Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Rings. If you see any characters or any of that stuff that you don't recognize, it's mine. The rest belongs to Tolkien.

Chapter Nineteen

The three canoes went down river slowly, but steadily. Ali closed her eyes, enjoying the sun on her face.

"What was your gift from the Lady Galadriel, Ali?" Gimili asked suddenly.

Ali opened her eyes. "Why should I tell you, Master Dwarf?"

"I was only asking, my fair lady. If you tell me what was yours, I'll tell you mine," Gimili pressed.

"Fine," Ali stated. "I got two things, actually. An Elven sword, the most beautiful I've ever seen in my life as well as an Elven diary/journal. The best gifts I could've ever gotten almost. Now tell me what you got, Gimili."

"I asked her fair maiden if I could have one hair from her golden head. I gave her three," Gimili said, staring off into space thoughtfully.

Ali grinned. "So you have taken with the 'Elf Witch'? I thought you distrusted her," Ali teased.

Gimili turned bright red. "Don't make fun, Ali."

"Sorry, that's part of my personality," Ali commented.

Ali glanced up at Legolas, who was silently laughing at the conversation. When Ali caught his eye, she could've sworn Legolas' eyes twinkled and gave her a wink. Ali just smiled back and turned her attention back to the front of the boat.

A few days later, the Fellowship reached the Falls of Rauros. They ran ashore and got out of the boats. Instead of settling down, Ali started pacing around the small inlet.

"You alright, Ali? Looks like your walking up a storm there," Aragorn commented.

Ali stopped and looked up at Aragorn.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Really. I was just thinking, is all," she said.

"I find that I am not convinced," Aragorn said.

"That's ok, you don't have to be. I just want to think is all, however I wish to think it," Ali stated.

Aragorn bowed slightly. "Forgive me, Ali."

"There's no hard feelings, Aragorn," Ali said. "Honestly."

"I understand, Ali." Aragorn continued to take out their provisions from the boats and Ali continued to pace around.

A few minutes later Aragorn walked up the bank to address the whole Fellowship. Ali stopped her pacing.

"We cross the lake at nightfall. Hide the boats, and continue on foot. We approach Mordor from the north," Aragorn said loud enough for everybody to hear.

"Oh yes? It's just a simple matter of finding our way through Emyn Muil? An impassable labyrinth of razor sharp rocks? And after that, it gets even better! The festering, stinking marshlands, as far as the eye can see," Gimili interrupted.

"That is our road. I suggest you take some rest and recover your strength, Master Dwarf," Aragorn said sharply.

"Recover my strength!" Gimili exclaimed and went into muttering.

"Oh, would you two stop arguing!" Ali grumbled.

Aragorn gave Ali a sharp look, but didn't say anything. Legolas quickly walked over to Aragorn and Ali couldn't help but overhearing what they were saying.

"We should leave now," Legolas said in a low tone.

"No. Orcs patrol the Eastern Shore. We must wait for the cover of darkness," Aragorn said bluntly.

"It is not the eastern shore that worries me. A shadow and a threat has been growing in my mind. Something draws near. I can feel it," Legolas continued.

Ali sighed and rolled her eyes. They would never learn. Nearby, Ali could still hear Gimili muttering and grumbling.

"Pay no heed to that, young hobbit," he was saying to Pippin.

"Where's Frodo?" Merry suddenly asked.

Ali turned around quickly and looked around. Frodo wasn't anywhere to be seen.

"Boromir, did you see--?" Ali started to say, but realized Boromir wasn't anywhere around, either. "Crap, where's he gone?" Ali muttered.

Suddenly, she remembered a part from the movie. Frodo went off by himself why everyone was preoccupied, as well as Boromir and then Boromir attempted to take the Ring from Frodo and Frodo put it on and left. Then Boromir, realizing what he did, tried to redeem himself. Then later, he tries to save Merry and Pippin and dies in the attempt.

"I'll be back soon," Ali said suddenly, making everybody stop what they were doing and stare at her stupidly.

"Where you going? Are you mad?" Gimili asked. "You'll be lost."

"Nope, not this time," Ali said, starting to go into the woods.

Pippin ran up to catch up with her, grabbing Ali by the arm. "Ali, where you going?"

Ali shrugged Pippin's arm off and continued walking.

"Do you want to know where Frodo and Boromir is or not?" Ali asked fiercely and continued walking.

"Let Aragorn deal with it, Ali," Pippin called after her.

"Leave it to Aragorn?!" Ali whirled around to face Pippin. "Leave it to Aragorn? Pippin, if we leave everything to everybody else, nothing will get done and one mistake can make all the difference in the world!"

