The next morning Sydney rolled over and squinted at the bright sun before groaning. She didn't care where she was, she still hated mornings. Sydney could hear soft singing from the next room and knew that it was her mother. The reunion last night had been filled with tears and smiles and a lot of talking. It had been late in the night when Sydney had finally gotten to bed and had slept to close to noon from what she could tell.

            Pushing herself off the bed, she quickly dressed in a pair of dark green leggings, a brown tunic, and a jerkin. Sitting on the chair next to the bed she slipped her foot into the soft, supple leather boot and laced it all the way up to just under her knee. Doing the same to the other foot she stood and walked into the main room where her mother was sewing. Kissing her on the head, Sydney picked up her quiver from the table where she had set her weapons last night and quickly strapped it on. Checking to be sure her blades were in the quiver, she picked up her bow and turned to her mother.

            "I am going to find Gandalf and start training again today. If I am not back by supper time then go ahead and eat without me," she said as she reached for one of the apples in the bowl on the table.

            "If you see your father, tell him to pick up some cooking herbs from the market on his way home. I am almost out and will not have enough for dinner tonight," she called after Sydney as she walked outside.

            Taking a bite from her apple, she slowly walked down the small spiral wooden staircase and jumped over the last few steps to the ground. Before searching for Gandalf she made her way towards the open air market and slowly walked between the vendors. Several Elves called out greetings to her by name and welcomed her back home. She ran into a few of her old friends and spent a few minutes with them before moving to find Gandalf. Walking up the steps into the main house of Imladris she went in and started searching for Gandalf. Catching a passing servant she asked where Gandalf was and followed the directions she was given. Reaching a door she knocked and waited for an answer.

            "Enter."

            Turning the door knob she pushed the door open and stepped into the room. Seated in the room were Gandalf and Elrond obviously in the middle of a discussion.

            "Please excuse my intrusion my lord. I did not know that Gandalf was busy with someone," she said as she bowed slightly to Elrond.

            Even if he wasn't going to be civil to her, she could bury him with politeness.

            "It is quite alright Sydney. What did you need to see me about?" Gandalf asked as he looked at Elrond sharply.

            "I just wished to know when we could possibly start training again. But if you are busy with Lord Elrond then we can do it some other day," she said as she clasped her hands behind her back.

            "It is quite alright Sydney. Gandalf and I are finished with our discussion," Elrond said as he stood remembering Gandalf's earlier words to him.

            The Elf-lord and wizard could see the flicker of shock streak across her face. She couldn't believe that he was actually speaking to her in a calm tone and not shooting daggers at her. Well he still was but there was more blunt daggers than normally and seemed to not come with as much force as usual.

            "Come Sydney," Gandalf said as he moved past Sydney and Elrond.

            "Yes Gandalf," she said to him before turning back to Elrond. "Thank you my lord."

            He nodded to her before she turned and jogged after Gandalf. Elrond's change in attitude had puzzled her and she wondered what could have brought it on. Catching up to Gandalf she walked beside him as they went outside and down the steps.

            "What did you say to him Gandalf?" she asked, knowing that Gandalf had said something to Elrond.

            "What did I say to whom my dear?"

            "To Elrond."

            "I said nothing. Maybe, perhaps that you and he had pulled this quarrel out for a bit too long and that it was time to make amends. But the rest is up to him and you," Gandalf said as he looked over to Sydney.

            "I thank you Gandalf and promise to try and solve our quarrel," she smiled as he led her to a small courtyard.

            "Okay, let us begin."

            A little while later Legolas and Elrohir were trying to find Elladan who seemed to have disappeared. They had already searched inside the walls of Imladris and found no sign of the other twin. Searching outside the main grounds they quickly heard loud voices, and one of the voices sounded like Elladan's. Finding the small clearing, the two found Elladan and Sydney bickering as Gandalf sat on the stone bench to the side and watched the two with amusement.

            "No Elladan I will not do it on you," Sydney snapped with her arms crossed across her chest.

            "Oh by Valar Sydney! It is not like you are going to kill me or anything of the sort! Come now, it will be fun," he persisted as Legolas and Elrohir walked up to them.

            "What will be fun?" Elrohir asked interrupting the two.

            "Nothing," Sydney glared at Elladan with a warning look.

            "Gandalf wants Sydney to merge with another spirit and I volunteered myself but Sydney will not do it," Elladan said pointing at Sydney.

            "Elladan you are a royal! I will not do it on a royal!" she yelped indignantly.

            "I say go ahead," Elrohir said as he sat down in the grass. "I need some excitement. Legolas here has been a bore."

            "Hey!"

            Legolas reached down and swatted Elrohir over his head as he laughed. Sitting next to him on the grass, everyone looked at Sydney expectantly as she glared back.

            "Fine! It is four against one; I will do it. But do not say I did not warn you once we are done," she said to him as she sat on the ground, crossing her legs and resting her hands lightly on her knees.

            Elladan followed suit and sat across from her as she closed her eyes and concentrated. Turning in on herself, she felt her spirit lift and hover over her body as she looked down at the Elves below her. Turning her gaze to Elladan she urged herself into him and felt his spirit shift over for her. Settling herself she looked through his eyes and saw herself sitting across from him. Not wanting to sift through his memories and possibly view something personal, she decided to pass some images of Charleston to him. Doing all she wanted and cared to do, she pulled away from him and slipped back into her body. As if waking from sleep, she blinked everything into focus and saw Elladan doing the same.

            "Well?" Elrohir asked looking between the two.

            "You actually lived there for fifteen hundred years?" he asked shocked, still seeing the images she had passed to him.

