Middle-Earth and all its inhabitants are the property of JRR Tolkien and Buffy belongs to Joss Whedon.

Everyone: Thank You, Thank You, Thank You for the reviews!! If it weren't for all your support there is no way I would have made it this far writing this story. The feedback is very much appreciated.

Author's Note: I would just like to mention that I never intended for the last chapter to end on a cliffhanger the way it did. I was surprised to read in the reviews that so many of you thought it was a cliffhanger. Then I realized, of course I didn't think it was a cliffhanger because I am the bloody author and I know what is going happen. Duh. Really not one of my brighter moments. Anyway, I intend to try avoid ending my chapters that way because I know it sucks to be left hangin'.

The Palantir

Strong hands gripped her shoulders and Buffy looked up to see Legolas gazing at her with first relief and then anger.

"You are all right," he said softly. Then with more volume, "You really are insane!"

"Did you get it?" Buffy asked, refusing to respond to his irritation with her.

"What?" He looked puzzled.

"The stone, did you guys get it? Wormtongue threw it out the window."

"I do not know," Legolas answered. He took her by the elbow and began pulling her towards the stairs. "We must hurry. Gandalf is holding the door open but he cannot do it for long."

They ran down the stone steps and as they reached the bottom Buffy saw that the doors were beginning to close. She could hear Gandalf on the other side rapidly chanting words in another language. Practically leaping the last several feet Buffy slipped out the doors. She heard a gasp of pain and turned to see that the doors had shut on Legolas. His left shoulder and arm were stuck. She ran back up, grabbed the Elf's arm, and yanked. He popped free and fell forward into Buffy sending the two of them tumbling down the stairs.

"Oww!" Buffy said as they hit the ground. She lay side by side with Legolas sprawled in the dirt.

"My sentiments exactly," mumbled Legolas with a groan.

Aragorn and Gimli quickly helped their friends to their feet. Buffy felt her muscles scream in complaint causing her head to spin for a moment.

"Are you injured?" Aragorn asked.

Both Buffy and Legolas shook their heads.

"Come back Saruman!" Gandalf called.

To Buffy's surprise Saruman appeared on the balcony again. His face seemed haggard and pale but his eyes glittered with anger. The wizard's gaze found Buffy and she recoiled from the look of intense hate that he sent her way.

"I am not finished with you," Gandalf said. "You have become a fool, Saruman!"

Saruman's eyes blazed with fury. A fool was he! It was all her fault! He was separated from Sauron because of her, the Slayer.

Buffy knew the attack was coming before she felt it. She had a moment to brace herself before a crack sounded and a bolt of lightening came streaking towards her.

"Buffy!"

Buffy felt herself thrown to the ground.

Gandalf raised his staff and managed to partially deflect the lightening, but a small finger of energy burst out after its intended target. Legolas had thrown Buffy aside and as he stood in her place he was struck. He dropped to the ground with a cry of pain where he lay unmoving.

Saruman screamed with frustration.

"Behold Saruman!" Gandalf cried throwing off his cloak so that his white robes could be seen. "I am no longer Gandalf the Grey! I am Gandalf the White returned from death! You have no color now, Saruman. I banish you from the order!"

Gandalf raised his staff.

"Your staff is broken," he said. Saruman's staff cracked and split into. "Go!" Gandalf waved his hand and Saruman was thrown back from the balcony rail. He fell to the floor and then crawled back inside.

Buffy felt her entire body seize as she stared at Legolas's unconscious form. She scrambled over to the Elf and shook him by his shoulders. She called out his name, but he did not respond. OhGodOhGodOhGod, she thought desperately, This is my fault!

Aragorn knelt beside his fallen friend and gave him a quick examination.

"Is he - ? Will he be all right?" Buffy choked out. So help her, if anything happened to Legolas Buffy was going right back inside that tower to finish Saruman off for good.

"He breathes freely and his reflexes appear normal," Aragorn said. "He has just been knocked unconscious and I imagine he will have head pains when he awakes."

