Note from Nikki

Whoo! An update after only one week. Isn't that amazing? I hope this chapter is okay. I know it sucks, but I hope not too bad. Thanks for reading!

To the Reviewers

LoverofLegolas: LMAO! I thought that when you said vigorated that it said "viagra"ated. LMAO! I was like..whoa..uh..ok! Hehe, neways. Thanks for the review chic! I always love to hear from you, know this.

Vorserkeien: Thanks for not thinking it sucked. You might disagree after reading this chapter though. sigh Well, thanks for the review hunni! Luv ya

Crecy: Lmao! "She'll be alright! Even though it went through her heart" lol. I don't know why but that had me cracking up laughing. Hmm. . .can't tell you anything here. Sorry! You'll just have to read and find out evil laugh Thanks for you review!!

Lds-sunshinegirl: Aw! Thanks for your review. I really like hearing from you, you're a really nice person and I love your reviews! Thanks for everything!

Aragorn Elessar: I think I put you into shock. Lol! I'm sorry, but I have to do what I have to do. I know! I wanted Théoden to live too. I cried through that whole scene there. Shut up! I bet you're laughing now. But what can I say? I am highly emotional. Yes, I think coronated is it word. It sounds like one at least. Neway, thanks for the review hugz

Mojo: Aww! Thanks hunni! You know I love and love hearing from you. You're the best!

Joy4Eva: Thanks for the review! I'm glad that you are enjoying the story so far though I can't for the life of me figure out why. It sucks! Thanks though!

I'm sorry if I forgot anyone! You have permission to kick my ass though! Thanks everyone!

--

Scott, seeing that Dan was in too much shock to move, immediately attacked the Orcs who had sneaked up behind them. He had killed them in a matter of seconds and dashed to Dan's side. He was holding Hanalee's head in his lap, rocking slightly back and forth.

Scott's own heart pumped rapidly against his chest as he kneeled down and felt for a pulse. He could feel one, but it was small and erratic.

"Hanalee!" Dan cried, gently shaking her.

He eyes fluttered open and Scott was horrified to see the blood in them. More blood was sliding out of her mouth and he could hear her breathing become far more labored. Understanding what this meant, Scott stepped back and turned the opposite way, preparing to fight anyone who dared to ruin the last moment's of the two lovers. No matter how tough Scott pretended to be, silent, slow falling tears were sliding down his pale face.

"Dan," she choked, blood spilling from her mouth and sliding down her almost transparent skin.

"I'm here, I'm right here," he said grasping tightly onto her cold hands.

"I-love you," she said softly.

"Dammit Hanalee! Don't you dare leave me! Don't do it!"

"S-orr-y"

"I love you! Do you hear me?" Dan shouted. "I love you too much! I can't let you die!"

The pain, hurt, and anger in Dan's voice was frightening. Scott had never heard his best friend like this and he wished that he was anywhere but here. Anywhere away from this heartache.

Hanalee choked again and tears made their way down her cheek. "I only wanted to see you. . one. .last. . time."

Dan began shouting "I love you" but his words were drowned out by the final coughs of Hanalee.

"NO! DAMNIT! NO!" Dan yelled.

Scott turned around and saw that Dan had thrown himself onto Hanalee's lifeless body. "No! Come back! COME BACK!"

"Oh God," a voice whispered silently behind him. Scott spun around only to see Aurora, watching the scene with a horrified expression.

She exchanged pained looks with Scott before dashing forward and gently pulling her brother away from Hanalee. "Dan, it's okay. Shh. . .it's okay."

"It is not fucking okay! She needs help! Maybe we can save her!"

"She's gone Dan," Aurora whispered, pulling him into a tight embrace.

Dan could do nothing but wrap his arms around his sister and cry hysterically into her shoulder. It was destroying Aurora inside as well and she couldn't help but cry along with him. Soon Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli found the three of them and waited at a respectful distance.

Scott leaned down and cried a long too, figuring now was no time to be brave.

--

Aurora leaned wearily against a half crumbled brick wall later that day. She was in the hospital area of the castle, she assumed, because hundreds of men were being brought in on make-shift stretchers made from fallen timber.

Aurora had been given the duty to stand guard over a man named Faramir. Apparently this man was Boromir's brother and his father, the steward of Gondor, had recently committed suicide. He woke every once in awhile and shifted about restlessly but he didn't utter a sound, even as he gazed at her unblinkingly.

Aurora slid her gaze to another bed, this one occupied by her brother. It had been a difficult task indeed to separate Dan from Hanalee and eventually Scott and Aragorn had been forced to drag him off. Apparently he had become emotionally worn and had been allowed to rest fitfully on another bed.

Aurora sighed inwardly. She had barely known Hanalee but she was still hurting from her death. They could have been the best of friends and could have been like sisters. And now that chance was brutally taken away. And it was all because of Sauron. Aurora had never seen this creature but it was amazing just how strongly she hated him.

Scott's arms suddenly wrapped around her waist and he kissed her neck softly. Aurora sighed and leaned into him, still gazing at her brother.

"I forgive you," Scott whispered.

"For what?"

"For leaving without me."

Aurora would have laughed had she the energy to do so. "You know I had to."

"You didn't have to-"

"Let's not argue," Aurora moaned. "It was wrong, I admit. I'm sorry."

