Disclaimer: You wish…okay, so I don't know what you wish.
A/N: Umm…in this chapter, gun control is a good thing.
Time: Break Down
Rachel didn't know what to do. Was Holly…? No, that was impossible! But then again…she had been saying that a lot lately.
Aragorn watched Rachel. She was rocking back and forth, looking at the blood on the forest floor. She stared at her hands…covered in the crimson fluid. What could he ever say to her? Holly was important to them all, but…Rachel…He couldn't even begin to imagine.
Legolas was the only one with guts in this situation. He was afraid to go near Rachel, but she needed…something to comfort her.
"So much…so warm…" Rachel muttered to herself. She stood and walked into Legolas' hands. She didn't care if he loved her or not, he was warm and comfortable and strong. She didn't think she could hold herself up anymore, the guilt weighed down on her so much. He put an arm around her shoulder and guided her to a seat by the fire.
"Rachel…" Gimli began. He sat down beside after a moment's hesitation and watched her eyes, unmoving, gawk at the blood on her hands. She didn't even seem to notice it any more, but just felt like staring. Legolas, who still held her, looked sorrowfully at Gimli. The dwarf sighed and bowed his head. Why would something so terrible happen to such a happy person as Holly? It wasn't right. It pissed Gimli off.
"I'll keep watch tonight. He may come ba—"
"He won't come back," Rachel said calmly. He never once took Holly's blood off her hands. She really had forgotten about its presence.
"How can you be sure?" Gimli snarled. He reached for his axe, but stopped when Rachel put a bloody hand to her neck. She really had forgotten! She rocked back and forth again.
"Rachel, do not fret. I'm sure Holly's alright. Saruman is, after all, a master of illusion," Aragorn said. He wasn't sure if it was true or not, but it seemed the right thing to say. Rachel laughed.
"Don't lie. He's a wizard not a magician! And in any case, I don't think this is an illusion," Rachel said. Everyone thought she spoke of the blood, but something was concealed in her hand…dog tags…Holly's.
"I'm so sorry," Aragorn whispered. Rachel looked at him…She lifted her head for the first time since…Anyway, her eyes were low-set, her jaw clenched. She stood and put Holly's dog tags on. Legolas watched her as she walked slowly toward a tree. She stood in front of it for a moment before screaming as loud as she could and kicking it with all the force she had. It nearly snapped like a twig. The tree swayed dangerously. Rachel didn't care about the living forest of Fangorn anymore. It could try to strangle her in her sleep for all she cared. She waited another moment before punching it rapidly. Dents formed on the trunk and so did blood. Her knuckles bled…her shins bruised…her voice echoed through the wood, making animals scurry in fright and trees bend away from her.
"No! Let me kill it! Let me…" she yelled. Legolas held her back as he always did when the time was right. His arms were held fast around her stomach and she laughed.
"Don't forget to sing," she said to herself. "Sing" was a term used in battle. Solarplexis. Instep. Nose, Groin. (A/N: For those of you who have seen Miss Congeniality…it's the same thing, but I'm not copying!) She delivered this tactic with lethal precision. She would have thought it would knock him off, but he was determined not to let her hurt herself anymore than she already did. She was strong, but he was stronger and had been hurt worse than that before.
"Fine," Rachel said, pissed. She proceeded to flip him over her back. He lay on the ground, coughing. He wasn't expecting something like that. Rachel stared at him. She had really hurt him. Her stare turned into a worried gaze and she knelt beside Legolas.
"I'm sorry," Rachel said to him. He put a hand to her face and then remembered the blood on her neck.
"Let me help you wash this away," he told her. Rachel nodded. All the fight was gone in her. How could she hurt Legolas? Rage, that's how. She had spent at least ten minutes trying to kill a tree. She had wanted to kill it so bad and he wouldn't let her.
Legolas sat up and got a small cloth from his pouch. He knelt beside her and wiped away the blood…or at least, all of it that hadn't dried. Aragorn and Gimli sat around the fire, watching concernedly. Aragorn glanced at the tree and noticed the damage the elf had caused. It was nearly barkless with huge dents and even a crack from her first kick. He had to grin. That's what happened when you inherited the immortality of the most powerful elf in Middle-Earth.
"I will stay near tonight if you wish me to," Legolas said. Rachel looked at him. He was so…sensitive. Was he blushing? It didn't matter. She knew what she wanted.