Head pains! Buffy jumped to her feet and headed back towards the Tower. That was it, she thought furiously. She didn't care what Saruman did to her but nobody messed with her boyf - uh - her friend, she corrected herself. Legolas was her friend, who she occasionally kissed. Yeah.

Aragorn grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "Saruman is no threat to anyone any longer. You will not help Legolas by going after him."

She took a deep calming breath. Aragorn was right, Gandalf had already kicked that ass. She couldn't do much more short of killing the wizard. That idea certainly had appeal, yet the knowledge that Saruman had to live stripped of his power while stuck in tower with Wormtongue was immensely more satisfying.

"Come," said Gandalf. "The Rohirrim have set camp nearby. We can find a place for Legolas to recover undisturbed." He threw a disgusted look back at the Tower. "We are through here."

"Wait," Buffy said, remembering her purpose. "The palantir, did you get it?"

"The palantir?" asked Gandalf with some surprise.

"Wormtongue, he threw it out the window." Buffy explained.

Suddenly, Pippin could be heard shouting with excitement. He hurried towards them with the palantir clutched in his grasp.

"Here, my lad, I'll take that." Gandalf took the stone from the Hobbit and quickly wrapped it up in his robe. He looked at Buffy. "It seems you have an interesting tale to tell, Buffy. First, however, I must speak with Treebeard."

Aragorn and Eomer carefully lifted Legolas and proceeded to carry the injured Elf towards the camp. Buffy followed anxiously behind them. She repeatedly told herself that he would be okay; nevertheless, guilt and worry weighed heavily on her shoulders.

* * *

While waiting for Legolas to awaken Buffy quickly described her fight with Saruman to her companions. Gandalf was highly impressed that Buffy had been able to break free of Saruman's mind control. He did not know of many who had the strength of will that this one mortal girl exhibited. Buffy, in turn, learned that Legolas and Aragorn had been under a spell that kept them from preventing her entrance into the Tower. Gandalf had pried the doors open magically and Legolas had been sent to bring Buffy out. Actually, it was supposed to have been both Aragorn and Legolas who went inside, but the Elf would wait for no one. As soon as was possible, Legolas had squeezed himself through the doors only to return moments later with Buffy.

Buffy felt her gaze wander back to Elf's face again. He had risked his life for her and paid a painful price. She should be the one laying there unconscious, not him.

The hour grew later and the Hobbits went off with Gimli to seek something to fill their bellies. Aragorn and Gandalf were deep in conversation with Theoden and Buffy remained by Legolas. She watched in relief as his chest rose and fell with each deep breath he took. Pulling her cloak close around her she gazed at the wood as it cracked and burned in the fire.

The Hobbits returned and left a generous portion of food for her. The plate sat by the fire untouched. She couldn't possibly eat. It couldn't be good for him to sleep this long. Oh God! What if he had a concussion? What if he was in a coma? He could have brain damage! He could sleep for a hundred years - wait, that was Rip Van Winkle.

Legolas stirred, snapping Buffy out of her frantic thoughts. He mumbled something before slowly opening his eyes.

"How do you feel?" Buffy asked moving to his side.

"Like I have been hit by lightening," he replied massaging his head.

"That great, huh?" She grabbed a nearby flask and opened it, "Aragorn said you had to drink some of this when you woke up." She sniffed it experimentally. "It sure seems potent."

Legolas took a sip and then gasped as his eyes watered furiously.

"Yes," he choked, "very - potent."

After a moment the liquid began to work its way through his body and he felt his strength return. He sat up and saw Buffy watching him with concern.

"Are you sure you should be sitting up so soon?" she asked.

"I am fine," he said reassuringly. "My head aches a little, but I feel no weakness."

"I am so sorry!" Buffy burst out.

"Sorry?"

"It is my fault! Saruman was after me because I had escaped and taken the palantir away from him! You could have been killed!"

