AN: So, I felt really bad about the format error on the first four chapters, so i am gifting everyone three chapters in one night. =)

disclaimer: I do not own anything.

Chapter 6

The hike down the mountain was definitely something Alex will never want to repeat again. At least it wasn't cold anymore. Everybody settled into their own personal space walking quietly, obviously contemplating what their next move should be.

Both Alex and Paul stayed behind the group, still a little shaken up by what just happened. Did they think that it was just coincidental that someone was in control of the mountain at that time and was able to make rocks fall or cause an avalanche? If they were a little skeptic about what the group was obviously trying to explain to them before, what happened at that mountain cemented something deep in Alex and Paul's brain. They are definitely in a different world in a different time. And it scared Alex more.

It was already dark when they reached the edge of a lake, walking closely by the edge, watching Gandalf frisk the tall wall for something. Gandalf finally found what he was looking for and cleared the wall tracing some unknown line that only he can see. As the moonlight hit that specific part of the wall, it lit glowing in the dark. It was door! Or at least a sketch of a door.

Gandalf read the inscription carved above it, "Wall of Moria, Lord Durin. Speak 'friend' and enter."

"What do you suppose that means?" Merry asked,

"Simple, you speak the password and the doors would open." Feeling mighty proud of himself he positioned his staff at what looked like a key hole speaking in a language that Alex could not understand, when the door wouldn't open, Gandalf tried again this time using more strange foreign words.

But the magic door still remained closed.

Everyone decided to rest as Gandalf wracked his brain for something he must have missed, something that might help him open the door. Pippin had clearly irritated him with his unnecessary questions.

It had been hours since they had arrived at the bottom of the mountain, each member of the group taking solace in the fact that Gandalf was having a difficult time trying to decipher the password for the magical door. Most of them deciding to use the time to rest, while the others amuse themselves. The temperature had suddenly dropped to a freezing temperature. Tightening the tie to secure her trench coat around her, Alex felt the change in temperature the most. Paul sat beside her and felt her shiver, looking to his friend for any sign of exhaustion.

The group had then decided to let their one and only horse go seeing as they cannot bring a horse into the mine. Each one divided the load among them, giving Paul an extra set of bag to lift.

"Great." Paul muttered, but saw the sad look that crossed Sam's face, wanting to comfort the hospitable hobbit Paul moved closer but was beaten to it by Aragorn. "A mine is no place for a pony, even for some one as brave as Bill."

"Goodbye Bill." Sam sad voice broke through, stroking the pony's mane one last time before they pushed it away from them.

Another hour passed and Merry and Pippin decided to amuse themselves by throwing rocks on the water, when Aragorn interrupted them."Do not disturb the water." He warned.

Alex and Paul both glanced at the warning in Aragorn's tone, watching as his eyes scan the silent, dark waters that stretched out before them. Suddenly, Alex felt the chilly air drop again. Something is definitely wrong with that lake.

Frodo then stood up, like a light bulb suddenly appearing above his head lighting up gathering the attention of everyone. "It's a riddle! What is the elvish word for 'friend'?" Turning towards Gandalf.

"Melon." and the doors magically opened.

Everyone started piling up to enter the door, trying to lighten up the mood, Gimli regaled them with tales of his cousins hospitality, when Gandalf lighted up his staff with a crystal rock that they truly saw the inside of the mine. Paul heard his stomach grumble, "I really do hope he's speaking the truth!" His whisper was heard by everyone who had to turn their head slightly to look at the peculiar pair.

The light from Gandalf's staff has brightened to considerable degree and the men of the group surveyed their surroundings. A cold dread spread towards the group at the sight that greeted them.

"This is no mine. It's a tomb." Feeling dread all over again as they saw rotting corpses scattered all around the floor. Gimli's cry echoing off the cold stone walls. Arrows piercing through their heads and chest. Legolas pulled one arrow from the scattered bodies and quickly identified the culprit. "Goblins!"

Everyone seemed to be on high alert as the realization dawned on them that they may have entered into more danger than they originally thought. "We make for the gap of Rohan. We should never had come here." Boromir interjected, slowly backing to the entrance, their swords drawn.

