-no regrets-

by: Leabeth

Disclaimer

I own nothing, these caracters belong to J.R.R. Tolkien. The only thing I own is Laurence. I make no money from this and I only write for fun.

A/N: for all of those who reviewed, you are my inspirations…

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Finally feeling refreshed and clean, Laurence took a carefull look towards the camp and saw Aragorn and Gimli with their backs to her, sitting on a log in front of the firecamp. She felt a bit guilty for the incomfort they were feeling because of her. She could see by their tense backs that they were very aware of her lack of clothing. She silently vowed that she would respect to a certain extent the customs of these brave men. She could only imagine what a shock it had been for them to see her practicaly naked. She would be more cautious about the matter for their sake. Keeping to her vow, she cleared her throat to get their attention.

"Can we be of some assistance to you?" said Aragorn, loud enough for Laurence to hear without having to turn around.

"Yes, could you please throw me a blanket. I wish to come out of the water." Answered Laurence. She kept her shoulders underwater so not to shock them again.

Aragorn walked to his bag, surprised that Laurence was suddenly thoughtfull about their embarrassement. He pulled out a blanket, turned around and carefully threw it to land near the edge of the river. Giving the privecy that Laurence seeked, he went back to sit on the log facing the river, keeping his head bowed until she would be decent.

Laurence got out of the river and pulled the blanket around her body. Looking down at herself, she made sure that she looked decent and walked back towards her clothes. Her pants and blouse were covered in blood, reminding her of the despair that still lingered in her soul, reliving the past few hours and all that had gone terribly wrong. Police officer or not, she was not prepared for what had been and what was to come. It was traumatizing and upsetting, making her chest ache with the pain that came with anxiety. She felt a chill run through her at the thought of putting back the soiled clothes on her clean skin.

Aragorn noticed how Laurence was looking at her clothes with a disgusted look on her face. She had shown great strengh of character but he could see that the day was catching up with her. He couldn't even start to understand all that she had lost in her world. He still had a hard time accepting that there were other worlds beside his own, and that somehow, they could have been linked for a short period. Surely her coming here was for a purpose still unknown to him, but maybe, it had all been a great mistake in the destiny that was life.

He would lend her some of his clothes. He doubted that they would fit, but it was better for her not to wear her own anymore, for their painful reminder and for their foreign appearance.

"I can lend you some clothing until we get to a village and purchase appropriate ones for you. You can't go around with your own clothes, you would draw too much attention to yourself." Said Aragorn, getting up and walking towards his bag once more.

Relief flooded through her senses as she watched him pull out black leather pants and a pale blue shirt, wondering if his clothes would fit her feminine frame. Men's clothes were not designed to fit a women's hips and breasts, and she was well adorned in both areas. Seemingly, Aragorn was thinking of the same thing.

"I don't know if they will fit, but it is all I have to offer." Said Aragorn. To keep her mind off her own clothing, he tried to lighten her mood with his next words. " You could always wear Gimli's spare clothing if you wish, although I doubt that their length would hide much of you" Said Aragorn with a grin, steeling a glance towards Gimli who was still too shocked to do anything more than look at the fire.

Gimli thought that he had shown enough embarrassement for one day and did not wish to turn red again. Who knew if she wasn't going to drop the blanket without a seconds notice, proving to all to see that she was a 'free woman'. He didn't want to take the chance, so he kept his eyes on the fire, waiting for her to be completely dressed.

Laurence and Aragorn couldn't help but chuckle at Gimli's antics. It was quite a sight to behold a grown up dwarf sulking by himself, and it briefly helped them forget the horrible events of the day.

Laurence took the offered garments and walked behind a tree to put them on. The pants were almost the perfect size, a bit snug at the hips and a little loose at the waist. She slipped on the shirt, which she buttoned over her white t-shirt, and felt at ease when it did not put her breasts on display, as it would have if the shirt had been smaller. The sleeves were a bit long, forcing her to turn the cuffs twice. She laced up her black leather boots and fastened her heavy belt around her waist. Looking down at herself, the sadness came over her again, heavily and undeniably, making her unable to move. She forced herself to breathe, taking small gulps of air, feeling tears forming behind her closed eyes. She didn't want to cry. Crying would not solve anything. She would still be in an unknown world, surrounded by strangers, wearing another's clothes and nowhere to go. Overwhelmed by flashes of the life she thought lost, tears made their way down her cheeks, dropping in silence on the luscious grass. She leaned her back against the tree, looking at the sunny sky, willing the tears to stop. She took deep calming breaths, wiping the moisture from her face with the back of her hands. She would be strong. Breaking down would not serve her in these trying times. Aragorn had promised to help her. The least she could do was repay him by showing them that they could trust her. She could do this. Taking a few more moments to regain her composure, making sure that any traces of her distress was erased, Laurence straightened her back and shoulders.

