a/n: ok, stuffs going pretty good i guess, i'm not sure how many chapters are left in this, but not many. I estimate 10 at least, 15 at most. but it's winter and winter is manic time. so we've got time... loads of time. and energy. ever since eric and i (my "exclusive" friend, not my boyfriend) aren't seeing each other anymore, time seems to be of abundance to me. hmmm.. well here we go.

Brian went on for a while longer about the extent of Rosalind's greatness, to which Legolas honestly agreed. She was a rather fascinating maid, and Legolas felt that she was the closest to understanding him than anyone else he had encountered; even with the mere surface scratching conversation they'd had.

"Well, anyways, enough about that," Brian finally concluded, at the end of his (near) soliloquy. He stood up, with conviction. "Well, I hate to run out on you bud, since you look kinda lonely, but I'd best get my ass outta here before all the middle school kids get out and raid the place." He visibly shuddered, laughing.

Legolas also stood, although he didn't know where he was going to go. But suddenly a wave of panic struck him. He couldn't be stuck up here, and he figured Marie would not be through working at this tavern until far into the night.

Brian looked considerate: "Do you wanna come with me? I'm just goin home, but you can come over if ya want. We got the stuff at my house to make tacos, that's what I was gonna do."

Legolas assumed tacos were food, and although he wasn't hungry yet, he knew he should accept the invitation. "That sounds lovely," he said.

"No, I really can cook!" Brian insisted. How come no one ever believes me? he lamented to himself.

"I did not say you couldn't," Legolas replied calmly. He had grown more than accustomed to everyone misinterpreting his words.

"Alright then, it's a date!" Brian proclaimed, headed towards the door.

Legolas followed him in, but headed towards Marie at the counter. Brian stopped. "Do you mind if I bid farewell to my friend?" he asked.

"Bid away." Brian waited at the condiments counter, fooling with the straws. In the process, he knocked over a bucket of sugar packets. Oopsie daisies, he thought, wandering away, nobody saw that!

"Marie?" She turned around.

"Oh hey, Doug," she said, blending a frap. He looks better than he did, she thought hopefully. "You feelin any better?"

Marie calculated this. "You met Sandy's brother?"

"Yes."

"Up here?"

"Yes," he told her, and pointed to Brian.

"Hm," Marie said, craning her neck to see him. She spotted him screwing up the CD display. "Must be steps, they look nothing alike."

"I suppose. I will see you in the future," Legolas said, walking backwards towards Brian and waving.

"Ha, yeah, guess so!" Marie laughed.

Legolas shrugged at her response, then turned to Brian. "Brian? Are you ready to leave?"

Brian started, suprised, and dropped the CD he had been looking at. "Oh! Yeah, I uh, hold on," he muttered, picking the CD up, and cramming it into one of the slots. From the counter, Marie smiled and rolled her eyes.

Legolas and Brian went out to his truck, and got in. "I'm gonna have to get Rosalind to check out my truck," Brian informed Legolas as they shut the doors. He turned the key in the ignition, and slapped at the radio before the music could even be audible. "When I stop at lights, if I'm idle for too long, when I pull away it smokes like a damn bonfire." He swelled a little. "I'm sure Rosalind can figure it out," he said, looking as sure as he sounded.

Legolas granted him a nod and a smile, then looked out the window as they pulled away. This was his first ride in a 'truck.' It was not so bad. He actually felt safer, a little higher off the ground. He also figured that were they to crash into another car, they would be triumphant as they were larger. Brian interuppted his thoughts.

"You like Modest Mouse?"

"To be honest, I do not know it," Legolas admitted.

"Cool, they're awesome. I'm sure you'll love 'em." Brian pushed a button, and adjusted a dial, until some music was audible... then he adjusted it a little more. The music was then much more than audible.

However, Legolas found that the music was rather enjoyable, aside from the fact that the man singing had a tremendously abhorable voice. (Legolas assumed that was why this man could more than afford to take on the title of modest.) But the words were interesting enough to hold his attention:

'everything that keeps me together is falling apart
i've got this thing that i consider my only art
of fucking people over
my boss just quit the job says he's going out to
find blind spots
and he'll do it.'

It seemed to tie together everything that he had been exposed to in the last few days. The mention of bosses and quitting a job made him think of Shawn, and the mention of that word 'fuck' reminded him strongly of Jane and Bear. But most of all, he was struck by the first words - "everything that keeps me together is falling apart." I know exactly how you feel, Legolas said inwardly to the voice.

