Requiem for a Dream
Written by Freefall Sunsoar

E-mail : freefall_sunsoar@hotmail.com
Archive : Anywhere! Just let me know, okay?
Series : Lord of the Rings (movieverse)
Rating : R
Pairings : Various
Warnings : Slash, sexual situations, violence, strong language

Disclaimers : I do not own LOTR in any way, nor do I claim to. It is the property of JRR Tolkien. Last time I checked, that was not my name. Please don't sue me, you wouldn't get any money anyways. I'm dirt poor.

/Thoughts/

Notes : Nothing new. See Chapter 01 for some introductory ramblings.


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CHAPTER 03 - Revelations
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"It's simple Merry. When the trigger is pulled - that's this one here - there is this reaction inside the gun. The bullet is propelled out of the barrel so fast that it can't been seen by the human eye."

"What is a bullet?"

"It's a small metal projectile," Jack made an estimate with the tips of his fingers, "Hurts like a bitch when you get hit with one. Very deadly when it's aimed at the right spot in the body."

"What spot is that?"

"Most spots," he replied thoughtfully, "Guns are pretty efficient."

These Hobbits, as Jack and his comrades had quickly discovered, were quite curious. Always filled with questions for them. Natural, he thought though, for people who probably seemed so strange and alien. Had these Hobbits dropped in on them in the middle of the Afghani desert he would most likely have been brimming with excited questions for them.

He had answered them to the best of his ability, when he was traveling along side them of course, withholding certain information at his own discretion. Harolds kept telling them that they should be cautious of these people, despite the fact that they were helping each other, and not to tell the ever asking Hobbits too much.

Strider never asked them any questions, not even their names. He only spoke on brief occasions to the Lieutenant, and when giving out general orders to the whole party. Sometimes he would catch little reflective glances from the Man, but nothing more.

None of them still had any idea that Saidie was a woman. Jack thought this was extremely amusing, and he was looking forward to the time when she would have to take off her masks and tell them the truth. The Hobbits, he thought, would probably be a little shocked, but wouldn't care in the long run. The Man they traveled with, however, might be a tad more concerned.

He had watched his interaction with the Elf maiden Arwen closely, and it was obvious to him that he did not want her to be the one to take Frodo to Rivendell; it had been clear in his expression. Strider was the type of guy who did not want to put women into danger.

Kind of like another man he knew, only a lot less vocal about it.

The Lieutenant was scouting ahead with Shigure, and he was glad that the commander was not with him. Every time he thought about their fight in the caves it made him a little angrier, so he tried hard not to think about it. So of course he only thought about it more.

They simply did not get along. Perhaps it was a clashing of personalities or outlook, but whatever it was he just did not like the man. He was a model soldier, Jack would give him that, but that was part of the problem. He was so strict and firm in his orders, always following the rules to a T.

His mission to track the terrorists had been some kind of suicide-honour thing, Jack could see that now. It was only superficially about getting revenge for the people they had lost; Connor Harolds had really meant to die with the rest of his unit. All good commanders go down with their crews, don't they?

In the beginning, Jack's grief had not allowed him to see such a motivation behind the Lieutenant's actions. He wanted to go out and kill those people. He wanted to see them all dead. Never in his life had he wanted to end another's so badly. Jack wanted to see some justice. Justice for that which had been taken away from him.

But when their justice had been taken away as well, he began to see that perhaps he and the Lieutenant were not after the same thing. And when he thought about it, he realized his immense stupidity in not questioning what he had been doing earlier.

His hand slipped absently into his pocket, fingers resting on something cold and metallic. Jack sighed. All he wanted was for these feelings of failure to leave him alone.

"Is something wrong?" Pippin asked, startling the boy, "You've been staring off for quite a while."

"Oh, uh nothing," he replied hastily, bringing his hand back out, "My mind just wandered off for a second."

"Ah, say no more. Happens to me all the time," the Hobbit intoned cheerfully, "I'll just be talking to someone, and then I'll start thinking about some lovely cabbages or tomatoes."

Jack had to laugh. He liked Merry and Pippin. They were so enthusiastic and energetic, it was almost infectious. Strider had all the charm of a wet sack, and Sam was so distraught over Frodo that he was in no condition to make any sort of conversation. It was rare that he and Saidie were ever paired together to scout ahead, Shigure was as talkative as the Ranger, and he would have rather gouged his eyes out with a rusted spoon than talk to Harolds.

So he was a little more than glad that he had Merry and Pippin to laugh with.

