A/N: Well, I did it, didn't I? I'm very sorry about the wait. I've been working my butt off, not just at my job, but at getting ready for university. By the time I get home from work, I'm drained. I stay up until I get creative, write a bit, and then go to bed, hopefully in time to get a decent amount of sleep. A little friend of mine just got diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder, too, called dermatomyositis. It causes the immune system to attack the bones and muscles, causing extreme weakness. This will get worse as she gets older. Please pray for her. She's only nine years old, I babysit her, and we're very close.

In other news, mucho thanks to all reviewers, especially those that have been reviewing the past few weeks, attempting to get me to update! BullHeadedMoron has been particularly diligent in annoying me into getting off my butt (in a good way, believe me, I appreciate it!)… er… onto my butt and writing again. I just got my laptop for school (today, in fact), so I should be able to write more quickly. Don't take it as a promise, though. wink

I was going to hold off on the end bit of this chapter (meaning it was going to take longer to come about), but I figured that you guys have waited long enough.

Word of the day: Reconcile – to reestablish a close relationship between; to settle or resolve.

Thanks to Risa and Hathor for beta-ing!

Well… enjoy the chapter!

Chapter Twenty-Nine – Reconciliation

She stayed away from the Fellowship for a while. As much as she loved her friends, for once in a very long time, she had the opportunity to be completely alone, and she selfishly took it. Her friends could have undoubtedly used her support, but she was too wrapped up in her own misery to feel helpful. Instead, she holed up inside her room and spent most of her time writing. During the morning, while her emotions were refreshed, she concentrated on cataloguing her adventures thus far. Occasionally, a wind would sweep in and rustle the wind chimes on the top of the desk, and Riley would discover yet another note to which she could write. After midday had passed, the mental exertions of the morning began to take their toll, and she would pack up her documentations and pull out the work she'd been doing on the song that had been nagging at her for so long.

Before the light of day ran out, she had taken to taking short jogs. The Lady Galadriel had seen fit to provide her with two pairs of trousers and a few very long tunics, so Riley did not have to run in a dress. Honestly, she had never been a fan of running. She hated it with a passion, in fact. She did, however, have a knack for being startlingly random. She discovered very quickly that running got rid of her depression, which was why she made sure to run every day before it got dark.

Galadriel seemed to have anticipated Riley's withdrawal from society. All of her meals were delivered to her room along with one of the white and pink flowers that the Lady had used for illustration when they had first met, which Riley assumed was a reminder of some sort. She usually pulled her chair out onto the balcony during meals, so that she could gaze out at the expanse of the land. She became quite fond of the usual sights that she would see. There was one particular window across the way and a little down, which belonged to an Elf that she could not see very well. Every now and then, the Elf would cautiously approach the window, only to be attacked with nuts and twigs by a little gray squirrel that lived on a limb just outside. Every day it seemed as if this occurrence was new, so refreshing it was to see.

It was on a day such as this – comfortingly monotonous – that the Lady of Light herself knocked on Riley's door. Needless to say, Riley was a bit surprised, as for one, Galadriel had never seemed the type to make house calls. For another, no one had bothered Riley since she'd retreated into her room, and she'd begun to think that no one had any need to talk to her. What use was she? At least at home, she had entertainment value. Here… well, here she just tagged along. This hadn't come quite as an epiphany, but simply an addition to the multitude of depressing thoughts, one that left as subtly as it had come.

So, back to Galadriel, for she happened to be the rare quality of person that requires absolute attention. Riley had decided that day that she did not feel like getting dressed, and had been going about her business in her flowy white nightgown, when she answered the door, and sort of wished that she'd been more motivated that morning.

Lady Galadriel was stunning as always in one of her fluttering white gowns; her hair sparkled in the morning light. Riley's hair was tangled and stuck out a bit on one side. She'd been working very hard all morning and her eyes were bloodshot. Drat, she said sharply to herself.

Galadriel smiled and Riley stared. Lady… in her room… whaaat? Days of concentrating solely on emotions had, as they are apt to do to anyone, left Riley rather inarticulate, and consequently, rather slow.

The Lady's eyebrows rose slightly and she glanced at the doorframe. Riley followed her gaze, and, as slow as she was, realized that this was a hint and stepped back, holding the door open wide. Galadriel swept gracefully into the room, scanning it as you scan your old room and wonder what the heck your parents were thinking by painting it pink while you were at college.

"Your friends have been asking about you," the Lady mentioned off-handedly. Riley held her breath. What had they been told? Did they know that she was avoiding them? "They have been told nothing. Anyone they ask simply explains that they know nothing about your whereabouts."

Riley let out her breath in a whoosh and sank onto her bed, hands clenched in her lap. "I'll be going back soon," she said softly. That was true, at least. All she had to do was get up the nerve to face Legolas with her song.

She was never going to come out of her room.

