The Search for Ruby Slippers

Aisling once again found herself in a sea of darkness. But rather than be afraid this time, she embraced it, a certain joy filling her as she waited to hear her cousins' voices. She wasn't sure how or why, but she had somehow made it back to the dream.

But then there was a bright flash of light and Aisling found herself standing in the living room of the house in Oklahoma. A younger version of herself was seated on the sofa in between Liam and Tiernan, the TV on playing the news.

She looked over, seeing a scene of destruction. A building with the front sheared off, a giant pit open in front of it. In the background, she could hear her uncle on the phone with someone, though he was attempting to speak softly. It didn't matter. Aisling knew that she was too caught up in the television to hear him anyway.

Liam put his arm around her, pulling her close.

"It's okay, Ash," he said softly. "You can cry, you know."

Little Aisling didn't reply, just continued to stare at the TV. Tiernan said nothing, just watched her closely. She knew this memory, what her uncle was about to tell her. She hadn't really felt anything yet at that point, because she didn't know. All she knew that a bad person had blown up a building in Oklahoma City, but it was over an hour away. And her parents hadn't come home.

She didn't understand why her uncle and cousins had flown in from New York City for this.

"Why are you watching this?" her uncle nearly shouted as he walked over and turned the TV off.

All three children jumped slightly, but as soon as he noticed, his expression softened.

"Tiernan, Liam, why don't you guys go get unpacked. I need to speak with Aisling," he said. Both boys looked as though they didn't want to leave, but eventually got up and walked out of the room.

Uncle Malcolm sighed and stepped over, sitting next to her on the sofa, his blue eyes full of pain. He looked like her father, but at the same time didn't. They had the same eyes, the same dark hair. Similar faces. But her uncle was taller and leaner.

"Ash, sweetie, I, I have some bad news," he said, his voice cracking slightly. "About your parents."

"Why aren't they home yet? They said they would pick me up from school," Aisling said, turning to look at him. Uncle Malcolm looked away, rubbing his hands together.

"Sweetie, they aren't coming home," he said softly.

"But why?" Aisling asked, interrupting him as her eyes filled with tears. "They love me, don't they?"

"Oh, yes, sweetie. They love you so, so much," he said, looking over at her. "More than anything. But… you saw the news, right? About that building in Oklahoma City?" Aisling nodded. "Ash… your mom and dad were in that building."

Aisling blinked a few times and looked back at the dark TV.

"Ash… they didn't make it," her uncle said, his voice much softer.

"But… why were they in that building?" she asked, her young mind not quite grasping what her uncle was telling her. That her parents were dead.

"They had some, some business there. It wasn't… they shouldn't have been there," Malcolm said, his voice cracking again. Aisling looked back at him, a bit surprised. She had never seen her uncle cry. "Ash, you're going to come live with me and Liam and Tiernan in New York City, okay? We're not leaving yet. We have to… take care of some things here and well, the funeral, but then you'll come live with us, okay?"

"But I like living in Oklahoma," Aisling said, her lower lip quivering. "I don't wanna leave."

"Oh, I know. But… your mom and dad, if anything happened to them, they wanted you to come live with us," he explained. "But we'll keep this place and we can come back and visit whenever you want. I promise."

Aisling nodded, big fat tears now rolling down her cheeks. She looked back at the TV.

"Are you sure? That they're really gone? My teacher said they found people alive," Aisling said, her child mind not wanting to truly believe that her parents were never coming back.

"I'm so sorry, Ash. They're sure," he whispered. Aisling nodded as she started to really cry.

Her uncle pulled her into his arms.

"I'm so sorry, Ash. I'm so, so very sorry…"

Aisling's eyes opened as she gasped, her heart hammering in her chest. She pushed herself into a seated position and wiped her cheeks, finding that she had been crying in her sleep.

She wasn't sure why she would think about that day. Or well, maybe she could understand. Since opening up to Haldir about her parents, she found herself telling all sorts of stories from her life that she hadn't before. And that had her thinking about them even more.