"What's your name?" Merry suddenly asked, blinking at him curiously, "We've been walking for days and we don't even know who you people are or what you look like."

Surely, he thought, there would be no harm in telling the Hobbits his name. They knew the Lieutenant's name after all. It was not vital information that was going to get them killed or anything.

"My name is Jack," he was grinning though the Hobbit's couldn't see it, "Jack Mitchell."

Pippin made a strange face. "That's an odd name. Never heard that before."

"What kind of name is Pippin?" the soldier replied childishly.

"It's short for Peregrin."

"It's not really short for it, Pip," Merry interjected thoughtfully, "It's more like a nickname. Merry is short form of Meriadoc. Pippin is not a short form of Peregrin."

"Whatever. All I'm saying is that I have a perfectly good name."

"My name is perfectly good too," Jack said in defense of himself, "Very popular in Canada. "

The two Hobbits blinked. "What's Canada?" the asked in unison.

"Uh ... "

He had no idea how to respond to this. It was easy enough to talk about his country, but these two would have no idea what he was saying. Where ever they had ended up, clearly it was not a place where his knowledge of the Earth's geography would have any relevance.

"I am curious to hear about your homeland as well, Master Mitchell was it?" Strider addressed him directly for the first time since their meeting, and it caught the boy off guard.

They were all looking at him expectantly now. Even Sam, who had been trotting alongside Strider sullenly, looked interested in what he had to say.

"Just Jack," he responded, flustered, "Master Mitchell makes me sound like a porn star."

"Porn star?" Pippin had that familiar curious look, "What's tha-"

"Never mind," Jack interrupted quickly, dreading such a conversation, "I'll tell you later."

"Very well Master Jack," the boy made a face at the use of the title, but Strider could not see it, "I have never heard of this Canada you and Master Harolds refer to. Does it lie somewhere across the seas? Part of Valinor perhaps? Surely it is not part of Middle Earth."

It was Jack's turn to be curious. "Valinor? Middle Earth? Is that where we are now?"

The expression on Strider's face made the Canadian slightly nervous. "Yes Master Jack, we are in the very heart of Middle Earth. It vexes me though that you do not know of the name of these lands. Where is Canada?"

"It's a large country, in the North," Jack spoke almost absently as he absorbed Strider's information, "The largest country in the world I think. Or maybe that was Russia ... I don't remember. Anyways, it's a great place to live. Some awesome cities, but lot's of countryside too, and it's very cold in the winter. But ... we weren't in Canada when we discovered that old tower."

Strider cocked an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"We were in Afghanistan. It's a smaller country in a totally different part of the world. It's all desert and rock."

Strider was still making that face. "These places you describe are surely alien to me. Never have I ever come into a country so large as the one you speak of. Or one of mountain and sand. They must lie beyond the mists of the seas. You must tell me more about it when we reach Rivendell."

"Uh, you might want to ask the Lieutenant ... err, Master Harolds about that," Jack said warily, "He can tell you more than me. I don't even know if I was supposed to tell you that much."

"There is no harm is giving information to the curious Master Jack," he thought he saw a smile on the Ranger's face, "Unless you do not trust us. We are very close now. "

With that, Strider quickened his pace to walk ahead. He did not ask anymore questions, or even look back at the Canadian or the Hobbits. Jack sighed; he did not like this at all.

The Lieutenant had insisted that they keep scouting ahead and behind, despite the fact that they had absolutely no idea where they were going. So one of them had always stuck with the Hobbits and Strider. Every twenty minutes or so one of the front men would join them briefly to relay what they had seen and to get some simple directions from the Ranger. It was a sensible precaution given their previous run-in with the Wraiths, but no one had seen, heard or sensed anything from them in the last two days.

Jack was certain they had all gone after Frodo and Arwen.

/What kind of a place is this Middle Earth?/ he thought to himself, /Monsters and Hobbits and guys with swords .... it's like we've fallen into a book or something. God I hope this is all some sort of elaborate coma fantasy./

He sighed again as his mind wandered.

/What kind of a name is Middle Earth anyway? Is there an Upper Earth or a Lower Earth? Too weird./

"I think one day I should like to visit Canada," Pippin spoke up suddenly, cutting into Jack's thoughts, "It sounds very nice. As long as you have some taverns though."

Now the Hobbit was speaking his language.

"You like taverns do you?"

Merry nodded enthusiastically, "And Ale."

Definantly speaking his language.

"Well then, let me tell you all about Canadian beer ..."

