"Thank you for seeing me, Lord Celeborn."

Celeborn smiled, "You said it was urgent, Haldir.  Who am I to refuse?"

Haldir looked him dead in the eye, "Why did you tell Vista that I am in love with her?  Should I not be privy to this information first?"

Celeborn relaxed slightly, "I thought we were going to be invaded, you looked so serious."

Haldir fought the impulse to glare, "This is serious.  Putting words in another's mouth usually has bad effects."

Celeborn raised an eyebrow, "And there are bad effects?"

Haldir began to pace, something that was completely outside his nature.  "I found her like you told me to.  She...told me what you said.  Things were said...and she ran off."

Now Celeborn was concerned.  Haldir was not of a nervous personality; though now he paced like a trapped animal.

"Why did you tell her something like that?  Should not I be the one to decide my feelings?  And the appropriate time to express them?"

Celeborn sighed, "I know.  It was not my choice, but it was thought to be...best."

Haldir stopped.  Things began to make sense. 

"That wasn't the end of the story, was it?" he demanded.  "There's more.  Something that would give her hope, isn't there."

Celeborn hesitated, then nodded.  "Yes, there is more then what she was told."

"The human in the story.  He was able to go back." 

Celeborn nodded, "After...a time, yes."

Now Haldir did glare at the Elder, "And you saw fit to keep this from her?"

Celeborn looked slightly uncomfortable, "It was though to...be best..."

"It is her life!" Haldir roared.

"Her's is not the only one involved." Celeborn answered calmly.

Haldir blinked, "Not the only one involved?  What do you mean by that?  Of course her's isn't the only one involved!  This encompasses anyone she's met here!  And those in her own world as well!"

Celeborn's eyes twinkled, "Her life is not the only life to be...greatly affected...by her circumstances."

Haldir shook his head, "I have heard enough of your riddles."

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

            The last light of day was spent looking for Vista.  The moon had risen by the time Haldir returned to Lorien, greatly concerned since he hadn't found her.  Then he saw the faint glow of a fire coming from her window. 

            He quietly opened her door and peered into the dim room.  A fire was raging in the fireplace and, sprawled in front of it, scrawling furiously, was Vista.  Several pieces of paper were strewn about her already, filled with drawings and words.  She didn't act like she'd heard him, so he knocked softly on the doorjamb.  She looked up at him, not in fear or in anger.  Instead, painted on her face was the mask of someone determined to solely bear a great deal of pain. 

"I don't think you should be here."  Vista said quietly.  Her voice was strained and partially gone from her screaming earlier.  Even in the dim firelight, he could see that her face was slightly puffy from crying. 

Because of what he had said, in the thoughtlessness of anger.

"I should never have said that to you.  It was horrible of me."

She shook her head, "You were right.  It's impossible for me to get home and I refused to believe it.  I didn't want Gandalf to be right, but he is..."  Vista trailed off and went back to her drawing. 

Haldir smiled in spite of himself, "What if I said you were not told the entire story?"

Vista froze, then slowly set her pen down.  She then looked up at him, "Then I'd say sit your ass down and explain."

He crossed the room and sat at an angle to her, slightly in front on her left.  She stared into the fire for several moments, before looking over at him.

"So talk."

He drew a long breath, "After our...altercation...in the forest, I went to speak with Celeborn.  The man, in the story, Celeborn said that after a time, he was able to go back.  Back to where he came from."

Vista laid her head on her arms and smiled at him.  That wasn't what he expected.  He thought she would explode into one of her characteristic explosions of ecstatic emotion.  Not smile so strangely, so calmly, at him.

"What, are you not happy?" he asked, slightly annoyed.

Her expression didn't change.  "Are you?"

Huh?  "What do you mean?"

Vista braced herself up on her hands and slid her legs underneath, crossing them and sitting up.  Her face went a strange, relaxed sort of serious.

"Are you happy that I may be able to go home.  I don't want to hear what you think I wanna hear, either.  I want to hear what you think.  Take a minute to think about it."

            His past flashed in front of him, millennia of the same, marked with few outstanding memories.  Even a year ago sparked nothing.  He took no joy in his life; he simply lived it. 

            And then, there was Vista.  Though faced with the possibility of being trapped somewhere permanently away from home, there were times many times where she pushed it aside.  She seemed the exact opposite of him; willing to do almost anything for a thrill, a laugh, or just for something to do.  The day was brighter when she smiled. 

"Life would go on.  Much like it did before you came."

Vista hesitated, then nodded and turned her head to stare into the fire.  Haldir reached over and gently took one of her hands in his.  She turned back quickly, a flash of fear streaking quickly through her eyes.  He reached his other hand over to softly caress her cheek.

"Life would go on, and it would be horrible without you."

Vista's eyes widened slightly, then filled with tears.  She withdrew her hand from his, and gently pulled his other hand from her face.

"Thank you for being honest.  I think you'd better go."

She stood and, crossing to the door, opened it.  She stood there, eyeing him, her arms hugging tightly across her chest, as if she were cold. 

Haldir couldn't help being angry.  He stood and walked to her.

"What is going on?  You pull an answer like that from me, then put me out without explanation?"

She shook her head and pulled her arms closer to herself, "You don't understand.  You probably never would, so just go, okay?"

But he couldn't let it go.  "Why do you not trust me?  Have I done something?"

She shook her head again, "No." she sighed, "I trust you with my life.  My mind, or emotions, however, are something completely different.  Good night."

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

            Haldir wasn't much for company the next few days.  Vista had obviously picked up on this, for she seemed to be laying low, staying out of his way.  He saw her several times from a distance, but couldn't bring himself to speak to her. 

            He sat and watched her with the children once, making sure she didn't see him.  She was as exhuberant as ever, alternately playing with them and teaching them.  But after they left, Vista sank into a sort of...reverie.  She sat against a tree, pulled her knees up to her chest and laid her wrists on them and... started talking to herself.

"Argh!  Why can't I get past...AUGH!!  Spring something like that on me...grrrr....but..." she sighed and looked up at the sky, "Matt, what if I feel the same way?  And what if it turns out like Dean?"

She sighed again and fell silent, still staring at the sky.

            A day later, he'd received a note from Vista.

I'm sorry for kicking you out of my room a week ago.  You

kind of took me by surprise.  I didn't think you believed what

Celeborn'd said, at first.  I still want your friendship, but

nothing more.

Vista

            After he'd read it, Haldir felt strangely let down.  Does this mean I do love her?  Being unsure is so much worse then not knowing. 

            He saw her later that day.  She smiled at him, uncertainty and hope shining brightly in her green eyes.  In spite of himself, Haldir smiled back at her.  Vista's smile broke into a full-blown grin, happiness again lighting her features.  And he couldn't be angry with her.  Not when she beamed at him like that.  Vista walked over to where he was standing, "So I take it you accept my apology?"

Haldir nodded, "Yes, I do.  And I want to make it clear that Celeborn's words are simply his words, and nothing more."

Her face flashed a quick look of relief, but he thought he caught a glimpse of disappointment in her eyes. 

"I know this'll sound horrible, but I'm glad."

He looked at her curiously, "Might I ask why?"

She hesitated, "Why don't you ask me again sometime."