"No. I want you closer then that," Rachel said quietly. Legolas felt something burn in his chest. He knew he probably wouldn't be able to hold her without…
Sighing, he shook his head.
"I cannot."
Rachel nearly burst into tears. He was the only one who protected her and calmed her down…She felt like she was going to burst into tears. She couldn't control it, and let a few silent tears escape her eyes.
"Please? I feel so…vulnerable and guilty right now I doubt my own legs could hold me up. Please. I…I hate to admit it, but I can't take this anymore!"
She completely lost control and cried, sobbed, babbled like a baby and all the while Legolas stared at her in shock.
Gimli looked at her, his jaw slack. This was the last thing he thought he'd ever see. Rachel was crying! The world was coming to an end! Surely, hope was lost. Since their arrival, Rachel had been the strongest and equal to Aragorn and Legolas. Now she crumbled to pieces. When would the others do the same?
"Please…Just…I don't know! Never mind…" Rachel sniffed. She made herself stop crying and stood up. She immediately fell back down. Legolas offered her a hand when he was on his feet, but she didn't take it right away. He looked down at her hands and saw the cut, bruised, and scraped knuckles.
"You're wounded!" he yelled at her. Why was he so protective and yet so distant?
"So?"
"They should be healed," he said.
"Thank you for stating the obvious," Rachel said bitterly. She crawled to her pack, which wasn't more than ten feet away and grabbed her alcohol, which was nearly empty, and a white piece of gauze. She sat, snuffling, rocking back and forth, and shaking as he poured the liquid on her hands. It made her yelp and Legolas cringed. Her pain, his ache and guilt.
"Rachel, you sleep. You will not watch camp tonight," Aragorn said sternly. She hadn't planned on it anyway. Rachel settled herself against a fallen tree trunk and stared into the fire, unblinking. Was there any point to being here? Her first intent was to return home, but now…Maybe she should. If Holly really was…Well, Legolas didn't feel anything for her. The others would forget about them. There were people at home, too…
Everyone was asleep except for Legolas. When did he ever sleep? He had no need for it.
He looked at Rachel. Actually, no. He had been staring at her for two hours. She slept without movement. It was almost as if her nightmares were too terrible to express and he regretted his earlier notion to stay away from her. He had returned her physical blows on him with emotional ones. When she needed him the most, he refuse to be there for her and that was something he would never forgive himself for.
"How could I?" he asked himself aloud. He reached over to her face and ran a light finger over her features. Her nose. Her cheeks. Her eyes. Her lips. She moved and he jerked away. Her eyes fluttered open and she stared at him. Her hand moved directly to her face. It tingled, almost as if it were asleep. Legolas peered at her and then toward the fire, sadly.
"What do you need?" she asked him. Rachel didn't expect anything from him anymore. She shouldn't have in the first place. It was childish and stupid of her.
"I regret my earlier judgement. I shall remain close to you," he said more to himself than to the woman before him. Rachel nodded.
"Thank you."
Silence. Legolas gulped and his heart beat ran faster than ever before. Rachel could tell.
"What worries you?' she asked.
"Nothing except Holly and…" he choked.
"And?"
"Myself," he replied quickly, turning his head. Rachel reached up, cupped his cheek in her bandaged hand and pulled him towards her this time. She smiled despite her grief.
"There's nothing wrong with you, Legolas. You're honest, sincere, and good," she said, reflecting on everything that she was not.
"That's not what troubles me. A feeling. It's barely under my control. I'm afraid of what I might do," he confessed, looking straight into her eyes. He was trying to get he signal across, but Rachel was very dense when it came to love. It was her's never before.
"Whether you have control or not, I'll make sure you don't do anything drastic," Rachel said, trying to comfort him. That make it worse. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"It's more than just a feeling, isn't it?" Rachel said. He nodded and opened his eyes. She wouldn't know…it may hurt her too much…Another worry she didn't need.
"A reason why I was frightened to be near," he explained. Rachel bobbed her head and turned her head toward the fire. Legolas held out his hand for her. She didn't know what he was doing, but complied. He pulled her towards him and let her lay upon his chest. An immeasurable desire cascaded through him. This would be difficult, but it was her needs over his. Swallowing hard, he closed his eyes to gain control. He wouldn't let himself shake or purr. He wouldn't let her feel anything was wrong or needed, because she would want to help…and with those words, she would destroy him.