With the threat of Goblins looming before them, Alex was shoved at the back of the group with the hobbits. Unconsciously, one of them grabbed her hand out of fear, looking down she saw Frodo, his blue eyes wide in fear. Instead of letting go, Alex gave his hand a squeeze letting him know that he is not alone.

"Now get out of here! Get out!" Boromir screamed, his eyes darting back and forth towards the entrance and at the top of the staircase, on guard on whatever might come down in greeting. The attention of the group focused on what was ahead of them.

When a large tentacle pulled Frodo by his legs dragging him back into the dark water. Both Alex and Paul screamed in shock and absolute terror. They did not expect to actually see a real live monster. Quickly maneuvering through the side of the lake, Alex held onto Frodo's hand, refusing to let go. "Don't let go." Frodo pleaded, grabbing whatever he could out of panic on Alex's frame while the rest of the hobbits tried to grab whatever they could of Frodo's frantic waving limbs.

"I got you! It's going to be alright, I got you!" Pulling with all her might against the obvious strength at the other end of the slimy tentacle. Paul grabbing hold of her by the waist to refrain her from being pulled along with Frodo. Alex almost got Frodo heaved successfully by the shore when her balance was cut off with something slimy and sticky grabbing hold of Alex by her leg and started to pull her, just it did with Frodo. Dropping all her bags, screaming for help.

Aragorn, Boromir and Legolas scrambled to get to the pair. Slicing through the massive tentacles that sprung from the water.

"Alex!" Paul rushed to his friend's aid, grabbing a hold of her arm trying to pull her from the tight hold of the tentacle on her leg. Alex struggled to grab harder onto Paul with her other arm in a furious tight grip on Frodo's arm, hoping that somehow Paul may pull her free. White hot fear rushed through her thinking that this may just be her end if they do not pull her out in time.

Aragorn was slicing his way through, freeing Frodo from the monster's hold. "Alex let go!" Seeing Paul and Alex struggle a few meters deep the lake shore. "Legolas! Help them!" Rushing towards the lake shore with Frodo in his arms and Boromir behind him.

Paul was playing a sick game of tug of war with the monster who is strong with his hold onto Alex's leg when Legolas showed up. Grabbing Alex by her waist pulling put out of the water. "Alex run!"

Both she and Legolas quickly stood up. Her entire frame soaking wet and running towards the door where everyone was screaming for them to hurry up.

"Into the Mines!" They heard Gandalf yell, as the monster reared its ugly head slithering its way up the lakeshore, pulling with all his might to catch up to Legolas and Alex, the latter whom had to fire one last arrow at the monster to give Alex a headstart, when the wall gave way, huge rocks falling in front of the entrance separating the monster and trapping the group inside the mine.

Everyone paused to catch their breathe. Alex was standing closer to the door with Legolas' arm still around shaking her. She was scared without a doubt. Terrified to even think about what had just happened. It was Paul who pulled her out of her thoughts,

"Alex, are you alright?" Pulling his friend into a tight embrace, and out of Legolas' hold.

Finally realizing her state turning around trying to cover herself to warm her shivering body, from fear or cold she was not sure yet, when a pair of small arms engulfed her waist, "Thank you milady." Whispered the dark haired, blue eyed hobbit, who was also as she noticed was also in the same soaking state as she was. She tried to offer the usual silent hobbit with a smile but it came out almost as grimace, "I don't have anything else to wear. I left the bag on the other side." Her hand still had not left Frodo's tiny hold. Feeling defeated, if her mind won't kill her maybe the cold will. When a cloak was thrown at her, glancing at Legolas who passed her without a second glance.

"Use that and cover yourself up." Staring at the green cloak in her hands, she almost thought to thank the elf but noticed the anger in his face made her decided not to. Fastening the cloak around her shoulders fastening it with what looked like a brooch.

"We now have but one choice," Gandalf's voice broke through the dark, "We must face the long dark road of Moria." His staff leading the way and offering what light is only needed for them to cross the mines undetected. "It is four day cross to the other side, let us hope that our presence goes unnoticed."

