Keep on writing, that's it just ignore the tv, don't pay attention to Stargate: SG1 even though it's season seven and Daniel's back. Oh, you're there which means that this chapter is done, I hope. (looks down at text) Yep it's done. I think this is going to go on longer than I thought, see I orginally planned sixteen chapters, but that turned into eighteen or twenty and now it's looking like a little more than that, perhaps I need to have another planning session with my plot bunnies, the darn little things they're worse than the dust bunnies. But anyway please read, relax, and review. I don't own LOTR so see chapter one to see who does.

Of Awakenings and A-happenings

When Glynn knelt beside Strider he was surprised by what he saw: two gray eyes staring up at him. They were filled with pain, but also held concern for his friend's absence. Instinctively he placed his hand on Strider's chest, feeling the strong, steady beating of his heart.

'He awoke a few minutes ago,' Tudor, his young apprentice, told him. 'I thought I should let you know.' His young apprentice stood nervously behind him, waiting for some reaction from the healer. Normally his teacher was a compassionate man and would praise him for his attentiveness and thoughtfulness, but today Glynn seemed rather off and dazed, almost like he wasn't totally there.

'Yes, thank you,' he muttered plainly as he quickly waved Tudor off. Dejected, the boy wandered off, leaving Glynn seemingly mesmerized by Strider's awakening.

'Glynn,' Strider's voice was horse and weak and it failed to attract his attention. 'Glynn,' he strained himself this time and got some recognition. The older man looked at him, his blank eyes meeting Strider's pained ones, but that was all the acknowledgment he got from Glynn.

'Glynn, my friend,' he tried yet again as he slowly moved his good arm across his chest to touch Glynn's hand that still rested upon him feeling every beat of his heart and every breath he drew. Glynn flinched at the touch and blinked. Strider gave a slight smile, trying to alleviate some of the tension between them and at the same time inviting Glynn to do likewise, but he did not, instead remaining plain faced.

'My friend,' Strider's voice grew weaker, now sounding like a mere echo, 'What troubles you? Why are you so somber and sullen?'

Glynn glanced at his hand before answering; why was he so somber and sullen, he thought to himself. He had no reason for Strider yet lived. In time Strider would heal and take his place among the rangers, living as one of them rest of his life. Everything was all right. But why didn't everything feel all right? He looked back at Strider, drawn by his anxious eyes.

'How are you feeling,' he avoided the question.

'I'm fine,' Strider answered cautiously. Glynn gave him a look, slipping into their usual bickering over Strider's health.

'I would not define this as fine,' Glynn waved his hands in front of the younger man, trying to remind him of all the wounds he had sustained.

'I'm not dead am I,' Strider too slipped back into their usual bickering, not noticing the slight twitch Glynn gave at his last statement.

'No,' Glynn ignored the odd feeling, 'you're not, but you're not in perfect health either.' Glynn paused as he prepared to check Strider wounds, 'Let me know if anything hurts, I've got to change these bandages.' Strider nodded as he prepared himself for the pain.

'So,' Glynn awkwardly began as he began to unwrap the bandages covering Strider's stomach. 'How does it feel to be a ranger?'

Strider thought for a moment before answering, 'I don't really feel anything; everything,' he fumbled for words, 'seems the same...'

Glynn forced himself to pay attention to what Strider was saying, but found himself thinking more about the hour he had spent pulling slivers of wood chips out of the stomach wound. He didn't really listen to Strider as he moved on to the rest of the wounds either. None seemed to have become infected, which was a good sign and brought him much relief. Yet he cleansed them with a towel that was lying nearby in a bowl of warm water, nevertheless. As he was wrapping the wounds, he found that he was able to pull himself away from the thoughts of the wounds, but they still haunted him and kept him from full concentrating on Strider.

'...I don't know. I thought I would feel different. You know having gone through the third stage and having...'

'You thought you would feel different!' Glynn shouted suddenly, taking Strider off guard.

'Well,' he started nervously, 'I had kind of expected some sort of change.'

'What did you want to feel? Like you were something great, a hero, perhaps? Well, it doesn't work out that way Strider. I told you before you did all of this, it's not as great as it seems. You don't get a big sense of accomplishment when you become a ranger, there's no one to clap you on the back or raise a mug of beer in your name. It doesn't work that way, no one writes your name in the annals of history. You're as much of a nobody as you were when you came here. Don't you see that? Don't you?' The healer stopped as suddenly as he began, but his tirade was not missed by the camp. Feeling rather self-conscious, Glynn dropped his head down, he knew that the entire camp was watching him.

