Author's Note: Sorry about the tiny cliff hanger I left you readers with
in the last chapter! It took awhile to write this chapter, but I did it!
Enjoy!
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Chapter 13
Êlcàlë looked around and noticed her house was exactly how she had left it, but a thin layer of dust covered the surfaces of everything. Grabbing her keys, Êlcàlë went into the garage and got into her car, hoping she had remembered to fill up gas before she was whisked away. Backing out of her garage, Êlcàlë headed for Brian Richards' office in the downtown area.
"May I help you?" an unfamiliar secretary asked as Êlcàlë entered the office's waiting room. "I'm looking for Brian Richards," Êlcàlë said, wondering where the old secretary, Susan was. "May I see him? "He's inside his office right now," the secretary said as she picked up the phone to tell her boss that there was someone to see him. When she hung up, the secretary smiled at Êlcàlë and smiled. "He will see you, miss." Êlcàlë thanked the secretary and headed for the door behind the right hand side of her desk. As Êlcàlë's hand closed on the knob, she took a deep breath and opened the door quietly. "Good afternoon, how may I assist you?" Mr. Richards said as he read the last part of the papers he held. When the person didn't reply, Brian looked up and nearly fell out of his chair. "Joey?" The woman seemed startled for a moment after being called Joey, but slowly smiled. "Hello, Uncle Richards," Êlcàlë said softly, glad that the man still seemed to be in perfect health. "Is it really you?" Brian said, still not believing his eyes. "Where have you been? You disappeared over a year ago!" "I'm sorry I worried you," Êlcàlë said, embracing the older man. "You'll never guess where I've been, Uncle Richards! I was in Middle Earth!" Brian looked at Êlcàlë as if she had gone mad, but then he looked down at her gown and at the jewellery she wore. "Honest, Uncle Richards! It is beautiful there!" Brian smiled and sat the young woman down, taking his seat again behind the desk. "Then you'll have to tell me all about it," Brian Richards said. The two talked for the rest of the day. When Êlcàlë had told Brian about everything, including Glorfindel, Legolas, and the choice she had, she asked what Brian had done in the past year. Finally, both of them fell silent. Neither of them wanted discuss whether Joey was going or staying, so Brian suggested they go grab something eat. Together, they left the office and went to one of the restaurants near office.
When Êlcàlë go back to her house that night, she fell onto her bed, realizing just how much she had missed the comfort of her own house. Quickly, she fell into a dreamless, peaceful sleep.
~*~
"Oh, hi Uncle Richards," Êlcàlë said as she opened the front door. "Come in." It was about 10:00 in the morning, but she had already been up for hours. The two of them walked back up the stairs to find a leather and mesh sack, Êlcàlë's favourite bag, open on the living room table. Beside it, there were items waiting to be placed into the bag. As Brian sat down and took a closer look, he realized how precious the items really were. There were three pictures in delicate frames. One was of Êlcàlë when she was about seven years old, another with her around the same age with her parents, and the last one was of Êlcàlë at the age of 15 with her grandmother and himself. She also had some small gifts her parents, grandmother, and he himself had given her over the years. Sitting on the top was the letter that had been given to Êlcàlë after her grandmother died. "You have decided to go then," Brian stated sadly as he got up again. "No I haven't," Êlcàlë said, shaking her head. "I just wanted these in the bag if I do decide to go, but I haven't decided yet." "Do you want to go back?" Brian asked, saying aloud the question he had had for her since she had gotten back. "There is a lot that I have left behind there," Êlcàlë said, avoiding a direct answer. "But I don't really want to leave here, either. I don't want to leave you behind again." "You won't," Brian said, trying to keep his voice calm. "I have watched you grow up, Joey, but this choice is yours alone. It is your life and I will not be a factor in your choices. Whatever you choose, I will be with you, in your heart, as long as you will keep me there." Brian's eyes shone with unshed tears, but Êlcàlë couldn't stop hers from flowing. Êlcàlë embraced the older man in a tight embrace, trying to calm down. "Come on," Êlcàlë said, taking his hand like she used to as a child. "You and I haven't taken a picture in a long time." Brian smiled and let the younger woman led him down the stairs. Though the woman in front of her was fully grown, the Joey he saw was a little nine-year-old girl, a beautiful smile only children could pull off, lighting her whole face, and long, black hair whipping around her face.
~*~
Throughout the day, Êlcàlë went to many places, re-visiting memories and tried to come to a decision, but still found it hard. She looked down at her watch and realized she had better be getting home so she could start dinner. Uncle Richards was coming over to have spaghetti with a chicken tomato sauce, his favourite, that night. With a small sigh, she looked around the field of her old high school again and headed for her car.