Scott answered by giving her another gentle kiss and resting his chin on her shoulder. The two of them watched on in silence, paying close attention to their two subjects and feeling content in one another's arms.

"They're having a meeting," a voice informed them.

The couple jumped and turned to see a very sorrowful looking Éowyn enter the room. "I think you should go."

"Who will watch them?" Aurora asked, nodding her head to the two men sleeping opposite one another.

"I will. I do not want anything more to do with this war."

"I'm sorry," Aurora mumbled. "I heard about Théoden."

Éowyn averted her gaze to Faramir's face which she watched attentively. "It is how he would have wanted it."

"Excuse me?" Scott asked, not understanding why anyone would want to die in the fashion that Théoden did.

"In battle. He was not one to sit around and let everyone else fight for him. It is better that he died here, on the battlefields than as an old man in his home."

Aurora and Scott nodded before standing up and heading out the door. Impulsively Aurora dashed back and gave the stunned woman a hug. "Things will work out for you, I know it."

Without saying anything more, she grabbed onto Scott's hand and left the room, walking quickly through the ruins of the city, offering aide wherever it was needed.

It was a long journey because the couple had the misfortune of seeing many sorrows. They saw women with lifeless faces, holding their lifeless children. They saw other children weeping hysterically over their parents' bodies, or a wife saying a final goodbye to her husband.

Both were greatly relieved when they entered the throne room which was filled with Éomer, Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn, and Gandalf. All of them were looking rather grave and many of them were pacing around the room or, such as in Gimli's case, sitting on the former steward's throne.

Aurora dashed forward and gave Gandalf an enormous hug. The wizard was surprised but returned the favor, patting her gently on the back. "Where is Merry? And Pippin?"

"Merry was slightly wounded. He's simply getting patched up and there is no doubt both the hobbits will join us."

Aurora sighed, feeling relieved. She had been very concerned about the Hobbits and to know that they had both successfully lived through this was a miracle all in itself.

"Why is everyone looking so gloomy?" Aurora asked.

"The war is not over yet, Aurora," Aragorn answered sadly.

"But all that needs to be done is Frodo throwing the ring into Mt. Doom, right?" Scott ventured cautiously.

"There a hundreds of thousands of Orcs separating Frodo from Mt. Doom, not to mention the Great Eye of Sauron."

"Frodo has passed beyond my sight. The darkness is deepening," Gandalf muttered tiredly.

"If Sauron had the Ring we would know it," Aragorn countered.

"It's only a matter of time. He has suffered a defeat, yes, but behind the walls of Mordor our enemy is regrouping."

"Let him stay there. Let him rot! Why should we care?" Gimli said, puffing from his well deserved pipe.

"Because ten thousand Orcs now stand between Frodo and Mount Doom," Gandalf sighed, repeating what Aragorn had only said moments before. "I've sent him to his death."

"No," Aragorn said quietly. "There's still hope for Frodo. He needs time, and safe passage across the Plains of Gorgoroth. We can give him that."

"How?" Gimli asked, voicing Aurora's own puzzled question.

"Draw out Sauron's armies. Empty his lands. Then we gather our full strength and march on the Black Gate."

Gimli coughed out smoke in utter surprise just as Aurora choked on what could only be her own spit. The BLACK GATES? OF MORDOR? Was Aragorn completely INSANE?

"We cannot achieve victory through strength of arms," Éomer said incredulously.

"Not for ourselves, but we can give Frodo his chance if we keep Sauron's Eye fixed upon us. Keep him blind to all else that moves."

"A diversion," Legolas said, suddenly seeming to understand.

Gandalf said something softly to Aragorn, so softly that Aurora couldn't hear.

"Certainty of death. Small chance of success. What are we waiting for?" Gimli asked.

Aurora sighed and she and Scott left the room, deciding that now was the time to prepare if ever.

"I can't believe we are doing this," Aurora groaned, carefully stepping over a fallen stone. "We go from one impossible war to another, this time we don't have green ghosts to save our asses."

Scott shrugged. "Aragorn knows what he is doing Aurora. If it will give Frodo the chance, why shouldn't we do it?"

Aurora sighed again but didn't answer. Instead she stopped and stepped back a few paces, having realized that she had passed her brother's room. She carefully looked inside and was surprised to see Éowyn wiping Faramir's forehead with a cool cloth. Their faces were inches away and they were gazing intently into one another's eyes.

"Well," Scott whispered lightly, "don't they look comfortable?"

"I don't think we are the only ones to have found love," Aurora answered, taking his hand and squeezing it.

Aurora and Scott pulled away, deciding to allow the two their own space. They walked hand in hand, heading to the armory wear they would re-adorn themselves in battle gear.

"Are we going to wake Dan up?" Scott asked.

Aurora shook her head. "No. He wouldn't even talk to me earlier, even though he was awake. He's too depressed to move. I think he just needs time to rest."

"I hope we get that rest someday too," Scott muttered.

--

A/n: It's a little too fast-paced, isn't it? Well, that's how I always pictured a war. A lot of moving around and not a lot of time for sorrow. I'm sorry that I killed Hanalee! You should be thankful that it was only her. From the beginning of this story I had every intention of killing Dan in this chapter. But when the time came, I simply could not do it! I wasn't supposed to get attatched to Dan but I kinda like the guy, lol!