A/N: Quick update to make up for the long one last time....As with my other story, I've had to change the format back from Script format because script format isn't allowed. (Basically I don't want this story taken down because I've already had 1 story taken down and if I break any more rules I'll get chucked off and my account deleted etc.) This is now all in Keik's eyes as they're no longer split up.

Review answers are the bottom because you've all been commenting on Laila, so if I answer your reviews here, it'll give it all away.

P.S I know the time and all that lark doesn't tie in with the books, but you're just going to have to bear with me.

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Chapter 24 - The Last Debate

I was awake. That was good. It meant I wasn't dead. Unless I had died, but was waking up in another life. I ignored this idea; it was too complicated for my confused and frazzled mind at that particular moment.

My eyes were closed, but I knew I was no longer on the fields. It was silent, save for breathing. The place smelt fresh and helped clear my head. I kept my eyes closed, trying to remember what had happened. I vaguely remembered something about the Haradrim. I had been on a field. A big field. Pellenor fields - that was it. The Haradrim.... I had attacked them in some way. I think.

"What ever possessed me to attack them?" I muttered to myself. Even as I said it the whole unpleasant experience came back to me, from beginning to end. I opened my eyes.

::Eesh bright light bright light.::

And a person. It was Aragorn.

"You know, I never thought I'd be happy to see your face." I murmured. Aragorn smiled.

"I see you still have your sense of humour."

"If you can call it that." I replied in a serious voice. There was silence for a second, then we both cracked up laughing.

"Athelas?" I asked.

"Yes. I didn't know there was any where you came from."

"There isn't, or at least not that I know of. Best incense in Middle Earth." Aragorn looked confused. "Don't ask."

"I shan't."

I waited for a second. There was 1 question I wanted to ask him, but I didn't know how, and in some ways, I didn't really want to know the answer.

"What.. erm... What of Laila?" I asked., dreading the answer.

Aragorn froze, not quite knowing how to answer. His silence confirmed my worse fears. Bex opened the door. She looked like she had been crying, her eyes red.

"She's- she's..." Bex seemed unable to say it. and stuck to : "DOA."

I buried my face in my hands and cried silently, as if trying to hide from the truth, from the rest of the world. Bex sat on the bed beside me and hugged me. I just stayed as I was, curled up, grieving for my lost friend.. Aragorn left the room and closed the door silently behind him.

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"Bex," I said. "What happened after I fainted? And what of Théoden?"

"Théoden survived, you'd be happy to know. Éowyn's fine as is Merry and Laila and Théoden together destroyed the Witch-King. I think it's called. Looks like your 'prediction' was wrong." I smiled slightly. "Haldir carried you in. You looked pretty terrible. I came running to the gates to meet you. That's about all that happened. The dead vanished, as if blown away and we had victory. The remains of Sauron's army ran, though most were hunted down by the Rohirrim. That's it. Though I don't really think it was victory. Not for us anyway. Why should we pay for freedom with so many lives? "

"I wish Laila's here Bex."

"Yuh. I wish that too."

I held her hand, holding onto the last connection to my old life. For once she was like the eldest of us, comforting me as if I were still a child. But did I really want my life in London back? We never did anything good or anything to be proud of. We had acted like idiots for years. I didn't want that sort of life. But I didn't want this life of war and death and grief either. So what did I want?

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In a couple of days I was able to walk, though I stayed in my room most of the time. I quietly did what I was told for once, and Bex stayed with me most of the time.

I was alone, sitting on the bed,, leaning against the wall with legs stretched out in front of me, staring at blankly the opposite wall, the same thoughts running through my head.

::Why?::

I continued staring at the wall.

"Why, why why?" I subconsciously whispered.

"Why what?" A voice asked.

I snapped put pf my day dream to see Haldir standing in the doorway.

"Why did she have to go? I mean, did she even have to go? What did anyone gain out of it? Just another life thrown away. Just one life out of so many." Haldir came over and sat down next to me. "It's like, she's just there every day, and then she goes. She takes nothing with her, just leaves everything behind as it always has been, and disappears. She's just gone. Her life snatched away in a second. She had no choice, she didn't want to die. Why her? Why her?" Silent tears of grief rolled down my cheeks. The Elf wrapped his arm around me, stroking my hair. I lay my head on his chest and drifted to sleep.

