[Okay, I'm such a dork because I had chapter 22 for a few weeks and didn't put it up. Of course, I lost half of my readers when I was sick two weeks ago and that's when Heather and I wrote chapter 22. Anyway, here's chapter 23. And the best thing about it is - beef.... stew. Yep, it's broken.]

Lizzie POV

Later that day, after I had fully digested Heather's story of the effects of elvish wine, I retreated to my new house that Legolas got for me so I wouldn't have to sleep with you-know-who sleeping in my doorway. Of course, there also was the threat of seeing Lindy-Poo in her newfound ugliness, which made me want to vomit. Haldir had a black eye and a sore - place, due to Heather, so he didn't join us for dinner. [Heh, don't blame him.] But before we went to the dining hall, Galadriel stopped me.

"Lizzie, may I have a moment?" I smiled and gave her my attention. "Lizzie, when elves get married, I usually grant the bride a wish. I have given Heather a wish and you shall have one too." She reached into her pocket and brought out a small box. She handed it to me. "Do not open it until you have made your wish, or the wish will be whatever was on your mind when you opened it." I hugged her and she lightly hugged me back.

"Thank you so much!" I ran back to my talan and put the wish on my bureau. I ran my fingers over the top, thinking of a wish that I could make.

"What are you doing?" I jumped out of my skin and turned around. It was Legolas.

"Um, nothing." He walked over to me and picked up the wish. He looked back at me and smiled with his boyish grin.

"Lady Galadriel gave you a wish? What are you going to use it for?" I took it from him and set it back down. I put my arms around his neck.

"I don't really think I need it." He blinked and slid his hands around my waist.

"So you already got what you wanted?"

"Yep." I pecked his lips and snuggled against his neck. I could tell that he was hesitating about something.

"Lizzie, there is something I must talk to you about." A cold fear swept up my spine.

"Okay, shoot." He sat down on my "couch" and clasped his hands together.

"Well, I really don't know how to say this, but, when an elf and a mortal get married, the elf becomes mortal." I looked away. I already knew that, but to hear it from his lips created a new fear. Death.

Heather POV

I declined to go to dinner after the Lady Galadriel had given me my wish. I was still staying with Haldir in his talan, but I hadn't seen him since I gave him a black eye. As much as I wanted to be, I wasn't sorry about that. I was lying on his bed deep in thought when the outside door opened and closed.

The next thing I knew, Haldir was perched on the edge of the bed. Goodie. I was so not in the mood to talk to him.

"So, when is the child due to be born?" he asked.

Bless him for trying, but I didn't feel like it, so I ignored him.

"Heather?" he prodded.

I still ignored him.

"Blessed Elbereth," he sighed, frustrated, "You cannot ignore me forever. I am the child's father!"

"My child has no father," I said, my voice as cold as ice.

"You are being ridiculous," he said, his voice raising.

"Oh no you did not! I'm being ridiculous? Me?! What about you?!" I was yelling now.

"Me?! No it's you who is ridiculous! 'My child has no father,'" he mimicked me.

I was standing now, my shoes in hand, "You think you're soooo hilarious don't you?"

"Not at all, but I do find it disturbing when the woman who is carrying my child says that there is no father at all!" He yelled back.

"Ooooh!" I growled in rage, pitching my shoes at him.

He easily fended my shoes away from him, "See? Ridiculous."

I could feel my blood pressure rising, because I felt faint, "I hate you!"

With that, I turned and ran out of the talan. In my haste, I didn't notice the raised threshold and I tripped over it, nearly falling out of the treetops.

Strong arms reached out and pulled me back into the safety of the walkway.

"You cannot possibly hate me," a voice murmured into my ear. Of course, it was Haldir.

"You are infuriating," I said stubbornly.

"I could say the same for you." He sighed, "Can we talk about this, please?"

Him and his stupid puppy eyes. "Fine," I relented, still in his grasp.

We retreated to the bedroom and sat on the bed, and he tried again.

"When is the child going to be born?"

"Seven months."

He nodded.

"Haldir, is this what you want? To have a child with a woman you barely know and are not married to?"

"I admit this is not how I wanted to start my family. But sometimes things don't always happen the way we want them to."

"You know Galadriel gave me a wish. I could change this for us. You could go find another elleth to raise a family with and...and I could go back to my life."

Haldir shook his head, "that's not what i meant," he said.

"So you're saying you're happy with this?" I asked incredulously.

He was silent for a minute, "I'm happy that I'm going to have a family."

"What happens if you meet the woman of your dreams?"

He looked at me, "I already have."

I smiled and looked away. Suddenly, I grabbed his hand. He looked at me quizzically, "Here feel this." I placed his hand on my little bump and looked at him.

Our eyes met, and we both grinned. Our lips met in a sweet kiss, and I decided then that I was really and truly happy.