Paige and Legolas walked around the now empty courtyard. When everyone had found out the King was still alive and that he now had a son, the city had rushed to their houses to grab a gift of some kind and ran back to give it to the King and Queen. The crowd had finally returned to their homes to discuses the days events.

'So, do you know?' Legolas asked.

'Know what?'

'If you're, um, well... pregnant.'

Paige smiled.

'It takes a while to learn this things, Legolas. But no, I don't think I am.'

Legolas stopped and looked at Paige.

'Paige, I'm sorry for what I did. I should have known better than to come to your room and start discussing how I felt about you, especially at night.'

'It's OK Legolas. We all make mistakes, and this just happened to be one of them.'

They returned to the front doors leading to the Great Hall where the rest of the fellowship was waiting. Arwen was also there with little Wyatt.

'Everyone', said Arwen rather nervously. 'I apologies for my behavior during to past few weeks. Unfortunately, pregnancy and me just don't go together, and that is why Aragorn and I have decided we are not going to have another child.'

'I'm sure I speak for us all when I say you're forgiven', said Piper with a smile. 'And as a woman who has also been pregnant, I can tell you that after the first, it isn't that bad when it comes to mood swings or morning sickness. The worst has passed.'

Arwen and Aragorn glanced at each other. They both smiled.

'We'll see', Arwen said.

'And I'm sorry to say that me, my sisters and my boys must return to our world. We have come to do what we needed to do and we must go. We are not going to be able to come back.'

Silence.

'But', Piper continued. 'My sisters and I have also decided that we are not going to take your memories away. If you write down your history as if we never came her and never helped you, all will be well in our world and we will not be revealed.'

Everyone nodded, looking happy that they were going to be able to keep their memories this time.

'Piper, can I talk to you for a moment?' Aragorn asked.

They both walked over to the stable were the horse Arod was kept. He was Aragorn's favorite horse and was never ridden except by Aragorn and Aragorn alone. Aragorn petted Arod and dug around in his pocket for a few oats.

'Are you all right, Piper?'

'As fine as I can be after a near death experience. How about you?'

'I'm fine. I was just concerned about you.'

Piper nodded.

'Aragorn', she said nervously. 'I need to ask you a question that may come as a shock and may seem a little bit stupid.'

He looked at her expectantly, still gently rubbing Arod's head.

'Do you still love me?'

Aragorn's hand stopped moving on Arod's head and dropped to his side. He looked at Piper and sighed.

'Piper', he said softly. 'I stopped loving for you when you took my memory away. When I got my memory back, my love for Arwen was still there, stronger than my love was for you. Slowly, that love turned into love for a friend, not for a lover. Why do you ask me this? Do you still love me?'

Piper stared at him for a moment and turned around then walked away quickly back to her sisters. She couldn't tell him, she couldn't do that to him, now that he has a son...

'Piper?' Aragorn called.

She kept walking. Aragorn started walking after her.

'Piper.'

She ran the rest of the way back to her sisters and grabbed their hands. She turned around to see Aragorn running towards her.

'Orb', Piper commanded. 'Now.'

She took one last look at Aragorn as he disappeared in a flurry of orblights and met his eyes. In his eyes she saw confusion and hurt. And truth. He knew that she still loved him. And now that she was gone, there was no way he was going to be able to tell her he was sorry for her and was going to miss her a lot.

Piper sat on her bed reading a book, the Lord of the Rings. But her mind wasn't focused on Frodo and Sam in Shelob's lair. Her mind was focused on another character in the book. She couldn't keep the way Aragorn had looked at her that last time out of her mind. She had no way of getting back to him now, except in her imagination and through the book. Wyatt had put up a powerful spell that even the Charmed Ones couldn't break. The Barrier between their world and the world of Middle Earth was forever sealed. But it didn't seal Piper's feelings for Aragorn deep inside her heart. Instead, she felt more hopeless then ever.

There was a knock on her door, and Paige timidly walked into her room. Piper closed the book.

'Hey Paige', Piper greeted her. 'What's up?'

'Well', said Paige nervously. 'There's something I should tell you about that happened in Middle Earth that I think you should know. Well, Phoebe thinks you should know.'

'What is it?'

Paige sat down on the edge of the bed.

'Now don't freak out OK? But Legolas and me, well...'

She paused.

'You and Legolas what?'

'We kind of...'

'Had sex?'

Paige nodded. Piper stared at her for a moment, looked like she was about to say something, shook her head and went back to her book.

'These things happen.'

Paige looked shocked.

'Your not going to yell at me? Are you OK?'

'I'm fine. Why?'

'Your not yelling at me like you normally would. You know what? Let's go to P3. We haven't been there for a while and I want to meet that new bartender.'

Twenty minutes later Piper found herself at P3 with Phoebe and Paige. Piper stayed at the bar while Phoebe and Paige danced with a different guy a song. She ordered a glass of scotch and downed it in one go, feeling worse then before she had drunk the scotch.'

'Tom!' Piper shouted over the music. 'Tell my sisters I went home and I'll see them later.'

Tom nodded and took Piper's glass away for washing. Piper walked through the busy crowd and out the back door. She drove home and dragged herself up the stairs. When she got to her room, she fell on to her and cried. She missed Aragorn so much it was beginning to kill her. The last time she had been in this much pain was when Leo had become an Elder and left. Now she had left Aragorn in Middle Earth and she felt like she had betrayed him.

'Piper?'

Piper flipped around on her bed to see Leo standing in her doorway holding an envelope. He passed it to her and she saw it was a letter from Aragorn.

'How did you get this?' she whispered.

'Our sons spell can't keep Elders from traveling between worlds, Piper. I know you care for him, so I went to him and asked him to write a letter to you, so you wouldn't be in so muck pain like when I left you.'

He orbed out of the room. Piper ripped open the envelope and pulled out the piece of parchment. She unfolded it and began to read it.

'Dear Piper,

I had no idea you still loved me and I'm sorry I can't give you the love you want. Do not be torn apart because we can not see each other again. According to Leo, your son has created a barrier so no one can pass into your or my world except an elder, whoever or whatever that is.

Gondor has returned to normal. It is not in Gondor's history that you were ever here. Frodo and Gandalf have decided to stay in Middle Earth and visit with their friends before they leave. This will be awhile since they have to build a boat to sail across the sea.

Piper, again I'm sorry that I can't help you. But perhaps we will see each other again. Because, like you said, the future is not certain. So maybe even now we will see each other again. Until then, I love you and may the blessing of elves and men and all free folk go with you.

Aragorn.

Piper folded up the letter and put it back in the envelope. Maybe even now we will see each other again he had said. But how soon is now? She put the envelope on her bedside table and picked up the Lord of the Rings, which was still on the bed. She flipped through its pages and looked in the back. There was Middle Earth's history in summery. She wasn't in it but she was in Aragorn's heart. And that was all that mattered to her.