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I opened my eyes. Bright sunlight was streaming through the small window. It must be morning, then.. I looked up. Haldir was still here. I had expected him to go when I fell asleep.

I knew elves slept with their eyes open, but seeing him asleep like that... just a bit creepy. I removed one of my arms from around his neck (I don't know how it had got there in the night) and waved my hand in front of his face. He didn't move a muscle. I shrugged and leant against him again.

He stirred and looked at me. It wasn't really like waking up, No change had happened to him.

::Weird.::

"Did I wake you?" I asked.

"No" He replied, smiling. I smiled back and sat up properly. We sat in silence for a time, both of us lost in our own thoughts.

"Are you OK?" He asked me.

"Yep. Fine. Why?"

"No reason. Last night you seemed to be upset."

"Yuh. I'm fine." Pointless conversation, but neither of us really knew what to say.

Haldir got up, making for the door.

"Sorry - did I say something?"

"No, not at all,2 He replied, "I've just got to go. No fault of ours."

"And?"

"If you must know there's a debate going on."

"Go on." I said.

"And I have to go."

"I figure there's a lot more to it than that. Can I come? Please? Like, I can wakl and I'm perfectly fine and all the rest of it."

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We were in the Citadel. There were only a few of us; The ramainder of the Fellowship minus the hobbits, Théoden annd Éomer of Rohan, Hladir, and of course Bex and I.

"Frodo has passed beyond my sight." Gandalf said, "The darkness is deep."

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

"Yeah, but it's only a matter of time." I said before Gandalf could get there. "Apologies. Please continue."

"Keikæ is right. 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.

::Typical dwarf.::

"Because in case you haven't noticed Gimli, Frodo and Sam are attempting to get to Mount Doom, and I think 10,000 orcs will be a bit of a setback for them." I said then stopped. "Gandalf this is your cue."

"Well you seem to know everything I'm about to say."

"Yeah, but technically only you or Elrond can say this bit."

"Then please stop saying my 'lines'!"

"Sorry. Please continue."

"Thank you." Gandalf sighed, then continued from where I had left off, "I've sent him to his death."

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

"How?" Bex asked.

"Draw out Sauron's army." I said. "Sorry - your bit Aragorn."

"Draw out Sauron's army. Empty his lands. We will gather our full strength and march on the Black Gate."

::How come he can say that so much better than me?::

Gimli coughed. I wasn't really surprised. This dude was asking us to commit suicide.

"We cannot achieve victory through strength of arms." Théoden said.

"Bex, is it me, or is Théoden now nicking his nephew's lines?"

"Not for ourselves, but we can give Frodo a chance if we keep Sauron's eye fixed upon us -- keep him blind to all else that moves." Aragorn explained.

"A diversion." Legolas said.

"Thank you Captain Obvious!" Bex said. I hid a smile behind my hand. Haldir seemed to be doing the same.

"Sauron will suspect a trap." Gandalf said quietly, "He will not take the bait."

"That's what you think."

"Certainty of death, small chance of success. What are we waiting for?"

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A/N: DOA stands for Dead On Arrival people.

Er kinda mucked that up at the end... Was going to put it in the extra chapter at the end, as this would be what would be happening had Laila survived, along with the final ending that's stored in my head because it somehow got wiped off my hard drive, along with the rest of my stuff. Hope you don't mind that I killed off Laila. (Sorry Moralinde!) She was getting a bit annoying.

Karone: Yuh, good point. But seeming as this is through Keik's eyes and I had no idea where this story was going when I first named it, it doesn't really matter. No, that doesn't make sense. Ok, I'm confused. Anyway, I'l try not to kill off Keikæ....

elvenstorm: Well, you'll be happy to know I didn't kill Keeks! Yet... I think you meant Laila....

Also thanks to astronema (go you!), Jupiter's Light (thankies), Allasea2(hehe... like to keep the suspense going...), zeldagrl436(sorry if the number's in the wrong order - brill review - 1 I understand!), Nick1 (oops... sorry) and Crecy (soz Crecy! I'll bring in E&E later 4 u instead!). YOU ROCK.

Have a good holz everyone. Next update not until 23rd at least (when I get back) but it'll probably be later because I have to write the next chapter.

assbb Peeps!

Kess ;P