Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize.

Author's Note: Thanks as always to Mandi for beta'ing. More characters are introduced here, including some OCs. The connections to LotR will come into play in more ways later, I promise!

Chapter 3

Finley shoved his hands deeper into his pockets and looked shyly up at Alexander. Alexander smiled brilliantly at him, casually slipping an arm around his shoulders. "Stop worrying."

"I can't help it," Finley muttered, wishing for a smoke. He'd left his in Alexander's car though...

"They're only my parents, Fin," Alexander chuckled. "They don't bite, I promise, they've just been wondering where I've been these past months."

"Right..." Finley said. "And Ben is just my big brother. You weren't nervous about meeting him at all."

Alexander chuckled and took Finley's hand to keep him from fidgeting with his shaggy hair. "Your brother knows how to kill a man with little more than a flick of his wrist and is very protective of you."

"Really? I hadn't noticed," Finley responded dryly.

He looked dubiously at the house as they walked to the front door. Alexander's parents, Alan and Gail, were both from old money and the success of both their families was obvious in their house.

Finley had thought his uncle Irving was wealthy. He had never been anything but kind to his deceased sister's offspring and, in truth, had been helping Finley stretch his pension so he could live comfortably. But his work and his own family took up most of his time and it didn't help that he lived in another country.

Uncle Irving's house was very comfortable but it was nothing like Alexander's parents' and Finley hadn't even been inside yet. He knew, too, that this was just one of their houses. Uncle Irving owned a lovely cottage, a cottage that was nicer than the house he had grown up in, but Finley knew it there was little comparison between the two families.

"I should have worn something nicer," Finley muttered.

Alexander laughed, "Fin, you're probably more dressed up than my father will be. It's just my family. I don't go to any official functions they put appearances into. I haven't since I was a teenager and could let my brother take over those responsibilities. He had a taste for them at least. I never had. In a few visits my father will be wearing his housecoat around you, don't worry so much."

Finley still fidgeted with the black button down shirt he had on. It was the only clothing he owned that was slightly dressy. He normally wore it to funerals.

Alexander recaptured his hand. "Really, Fin, it's going to be my parents and my little sister, my brother is away on business. Evan, Eve and Annie will be joining us for dinner but they'll have been in the stables most of the night so they won't be nearly as well dressed as you are."

"Stables? You have stables here?" Finley looked shocked. The place was that big?

Alexander smothered a chuckle to spare Finley's feelings. The front door flew open, giving him no chance to reply as he was crushed in a hug.

"Hi dad," he wheezed.

Alan Schraeder was a very solid man. He could, when it came down to it, probably squeeze the air out of Ben with one of his bear hugs. Finley refused to let himself step back when Alan released his son and looked at him but he couldn't help the rigidness of his posture.

"So you're the one our Sasha has been so taken with," Alan greeted, his eyes smiling as he thrust his hand forward. Finley took it hesitantly. "Fin, right?"

"Yes, sir," Finley replied, looking distinctly uncomfortable as he shook Alan's hand. Alexander was very glad that he had warned his father Finley could be a bit awkward. Alan could be a bit too... enthusiastic for some people.

"Alan, you have forgotten you are the size of the door again," a remarkably patient voice

remarked from behind.

Alan chuckled and stepped to the side. Finley could see immediately where Alexander got his thin build from.

"Hello, Sasha," Gail greeted, her son kissing her on the cheek before she looked at Finley and extended her hand. "Welcome to our home, Finley. I would say we have heard a lot about you but Alexander has been remarkably tight lipped. We are all very curious."

"In other words, don't let Izzie corner you," Alan told him with a chuckle.

"We're eating on the back porch," Gail told them, pointedly ignoring her husband, taking his arm, stepping aside and gesturing for them to enter. "Come on through."

"We've even managed to drag Evan away from the horses," Alan commented. "That is always an occasion."

Finley did not stare open mouthed about him but it was a struggle not to, the inside of the house was more impressive than the outside. He couldn't imagine anyone actually living in such a place.

"The front rooms are mostly for show," Gail commented, catching the hint of surprise on his face. She gestured about airily. "They are mostly used for entertaining. I certainly do not mind the style or the luxury but Alan, well..."

"You knew I was eccentric when you married me, dear," Alan teased. "And we have plenty of luxury everywhere else it's just comfortable luxury instead of showy luxury."

Finley hadn't realized there was a difference. Alexander found and squeezed his hand. Finley looked at him to see him smiling broadly. Alexander winked at him and smothered a laugh.

At least he didn't find this at all unusual...