She stepped out of behind the tree as if nothing happened. Aragorn was already starting supper, but she could see that his heart was not in the task at hand. He was clearly very troubled about his injured friend and her heart bled to see him suffer. She nevertheless walked up to him, feigning not to see his pains, giving him the privacy of his emotions. She could smell the delicious odor of a stew and her stomach growled. She suddenly realized how famished she was after the day's events and hoped that the stew would live up to it's smell.  She lowered herself on a log and looked at Gimli, deciding to make him feel more comfortable.

"I'm sorry Gimli, Aragorn, for making you ill at ease. I will respect your ways as best I can, but I will ask you to be comprehensive. You ways are completely new to me." Said Laurence.

The depth of honesty he could see in her eyes surprised Gimli. "Think nothing of it. We are easily impressed by the sight of a beautiful woman for it has been long since one has honored us with her company."

This time, it was Laurence's cheeks that turned red, averting her eyes shyly to the ground. Feeling unexpectadly happy because of the compliment, she gave both men a warm smile of gratitude. She was grateful for the way they made her feel welcomed in their small group.

"Thank you for your kind words." Replied Laurence.

"If you are hungry, there is plenty for us all." Said Aragorn.

They ate in relative silence, their concern for Legolas taking over any thought of conversation.

He was still sleeping peacefully, his face looking less flushed than before, his breathing smooth and regular. The worst of the fever was over, never being life threatening. The gunshot wound wasn't painfull due to the morphine, and it was clear of any infection by the applying of Aragorn's herbs. Still, they kept a constant vigil around him, remembering very vividly that he had died the same day.

Having finished her plate with a contended sigh, Laurence sat on the ground to lean her back against the log. The sun was rapidly setting, making the sky turn a magnificent shade of orange and red. She could feel the last rays of the sun warming her face, basking her surroundings in various shades and highlights. Hungrily drinking in the scent of the tall looming trees, she sat, paralysed by the purity and sweetness of the air making it's way inside of her. Never had she experienced nature in all it's untouched beauty and magnificence before. She focused her attention on the dissapearing sun, revealing the many stars slowly making their entry in the new night's sky. No city light was dampening the magnitude of their respective glow, making their sight a wonder to behold. She felt herselft reborn, her soul energized by the sight of such flawlessness, and hope made it's way back inside her heart.

Lost in her own thoughts, she didn't hear Aragorn calling her name the first time. His voice eventually interrupted her musings, dragging her out of her soothing reverie.

"W..what?" asked Laurence.

"I wondered if you could tell us of the man you are pursuing?." Said Aragorn.

"Actually, I don't know anything about him. I was called on the scene of a robbery and I saw him running out of a bank, with a gun in his hand. The only information I was given, is that he managed to kill two civiliens before escaping. Then I ran after him and ended up here."

"It is very disturbing to know that a man of his nature his travelling with such a deadly weapon." said Aragorn with concern marking his brow.

"How many bullets can a gun carry?" asked Gimli.

"It depens on the gun. I didn't see his very clearly, but I would have to guess about 9 bullets. And since he shot 3 times today, I'd say he has 6 bullets left."

"There's a village 4 days away from here. If the criminal found the main road that leads there, he could kill many more innocent people. We will have to make haste." Said Aragorn with dread in his voice. "Can you run for long periods without stopping?" he asked.

"Sure, I've been running everyday for many years, and once the endorphine kicks in, I could run all day."  Said Laurence, confident that she could keep up. Her eyes turned towards Legolas, and she wasn't convinced that he would be strong enough to run so soon. They were letting him recover for another day, but it was beyond her understanding how someone could heal so fast, elf or not. *I'll just have to wait and see.*

"Endorphine kicks in?" said Gimli, shaking his head in confusion.

"It's an hormone secreted by a gland in the brain and…." Laurence stopped mid-sentence, looking at the ever growing confusion in both men's eyes. "Never mind!"

"How is it that you know all of these things? Is it important in your world? Asked Aragorn.

"Knowledge is one of the most important aspect of my world. We spend decades in school learning about litterature, nature, mathematics, physics, astronomy, economy, politics, history, biology, just to name a few of the subjects that we try to master during our lifetime."

Did you have to learn all of these things to become a ranger?

