Disclaimer and notes in the Prologue.

Thanks again to the following, cause I love feedback.. hee

Alsie (Uber Goddess of Death) hee, GreyLadyBast, BookCrazy77, Xandman, Dusty Fedora, pellagolloien

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Chapter 7 - Bridging a Gap

As the battle wound down, I had come to another realization.

Legolas was even more swoon worthy when he was in battle.

I groaned and buried my face in my hands. What the hell was wrong with me? Why couldn't I get worked up over someone like this in the real world? Why oh why must I have impossible standards?

I bet if I were in a Dragonlance story, I wouldn't be a sorry ass version of a MS or a CPD. Now that's a world I could work with. Go find Raistlin and hit on him until he killed me. Better yet, I could bitch him out for causing one of my worst habits. Or I could find some Kender to hang out with.

I really should have been fighting. After all, I had an advantage. But I wasn't. Not really. It hurt to know I was just a tool. A useless one at that. Who would be so cruel to use a person like that? Why was I chosen to be subjected to it?

If I had a therapist, he'd have a field day with the thoughts going through my head.

"Frodo!!!"

I glanced over to see Frodo impaled by the cave-troll's spear. Ah. The battle was finishing up. It was about time.

Everyone's fighting prowess increased by rage and what not as Frodo fell.

I merely stood up and waited.

As Legolas fired the final arrow at the cave-troll, it let out a sea lion type moan before finally collapsing onto the floor, sending Pippin flying onto it as well.

Everyone headed over to Frodo and I stepped over to Pippin and held out my hand. He took it gratefully as I pulled him to his feet. I ruffled the hair on his head absently with a small smile.

"Oh, no." Aragorn murmured as he turned Frodo over.

Frodo let out a gasp of air and a cough as Sam rushed over to him.

"He's alive." Sam said, his voice filled with utter relief.

"I'm all right. I'm not hurt." Frodo assured us.

"You should be dead!" Mary exclaimed. Great. Stealing Aragorn's lines too? Now they were just doing it out of spite!

"That spear would have skewered a wild boar." Aragorn finished.

Gandalf walked forward slowly. "I think there's more to this hobbit than meets the eye."

Frodo opened his shirt, revealing the Mithril chain underneath.

Lucky bastard.

"Mithril." Gimli uttered. He gave Frodo a gruff look. "You are full of surprises, Master Baggins."

Sounds of orcs echoed and interrupted the happy moment.

"To the Bridge of Khazad-dum!" Gandalf ordered.

I turned as white as a snow. Oh god. No no no! I forgot! I was so sure I was going to die here, I had forgotten about the bridge!!

The steps.

The broken steps.

The broken steps that were very high from the bottom.

The broken steps that were very high from the bottom that you couldn't see.

I swallowed hard as I joined the others in our fleeing spree, all the while thinking about the many horrible ways to fall.

So intent on my visuals, I was able to ignore the orcs as they swarmed us.

We were forced to stop as they surrounded us. My jaw dropped. There were so many of them..

Lucky for me, I was invisible to them. At least I'd get out of this alive if we were to fight for some reason. But at the sight of so many, I couldn't help but wish for a tank or maybe a Gundam. Or maybe some of my pal Ricky's day old pizza from work. That stuff could kill an entire town.

I waited. I wasn't disappointed.

The Balrog's calling card sound came crashing through the city and sent chills down everyone's back. The orcs panicked and scattered to the winds.

Isn't it always comforting to see something like that?

My eyes fell on the fiery red light that slowly started moving.

"What is this new devilry?" Boromir asked Gandalf.

Gandalf concentrated and I started backing up. I didn't want to be here. For all I knew I could be very much visible to the likes of a Balrog.

"A Balrog." The old man stated. "A demon of the ancient world. This foe is beyond any of you. RUN!"

We bolted.

We reached the wonderful world of steps and I barely kept myself composed. This was my worst nightmare. Too high, too high..

And then we stopped. The broken stairs. I swallowed and let out a small inward whimper as I involuntarily looked down. No way. NO FUCKING WAY.

I spun around to go back up. "Fuck this," I muttered. "I'm taking my chances with the Balrog!"

Suddenly I felt a strong grip on my arm and was pulled close to Legolas as he jumped over the space easily. He set me down and resumed his role of helping the others.

I stumbled down the steps a bit, shaking like a leaf.

H..h.. he..

He is SO dead!!!

I wanted to shove that elf off the steps right then and there. I didn't care who the hell he was, you just didn't DO that!!!

A second later I had composed what would be my first book.

101 Ways To Skewer An Elf.

My legs were like jello, but I went ahead and walked away from them all. I let out a shriek as I felt myself stumble. I barely caught my balance a couple of feet from the edge and turned around.

Mary was standing there, her eyes ablaze.

Oh fuck.

She stepped forward, "You are NOT living through this."

I resisted the urge to step back. I kept my cool. "Says you." I looked up at the Fellowship, everyone, including Sue, was too busy worrying about Frodo and Aragorn.

Mary caught me looking and her mouth curved into a cat ate the canary smile. "They're busy. Now why don't you make it easy on us all and just jump?" She flipped her hair over her shoulder. "No one will miss you."

