Chapter Two: The Space-Time Continuum

A/N: Once again, quantum physics from 'The Elegant Universe'. PLEASE tell me if this is incredibly Mary-Sue-ish!

Disclaimer: Quantum physics is an abstract principle. Lord of the Rings is a book.  Neither is mine. I'd say that's all they have in common. And 'El Kids' are from the PPC.

Imagine all the space in the universe as a stretched out piece of rubber, bent out of shape by the masses of stars and planets, nebulas and galaxies. Now imagine time as another overlaid grid, warped and twisted by gravitrical mass as well. Now imagine a third grid- an antimatter shadow of the other two- that does not exist in real time and cannot be felt, cannot be heard, and cannot be seen…

~. ~. ~

"No," the elf replied.

The girl breathed in deeply once, and then keeled over onto the bed.

She woke again not too long afterwards, and found herself staring at another elf. This one looked distinctly more noble and spiffy than Beruthien. He also looked even more confused.

"I see you are awake," the elf commented.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," muttered Thalia.

"Impudence will not serve you well here," the elf said.

Ignoring him, Thalia shut her eyes. "I am not here. Not. I have an ALGEBRA TEST TOMORROW! This is just a dream. I am NOT HERE. Give me my ruby slippers…I'm going home…"

The elf blinked. "You are barefoot."

"Of course I'm blooming barefoot! I'm wearing my FROGGY PAJAMAS, for God's sake! I'm ASLEEP!" She blinked, pausing for a moment, then sighed. "I'm not asleep, am I?"

The elf only shook his head, wordless.

Desperate, Thalia stood up. "There's no place like home…there's no place like home…there's no place like home…" Considering that she was barefoot, the heel clicking wasn't very effective.

"Where…is…your home?" The elf inquired hastily.

"STRATFORD, NEW JERSEY, TWENTIETH CENTURY EARTH!" Thalia yelled, jumping on the bed for emphasis. She thought for a moment. "Come to think of it, I shouldn't understand you. I don't speak Westron."

"Yes, you do. Or you are speaking it now."

Thalia blinked again. "Who are you?"

"Tell me your name first."

"Thalia Weaver."

"Elladan Halfelven."

"You're an El Kid?"

"Beruthien told me you asked for us," Elladan said, ignoring Thalia's exclamation.

Thalia smiled beatifically. "I'm in Rivendell. Speaking Westron. To an El Kid."

Elladan blinked for a moment, then realized that 'El Kids' meant, as far as he could tell, sons of Elrond.  "Yes…" he replied. "And…?"

Thalia, having fainted again, made no reply.

The next time she awoke. The Peredhil himself was standing over her.

"Let me guess…Elrond Halfelven?" She asked dazedly, feeling light-headed.

"You know of me, of my sons, of my foster son, and of Rivendell," the master healer replied, grim-faced. "I have no choice but to think that you are sent to spy upon us."

Thalia raised an eyebrow. "I would rather die than spy for the Orc-master of Mordor."

"Empty words are easily said," Elrond replied. "Why should I believe you?"

"You shouldn't," answered Thalia simply. "I  wouldn't trust me, if I were you. But I am not a spy of Sauron."

"Fair enough." Elrond almost smiled. Almost.

God almighty, I'm bargaining for my life here, Thalia thought frantically. Elrond won't hesitate to kill me. And I don't have a bloomin' thing to say to prove myself.

"If you are not a spy of Sauron, how do you know of my doings, and my family?"

Thalia closed her eyes for a moment. Shiesse. Merde. Caca. Buglush…

"I…Lord Elrond, where I come from…I come from another world. There is- was, he's dead now- a man named Jonathan Ronald Reuel Tolkien. He wrote a book about Middle-Earth…about you, your children, and Sauron, and Gandalf, and Lorien and Rohan and Gondor." She smiled wryly. "I read it. Millions of people, all over my world, read it. And now…somehow…it's all real. And I'm here. This is somehow not a dream."

"A…storybook? This man- Tolkien- how did he know of Middle-Earth?" Elrond frowned.

Thalia shrugged. "The same way I know Westron…? I do not know."

Elrond nodded slowly. "I do not know why, but I believe you."

"Does that mean I can leave this room?"

"Of course. But…" He looked pointedly at Thalia's froggy pajamas, consisting of warm flannel pants and a tank top, decorated with dancing frogs. "Perhaps you would like something more suitable to wear?"

Thalia blushed. "Thank you, my lord."