As the sauce simmered on the stove, Êlcàlë went to living room to try and get rid of the rest of the dust, but stopped just as she had turned left out of the kitchen. Slowly, she turned around in a half circle so that she was facing a set of sliding doors. With a smile, she threw the doors to her favourite room open. She walked around the room, fingering the objects lightly as she walked. Her eyes finally rested on one of the posters on her wall. She had many of the posters that had been made during the posters, but the one she was looking at was her favourite. The poster showed The Three Hunters, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli. Whenever Êlcàlë looked at this particular poster, hope would fill her heart, as she remembered how the hunters wouldn't give up on their friends, or all of Middle Earth for that matter. Êlcàlë let out a sigh and left the room when she heard the ring of the doorbell. With a last look into the room, Êlcàlë closed the door and headed for the front door.
~*~
That night, Êlcàlë didn't sleep at all. Instead, she watched The Lord of the Rings Trilogy again. By the time she was finished, it as almost seven in the morning. She lay on the couch in her home theatre for an hour before she got up and called Brian.
"Hello, Uncle Richards?" Êlcàlë asked as a voice was heard on the other end of the phone. "Joey!" Brian said as he looked at the clock. It was just past eight, and he had just woken up about a half hour ago. "Are you alright?" "Yes, I'm fine," Êlcàlë said with a small chuckle. "Can you come over before you go to work? It won't take very long, I promise." "I'm taking the first half of the day off," Brian said firmly. "Work isn't as important as you. I'll be right over." Before Êlcàlë could protest, Brian had already hung up.
~*~
After breakfast, Êlcàlë and Brian sat down in living room, making small talk. When they finally ran out of things to talk about, Êlcàlë took out a folder and handed it to Brian.
"What is this, Joey?" Brian asked as he opened it. Inside, there was a contract of the property Êlcàlë owned. Brian looked up at the young woman, eyes questioning. "Sign it, Uncle Richards," Êlcàlë said with a smile. "Everything I own is now yours as well." "You are leaving then," Brian stated as Êlcàlë handed him a pen. "Yes," Êlcàlë said sadly. "I left my heart there with Legolas, and I cannot live any longer without it." "When?" Brian asked as Êlcàlë closed the folder again. "I think the portal will open again around noon," Êlcàlë said and they both looked up at the clock. It was 11:30. "Do you have everything you want to take with you?" Brian asked as he looked over at the leather bag. "Almost," Êlcàlë said as she got up and went to her room. When she returned, she was holding the picture she and Brian had taken the day before. She opened her bag and placed the picture into the bag, settling it lightly between the books Tolkien had written. She sat down again, handing Brian copies of the pictures that she had taken with her, should he want to keep them for himself. They sat in silence for a while and looked up as a small light started growing in the middle of the living room and Brian watched in awe. "Here," Brian said as he picked up the bag and handed it to Êlcàlë. A lump grew in his throat, but he knew he had to be strong. "H-have a safe journey." "Uncle Richards," Êlcàlë said as she threw her arms around him. When Êlcàlë let go, she slipped off the ring Galadriel had given her and pressed it into Brian's palm and closed his hand over it. "I want you to have this." "I have nothing to give you," Brian said as he looked down at the beautiful ring. "You have given me more than I can tell you, Uncle Richards," Êlcàlë said, her eyes filling with tears. "You loved me and took care of me when it wasn't even your duty to do so." "No, Joey," Brian said placing a hand over hers. "You were my daughter as much as you were your father's. Your father was my best friend and from the moment I laid eyes on you as a baby, I knew you would be a special girl. You are my daughter as well, blood or not." Êlcàlë smiled and hugged Brian again. "You will always be in my heart, Uncle Richards," Êlcàlë said. "No one could steal your place away. Thank you for everything you have done for my family, and for me." Êlcàlë took two small steps towards the portal, back turned to it, not taking her eyes off of Brian. "Remember me." "I could never forget," Brian said, smiling a sad smile. "Goodbye, little one." "Goodbye, Uncle Richards," Êlcàlë said, smiling at the old endearment Brian had used, one he had given her when she was very, very young. "You will always be in my heart." With another small smile, Êlcàlë's eyes flitted once more around the room before resting on Brian again. His eyes showed the same emotions running through her as well. There was a mix of happiness, but also great sadness and loss. "We will see each other again," Êlcàlë said firmly, truly believing her words. She was graced with a small smile from her uncle before she turned and stepped through the portal again, her body engulfed in the white light for the last time. She looked back, but couldn't see anything but the light, sadness filling her as she realized this was the last time she would see the world she grew up in.