For fifteen minutes or so Jack went on and on about different kinds of beer - which were his favourite, which were gross, why it was better than American beer - while Merry and Pippin listened with wide-eyed, undivided interest. He was just getting into a story about nearly falling into a campfire when he was drunk, when Strider went bolting up the hill they were climbing, yelling at them to do the same.

"We have arrived," he called back before disappearing.

The Hobbits and Jack exchanged brief glances before quickening their pace. Saidie joined them as well, startling Sam when she appeared out of nowhere from the bushes.

"I hate being on rear guard," she said distastefully, falling into a slow jog next to Jack ; the Hobbits were running in front of them, but with their short legs it was barely a run at all, "So what have you boys been talking about all day?"

"Beer," Jack said with a hidden smile, "Seems Merry and Pip are quite the little drinkers."

"Jack told us about Canada too," Merry added helpfully, "We want to go an visit one day, and try every beer you have to offer."

She laughed, and Jack couldn't help but laugh with her. Somehow he thought that they would have very little to laugh at when they reached Rivendell.

Strider was waiting for them just before the crest of the hill. The dense trees of the forest were beginning to thin, Jack noticed, and the path was hard-packed from years of travel. This time he was sure there was a smile on the older man's face, and his eyes did not seem as harsh as they had. In fact, he seemed quite relaxed. Perhaps, now that they were approaching Rivendell, he would be more sociable.

Or maybe he would at least answer some of their questions.

"Behold, the Elven city of Rivendell."

He made a grand gesture with his arm, and the small group passed through the last cluster of trees onto the very top of the hill. Harolds and Shigure were standing there, holding onto their weapons limply as they gazed at the city below.

"Jesus Christ," the youngest soldier exclaimed when his eyes fell on the site below him, "It's ... fuck, I don't have any words for this."

"Watch your language Mitchell," the commanding officer scolded half-heartedly, taken by the beauty of the city.

Rivendell was like no city any of them had ever seen before. They were used to sky scrapers and office buildings. Steel and brick and concrete. Modern architecture. To a lesser extent, they were even used to the simple stone and thatch buildings that they had seen in third world countries.

This was unique.

Never had a city blended to well with nature. It was hard to tell where the woods and waterfalls ended and the buildings began. Everything seemed to gleam under the fading sunlight in gold and silver and ivory; sinuous lines and curves defined each structure as it reached beyond the canopies towards the sky. Truly it was a magical place.

"This is where the Elves live?" Merry asked excitedly, "It's so pretty. So much different than the Shire."

"Is Frodo here Mr. Strider? Do ya think he made it?" Sam did not look twice at the beautiful scenery.

The Ranger's smile seemed to falter for a moment. "Let us hope so Sam. Come on then everyone. We can reach the gates by nightfall, though I suspect Master Gamgee will have us there sooner."

Shigure and Harolds were about to go ahead, but Strider called them to a stop.

"We have long since entered protected lands Master Harolds. There is no need for you and your men to scout ahead, and you can lower your weapons. It will be far more courteous to Lord Elrond and his people if we all met him together, unarmed."

Harolds, yet again, was hesitant. He did not go ahead, but he would not lower his gun right away. Jack would have liked it if Strider had demanded he put away his weapon, but the Ranger obviously recognized and respected his place of authority.

"You'll forgive me Strider if I am a little more cautious than you. We are in a strange place, with people we do not know and dangers we have no experience with. Human nature and all that."

"I understand Master Harolds, but I will assure you that no Wraiths would come within ten leagues of this place. We have guided and protected each other this far, and I would like to think of us as friends. So as a friend, I ask that you lower your weapon before we approach the gates of Rivendell."

This was a vastly different man than the one they had met on the top of that tower. Jack wasn't sure what to make in his personality shift, but he decided to attribute it to the stress of the journey. He had been more concerned with getting them all to safety than with making first impressions. As a soldier, it was something he understood.

Jack looked at his commander, wondering what the older man would do. He was a little surprised when Harolds complied with Strider's request.

"Very well Strider," it was obvious from his tone that he did not like this, "I will have to trust you on this. Lead the way then, friend."

He made a slight gesture with his arm for the other man to take the lead, but Sam roughly nudged the Ranger out of his way and started running down the path towards the city. Strider looked vaguely surprised, but followed after the eager Hobbit swiftly.

"We will make the gates in half an hour, if we are all as fleet of foot as Master Gamgee," he was smiling again as the others fell in step behind him.

