze to the bin, pulling out a case to look it over. He paused for a moment, taking note of how he did not recognize the majority of the bands on display, and the corner of his mouth turned in amusement, deciding to keep that to himself. Not that he really suspected it would surprise her.

"I enjoy live performances... though I never really kept up with today's music I suppose," he answered. Kyli smirked a little, suspecting as much. As she looked at him, she could not help pausing for a moment to truly take him in. It was not often that he dressed casually, and even for him "casual" was using the term loosely. They had been meeting up at least once every weekend for the past month, usually to go out to dinner and talk about their weeks. She was used to meeting up with him shortly after he got out of work, so more often than not, he was still wearing his suit for the office.

That night was different. Earlier in the week, she had mentioned a movie that had caught her interest, and he made the suggestion that they go, just to change up their routine a bit. Though she had not really pictured him any more a cinephile than he was an audiophile, she agreed and even let him pick her up from her apartment to save on gas. When he showed up at her door, rather than his usual suit, he was dressed in a crimson colored long sleeved shirt, the sleeves pushed up past his elbows, and a pair of dark blue jeans (it shattered her theory that he did not even own a pair).

Looking at him in the music store, she could not help admiring how perfectly his shirt outlined his strong form... or how the color suited him well.

Remembering where she was, she shook her head and cleared her throat. "There's nothing like a live performance," she stated, agreeing with his earlier statement and her mind immediately going to several instances she doubted she would ever be able to describe to him. Pulling out a second CD, she looked over them both and sighed. "Damn... which one...?" Thranduil turned his head back to her, noticing her internal debate, and he stepped over, glancing over her shoulder to see what she had in her hands.

"Why not both?" he asked, noticing neither were particularly high in price.

"Because I can't justify it," she sighed. "I'm behind on one of my credit cards..." Her voice trailed off and she turned the first CD over once more, reviewing its tracklist again. Reaching over her shoulder, Thranduil plucked the second case from her hand, and she raised an eyebrow. "What are you-"

"It's no trouble," he replied, giving her a half smile.

"I know it's not," she said, turning around. "You don't have to."

"Then may I want to?" he teased her and she rolled her eyes. Reaching forward, he snatched the second case from her hand and nodded towards the register. "Come on, we're already running late."

"Hey!" she laughed, following him up, but as he drew out his wallet, she made no move to stop him, standing silently as he bought her CD's for her. Once the transaction was complete and they made their way back outside, he handed the bag to her, and she looked up to him with a raised eyebrow.

Before she could ask what had driven him to be so generous, he gave her a warm smile and said, "You worry about your bills, Kyli, and let me do something nice for a friend." She smiled faintly, a funny feeling beginning to stir in her chest, and she took the bag from him with a nod.

"As long as you let me get you back sometime," she replied. "I don't like being uneven."

He nodded in understanding, pulling his keys out of his pocket as they made their way to his car. "Of course," he answered her.

"I'm so sorry about this..." Olivia apologized once more, stumbling her way to the front door, wrapped up in a blanket as Legolas walked slightly ahead of her, his bag over his shoulder. The weekend had gone by too quickly, and whatever bug Olivia had caught, it had not let up like she had hoped. Legolas had been nothing but attentive to her the entire time, but she felt guilty, knowing there were probably a million things he would have much rather done with his weekend. The worst of it was not feeling well enough to drive him back to campus and having to call him a cab. "Will you at least let me give you some money for cab fare?" she asked.

He turned to her, smiling sadly and his hand reached behind her, supporting the back of her head and drawing her in so that he could kiss her forehead. "Olivia," he murmured against her skin before drawing back and looking her in the eye. "All I want from you is for you to lie down and rest. I don't want to have to worry about you while I'm away and unable to take care of you..." A faint smile formed on Olivia's lips and she nodded in agreement.

"And please... see a doctor if this does not clear up soon," he added as he turned the doorknob. She nodded and let out a stifled chuckle.

