THANK YOU FOR READING THIS! Now all you gotta do is REVIEW ME!
*
Chapter Eighteen: Recovery
"Drink this."
A blurred hand made its way into Holly's vision. "Go on. You put out a lot of energy to bring us back. You need it."
She blinked groggily. The hand separated into two.
Jennie forced the cooling tea down the captain's throat and set it on the bedside table. They were in the LEP infirmary, and it was about fifteen minutes after the cousins had returned. Promptly after their arrival, Holly had collapsed. Three guesses why.
"Geez, Holly," Tessa said from behind her cousin, "talk about spontaneous combust. What did you eat?"
Odd. The girl was spewing nonsensical phrases. The captain tried to sit up.
Jennie looked at Root in relief. "She's not dead."
The commander released his death grip on Tessa. "Why the bloody hell did you punch her out?"
She sniffled. "You BROUGHT us BACK. I was ticked, okay? I still am. So leave my emotionally scarred self alone."
"Well, they brought us back at a good time," Jennie hazarded. Tessa shot her a death glare. "Hey, I wasn't exactly enjoying watching Frodo bleed all over you."
Remembering, the other's gaze fell to her fingers. They were stained with hobbit blood, as was her palm, and her sleeves. The red liquid was still wet.
"Root," she said suddenly, "get me a vial."
"A vial?" Jennie started to laugh insanely. "You're going to keep Frodo's blood as a memoir, Tessa?"
Her cousin only smiled. "Maybe I am and maybe I'm not. It IS our only tie to Middle Earth now, though."
"You have a sick mind."
"I have a conservative mind."
"???" said Jennie.
As Root left to get the requested vial, Tessa dropped her voice. "I'll explain later."
"Now."
"Later."
"Now."
"Jennie, you have an annoying tendency to be impatient about the most awkward things."
"Like you aren't?"
"I don't see YOU preserving any strand of Legolas's hair."
Jennie covered her mouth. "Omigod! I forgot to ask him for one! DAMN!"
"Next time," Tessa reassured her.
Holly, who had been vaguely listening to them, felt a stab of horror in her gut. Next time?
She decided she didn't want to know.
Root returned with a small glass vial and handed it to Tessa, who proceeded to shed about an ounce of hobbit blood into the container. "Now we have a souvenir."
Jennie examined the red liquid. "Tessa?"
"Mmm?"
"This is NOT going on the kitchen table, okay?"
Foaly cut in hastily. "It's time for you to go home."
*
One wild, horrible, frightening chute ride later:
*
Alison bolted for the bathroom as soon as they entered their house. Holly followed her - she had started this thing with Artemis, she might as well see it through.
Jennie snickered at her older sister, even though the girl did look a little green herself. "Are you going to be sick, Ally?"
"No, Jen, I just really have to go," Ally called.
Tessa poked Jennie and looked meaningfully at Leah as she whispered, "Tiny bladders must be genetic, I guess." ((A/N: My aunt has the tiniest bladder in the world. Don't even ask.))
Her cousin was hysteric with laughter.
"WOULD YOU TWO SHUT UP?" Root boomed.
Leah had her arms around his ankles. "Pretty tomato go 'way." Her face puckered.
The cousins looked at each other. Pretty tomato. Ookay. . .
They were now officially scared.
Behind them, Artemis sniggered. He was examining the fading time shield. "Um, Commander, I think you'd better take your men home. In about five minutes it will be full daylight."
Root nodded. Prying his boots from Leah's grasp, he and his men faded into the background, shielding themselves from human eyes. Rustles in the grass and then stillness told the four when they had gone.
Artemis, Tessa, and Jennie looked at each other. Leah sat up and drooled.
Jennie prodded her with a foot. "I wonder if she'll ever be completely sane again."
"She will be," the mastermind said immediately. "I asked Foaly; she should be okay in an hour maximum."
Tessa sighed. "Not like she was sane in the first place."
With a sound like the shattering of glass, the time-field evaporated. The three merely stood for a moment, and then moved towards the house. Jennie tried to get her mom to stand and only barely succeeded; Artemis had to help before Leah would move through the back door.
Tessa stood for a moment, fumbling in her pocket for a vial of blood. She drew it out. Glittering in the morning light, it shone crimson.
Closing her fingers around a myth, the girl moved towards reality.
*
The following day, Artemis decided to go home, back to Ireland. The excitement had worn him out.
"Not that I don't like you, or anything," he told the girls. "But could we please come up with a plot or something to get me home?"
"Leave that to me," Holly said smugly. "Foaly equipped me with a few extra mind-wipes. All you have to worry about is how we'll get there, and-"
"I can do anything," Artemis finished. "So that works out just fine."
Abruptly, both the cousins hugged him. He stood stock-still, confused.
"Thank you for the best time ever," Tessa sniffled, stepping back.
Jennie let go of him too. "Keep in touch, will you?"
"How could I fail to miss the equivalent of an insane rhinoceros?" he asked wryly.
They all laughed, though - to his own surprise - Artemis had to turn away to wipe his eyes.
