Author's Note: Hi Everyone! Okay, this is my first fanfic of LOTR. Now I'm working my way through the books, but I'm definitely not an expert on all things Tolkien. I will try to keep things accurate, as possible but I will be using the movie timeline for a lot of it. So that said, I hope you enjoy my story!
Disclaimer: I do not own LOTR unfortunately. If I did, I would not be writing fanfics about it, instead I would have Orlando Bloom tied up in my bedroom, covered in whipped cream and chocolate sauce. Oh! And I would be rich! *sigh* Wish it were true. Money and Orlando Bloom . . . . . Oh sorry! Lost my train of thought. Anyway, I do not own these characters; I'm only borrowing them for awhile.
A Wind in the Door
Chapter One
A clock ticked softly on the mantle, the only sound in the quiet living room where Colleen sat studying. Her eyes were focused intently on the physiology book in attempt to prepare for the final that she had later that day. The last final of the year and the last one before she was awarded her masters in counseling psychology. She was well prepared for it but still she sat, twirling her long auburn hair as she reviewed the material for a final time.
The clock chimed and broke through her concentration. Colleen glanced quickly at the time and swore softly as she realized that she would be late if she didn't leave that second. She stood up, pushing back her chair as she frantically shoved books into her bag. Grabbing her keys from the hook by the door and quickly checking to make sure she had her wallet, she ran for her Honda Hybrid.
Three hours later, she laid down her pen and sighed. Dr. McDougal smiled. "How did you do?" He stared at the striking redhead as she turned in her test.
Colleen grinned. "I think I did well." Her professor glanced over her answers quickly and nodded.
"Looks like it. A fitting end to a wonderful year for you, Colleen." A small smile formed on her face at the compliment. He gathered the rest of the test papers and put them in a big yellow envelope and placed them in his briefcase. "What do you plan to do for the rest of the day? Celebrate the achievement of your master's?"
Colleen shook her head. "No, I thought I would rent a movie and go home and relax."
Dr. McDougal's eyebrow rose. "By yourself?"
She nodded. "See you next year, Dr. McDougal," she said as she slung her brown leather backpack over her shoulder.
Dr. McDougal watched her walk away. "Yes, see you next year, Colleen." The lecture room door shut softly after her with a click. 'Strange girl,' he thought. Brilliant mind, no doubt. She would certainly finish her Ph.D. but strange nonetheless.
He picked up his briefcase and started heading towards his office as he thought of the student that just left. Colleen always did well in her studies but she liked to keep to herself. He knew that she had no family, that she put herself through school with a fellowship. Outside of her studies, he only knew of one thing that she was active in, Tae Kwon Do. She was a fifth degree black belt and if she wasn't in the library studying, she was in the gym practicing. It seemed those were the only two things she spent any time on. She was a loner. Dr. McDougal couldn't think of anyone specific that she associated with.
He never really thought about it before, but it seemed so sad that after completing her Master's, she had no one to celebrate with. As he unlocked the door to his office, he thought, there was just something that made Colleen Patterson seem not to belong, like she never quite fit in with this world. There was some quality that made her special.
* * * *
Colleen fit the key into the lock of her apartment door, trying to juggle the bag of videos, Chinese take-out, and her backpack without dropping anything, an almost impossible feat. But she managed as she finally entered her small apartment, dropping everything on her kitchen counter.
Twenty minutes later, she settled back on her blue overstuffed couch with a plate of spicy beef fried rice and the DVD of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. She had seen it in the movie theatres and had loved it. As the opening credits rolled and she took her first bite of food, it seemed like life was perfect. She had her master's; she was unbelievably comfortable in a pair of extra large plaid pajama pants and white tank top and was watching the mystical world of Middle Earth. What more could she ask for?
Two hours later, the movie was winding down but Colleen had already fallen asleep on the couch, an empty plate by her feet. She laid dreaming of rings and elves, swords and magic, and the hope and wish that such worlds were real and that she could experience them.
Little did she know, that dreams are powerful things, that dreams or inner wishes had a power of their own to make reality bend and open cracks to other dimensions. Dimensions that others from our reality may have already visited and decided to tell about by creating books that were "fiction." Worlds that might be called Middle Earth.