Nor could he bear to look at Strider, rather he mumbled an excuse, 'I'm sorry Strider; I don't know what came over me. I'm...' he sensed some movement in the background; it was Yestin, come to see what was going on. Glynn stood quickly mumbling another apology to Strider before rushing off, leaving Yestin to wonder what happened. Beside him Strider was trying to prop himself up on his elbows, but was finding it near impossible as his shoulder still burned with pain and his chest was still very tight sending him into a coughing fit The coughing drew Yestin's attention from his healer's sudden disappearance to his newest ranger. He knelt beside the man, pushing him down gently for the man was still trying to get up despite his body being racked with coughs.

'Just rest Strider. Take small breaths and try to calm down,' he tried to soothe the man and ease his pain. As Strider worked to settle his coughing, Yestin once again looked in the direction that Glynn left, wondering what had happened and why the healer had just walked away.

'I don't know what happened, sir,' Strider's weak voice penetrated Yestin's thoughts. He turned to look at Strider who now had his breathing under control and was lying, rather reluctantly, flat on the ground. Yestin removed the hand that he realized he still had on Strider's good shoulder. 'He just started shouting. He asked me how I felt about being a ranger.'

'What did you tell him,' Yestin asked curiously, thinking he may have discovered a clue as to what set Glynn off on his tirade.

'That I felt no different, but I thought I would. I mean it's only natural,' Strider tried to rationalize his feelings out loud. 'But he seemed a little off even before that. Like something was bothering him, but it didn't seem to be anything so I let it go. Do you know what's wrong?'

'No,' Yestin spotted a bandage that had not been completely wrapped and moved to finish the binding, 'I don't.' He thought back to the conversation he had with Glynn earlier. 'He's been under a lot of stress; he just needs a little time to himself.' Yestin paused for a second before turning his full attention back to Strider. 'How are you feeling?'

Strider sighed, he hated being asked that question; he felt so frail and useless when people asked him how he felt. 'I'm fine,' he muttered, 'I wish people wouldn't ask me that though, I'm getting sick of it.'

'Are you hungry at all?' Yestin ignored Strider's complaint.

'No,' Strider sighed again, he was used that question too.

'Well, then get some rest, you must be tired. We can talk more later.' Strider could tell that Yestin was rushing to get out of the conversation for he had a far off look in his eyes, like his mind was on something else. He wanted to know what it was, but decided it was best not to ask right now, it seemed that the entire camp was on edge and asking right now could be suicidal, even among such honorable and courageous men; something was gnawing at the men.

'Sure,' he mumbled, feigning sudden drowsiness as Yestin stood. He shifted slightly on the ground as he watched Yestin walk away. Curiosity was getting to him as he wondered what was going on with Glynn and why Yestin was so anxious to get away from him. What had happened while he was unconscious?

Sometime after thinking about what had happened while he was unconscious, he figured that he must have fallen asleep for the next thing he knew Tudor was kneeling next to him, carefully checking his wounds.

'Now I see that you guys just like me for the wounds,' Strider's voice was horse from sleep, but a little stronger than before, 'and not for my radiant personality.'

'Oh,' the young boy looked up, startled by Strider's voice. He didn't catch the joke, 'glad to see you're awake.' The boy was soft spoken, but rugged nonetheless. He was a just about a year younger than Strider and was in a similar position as him. About three years ago Yestin found him wondering across the plains of Rohan, very tired and severely dehydrated. He didn't know where he was going, except that he couldn't go back. For several days that was all he would say, that he couldn't go back.

They tried everything to get him to sleep for they knew that his body needed it for him to recover and regain his health. Finally after three days he succumbed to sleep only to awake five hours later from a horrible nightmare where everything came out. For him it was painless, his dreams told of the horrific tale and why he couldn't return. After that the boy was fine, no one ever asked about his nightmare and he never spoke of it and strangely he never had another nightmare.

Yestin allowed the boy to stay with them despite his age and in a few months time he proved his worth much like Strider did three years later and became a ranger after having endured the Ordeal and taken the Oath. But it was only in the past few months that he had began his apprenticeship with Glynn. He had, however, learned much from the talented healer for Tudor seemed to have a natural ability with herbs and healing.

