Disclaimer: Middle-Earth, it's languages, people and history belong to the much beloved and gifted writer John Ronal Reuel Tolkien. Also, a few descriptive lines here and there throughout the story. Erin, Imrel and the plot, belong to me.

A/N: Now this was a hard chapter to write! I think it's my longest one yet, though. I still haven't made my mind up about what is to go next, but I promise I'll work on it. Meanwhile, please read and review. All comments and suggestions are highly appreciated. Thank you.

Chapter 8

It didn't take Imrel long to make his mind up. He told himself there was no other choice; there was no other way. He couldn't risk her- she was his friend, in spite of everything- how could he betray her? No, he decided, it would have to be that way… With luck, he had thought, everything would turn out the better…

It hadn't.

He wrapped his arms around her limp form protectively, though he no longer knew what from. He held her as close as he could, and she was cold to his touch, much too cold. He pressed his face to hers and it felt surprisingly warm and wet from tears. Not hers, he saw, but his. He realized he was crying. He felt afraid, afraid for her as if for himself…

No, he didn't. He felt much more afraid than just that. He felt afraid, because in his heart of hearts, he knew he loved her. In the short space of time he had known her, Erin had found for herself a place in his heart. He loved her too much, and it hurt.

He felt his heart torn in two, because he loved her and now she was dying.

And she was dying because of him.

Softly, through his thickly flowing tears, he began to pray… "I've never asked a thing… but just this once… please… oh, please, keep her alive…"

Erin stood alone in a medium-sized cavern. It was much darker than any she had yet seen, not what you would call pitch-black, but really pitch black, and pleasantly cool. A soft rumor of falling water was all around her, though the still atmosphere itself was not damp. Surprisingly, she felt anything but afraid. Rather, she felt curious and excited to be here. She felt strangely at home… as if she were expected and welcomed.

She was dressed in soft, ankle-length flowing robes and barefoot. She began to walk confidently, as if she knew how to step just where the cavern floor would be smooth and perfect, as if she knew where to go… She felt impatient, there was something there, calling her, and she could not resist. She had to see, she had to know what it was… She walked on, sure of herself, towards it.

A soft breeze wrapped around her, and the breeze brought with it the sound of muttered words, and what she heard froze her blood… It was a prayer to the Valar… begging for her life. She came to a complete stop when she heard this, confused and bewildered. How could this be? What was this? This couldn't be happening… could it?

Then a new, feminine voice, thin and sweet as well as firm and authoritative began to speak through the wind, encouraging her to go on, "Don't be afraid, child. Come along, my dear. You shall understand. Allow yourself to know, to feel… Don't be afraid." Erin would afterwards try to describe that voice, failing at every attempt. It was ageless; young it seemed, yet ancient as the world… beautifully smooth and innocent, yet haunting with hidden power…

She stepped forward, much more nervously now, but determined as well. What the voice said was true, she thought; she had to learn, to understand, to know, to feel… she had a right to be aware of what was going on. This was her life… or wasn't it?

Carefully, Erin walked forward, until she came to a tiny pool bordered with small stones. It was barely more than a puddle, she thought. This she could see because there was the slightest amount of light reflected in the water, though she could not find its source.

The breeze, which had somehow shown her the way, stilled, and the voice spoke again. "Come close, my child, and look into the water. You shall see the truth that you seek."

Gently, she knelt by the waterside, and as she looked into it, the water began to whirl around, counterclockwise. Once again, the wind began to wrap around her, but in the opposite direction. Softly outlined figures began to form themselves in the water, and though everything was absolutely silent, through the wind she understood soft words speaking to her; and what she saw and heard brought tears to her eyes.

She finally understood everything that had happened since the day she first met Imrel. Everything that had happened had been because she, Erin, had wanted it to happen. From the moment he first came to her, she had not let him go. She had never considered the possibility that she might not be meant to behold Middle-Earth. Instead, she had insisted upon it as a fact. It had become an obsession for her. She had seen only what she had wanted to see.

King Thranduil, for instance, wouldn't consider it an honor to house a mortal like her. That's why Imrel had chosen to risk helping her himself; she must not be found out by anyone. Her meeting with Thranduil had simply been what she would have liked to happen. If she was to meet anyone, it had to be through Imrel, her "contact" in Middle-Earth. The friends she had made, for instance, she had literally made herself. It was all part of what she had wished for.

Imrel, of course, was not half-human. She had simply chosen to ignore the fact that, in the whole history of Middle-Earth there had only been three unions of elves and humans, because she wanted him to be different, like her. Yes, he did choose to stand out from the crowd, and he stubbornly defied the customs of the other elves, but they also eagerly accepted him.

Erin, however, was one thing they would most certainly not accept amongst them. And still, he wanted her close. He wanted to be with her, because, as he had once said, she was his only friend. No one else took him seriously. Not one of the elves in the palace, not one of those who lived beneath the trees… none of them considered him of importance

Her whole time in Middle-Earth had been a complicated charade, a lie, a deception, and an illusion… except for the time she had spent with him. She had been dreaming all this time, and she still was. She couldn't understand how or why, but that was the way things were.

Their kiss… it had simply been something they both wished for at the moment; they just hadn't known it before. Erin sighed wistfully. She realized she missed him, missed him so much, and regretted having acted so foolishly with him. If she could only apologize to him… if she could just explain everything… If only things could be as simple as that… Slow, silent tears began to run down her cheeks, though she didn't notice it.

She knew she cherished each and every moment, no matter how insignificant it might seem. The only thing she regretted was her foolish attitude and recent behavior, especially towards him, he who only wanted to be nice to her, to be really a friend. She owed him so much, and in return, she had acted like a fool. She felt like an orc. Worse than an orc, she thought. Only the lowliest creature would act so thoughtlessly…

"No, child. Don't judge yourself so harshly before time," came the voice once more. "Do not charge yourself with such hard thoughts for you to bear. Speak to him and you shall be able to make a decision. Only then shall you know what to do."

"What do you mean, make a decision? I don't understand… Please! What do I have to decide? What-" Erin wiped at her tears frantically.

"Speak to him. You shall know when the time comes…" came the soft, gently fading whispered answer.

"Only then you shall know."

A/N: Thank you so much for all your wonderful reviews- it means a lot to me. : )

[Happy, crazy author hands everyone who reviewed a bottle of Dorwinion wine and passes a platter of cheese, fruit and biscuits around to all her lovely readers.]

Now, for the bad news: people, I'm going on vacation!! Which means I might not be able to update for a while. : ( Sorry, people, but I'm just dying to get out of here, and my uncle, bless him, offered to pay for my plane tickets or XV birthday party, and the choice was obvious.

[Hugs readers.] = 3