"It won't be long before I'll only have to see you," she mused, and he smirked in amusement.

"I believe that's considered a conflict of interests..." he teased, his eyes wandering to her lips for a moment. Taking a step forward, he leaned in, kissing her tenderly and she tensed, wanting to push him away at first. She felt less than pleasant after vomiting so much that weekend, and she feared whatever she had was contagious. But the soft sight he released as his lips met hers crumbled her resolve, and she simply allowed herself to be a little selfish and enjoy it. He lingered for a few moments, then pulled away, moving his hand to tuck her hair behind her ear.

"You idiot..." Olivia groaned. "Now you're probably sick." Legolas chuckled and shook his head.

"Worth it," he replied, pulling the door open. "Get some rest, Liv."

The screen flickered before them, Kyli watching in amusement as the main characters made the always fatal mistake of deciding to split up. Sitting back in her seat, she shook her head, reaching over to the popcorn bag between them for another handful. She was not one to hate a bad horror movie, in fact she found them very entertaining the harder they failed. Her only regret was that she had to watch this one in a theater where she could not openly mock the screen without annoying those around her.

Sitting back in her seat, she let her arm drop on the armrest, stirring a bit when she realized it was already occupied. Thranduil's skin felt warm against hers, and though her immediate instinct was to pull back, she found herself hesitating. Her eyes wandered to him, noticing he had not stirred, nor had he seemed to notice, he simply sat with his eyes on the screen, popping a piece of popcorn into his mouth with his free hand.

Feeling brave, she lifted her pinkie, brushing it lightly over the side of his hand, watching him for a reaction. Thranduil's expression gave away no signs of even noticing, and she took that as a sign that whatever sensation was stirring in her chest, it was not reciprocated and there was no point in exploring it any further. She could not help feeling a little disappointed, but then, she had no idea why she would have hoped for any different.

As Kyli turned her eyes back to the screen, she felt his fingers stir beside her. His hand hovered over hers for a moment, hesitating, then gently came to rest over top of it.

"You look miserable, baby doll."

Kyli's eyes wandered up from her drink, her eyebrows raising as an unfamiliar voice called her from her thoughts. Though she had accepted the hunters' generous offer to stay under their watch for the night, the moment they were asleep -copious amounts of alcohol aiding the process-, she departed from them, preferring to find some place with a bed so that her hip would not hate her in the morning.

She was in an old and worn hotel/casino, set in the heart of a post-apocalyptic world that had once been not too different from her own. It was a place she had been many times before and though the point of her "vacation" was to explore new realms, with the pain in her hip growing worse than usual and her mood particularly sour, she felt it best to play it safe and settle somewhere she knew would have adequate lodging and a stiff drink. For once, she was not interested in wandering in search of those things.

"I've had a long day," she answered, looking up at the young man dressed in an old fashioned suit, staring down at her with a cocky half smile. "Can I help you?" she asked, her tone reflecting she was in no mood, the sounds of drunken gamblers around her beginning to give her a headache. Her apparent bad mood had no effect on the man before her, not seeming to dissuade him in the slightest.

"Well, I'd ask if I could buy you a drink... but it looks like you've still got half of one right there..."

Without a word, she quickly drained it, setting the empty glass down on the bar in front of her, and the man's grin spread a little more, hoping she was giving him a signal. Turning to the bartender, he ordered two more drinks, but as Kyli stood up from her seat, his smile vanished.

"Wait, where are you-"

She picked up her cane from where it hung off the edge of the bar, and shuffled her way past him, stopping for a moment to look at him. "Giving you a chance to have what I wanted... an opportunity to drink in peace." With that, she placed a tip on the bar and made her way to pay for a room for the night.

Once she was settled in a bedroom, she made sure the door was securely locked, climbing into the bed with a few pained grunts. If there was one thing she hated more than the pain of her injury, she hated how old it made her sound at times. She had not planned, at the age of 27, to already be many sounds of struggling just to get into bed.