They drove along, with the occasional word to one another. Other than that, the modest mouse was the only sound. They turned onto a road that lead them into a neighbourhood not too far from Shawn's; a sign on the outskirts of the small village prolaimed it "TERRANOVA." Legolas wondered why all the homes, though some very large and stately, were naught but sometimes a few arms-lengths away from one another. He supposed it must be a very friendly and closely-knit community. Perhaps a tribe of some sort. This made him again wonder of the Ramones.

"Do you know the Ramones?" he asked Brian.

Brian sniffed and looked amused. "Well, duh, Sherlock, who doesn't?" He laughed. "Now if you're askin' if i like them, the answer to that would be a big fat um, NO?" Brian ended, looking at Legolas comically. Legolas stared at him.

"What did they ever do to you? Are your kind at war with them?" Legolas wondered aloud.

"What, emo kids? Not really. I mean, emo's got it's roots in punk. Don't you already know this?" Brian asked, looking at him suspiciously. Legolas swiftly shook his head. "Well, crap, bud! I figured you were as emo as anyother kid in a sweater and Chucks!" He paused, expecting a reply, but there was none. "Well?" he threw out, kind of giving up. Legolas looked at him, hoping he would go on, but he didn't.

Now he only had more to wonder about. He decided punk and the Ramones must be somewhat synonymous. And he felt a little guilty, having been found out about his not being emo. How deceitful I must appear to be! he thought shamefully. But Brian did not appear to be too upset, so Legolas did not trouble himself too much with it. He gazed out the window, and then Brian turned the vehicle towards a small house, then stopped. He turned it off; Legolas mimicked his actions in turning the key to the left. In the case that I would ever have to operate or at most turn one of these creatures on, he told himself. They opened their doors, and exited. Walking up the gravel path, Brian turned to Legolas.

"My sister's car idn't here, so I'm guessing she idn't, either. But you still got me, bud!" Brian exlaimed, looking happy and holding out his arms. Legolas looked at him.

Guess he doesn't like hugs, mused Brian. "Whatever," he said, his happiness from seeing Rosalind not to be spoiled. "Anyways," he went on cheerfully, unlocking the front door, "Stella's car is here, you'll meet her. Remember that's Sandy's little sister. She's really my little sister, too, she just looks more like Sandy," he noted jokingly, nudging Legolas--who obligingly smiled. "She's a junior at Klein. Suzy's a freshman."

Legolas shrugged.

Brian shrugged as well. "Just tellin' ya, bud. I mean, I dunno how old you are."

Legolas looked up--this reminded him. "Do you think I look 22?" he asked.

Brian drew back from him. "NO JOKE, bud?" he laughed. "You're 22? Man! I didn't figure you were still in high school, but I didn't figure you were 22!" He shook his head. "I mean, you told me you knew Sandy, she's 18, i figured..." Brian trailed off, and shook his head. "Well, whatever!" he concluded, still jolly. Legolas shrugged.

Apparently, I could pass for even younger than 22, he mused. Brian, for the moment back on task, reached for the door knob, but before his hand even reached it, the door was flung open by a girl who strikingly resembled Sandy.

"HEY BRIAN!" she screeched. "Guess what??!!" Legolas smiled but flinched at her squealing. This must be Stella, he concluded, watching her jump up and down and holding several parcels wrapped in brown paper.

Brian's face lit up with excitement. "You got all As in all your classes!"

Stella stopped hopping, and looked tentative. "Uhhh... no. Guess again!"

"You saw a UFO and aliens came out and took your into their space craft, then flew you over the Bermuda Triangle where you were deposited into a time space warp that put you back into Biology class, then having sat through it twice, you made an A on your quiz?"

Stella looked awed, then held up her hand slowly, which Brian slowly clapped his against. "Nice one, man! Nice!" she complemented him.

"I know, right?" Brian said, please with himself. "So what's up?" He and Legolas walked in, and shut the door.

Stella thrust the parcels in his face. "My stuff came today!" she screeched.

They headed into the den, and took seats on the couches. "I can see that," Brian told her. "Whatcha got there?" he asked, snatching away the parcels. She snatched them back.

"NO!" she wailed. "I have to open them!" She ran from the room, and returned with a unnecessarily large knife, and Legolas knew his eyes visibly widened. "Oh, sorry, I'm Stella," she said apologetically, setting down the knife.

"I'm called Legolas."

"Nice French grammar there," she mumbled, picking the knife up, and shooting him a coy grin. She began to open the packages, and her tongue stuck out with concentration.

"Legolas here is a friend of good ol' Sandy's," Brian informed her. Stella looked up with interest.

"Oh is he?"

"Indeed he is," Brian proclaimed, looking proud.

"Well, she'll be here in a sec, she just called. She's on her way home," Stelly informed them. She finally opened the last of the parcels, and ran over to the couch where Legolas and Brian were sitting, and plopped down between them. "OK, boys, here's what we got." She sorted through, and brought out several items. "First, we got my Rainer Maria shirt, hooray!" she cried, holding it up. "Next, we got my Mates of State CD, 'Our Constant Concern.'"