Galadriel, with her terrible tele-ma-whatsit, must have sensed that she'd immediately wanted to withdraw her statement, for she sat down primly next to Riley, and produced from her sleeve one of the metaphorical flowers from their first meeting.

Riley eyed the flower with a wrinkled nose, and said, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Galadriel pressed the flower into her hand and gave her that knowing little smile. "That you have a purpose." And that was exactly what she needed to hear.

After that visit, it didn't seem so important to find out what her purpose was. It was a comfort just to know that it was there and that she would meet it one day. With this reassurance tucked away safely, Riley began to feel a spark reenter her life. She woke up just being happy that she was alive. The trees seemed more beautiful, her clothes more delicate, and life just generally good.

At that rate, it didn't take a terribly long time for her to build up a bit of confidence again. Nearly a week and a half after she'd holed up inside her room, she decided that it would be good to get out, and not just for running. She, therefore, marched down the stairs in her male clothes and trooped randomly around through the woods. It probably wasn't the most intelligent thing to do, but there you have it.

Still, she found that she'd been missing contact with other beings, and greeted every Elf she met with cheerful exuberance. They generally did not understand her, and looked upon her with distinct condescension, but this did not sway her, for she was now determined to be happy with her life and herself. This, she had finally surmised, was what Legolas had meant: not that she needed to change, per say, but that she needed to stop attempting to please everyone. By doing that, she would never be content with her life; she would always be living for others.

With that decided, Riley marched straight into the middle of the Fellowship's camp with a beaming smile and bright eyes. The Hobbits were sprawled out in the grass, engaged in various pastimes when Riley arrived.

The first to notice was Sam, who announced her presence in understandable surprise. "Miss Riley!" She had the rest of the Hobbits' attention immediately.

"Hello," Riley said, grinning widely at her little friends.

"Where've you been?" Merry wasted no time in demanding.

Pippin gazed up at her in wonder. "Did you fall in a hole?" he asked in typical innocence.

Riley raised an eyebrow good-naturedly. "Did you eat a lot of weird plants as a child, Pip?"

They were all chuckling in amusement when Pippin stopped abruptly and asked, "Why?"

Riley shook her head, still grinning, and ruffled his hair. "No reason, Pip." She paused for just a moment and took a deep breath. For some unknown reason, her confidence had just dropped into a heavy ball in her stomach. "Do you know where Legolas is?" she asked carefully.

"Yup!" Pippin answered.

From next to him, Frodo smiled. "He's just behind you."

Riley's heart quite literally skipped a beat and she spun around. Legolas was indeed behind her. Out of pure instinct, Riley smacked him smartly on the shoulder and exclaimed, "Make a sound when you walk, Leaf!" What was left of her stomach dropped straight down to her feet as she realized what she'd done. Ooooh… crap. "Um," she said shakily, eyes focused on his collar rather than his face, which meant that she missed the slight upturn of his mouth. Riley took a deep breath and tried again. "Uh. Can I talk to you?" She was fairly sure that her attempt to look nonchalant was a complete failure.

Legolas, however, was his usual very-calm self. He inclined his head politely and said, "Of course."

With that, they left the Hobbits to their devices (though it took them a while to get back up to anything, as they felt a bit snubbed by this quick dismissal), and wandered out into the woods. For a while, Riley wondered why they were still walking, but she suddenly realized that they were heading towards the river where they'd been the other day… the one where she'd cried. This seemed like an awful idea at first thought. She didn't want to go back to that humiliating place!

On second thought, it was extremely thoughtful of him. Legolas knew that she was most comfortable in peaceful places… preferably somewhere that involved water. He had brought her to many of these types of places in the past, now that she thought about it. Take the waterfall in Rivendell, for instance… their waterfall. He always met her there and encouraged her on the process of healing. Had he always known her so well?

The answer, quite predictably, was yes. Legolas had always been subtly making things better… she'd just never noticed to what extent. He had continually made her life beautiful, and quite purposefully, too. He had been the first to follow her out of Elrond's office when everyone had forbidden her accompanying the Fellowship on their quest, the first to sensitively explain why. But then, when it came to her life since she'd come to Middle-Earth, he'd been first more often than anything else, she realized.

Which, of course, made her even more nervous than she already was, and would've made her sick to her stomach, had her stomach not dropped out of her feet and been left behind them somewhere long ago. She now wasn't quite sure that talking to Legolas was a good idea, and very much wanted to sit down smack in the middle of the forest and cry out of frustration. Stupid noble intentions, anyway. Since when was everything her fault, come to think of it?

Riley could've smacked herself as they finally came to the riverbank, but that would've looked quite strange. Everything that had happened was her fault, really.

What a bull-headed moron I am, huh? Riley thought to herself as she turned dejectedly to face Legolas. They stood for a moment in silence, until Riley decided to just get it over with. "This is awkward," she stated unnecessarily. "Um. I wanted to tell you that I think I know what you were talking about, and… well, I wrote a song about it, and… so… I think I'm gonna sing it for you; is that all right?"