"Oh yeah, and more. I had to learn about psychology, sociology, medical care, street fighting and much more. But nothing could prepare me for the real thing. Behing out in the city, working with my partner, always wondering if you're working your last shift, seeing your best friend getting killed on a stakeout..." Laurence whispered the last words, remembering the day her best friend was shot in front of her. She had tried to keep him alive until the paramedics arrived, but she had failed him. He had died in her arms, whispering that he would always love her. That day, she had lost not only a friend, but the man she had been married to for the last 3 years. It still hurt to think of the only man she had ever loved, and that she was certain would ever love. He had been her soulmate and he had been torn from her life forever on that fatal day. Nobody could ever replace him, that gentle man with a kind soul. She could still remember his smell, the incredible warmth of his skin, and the way the shine of the sun made his eyes sparkle with shades of blue and green. But most of all, she missed the sweetness of his soft full lips and the loving caresses of his hands.

Aragorn could tell that Laurence was recalling a painful memory and that her best friend was somehow more than a friend.

"You loved him?" asked Aragorn.

"I loved him more than you can imagine." Answered Laurence. He was my partner, my best friend, my lover and my gardian-angel. Life hasn't been the same for me since he died.

"I'm sorry for your loss, and I do hope that someday, a man will fill your heart with love again." Sincerely said Aragorn, thinking about Legolas and how close he had come to loosing him today. The day was coming to a close and he couldn't wait to sleep with his lover in his arms. He missed the comforting presence of Legolas' body pressed against him, of his fingers running in the velvet softness of his long golden hair.

"I don't want another man." whispered Laurence. "I don't want to sound rude, but I'm tired, and I would like to retire for the night.

"Tired already my lady? Said Gimli with a twinkle in his eye. He thought that maybe a good jest before going to sleep would get her out of her dark thoughts. "And here I thought you were tall and strong. I must have mistaken you for the fierce and beautifull woman I met today. Have you seen her?

Laurence looked at him with shock etched on her face, but when she noticed the amusement

shining in his eyes, her dark mood melted away and she started laughin softly.

"Yes, she ran off asking me how I could stand your foul scent. "

Aragorn couldn't hold back a chuckle and received a handfull of grass in his face for it. He took them out of his hair and slowly rose to his feet. He couldn't wait to be by his lovers side any longer. But just before turning to go to his own bedroll, he glanced sideways at Gimli and whispered, " I'll get you for that! "

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Consciousness slowly crept back and he only saw light for a short time. He moved his eyes towards the heavens and found that the light was the fire burning a few paces away from where he lay. He took a deep breath and instantly winced at the pain it provoked in his chest. Whatever herbs Laurence had used had worn off and he could now feel the full extent of his injuries. He took advantage of this peaceful time to test the gravity of his wound, and the state of weakness he was in. He quickly realised that his body was completely rid of any strength and that any attempt at moving more than a few inches left him exhausted, breathless and in pain. He could hardly lift his head without trembling from head to toe. But he did feel that his body was healing itself fairly rapidly and that he would be up and running very soon.

He suddenly felt some sort of shifting and quickly turned his gaze in the direction the sound had come from. He met the concerned look of Aragorn, who had just awakened with the feeling that something had suddenly changed. Legolas quickly whispered that all was fine and that he should go back to sleep, but Aragorn was so relieved to see Legolas awake and lucid that he moved closer so he could take a better look at him.

"Forgive me, I did not mean to wake you."

Aragorn knelt next to Legolas, bent over him and softly brushed his hands over his forehead, feeling for the heat of fever. He brushed back a few silky strands of hair.

"How long have you been awake?"  Asked Aragorn, pretending not to have heard Legolas apology.

"Not long for my body is not strong yet and is already demanding that I sleep again." Answered Legolas.

"Then your body is wise, maybe more than the mind slumbering inside it?" said Aragorn with a playful gleam in his eyes, happy that his friend was on the mend.

"If I wasn't so tired, I would make you regret your words," said Legolas, giving his most menacing glare.

The look that could freeze anybody's blood only made Aragorn burst in a silent laugh, careful not to wake Gimli and Laurence. 

"We'll see if you are so bold in your statements when I am on my feet later today" said Legolas with a look of defiance.

"Hmm, we'll see about that." Said Aragorn, a sceptical look on his face. "Right now, I would like to take a look at your wound before you fall back to sleep."

Legolas simply nodded his head and allowed the gentle fingers of Aragorn to remove the blankets from his torso. Aragorn quickly unbuttoned Legolas shirt to reveal the right side of his chest. He then replaced the blankets on Legolas left side, letting only the wound exposed to the chilled night air.

"Thank you…" said Legolas in a whisper.

"Would you not care for me as I am for you?" asked Aragorn while keeping his eyes on the wound.

