Guys, I feel the need to do something really stupid that I think a lot of you will HATE me for...
Boromir: Hello! I'm going to introduce the chapters to come!
Merry: Ahem!
Boromir: Oh and shorty here will too!
Merry: We are supposed to tell you that DB does not own anything. She doesn't even own me!
Boromir: Or the horn of Gondor.
Merry: That's not funny
Boromir: Yes it is!
Merry: No, it's not!
Boromir: Suit yourself, here's the next chapter!
Merry: I was supposed to tell them that!
Boromir: Snooze ya loose!
Merry: . (tackles Boromir)
Chapter Two: Wow...
"It's great, Sandy," she said into the sky, "Merry hasn't seemed very distraught at all. In fact, I don't miss him one bit. He's a really nice guy; I can see why you bugged me so much. Anyways, he's all yours now, I hope he's happier with you, the real you that is. Boromir's great, I don't know how that happened, but it did and I'm glad."
"Who are you talking to?" asked Frodo walking up behind her.
"Sandy," Jericho replied simply.
"What are you talking about, she's dead?" he asked coming and sitting next to her.
"I know, but her spirit plagued me this whole journey because she was jealous that Merry loved me, but now that I've stopped loving Merry, we've kinda become friends." Jericho looked over at the bewildered hobbit.
"Just nod and pretend you understand," she smiled. He beamed and leaned back on his hands looking up into the sky.
"That's a Shire sky right there," he mused.
"Really?" she asked, "I've never seen one." Frodo looked at her.
"That's right, you were blind then. I have a hard time remembering for some reason," he said slowly.
"It's okay, I can see now and that's all that matters."
"I guess it is..." he said absently, "Does anything from the past matter?" Jericho thought for a second.
"It used to, but... it's changed. So many things have changed, I guess that my future is all I have to care about," she smiled, "It's funny Merry and I had a debate on this exact topic so long ago. I was so obsessed with my past, and he told me that the future was what I should look forward to... It was great." A tear slid down her cheek. Frodo reached up and wiped it away.
"I don't know why I'm crying, I don't care about him anymore... at least not in that way," she added quickly, "I mean I still care about him as a friend, but I don't love him- I can't love him!"
"Who says?" Frodo asked. She smiled and gestured toward the heavens.
"Sandy does."
()
His hand was on her head, which was on his shoulder. It was stroking her blonde locks, tenderly and absently. The two lovers had their eyes closed and were oblivious to the hobbit standing in the doorway.
Merry cleared his throat. Jericho opened her eyes slowly and raised her head. His hand moved from her head to her waist and rested there. Merry felt his heart crack.
"Yes Merry?" she asked clearly unaffected by his presence.
"Um... Aragorn wishes to speak with Boromir, and I figured you'd be here," he said quietly looking at the floor.
"I'll go right away," he said squeezing her hand and walking out the door, pausing to ruffle the hobbit's hair on his way out. Merry made as if to leave, but Jericho called him back.
"Merry," she began, "I'm worried about you." He felt his heart lift in joy, she worried, he could have sung for joy.
He smiled, "Don't be, Jericho. I'll be just fine."
"Are you sure? I mean... I feel... bad about what I've said to you. I'm so afraid that you hate me or something," she said worriedly, "I don't know what I'd do if you were mad at me."
"I used to think that too," Merry said sadly, his head sagging toward the ground. Jericho rushed to his side and bent down to look him in the eye.
"Oh Merry, can you ever forgive me?" she asked placing her hands on his shoulders. He looked up at her and saw that she meant what she said. He could see the truth in her eyes, the way they shone, and the way he could read right into her soul.
"I've already forgiven you, Jericho," he smiled. She beamed at him, her eyes growing moist.
"I'm so sorry," she whispered hugging him tightly, "Can we ever be just friends?" He placed at hand on her back.
"No," he sighed. She pulled back and looked at him with a pain and shock outlined in her face.
"We are too close for just friends," he smiled, "I don't think there's a word for it."
"Well, back home I call that a best friend, and I think this constitutes for one," she smiled kissing his forehead. He beamed up at her as she stood back up.
"I believe it does," he answered smiling, in his heart he was sobbing. He knew that Jericho could never love him again, never again would he feel the love that she had once given him. He felt like dying.