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Chapter 13
Êlcàlë looked around and noticed her house was exactly how she had left it, but a thin layer of dust covered the surfaces of everything. Grabbing her keys, Êlcàlë went into the garage and got into her car, hoping she had remembered to fill up gas before she was whisked away. Backing out of her garage, Êlcàlë headed for Brian Richards' office in the downtown area.
"May I help you?" an unfamiliar secretary asked as Êlcàlë entered the office's waiting room. "I'm looking for Brian Richards," Êlcàlë said, wondering where the old secretary, Susan was. "May I see him? "He's inside his office right now," the secretary said as she picked up the phone to tell her boss that there was someone to see him. When she hung up, the secretary smiled at Êlcàlë and smiled. "He will see you, miss." Êlcàlë thanked the secretary and headed for the door behind the right hand side of her desk. As Êlcàlë's hand closed on the knob, she took a deep breath and opened the door quietly. "Good afternoon, how may I assist you?" Mr. Richards said as he read the last part of the papers he held. When the person didn't reply, Brian looked up and nearly fell out of his chair. "Joey?" The woman seemed startled for a moment after being called Joey, but slowly smiled. "Hello, Uncle Richards," Êlcàlë said softly, glad that the man still seemed to be in perfect health. "Is it really you?" Brian said, still not believing his eyes. "Where have you been? You disappeared over a year ago!" "I'm sorry I worried you," Êlcàlë said, embracing the older man. "You'll never guess where I've been, Uncle Richards! I was in Middle Earth!" Brian looked at Êlcàlë as if she had gone mad, but then he looked down at her gown and at the jewellery she wore. "Honest, Uncle Richards! It is beautiful there!" Brian smiled and sat the young woman down, taking his seat again behind the desk. "Then you'll have to tell me all about it," Brian Richards said. The two talked for the rest of the day. When Êlcàlë had told Brian about everything, including Glorfindel, Legolas, and the choice she had, she asked what Brian had done in the past year. Finally, both of them fell silent. Neither of them wanted discuss whether Joey was going or staying, so Brian suggested they go grab something eat. Together, they left the office and went to one of the restaurants near office.
When Êlcàlë go back to her house that night, she fell onto her bed, realizing just how much she had missed the comfort of her own house. Quickly, she fell into a dreamless, peaceful sleep.
~*~
"Oh, hi Uncle Richards," Êlcàlë said as she opened the front door. "Come in." It was about 10:00 in the morning, but she had already been up for hours. The two of them walked back up the stairs to find a leather and mesh sack, Êlcàlë's favourite bag, open on the living room table. Beside it, there were items waiting to be placed into the bag. As Brian sat down and took a closer look, he realized how precious the items really were. There were three pictures in delicate frames. One was of Êlcàlë when she was about seven years old, another with her around the same age with her parents, and the last one was of Êlcàlë at the age of 15 with her grandmother and himself. She also had some small gifts her parents, grandmother, and he himself had given her over the years. Sitting on the top was the letter that had been given to Êlcàlë after her grandmother died. "You have decided to go then," Brian stated sadly as he got up again. "No I haven't," Êlcàlë said, shaking her head. "I just wanted these in the bag if I do decide to go, but I haven't decided yet." "Do you want to go back?" Brian asked, saying aloud the question he had had for her since she had gotten back. "There is a lot that I have left behind there," Êlcàlë said, avoiding a direct answer. "But I don't really want to leave here, either. I don't want to leave you behind again." "You won't," Brian said, trying to keep his voice calm. "I have watched you grow up, Joey, but this choice is yours alone. It is your life and I will not be a factor in your choices. Whatever you choose, I will be with you, in your heart, as long as you will keep me there." Brian's eyes shone with unshed tears, but Êlcàlë couldn't stop hers from flowing. Êlcàlë embraced the older man in a tight embrace, trying to calm down. "Come on," Êlcàlë said, taking his hand like she used to as a child. "You and I haven't taken a picture in a long time." Brian smiled and let the younger woman led him down the stairs. Though the woman in front of her was fully grown, the Joey he saw was a little nine-year-old girl, a beautiful smile only children could pull off, lighting her whole face, and long, black hair whipping around her face.
~*~
Throughout the day, Êlcàlë went to many places, re-visiting memories and tried to come to a decision, but still found it hard. She looked down at her watch and realized she had better be getting home so she could start dinner. Uncle Richards was coming over to have spaghetti with a chicken tomato sauce, his favourite, that night. With a small sigh, she looked around the field of her old high school again and headed for her car.