A/N: Huh…that took longer than I thought it would to write.
A/N: Umm…in this chapter, gun control is a good thing.
Time: Break Down
Rachel didn't know what to do. Was Holly…? No, that was impossible! But then again…she had been saying that a lot lately.
Aragorn watched Rachel. She was rocking back and forth, looking at the blood on the forest floor. She stared at her hands…covered in the crimson fluid. What could he ever say to her? Holly was important to them all, but…Rachel…He couldn't even begin to imagine.
Legolas was the only one with guts in this situation. He was afraid to go near Rachel, but she needed…something to comfort her.
"So much…so warm…" Rachel muttered to herself. She stood and walked into Legolas' hands. She didn't care if he loved her or not, he was warm and comfortable and strong. She didn't think she could hold herself up anymore, the guilt weighed down on her so much. He put an arm around her shoulder and guided her to a seat by the fire.
"Rachel…" Gimli began. He sat down beside after a moment's hesitation and watched her eyes, unmoving, gawk at the blood on her hands. She didn't even seem to notice it any more, but just felt like staring. Legolas, who still held her, looked sorrowfully at Gimli. The dwarf sighed and bowed his head. Why would something so terrible happen to such a happy person as Holly? It wasn't right. It pissed Gimli off.
"I'll keep watch tonight. He may come ba—"
"He won't come back," Rachel said calmly. He never once took Holly's blood off her hands. She really had forgotten about its presence.
"How can you be sure?" Gimli snarled. He reached for his axe, but stopped when Rachel put a bloody hand to her neck. She really had forgotten! She rocked back and forth again.
"Rachel, do not fret. I'm sure Holly's alright. Saruman is, after all, a master of illusion," Aragorn said. He wasn't sure if it was true or not, but it seemed the right thing to say. Rachel laughed.
"Don't lie. He's a wizard not a magician! And in any case, I don't think this is an illusion," Rachel said. Everyone thought she spoke of the blood, but something was concealed in her hand…dog tags…Holly's.
"I'm so sorry," Aragorn whispered. Rachel looked at him…She lifted her head for the first time since…Anyway, her eyes were low-set, her jaw clenched. She stood and put Holly's dog tags on. Legolas watched her as she walked slowly toward a tree. She stood in front of it for a moment before screaming as loud as she could and kicking it with all the force she had. It nearly snapped like a twig. The tree swayed dangerously. Rachel didn't care about the living forest of Fangorn anymore. It could try to strangle her in her sleep for all she cared. She waited another moment before punching it rapidly. Dents formed on the trunk and so did blood. Her knuckles bled…her shins bruised…her voice echoed through the wood, making animals scurry in fright and trees bend away from her.
"No! Let me kill it! Let me…" she yelled. Legolas held her back as he always did when the time was right. His arms were held fast around her stomach and she laughed.
"Don't forget to sing," she said to herself. "Sing" was a term used in battle. Solarplexis. Instep. Nose, Groin. (A/N: For those of you who have seen Miss Congeniality…it's the same thing, but I'm not copying!) She delivered this tactic with lethal precision. She would have thought it would knock him off, but he was determined not to let her hurt herself anymore than she already did. She was strong, but he was stronger and had been hurt worse than that before.
"Fine," Rachel said, pissed. She proceeded to flip him over her back. He lay on the ground, coughing. He wasn't expecting something like that. Rachel stared at him. She had really hurt him. Her stare turned into a worried gaze and she knelt beside Legolas.
"I'm sorry," Rachel said to him. He put a hand to her face and then remembered the blood on her neck.
"Let me help you wash this away," he told her. Rachel nodded. All the fight was gone in her. How could she hurt Legolas? Rage, that's how. She had spent at least ten minutes trying to kill a tree. She had wanted to kill it so bad and he wouldn't let her.
Legolas sat up and got a small cloth from his pouch. He knelt beside her and wiped away the blood…or at least, all of it that hadn't dried. Aragorn and Gimli sat around the fire, watching concernedly. Aragorn glanced at the tree and noticed the damage the elf had caused. It was nearly barkless with huge dents and even a crack from her first kick. He had to grin. That's what happened when you inherited the immortality of the most powerful elf in Middle-Earth.
"I will stay near tonight if you wish me to," Legolas said. Rachel looked at him. He was so…sensitive. Was he blushing? It didn't matter. She knew what she wanted.