Jack and Saidie walked at the rear of the group, at the whispered instruction of the Lieutenant when he was sure the others were far enough ahead not to hear. He thought it was ridiculous, as Strider assured them all that they were on well protected ground, but they would not disobey the Lieutenant's orders. Besides, it gave them a chance to trail behind a little, away form the ever questioning Hobbit duo.

"What do you think we'll find here?" Saidie asked him quietly after they had been walking for a few minutes, "Do you think that we'll be able to get back home ... or, back to Afghanistan anyway."

"I hope so," the boy replied uncertainly, "This is a really cool place and all, but it doesn't feel right. We really don't belong in Middle Earth."

If she was not wearing so much over her face, Jack would have seen the puzzlement in her expression. She stopped and turned to him. "Middle Earth? What does that mean?"

"Strider says that what this place is called. Weird, eh?"

She nodded. "Very. I just hope we can get back before we have another encounter with those creepy cloaked guys. I mean, I shot a lot of rounds into one of them, and it got a torch in the neck, but it still ran away. We're going to run out of ammo before we can take those things out."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," Jack tried to sound reassuring, but he wasn't even helping himself, "At least now that we're here we'll finally be able to find out what's going on. Come on Saidie, we're falling behind. Don't want Lieutenant asshole to yell at us for being slackers."

The two of them chuckled before they started walking again. They caught up to the main group quickly, just in time to see Strider turn his head to make sure they were all following. No one noticed that they were gone.

Jack smiled.

*********************************************


"We are here."

The forest path had turned into a small graveled walkway at the base of the hill, and the group had climbed another small incline until they came to a set of opened wrought iron gates. Huge trees still towered above them, with leaves falling like showers of organic rain, but they were less imposing now. It was almost as if the trees had taken a few steps outwards so the Elves could have constructed this place.

When the party approached the gate, they immediately noticed that there were three people standing at the entrance, waiting to greet them. Two were strangers. One was very familiar.

"Arwen," Jack whispered to himself; he was relieved to see her there, and broke into a grin under his mask.

She had made it with Frodo. And judging by the fact that she was smiling, it was hard for him to believe that the injured Hobbit had died.

The two others stepped forward when Strider stopped them all at the gate. One was an elderly looking man, with long gray robes, a beard that matched, and a ridiculous pointy hat. At first he seemed to look frail, but there was something about him that made Jack doubt that. The other was a regal looking male Elf, with dark hair and eyes, in a long silver and brown robe with large, oversized sleeves; there was a crown of weaving gold around his brow. He had the same presence Jack remembered Arwen having, and he carried himself with grace and power.

"Mae Govannen, Estel," he said quietly to Strider, who nodded and smiled at the Elf.

Now that they were at the gate, they could all see various other Elves standing around and observing them from distances. There was a tall blond Elf with watchful eyes standing some feet away from the three, wearing light armor and resting a hand on the sword at his hip.

"Greetings friends," the dark haired Elf spoke up and stepped forward; he had a soothing, powerful voice, "I am Elrond, Lord of Rivendell. Three nights ago I foresaw strangers arriving with this Ranger and these Hobbits. The very next morning my daughter came riding through these very gates with the sickliest Hobbit I had ever seen in my life."

"Mr. Frodo!" Sam suddenly blurted out with renewed concern, "Is he alright? Did he make it?"

"Yes Samwise Gamgee, Frodo made it. He will live, thanks to the healing skills of Lord Elrond," the old man said with a reassuring smile.

Jack instantly took a liking to this elderly fellow. He reminded him of his grandfather.

"Mister Baggins is resting in my personal guest chambers. If you would like young Hobbits, I will have Arwen take you too him."

"Oh yes Sir, I'd very much like to see him," when Sam smiled in relief, it was the first time any of the Canadians had seen his expression as anything other than worrisome.

Arwen stepped forward. She gave a brief look over to Strider, who was smiling as well, before addressing the Hobbits. "Follow me then little ones, and I will take you to your friend."

The Hobbits all waved goodbye to them as Arwen lead an impatient group towards the large central structure of the city. Elrond's gaze turned to Lieutenant Harolds.

"Normally I do not come here for everyone who enters my lands," the Elf started, "But I had foreseen such strangeness that it drove me down here to inspect you myself. Now that I see you with my eyes, I am glad I have taken the effort. Tell me, who are you? Where do you come from?"

Once again the Lieutenant stepped up to speak for his soldiers. Strider just hung in the background, as he pulled what appeared to be a pipe from his overcoat.