For so long, she had kept these things to herself. How she felt about her parents' death. Uncle Malcolm's. Feeling as though she had to grow up much faster than her friends because of those two experiences.

In a way, it was freeing. Getting a lot of it out in the open. She felt that when she returned, she would be able to talk about it more with Liam and Tiernan.

But at the same time, she was coming to the realization that there was a reason she felt comfortable opening up to Haldir. She could no longer deny how she was starting to feel towards him. And it scared her. Because she knew that she was leaving and she was terrified that she couldn't stop herself from getting even closer to him. Closer in a way that would ruin her when she eventually made it back home. Whenever that was.

"Aisling," Haldir said, already approaching her from where he had likely been standing watch.

She looked around the clearing, finding Aragorn still asleep (or at least he appeared that way) and Legolas off, probably keeping watch somewhere else.

"I'm okay. It was just a dream," she said as he dropped down to his knee next to her.

"Like the one before?" he asked, his brow furrowed in worry.

"No, this was just… a normal dream," she said. "Or well… it was about the day my uncle told me… about my parents. But it's fine. Just give me a moment."

She wiped her cheeks again, willing the tears to stop. God, how many times did this make of her crying in front of him? Too many. She really needed to stop making it a habit. He would never see her as capable and independent. She didn't even cry this much back home.

"Do you wish to speak about it?" Haldir asked softly. She looked up at him, offering him a small smile. Bless him, he was a godsend. But at the same time, Aisling wasn't sure she wanted to talk about it with anyone right now. Despite everything she had told him so far.

"I'm okay, I swear," she replied. He nodded.

"Do you wish for me to stay with you? Until you've fallen asleep again?" he then asked.

"Um… yea," she said, her cheeks flushing slightly. He smiled and settled on the ground next to her as she laid back down on her side, facing him. "Tell me about your parents."

She found that she didn't want to talk about herself, but she wasn't ready to go back to sleep just yet. Haldir glanced down at her and then looked around the clearing. He took a deep breath.

"My parents are both of Lorien," he started. "Had grown up with each other. Their families were neighbors. For centuries, they saw each other every day, though as elfings, my mother was not so fond of my father. She said that he would tease her too much."

Aisling chuckled.

"Sounds like he had a crush on her," she replied, looking up at him. Haldir smiled slightly and nodded.

"It would take him sometime to finally confess his feelings to her. But he said that since they were elflings, he had thought she was the most beautiful elleth in all of Lorien. And the kindest," he replied. "It took some time before my mother returned his affections. Though she, too, admitted that she was already falling for him before he attempted to woo her."

Aisling chuckled softly.

"Woo. Sounds so… romantic. I wish people wooed where I'm from," she said. Haldir merely glanced at her, before returning to looking off into the trees.

"Is it not common? With this… dating of yours?" he asked.

"Suppose it depends," Aisling said, her face scrunched up slightly in contemplation. "But certainly no one has ever wooed me." She then blushed at the confession.

Haldir didn't look at her, but he shifted slightly. Aisling cleared her throat.

"I'm guessing no wooing for you either," she said, priding herself for how calm she sounded.

"No, I have not attempted such an act," he replied. "As I have said, my duties keep me rather busy."

"Well, I for one, hope you get the chance," she said. "You're a good guy. I'm sure you'll find some nice elf woman to woo someday."

He didn't respond at first, and she couldn't detect any shift in his expression. The only thing that moved were his eyes as they roved around the clearing. Oh shit, maybe she shouldn't have said that. But Aisling couldn't help it. Despite whatever she was feeling, she was still going home. Though she couldn't deny the slight pain in her heart at the thought of Haldir flirting with someone else, even though she knew it was ridiculous.

"Perhaps someday," he finally said. He then looked down at her. "You should rest, and I should return to my watch."

He then stood and walked off. Aisling let out a deep breath and then rolled onto her back, staring up at the sky. Well, that was just fantastic.

OOOO

The next day came and went much in the same way all the others had. They rose early, ate, then set out. The ride and their occasional breaks were full of comfortable silence or pleasant conversation. That night when they stopped, Aragorn replaced Haldir in her lesson while the elf went off to hunt. Aisling was a bit surprised as he had been overseeing her fighting education since she arrived, but pushed it off to the side, concentrating on remembering everything Haldir and Legolas had taught her up to this point.

