((A/n: Yay! I'm gonna get on someone's favorite list! ::happy dance:: Maureen's been ranting and raving since the MSTS (she's written one, check it out, but she is changing it so the plot is non-MST-ish) and lists were banned. I think it had something to do with the fact that she was planning on compiling a list of why she loves LOTR – seriously, that would have been one of the longest lists in history. (Maureen: Note – the OC appears in this one, along with the Earth characters, inspired by my five friends, along with Kanabi, who knows them. I get to be the OC, so hah, Kana.) Bwaha! Read and Review, please? (Maureen: Another note, I am writing this chapter, but not the disclaimer and after note, which Kanabi will write.) ))

Disclaimer: I OWN LOTR! And Sauron is right behind you! AI! LOOK OUT! ::pointing over your shoulder, and giggles when you actually turn around and look:: Well….maybe he isn't. And I don't own LOTR…cuz if I did, I would be very happy and rich and have no reason to write this.

A Fragile Link

Chapter Two: A Passage Between

Teloen paced the turrets of Minas Tirith, her brows contorted in concentration and bewilderment. There had been an attack on Hobbiton, Merry and Pippin themselves had delivered the message. Frodo and Sam had been killed, along with everyone else in the city save Sam's girl-child Elenor, who was currently in the keeping of Arwen Undomiel, the current Queen of the White City and Teloen's distant friend. Legolas appeared on the ramparts, halting her pacing as she glared up at her cousin for disturbing her reverie. "What is it?" she asked petulantly as she arched an eyebrow at his haggard look. "They have started an attack on Lothlorien and Rivendell, and will be at Mirkwood within the hour." Teloen stared open-mouthed at him in shock. "Does anyone know what these strange beings are?" She asked as Legolas shook his head. "They have been described as black clouds, only taking shape for the person who is surely to be killed. But no, we do not know what they are, the only people who would are beyond any reach." Teloen arched an eyebrow. "What of the Elves that have been killed?" she asked. "Can we not go to the Halls of Mandos?" Now it was Legolas' turn to furrow his brow. "That is the thing – no Elves have been killed, the enemy has probably already considered this. The Elves are wounded to prevent escape and taken." He said gravely. "But where? Taken where?" She asked, dark eyes flashing with anger and bewilderment, mind mulling over any possible place that these mysterious wraiths might go.

"You are sure you want to do this?" Arwen asked Teloen as she swung up onto a horse, Arwen crossing her arms and giving Teloen a look that clearly said that she thought this was unwise. "Yes, I have been to this Otherworld, it's called Earth, before and some of its inhabitants, our other- dimensional selves to be exact, should have some ideas as to what is going on." Teloen said. "I thought the Vala broke us off from all of the other dimensions, that is what the texts say." Arwen said, arching an eyebrow. "The texts are not always right, mellonamin.* They left one link partially intact, and I intend to use that to my advantage." Teloen replied, gently spurring the horse and leaving Minas Tirith far behind. No person, save Arwen, had had knowledge of her departure, and Arwen had promised not to tell. Teloen went over the directions to the link that she had acquired from an odd Man a few decades ago, what was his name again? Tolkien, that was right. The first time she had come upon it, she had been younger, by only a few years. Her other-dimensional self, Kira, had found her and taken her in until she had found a way back to her own world. Teloen knew that if anyone, in any world, could have any idea how to stop this, it would be her and her friends. When she had first met up with Kira, the child had been barely an adult, twelve, and the youngest of all her friends. Now about ten years had passed in their world, and she would be more mature. Teloen dismounted from the horse, and sent it riding back to Minas Tirith with a note. Hopefully it would return within the week, bearing the reason why she had gone and when she expected to be back. She stepped up to the stone circle, brushing the runes with her hand as she leapt up on the rock in the middle. Teloen took a stone carved with a moon mark, the one that Tolkien had given her along with the directions, and placed it into a niche marked with the same carving. A dazzling white light enveloped her along with a crack like the snapping of a whip as she disappeared entirely, the stone fixed firmly in place until she should return.

Kira sat with Alexander, watching a pair of arguing figures amusedly from the concealing branches of a white pine tree. "Just admit you threw the pinecone at me!" Aria shrieked angrily as Alex, who had really thrown the pinecone, muffled a laugh. "I did not!" James shouted back, even more incensed than before. "Meddle not in the affairs of wizards, for they are subtle and quick to anger!" Kira bellowed, pelting James and Aria with pinecones. "Get down here, Kira!" They shouted simultaneously as Alex pushed her out of the tree. "Ow!" she yelped as she hit the ground, glaring up at her fellow conspirator. "That hurt!" she said as Alex jumped down from the tree, landing on his feet and helping Kira up. "So, what was that, fight number three thousand, five hundred and sixty-nine?" he asked Kira mock-seriously as Aria and James fumed, glaring at them both. Kira hid a laugh at their identical expressions and replied, "Nay, I believe it is number six thousand, nine hundred and eighty-one." She replied. "What classes do we have today?" Aria asked, arching an eyebrow. "Well, once Gideon and Maria get back from wherever they are…" Here Alex coughed and James rolled his eyes at the mention of the other two members of their small band, which had been in existence since middle school. Aria and Kira both had gone to separate schools from the others, who had stayed in their hometown high school. By chance, they had all elected to go to the same college, MIT. Their lives had always been out of the ordinary, what with appearances of an Elf from Middle-Earth in eighth grade and Kira's normal correspondence with her other-dimensional self. A bright flash of light interrupted their separate thought patterns as a dazed figure appeared in front of them, large dark eyes, looking at them all with amusement and piqued curiosity. "Not you again!" Gideon moaned as he appeared from the forest, Maria at his side. "Yes, me again." Teloen said, a half-smirk crossing her face. "Does any of you own a mode of transportation?" she asked, arching an eyebrow. "I've got a car, and I think it'll fit us all." Maria volunteered. "But I am driving." She said with a glare at Kira, who sulked, sticking her tongue out at Maria. "Help! Help! I'm being oppressed!" Kira shouted, earning groans from Maria, Alex, and Aria and laughs from Gideon and James. "Are you ever going to stop quoting from that movie?" Aria asked as Kira grinned impishly. "Nope. Thank James and Gideon, they made us watch it, remember?" Teloen arched her eyebrow. "Was that the oblivious and rather pointless movie that they made us watch?" Alex groaned, banging his head on the wall. "Please don't remind me. Now, we want an explanation of why you're here!" Teloen sighed, wondering how to explain this. "There has been an attack on the Shire…" She begun, gaining their attention almost immediately.