"No. I want you closer then that," Rachel said quietly. Legolas felt something burn in his chest. He knew he probably wouldn't be able to hold her without…
Sighing, he shook his head.
"I cannot."
Rachel nearly burst into tears. He was the only one who protected her and calmed her down…She felt like she was going to burst into tears. She couldn't control it, and let a few silent tears escape her eyes.
"Please? I feel so…vulnerable and guilty right now I doubt my own legs could hold me up. Please. I…I hate to admit it, but I can't take this anymore!"
She completely lost control and cried, sobbed, babbled like a baby and all the while Legolas stared at her in shock.
Gimli looked at her, his jaw slack. This was the last thing he thought he'd ever see. Rachel was crying! The world was coming to an end! Surely, hope was lost. Since their arrival, Rachel had been the strongest and equal to Aragorn and Legolas. Now she crumbled to pieces. When would the others do the same?
"Please…Just…I don't know! Never mind…" Rachel sniffed. She made herself stop crying and stood up. She immediately fell back down. Legolas offered her a hand when he was on his feet, but she didn't take it right away. He looked down at her hands and saw the cut, bruised, and scraped knuckles.
"You're wounded!" he yelled at her. Why was he so protective and yet so distant?
"So?"
"They should be healed," he said.
"Thank you for stating the obvious," Rachel said bitterly. She crawled to her pack, which wasn't more than ten feet away and grabbed her alcohol, which was nearly empty, and a white piece of gauze. She sat, snuffling, rocking back and forth, and shaking as he poured the liquid on her hands. It made her yelp and Legolas cringed. Her pain, his ache and guilt.
"Rachel, you sleep. You will not watch camp tonight," Aragorn said sternly. She hadn't planned on it anyway. Rachel settled herself against a fallen tree trunk and stared into the fire, unblinking. Was there any point to being here? Her first intent was to return home, but now…Maybe she should. If Holly really was…Well, Legolas didn't feel anything for her. The others would forget about them. There were people at home, too…
Everyone was asleep except for Legolas. When did he ever sleep? He had no need for it.
He looked at Rachel. Actually, no. He had been staring at her for two hours. She slept without movement. It was almost as if her nightmares were too terrible to express and he regretted his earlier notion to stay away from her. He had returned her physical blows on him with emotional ones. When she needed him the most, he refuse to be there for her and that was something he would never forgive himself for.
"How could I?" he asked himself aloud. He reached over to her face and ran a light finger over her features. Her nose. Her cheeks. Her eyes. Her lips. She moved and he jerked away. Her eyes fluttered open and she stared at him. Her hand moved directly to her face. It tingled, almost as if it were asleep. Legolas peered at her and then toward the fire, sadly.
"What do you need?" she asked him. Rachel didn't expect anything from him anymore. She shouldn't have in the first place. It was childish and stupid of her.
"I regret my earlier judgement. I shall remain close to you," he said more to himself than to the woman before him. Rachel nodded.
"Thank you."
Silence. Legolas gulped and his heart beat ran faster than ever before. Rachel could tell.
"What worries you?' she asked.
"Nothing except Holly and…" he choked.
"And?"
"Myself," he replied quickly, turning his head. Rachel reached up, cupped his cheek in her bandaged hand and pulled him towards her this time. She smiled despite her grief.
"There's nothing wrong with you, Legolas. You're honest, sincere, and good," she said, reflecting on everything that she was not.
"That's not what troubles me. A feeling. It's barely under my control. I'm afraid of what I might do," he confessed, looking straight into her eyes. He was trying to get he signal across, but Rachel was very dense when it came to love. It was her's never before.
"Whether you have control or not, I'll make sure you don't do anything drastic," Rachel said, trying to comfort him. That make it worse. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"It's more than just a feeling, isn't it?" Rachel said. He nodded and opened his eyes. She wouldn't know…it may hurt her too much…Another worry she didn't need.
"A reason why I was frightened to be near," he explained. Rachel bobbed her head and turned her head toward the fire. Legolas held out his hand for her. She didn't know what he was doing, but complied. He pulled her towards him and let her lay upon his chest. An immeasurable desire cascaded through him. This would be difficult, but it was her needs over his. Swallowing hard, he closed his eyes to gain control. He wouldn't let himself shake or purr. He wouldn't let her feel anything was wrong or needed, because she would want to help…and with those words, she would destroy him.
A/N: Huh…that took longer than I thought it would to write.