She was rather pleased with herself when she managed to throw him off and get the dagger to the ranger's throat. But then he had taken advantage of her distraction and knocked her onto her butt in the dirt.

Aisling was seriously beginning to wonder how any of them expected her to defend herself at this point, but still kept on. By the time Haldir had returned, she had worked up an appetite and could barely wait for it to cook before digging in.

Legolas then entertained her with more stories of Mirkwood before she finally moved to her pallet to turn in for the night while the others divided the watch yet again.

Quickly enough, Aisling found herself drifting off, thankful that she wasn't about to toss and turn all night after the long day on the road.

But just as quickly, she fell into yet another dream. She found herself standing in the horse barn at the Oklahoma house, though her cousins were nowhere in sight. The more she looked around, she realized she was completely alone. She looked towards the house and then turned, seeing Sunfire in her stall. Smiling, Aisling walked over and began petting her nose.

"I've missed you, girl," she said softly. "Where is everyone?"

"It is true that you enjoy spending more time in a stable," a voice said from behind her Aisling squeaked and turned around, her eyes wide as she saw Haldir standing there, though he was dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a button-up shirt, the sleeves rolled up.

She had to admit she liked how he looked in modern clothes, the sleeves showing off his muscular arms. But the way he was staring at her had her fidgeting.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

Haldir smiled slyly, something she had never seen him do before, but yet again, she had to admit that she liked it.

"This is your dream, is it not? Perhaps you could tell me," he replied, stepping towards her slowly.

"I… I guess…" she stopped speaking, unsure how to answer the question. Or rather, she knew, she wasn't sure she wanted to say it out loud. Even in a dream.

Haldir continued walking towards her, his grey eyes fixed on her as he looked her up and down. She glanced down, finding herself in her normal attire that she wore at the farm - cut-off shorts and a tank top.

"I find the clothing in your world rather strange, yet… enjoyable," he said.

Aisling backed up until she found she could move no farther as she was backed up against the horse stall. Sunfire backed up, disappearing in it.

"Are you afraid of me?" Haldir asked, a curious look coming over his face. Aisling shook her head quickly, as her heart sped up. She was excited, but not about to tell him that.

What the hell was up with Haldir? She had never seen him act so forward. Or sexy. Oh god. She could not be having one of those dreams right now. She was sure the others were nearby. If she made any noises, they would all know what was going on in her head.

Haldir was now in front of her, his hands coming out and resting on top of the stall, blocking her in. All Aisling could do was stare up into his eyes which were, well, there was no other word for it, they were smoldering. He then reached out and caressed her cheek with his finger, causing chills to run up and down her spine.

Christ, just kiss her already.

His grin grew as he read her body language and a throaty chuckle left his lips.

"You're enjoying this. Is this how you would prefer me?" he asked.

"I like you just how you are. You don't have to change for me," Aisling found herself saying.

And it was true. Even if he was a bit stiff still, seeming to keep her at a distance half the time, while hovering the other half. But then there was the kindness and warmth in his eyes when he looked at her.

Haldir's eyes drifted down to her lips and then back up to her eyes as he licked his own. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest. He then reached out, his hand resting on the back of her neck before he pulled her towards him, his lips crashing against hers. Aisling was jerked forward, her hands coming up to brace herself against his chest as her entire body began to tingle and come alive.

A moan involuntarily sounded in her throat as Haldir's other hand came to rest on her waist, gripping it tightly. Aisling's hands slid up and her arms wrapped around his neck as he pulled her up against him, deepening the kiss.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew that she shouldn't let the dream continue. But she couldn't help herself, the larger part of her mind saying to hell with it. It was a dream. No one but herself would know.

She then felt someone shaking her.

"Go away," she murmured against Haldir's lips.

"You wish me to leave?" he asked. The shaking happened again.

"No, not you. Whoever is trying to wake me up," she said.

"Aisling…"

"Oh god, I love how you say my name…"

"Aisling!"

