Angel was frightened. Very, very frightened. Below her, about a hundred orcs stood, sniffing the air. Oh shit. Apparently they had picked up on her scent.

"I smell human blood," snarled one orc in what Angel recognized as the Black Speech of Mordor. What it said next, though, caused an unearthly shiver to rise up Angel's back. "We shall have human stew for dinner tonight!"

At this remark, many of them erupted into laughter - though it sounded more like squeaky markers writing on paper, Angel thought.

She shuddered as she recounted what had just happened in the last few moments. Fortunately, she had been able to get up in the tree before the Uruks arrived in the spot where they were currently standing. She wasn't armed; all she could do now was wait for them to go away, and then slip back to her rooms unnoticed.

Ugh! Why, why, why on Arda did I HAVE to tell Haldir that he was distracting! Angel screeched inwardly at herself. I don't think I'll ever be able to face him again…

Suddenly, orc screams filled the air. The horrid noise startled Angel, and she nearly fell out of the tree in her haste to shield her ears from the shrieks.

Oh! It's Haldir! And Jamie! Angel could not contain her relief at seeing the Marchwarden and her best friend. She leant forward, trying to get a closer look of the object of her affections and his fellow wardens. Moving forward, she shifted slightly. And promptly fell out of the tree.

Haldir got the shock of his life.

Oh, of all the inconvenient times, why did she have to appear at this one? Haldir groaned. But he had no choice in the matter - this was a life-or-death situation. He remembered Jamie's words 'I'll feed your balls to Sauron' all too clearly.

Shuddering mentally at the thought, he threw a sword Angel's way.

Angel caught the sword neatly. She'd had no formal training, but she did roughly know how to use one. Slashing her way through the orcs, she reached Jamie's side.

"You're using too much strength," Jamie hissed to her through the side of his mouth. "Save some for later. You might need it."

Angel nodded. She wasn't about to argue with him - this was a battle, besides, he was right. Her left arm, the weaker of the two, was beginning to ache.

"Okay, Jam," was all she got out before her attention was taken up by one of the nearby orcs. There was an arrow in its black heart, but apparently it still had the energy to tug at her ankle. She nearly lost her balance. Bracing herself, she stepped on the arrow, driving it deeper into the Mordorian creatures' heart.

Within ten minutes, the battle was over. Angel walked over to Jamie, leaning on his shoulder. He smiled comfortingly down at her.

"Tired so soon?" he teased her, the dimples in his cheeks clearly showing.

Weakly returning the grin, she punched him in the shoulder. Suddenly, the body of an elf caught her eye.

"Rumil?!" She gasped, wading through the piles of orc bodies. It was he. Bending her dark head closer, she listened for his heartbeat. At first, she heard none. He must be dead, she thought. But then… there it was. Not very clear at first, but getting stronger and steadier.

"He's alive," she thought in wonderment.

"Of course he is," Haldir exclaimed sharply. "He's just in a state of healing."

Angel narrowed her eyes. "Are you implying that I'm stupid, Marchwarden?" she spat out the last word.

Haldir considered giving in to her. But glancing around at the inquisitive looks on the faces of his fellow wardens, he decided he could not. I must uphold my reputation…

"And if I am?" He was baiting her, and he knew that she had seen through his ploy the moment he finished speaking.

"Friggin' bloody bastard. Asshole," she muttered, and turned away, walking back to where Haldir assumed her rooms were. Five seconds after, Jamie followed, casting a glance in the Marchwarden's direction. Haldir winced.

Now that the two mortals were gone, the wardens looked at Haldir, eagerly anticipating what was to come. But they were sorely disappointed, for Haldir merely shrugged.

"Let's go," his tone implied that he was not about to comment on the subject any time soon. The rest of the wardens complied, and the whole troop made their way back to Caras Galadhon, with Haldir and Orophin carrying their unconscious brother.

… …

"Are you sure you're okay, Ange?" Jamie asked worriedly. In the six years he'd known her, this was the first time she had acted liked this. What happened to my cheerful, devil-may-care best friend? He pondered.

"Yes, I'm fine, Jam," Angel groaned. The truth was, she wasn't feeling too well. Damn the elf and his arrogance, she yelled inwardly. "I'm - I'm just more agitated than usual."

Jamie grinned knowingly. "A certain pointy-eared Barbie doll getting on your nerves, huh?" he teased her mercilessly.

Angel glared at him, then groaned, putting her head in her hands.

"Don't remind me," she growled. "Already my head hurts without me having to decide whether I like him or not. He makes me so… SO MAD! Urgh!"

Jamie held up his hands in surrender. "Whatever you say, Captain."

"Go away, Jam," Angel moaned, her voice muffled somewhat by the pillow her face was currently squished in. "I swear, you two are in some secret conspiracy to annoy me."

Jamie made a few theatric gasps. "How did you know?"

Angel couldn't help it - she let out a giggle. "Shut up, Jam. I wanna go to sleep."

"Aha! Admit it, Ange… I made you SMIIILE!" Jamie sing-songed. "I made Angel smile, lalalala, I made Angel sm-"

"SHUT UP JAMIE BEFORE I… uh," Angel mused. "Ya! I know, … I, er, I'LL MAKE LITTLE JAMIE DROP OFF!!!!!!" She mock-glared at her best friend.