0-0-0

Jolting awake, Alex glanced at the light streaming through her window, it was that bird again, the same bird that has been perched on her window for three days now. The same white and gray owl who, weirdly, only came out in morning. Peculiar owl indeed. It seems everything was peculiar in this world.

And it seemed to be staring at her. Again.

Slowly shifting her attention to other things, Alex's gaze focused on the intricately made knapsack on the chair beside her bed.

They would be leaving this place in a month. Although it has been a week since they arrived, apparently they had already overstayed their welcome, with Frodo and his ring of evil and with her and her almost non existent wounds. If there was one thing that pleased her in her entire stay in Lothlorien, it was the food, and the the time allowed for rest and recuperation. The loss of Gandalf still ever present in their minds and the group really needed to regroup and evaluate their next move with precision.

She knew about the gossips some had upon discovering a woman had accompanied the fellowship and the dire need to make her travel comfortable for a "lady" such as herself. Although after requesting for the outfits the male elves were sporting raised quite a few eyebrows, Alex had managed to convince her maid to acquire her of a few some that fitted her perfectly. Expertly convincing her poor ignorant maid that it was way easier to move in those leggings than in a riding gown. Finally letting go of her silk gown and the not-so-beige-anymore disaster of a trench coat.

Carefully inspecting the knapsack that Paul had lent to her after she, in a matter of life and death, had left whatever she was carrying back at the lake in Moria. Unable to control the shudder that went through her at the mere recollection of the memories that had happened there and the condition she was in. This time she vowed never to part with her last and only pack and to be able to travel well in some well fitted very comfortable shoes which she found was in much abundance in Lothlorien. Elven things were such class fully made!

Randomly inspecting the pockets of her one and only backpack, that Paul was lucky enough to have harbored from the supplies the Lothlorien elves provided for them, she was giddy to find, an iPhone? Turning the gadget the around she recognize it as Paul's. Continuing her rummage inside the bag, felling through the pockets she found that aside from a spare cloak and a few clean male elven shirts and a spare legging, that was it.

Please don't let him have a password...

"Ha!" Almost jumping for joy at finding it completely password free. Quickly scanning through the gallery of photos only to find them full of memories of her and Paul, Alex smiled and for the first time since arriving in Middle Earth, a sense of calm rested on her frame. She was fine, she was alive, despite going through everything in the last few weeks, Alex found herself calm. The earlier days of panic and fear fading from her.

I am not the same fifteen year old girl anymore, she mused. I can do this. I don't know why I am here again but I know I am here for a purpose. Remembering her last conversation with Gandalf bought a stab of pain but she now knows that she will not allow Gandalf's death to be in vain. He believed in her, his faith in the reason behind the Valors decision was firm.

Looking down at the phone in her hand, she absently searched over the photo gallery again but this time looking at the years of memory she had with her best friend, scrolling her hand through the music gallery she was surprised to find quite many songs with so many different artists and genres. Odd taste Paul, Alex thought with a smile.

Quickly putting on a pair of slippers, Alex quickly jumped from her bed and out her room in search of Paul to share the good news.

The grass was soft beneath her covered feet, the feel of cool air brushing along her cheeks as she made her way to were the rest of the fellowship were situated to have spent the night hoping to find Paul there. Anxiety creeping into her skin, embarrassed to be facing them again after her outburst a few days back. Will they still accept me with them? Her thoughts strayed on the elf, his sincere clear, as much she tried to assure herself that she was not the same girl when the last time they met, maybe he was also not the same elf anymore.

So much has happened in the last few weeks since they had arrived and Alex had not a clue on what to make of it. How do you explain your sudden and unexplainable disappearance to your family and friends. How does one explain the events that had just occurred and will occur.

How long am I going to stay here?

"Take heed Alexandria." A hauntingly beautiful voice cuts through her thoughts. Turning on her heel and finding the white lady standing with the kindest expression on her face.