'You know you're the third person today to check those wounds,' Strider commented.

'Actually Strider, I'm the first one today.'

'Huh?' Strider raised his eyebrows in confusion.

'You slept the rest of the day. It's morning now.'

'Oh,' Strider relaxed a bit. Tudor began to open his mouth, but Strider cut him off, 'I'm fine.' Tudor looked at him, slightly unnerved by having received his answer before asking the question. Strider smiled, holding back a chuckle for he knew it would aggravate his chest and sent him into another coughing fit, 'Everyone asks me that question; I'm used to it.'

'Right,' Tudor nodded, 'you might be fine, but you haven't eaten in several days. You need to try to eat something.'

Strider's stomach flipped in response in Tudor's statement.

'I'm not really hungry,' Strider tried to quell the nausea that was rising. 'Besides I don't think that I could keep anything down.'

'I know,' Tudor nodded again as he reached to his side, 'that's why I brought some broth. It has some nutrients that your body needs to help it heal, but it won't be hard on your stomach. Do you think you can keep some of it down?'

Strider thought for a moment, he really wasn't feeling like eating, but he knew that he needed something to help him get his strength back.

'All right,' he sighed reluctantly, 'I'll try.'

'Good,' Tudor was relieved. 'I'm going to help you to sit up, so you can eat the broth easier.'

Strider nodded as Tudor slipped his hand behind his back and carefully eased him into a sitting position. Strider winced at the pain in his ribs and stomach, but tried hard not to let it control him. Tudor saw Strider's pained expression and stopped moving him.

'I think that's far enough,' Tudor had lifted him three-quarters of the way up. 'Now I'm going to shift you back and to the side a little so that you can lean against this rock and you don't have to wear yourself out trying to support yourself.'

Strider let out a breath of relief as the pain slowly faded to the usual dull ache as he allowed the rock to bear more of his weight. He carefully took to the bowl of broth Tudor offered him and began to eat it. Beside him, Tudor organized the spare bandages and herbs that were left over from when Glynn was working on Strider.

'Has Glynn returned?' Strider asked after a while.

'No,' Tudor was short, keeping his attention focused on rolling up a bandage. Strider saw past his coyness, but couldn't get another question in before Tudor spoke again. 'How is your arm feeling?' he tried to change the subject.

'The shoulder is fine, it aches a little,' Strider answered unconsciously moving the wounded shoulder to test its flexibility and how much it hurt. The pain was still there, but not as great as it had been.

'I mean your sword arm, does it ache.' Strider paused for a second, remembering what had happened three months ago and the realization he'd come to just four days ago. The boy knew of the wound for he'd been there helping Glynn during the entire healing process, in fact Tudor had learned a lot from the three months Strider spent healing.

'It aches as it usually does, but I've become accustomed to it,' he answered nonchalantly. It was something he would just have to deal with and dwelling on it wouldn't change it so it was best to just ignore it.

'What happened while I was unconscious? Why is everyone on edge?' he set the bowl of broth down, turning the conversation away from his wounds to what had happened with Glynn and the rest of the camp.

Tudor looked at the bowl, 'You've got to eat more, that's barely enough to keep your strength.'

'Tell me what's going on and then I'll eat more,' Strider offered the childish bribe. Tudor thought for a moment, trying to decide what was in the best interest of the older man's health.

'All right,' he sighed, agreeing reluctantly to exchange information for Strider to eat. 'You eat and I'll talk. What do you want to know?'

'Why's Glynn acting so weird, what's bothering him?' Strider picked up the bowl of broth and began eating it again as he had promised.

'That I couldn't tell you; after he was finished with you he just left. I saw him walking quickly through camp, I asked him what was wrong, how you were; he wouldn't let me help him, you see, so I didn't know. He didn't let anyone help him. But he wouldn't tell me, he looked rather panicked and glossy-eyed. Where he went I don't know, but we saw some blood in the river and got a little worried. Glynn didn't seem totally with it, he had a hard time dealing with you.'

'Wait,' Strider interrupted. 'What was so difficult about me? Why did he have such a hard time?'

'When you passed out you weren't breathing. You weren't even alive. Glynn had to force life back into you and for a few minutes there it seemed like it wasn't going to happen,' Tudor stopped rolling the bandage as he paused, remembering the anxious moments as they waited for any sign of life from the new ranger. 'We all thought you wouldn't come back.'