Finley was relieved when the conversation stayed light for most of the meal. Alan and Evan, a very fit, very blond and very rugged looking young man, were engrossed in a conversation concerning a mare Evan had recently acquired for Alan's impressive stables which were not, Finley gathered, located at the house, for the most part.

Alan was a superb businessman, or, at least, that was what Alexander had implied, Finley

wouldn't know, but his real passion, it seemed, was horses and, by them alone, he did quite well. Evan was in charge of all his interests concerning the animals which was a most trusted position.

Eve and Gail were also talking horses. Eve rode competitively, Gail was her main sponsor. Gail did not know as much about horses as her husband but she knew quite a bit. Both Eve and Evan knew more than both. Finley got the feeling the two siblings cared little for much else.

Annie, or more formally, Annabella, had cheerfully noted at the start of all the horse talk that she knew just enough about horses to be able to get by sleeping with an equestrian. Eve had snorted into her wine at the comment and Annie had smiled prettily in return.

She and Alexander spent most of the dinner discussing the work of an author Finley happened to enjoy. He stayed very quiet but let himself be drawn into their conversation a few times so he wasn't being completely silent. He didn't want to be rude, after all.

Isabel, on the other hand, seemed to have no problem being silent and spending most of the meal staring at him as if he were a particularly complex picture. Alexander noticed, whether by Finley's discomfort or Isabel simply being blatant he didn't know. His sister ignored his glares completely.

"So, Finley," Isabel began when they were half way through dessert. "Alexander has told us nearly nothing about you and I, for one, am insatiably curious."

Finley blinked at her and put his spoon down, she had caught him in mid mouthful, unsure of what he was supposed to say to that.

"What do you do all day?" Isabel inquired, pointedly ignoring Alexander's glare and toying with her wine glass.

Finley swallowed, all too aware he now had everyone's attention even though the rest of them were being polite and trying to hide it. "Read, mostly."

Isabel raised an eyebrow. "Really? Doesn't it get boring, after awhile?"

"Not particularly," Finley answered. "I've had enough excitement for one lifetime anyway."

"I can't imagine that," Isabel commented. "Alex said you were in the army."

"I was," Finley replied.

"And?" Isabel questioned. "You don't look the type, if you don't mind me saying. Why did you join?"

Finley shrugged, "I was young, I had my diploma. It seemed like the best option at the time."

"So, how long were you enlisted for?" Isabel asked.

"About eight years." Finley's stomach felt tight suddenly.

"And after you just...quit?" Isabel continued.

"You don't just quit the army," Alan commented mildly. "You qualify for a discharge or you don't re-enlist."

Finley glanced briefly at Alan, remembering that he had done a stint in the army after being drafted, refusing to use his parents' money or power to get him out of it. Isabel raised her wineglass in his direction in vague acknowledgment.

"So, which was it?" she pressed.

"Honourable discharge," Finley replied. He wanted a smoke.

"Because..." Isabel prompted.

"More importantly," Evan interrupted suddenly, surprising everyone and beating Alexander to it. "Did they put you on a horse in any of that time?"

Finley laughed, relieved, a bit surprised at the rescue though it looked like Alexander was ready to take his sister to task. "I can't say they did. I have been on a horse, briefly, while visiting my uncle when I was...oh, ten years old I'd say."

Eve looked absolutely horrified. Evan looked thoughtful and swallowed a last mouthful of dessert before rising. "Well then, let's introduce you to one of the gentler mounts and get you started."

"Right now," Finley said, dumbstruck.

"That grey bay has a even temperment," Eve offered, rising, Annie with her. "If you'll excuse us."

"Of course," Gail told them. Alan waved his hand in agreement, his mouth full of dessert still.

Alexander turned and smiled at Finley. "I'll catch up in a minute."

The look he gave his sister spoke volumes and Finley followed along for lack of a better idea of what to do. There was a well-lit path and as soon as they were on it Annie pulled out a cigarette and offered Finley one. He smiled somewhat shyly and took it with a thank you.

"No problem," Annie told him, blowing out smoke. "Uncle Alan and Aunt Gail don't like the smell much so I don't light up around them."

"Or the horses," Eve put in.

"Right," Annie smiled at him and nodded her head in the siblings direction. "They're touchy."

In unison, the siblings snorted. Annie laughed aloud. Finley smiled a bit.

While the siblings entered the stables, discussing which horse to "introduce" Finley to, he and Annie stayed outside to finish their cigarettes. Annie was studying him too, Finley knew, but she did it much less obtrusively than Isabel.

"It's been awhile since Sasha has brought anyone home to meet the family," Annie commented. "Of course, he hasn't been home much, period. I'm glad he's sticking around for a while."

