Author's Notes: Well, this is it, the end of "In the Forests of the Night." Many thanks to all the people who have helped beta the story: Sin, Valerie, Carol, Canada, Janetria, Red, and Darlene.
Also, a big thank you to everyone who's left me feedback for the story. I'm glad people are enjoying it.
****
Chapter 7 - Sweet Sorrow
They'd returned to the cabin, walking slowly in silence. Neither one of them wanted their journey to end, for the both knew that these would be their last moments together. They stood in front of the cabin, both unwilling to take the final step and walk inside.
Willow surreptitiously glanced at the elf beside her. She felt the connection between them, stronger than anything she'd ever felt. He was the one she was meant to be with.
She sniffled. It seemed that it was not to be. He was so alone, separate from the world, isolated from what was left of his people. And, it seemed, he liked living that way, or else he wouldn't be leaving her.
But whatever he felt, or said, she couldn't let this moment go without trying. "Come with me."
Legolas simply stared. She couldn't ask such things of him. "Willow..."
"Come back to Sunnydale with me," she reiterated.
He shook his head. "I cannot."
"Why not? Can you give me one good reason, one really good reason for you to stay here by yourself?"
He closed his eyes, fighting against the impulse to return with her to her world, her friends... but he could not take the risk.
Willow marched over to him and took his chin in her hand, forcing him to look her in the eyes. "You have a choice. You can either stay here, and continue on the way you have, hunting the monsters of this world alone. That's the safe thing to do. You don't have to risk anything, protect yourself from becoming emotionally involved with anyone in the world. Oops... I guess you broke that rule because what I'm feeling, it's involvement. I care about you, Legolas, and I don't want you spending the rest of your immortal life empty and alone."
"You have no idea what it's like..."
"To lose the people you care about? I live on the Hellmouth, remember? I've lost people I love... more people than I care to think about."
"Willow." How could he make her understand? "I do not mean to belittle your grief, for I know it is close to your heart. But how many people have you lost? One, two, a half a dozen? I've lost my parents, my family, my friends ... people I'd known for over millenia. Everyone I have ever loved is gone and my heart still mourns thousands of years after their deaths. The curse of my immortality is to walk the earth alone, knowing that everyone I encounter will die in a brief time. My heart cannot take the pain, cannot bear the loss." He turned away from her, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall. "Leave me be, for I am not strong enough to survive the loss of another person that I love."
Willow walked around in front of him and put her arms around his waist, resting her head on his chest and massaging his back in a soothing motion. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know..."
"I do not belong in your world."
Willow reached up, one hand behind his head and pulled him down into a kiss. Her lips caressed his, first gently, then harder and faster, her tongue seeking entrance to his mouth. Legolas returned her kiss, pouring all of his passion for her into this one moment.
Slowly, they broke apart, and with one, last kiss, Willow walked away. "Will I ever see you again?"
Legolas didn't know what to say. Deep in his heart, he wanted to see her again, but he couldn't. Already he knew he would be devastated when he finally lost her. He could not imagine the pain that would come after he'd spent a human lifetime with her in his arms. Perhaps enough to cause him to waste away to nothingness because of his broken heart.
Unable to find the strength to answer her aloud, he simply shook his head, slowly backing away until he blended into the forest and disappeared from her sight.
Willow stood still, unable to take her eyes off the spot where he'd last been seen. Tears ran down her face as she cried for herself, for him, for the love that never would be. Then, silently, she turned and exited the forest.
****
In the darkness, the shimmer appeared once more, this time forming itself into the image of a young woman, a deposed hell goddess with wavy blonde hair.
"They couldn't stop me," she murmured. "No one can stop me now."
She scanned the ground, looking for the evil object she'd sought for so long. The ring gleamed in the moonlight, peeking out from the dirt in which is sat. "There you are," Glory called. "Come to momma."
If only she had form, could hold it in her hand. But she was still incorporeal. For now.
Glory smiled as she felt the presence behind her. The meddling elf and witch thought they'd won, but they had no idea of her true plan.
A man stepped out from behind her, his white robe gleaming despite the night, his grey-white hair cascading over his shoulders.
"Welcome, Saruman, to my new world. The time of evil is at hand." She gestured towards the ring. "Claim your reward and take your place at my side."
He smirked, surveying the land on which he found himself. Evil was strong here, permeating the ground, the trees, they very air he breathed. He tasted evil, and found that it was indeed good as she'd promised.
"Tonight," Glory vowed. "Is only the beginning."
****
Foreshadowing much? Coming up: "Always Darkest" (Angel/Andromeda/Dracula: the Series/LotR), and "Before the Dawn" (Buffy/LotR/Andromeda) -- two concurrent stories that continue the tale begun here.
