Disclaimer: Same as always.
Congrats to LotR: RotK movie for tying Titanic for most Oscars. You see what pretty blond boys do for movies? Nice pretty blond boys.
That's all I have to say about that. Read. Enjoy. Review.
Carrie sat and talked with Aragorn for a long time. She felt guilty monopolizing all of his time, but whenever she made a move to end the conversation because of this, he told her that it was fine. He wasn't needed before their trip to Edoras. Carrie wasn't sure if he was lying to make her feel better for taking up his time, or if he just didn't want to deal with King Theoden anymore today.
They talked about Legolas for a while, Carrie telling Aragorn all that had happened between the two of them since that first morning at her house. Aragorn listened intently, smiling occasionally and frowning occasionally, depending on the part of the story Carrie was retelling. He didn't offer any insights into the elf's behavior, but he did tell her that they had been watching her, following her for almost a year in her time before he approached her that night in the theater. They didn't want to approach the wrong person. It was mostly Legolas who was 'stalking her', as Carrie called it indignantly, since he could be so quiet and inconspicuous. Carrie couldn't believe that she had never noticed this gorgeous man following her. He would report back to Aragorn, and as the time went on, those reports became less fact based and more complimentary on one aspect of her character or another. And that, Aragorn said, Carrie should be greatly honored about, coming from an elf.
"But," Carrie interrupted his story, feeling her cheeks flush at the compliment and wanting to change the subject, "if you were in my world for a year, what about your quest?"
"Ahh," Aragorn nodded at her. "Lady Galadriel assured us that we would return here at the same moment we left." He paused for a moment and then added, "She was actually the one who insisted on my going. My dreams continued to plague me while we were in Lothlorien. The Lady felt it would be a danger to the quest for my mind to be distracted as such."
Carrie regarded him silently for a moment, thinking about what she knew about their time in Lothlorien. "But Aragorn, why was it only you three? You were all together in Lothlorien. Why did the others not come?"
"The hobbits were not up to it, and needed rest. Gandalf was not with us at the time," he said simply. Carrie waited for him to finish. Aragorn sat and watched her, looking like he was waiting for her to say something.
After Carrie realized that he was apparently not going to offer any more information, she tried to decide if she should ask the question that was going through her mind. What about Boromir? She decided against it, knowing it may be difficult for Aragorn to talk about his fallen comrade. Besides, wasn't Boromir upset while they were there? He probably didn't want to have anything more to do with Galadriel. Carrie decided to change the subject instead of pursuing the current one.
"How did you survive when you were in my world anyway?"
Aragorn seemed grateful at the change of subject. He shrugged at her. "As you probably know, in your world, all you need to do is present a small, flat rectangular object and write your name, and people will give you what you need. We acquired some bed rolls and food in this manner and then camped in the woods a short ways from your home."
Carrie's eyes widened in surprise. She looked at Aragorn out of the corner of her eyes. "And where might you have gotten one of these 'small rectangular objects'?"
Aragorn smiled resourcefully at her. "Our first night, we found some folded, tanned hide on the ground that contained several of them." Carrie shook her head and dropped it into her hands, torn between shock and amusement. "Is there something the matter?"
At his worried tone, Carrie completely lost herself in her laughter. Once she composed herself, she looked up at him; tears still in her eyes. "I can't believe you stole someone's wallet!" she exclaimed, and started laughing again. She could just picture some poor guy getting a bill for hundreds of dollars of camping equipment. Her expression turned serious. "You're lucky you weren't arrested!" Aragorn frowned at her, not understanding. "It's against the law to use someone else's credit card - uh - small flat rectangle thing."
Aragorn nodded at her in comprehension. "We were questioned by a woman who appeared to be in authority." He chuckled at the memory and Carrie could not figure what possibly was amusing about it. "Legolas had a few diplomatic words with her, and we had no further trouble."
Carrie pursed her lips and eyed him warily. "What exactly did he say to her?"
"Does it matter?" Aragorn grinned at her. "I believe it was more his, ah, manner that convinced her." Carrie smiled and shook her head, knowing full well the effect his "manner" probably had on the woman. Most likely the same effect it seemed to have on all of her female cast mates who had seen him, not to mention on herself.
The continued to talk about Legolas, and once they had exhausted that subject, they shared stories, Carrie told more about her childhood and the theater and Aragorn told about various adventures he had in middle earth. He was very easy to talk to, and Carrie enjoyed the conversation very much. She found herself thinking that her mother would probably have adored this man until she realized – this man was her mother's grandfather.
