A/N I don't own LotR, just this portion of the story. Sorry it's taken so long! Check out Melina's story in 'A Question of Worth'

Ch. 10

When the service ended Natalia walked back to the kitchen with Melina. "I didn't

know they knew that song in Middle Earth."

"They don't." Melina looked at Natalia with hope and joy in her shiny green eyes.

"You're from Earth aren't you?"

"Yes." Natalia stared in shock. "You used to be full human?" Melina nodded.

"What was your family like?"

Melina looked at her with tears shining. "They were wonderful. I loved them very

much."

"So then, how did you get here?"

"Well…my…" Melina took a deep breath. "I was in an extremely unhealthy

relationship. He hit me and yelled at me. I walked in on him cheating on me with a

beautiful girl who was supposed to be my friend. We had only been together for a year.

He apparently got tired of me after three months. I looked in a mirror, didn't like what I

saw, punched the mirror and ended up in a forest surrounded by Legolas and three other

elves."

"I'm so sorry." Natalia put a hand on Melina's shoulder. "I wish I had known earlier you were from earth."

"Why? I don't think it's possible for us to have a closer bond." Melina smiled and looked down as Eda, her seven year old ran past her. "Eda!" Melina turned and saw her baby run into Legolas's arms. Tears filled her eyes once again.

"Is she his?"

"What?" Melina looked back. "Oh, no." She shook her head. "She's not even mine." When Natalia looked at her quizzically she explained. "When I lived in the Woodland Realm I was wondering outside the city and found her. Her mother was an elf, her father a human. Right after her mother gave birth, her father left. Three years later her mother died from a broken heart. I adopted her and named her Edelweiss. Legolas…Legolas became like a father to her."

Natalia looked at her with sympathy. So someone else really did share her pain. Someone knew the loss of family and coming here, falling in love but not being with him and raising a child not her own. Someone knew. She looked at Legolas. He picked Eda up and spun her around over his head. He would be an amazing father. He looked toward them, she saw the way he looked at Melina, but Melina couldn't see it. "You should go to him." She looked at Melina who looked back with confusion. She nodded to Legolas. "He loves you."

"What? How do you know?"

"I can see it in the way he looks at you." Melina smiled and blushed. "Go. What are you waiting for? GO!" She teased. Melina walked gently toward him. "Eda!" She figured Melina and Legolas would like a little time alone. Eda would have all the time in the world after the war to spend with them. "Eda come on! Matta needs someone to play with." Eda ran to Natalia and Melina gave her a grateful nod.

As Natalia watched the girls play she couldn't stop her mind from wandering to Eomer. He had already met with Aragorn, already killed orcs that captured Pippin and Merri, but what was he doing now? Was he thinking of her? She shook her head. Of course he wasn't thinking of her. Why would or should he be? His head had better be where it was supposed to be: on his shoulders and focused on keeping himself and his men alive. Still, she wondered about him. Was he facing an orc army? Were some of his men dying from wounds she could have healed if he'd let her join him? There was nothing she could do about it so she let her mind wander to other things. If Melina was from Earth too were there others? How many others? Did they all fall for main-ish characters? She'd fallen for Eomer, Melina for Legolas, was someone falling for Faramir right now? Of course there was no one to fall for Aragorn, he was already taken by two women. Speaking of which.

Eowyn crossed the hall to Natalia. "He's wonderful."

"Who?" Natalia hoped she wasn't talking about Aragorn.

"Aragorn of course." Natalia sighed.

"Sweety, try not to get your hopes too high up. He has a love, he just doesn't know if they'll be together or not in the end."

"Well, I'll be there for him, always." Natalia sighed and hung her head as Eowyn stalked off. She'd have to have a word with Aragorn before they left.

"My dear Natalia."

She looked up to see Gandalf the White beaming down at her. "Gandalf." She embraced him like a father and allowed him to sit next to her.

"How are you liking this place?"

"You mean Middle Earth or Rohan?"

"Both I suppose."

"Well, I guess it's going okay. You'll notice that I have a little one who thinks I'm her mother. They're all dead. And with Eomer gone this city is suffocating me." Gandalf nodded in understanding. "Gandalf, you have to bring him back."

"What do you mean child?"

"I mean, if Théoden wants to win this battle, there will be a battle at Helm's Deep, he'll need Eomer's help and the help of all the men he banished because of Wormtongue. You have to bring them back." Gandalf nodded.

"Gandalf?" Aragorn strode quickly to them. "Have you seen Legolas?"

"He is busy." Natalia answered.

Aragorn looked at her with slight surprise. "This is important."

"Yeah, and so is what he's doing right now. Your meeting can wait until dark, you won't be able to do anything after it any way."

"I would listen to her Aragorn, now if you don't mind, I would very much like some tea." Gandalf excused himself and Aragorn sat next to Natalia.

"If I were you, I would not talk to my king that way again, by the way."

"He is not my King. I am not from here and therefore I have no King. So until he acts like he deserves my respect, which will not be for a while, I will talk to him however I choose, sir." She added as a kind of formality.