"Fuck you!" I screamed. So much for my cool. "I'm already a fucking Convenient Plot Device! Now you want me to commit suicide? GO FUCK YOURSELF!!"

Mary frowned. "A CPD?" Her eyes narrowed. "Whatever. Who cares?" She stepped forward again.

This time I stupidly retreated involuntarily. I saw her grin as I stepped a bit too far and I let out cry as I slipped.

I saw a blur pass by Mary, and I was grabbed before falling off the ledge. I found myself looking up at Boromir. He made sure I was stable again before approaching Mary.

There was a rumble as the ceilings began to fall. I saw the rock come crashing down on the steps behind Frodo and Aragorn.

Boromir saw it too but continued over to Mary, his face filled with fury. His hand was at the hilt of his sword. "I do not know what you are planning, but if you dare threaten her life, voluntarily or no, I shall kill you without a thought."

My jaw dropped. Someone was sticking up for me! I stuck my tongue out at Mary and her face turned red.

But then she shrugged and stared at Boromir. "You'll get yours." Her eyes fell on me. "You both will."

I paled, realizing she was right.

By then the others finally joined us and we were forced to start running again.

Then it was the end of the road.. and a parting of ways.. we had crossed the bridge.

Gandalf faced off with the Balrog.

That was when I finally took the chance to see him. I nearly fainted. He was huge. A walking demonic inferno of evil. It wasn't the look that terrified me. It was his 'aura'. I don't care if you don't believe in that sort of thing or not. The Balrog wafted so much evil, that even a corpse would be afraid of the darkness. It smothered you with the foulness of his very being.

I had a new nightmare in store for me that night. I was starting to miss my old zombie filled dreams..

"You cannot pass!" Gandalf shouted.

We all stood and watched in horror. Even Sue and Mary were horrified. Maybe they WERE human, despite the murder attempts. But then they flashed each other devious smiles.

Maybe not.

Wouldn't they just be uber pissed when Gandalf comes back?

"Gandalf!!" Frodo cried out.

The Balrog rose from his crouch, spread his wings and flexed as he roared. The flames climbed in defiance of the wizard.

Flame on. I groaned on the inside at that one.

"I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor." The Balrog pulled out a blazing sword as Gandalf continued. "The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udun!"

A white light surrounded him and the Balrog swung his blade atop the barrier of light. The sword 'shattered' and the Balrog reared back and let loose a roar that made Sue shriek.

"Go back to the Shadow." Gandalf hissed. He stepped back as the Balrog brought out a bullwhip of flame. "You shall not pass!!" He slammed his staff onto the bridge and the light filled the cavern.

The Balrog stormed forward, but Gandalf held his ground and the bridge collapsed from beneath the demon. Into the darkness he fell, and as Gandalf turned to us, his foul whip snapped up and grabbed Gandalf by the ankle. Gandalf the Grey was pulled off the bridge, and hung on just enough to stare at us.

Everyone shouted in horror and started for him.

But his steely gaze stopped us. "Fly, you fools!"

And he was gone.

I shook my head as we fled. One down. But at least he'd get to come back.

I cast a sad glance at Boromir when we were outside.

I really wanted to go home now.

I shut my thoughts of that away again and instead basked in the fact we were outside again. I hadn't realized I'd missed it so much. I allowed myself only a brief moment before studying everyone's reaction to Gandalf's 'death'.

The hobbits were all crying. Gimli seemed to want to go back in for him as Boromir held him back and tried to stay composed. Legolas just looked bewildered or maybe lost.

The evil ones were crying. Give them an Oscar already.

I was calm. Not just because I knew he'd be back, but also because I had never cried for a death. I just didn't do it. Not even when I was five. I have never cried once over a real person's death. And believe me, I've lost plenty of family members. But still.. not one tear shed.

It was another thing to bring up with my future therapist.

Aragorn wiped his blade, his face fixed in what could be called the leader look, "Legolas, get them up."

"Give them a moment, for pity's sake!" Boromir insisted emotionally.

"By nightfall, these hills will be swarming with orcs." Aragorn pointed out, his leader look turning darker. "We must reach the woods of Lothlorien."

Boromir looked away. So did I. Amon Hen was not too far ahead..

"Come, Boromir. Legolas. Gimli, get them up." The ranger said again. He deftly ignored Mary and Sue.

They were not pleased and cast me the gaze of doom.

Okay, so I'm getting blamed for that too??

They wouldn't try anything anytime soon, as I caught Boromir narrowing his eyes at them. They saw it too and looked away and began whispering.

That wasn't good.

Goddess.. that was when I managed to see Frodo, full of sadness and tears on his face. Add that to the rest of the Fellowship's despair, and I wanted to scream out how Gandalf would be okay.

How everyone would be fine. Warn Boromir about his fateful end. Make everyone happy by telling them what was going to happen.

But I held my tongue and I held back the tears that I felt threatening to come. It wasn't supposed to be like this. In my daydreams I would help them out. I would be.. a Perfect Mary Sue. Make everything better for them. No one would die, and the world would still be saved. No one would hurt.

I wouldn't feel for people who weren't real.

It wasn't supposed to be this way.

But it was.

And there was nothing I could do to change it.