Author: Mirrordance
Title: For Every Evil
Summary: Legolas is a policeman in 2004. His colleagues start to wonder why the 10-yr veteran doesn't age & more trouble ahead after he runs across the Fellowship & some friends in modern incarnations, resurrected along with a new world-threatening peril.
10: Glad You are Here
Los Angeles, Mid-2004
They waited for him at the coffee shop just outside the police station. Legolas was not very comfortable being so near to his place of work, but they had little other option, and he suffered running into off-duty colleagues who stopped by the booth he, Elladan, Elrohir and Anatalia have commandeered to say hello to him.
The first acquaintance he ran into though, was the waitress on duty of course, whom he knew from his frequent visits there. Jackie was a pixie of a strawberry-blond who worked part-time to pay off her college tuition. She worked at that diner in particular, considering it the safest place in the city. Clever and pretty, she had a good hand at nabbing the force's single men, and certainly tried her luck with Legolas. Though it did not hold up, she made it a point to try on a daily basis, except for this time that she set her sights upon Elrohir instead.
"Sugar?" she asked in the most suggestive way that she could, and he grinned at her in appreciation.
"No thank you," he replied, "At least, not the sort that comes with the coffee."
She winked at him before strutting away, and Legolas leaned over the table and said that he really ought to arrest the Rivendell elf for harassment.
"But I am very, very glad that you are here," he confessed, "I'd rather she set her sights on you than on me." Waitress Jackie on the prowl was a disaster waiting to happen. Then again, Elrohir was too, so if anything should come from the harmless flirtation, each should negate the effects of the other.
If we're all lucky.
Several co-workers released from their respective duty-hours stopped by too; a handful more of fit, beautiful and intelligent ladies in uniform directly followed the Waitress Jackie encounter, leading Elrohir to consider a shift in careers. And then the Captain stopped by and almost grunted at them in greeting, before vanishing off with a cup of coffee he forgot to pay for.
"Aren't you gonna arrest him, Leland?" Jackie asked Legolas.
"Hell no," Legolas replied, "I'll pay for the coffee."
It was not a very rare occurrence. How can one arrest the captain of the station after all.
"He reminds me of your ada," Elladan said to Legolas, "Kind of… nice, but a bit… severe."
"Does he?" Legolas murmured, smiling slightly. The thought had crossed his mind once or twice. But King Thranduil numbered amongst those things and persons he would rather not think about, for the grief of their parting would always be with him.
Rafael Montes on crutches hobbled over across the street, and Legolas' face widened to a blinding smile at the sight of his friend. Though he offered the injured man no great assistance (knowing it would be adamantly refused), he did rise from his seat and let Montes sink gratefully into it.
"Greene," Rafe growled at him, "You bastard. You weren't even gonna stop by, were you? They had to tell me you were here, I had to hobble over across the blasted street…"
"Aren't you supposed to be working?" Legolas laughed.
"Aren't you?" Montes retorted, "Oh man. How long you been back?"
"Just today," Legolas replied, motioning for his other companions, "I want you to meet my friends. This is Elrohir, Ana and Elladan. Fellows, my partner, Rafe."
"Glad to meetcha," Rafe said, shaking hands jovially all around.
"So you've been the cursed fellow tasked to keep this one out of trouble, eh?" Elladan asked.
"It's the other way around, actually," Montes grinned.
"Hard to imagine," Elrohir breathed.
"I am here, have you forgotten?" Legolas laughed, "What would you have to eat, Monty?"
Rafael winced, rising, "Nah, I have to get back. I kinda just told them I was going to the can. The minutes are running and the taxpayers' money is rolling."
"I'll walk you," Legolas offered, and the two friends walked toward the door after Rafael made his goodbye's.
"Relatives of yours?" he asked Legolas.
"Yes," Legolas replied, in a way.
"I never knew you had any," Rafael said as they walked.
"Well neither did I," Legolas replied.
"This is good," said Rafe, "You look… happier."
"I've always been happy," Legolas pointed out.
"No, this is different," said Rafe, "It's like you're on fire, man. Like you've found something."
Legolas looked at his partner curiously. Montes was seeing something he himself was not able to notice up until it was expressly pointed out to him just now. Though the various incarnations and reincarnation and encounters and re-encounters with old friends from a more tumultuous age promised it's own dangers, he genuinely felt rejuvenated and somehow… properly in place. He could suddenly speak of secret things that have been lodged in his heart for centuries. To speak his native tongue and be understood by someone. To talk of 'Imladris' and 'Estel' and not to have to feel these things were so detached from him, and so distant.
Legolas stopped by the door, and patted his friend at the back. "You're all right here, Rafe?"
"Yeah, yeah," the man waved at him as he walked inside, "I got to the other side on my own, didn't I? I'm not gonna keel over and die, just 'cos you're not watching."