*
That evening, after many mind wipes and several forged airplane tickets, Tessa, Jennie, and Alison saw Artemis and Holly off at a New England airport. The girls were all rather weepy, and Alison conveniently made a restroom stop at the moment of parting.
"I'm getting worried about all these bathroom stops," Jennie confided in Tessa. "Do you think she really did get worms?"
The other shrugged and led the way into a gift shop (old habits never die, do they?). "We can. . . look around until you go," she told Artemis, sniffling.
After about ten minutes of browsing, the four - Ally was still in the bathroom - walked down to the gate. Overhead, a falsetto voice crackled through the speakers. "B26 now boarding, repeat B26 now boarding. Please keep your luggage with you at all times and thank you for using America Airlines."
Artemis sighed. "That's us." He handed the captain her B26 ticket, and the four mulled around at the gate.
Holly grew tired of the procrastinated goodbyes and went ahead down the walkway. "I'm boarding," she informed her companion. "If you miss the flight, believe me, I will find and kill you in the most inhumane way possible."
"I'm coming, I'm coming," Artemis snarled at the short, departing figure. He turned back to the cousins. "Listen. . ."
"Thank you," Jennie interrupted, eyes shining wetly.
"Yeah," Tessa added. "I finally got to see Frodo!" She pulled the vial of hobbit blood out of her shirt. It now dangled at the end of a fine silver chain.
"You're obsessive."
"You're just jealous."
"I got to destroy the one Ring. NOTHING beats that. Not even Frodo."
Tessa scowled.
"Thank YOU," Artemis said, taking the opportunity to prevent a major brawl. "I, well, Middle Earth wasn't exactly what I expected of America, but. You two really made me appreciate my family more. And-"
"Final call for B26 boarders," called the falsetto voice.
The cousins both stepped forward and gave Artemis a kiss, one on each cheek. He reddened and hugged them, and then ran down the walkway without a backward look. His plane was starting.
As soon as she was sure he had made it aboard, Tessa turned, slit-eyed, to Jennie. "Frodo is SO better than destroying the One Ring."
"Yeah? Well, I got Legolas's bow."
"FRODO'S BETTER!"
"IN YOUR DREAMS, YOU LITTLE WRETCH!"
Passerby scattered as Tessa tackled Jennie. . .
*
Outside the building, seated in an airplane window seat, Artemis could faintly hear the enraged screams of the cousins inside the airport.
He smiled.
It was a comfort to know that some things would never change.
*
I know. I'm horrible at endings. I wrap things up WAY too quickly. But oh well. Now all you have left to read is the epilogue! YAYNESS! Don't forget to review ppl! Or I won't put up the sequel: The Return of the Kin (get it, cousins are kin? Lol).
*
Chapter Eighteen: Recovery
"Drink this."
A blurred hand made its way into Holly's vision. "Go on. You put out a lot of energy to bring us back. You need it."
She blinked groggily. The hand separated into two.
Jennie forced the cooling tea down the captain's throat and set it on the bedside table. They were in the LEP infirmary, and it was about fifteen minutes after the cousins had returned. Promptly after their arrival, Holly had collapsed. Three guesses why.
"Geez, Holly," Tessa said from behind her cousin, "talk about spontaneous combust. What did you eat?"
Odd. The girl was spewing nonsensical phrases. The captain tried to sit up.
Jennie looked at Root in relief. "She's not dead."
The commander released his death grip on Tessa. "Why the bloody hell did you punch her out?"
She sniffled. "You BROUGHT us BACK. I was ticked, okay? I still am. So leave my emotionally scarred self alone."
"Well, they brought us back at a good time," Jennie hazarded. Tessa shot her a death glare. "Hey, I wasn't exactly enjoying watching Frodo bleed all over you."
Remembering, the other's gaze fell to her fingers. They were stained with hobbit blood, as was her palm, and her sleeves. The red liquid was still wet.
"Root," she said suddenly, "get me a vial."
"A vial?" Jennie started to laugh insanely. "You're going to keep Frodo's blood as a memoir, Tessa?"
Her cousin only smiled. "Maybe I am and maybe I'm not. It IS our only tie to Middle Earth now, though."
"You have a sick mind."
"I have a conservative mind."
"???" said Jennie.
As Root left to get the requested vial, Tessa dropped her voice. "I'll explain later."
"Now."
"Later."
"Now."
"Jennie, you have an annoying tendency to be impatient about the most awkward things."
"Like you aren't?"
"I don't see YOU preserving any strand of Legolas's hair."
Jennie covered her mouth. "Omigod! I forgot to ask him for one! DAMN!"
"Next time," Tessa reassured her.
Holly, who had been vaguely listening to them, felt a stab of horror in her gut. Next time?
She decided she didn't want to know.
Root returned with a small glass vial and handed it to Tessa, who proceeded to shed about an ounce of hobbit blood into the container. "Now we have a souvenir."
Jennie examined the red liquid. "Tessa?"
"Mmm?"
"This is NOT going on the kitchen table, okay?"
Foaly cut in hastily. "It's time for you to go home."
*
One wild, horrible, frightening chute ride later:
*
Alison bolted for the bathroom as soon as they entered their house. Holly followed her - she had started this thing with Artemis, she might as well see it through.