"AWESOME!" Brian hollered, and made a grab for it, but she was too quick for him, and held it away.

"It's mine, fruit loop! OK, then let's see... Oh yeah, look! My Belle and Sebastian LP! It's 'Storytelling,' you know, the soundtrack they did?"

"Yeah! But why'd you get it on record?"

"Dunno, Brian, that was what they had on eBay! Don't ask dumb ass questions." Brian shrugged. "OK, then, oh yeah! I got my French copy of When I Was Five I Killed Myself, only in France, they just call it Burt. Awesome, huh? I love this book!"

"That is an awesome book. Have you read it, bud?" Brian asked, leaning around Stella to look at Legolas. Legolas shook his head hurriedly. It sounded awful!

"Well, you should. It's awesome," Stella assured him. He shrugged. "What do you read?" He shrugged again. "The Bible?" she asked, half-jokingly.

"I've never heard of it," he told her.

Brian and Stella looked at each other and giggled. "Uh, whatever, bud," Brian said.

Stella felt uncomfortable, and decided it was time for a subject-change. "Hey, Bri, weren't you gonna make tacos tonight?"

"Well, yes I was!" he exclaimed, cheerfully, ruffling her hair as he jumped up and ran into what Legolas assumed was the galley. "Hey, bud! Legolas!" he hollered.

"Yes?" Legolas replied, not even bothering to raise his voice. It was not as though the home was all that large.

"Tomorrow's senior skip day, cool, huh?"

"I have no idea of what you speak."

"Tell 'em, Stell-em!" Brian hollered back, and giggled.

"Senior skip day is when, well," Stella wrinkled her nose and gave a pixie-like grin, "seniors get to miss school."

"I see," Legolas said, smiling back. He supposed that was why Brian was so excited. Although, he himself thought it quite a waste. Why would one not desire to take every possible opportunity to learn? Perhaps he had been endowed with poor teachers--it would be the only reason for not wanting to learn. He told himself he would have to remember to ask Brian about this later.

"Well anyways," Brian continued, "I get to go to a show tonight, since I don't have school tomorrow. AND!" He ran into the room and paused dramatically.

"Guess what we're going to see?" Stella interjected just as dramatically, as if rehearsed.

Legolas eyed them both. It can't run in the family, seeing as how they are not blood related, he pondered.

"HALEY BONAR!" they shouted in unison. Legolas looked alarm.

The front door opened and closed, and in walked Sandy. "Hey, what the hay!" she shouted cheerfully, and dashed for Legolas. Before he could scoot away, she'd jumped on the couch next to him and was giving him a huge hug. "Where did you come from, Doug?" she asked, getting off the couch and walking into the kitchen. "Which one of these hooligans do you know?"

"I am sorry, Sandy, but I cannot hear you when you are in the galley," he told her politely.

She walked out of the kitchen. "The what?"

"He knows me!" Brian called to her, as he began cooking the taco meat.

"Oh, do you?" Sandy came and sat by him. "You going to the show with us tonight? Haley Bonar? I heard these fruit loops screamin' about it when I came in, but I didn't know what was goin' on."

"Is Bear going?" Legolas asked.

Sandy looked shocked at the notion. "Oh, hell, no! Bear would fall asleep!" She looked off dreamily for a moment, then looked back at Legolas. "So, you goin'? You can have my ticket, I'm too tired."

"Sandy!" Stella whined. "You said you were going to go!"

Sandy rolled her eyes and looked distressed. "I know......" she lamented. "But I'm just so tired!"

"Well," Stella pouted. "Fine. Legolas can go with us."

"Who's Legolas?" Sandy asked, confused. "You mean Douglas?"

"I mean Legolas," Stella repeated, indignant. Legolas looked from side to side at the sisters. Their lightly freckled, snubby faces were nearly identical, and they both set their jaws and narrowed their eyes. Suddenly, they both looked at him.

"What's your name?" they asked him. Legolas felt threatened.

Not wanting to betray either girl's trust, he said the only thing he could think of: "My name is Legolas, but there are some who call me Douglas."

The girls looked at each other, reached some agreement between their eyes, and Legolas let himself breathe again.

"These tacos are about to be ready!" Brian bellowed. The girls squealed, and ran in the kitchen, with Legolas only a few steps behind.

a/n: wow, it is so much later. why do i have no sense of committment. and now i'm going off on tangents! yikes! oh well. enjoy! oh and guess what. my fiance and i are going to be married in the next two months. hooray for steve and i! hip hip hooray!