Thoughts of her mother unexpectedly saddened Carrie. Aragorn noticed the change in her demeanor and grasped her hand in his. "What troubles you?" he asked gently.
Carrie dropped her eyes, embarrassed that he had noticed her upset. She forced a small smile and looked back up at him. "I was just thinking about home, and my mother." She shrugged. "I mean, I don't get to see her often, but if I ever wanted to see her, or talk to her, she was there. Now…" she broke off and dropped her eyes again.
Aragorn gave her hand a squeeze. "I'm sure you'll see her again," he said comfortingly. She looked up and he smiled compassionately at her.
"I'm not so sure." Carrie laughed bitterly. "How do I know that I will have to opportunity to go home? How do I know that I'm not stuck here?" She pulled her hand away and dropped her head into it. "And then there's this whole other thing. I mean, I miss my family, I miss my friends, and I feel like I'm supposed to go home, but…" she looked at Aragorn and shrugged. "I guess I just want too much. I want to go home. I want my life back, but I also want…" She bit her bottom lip as his name immediately came to mind and almost slipped past her lips. She looked away as she felt a blush begin to creep up the sides of her face.
"Carrie," Aragorn said and gently turned her head back to look at him. "Do not be ashamed of what you want."
"Why not?" She pursed her lips at him. "It's silly, really." She sat back and ticked off points on her fingers. "It's silly, it's childish, it's futile, there's no chance of anything ever coming of it," she placed her elbows on the table and leaned toward Aragorn, "and despite all this, it's causing me to question whether or not I actually want to go home." She threw her hands up in exasperation. "It's crazy!"
Aragorn shook his head at her. "It's not any of those things." He took her hands in his again. "Whether you want to return home is a decision you alone must make, but it is not upon you yet. As for the other matter, do not overly trouble yourself with it." He smiled slyly at her. "From what you have spoken and what I have seen, your concern is unnecessary."
Carrie would have asked him what he meant by that if the doors hadn't banged open and an agitated Gimli and a smug Legolas hadn't burst into the hall. They had apparently been arguing about something or other, but neither would say – which was surprising when it came to Gimli. Carrie wondered if it had anything to do with Gimli's earlier interest in her and Legolas' encounters, but she hoped fervently that it didn't.
Aragorn excused himself from the conversation and went with Gimli to check on something or other, leaving Carrie and Legolas alone in the hall. He stood and glared coolly at her. She remembered how nasty she was to him the last time they spoke and glanced uncomfortably at the floor.
"So," she began timidly, "did you have fun with Gimli in the caves?" Why did it sound so normal in her head and so sarcastic and bitter when she said it out loud?"
Legolas looked at her blankly. "It was an interesting experience." His voice gave nothing away. Carrie decided then and there that she both hated elves and wanted to be one at the same time.
"Um. That's good." Why could she talk so easily with Aragorn, and yet her conversations with Legolas were so... so... she snorted to herself... so downright awful.
"You find something amusing about my comment?" Oops. That dratted super-sensitive elf hearing.
"No." Just then, Eomer entered the hall, interrupting them. 'Phew,' Carrie thought. 'Thank goodness.'
Eomer came up to them, briefly acknowledged Legolas and then turned to Carrie. "My lady Carrie, I am told that you are to join us in our ride to Edoras." Carrie nodded. "I have also been told that you do not know how to ride, although you arrived here on horseback." Carrie smiled and nodded again. "I would like to offer for you to ride with me to Edoras."
Carrie's eyes went wide in astonishment. That was quite an offer. Especially coming from someone who she knew to be the future king. She glanced at Legolas who seemed unaffected by this. Well she was not unaffected; she was greatly honored. "Ok," was all she could manage to say.
Eomer smiled at her. "I will find you before we ride out tomorrow. Good day, milady." He nodded once to Legolas and walked out of the hall, leaving Carrie and Legolas alone again. Carrie watched him go, and then turned to Legolas. He still had no discernable expression on his face.
"You know, I think he likes me." She smiled innocently at Legolas, determined to see if she could get a rise out of him to try to get some indication as to what he was thinking. His manner certainly wasn't giving anything away.
"I thought the same thing." Legolas held her gaze.
"What?" Carrie's smile left her face. His response took her completely by surprise.
"I said..."
"I heard what you said," Carrie growled back at him. "Doesn't it bother you?"
"Bother me?" Legolas looked puzzled. "Should it?"
Carrie didn't know if he was being extremely insensitive, extremely stupid or just being a complete jerk, but it was not the answer she had wanted to hear.
"I don't know if it should bother you. I had kind of hoped, I don't know." Carrie faltered. She had never known a guy like this. "Aren't you the least bit jealous?"