"Yeah, he told me it's been a couple years since he's been back," Finley said.

Annie nodded, "Wears him out, after awhile, seeing people dying like that, only being able to do so much to help and then..."

She shrugged, "I'm not sure he'll go back."

"We haven't really talked about it," Finley admitted. "But he has talked about setting up his own clinic here."

Annie took a drag as she nodded, "Yeah, he's done that before but, well, Doctors Without Borders always seems to get him back. It's different, this time, I think."

Finley looked at her carefully and she looked back, her dark blue eyes piercing but surprisingly gentle. Then she winked at him, stubbed her cigarette out and tossed her long dark hair over her shoulders with a flick of her head. "Come on, let's go see if those two have picked out a horse yet. Honestly, the way they go on you would think they were discussing a pair of shoes!"

"He's a natural," Evan commented, watching as his sister, on a horse herself, gave Finley a few pointers. "Sits in the saddle like he was born in it."

Alexander regarded his long time friend carefully. "That's high praise, coming from you."

"S'only the truth," Evan countered.

"I'm not disputing it," Alexander replied.

"I noticed Izzie isn't around today," Evan observed after a moment or two.

Alexander frowned. "I asked her not to pry and she did anyway."

"That's just Izzie," Evan commented lightly.

"Izzie needs to learn that you can't do that to some people," Alexander mumbled.

"I'm not disagreeing. We're all just so used to the never-ending curiosity by now..." Evan

grinned a bit, closing one eye against the sun so he could look at Alexander. "She's young still but doesn't think she is. She'll learn."

Alexander snorted, "You have all of, what? Three years on her?"

Evan chuckled but his eyes were distant. "Some things put years on you faster than time will."

"I know," Alexander said softly.

Evan did too. Evan and Eve had been orphaned in their earlier teens and adopted into the

Schraeder family. Their parents had been close friends, jointly holding the position Evan had taken over as well before their death. Eric, fourteen at the time, had been in the car during the accident but, somewhat miraculously, managed to escape with a broken leg, bruises and scrapes. His parents had not been so lucky.

"Fin as well?" Evan asked.

"I'd say more than I," Alexander told him.

"Thought so," Evan nodded. "Izzie'll figure it out one day but she manages to hurt now. Not intentionally, I don't think, but she still does."

"Not Fin," Alexander told him. Evan looked at him carefully. "Not again, I won't let it happen."

Evan smiled slightly, "That's probably a good plan. Get the feeling he doesn't need any more hurt in his life."

Alexander grinned, "Glad you like him, Evan."

It was dark and it was cold. He knew it was but neither seemed to touch him. He seemed to dispel both, though by what force he had no idea.

He knew, though, that he was in this shadow realm for a purpose and a need for haste gripped him.

"Faramir!" he called and then stopped, startled. Who on Ar-Earth was that?

"Faramir!" he called again, feeling a sort of controlled desperation he was all too familiar with well up within him.

He knew then that is he did not reach this Faramir the man would die and, from what he felt, would die unpleasantly as well. The thought made his heart quail in despair. He would not lose him! He could lose no more this day, nor anymore to this foe! There were too many deaths as it was and this man, this Faramir, his heart told him he was made for more than this cold end.

"Faramir!" he called again, his voice sore and hoarse from strain.

Then he saw it. A pale light lingering still. So Faramir fought, he expected no less of him,

having known his kin. If only he had been here sooner!

Faramir fought still but he was so very weak. He had been fighting too long without respite, poor man, and there were no reserves of strength left for him to call upon. This, then, was the last stand he could make and he would not admit it but he knew that without aid he had not quite the power to save him.

Then, as he began to feel stretched thin himself, there was a surge of...of...freshness, rejuvenation and he could not help but grin a moment.

He was before Faramir, though he could not properly see him so much light had returned. He reached out a hand, felt it taken, clasped in return and saw him...

Saw Finley, his Finley but...not, not quite. This was Faramir, his as well, in a way, but in a different way and he was...

"NO!"

The scream, and it was very much a scream, woke Alexander immediately. He blinked confused for a moment. Then he felt the agitated movements beside him.

"No, no, no...don't, don't...no, stop..."

It was Finley, curled into as tight a ball as possible, one hand up to protect his head, the other clutching at his side where Alexander knew a deep jagged scar ran from his stomach to his back.

Damnit, one of those nightmares.

"Fin, Fin, wake up," Alexander murmured, hauling himself up and forcefully turning Finley to his back by his shoulders.

Finley flinched and whimpered. He was cowering away from him in his sleep. Alexander felt like punching someone.