"Why do you call me sir?"

"Because you unlike Théoden do deserve my respect." He gaped at her. "We need to have a discussion about Eowyn." Aragorn stared at her in confusion. "What are your intentions with her?"

"My intentions?"

"Since her brother isn't here I have to be the one to look out for her. Now what are your intentions?"

"I don't' really have any."

"Good. And it better stay that way. Both of you have people you're meant for and it's not each other. And if you lead her on one of us will kill you."

"Mama!" Matta cried as she fell on her knees. Natalia went to her and kissed it better, Aragorn watching the whole time.

"Who are you?"

"I am Natalia, a healer and the leader of my village."

"Yes I know that. But who are you really?" Natalia smiled.

"The sun is setting. You will probably find Legolas in the kitchen. Come I will take you."

Natalia walked through the dining hall and into the kitchen where she saw Melina and Legolas sharing what looked to be a very tentatively sweet kiss. She smiled to herself as Aragorn cleared his throat and looked expectantly at Legolas. "Ah, yes." He turned back to Melina. "Forgive me."

"Go." Her voice was breathy but happy. As soon as the two men left Melina and Natalia squeeled.

"So I take it I was right?"

Melina nodded. "You know, I doubted your intuition for a moment." Natalia cocked her head as she helped prepare dinner. "The stupid she elves picking on me weren't the only reason I left the Woodland realm. A woman came to me in a dream. She had been in my position before. Had a loving family and a wonderful life until she was sucked into the Woodland Realm and made a half elf. She told me that, if I lived to be 200 without giving myself to someone, I would get to go back home."

"Home? So back there we're still alive?"

"I don't know about you, but I know that I'm in a coma. And when I give myself to someone, I will die in that world and be forever bound to this world. I told Legolas that, just three weeks before I left. He started to grow distant and then, I walked in on him thoroughly making out with the one who caused me the most pain while I was there. Even though we weren't courting, it still felt like Jason, my boyfriend in earth, all over again. I couldn't take it. I packed Eda's and my things and we left. He didn't even try to stop me when I ran from him. But after talking to him I understand. He loved me, even then, he didn't want to lose me or make my decision any harder than it was, but, I didn't have a decision to make. I'd decided years before that that I would be with him for as long as I could." Melina was smiling as she kneaded dough.

"So you really are happy?"

"Yeah." Melina looked at Natalia, she could feel her concerned eyes boring holes in the back of her head. "What about you?"

"I'm fine, never better."

"Natalia, you can't lie to me. I know you don't like to show your sadness, I know you think you have to be strong for everyone. But it's okay to let others help you every once in a great while."

"I know."

"Tell you what. Tonight let me take Matta and Eda. You need some time to relax before we move to the chaos that will be Helm's Deep. You're going to fight aren't you?" Natalia nodded. "You know, if you die before he gets back, he'll never forgive you, and neither will I. It's bad enough I'm going to live way longer than you, I don't need you to go dieing on me early." Natalia had to smile.

"Don't worry so much." Melina rolled her eyes and continued to cook as Natalia stared out the window. "Do you think Gandalf has left to get him yet?"

Melina looked out the window at the sun. "I don't know. It's been so long since I've seen those movies or read the books I can't remember what time of day it was done or even which day. Doesn't he leave as we are?"

Natalia shrugged. "I can't remember either and I haven't been here as long as you. What year was it when you left?"

She chuckled a bit. "2007 on my 21st birthday."

"On your birthday? That sucks." Natalia looked out the window again. "We left at the same time, you just went further back than I did."

"Natalia." Melina took the bowl of eggs she was whisking from her. "Why don't you go take a hot bath. Who knows the next time you'll be able to have one?"

"What about you?"

"Oh I'll get one, don't you worry about that." Natalia nodded and left the kitchen. After stopping briefly to tell Matta she'd be spending the night at Aunty Melina's she went to her chambers, positioned next to what used to be Eomer's. She paused outside her door.

Opening the door slowly she peered at Eomer's room. His four poster bed was covered in animal skins, all the furniture in his room was made from dark wood. Natalia inhaled deeply and sighed. "I miss you." She left quickly and soaked in hot water mixed with some chamomile oils Melina had made for her. She allowed herself to relax a bit. Her sore muscles loosened and she closed her eyes. Tomorrow, possibly, they would be off to Helm's Deep. When the orcs attacked on the way Eowyn would take the front of the line, Melina the middle and Natalia would bring up the rear to make sure none followed them, she knew they wouldn't, but who knew, that was never covered as far as she could remember.

Her slightly wet hair made her shiver as she stepped out of the pool thirty minutes later. She sighed heavily before adorning a long, cotton type nightgown. Hopefully it would not be too long until she was allowed to bathe properly again. She sank into her fairly fluffy bed. Oh how long would it be before she saw this bed again? She hadn't been able to enjoy it for more than a couple weeks. Had it really been that long? Had it really been that short of a time? Tomorrow would worry about itself, she decided. For now, she would try to sleep.