I'M BAAAACK…
Thanks to all the well-wishers; the wedding was fantastic, as was Victoria.
Don't look too deep into the little girl's role, she's just there for convenience's sake.
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Despite his earlier convictions that the car was the greatest feat of humankind ever, Legolas was beginning to have a change of heart. Every turn, brake, acceleration and lurch threw his already queasy state into a rampant need for sedation. Buffy held a firm palm against his pierced neck and as the car rounded a left hand turn with wheels squealing, Legolas could barely hold back a pained moan as all occupants in the car were knocked together and thrown to the right.
"Dawn, slow down! This is not Rescue 911." Buffy admonished loudly.
Dawn was too busy keeping a watchful eye on the dazed Elf from the rearview mirror to stick her tongue out at her sister.
"Where the hell did you learn to drive like that anyway?"
Dawn shrugged her right shoulder in Spike's direction. "Spike's Defensive Driving School 101."
Buffy glared at the vampire but couldn't help but notice that even with nerves of steel, he too, was keeping a firm grip on the door handle. He glanced at her with a lopsided grin. "Well someone had to teach her."
Buffy shook her head and sighed in resignation. "Kids."
"In case anyone cares, my nose is not broken." Xander informed.
Giles walked ahead of him, not bothering to look at the young man who was holding his nose as though it were, indeed, broken. "Yes, we care Xander." He sighed.
"Easy on the sarcasm, Giles. You're not good at it." Xander shot back.
"Aww, pooky," Anya stepped in front of him, drawing his hands away from his nose. "Let me see, sweetie." She stared at his face in seeming concern, then quickly swiped him across the head. "Suck it up, soldier boy."
Xander's hurt expression went beyond wounded pride; he looked as though she just trashed his Playstation.
Aragorn walked in front of them all and although they assumed his seriousness would not tolerate such childish behaviour, it couldn't have been further from the truth. The Ranger walked with his shoulders shaking in silent laughter as he shook his head. He liked them – they reminded him of his brothers.
A high-pitched ringing startled him; he stopped in his tracks and whirled around searching for the source. Giles pulled a small black object out of his pants pocket and began talking in it. Aragorn relaxed as he remembered the odd communication device. The others stood around Giles expectantly, reading his expression as a grave one - which didn't really strike them as odd; he always wore a grim frown.
"Yes, alright. We'll be right over." He snapped the cell phone shut. "Buffy has the palantir."
Aragorn's eyes widened, in hope or anxiety Giles could not tell.
"Legolas has been injured."
Giles could clearly read Strider's face now; it was one of apprehension. "We must go to them." Strider said forcefully.
Giles nodded quickly and the troupe quickened its pace threefold.
Calenuil raced through the darkened halls of Mirkwood's kingdom as fast as his long, lean legs could carry him. He did not have the speed of the Prince Linnethuil, Thranduil's long willowy son, but at the moment sprinting was Calenuil's newest attribute.
He burst through the thick double doors of Thranduil's counsel room without bothering to knock. Thranduil looked up with a jolt, clearly surprised, and for a moment Calenuil thought he might revert to his accustomed outburst at such a rude entrance, but Calenuil's initial fears were squashed. Thranduil instead beseeched him to speak with an urgent wave of his hand.
"We made contact, my lord." Calenuil informed breathlessly.
"When? Could you see them? Did they speak to you?" The King fired his questions off without stopping.
Calenuil shook his head as he regained his composure. "There were orcs roving at the entrance. We felled all that we could, but some escaped into the portal. Gandalf said he could see through the blinding light, that he could see a figure approach it. It was Aragorn."
Thranduil approached Calenuil with anticipation. "Legolas? What of my son?"
Calenuil shook his head slowly, not daring to meet the King's eyes. "Nay, he said naught of the Prince. But he spoke to Aragorn, and we could all hear him reply. We sent the message through."
"Then we are one step closer to bringing them home."
Calenuil swung around to spot the voice that commanded the attention of all in the room, and found himself face to face with the Lord of Rivendell.
It was a sight that stupefied the vampires. The First was huddled into himself, guarding his body with his arms. He hissed like a caged animal at his watchers, occasionally swiping a clawed hand into the air to warn the others away. The vampires stared in shock at their incapacitated leader, whispering amongst themselves and none daring to approach the feral beast.
"What the hell's wrong with him?" Billy whispered to Tanus.
Tanus shrugged his shoulders, just as bewildered as the rest of them. In all his years of being a vampire, of knowing the First, he'd never seen anything like this. "I don't know. Anyone see what happened?"
There was a snicker, followed by full out laughter in one corner. Tanus and Billy both turned to find to offending source, and Tanus broke the crowd with a menacing stance as he glared at the two vampires. "What the hell do you find so funny?"
The vampires' laughter subsided but they grinned maliciously. "We should eat him." One said lowly.