"Buffy, look at me." Legolas ordered. When Buffy met his gaze he continued, "It was my choice to push you out of the way. I knew what I was doing . . . and I would gladly do it again."

Buffy looked away from the Elf's intense gaze and drew in a deep steadying breath.

"I want you to tell me what happened," said Legolas.

"You were hit by -"

"No, not that, I well remember that part." Legolas rubbed his head. "What happened between you and Saruman? Tell me."

So she did. She left nothing out and even told him what Saruman had said while he had been poking around in her head. She hadn't even told Gandalf that much.

"Why did you go?" he asked when she was through.

"After Saruman? I had to get the palantir. That was what my dreams had been trying to tell me. I think it might have something to do with Aragorn."

"Why did you go alone?" he rephrased his question.

"Well, because - That's what I do," she answered. "I go after the bad guy."

"I would have helped you as would Aragorn and Gimli. You needn't have faced the wizard alone."

"Honestly, it never occurred to me to ask anyone for help," Buffy said thoughtfully. "I mean, I always go after the big bad alone because I am the one with the strength to fight it. The final outcome comes down to me versus them. There is no one else. Sure my friends help all they can but . . . in the end, when it counts the most, I am always alone."

Buffy felt Legolas take her hand.

"You are alone no longer," he said.

* * *

Pippin pulled his cloak closer around him. He had tried to sleep but rest eluded him. Merry was snoring quietly a few feet away. He had fallen asleep only moments after laying down. Pippin's thoughts turned back to the stone he had found outside Orthanc. It intrigued him and he found himself wanting to gaze into its depths. He looked around warily and made his way over to where Gandalf lay sleeping. His body seemed to move of its own accord while his mind was screaming warnings. Beside the wizard, wrapped once again in a dark cloth, was the palantir. Pippin felt his breath speed up and he crept closer. Carefully lifting the bundle away, he found a nearby stone and drawing the cloth off the palantir he wrapped it around the rock and placed it beside Gandalf. He moved away from the wizard to a small hill and sat down with stone held up on his knees. It was smooth and very dark, he noted. Suddenly, the stone began to glow faintly as the Hobbit watched with fascination. The glow burst into a bright flame and Pippin found himself held by it even though he tried to look away. He gasped and struggled as he began to hear a deep, dark voice within his mind. He remained bent over the stone for a while until he stood with vacant eyes and turned back down the hill towards camp.

Buffy lay sleeping with her head pillowed on Legolas's cloak. Pippin looked down at her with a glassy stare. He carefully placed the uncovered palantir right by the Slayer's head so that it would be the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes.

Buffy gasped and struggled in her sleep. What had moments before been a peaceful rest turned into a nightmare. Her mind was suddenly filled with the presence of the Eye and she fought desperately against it. Her body shook violently as she tossed and turned under the influence of the stone.

* * *

Legolas sat with Aragorn and Gimli discussing the days events. He felt no need for rest since he had spent the better part of the evening unconscious and it was relaxing to trade banter back and forth with his friends. They seemed watchful of his condition, even though he had assured them he felt recovered.

"I must confess," Gimli was saying, "I would have dearly loved to Saruman's face when Wormtongue dropped that stone out the window."

"Yes," Legolas agreed, "it must have been -" He cut off mid-sentence and froze. "Buffy!"

The Elf flew back to where he had left the Slayer sleeping to find Pippin standing over her. Just as he reached her Buffy's eyes popped open and she fell into the depths of the seeing stone. Her gaze remained fixed on the palantir while her body shuddered violently. Legolas quickly tossed a corner of Buffy's blanket over the stone effectively breaking both her and Pippin's contact. The Hobbit gave a cry and fell back to the ground.

Buffy's eyes closed and she continued to shake and gasp as Legolas gently propped her up in his arms.

"Wake up, Buffy," he said. She struggled a little but her shaking began to subside. "Open your eyes, melamin."

Buffy wearily cracked open one eye and regarded the Elf with confusion.

"Did you just call me a melon friend?"