Strider leaned back on the rock; he hadn't realized that he had been so into what had happened to him. He looked down at the bowl of broth, suddenly embarrassed by all the attention he had received yesterday.

'Anyway, we saw the blood and Yestin went to find him. We didn't know what he would do, Glynn seemed so volatile, yet so calm like he had decided to do something, but we weren't sure what exactly. Yestin came back twenty minutes later. He seemed more distressed than when he left. I don't know why though. He wouldn't talk; he just checked on you and went to take care of some things. Not much happened after that, I watched over you until you awoke and then I left to find Glynn.' Tudor finished his summary of yesterday and went back to rolling the bandages.

'But that still doesn't explain his reactions; his sudden tirade.'

'I don't know either,' Tudor shrugged his shoulders. 'I can't explain it.'

Strider finished the broth in silence, setting the bowl on the ground. As he sat watching Tudor put the herbs back into their containers, he thought about Glynn, wondering where he was. He wanted to go after him, go seek out his friend and try to comfort him, but he knew that he wouldn't get far for even his irrational side was telling him that his wounds were too great for him to travel let alone stand. Sometime later he yawned and though he tried to hide it, it didn't escape the ever watchful eyes of Tudor.

'I think you're ready for some sleep,' the young apprentice informed Strider.

'No I'm not,' Strider knew he sounded rather childish, but he didn't really care, he wanted to stay alert for when Glynn would return. He felt he had to talk to his friend and try to ease his mind from whatever it was that was troubling him.

'Okay, you're not,' Tudor took back his previous statement, 'but your body is and I think that you need to get some rest.' Strider gave him a look of defiance, but Tudor didn't notice it as he was busy moving a few things out of the way so that he could help Strider to lay back down. Rather reluctantly Strider submitted to Tudor's request that he rest and allowed the younger man to help him to lie down on the blanket he had become so familiar with over the past three months. Tudor waited for Strider to get settled as he stood.

'Don't worry Strider,' he looked down at the man, 'I'm sure he'll return. In time everything will be all right.' Tudor said as he left Strider to fall asleep. Despite his wishes, Strider fell asleep rather quickly, falling into another dreamless sleep. He awoke some time later to someone prodding him and it was rather annoying.

'Stop that, would you,' he mumbled still half asleep.

'I'm sorry Strider I didn't mean to wake you,' Tudor apologized quickly; his voice was quiet.

'What happened?' he woke quickly for he sensed from the young man's voice that all was not well.

'Nothing,' Tudor lied.

'Tell me,' Strider ordered, but Tudor did not speak. Instead, he lowered his head, fidgeting with a loose string from his shirt. Strider grew panicked by Tudor's silence, rising from the ground despite the pain that grew in his chest and shoulder.

'What has happened,' Strider bit back the pain as he got closer to a sitting position. Still Tudor did not answer.

'It is Glynn isn't it,' Strider guessed. He waited for an answer but still received none. 'What happened? What did he do? Tell me!' Strider demanded, holding his chest as he fought back the urge to cough. His eyes began to water from the strain.

'He's gone,' was all Tudor could manage.

Now that's not so evil now is it? At least I let Strider live, now let's see about Glynn.

Reviewer's Responses:

Isadora2- Ouch that kind of hurt rubs head Well I'm glad that you are still enjoying the story, but we'll have to see about Elrond, he's not too happy with Strider right now. But you never know, stranger things have happened. I know, none of my classes overlap, it's kind of funny but that could also be the lack of sleep messing with my thoughts. Well after four years of high school German, I'd like to say that I could speak it well, but I'm afraid my grammar is horrible. So I started aver again just to learn the grammar; I still remember all the words. Soon though I hope to be writing in German with correct grammar. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Vielen Danke.

Poppa Jon- Don't know, but perhaps we'll find out one of these days ;).

sielge- Don't worry if I were to kill him now, how could I have fun with him later on. I mean there's a lot more in store for this poor guy.

grumpy- But killing is so much fun, please, pretty please can I kill him off just this once? No, I won't kill him, I need him for the ending, there's something great in store for him, something that'll change his life forever.

Oops, I think I may have gotten a little ahead of myself. (looks around nervously) Um, I think I'll go now before the plot bunnies tell me anything more to do to him.