As the sauce simmered on the stove, Êlcàlë went to living room to try and get rid of the rest of the dust, but stopped just as she had turned left out of the kitchen. Slowly, she turned around in a half circle so that she was facing a set of sliding doors. With a smile, she threw the doors to her favourite room open. She walked around the room, fingering the objects lightly as she walked. Her eyes finally rested on one of the posters on her wall. She had many of the posters that had been made during the posters, but the one she was looking at was her favourite. The poster showed The Three Hunters, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli. Whenever Êlcàlë looked at this particular poster, hope would fill her heart, as she remembered how the hunters wouldn't give up on their friends, or all of Middle Earth for that matter. Êlcàlë let out a sigh and left the room when she heard the ring of the doorbell. With a last look into the room, Êlcàlë closed the door and headed for the front door.
~*~
That night, Êlcàlë didn't sleep at all. Instead, she watched The Lord of the Rings Trilogy again. By the time she was finished, it as almost seven in the morning. She lay on the couch in her home theatre for an hour before she got up and called Brian.
"Hello, Uncle Richards?" Êlcàlë asked as a voice was heard on the other end of the phone. "Joey!" Brian said as he looked at the clock. It was just past eight, and he had just woken up about a half hour ago. "Are you alright?" "Yes, I'm fine," Êlcàlë said with a small chuckle. "Can you come over before you go to work? It won't take very long, I promise." "I'm taking the first half of the day off," Brian said firmly. "Work isn't as important as you. I'll be right over." Before Êlcàlë could protest, Brian had already hung up.
~*~
After breakfast, Êlcàlë and Brian sat down in living room, making small talk. When they finally ran out of things to talk about, Êlcàlë took out a folder and handed it to Brian.
"What is this, Joey?" Brian asked as he opened it. Inside, there was a contract of the property Êlcàlë owned. Brian looked up at the young woman, eyes questioning. "Sign it, Uncle Richards," Êlcàlë said with a smile. "Everything I own is now yours as well." "You are leaving then," Brian stated as Êlcàlë handed him a pen. "Yes," Êlcàlë said sadly. "I left my heart there with Legolas, and I cannot live any longer without it." "When?" Brian asked as Êlcàlë closed the folder again. "I think the portal will open again around noon," Êlcàlë said and they both looked up at the clock. It was 11:30. "Do you have everything you want to take with you?" Brian asked as he looked over at the leather bag. "Almost," Êlcàlë said as she got up and went to her room. When she returned, she was holding the picture she and Brian had taken the day before. She opened her bag and placed the picture into the bag, settling it lightly between the books Tolkien had written. She sat down again, handing Brian copies of the pictures that she had taken with her, should he want to keep them for himself. They sat in silence for a while and looked up as a small light started growing in the middle of the living room and Brian watched in awe. "Here," Brian said as he picked up the bag and handed it to Êlcàlë. A lump grew in his throat, but he knew he had to be strong. "H-have a safe journey." "Uncle Richards," Êlcàlë said as she threw her arms around him. When Êlcàlë let go, she slipped off the ring Galadriel had given her and pressed it into Brian's palm and closed his hand over it. "I want you to have this." "I have nothing to give you," Brian said as he looked down at the beautiful ring. "You have given me more than I can tell you, Uncle Richards," Êlcàlë said, her eyes filling with tears. "You loved me and took care of me when it wasn't even your duty to do so." "No, Joey," Brian said placing a hand over hers. "You were my daughter as much as you were your father's. Your father was my best friend and from the moment I laid eyes on you as a baby, I knew you would be a special girl. You are my daughter as well, blood or not." Êlcàlë smiled and hugged Brian again. "You will always be in my heart, Uncle Richards," Êlcàlë said. "No one could steal your place away. Thank you for everything you have done for my family, and for me." Êlcàlë took two small steps towards the portal, back turned to it, not taking her eyes off of Brian. "Remember me." "I could never forget," Brian said, smiling a sad smile. "Goodbye, little one." "Goodbye, Uncle Richards," Êlcàlë said, smiling at the old endearment Brian had used, one he had given her when she was very, very young. "You will always be in my heart." With another small smile, Êlcàlë's eyes flitted once more around the room before resting on Brian again. His eyes showed the same emotions running through her as well. There was a mix of happiness, but also great sadness and loss. "We will see each other again," Êlcàlë said firmly, truly believing her words. She was graced with a small smile from her uncle before she turned and stepped through the portal again, her body engulfed in the white light for the last time. She looked back, but couldn't see anything but the light, sadness filling her as she realized this was the last time she would see the world she grew up in.