Jamie pouted. "Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine."

… …

Haldir was seated at the dining table, poking at his food. Randomly stabbing at a piece of meat, he caused the juices to fly onto one of the servants' aprons. The Marchwarden glanced up at the maid.

"Oops, sorry," he remarked nonchalantly. "I didn't mean to do that."

The elf-maiden, to Haldir's everlasting horror, fluttered her eyelashes at him. "Don't worry, I can clean it up later," she purred. As if that wasn't grotesque enough, Orophin elbowed him.

"Go get some, brother," he hissed to Haldir while leering at the elf-maiden.

Haldir shook his head. He stood up abruptly and left the dining hall, leaving behind his untouched food, a shocked Orophin and a puzzled elf-maiden, wondering what had gone wrong with her seduction technique.

Where is Angel? She needs to eat, can't have her passing out AGAIN due to lack of food, Haldir mused, as he strode purposefully down the corridor. And how about her friend, that guy, Jamie? Oh, Valar, don't tell me they're…

Shaking his head mentally, he opened the door of Angel's room. Angel was asleep, her dark hair fanning out on the pillow, her lips curved in one of those smiles that people smile when they are deep in sweet dreams land. And Jamie… Jamie was nowhere to be seen.

"Jamie?" Haldir called out hesitantly. "Hello?"

Suddenly, he sensed movement behind him. The Marchwarden spun around, ready to face the intruder. It was Jamie.

"Hi," he said casually to Haldir. "Ange was sleeping so I decided to take a walk in the gardens. She was rather upset with you."

"I can imagine," Haldir returned dryly. "Has she eaten? I intend for you two to train tomorrow and she will need the energy to train - I fail to see how she is going to do just that without the aid of food."

"My, my, concerned, are we now?" Jamie took the opportunity to tease Haldir. The Marchwarden made as if to speak but Jamie continued. "No, she has not eaten but we will retrieve food from the kitchens later," he paused. "How is Rumil?"

Haldir was surprised. "You knew?"

"Duh, Barbie boy. Ange told me about it. She added quite a few choice remarks about you too though," Jamie grinned. "So?"

Haldir frowned. "What is bah-bee?" he questioned, unsure if it was an insult.

Jamie only continued grinning like a Cheshire cat. "Go ask Ange. You'll see." was all he would say on the subject

"HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!" a high-pitched shriek caused both males to cover their ears. Angel stood before them, clad in only a skimpy nightgown. "Miss me?"

Jamie groaned, and made a face. "Not if you intend to make me lose my hearing permanently."

Haldir merely raised an eyebrow, and looked slightly amused.

Angel rolled her eyes. "Look on the bright side, Jam," she snickered. "At least I don't have my Styrofoam board with me."

"Ohhhhh, if you did," Jamie mock-glared at his best friend, hands on hips in girly fashion. "I would just about kill you. So would all the elves."

"What's Styrofoam?" Haldir questioned uneasily. What oddities they had in that other world of theirs! He was beginning to feel somewhat like an idiot when hanging around them, and that wasn't a good sign.

Angel smirked at Jamie, who stuck out his tongue. "Immature," they chorused simultaneously, then erupting in a fit of giggles. This made Haldir look extremely puzzled, which in turn only made them laugh harder.

"Styrofoam is a sort of material," Angel explained. "That when you try and dissect it, it sounds like a banshee - that is, REALLY high-pitched shrieking."

Haldir winced - he couldn't help it. And I thought Angel's was bad… "What's a bah-bee?" he questioned again.

"A - a what?????" Angel asked.

"I called him Barbie boy," Jamie remarked innocently. Under Angel's questioning gaze he explained further. "I thought he looked like one."

Angel chuckled, much to Haldir's unease. "What is a bah-bee?" he persisted.

"A Barbie is a… well, uh - it's a children's toy," she paused, under Haldir's incredulous gaze. "A doll with blonde hair… so, er, Barbie is just - yeah, a kind of toy."

Haldir couldn't believe his ears. He reminded Jamie of a CHILD'S TOY??? He didn't know whether to laugh hard or to shake Jamie till all his teeth went out. He opted for neutral. The Marchwarden stood there and spoke.

"Ah. I see. Very - ehm, enlightening."

By this time, Angel and Jamie were rolling on the floor, laughing in endless mirth.

Angel couldn't seem to stop laughing.

"Jam, you evil thing - " she began, then shook her head and clutched her stomach, laughing hard.

Haldir was trying not to erupt with anger in their laughing faces when he heard Galadriel speak. Bring the young man to me; she spoke, somewhat more harried than usual. The young man called Jamie. I have seen something in my mirror - regarding him.

Haldir turned to Jamie.

"If you have finished laughing at me," he spoke, unable to keep the annoyed tone out of his voice - which only made Angel laugh harder, if that was even possible, he reflected.

"Yeah?" Jamie questioned with slight unease.

"The Lady would like to see you - alone." Haldir noted the boy's discomfort and wondered if Jamie had known beforehand that this would happen. "Go now - I was take care of Angel."

Jamie nodded, turned away and walked off.