Legolas smiled as he watched the man head back to his office, and he stepped aside as the doors were pushed open to accommodate an old homeless man exiting the building…
Legolas' heart pounded in his ears as the old man passed him by. Taking a calming breath, he stepped forward and walked apace with the fellow, wondering how in the world he was to begin this conversation. For a few long moments, they walked quietly beside each other, each step punctuated by the gentle tok! of the old man's cane against the pavement.
"Mithrandir," Legolas said with some reserve, and the homeless man stilled beside him.
"Gandalf," Legolas said more forcefully, shifting in his native elvish 'Is it really you?'
He held his breath, awaiting the moment of truth. The old man's face turned up to look at him.
"Legolas," Gandalf smiled, reclaiming his accent after shocking the Mirkwood elf with 'I-got-a-prophecy-for-you-I-am-gonna-take-a-piss-in-this-car' but hours ago.
"Clever prince," said the wizard warmly, "It has been too long."
" " "
"Hello young lady," the old man greeted Anatalia as he squeezed into the back of the car with Elladan and the beautiful Italian. She was watching him warily, and marveled at the ill-fitting cultured English accent on the greased-and-grimed homeless fellow, wondering if he was crazy, and wondering if the lot of them were even crazier for having him.
"Hello," she managed, and felt Elladan's worried gaze over her face. Indeed, he had better believe that a fiery young woman with wealth and privilege wanted more to do with her life than being crammed like groceries into the back of the car with strange people.
"Lord Elrond will be exhilarated," Gandalf proclaimed, "Valinor hangs on tenterhooks to see who it was that has managed to capture your heart, Elladan. Your lady grandmother had to settle for the most vague possibilities in her visions of the future."
"It works like reality TV," said Elrohir wryly.
"Mithrandir," said Legolas, "Why did you have to evade me so cleverly, and set up such mystery and intrigue if you were to eventually acknowledge me anyway?"
"It's all about timing, my prince," the wizard replied, "Timing, timing, timing. I managed to save your life, didn't I? I managed to have you take a leave from work, didn't I? I managed to have you encounter this fine woman in Imladris, didn't I? I managed to have you thereafter require the services of Adrian Aarons, didn't I? Mystery and intrigue works, Thrandullion, especially for the likes of the perennially troublesome folk like you."
"Are you God?" Ana asked him tersely. How in the world does the old man know of all this?!
"No, young lady," replied Gandalf, "I am not."
"What is happening, Mithrandir?' Legolas asked, "Why are we all here, now, brought together after all these years?"
"Answers to these shall be revealed in good time," Gandalf replied, "I do not know them myself. My task is but to ensure we are all in our proper places, for the bad and the good. I believe something was awakened that should have remained asleep, and now all else who sleep must be awakened too, and set things right."
"Are we speaking of…" Legolas said haltingly, "Surely you do not refer to… Sauron?"
"I do not know everything, Legolas," Gandalf said soothingly, "I only know what needs knowing when I need to know them."
"You'll get used to it," Elladan said to Ana wryly, though his eyes were raking her face and wondering if he still had her. Her lips quirked slightly in reassurance, and he nodded at her gratefully.
"I suppose we are now going to be doing that which needs doing too," Legolas said sarcastically.
"As always," said Gandalf. "But there's time yet. Bring me to that fabulous place of yours, boy, I need a bath. I've been in these rags long enough."
" " "
Legolas hastily readied the guest room of his clever condominium. He was not quite sure who would be using it, perhaps Anatalia, but nevertheless he prepared it and gathered a change of clothes for Mithrandir too. The wizard made a beeline for the showers, and he settled his guests in his spacious living room.
"Fancy place, Legolas," said Anatalia, "Very beautiful."
"A bachelor pad," grinned Elladan.
"I guarantee you it does not see much action," Legolas chuckled, as he walked to his austere kitchen and prepared everyone tea. Elrohir watched his deft and graceful hands with some surprise.
"Mellon-nin," he said, "You have turned domestic."
"You do not know the half of it," said Legolas dryly, leaving his kettle to boil and grabbing an apron from one of his cabinets. He raised it up and it said, 'Kiss the Cook.'
"I make a mean microwave spaghetti," he laughed, "This was a Christmas present from Montes, who found it a bit ironic. Unlike you Rivendell louts, I've not had a manservant in ages."
Literally, Ana deduced, if their claims hold true.
The wizard showed his magical prowess yet again when he appeared clean-shaven and freshly bathed at the very moment the tea was ready for drinking. Ana found herself staring at a man who was undoubtedly trim and even handsome in old age, looking very dandy and dignified in his borrowed clothes. He actually reminded her of someone she could not quite recall. The image of him clean and properly turned out jogged an evasive memory.
"Oh if you are wondering," Gandalf said to her, "We have met before."
"We have?" she asked.
The old man made a gesture of pounding an auctioneer's hammer. "Going, going, gone. The estate of Miss Francine Davenport is sold to the beautiful young lady in red. Congratulations! Next item…"
The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. She was finally beginning to understand what all this truly meant, and that was before the phone rang with Adrian Aarons bearing some alarming news.
TO BE CONTINUED…
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