A sudden sadness fell across Pippin's face and in his eyes. Ali instantly felt bad about what she said, but she assured herself that this was for the best. She walked over to Pippin and placed a hand on his shoulder. Pippin looked up at Ali.

"Pippin, I'm sorry for what I said, but I had to say it," Ali said. "Please, let me do this. Whatever happens after this, Pippin, I want you to know that I love you. Truly, I do. And if we don't see each other after this, I'll be with you no matter what and I will try to get to you as soon as I can."

Pippin swallowed. He looked like he was about to cry and Ali was pretty close to tears herself.

"I-I understand, Ali. I'll let you go," Pippin said, his lower lip quivering.

"Oh, Pippin." Ali leaned over and gently kissed Pippin on the lips before hugging him tightly. Pippin seemed surprised but he kissed her back and hugged Ali back just as tightly.

Ali pulled away from him and looked at Pippin with a sad smile on her face. "You'll see me soon." And with that she turned and headed into the woods.

Ali found Boromir sitting on the floor looking around him fearfully.

"Boromir?" Ali asked.

Boromir turned around to look at Ali.

"Thank Eru for a familiar face," Boromir exclaimed. "Have you seen Frodo?"

"That's what I was going to ask you. You were the last to be with him," Ali said severely.

Boromir gaped at her. "How did you know?"

"Don't bother, Boromir. In which direction did Frodo go, Boromir? Tell me quickly," Ali said.

"Well, I don't know, maybe that, way," Boromir pointed vaguely in a direction. "But don't hold me to it."

Ali walked over to Boromir and gave him a huge hug. "You're a lifesaver, Boromir." Ali started to walk in that direction before she stopped and turned back around and walked back to Boromir.

"What is it, Ali?" Boromir asked.

"I've gotta tell you something. You're going to die this day, Boromir, did you know that? You're going to die saving Merry and Pippin against Uruk Hai, by a Uruk Hai archer. Whatever you do, stay out of his way as much as you can, and if you can, kill him quickly as you can. And don't stay in the same place at any length of time. Just trust me, please," Ali pleaded.

"But- I don't understand, Ali. How do you know all of this?" Boromir exclaimed.

"Don't ask. I don't understand, either. Trust me on this one," Ali said, pleading eyes looking into Boromir's.

Boromir sighed. "I can't help but trust you, Ali. I believe you have said that once before, up-up on Caradhas. But nobody listened to you. And look what happened? Exactly what you said. I will trust you, Ali," Boromir said.

Ali breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Boromir, thank you so much. Now I must leave, and you should, too. Go, go now."

Boromir nodded, got up and quickly left. Ali watched him go, then quickly went on her way. Suddenly she ran into Frodo.

"There you are, Frodo! I was looking for you," Ali proclaimed.

"Right now's no time for small talk, Ali. I must leave now," Frodo said, hurrying past Ali.

Ali ran after Frodo. "But where are you going?"

"Off." Frodo didn't pause in running and neither did Ali.

"Can I come with you?" Ali asked.

"No," Frodo bluntly said. "I must go alone."

"But nobody shouldn't go off alone. They need a friend to help them along," Ali said.

"Go away, Ali," Frodo said, and suddenly, he tripped and fell. With such a suddenness of Frodo's fall, Ali fell, too. They rolled down the hill several feet before catching themselves.

"Quickly, behind this tree, I hear strange feet," Frodo called to Ali.

Ali ran beside Frodo and pressed herself against the tree. And just at the right moment, it seemed, because at that moment a bunch of Uruk Hai ran passed the tree, but didn't seem to have seen Ali and Frodo.

"Frodo! Ali!" a voice said from the bushes. It was Pippin with Merry. "Hide here! Quick!"

Frodo shook his head.

"What are they doing?" Ali heard Pippin ask.

"They are leaving," Merry replied.

"No!" Pippin said and jumped out of the bushes.

"Pippin!" Merry called.

Suddenly more Uruk Hai appeared.

Merry turned to Frodo and Ali. "Go on run, go on!" He turned to the Uruk Hai. "Hey, hey you! Over here!"

Pippin caught on and joined him. "Over here this way!"

"Come on," Frodo said to Ali and the two of them ran downhill and finally they reached the edge of the river where their boats were.

"What are we doing?" Ali asked.

Frodo turned to her. "I'm leaving. I'm going to Mordor alone, you understand? You can't come with me."

"Frodo? I don't understand," Ali said.

Frodo turned to look at her. "I do not want to risk the friends that I love to come to Mordor with me. I must go alone."