            Sydney busted out laughing and fell backwards to lie on her back. Everyone waited as she laughed at Elladan's shocked expression and wrapped her arms around her stomach. The images she had passed to him were of the city streets, the huge crowds, a few frat parties and one of the Cooper River Bridge spanning across the river.

"Not for all the fifteen hundred years, but I always returned to that city. I felt a special connection to it," she chuckled and then grimaced at the sudden pain in her shoulder.

            Rolling her weight off the shoulder and sitting up she looked at Gandalf. He looked back at her as she waited for his approval.

            "Very good Sydney. You have improved greatly in your abilities," he said with a smile as he stood up. "We will train again in two days time."

            "Thank you Gandalf and thank you Elladan for being my victim," Sydney laughed as Gandalf stood and walked back towards the main house.

            Sydney slowly rotated her shoulder and felt the slight pull of the stitches holding her would closed. It was healing quickly but not quick enough for her liking. Elladan stood and offered a hand to Sydney to help her off the grass as she gently rubbed the wound.

            "How is your shoulder?" he asked as the others stood up.

            "It hurts," she grumbled looking pointedly at Legolas.

            He rolled his eyes at her, not caring about her glare. He really didn't care what she thought about him or his actions. His impulse to shot was instinctive and even though he regrets it he still stood by it. If she couldn't deal with it, then it was her short coming.

            "Well you would not have been shot if you had not been swinging your blades around," he retorted pining her with his own glare.

            "And you should have had the intelligence to think before you fired!" she snapped back with a sharp tongue.

            "Enough from both of you! I swear you act like a pair of five hundred year olds. Grow up and act your age," Elrohir said stepping between the two.

            Elladan, Legolas and Sydney looked at him shocked at his choice of words. Almost as if on cue, all three of them started laughing at Elrohir and could barely stay on their feet. Sydney had fell to her knees as she gasped for air and tears almost started to stream down her face from her laughter.

            "Grow up and act our age? Elrohir, I would have expected your father to say that; not you," Legolas laughed as he leaned against Elladan for support.

            "He is correct Elrohir. Father is usually telling us that," Elladan smiled as he wiped away his tears from laughing so hard.

            "Ha, ha. You three are so not amusing," Elrohir grunted and turned to walk away.

            Calming her laughter, Sydney climbed to her feet and ran after him before jumped onto his back causing him to stumble a bit. With a laugh he carried her for a little while before she slid off his back and walked next to him. Reaching the main house they sat on the steps under the warm sun and just enjoyed each other's company. Unconsciously, she reached up and started to play with Elrohir's hair; she used to do it as a little Elf whenever she was thinking. She twirled it around her fingers and felt the silkiness of the strands run through her fingers.

            "What troubles you?" Elrohir asked quietly as he leaned back and propped up on his elbows.

            Sydney sighed softly and pulled her hand from Elrohir's hair. "A few things, but none of terrible importance."

            "Perhaps I may be able to aid you," he offered helpfully.

            "You would be of great aid if you would listen."

            "Then listen is what I shall do."

            "I am thinking about how different this world is from what I just left behind. What do you see before you Elrohir?" she asked looking out at the forest.

            All she heard was silence before she turned to look at him. "I want you to listen and talk to me."

            "You did not say that before," he pointed out with a smile.

            "I am surrounded by idiot elves. I can not believe it," she muttered resting her head in her hands. "I want you to just talk to me as a friend. Now answer my question."

            "Alright, alright. I see a forest, a deer way out there, trees, bushes, and everything else that is supposed to be in a forest."

            "I see all that and yet I also see something that can be swept away in just a few hours. I see something that took hundreds of years to grow and is home to hundreds of beautiful animals which could be wiped away in only three hour's time."

            "Well gee. If that is not depressing then I do not know what is," he said quietly as Sydney nodded.

            "While I was away I saw massive forests be torn down and concrete put in its place. The woodland animals were driven from their homes," she sighed as she leaned back and stretched out her long legs.

            "Why did the Elves not stop them?"

            "There are no Elves in that time Elrohir," she chuckled at his shocked expression.

            "No Elves? Must be a pitiful world."

            "It was. A world consisting of only humans who held practically no love for the enchanting forests surrounding them," she said sadly as she watched an exquisitely colored butterfly flitter around her.

            Holding out her hand, the butterfly landed on her knuckles and slowly moved its wings as she watched. The bright wings reflected the sun's rays and seemed to shimmer in the light as the small feelers moved around, sensing the air around it. The colors held her gaze captive and she moved her hand slowly to look at the butterfly from all angles.

            "If it was so terrible, why did you stay there?"

            "Well, along with the bad stuff, there were also really marvelous things. The people celebrated being together and being different; they amassed vast amounts of knowledge about everything that they could see or hear or touch. Or about theories that were only folklore and no one really believed. They talked to people on the other side of the world and discussed ideas and theories as scholars would. Their minds were open to new thoughts and new concepts always willing to attempt something new. They are allowed to become anything their heart desires."

            The butterfly lifted off from her fingers and fluttered around Elrohir and her before going towards the trees. She watched it disappear behind the trees before a slap on her knee pulled her from her thoughts. She looked over at Elrohir and waited for him to speak.

            "I am going to find some lunch. Interested?"

            "Sure, if you are buyin."

            "Hunh?"

            "Never mind, just lead the way," she laughed, gently shoving him.

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Hey there everyone in reader land. Just wanted to give a thank you to Ishmaranara for reviewing Chapter 3; hope your new baby is doing well and you also. Carolyn showed me the pictures and the baby looked so cute! So yeah, everyone please R/R and tell  me what you think so far. Love all of yall.