A/N: I'm going to refer to Jenny's grandfather as "Jonathan" from here on, because....well, because it's just easier that way!!! ;P Anyway, PLEEEEEEEZZZZEEE gimme some reveiws, (but be nice) and thanks for those of you who have reveiwed already. Here's chapter three!!

Disclaimer: Tolkien's stuff belongs to him, and my stuff belongs to me. That's just how it works.

Chapter Three

"Jonathan. Thank you for coming so promptly. I knew I could count on you," Julias greeted his old friend.
Jonathan slid into the booth in the corner of the country restaurant. "No trouble at all," he replied. "Did you contact Mister Ander?"
"No, I didn't. He contacted me as soon as I finished speaking with you. He said we needed to have a conference; he should be here any minute."
"Isn't that a coincidence, now? How convenient. I shouldn't wonder if he wants to discuss with us the same matter we want to discuss with him!"
"I shouldn't wonder, either...but a coincidence? Somehow I doubt it. It seems to me that this is the kind of thing he would set up on purpose. He's like that, you know." Jonathan nodded thoughtfully.
Just then they heard the door of the restaurant open, and and turned to look. A tall figure, obivously very old, clothed in a grey cloak scurried inside. A largish, rather crooked-looking stick was held tightly by his rough, wrinkled hand. After glancing around the room for a few moments, the figure spotted them and marched with surprising briskness toward their table.
"Mister Ander," said Jonathan, rising. He and Julias stepped forward to take the old man's cloak and tall, wide-brimmed hat.
"Dreadful weather to be traveling in; just dreadful..." Mister Ander muttered. "Ah! No. I'll just keep this with me, thank you," he said, smiling, as Julias tried to take his walking stick from him.
"Shall we discuss-"
"No, not yet," Mister Ander interrupted Jonathan. "First I'd like to smoke a bit, and I think I'll order a cup of herbal tea. I'd like to relax for a few minutes."
After obtaining his tea, the old man sat in silence for a good ten minutes; eyes closed, puffing smoke rings from his long, slender, exotic-looking pipe. Finally he looked up. "You have noticed that Glorfindel seems to be missing from the pages of The Fellowship?"
"Yes, it's very strange. You know, I have that book practically memorized. He is simply not there!" answered Julias.
"Do you know what's going on, Mister Ander?" Jonathan asked the grey figure sitting across from him.
"Hm? Oh, yes, yes. I know all about it. I'm afraid your comrade Raymond and his reckless son are to blame."
"Ray?? What's he got to do with all this? He hasn't even read Lord of the Rings!"
"You remember that project he was working on?"
"That crazy space/time distorter he's so enthralled with? The one you were so decidedly against? Of course! It's all he ever talks about!" Jonathan laughed.
Mister Ander glanced around the room cautiously, leaned nearer to the two men, and whispered, "It is completed. He has used it."
"You mean it WORKS?!" Jonathan and Julias cried out, nearly in unison. The old man frowned slightly, and hushed them. "Of course it works. Why else would I have been so much against his experiments? Space/time travel is an entirely possible, though rather tiring, form of transportation. That is not the point. The point is, he is playing with a tool he has no idea how to use, nor any notion of how dangerous it can be. He has experimented his way right into Middle-Earth. Or rather, he will, if you don't stop him."
"Middle-Earth?? But.....but-" Julias sputtered.
"Middle-Earth doesn't exist!!" Jonathan paused breathlessly, waiting for Mister Ander to agree with him. He didn't. "Does it?"
"I think you know perfectly well that it does."
"How do YOU know it exists??"
The old man's grey eyes widened in surprise. "Have you not guessed it by now? Ah, no matter. I have been to Middle-Earth; let's leave it at that. We are getting away from the point. You must keep Raymond from using that machine, otherwise he will travel to Middle-Earth and alter history. The results could be disasterous. That world, and everything in it, could very well cease to exist."
"I thought he'd already altered Middle-Earth's history," said Julias, gesturing to the book.
"Oh yes....that is why I travelled as quickly as I could from Middle-Earth to two days before he actually left. I would have come sooner, but...well...let's just say and old 'friend' of mine kept me awhile longer that was expected. Which reminds me...." He glanced at the clock on the restaurant wall. "...I have a very important meeting with another friend of mine that I'f afraid I'm rather late for...If you will excuse me....."
"Wait, Mister Ander....!" Jonathan ran after the old man until he strode beside him. "I wanted to ask you about something that's been worrying me. You see it's my granddaughter."
"Of course, Jenny. How is she?"
"Well, she's been having nightmares recently....and I have reason to suspect that-"
"...all is not what it seems," Mister Ander finished.
"Yes."
The old man stopped and smiled warmly down at Jonathan. "Don't worry, Jonathan. She will be watched over. Just focus on the task given to you and Julias, and everything will be fine. I really must leave, now." With that, Mister Ander strode off into the rain. Jonathan was left standing, speechless.
"He certainly has his own way of doing things. And he seems to have a knack for making one believe the incomprehensible," Julias whispered, walking up. "Old Mister Ander..." he chuckled softly.
Mister Ander's words echoed in Jonathan's mind.

"Haven't you guessed it by now? Ah, no matter. I have been to Middle-Earth; let's leave it at that."

"Mister Ander...." Jonathan murmured absently. "Misterander...."
He choked.

Mithrandir.