"My name is Connor Harolds. I am a first Lieutenant of the Canadian Special Ground Forces, and these soldiers are under my command."

He briefly explained to them about how they had ended up in a cave where there was a strange preserved tower, Weathertop as Strider had called it, and how a foul wind and a strange flash of light had dropped them into the Hobbit's confrontation with the Black Riders.

"You faced the Nazgul and still live," there was an impressed note in his voice, "And aided this Ranger and the Hobbits in getting to Rivendell."

/Nazgul? I thought they were wraiths .../ Jack was getting a little confused.

"They fight well Lord Elrond," Strider spoke up casually as he lit his pipe, "They work extremely well as a unit, and have strange weaponry that hurts the Wraiths deeply. They see in the dark with the aid of special eyewear, and seem have skill in tracking and stealth. Military Men my Lord, albeit strange ones."

Elrond gave them a considering once over with his eyes.

"Surely there is no need for these masks gentlemen, now that the danger has passed, " the old man said cheerfully, "I would like to look upon the faces of those who aided the young Frodo."

This had been the moment that Jack had been anticipating. He glanced over a Saidie, and noted that her left hand tremored slightly before she steadied it.

"Yes my friends, there is no need for such secrecy in Rivendell," Strider added lightly, "You are safe here from the dangers of the outside world. Please, I would like to look upon each of you. And I only have two names. I would like to know all of them."

The three younger soldiers looked over to their commander for confirmation, and he nodded at them. Without a split second of hesitation they stripped themselves of helmet, night vision, goggles, and facial masks. There was a slight murmuring from the surrounding Elves when they laid eyes on Saidie, who tucked some errant strands of vision impairing hair behind her ears.

"Interesting," the Ranger muttered around his pipe, "I did not realize there was a young woman among your ranks Master Harolds. I wouldn't have pushed so hard had I known."

A scowl appeared on her face. Clearly Saidie was not impressed.

"I do not need any special treatment Strider, I can handle anything as well as the boys can. "

"A female?" Elrond did not bother to try and hide his surprise, "I did not expect this. Forgive me my Lady, for addressing you as a Man. Please, what is your name?"

"Saidie Trevat," she replied, trying hard to hide her irritation, "There is no need to apologize. I'm a soldier, not a Lady. Really, it doesn't bother me."

"I have never seen a woman fight along side Men as you do, and with such strange devices. You are a brave one indeed."

"Not really. I just do what I have to Strider. That's what being in the Army is about you know."

"Private Trevat is an excellent soldier," Jack turned to look at Harolds with a questioning eye; never had he heard that man speak highly of any female troop, "And as you have seen Strider, she fights as well as these men."

Even Shigure looked mildly shocked at the statement, though he hid it better than Jack. Elrond turned to him next.

"And you, young man. What is your name?"

"Jack. Jack Mitchell," he said with a wry grin, attempting to turn the attention away from his reddening friend, "You know, I don't mean to be rude Lord Elrond, but you look kind of familiar," he thought about it for a few moments before vague recognition sparked his thoughts, "Have you ever seen The Matrix? You kind of look like the guy who played Agent Smith..."

Elrond looked overly confused. "Matrix? I'm afraid I do not know what you are talking about. Perhaps I simply bear a resemblance to someone you have met."

"Mitchell," the Lieutenant was trying his best not to snap in front of all these people, but the anger was clear in his voice and expression, "I do not think that was an appropriate question for Lord Elrond."

"It is fine Master Harolds, the boy simply knows how to lighten a mood. I have taken no offense."

The Elven Lord smiled and moved onto the final member of the Canadian team. He studied Shigure's face for a moment.

"Forgive me young one, but you have a strange face. If I am not being rude, may I ask what lands do you hail from? Clearly you are not kin to your companions."

If the Japanese what at all embarrassed or irritated by Elrond's questions, he did not show it. He simply gave an unreadable smile and shook his head. "You aren't being rude at all my Lord. I am originally from the country of Japan, an island to the East. My family moved to Canada a year or so after I was born. My name is Shigure."

"Forgive me, for I have not yet introduced myself," the old man spoke up suddenly, coming a little closer to the Canadian soldiers, "I am Gandalf the Grey, a friend to Frodo Baggins. I am afraid I was supposed to meet him earlier, but I was unexpectedly delayed. Strider, being the good Man that he is, met the Hobbits instead. I thank you dearly for assisting them on their journey here."

Harolds nodded to Gandalf, "We seemed to have had no choice in the matter, but it was our pleasure. It is our job to help those who cannot help themselves."