Legolas tilted his head to one side as if ready to listen, and watched her kindly.

Riley took a deep breath to calm her nerves, shook out the tenseness in her shoulders, and began quietly, her voice growing as she immersed herself in the words:

"Look at me.

You may think you see

Who I really am,

But you'll never know me.

Every day

It's as if I play a part.

Now I see

If I wear a mask

I can fool the world,

But I cannot fool my heart.

"Who is that girl I see,

Staring straight back at me?

When will my reflection show

Who I am inside?

"I am now

In a world where I have to

Hide my heart,

And what I believe in.

But somehow

I will show the world

What's inside my heart,

And be loved for who I am.

"Who is that girl I see,

Staring straight back at me?

Why is my reflection

Someone I don't know?

Must I pretend that I'm

Someone else for all time?

When will my reflection show

Who I am inside?

"There's a heart that must be

Free to fly,

That burns with a need to know

The reason why.

"Why must we all conceal

What we think, how we feel?

Must there be a secret me

I'm forced to hide?

I won't pretend that I'm

Someone else for all time.

When will my reflection show

Who I am inside?

When will my reflection show

Who I am inside?"

Legolas studied her all this time, carefully watching her expressions and her posture, looking for indications of her mood and momentary flashes of extreme emotion. While she was singing, he noted, she looked anywhere but at him. This indicated that she was nervous, even frightened of his reaction. Therefore, it was not difficult to deduce (for Riley had always been one to where her emotions as clothes, at least to the Elves, who had had years to learn to read people) that what she was singing was heartfelt and sincere.

So that she would not become even more frightened by silence, as soon as she finished singing, Legolas spoke. "You understand, then." He sat down and motioned to the space of grass beside him.

Riley sat stiffly down next to him. "I think so," she said slowly, wrapping her arms around her knees, which she drew up to her chest. She gazed out at the river thoughtfully (also a sign of nervousness). "You were angry that I've been… living my life according to what other people want. Is that right?"

Legolas sighed, and reached over to run a hand over Riley's hair. "I was not angry. I was frustrated that you were listening so easily to what others wanted of you. Especially those from your world. I do not mean to offend you, but maybe the reason that you are here is to save you from the corruption of your world."

"My world's not all bad," she immediately said defensively. "There are a lot of beautiful things about it."

Legolas smiled slightly, looked thoughtful, and then said, "Is there respect?"

Riley's mind flew. Individual people, she knew, displayed respect all the time, and she said so. However, as soon as she opened her mouth to explain the general public… she couldn't, and shut her mouth when she realized it.

Legolas chuckled lightly and slipped his hand under her hair to turn her head toward him gently by the back of the neck. "I am sure that your world is lovely, and that there are wonderful people. You have mentioned your friends many times, and I am sure that I would trust them with my life. Yet when you so easily conform to every idea of the other, that place is not safe. Man individually is intelligent and capable of original thought, but you place him with other men, and the results are… how would you say… stupid."

Riley couldn't help but smile. "Can we be friends again?" she blurted, heart clenching as she waited for his answer.

She didn't know how to identify that emotion that flooded his eyes, but he said quite seriously, "The answer, of course, is yes."

While she may have grown extraordinarily in the past week, Riley was no less herself. Upon hearing this, she felt such a wave of relief that she threw herself at the Elf prince and hugged him tightly, pressing her face into his neck and breathing deeply of that wonderfully distinct smell that only Legolas had.

Once they had embraced for a sufficient time, neither seemed to wish to let each other go. They, therefore, stayed in each others arms and leaned back against a tree, simply enjoying being close again.

Inevitably, a certain question had to come up, thought it may not be the question most would think of. "Did you know that Mithrandir was going to die?" Legolas asked softly.

She could only see visions of the Balrog's whip wrapping around Gandalf's feet and pulling him over the side of the bridge. Her eyes filled with tears. "Yes," she said simply. Honestly, she didn't think Legolas was like that, but… what if he blamed her? They'd only just become friends again, and she was desperately afraid of being left alone again.

She needn't have worried, since Legolas tightened his hold on her and said, "That must be a difficult thing to bear."

Instead of seeing Gandalf this time, she heard, more clearly than she ever had, the awful whoosh, thwack, and surprised exclamation of Boromir being….

A tear escaped from her eye and she pushed her face further into Legolas's chest. She wouldn't think about it. Not yet.

Review if you wish! Remember to leave your email address and a request if you want to be notified of updates.

Our recommended story this time is: Deflating by bluebottlebutterfly. I personally think that it is one of the best Harry Potter fics out there.

Important: I have decided to start a Yahoo!Group so that you can all keep updated on how quickly I'm writing and what's going on, etc. If you'd like to join, the URL is (minus spaces and following the directions in the parentheses) http: (two slashes) groups.yahoo .com (one slash) group/travelers(underscore)universe . This way, you can discuss anything that is going on in the Traveler universe, and I'll keep you posted on my writing life. Hope to see you there!