Tanus hardened his gaze until it was lethal. "You better think about what you just said punk. I'm gonna ask you again, what the hell do you find so funny?"
The tension mounted among all the vampires who stood nervously as they watched the older vampire stare down the younger one, whose smirk never left his face.
"He's what the humans would term an invalid, you see." The young vampire motioned to the cowering First. "But down here, it's survival of the fittest. Don't look very fit, if you ask me." At this remark several vampires burst out laughing.
Tanus flexed his muscles as he took a step in. "I don't recall asking you. But right now I'm gonna tell you to get the hell outta my face before you lose it."
The cocky vampire stepped in until the two were inches apart. "Make me." And he spat in Tanus' face.
The other vampires refused to breathe as they awaited his reaction. Tanus wiped the spittle off with a slow hand. He exhaled slowly and audibly as he towered over the vampire. "Anyone who doesn't want to die had better leave now." He announced in a booming voice. He shook his head ferociously until his demonic exterior burst through with a roar. "Cuz it's gonna get ugly."
Aragorn burst through Buffy's bedroom door, ignoring the startled faces of Buffy and Spike and proceeded to the side of the bed Legolas was resting on. The Elf was propped up against a stack of pillows with his left arm sleeve rolled up to his elbow, exposing a very crooked looking forearm. Aragorn regarded the arm instantly, then let his focus drift up to the bandage Buffy was winding around his neck.
"What happened?"
"He got bit." Spike announced grimly. "By the First."
Aragorn looked from Spike to Buffy and back to Legolas. He pulled the bandage down slightly to grimace at the two puncture wounds on his neck. "How much blood did he lose?"
"I don't know." Buffy shook her head helplessly. "He seems pretty weak, so I'm guessing a fair amount."
The puncture wounds themselves didn't concern Aragorn too terribly; they would likely heal with little or no scarring. But the loss of blood worried him; he didn't know how long it would take to get the Elf back to full strength. Aragorn went back over the arm, picking it up gently.
Legolas' eyes shot open as he sucked his breath in. Aragorn looked at him apologetically but the Elf made no move to resist Aragorn's inspection. Instead he watched the Ranger prod the broken arm with patience, until Aragorn began to turn it over which emitted a loud grunt and deadly glare from Legolas.
"I am sorry, my friend." He said quietly. He stood and faced the two others in the room. "We'll need to splint his arm."
Buffy nodded solemnly. "Whatever you need, we'll help." At the mention of 'we' she turned and eyed Spike sharply, who rolled his eyes and huffed.
Legolas sat up suddenly with eyes darting around the room wildly. "I am sick."
Aragorn looked baffled. "What do you mean-" but Spike took the meaning instantly and grabbed a wastebasket just as the Elf unloaded all his stomach's contents. Buffy froze as soon as the scene started happening, but then with a flustered 'eww' turned her back on it.
Legolas slumped back against the pillows with a groan as Spike ran the wastebasket to the bathroom with one hand, plugging his nose with the other. Aragorn looked amazed at what just transpired. "I didn't know Elves could vomit."
Legolas glanced at him. "Apparently we can."
Legolas was forced to bite back all his painful protestations while Aragorn and the other two splinted up his arm. Having finished, Aragorn stood and folded his arms across his chest, clearly impressed with his latest work.
"Oh, stop gloating." Legolas growled.
Aragorn gave him a bemused grin before turning to the other two. "May we be given a moment?"
Buffy looked surprised but nodded vigorously. "Go for it. We'll just be, ah, downstairs I guess." She took Spike by the elbow and led the vampire out of the room, closing the door behind her.
Aragorn turned to Legolas, who now looked positively exhausted. "I don't think I like this world anymore." He sighed.
Aragorn nodded sadly. "I don't think you shall have to endure it much longer."
Legolas looked up at him questioningly, so Aragorn pulled the scroll out. "It is from your father."
The Elf's eyebrows shot up. "My father?"
Aragorn smiled and handed him the scroll. Legolas' eyes sped across the words and he laughed suddenly. "Gandalf." He said as he looked up at Aragorn with mirth dancing across his face. "Surely Mithrandir will find a way. And if not, then my father will most likely imprison him for the rest of his wizard years."
Aragorn laughed with him. It was probably true. Aragorn sat on the bed beside his friend. "Your father seems very concerned about you."
Legolas hummed thoughtfully. "Perhaps."
"Or perhaps you owe him something. That makes much more sense."
Legolas shot him a quick glare before giving him a sarcastic grin. "Well, it seems I am not the only one who will be hearing from my father when we return."
Aragorn's eyebrows furrowed as Legolas handed him back the scroll. "I suppose you did not read the ending."
Aragorn's eyes widened. "They sent for my father?!?" To which Legolas erupted in laughter.