()
She wanted to sing for joy. Merry wasn't upset with her at all. Things were going to turn out all right in the end, and what could be better than going on a journey to save the world with your boyfriend and best friends. NOTHING!
"I better leave, Pip and I were going to go... do something," he said and walked out of the room. She smiled at his retreating back. Yes, all would be well.
She turned and walked out of the room, and up to the room she still shared with Merry and Pippin. As she entered she felt that something wasn't quite right about the place. Slowly she walked to the closet and checked to see if anyone had been hiding inside. It was empty. There was no other place for anyone to be in the room. She just shrugged the feeling off and went and sat on her bed.
Jericho pulled her knees up to her chin and sat there like that for a moment. Thoughts flew through her head, many about the up coming journey. Visions she'd seen in movies and in her head while reading the books filled her mind. Gandalf falling into oblivion, trudging over the mountains, Gimli wrought with grief for fallen family members, the fair Lorien, Frodo leaving the fellowship, Ents walking through Fangorn, the Rohirrim riding at Helm's Deep. There seemed to be an empty spot though. She didn't understand. There was a hole in her memory between Lothlorien and Frodo's departure. She didn't understand what was happening to her. Before she reached Rivendell that was a moment she actually felt very strongly about. Since she'd changed she couldn't remember.
A noise at the door brought her back to reality. It was Glorfindel.
"Hello," she said crossing her legs underneath her.
"Hello," he said smugly, causing her to feel uneasy.
"Can I help you?" she asked glancing toward the window. It was closed and would only lead her to a drop of about 3 stories.
"Yes, actually you can," he smiled, "You can tell me everything you know."
"I don't know what you mean?" her voice rising in fear.
"You know precisely what I mean. Tell me the fate of the fellowship."
"W-Why?" she stammered sitting up tall. He crossed the room in a flash and had her by the throat.
"Because you value your life," he sneered. He wasn't applying pressure but Jericho felt her throat tense up at his touch. She felt herself give over to anger instead of fear.
"You don't know what I value," she whispered harshly. His hand tightened and she felt her airways close.
"You mean to tell me that I could kill you now and you would not care. You would not miss a certain someone?" She stared at him coldly. He released her throat quickly. Jericho gasped for breath as Boromir walked into the room.
"Are you all right?" he asked coming to her side not seeing Glorfindel.
"Yes, I- I just- just-"she couldn't come up with a good excuse.
"It's okay I understand I choke for no reason all the time," he assured. She smiled up at him and then glanced at Glorfindel who was smiling smugly at her. Boromir looked back at where she glanced.
"What are you looking at?" he asked.
"What do you mean?" she said, "It's right there plain as day." Glorfindel sneered at her, as Boromir looked right at him.
"I don't see anything different," he answered. Jericho understood instantly.
"It's nothing, I guess I was just seeing things," she answered absently. Glorfindel nodded at her and exited the room.
()
Merry and Pippin were walking through the gardens that evening. Neither spoke a word, but each understood.
"I miss Jericho," Pippin sighed sadly.
"She's still here," Merry answered looking at his cousin.
"Not really, I feel like part of her has been lost. I don't understand what it is, but she seemed broken." Merry understood completely.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he lied.
"I guess it's just me then. I've felt weird ever since we got here, I guess I'm just... nervous," Pippin answered.
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know, I've just felt like... oh it's not important," he shrugged and waved the part of the conversation away. Merry gave him a suspicious look.
"All right then," he said slowly.
"Weren't you with Jericho after she changed?" asked Pippin.
"Yes, why?"
"I was just wondering, did she say anything to you? About why she did it?"
"No, she didn't say a word. She just ran from me, tripped and accidentally hurt herself. That's all." Merry felt terrible about lying to Pippin. The poor hobbit was so gullible.
"Hmm... Wow," he said.
"Yeah," Merry agreed, "Wow..."Yet again here I am! I wonder... if a tree falls in the middle of a four-way intersection, and no one has his or her windows down to hear it... does it make a sound? Sorry, I'm high on DayQuill, it has those affects. BTW if you're bored with my stuff you should read some fics by Mint Sauce, or are looking for a completely different genre look at the authors angelofdarkness1566 or psychopanda. Thanks and have a wonderful life!-DB:D