Jennie snickered at her older sister, even though the girl did look a little green herself. "Are you going to be sick, Ally?"
"No, Jen, I just really have to go," Ally called.
Tessa poked Jennie and looked meaningfully at Leah as she whispered, "Tiny bladders must be genetic, I guess." ((A/N: My aunt has the tiniest bladder in the world. Don't even ask.))
Her cousin was hysteric with laughter.
"WOULD YOU TWO SHUT UP?" Root boomed.
Leah had her arms around his ankles. "Pretty tomato go 'way." Her face puckered.
The cousins looked at each other. Pretty tomato. Ookay. . .
They were now officially scared.
Behind them, Artemis sniggered. He was examining the fading time shield. "Um, Commander, I think you'd better take your men home. In about five minutes it will be full daylight."
Root nodded. Prying his boots from Leah's grasp, he and his men faded into the background, shielding themselves from human eyes. Rustles in the grass and then stillness told the four when they had gone.
Artemis, Tessa, and Jennie looked at each other. Leah sat up and drooled.
Jennie prodded her with a foot. "I wonder if she'll ever be completely sane again."
"She will be," the mastermind said immediately. "I asked Foaly; she should be okay in an hour maximum."
Tessa sighed. "Not like she was sane in the first place."
With a sound like the shattering of glass, the time-field evaporated. The three merely stood for a moment, and then moved towards the house. Jennie tried to get her mom to stand and only barely succeeded; Artemis had to help before Leah would move through the back door.
Tessa stood for a moment, fumbling in her pocket for a vial of blood. She drew it out. Glittering in the morning light, it shone crimson.
Closing her fingers around a myth, the girl moved towards reality.
*
The following day, Artemis decided to go home, back to Ireland. The excitement had worn him out.
"Not that I don't like you, or anything," he told the girls. "But could we please come up with a plot or something to get me home?"
"Leave that to me," Holly said smugly. "Foaly equipped me with a few extra mind-wipes. All you have to worry about is how we'll get there, and-"
"I can do anything," Artemis finished. "So that works out just fine."
Abruptly, both the cousins hugged him. He stood stock-still, confused.
"Thank you for the best time ever," Tessa sniffled, stepping back.
Jennie let go of him too. "Keep in touch, will you?"
"How could I fail to miss the equivalent of an insane rhinoceros?" he asked wryly.
They all laughed, though - to his own surprise - Artemis had to turn away to wipe his eyes.
*
That evening, after many mind wipes and several forged airplane tickets, Tessa, Jennie, and Alison saw Artemis and Holly off at a New England airport. The girls were all rather weepy, and Alison conveniently made a restroom stop at the moment of parting.
"I'm getting worried about all these bathroom stops," Jennie confided in Tessa. "Do you think she really did get worms?"
The other shrugged and led the way into a gift shop (old habits never die, do they?). "We can. . . look around until you go," she told Artemis, sniffling.
After about ten minutes of browsing, the four - Ally was still in the bathroom - walked down to the gate. Overhead, a falsetto voice crackled through the speakers. "B26 now boarding, repeat B26 now boarding. Please keep your luggage with you at all times and thank you for using America Airlines."
Artemis sighed. "That's us." He handed the captain her B26 ticket, and the four mulled around at the gate.
Holly grew tired of the procrastinated goodbyes and went ahead down the walkway. "I'm boarding," she informed her companion. "If you miss the flight, believe me, I will find and kill you in the most inhumane way possible."
"I'm coming, I'm coming," Artemis snarled at the short, departing figure. He turned back to the cousins. "Listen. . ."
"Thank you," Jennie interrupted, eyes shining wetly.
"Yeah," Tessa added. "I finally got to see Frodo!" She pulled the vial of hobbit blood out of her shirt. It now dangled at the end of a fine silver chain.
"You're obsessive."
"You're just jealous."
"I got to destroy the one Ring. NOTHING beats that. Not even Frodo."
Tessa scowled.
"Thank YOU," Artemis said, taking the opportunity to prevent a major brawl. "I, well, Middle Earth wasn't exactly what I expected of America, but. You two really made me appreciate my family more. And-"
"Final call for B26 boarders," called the falsetto voice.
The cousins both stepped forward and gave Artemis a kiss, one on each cheek. He reddened and hugged them, and then ran down the walkway without a backward look. His plane was starting.
As soon as she was sure he had made it aboard, Tessa turned, slit-eyed, to Jennie. "Frodo is SO better than destroying the One Ring."
"Yeah? Well, I got Legolas's bow."
"FRODO'S BETTER!"
"IN YOUR DREAMS, YOU LITTLE WRETCH!"
Passerby scattered as Tessa tackled Jennie. . .
*
Outside the building, seated in an airplane window seat, Artemis could faintly hear the enraged screams of the cousins inside the airport.
He smiled.
It was a comfort to know that some things would never change.
*
I know. I'm horrible at endings. I wrap things up WAY too quickly. But oh well. Now all you have left to read is the epilogue! YAYNESS! Don't forget to review ppl! Or I won't put up the sequel: The Return of the Kin (get it, cousins are kin? Lol).