A/N: Last one...

Chapter Fifteen: There is Hope.

"99 decision street,

99 ministers meet,

To worry, worry, super scurry,

Call the troops out in a hurry,

This is what we've waited for,

this is it boys,

This is war.

The president is on the line

as 99 red balloons go by."

Goldfinger, "99 Red Balloons."

Legolas, Aragorn, and Gimli, went straight to the caves once the battle was over. As they were walking, Legolas decided he had to confess about what he and Melanie planned.

Right before they reached the entrance to the cave, Legolas stopped. "I've been keeping something from you two." said Legolas, and both stopped.

"What?" asked Gimli, and then comprehension dawned across his face, "I knew it! I knew it! I scored higher than you in the battle! I killed more, didn't I? Ha!"

Legolas and Aragorn chuckled. Legolas shook his head. "No, no, no," he said, laughing still. "No, 'tis about Melanie"

"What about her?" asked Aragorn.

"I asked her to be my bonded."

Silence. Sometimes it is golden. For Legolas, however, it was not.

"Why? When? She is so young! You cannot be serious. What will your father say?" Aragorn shot rapid fire questions at him.

"I did it because I believe I love her. I did it in a room in the Keep. I am aware that she is young, one of the many reasons I love her. I am very serious. And I do not want to think about what my father shall say." He said this all in one breath, and felt unbelievably better about the whole thing.

"I do not know what to say. Perhaps we should include Melanie in this conversation." Aragorn went first into the cave, Gimli next, and Legolas last. It took them a moment to adjust to the darkness of it all. Then they looked around.

Nearly every person was gone from the passage. Only a few, who had obviously not lost members of their families, were joyously celebrating. One quick glance around the room showed Melanie was not there.

"Where is she?" asked Aragorn.

Legolas strode towards a family. "Have you seen a woman, light hair, grey eyes, dressed in a tunic and leggings? Have you seen her? Where is she?"

None answered. Legolas tried to hide how panicked he felt. "Where is she?" he asked again. What if she did not make it to the cave before the battle began? What if she was trapped outside? That would certainly be the end for her!

A little voice, not much more than a whisper, spoke. "I saw her. I saw her and my friend Ennoi and her big sister, and the White Lady. They went somewhere . . . I can't remember where she went."

Legolas walked toward the child and kneeled down to look into her eyes. He tried to keep the nervousness out of his voice.

"You are a good girl. If you think back, you can remember. Where did they go?"

"I-I can't-" the girl began, but then, another voice called out.

"Master Elf, Lord Aragorn, Master Gimli!" They all turned, and from the deep passageway, came Eowyn, breathing fast as if she had run for a long while.

"Lady, where is Melanie?" asked Aragorn, walking up to Eowyn.

"I have just come from her . . . we are back deeper into the caves-we-" But before she could finish, all three companions ran to the back of the cave.

As Legolas was running, he noticed how dark and stuffy it was. What force could drive Melanie to go this far back into the cave? And why had the White Lady gone with her?

Then, each of the three noticed how the stuffiness lifted, with a breath of fresh air. They did not pause in their running, however, and kept on.

Finally, they saw up ahead, a light from a torch. There was a small gathering of females. Legolas first saw the two he had told to accompany Melanie to the caves. They were kneeling over a woman, whose face Legolas could not see.

"Melanie? What's wrong with-" Legolas sad, walking up to the woman. Then, he suddenly realized that the woman was not Melanie. Melanie was no where to be found.

"Where is she?" Legolas asked, for what felt like the millionth time, the two (the woman was sleeping).

They did not answer. Each was looking behind Legolas.

"Where is who?" asked a familiar voice. Legolas turned, fully ready to tell Melanie off for scaring him so.

But then he saw her. He couldn't speak. Her eyes shone in the darkness, and she was smiling beautifully. The most beautiful sight, however, was the child she held in her arms. Melanie looked quickly down at the babe, and rocked it slowly.

"Little baby," Melanie cooed, and she gently touched the child's cheek with her finger. She looked up at Legolas. As soon as she heard his voice, she felt ready to cry with joy. All she wanted to do was leap into his arms and never let him go. But the child in her arms didn't really permit such action. "One second," she said to Legolas, who looked thunderstruck. Ennoi smiled at Melanie, and took the baby from her arms.

Melanie shivered, missing the warmth. Legolas saw this, and wished she'd come to his arms. "Melanie," Aragorn said. "What are you all doing here?"

Melanie looked at Eowyn, who nodded. "Well, Freya," Melanie said, motioning towards the sleeping woman, "Was going to have a baby. We needed to get to someplace with water and air. So here we are. She had the baby and . . ."

Ennoi interrupted. "What do you mean she 'had the baby'?" The child saw that all in the room were looking at her. "A thousand pardons," she curtsied, "But, Freya didn't just have her baby. We all helped her! And Melanie did the most! She did the delivery." Aragorn did a sort of double take at this. Melanie looked at her feet.

"You were right, Aragorn. I did need the bag."

"Melanie!" Legolas said, and this time, he did not restrain himself. He picked her up in an embrace and spun her. Melanie, caught unaware, leaned into his arms and laughed. She kissed him on the nose before he set her down. He held her hand in his.

Aragorn walked toward her. "You actually delivered the child. You actually delivered the babe?!"

Melanie rolled her eyes. "No, I delivered Melanie. Her name is Melanie." She beamed with pride. "I'd really love to leave the caves, but Freya is so exhausted, and we don't want to move her again."

"I understand, but," said Aragorn, "there are two young men looking for lost loves. And Eowyn's uncle is also quite worried. So, you all will go with Gimli, and we shall stay here with Freya."

Freya stirred, and then groaned. "Hayden," she moaned.

"Tell 'Hayden' that Freya has had his child." Aragorn said to Eilon.

Aragorn's orders were carried out. He took the child from Ennoi, and cradled her close. He looked her over, and then handed the babe to Melanie.

Melanie took her happily and cuddled her. Legolas came towards the two and wrapped his arms around Melanie.

"It's been a tiring couple of days," said Melanie, looking up at him. She leaned into him, and for the first time in what seemed eternity, she felt safe.

"Yes it has," said Legolas against her neck, "But there is hope."

"Yes," said Melanie, looking down at the child, "There is hope."

END

Thanks to all my reviewers: You guys are the greatest. Tell me if you want the sequel, it is still up in the air.