Also, a big thank you to everyone who's left me feedback for the story. I'm glad people are enjoying it.
****
Chapter 7 - Sweet Sorrow
They'd returned to the cabin, walking slowly in silence. Neither one of them wanted their journey to end, for the both knew that these would be their last moments together. They stood in front of the cabin, both unwilling to take the final step and walk inside.
Willow surreptitiously glanced at the elf beside her. She felt the connection between them, stronger than anything she'd ever felt. He was the one she was meant to be with.
She sniffled. It seemed that it was not to be. He was so alone, separate from the world, isolated from what was left of his people. And, it seemed, he liked living that way, or else he wouldn't be leaving her.
But whatever he felt, or said, she couldn't let this moment go without trying. "Come with me."
Legolas simply stared. She couldn't ask such things of him. "Willow..."
"Come back to Sunnydale with me," she reiterated.
He shook his head. "I cannot."
"Why not? Can you give me one good reason, one really good reason for you to stay here by yourself?"
He closed his eyes, fighting against the impulse to return with her to her world, her friends... but he could not take the risk.
Willow marched over to him and took his chin in her hand, forcing him to look her in the eyes. "You have a choice. You can either stay here, and continue on the way you have, hunting the monsters of this world alone. That's the safe thing to do. You don't have to risk anything, protect yourself from becoming emotionally involved with anyone in the world. Oops... I guess you broke that rule because what I'm feeling, it's involvement. I care about you, Legolas, and I don't want you spending the rest of your immortal life empty and alone."
"You have no idea what it's like..."
"To lose the people you care about? I live on the Hellmouth, remember? I've lost people I love... more people than I care to think about."
"Willow." How could he make her understand? "I do not mean to belittle your grief, for I know it is close to your heart. But how many people have you lost? One, two, a half a dozen? I've lost my parents, my family, my friends ... people I'd known for over millenia. Everyone I have ever loved is gone and my heart still mourns thousands of years after their deaths. The curse of my immortality is to walk the earth alone, knowing that everyone I encounter will die in a brief time. My heart cannot take the pain, cannot bear the loss." He turned away from her, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall. "Leave me be, for I am not strong enough to survive the loss of another person that I love."
Willow walked around in front of him and put her arms around his waist, resting her head on his chest and massaging his back in a soothing motion. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know..."
"I do not belong in your world."
Willow reached up, one hand behind his head and pulled him down into a kiss. Her lips caressed his, first gently, then harder and faster, her tongue seeking entrance to his mouth. Legolas returned her kiss, pouring all of his passion for her into this one moment.
Slowly, they broke apart, and with one, last kiss, Willow walked away. "Will I ever see you again?"
Legolas didn't know what to say. Deep in his heart, he wanted to see her again, but he couldn't. Already he knew he would be devastated when he finally lost her. He could not imagine the pain that would come after he'd spent a human lifetime with her in his arms. Perhaps enough to cause him to waste away to nothingness because of his broken heart.
Unable to find the strength to answer her aloud, he simply shook his head, slowly backing away until he blended into the forest and disappeared from her sight.
Willow stood still, unable to take her eyes off the spot where he'd last been seen. Tears ran down her face as she cried for herself, for him, for the love that never would be. Then, silently, she turned and exited the forest.
****
In the darkness, the shimmer appeared once more, this time forming itself into the image of a young woman, a deposed hell goddess with wavy blonde hair.
"They couldn't stop me," she murmured. "No one can stop me now."
She scanned the ground, looking for the evil object she'd sought for so long. The ring gleamed in the moonlight, peeking out from the dirt in which is sat. "There you are," Glory called. "Come to momma."
If only she had form, could hold it in her hand. But she was still incorporeal. For now.
Glory smiled as she felt the presence behind her. The meddling elf and witch thought they'd won, but they had no idea of her true plan.
A man stepped out from behind her, his white robe gleaming despite the night, his grey-white hair cascading over his shoulders.
"Welcome, Saruman, to my new world. The time of evil is at hand." She gestured towards the ring. "Claim your reward and take your place at my side."
He smirked, surveying the land on which he found himself. Evil was strong here, permeating the ground, the trees, they very air he breathed. He tasted evil, and found that it was indeed good as she'd promised.
"Tonight," Glory vowed. "Is only the beginning."
****
Foreshadowing much? Coming up: "Always Darkest" (Angel/Andromeda/Dracula: the Series/LotR), and "Before the Dawn" (Buffy/LotR/Andromeda) -- two concurrent stories that continue the tale begun here.