/And to lead people on rampant suicide missions for your own personal glory,/ Jack dared not voice the thought, but it simmered in the back of his mind while he kept up his smile, /You only agreed to this because we had nowhere else to go./

"Well, it is a pleasure to meet all of you, and I welcome you into my House. But I will confess that this meeting has left me with many questions, and I assume that you have just as many of your own."

Gandalf nodded in agreement. "Yes, we do have much to discuss, but I would think it wise to retire to more private chambers."

"Indeed my friend," Elrond was still smiling as he addressed his guests, "Master Harolds, if you would accompany Gandalf and myself we will sit down and discuss things further. But your soldiers are looking travel weary, and I would wager they would enjoy a good meal and a hot bath."

Saidie's face lit up like a Christmas tree at the mention of a bath. Jack couldn't help but chuckle.

The Lieutenant took a considering look towards the remainder of his unit. "Yes, I think that would be best. We have been on our feet for nearly a week straight now, and I am sure that my men would benefit from some much needed rest. Very well then," he turned to them, "Privates, at ease. You are dismissed until further notice."

As soon as the words left the man's mouth, Jack let out a huge sigh of relief and dropped to the ground like a ton of bricks. He sprawled out on the plush, carpet-like grass beneath him and made a noise of content.

"That doesn't mean you can act like a vagrant Mitchell," Harolds said dryly, narrowing his gaze.

"On your feet Master Jack," Strider was suddenly looming over him as he reached down and hauled the boy to his feet by the arm, "I'm sure Lord Elrond has some nicer accommodations for you than the ground."

"Indeed I do," Elrond gestured to that blond who was skulking about behind him, "Glorfindel, show these three to some rooms, and see that they get something to eat and hot water for baths."

"Yes My Lord," he gave the briefest of bows before turning his focus to the ragged looking soldiers, "Come my friends, I will take you to some rooms."

Glorfindel lead them across the stretch of courtyard towards the massive structure they had seen Arwen and the Hobbits disappear into earlier. Jack grumbled when he caught sight of all the stairs he'd have to climb, but he was quiet when Shigure gave him a dark look and told him to stop complaining. The important thing was that they were going to get good food. And baths. Maybe Saidie was onto something about all that.

After all that non-stop running through deserts and forests, he was pretty sure he reeked of extreme B.O. One application of deodorant, as a general rule, did not last for a week.

He looked back and saw the Lieutenant, Elrond, and Gandalf going in the opposite direction, but towards an even larger flight of stairs. Strider was nowhere to be seen. It made him smile slightly.

Not only would he have some time away from his commanding officer, but he got to relax and eat and bathe while Connor Harolds was stuck with the job of trying to explain themselves to the Elf and the old man.

"What are you smiling at?" the Japanese asked when the grin began to grow uncontrollably.

He turned it on Shigure. "Nothing Miyashi my man, just enjoying all this nice Elven scenery. Very cool, eh?"

"Whatever."

The grin turned into a little pout. "You're too indifferent Shigure. Can't you be even a little excited? When will we ever get to see shit like this again? Never. No one at home is ever going to believe this!"

"If we ever get home," he said, giving the boy a withering look, "You can enjoy the scenery all you want Mitchell, but we'll probably be looking at it for a very long time."

"Well don't you just know how to kill a mood," Jack mumbled as Shigure looked away and quickened his pace so he was directly behind Glorfindel.

Oh well. Screw Shigure and his pissyness. He resolved that he wasn't going to let that guy's pessimism ruin his Middle Earth experience. If they were going to be stuck in some technologically deficient fantasy world, then he was going to enjoy himself damnit! Who knew how long they would get to spend with the Hobbits and the Elves?

Jack's smile returned as they reached the top of the stairs and entered a long corridor. Things were going to be just fine. A good meal, a nice bath, and a bed. A real bed. He hadn't slept in a bed since he had left for the middle east.

Yes, he had a feeling that things would be just fine indeed.


TBC in Chapter 04 - The One Ring


Notes : Squee, another chapter done and lots to come. Frodo eventually wakes up, Elrond, Gandalf and the Lieutenant have a little pow wow session, and the Privates learn about the Ring. Let's not forget the Council. That's on the Horizon as well. And there will be a few more familiar faces in attendance then there were in the movie. Yay artistic license.

Comments and constructive criticism can be sent to freefall_sunsoar@hotmail.com. I like getting responses. Please let me know what you think!