He bit his lip. He knew it was the only way to get Finley out of this kind of nightmare without just letting it run it's course, which could take all damn night, but...God, did he hate doing it!

"FIN!" Alexander shouted, gave his lover a hard shake and then, because that didn't work, slapped across the face with just enough force to shock him awake.

It worked. Finley sat bolt upright and Alexander got out of his way. Alexander wasn't stupid, he knew something of what had been haunting Finley's dreams and he wasn't going to present himself as if he was a target!

Plus, the first thing Finley did was all but fall out of bed and scramble to the washroom.

Alexander followed him quickly, grabbing a blanket to take with him. Finley could very well go into shock after one of those nightmares. His memories tended to hurt him on a fairly regular basis.

Finley was retching violently, his whole body shaking as he crouched miserably over the toilet. Alexander wrapped the blanket around him, felt how cold he was and rubbed his arms for good measure.

Finley didn't speak. Alexander wasn't sure he could get enough sense together to be say anything coherent anyway. Generally, after nightmares that were more memories than dreams, it was better to get him calm, get him settled and then get him talking about something else to distract him. Sometimes he would allow touch, sometimes he wouldn't.

Sometimes he was too out of it to realize he was being touched, Alexander thought, swallowing a lump in his throat.

The retching stopped but Finley remained crouched, shivering and, to Alexander's alarm,

weeping so hard his shoulders were heaving. Alexander wiped his face gently with a damp cloth, speaking quietly to him, trying to get some sign of recognition from him.

It came. It was slow, but it came. Hands gripped his arms with a desperate strength that nearly hurt and Finley made something like a keening noise that could have been his name.

Alexander caught him in his arms and held him tight, letting him cry until he simply couldn't anymore. There was no use trying to stop the tears once they started, Alexander had learned that very quickly.

Finley sagged against him, dazed. Alexander had to half carry him back to the bedroom and he knew that when Finley was alone and one of these dreams hit he often simply spent the rest of the night huddled on the bathroom floor.

Alexander propped Finley up against the side of the bed, cocooned him in another blanket and did something he had never thought he would do, lit a cigarette and all but stuck it between Finley's lips. Alexander figured most of the effect it had was psychological but it worked better than anything else.

Finley started smoking it and became just a little more focussed, enough to begin speaking, or rather babbling, and Alexander suddenly a knew just a little bit more about what had been done to his lover when he had been taken captive on a botched mission before he left the army. It made his stomach turn.

He stopped, voice hoarse, huddled against Alexander. He wouldn't sleep again but he was so out of it he wasn't really awake either. Alexander held him and eventually the shaking stopped but Finley's eyes were glazed and distant.

Alexander's thoughts were in a whirl. When Ben had visited, when he had seen they were

serious, he had told Alexander a few things, knowing Finley wouldn't but...God, he had seen what war did, he had seen what people could do to each other but...It still managed to shake him when he realized just how much pain could be intentionally inflicted.

"You...You should...go back to bed," Finley whispered, his head tucked under Alexander's chin, fingers gripping the blankets Alexander had tucked around them so hard his knuckles were turning white. "I've done this alone before. You don't need to...You shouldn't have to wake up just because I'm..."

"Fin, it's okay," Alexander told him gently. "You shouldn't have had to deal with this alone before. You don't have to now. I'm here."

"I'm sorry," Finley murmured, curling tighter into himself.

"There's nothing to be sorry for," Alexander said firmly. "Nothing at all. You can't help this, okay? We'll get through it."

He felt Finley's small nod, felt the shaky exhale against his skin. "Okay."

Alexander woke with a start and looked, immediately, to Finley, ready to wake him, ready to comfort him...

Only Finley was sleeping peacefully, or peacefully enough. A rare thing and Alexander was not about to disturb him when he was actually getting some rest.

He ran a hand through his hair wondering what the hell was going on. He had been having weird dreams constantly for a week and he knew they were all related somehow. Only once had there been a repeat, that first one, but he remembered them as clearly as if they were memories, not dreams.

And they involved Finley, somehow, which scared him because...well, the last thing Finley needed was more dreams troubling him. No, he needed to figure this out in a way that wouldn't involve Finley.

He looked at his lover, leaned over and, very gently, brushed a few stray strands of hair off his forehead. Finley murmured in his sleep, turning his head into the touch. Alexander smiled softly.

They had only been going out a few months and he had never said it but he knew, beyond a doubt, that it was true. He loved this man.

He didn't want to scare Finley away though and since the damn dreams had started he'd been, well, more distracted than usual. He didn't want Finley picking up on that, he didn't want him to worry.

No, he'd deal with this on his own.