She shot up from her pallet, eyes wide and breathing erratic. Quickly, she looked around and found a concerned Legolas next to her. Sighing, she leaned forward and rubbed her face. At least it wasn't Haldir who woke her up this time. She didn't think she'd be able to survive that.

"Are you well?" he asked. "You were moaning in your sleep. It was not another nightmare, was it?"

"No, no. I'm, it's okay," she said, still not looking up at him as she tried to regulate her breathing, sure her cheeks were a flaming shade of red.

"Are you sure? It sounded as though you were in pain," he continued.

"I'm fine, Legolas," she snapped. She then grimaced and looked up at him with an apologetic smile. "Sorry… just… you surprised me, is all."

The elf prince gave her a strange look, his blue eyes scanning over her face, obviously looking for some sort of distress.

"I promise, it wasn't a bad dream," she said, looking away. "It was actually a pretty good one…"

"Ah, well then… I will leave you," Legolas said, pushing up from the ground and quickly walking away.

Aisling groaned and fell back to the ground and then hissed in pain, forgetting that she wasn't in a comfortable bed but on the hard ground.

"Fuck me…"

OOOO

Legolas did not stop walking until he was a far distance from the clearing and then took a deep breath, glancing back through the trees. He knew that Haldir was on the other side a ways and likely would have gotten there before himself were he closer. But perhaps this was better.

For if he had arrived sooner, Legolas feared the ramifications. At first, he had thought Aisling in the throes of another bad dream. He had heard her wake up from them before, though Haldir had always been the one to calm her so that she could sleep again. But then as he attempted to wake her, he saw the look of bliss on her face. Heard her murmur Haldir's name under her breath.

And here he had thought Haldir would be the most of his worries.

His cheeks flushed a bit, embarrassed of what he had witnessed. But he knew that he owed it to Aisling to tell her the truth of their kind - their ways. He was certain no one had told her, otherwise she would keep her affections in check. And while he did not relish it, it needed to be done. Otherwise she would likely end up with her heart broken.

Sighing, he shook his head. This was not something he wished to do, but he would do it nonetheless.

OOOO

The next day, Aisling was slightly surprised to find Legolas glued to her side. While she would have preferred Aragorn after last night, she pushed it from her head. Surely he didn't know what she had been dreaming about.

A comfortable silence finally fell over the two, though Aisling noticed that Legolas wasn't as still as he usually was. Though he was constantly scanning their surroundings, this time he seemed to be taking stock of where the rest of their company was located.

"Aisling, I feel there is something of which I should speak to you," he said after finally deciding they would be unheard.

She immediately grimaced, though she knew she should have expected it. She took a deep breath and slowly let it out.

"Sure," she said airily, patting herself on the back for not sounding nervous.

"You are not of this world and do not know our ways. So it is understandable that you might not know of this. I am also unsure of how these things are done where you are from," he started.

Aisling sucked in a quick breath, the embarrassment already rising. Shit. Shit. Shit. This was almost worse than her uncle attempting to give her the birds and the bees talk before giving up very quickly and asking the housekeeper to do it.

"I have noticed that you are rather fond of Haldir," Legolas said.

"Well, yea… he did kind of rescue me," she said, glancing around and sure that she was blushing. Thank god, he was riding farther ahead. "Keep your shit together. You are not a high school student anymore."

"And he was the first person I met. But we're just friends."

Which was true. And there was no way the ancient elf could possibly feel anything for her anyway. She was just a human woman with nothing to offer in this world. But she felt like squirming right now. Especially with the look Legolas was giving her.

"I can tell you care for him a great deal. Which is why I tell you this," he said, looking away. "For the elves… there is only but one other for us in this life. One partner. We take no other, should anything happen to them."

Aisling's eyes widened slightly. That seemed really serious. Only one? And Christ, she had only had one slightly naughty dream. Did that really warrant this conversation?

"Our fea… or soul, if you will, they bond in a way that cannot be unbroken. Should one or the other pass on or we lose them in some other way, it is as though our fea has been ripped in two," he continued. "You have met my father. Much of how he is, it is because of my mother's death."