"Jealous?" He looked incredulous. "It is not in my nature."
"Not in your nature." Carrie parroted back. "Not in your nature?" Carrie had no idea what to do with that. "But I thought...well... I don't know what I thought, but..."
Seeing how much this apparently affected Carrie, Legolas' manner softened considerably. He took a step towards her, closing the distance between them. He gently ran his hands through her hair and looked into her eyes.
"Why are you so distraught?"
"Why am I so distraught?"
"Carrie," Dammit! She thought. He still gets me every time he says my name. "We are going to get nowhere in this conversation if you continue to merely repeat back what I say."
Carrie sighed. She did not know what to do. She had never been the type of girl to have the "serious talk" with guys. If they liked her, they liked her. If they didn't, then thank you, next please. But Legolas, he was seriously driving her to the edge of insanity.
Still, Carrie was not one to easily change her nature. She decided to change the subject, rather than be truthful, to Legolas or herself, as to why his lack of jealousy bothered her so much. She pushed her frustration and confusion to the back of her mind. She realized she still hadn't apologized for her actions earlier. She dropped her eyes to the floor.
"Look, Legolas, lets just start over. I'm sorry about what I said this morning. It was wrong of me." She looked up at him with a smile. "And I want you to know that I didn't tell Aragorn what happened, or rather, what didn't happen this morning."
Legolas looked at her for a moment, sizing up this abrupt change of manner, before he smiled back at her. "Then I should let you know, I told Gimli your affairs are none of his concern."
Carrie smiled back at him. She could get used to being nice to each other, staying clear of any touchy subjects. "I would have told him to butt his big fat nose out of my business, but your way works too." Legolas chuckled at that and to Carrie's utmost horror she giggled. She regained control of herself and looked up at Legolas.
Suddenly she was hit with an impulse. "Come sit with me." She walked over to the table and sat down. After a moment he followed, sitting next to her and giving her a smile that absolutely melted her.
"So, I've been talking to Aragorn," she began once she had regained her composure. "You know he's my great-grandfather, supposedly, right?"
"Great-grandfather?" The confusion was plain on Legolas' face.
"Yes," Carrie smiled. "I know what you all thought, but it turns out, he's my great-grandfather."
Carrie told him of her conversations with Elrond and how she had come to find out her relation to Aragorn. He listened so attentively to her, that she found herself retelling what had happened since she arrived in middle earth, from Rivendell all the way up to her reckless and impulsive ride to Helms Deep. She was amazed at how easy he actually was to talk to, once she was able to ignore the fact that he was maddeningly gorgeous.
When her stories were winding down, she was struck by a whim. "So," she began, her eyes twinkling humorously, "Aragorn's been telling me that you were following me around for the past year." She thought she saw a look of surprise in his eyes but it was gone before she could be sure. "Oh, I'm not mad, don't worry." She smiled sweetly at him. "I mean, I completely understand why you felt compelled to follow me around," she said innocently. "You couldn't get enough of me," she teased.
At this comment, there was shock in his eyes. He must have belatedly realized she was teasing because he broke into another one of his heart-melting smiles.
"So, then, we're even." Carrie could see pure mischievousness in his eyes. She was a little worried because she had no idea what he meant.
"Even?" she asked faintly.
"Well," he raised an eyebrow at her and continued to smirk. "You did follow me halfway across middle earth, riding bareback on a horse, when I know you've never ridden before." He smiled at her startled look. "Who can't get enough of who?"
"Oh!" Carrie exclaimed and playfully slapped his arm. "You..." But she could say no more because she had dissolved into laughter.
Her chuckles subsided and she stood up. "Well then, on that note... If you would be so kind sir, as to escort me to my room, I need to freshen up before the evening meal." She batted her eyes at him jokingly.
Legolas stood and extended his arm to her, and if he had any thoughts about her earlier unhappiness he did not voice them.
Reviewers: Thank you immensely as always.
nap-003 - I'm glad you loved the chapter! Sure there's a reason for Carrie being in Middle Earth. What is it? Um… um… we'll just have to wait and see, won't we, precious? Bah! There it goes again!
bookwormqueen - Wow! Such praise! Thank you! So, Vulcans, huh? Must be those ears…
XxgemxX - Gandalf and his riddles rule! And yes, believe it or not, that story was true.
bant - Thank you, both for the review and the upcoming elf. :)
Jack-Sparrow-Lover - Hey, welcome back! You know, after hearing about your adventures with your very own elf, I'm thinking twice. I think arrows flying around my house would scare the crap out of my dog.