Not bothering to even change into anything different, she grabbed one of the pillows, bringing it to rest between her knees for better support, and closed her eyes, willing herself into a restless slumber while the sounds of the late night gamblers faded into the background.

He had held her hand throughout the movie, but as soon as the lights brightened and they rose from their seats, he released her, and the entire drive, neither of them mentioned it... though he could tell she was still thinking about it as much as he was.

When the car came to a stop outside of her apartment building, he realized the hour was much later than usual, and though the main entrance to her apartment complex was hardly more than a few steps away, he found himself hesitating.

"Mind if I walk you to the door?" he asked, turning his head back to her. Kyli nodded her head, reaching to undo her seatbelt while he killed the engine, unbuckling as well and opening his door. She stepped around the car, holding the bag containing her new CD's in one hand, and he noticed the other falter. For a moment, it looked as though she intended to extend her hand to his, but she paused and tucked it in her jacket instead, seeming to think better of it.

She was silent as he walked alongside her, coming to a stop at her door and watching as she fished out her keys from her pocket. "Thanks again for the CD's," she said, holding the bag up briefly, and he nodded, smiling at her.

"You are most welcome, Kyli," he replied.

Kyli stared at him for a moment, wondering if they really were going to pretend nothing had happened in the theater. She was unsure if that was what he wanted. Reminding herself it only happened because she had been brave, she decided to try her luck once more and opened her arms slightly, initiating a hug. Whether he was that good at picking up her signal, or he was already going to do so, she did not really care. She only cared that he almost immediately stepped up to her, pulling her against him in a warm embrace.

She closed her eyes, his inviting scent filling her nostrils and his arms feeling so warm and strong around her. Standing there with him, she felt something deep inside her begin to settle, almost as if for a moment, she was grounded. Ever since the day she first disappeared on accident, Kyli had stopped feeling grounded, her mind and body almost always one daydream, one out of control emotion, or one relinquished moment of control away from falling into another world.

For the first time in years, she felt grounded and immovable.

Letting her guard down, she turned her head, the side of her face gently brushing his, and she felt him tense, but he did not let go. Feeling safe, she drew back and moved her face forward until her nose just barely brushed his, and she could feel his breath on her lips. She tilted her head upwards and leaned closer to close the gap.

When he drew back, her heart fell past her stomach.

She stood frozen, feeling like a fool and the instinct to retreat beginning to rear its ugly head. If he was not still holding on to her, she might have done just that. She waited patiently for him to release her, avoiding eye contact as her face turned red with embarrassment, and she felt him sigh against her.

"Kyli..." he murmured, his arms loosening their grip enough so he could rest his hands on her waist and step back a bit.

"I'm sorry," she muttered, still avoiding eye contact, but he leaned in, pressing a kiss to her forehead. Her spirits raised themselves a few inches as he lingered a few seconds, and when he drew back once more, she managed to look at him this time.

"I need time... Kyli," he explained softly.

"I'm sorry," she apologized again, but he shook his head, curling a finger under her chin.

"No, it's all right. Please, don't apologize." He offered her a sad smile, removing his hands from her as one of them reached to rub nervously at the back of his neck. "It's not that I don't... I just... I need time."

"No, I get it," she said with a nod. Though the easiest guess would have been that it was too soon after the death of his wife for him to move on, Kyli knew he had begun dating again some time again, or at least attempting it. His past wife had nothing to do with it. It was the glaring age gap that she had thought, until that moment, he had been ignoring in the same way she was. They were both adults, and they got along so well, she had hoped...

She forced a smile, suspecting he was now feeling as uncomfortable as she was and nodded her head again. "I'd better head in," she sighed, turning to the door to unlock it. Thranduil watched her until she had the door open and turned herself around to smile at him one more time. "Drive safe."

"I will," he assured her, returning her smile. "Sleep well, Kyli."