"Yes", answered Legolas.

"Then stop feeling guilty for needing me."  Whispered Aragorn, meeting Legolas intense gaze.

Legolas stayed silent for a moment, lifting his eyes to look at the stars. Lowering his eyes to look at Aragorn once more, he smiled and nodded, a chuckle leaving his throat. "You know me too well Estel".

Aragorn slipped his hand behind Legolas head, slightly lifted it and softly kissed his lips, savouring their taste before letting them go.  Legolas kept his eyes closed after the kiss ended, a smile of satisfaction tugging at the corner of his lips. Whenever the man kissed him, he could feel his body tingling from head to toe, and this time, he could feel the healing power of the king of men in himself.

Aragorn redirected his attention on Legolas wound and carefully probed the surrounding area, feeling for any excessive warmth, which would clearly indicate the presence of an infection. The skin felt cool to the touch and Aragorn let out the breath he didn't know he'd been holding. Legolas near death had shaken him more than he was willing to admit. He always took for granted that Legolas was immortal, much stronger than he looked and the best fighter he'd ever seen. He never expected to witness Legolas last breath, and he never wanted to witness it again. He could feel a sudden surge of protectiveness towards the elf and knew that he had to control these feelings because Legolas would have his head if he treated him like a child. He forced himself to concentrate on the wound, seeing that it was already healing. In fact, he was more concerned about the amount of blood Legolas had lost. Being shot by a bullet seemed no more harmful than being struck by an arrow but the bullet didn't keep the blood from flowing, unlike the arrow that prevented the wound to bleed until it was removed. He could sense that Legolas was extremely weak and the blood loss had left him looking pale and fragile.

Aragorn stood from his kneeling place and went to get clean cloths, bandages and medicine from his bag. He resumed his position next to Legolas and could see a fine sheen of perspiration on the elf's forehead. His light touches had been more painful than he assumed they would be but still, he had to take care of the wound. With his stomach twisting at the thought of being the cause of further pain, he softly called his friend's name.

Legolas opened his eyes and Aragorn immediately saw how exhausted he was.

"It pains my heart and soul to do this but I must. I promise I'll be swift and when I've tended to your wound, I'll let you sleep so you can rest." Aragorn took a leaf from one of his pouches and showed it to Legolas. " Chew on this first, it will ease the pain and help you sleep. Legolas let Aragorn put the leaf in his mouth. His face of disgust clearly showed that he did not like it's bitter taste.

"It tastes awful but its effects are quick." Said the man when he saw Legolas fighting the urge not to spit the leaf out of his mouth. Aragorn then opened a jar containing a thick green ointment emanating a strong but pleasant scent. He dipped the cloth in it and applied it with dexterity on the wound.

Legolas instantly screwed his eyes shut at the intense pain he felt spreading from his shoulder to the tip of his fingers. The pain made his head swirl in a haze of dizziness and nausea, robbing him of his will to breathe. Darkness became all consuming and he wished that the blazing fire that accompanied it could vanish and swallow him in a cool soothing nothingness. But his body wouldn't release him and he felt his body beginning to tremble from the strain and exhaustion. A buzzing in his head increased ever so loudly until it dissolved into the rhythmic thunder of his heart. Focusing on his frantic heartbeat, he grabbed on to the sound of his blood rushing in his veins, a last attempt at escaping the fire in his chest. Release was finally bestowed upon his spent body by the calming voice of the man he had come to trust with his own life. And through the haze and torment, he heard his name being called over and over again. And through that voice, he realized that the pain was leaving in its wake a dull throbbing that he could finally endure. Slowly, awareness of his surroundings and Aragorn's voice became clearer until he could focus on his face and understand the words he was saying. He blinked a few times to get rid of the blur that lingered in his vision and locked eyes with the man.

"You frightened me…you weren't answering my calls" said Aragorn with fear and concern in his voice.

Legolas could see unshed tears lingering in Aragorn's eyes and realised that the man had been much more frightened than he wanted him to believe. He wanted to reassure him that he was feeling better but he didn't trust his voice in his weakened state. His body still trembled with light tremors, the after effects of the intense pain he had endured only moments ago. He did the only thing he felt capable of…and taking a hold of Aragorn's hand with his left one, he poured all his love and gratefulness in this small gesture. Aragorn's eyes shined with understanding and added his love to their combined hands. He softly cupped Legolas cheek and brought the elf's long hand to his lips, giving him some of his strength.

"Rest now, I'll be here when you wake up." Said Aragorn, releasing Legolas hand to place it back under the many blankets, keeping the elf's body warm.