You wouldn't think she was not trying to tell her that she was not welcome here a week past.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"There is a shadow that follows you Alexandria. Like a snake in the night that lurks under the darkness waiting for its prey." Lady Galadriel explained, ever since seeing her from afar before entering Lothlorien there was something about this mortal girl and her companion that had intrigued her and mystified her all at the same time and the fascination of both elves had not gone unnoticed with her. Is it because of this dark magic that makes her intriguing? Like a moth to a flame, fearing for the poor moth who'd get the chance to get close to her but at same time there is a lost child within her. A feeling of loneliness and vulnerability she had only began to notice during the mortal woman's stay in her domain.

"What does this darkness want with me?", Alex's voice is timid

"You do not understand do you? Something is at work here that I am not capable of breaking, something that does not seem right between you and your companion." Looking at the mortal woman with confusion in her eyes,

"That is maybe because we don't belong here." Alex explained, "Paul and I come from a different time, from a different world. It would have been better if Gandalf was here. He would have explained an awful lot of the confusion. Even I am confused myself." Wrapping her arms around herself to keep herself from shivering from the cold.

"But I gather, he is not the first person you met when you first came here, am I correct?"

Nodding her head, to answer the white lady's question, "No ma'am. I was a child when I first stumbled into this place. I first met Aragorn and Legolas when they were still young."

Galadriel's icy gaze was penetrating as she regard Alex's form, "Fate has a way of surprising us at the most unexpected of times." Lady Galadriel smiled all of sudden it was as if the white lady had all the answer she needed, and it was Alex's turn to look confused.

"I just want to go home. Do you how I can find my way home?"

"In time Lady Alexandria. But I'm afraid you already know where your home is, your heart had already made that decision for you."

"I don't understand, " Alex's voice is breaking, "You are talking in circles. What are you trying to say?"

Galadriel stared at the dark haired beauty before her, a mere mortal by the eye but there is something at work, a magic concealing her even from Galadriel's power and yet there is something hauntingly familiar about the child. "When what you are tasked to do has already been completed then the Valar may permit you to go back to your own." With that The Lady smiled one last time, "If that is really what you wish." Giving Alex a smile that held secrets and turned and walked away.

"Wait! Who is this Valar?" Alex chased the silhouette of the white lady, there are still question left unanswered, and a fleeting sense of familiarity washed over her the longer she stared at the lady. A sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach that she had just barely scratched the surface of why she was here, that she was about to finish something she had started twenty five years ago.

"And who are you talking to?" It was Paul who surprised her, running up to meet her standing alone under the tree and staring out the grass.

"The Lady. The white Lady."

"Are you high or something? I just saw her taking to Frodo a couple of minutes ago and looked to be serious."

"Huh?" Finally realizing the reality of what had just happened. Could it be true? Could she really be some kind on sorceress?

"What is that?" Paul asked, gesturing to her fist.

"Oh, it's um.. an iphone. Your iphone." Handing the phone back to Paul.

"I thought I lost it! Thank God. " Grabbing the phone from her and going through it. Snickering at the gallery that popped up as he unlicked his phone, pictures upon pictures of both him and Alex.

Snickering, he looked up "I remember most of this." Waving the phone in his hand, "At least we could take some pictures."a giddy Paul said, automatically posing for a selfie, immediately inspecting it right after. "This is great, the lighting here is just great. We don't even need a filter."

Looking at Paul and immediately feel her mood lighting up. "We could even take a picture of your new boyfriend and his hot friend." Paul added absentmindedly wriggling his eyebrows,

"My what!?"

"Oh come on, like I didn't notice." Rolling his eyes at his friend, "He follows you everywhere, watches your every move. I actually think it's hot ya know, but in a creepy sort of way." Smirking at his friend for effect. "He's not my boyfriend. I don't know what his deal is. He has that sort of vibe that he wants to save the world or something and what are we? fifteen?" shuddering for effect, "and in case you have forgotten I am engaged."