Aisling swallowed the lump in her throat, now getting a better idea of where this conversation was going. But at the same time, she couldn't help but feel sorry for King Thranduil. That actually sounded a lot like something Tiernan would do.

She then stopped herself from going down that road and focusing on the here and now. As much as she didn't want to.

"Our relationships are far more binding and resolute than those of humans. Should our partner pass on… it can become too much..." Legolas said. Aisling looked over at him, somehow wishing that he wasn't saying what she thought he was.

"I thought the only way you could die was by injury or something," she said. Legolas looked at her, giving her a sad smile.

"We can fade. Our fea gradually leaves us over time until we cease to be," he replied. Aisling was silent as she looked away, her eyes falling on Haldir. "And for us… the physical act of love, it seals this bond. For us, it is akin to marriage. There is no going back. Thus why in our culture, we often have long engagements. At least a year. To make sure that we have found the other soul to which we wish to bond ourselves for all eternity."

"Sheesh, no pressure, right," Aisling quipped, though it felt lame on her lips. She looked back over at him. She was reeling slightly at the information. She then quickly looked away. "I mean, thanks for the info, but… you've got nothing to worry about. I don't… we're not. There's nothing there. Not for me. And well, I'm about 100 percent sure there's nothing on his part."

She felt a small pressure on her hand and looked down, seeing that Legolas had placed his hand on hers. She looked up into his eyes, finding nothing but sympathy.

"I tell you this, because I know how much you care for him," he said softly. "I know that you would not wish to harm him. More than that, I do not wish to see you get hurt. Sometimes, we cannot control our feelings, but we can control our actions to those feelings."

Aisling swallowed the lump in her throat, feeling like she wanted a giant hole to open up in the earth and swallow her whole right now. But instead she smiled and nodded.

"I appreciate it. Thanks for letting me know," she said softly. "And like I said… there's nothing there."

Legolas didn't reply, only nodded, pulling his hand back. It was then that Aisling thought of Arwen and Aragorn.

"Oh god," she said. Legolas looked over at her, confused. "Arwen and Aragorn…"

"Ah… you have seen that, though their circumstances are different. Should they bond, Arwen will eventually die someday. To be with him would be to give up her immortality. As half-elven, she has that choice," he said. "It is why Lord Elrond does not wish it. Arwen is his only daughter. And Aragorn understands this."

Aisling glanced behind them, her eyes falling on Aragorn, who was thankfully also scanning their surroundings.

"And he has a great destiny ahead of him. He has much that weighs heavy on his mind and heart," Legolas continued. Aisling nodded, looking back at him.

"He makes a lot more sense now," she said with a small smile. "Why he's so serious and all." Legolas nodded.

"But that is nothing for you to worry about. Hopefully soon we will find Mithrandir and send you home," he said.

"Yea… home…"

OOOO

So, things are shifting... And I hadn't intended to post today, but I was working on finishing up Chapt. 16 then editing some earlier chapters and got inspired to work on a few scenes later on. During this time I was listening to the song "If You Love Her" by Forest Blakk, and I won't lie, I feel like that's become the theme song for Aisling and Haldir in my head (it's still on repeat right now - go have a listen). And then I just really wanted to post another chapter. Yes, there is more strife with Aisling and Haldir to come, but I feel like on both sides, they are trying to be realistic for their circumstances. But... I do promise more lovey-dovey stuff, laughs, and all that (and well... other stuff...).

Ponytail Goddess: Thanks! Yea, at the time I was 10 so I didn't really know what exactly was going on (though at the time I was loading a bus to go on a field trip to downtown OKC and actually heard the bomb off) and it wasn't until I was in high school (when we learned more about it in my high school history class) that I began to understand it more. I mean, I knew what happened and my parents took us to see the building before they imploded it. And I knew about the family friend. But yea, didn't quite register fully until I was older. But I never forget April 19. He's starting to understand, but at the same time there is the whole elf-mortal thing and the fact that Aisling is still wanting to go home. But things will happen...

Thanks for reading and following!