"I can't let you go without anybody," Ali said fiercely.

The two of them fell silent for a few minutes. Ali went into thoughtfulness. She remembered what Gandalf had told her in the Mines of Moria. She had her task to complete, and this was it, she couldn't do everything. "Some things they must do for themselves," Gandalf had said.

"You know what Gandalf had told me before he died, Ali?" Frodo said.

Ali glanced at Frodo and saw tears streaming down his cheeks.

"What did he say?" Ali asked.

"I had said I wished none of this had happened and he said 'So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.' This is what I want to do with my time, Ali," Frodo said. "For the Shire."

"I'm glad to hear that." Ali smiled at him.

Frodo smiled sadly back, then slowly walked to the boat.

"Frodo?" Ali stared after him.

Frodo didn't head Ali. He continued to walk to the boat pushed off and jumped in.

"Frodo! Wait I'm coming with you!" Ali shouted and started running after the hobbit. She jumped and grabbed a hold of the boat. It dragged her into the water, but she clinged onto the boat.

"Mr. Frodo!" Sam suddenly burst out of the woods. "No, no, no! Frodo!" Sam rushed into the water and grabbed onto the boat next to Ali.

Frodo looked at both of them in shock but helped both of them into the boat.

"I made a promise, Mr. Frodo, a promise. Don't you leave him Samwise Gamgee. And I don't mean to. I don't mean to," Sam said, voice full of tears.

"Oh, Sam," Frodo said and they hugged. Frodo pulled away from him. "Come on." Then the two of them turned to Ali.

Ali cleared her throat. "I'll be going. You were right, Frodo. You must do this alone, alone with Sam. I'll be going now."

"Miss Ali, don't go, either. You made a promise, too. And you must fulfill that promise," Sam burst out.

Ali turned back from jumping into the river and looked at Frodo. "So does this mean you want me with you?"

Frodo nodded. "I do. I may need your help for all I know and you may be right all this time."

Ali smiled broadly for the first time in days. "Let's go then."

They soon started paddling across the lake, heading for the Eastern Shore. Meanwhile, Aragorn, Gimili, Legolas, and Boromir stood on the bank. Legolas rushed and started to push the boat into the river.

"Hurry, Frodo, Sam, and Ali have reached the Eastern Shore," Legolas called out, but stopped when nobody followed him. Legolas looked at Aragorn. "You mean not to follow them?"

"Frodo's fate is no longer in our hands," Aragorn said.

"What about Ali? She saved me, she did. And what if she gets hurt?" Boromir all but shouted.

"Then it has all been in vain. The Fellowship has failed," Gimili said, walking up to Aragorn along with Legolas and Boromir.

Aragorn walked over and put a hand on Gimili. "Not if we hold true to each other." Gimili put a hand on Aragorn's arm. Aragorn turned to Legolas and Boromir. "We will not abandon Merry and Pippin to torment and death. Not while we have strength left. Leave all that can be spared behind. We travel light. Let's hunt some Orc." Aragorn ran up the hill.

The Man, the Elf, and the Dwarf all looked at each other.

"Yes!" Gimili growled, grinning and following after Aragorn. Boromir and Legolas smiled and followed after him.

Frodo, Sam, and Ali trudged up the hill and stared at the land called Mordor. A volcano erupted.

"Mordor. I hope the others find a safer route," Frodo said softly.

"Strider will look after them," Sam stated.

"I trust they'll find their own paths. Some things they must do for themselves," Ali agreed, quoting Gandalf.

"I don't suppose us three will ever see them again," Frodo said.

"We may, Mr. Frodo, we may," Sam said.

Frodo turned around after a few minutes. Ali watched Frodo silently as he put a hand on both her and Sam's shoulders.

"Sam, Ali, I'm glad your with me," Frodo said and turned to walk down the rocky pass.

Sam and Ali looked at each other and smiled slightly. They soon followed Frodo down the hill, heading for the land ahead.

A/n: Welp, there's chapter nineteen. I don't have school tomorrow considering the pile of snow outside. This was a long chapter, obviously, but it had to be done. I hoped you all like. And I finally made my decision! Whoo-hoo. Get ready for surprises ahead. I'll shut up now.

Kage Miko- Thanks so much for the review! I hope this chapter's satisfied you. Laugh out loud. Thanks again.

Angelofdragons- Thanks for the review! Try the chapter The Mirror of Galadriel. I only say it briefly when Ali's looking into the mirror, but I hope is satisfies you. Thanks again!

Ashes Kittyhawk- Thanks for the review! Glad you liked it and hoped you enjoyed this chapter just as much. Thanks again.