Legolas felt his eyelids close by themselves and succumbed to a deep healing sleep.

Aragorn watched him fall back to sleep, noticing how the brief moment of pain had left his face flushed and warm to the touch. The paleness was gone, replaced by the false appearance of health. Aragorn longed to kiss his full red lips and thought of how he would claim them with passion once the elf was fully healed. But he could wait  a while longer, grateful that he could still kiss those lips.

Comforted by the even breathing of Legolas, Aragorn stretched next to the uninjured side of his lover and soon followed him in a deep sleep. The man awoke many times during the night to assure himself that Legolas was sleeping peacefully. At one time, he was woken by the sound of heavy steps nearing his resting place and cracked his eyes open to see Gimli kneel beside them. The dwarf placed one of his big hands on the elf's brow and seeming satisfied with his condition, he took a last look at his dear friend and went back to his bedroll.

Aragorn smiled, knowing that Gimli was going to be has protective as he was. Legolas would be twice as mad at being over protected not only by him but by the dwarf as well. Aragorn couldn't help a small laugh to escape his lips as he imagined the elf's face. With a smile, he closed his eyes and soon fell back to sleep.

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At first, there was only darkness, but soon, the darkness gave way to a voice that she felt she had know her entire life. Her heart skipped a beat, but she didn't dare open her eyes. The voice whispered her name again and this time, she heard the pleading tone in it.  Gathering her courage, she turned her head towards the voice and slowly opened her eyes, scared to hope and to discover that she was loosing her mind. But standing a few paces away stood Michael, alive and smiling down at her. She jumped to her feat and with tears of joy flowing down her cheeks, raced into the arms of the only man she thought would be with her forever. She felt his arms tightening around her and time stopped for a moment, letting her feel his body against hers. Taking his face between her hands, she kissed every part of it before settling on his full lips. She kissed him with all the love she had kept buried inside for the last year. It all came back to her, the love, the warmth, and the feeling of not being alone any longer. She breathed in his scent, and felt the softness of his skin and of his hair with the tip of her fingertips.

"Laurence, I don't have much time to talk to you, so please listen to me,» said Michael.

"What do you mean we don't have much time? We have all the time in the world now that you're here with me" said Laurence, not understanding what he was saying.

"No. I'm in your dream Laurence, and I have only a short time to talk to you,» said Michael.

Laurence's tears turned from tears of joy to tears of grief.

"Don't cry. We will be together again. So now listen to me my love".

Laurence nodded her head, looking in his eyes, drinking in their shine and beauty before he would leave her again.

"I want you to get on with your life Laurence. You're throwing away so much precious time by clinging to your grief. I'm happy where I am, and I want you to be happy to." Said Michael with love and pleading in his voice.

"But it's so hard and I miss you so much!" said Laurence between sobs.

"I know, I'm not saying it's not, but you're young, healthy, beautiful and strong. You have so much to live for…don't throw it all away." Said Michael with a mix of anger and despair.

"I'm not even in my own world anymore" countered Laurence.

"Did you really leave that much behind? Asked Michael.

"No…" answered Laurence after a moment of thought.

"So take the chance that was given to you to start a new life and see this as the greatest adventure that you'll ever embark on" said Michael with enthusiasm. "You have a great destiny in front of you but you have to choose between that destiny and feeling sorry for yourself.

Laurence looked into the face of the man that filled her with more love than she ever thought capable of feeling.

"Promise me we'll be together again some day,» said Laurence with hope in her eyes.

"I promise that one day we'll be together forever my love…forever" answered Michael with love shining in his deep blue eyes.

Laurence was silent for a moment, taking it all in. She then moved her hands behind his head and pulled him to her until their lips met. Knowing that it was the last time she would be in his arms for a long time, she crushed her body against his, feeling every curve and hardness of him, and pressed her lips harder, drinking in his taste and the feeling of his soft lips against hers. And in that kiss, she expressed her new hope for life and her eternal and undying love for him.

Pulling back, she turned serious. "I choose to live this life to it's fullest."

Michael softly released himself from their embrace and it seemed that his body suddenly started to glow.

"I have to leave you now. I love you Laurence. And trust those who are in your company. Each one of them are heroes in their own way, and you will need them, just as they will need you." Said Michael, his body changing from flesh to light until there remained only light. And as the light faded, Laurence heard Michael's last words disappear into the night.

"Remember that I'll always love you and that I'll always be looking out for you."

And the light was gone.

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TBC…..

I'm so very sorry for any grammatical mistakes that I made, but I hope you still enjoyed this chapter. A lot of action in the next chapter to come, so if you like blades and arrows flying, I think you'll like it.