"Uhuh..to that a-hole you call your fiancé." Paul countered raising one brow, "you have to admit though, Legolas is ridiculously hot." Paul added knowing that he is not going to get an answer from his friend anytime soon. "Was he really the same guy you met when you were younger? The same one that broke your heart?"

Wow Paul, way to go for jugular why don't ya? Alex rolled her eyes at her friend,

Paul snickered again, their mood lighting immensely, "ooh Girl, you are in trouble." Shaking his friend, his smirk in place, folding his arms across his chest. "At least talk to the guy, he seems to still be infatuated with you."

It was Alex's turn to snicker, disbelief clear on her face. " I doubt it. He probably has elven ladies - elleths- of unmatched beauty probably lined up back at his country."

"hmm, But still, if the story that you told me is true, then you both need to talk."

"No we don't."

"Alex, I love you, but there are times I want to throttle you, you know that right?" Paul held Alex by the arms, looking into her intently. "and this is one of those times. Hell, you were young, you got hurt, you ran, you didn't even let him explain, YOU didn't even leave any both need the closure sweetheart-"

"He called what we had as a 'marriage of inconvenience' and -"

"Hold the fuckin' phone! YOU'RE MARRIED?!" Paul all but screeched at his best friend, staring at Alex wide-eyed.

"What? No! We were young, it wasn't like it was real. But we got close and we used- I used to- joke about it - "

"When you actually meant it! " Paul interjected,

"Will you let me finish?" Raising his hand in surrender at his friend's outburst, "It was not real. We were just playing around, but you know he's like royalty there, and their court can be vicious. Especially to someone like me. I was an outsider. A mortal child following him around. " Alex slumped,

"Alex, did you ever talk to him about this? And what about Aragorn, does he know?"

Alex shook her head, "No and I don't know. But they have always been close, my best bet is that Aragorn has an idea about it." Her voice a whisper.

"Oh boy, this is a disaster. What happens when you find out that he's been honest about it with you the entire time and he finds out you're engaged?" Paul asked, hands on his hips as if scolding a child.

"It's not real. At least of all to him. " Alex answered in a tiny voice, trying to convince who she was not sure yet. "I was just a child with a silly old crush. Nothing more."

"Oh honey, you really have to talk to him. Like I said, you both need the closure. And tell me when okay? I don't want to be anywhere within range of his arrows when he finds out that you're engaged."

"I know. I know" nodding her head and slumping down on the grass, "I'm just stalling."

"And you need to apologize to them." Jerking his thumb towards the general direction of where the group is, "You owe them that after blowing you're gasket, twice." Holding two fingers to emphasize his point.

"that too. I was horrible to them was I?"

"No sweetheart, you were just being mortal. It's okay to express your feelings once in a while." Sitting down beside his friend and putting his arm around her shoulder. "that's just how you process things. And I think it's a nice change that when we leave this place there will be no hard feelings with the people you consider friends right? It's a step in the right direction." Paul offered a smile to Alex.

Staring at her friend, "Since when did you get so wise and all knowing?" Alex ask, humor lacing her tone, "Shut it. I blame it on this place." Paul answered waving his hand around, standing up and pulling Alex to a standing position, "Thanks." Alex whispered offering her friend a kind smile.

"But seriously though, have you ever seen a place this beautiful? Now I know what has got you so enchanted here when you were younger." Bumping his shoulder to Alex while he craned his neck to look around the place, "You should've seen Rivendell." Alex laughed, her previous prejudice at facing the group now gone.

"Maybe I will, we'll never know." Shrugging his shoulder and then adding, "After all the magical things we went through so far, I am open to anything."as if remembering the phone in his hand, Paul glanced down, "There is some great music in here though." Completely changing the subject,

"Oh my god. Yes! This phone is a gift from heaven!" Paul declared, scanning through endless list of songs and artists. "There is a couple of playlists though so be prepared." Waving a finger in Alex's face which she quickly tried to swat away.

"Don't know, don't care. I found it in one of your back packs." Walking towards the general direction of where the fellowship is resting, both friends hand in hand as they finally make their way towards camp.

"We better save the battery huh?" Paul turned to switch off the device with Alex chuckling beside him.