Happy New Years! Hope everything is going well for you guys. Mine hasn't been too bad so far, although I return to work tomorrow after a nice huge break. Oh well, got to earn the money somehow.

Next chapter should be up on January 25.

LOTR notes:

Eldar elven word for elves.

I'm using the timeline from the books, not the movies. Cause the fellowship stayed in Lothlórien for a month. You'll understand why this is such a big deal in the next chapter.

For those who don't know lotr, there is a lot of background info here to set things up a bit.

Remember email me if you still have problems! melindoranightsilver@hotmail.com

A/N: I'm still not fully happy with the way this chapter turned out. But everything got said that needed to and I couldn't figure out how to fix it. If you guys have any suggestions I would be happy to hear them.

Review Responses:

Draco-FutureBF, John, dancetdplc, elven wood, Black Rose9, luvin-echo16, Hermione20, thank you guys so much for all of your reviews!

Mystic Angel-Devil Queen, I put the R rating up just to be on the safe side. I'm a little older then most fanfic writer and readers so my description of R is a little different from theirs. I honestly felt Buffy was on just a little too early for some of the things they dealt with. Plus, things are liable to change as my story goes along.

Lyainae, it's good to hear from you again! Thank you so much for the compliment about my writing!

PuNKyCoWGiRL, no rocket launcher for Buffy cause the story was more about Dawn than her. Plus the G'Noc'leth demon was made of sand that could pull itself back together before they would be able to separate them completely, which was the only way to kill it. Hope that answers your question! As for where they go in Middle Earth, you'll just have to wait and see. And wouldn't want to spoil the surprise.

My reviewers are the greatest! Thank you guys so much!

Chapter Five

The Fellowship

The blond elf that had arrived with the group swiftly armed his bow and aimed it at the intruders. Just as quickly, Draco pulled out his wand and said, "Accio bow and arrow!" The items flew out of the surprised elf's hands and into Draco's.

Dawn grabbed the arrow and stalked angrily up to the elf. Shaking the arrow in his face she said, "What is with you elves? I mean, do you shove your arrows into the face of everyone you meet?"

"Just about," the dwarf muttered.

"How did you do that?" The elf asked.

"Magic," Draco said as he handed the bow back. "She said we were guests, that means we're friendly."

{They are insolent.} The elf said quietly to one of the men.

{We can understand you, too.} Dawn said with a glare.

With a mischievous glint in her eye, Galadriel said, "They are our guests, along with several others. Her name is Amaurëa and his is Draco."

"An elvish name," said the man with dark hair. "Were you raised by elves, my lady?"

"Umm, no. Well, not exactly. It's complicated."

He made a move as if to question her further then seemed to decide against it. "I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn. This is Boromir, son of the steward of Gondor." The other man inclined his head. "This is Legolas, son of Thranduil."

"Oh, makes you the prince of Mirkwood then," Dawn said.

Legolas looked surprised, "How did you know?"

"I can read," she said with a roll of her eyes.

The heavily bearded dwarf chuckled. "You're a fine lass."

Dawn flashed him a devilish smile and said, "I try."

"I'm Gimli, son of Gloin. It is always a pleasure to meet someone willing to jab at the pointy-eared elf."

"The other shorter members of our company are hobbits..." Aragorn began.

"Told you they were hobbits," Dawn said as she lightly slapped the back of her hand on Draco's upper arm.

"Did I argue? No. Now let him continue."

"Your speech is most puzzling. I can't place your region," Aragorn said, studying them carefully.

"Yeah, well, that's to be expected. Do the hobbits have names? Or am I suppose to call them hobbit one, two, three, and four?"

"This is Peregrin Took, Meriadoc Brandybuck, Samwise Gamgee, and Frodo Baggins."

At the introduction of the last hobbit, the buzzing in Dawn's head increased to a roar. She winced and pinched the bridge of her nose.

~Are you ok?~ Draco asked.

She unconsciously erected some mental shields that cut the noise down to a low hum. She looked at Draco and gave him a wavering smile. "I'm fine."

The motley group shifted uneasily as she had spoken the answer to a question they had not heard.

"So what's the quest and who is the enemy?" She asked, regaining her composure.

The company instantly tensed up and Aragorn's eyes barely flickered to Frodo. Dawn wasn't surprised that it was centered on the friendly-looking hobbit after the reaction she had to his introduction.

"Do not concern yourself with these troubles, Amaurëa," Galadriel said.

"It's too late, Galadriel. My friends will find out one way or another, it's what we do." Then, knowing her friend could read her thoughts, she looked the elf lady directly in the eye and said, {Besides, I know it has something to do with Frodo. I can feel it.}

Galadriel bowed her head. "Very well, but not tonight. For the fellowship needs rest. They are weary with sorrow and much toil. We shall speak again in the morrow."

********

The next morning, after breakfast, an elf maid led the scoobies into a large room with couches. She told them to wait and then left. Galadriel and Celeborn entered shortly after, followed by the fellowship.

As soon as Frodo entered the room, Buffy hissed and Willow gasped loudly. They turned to look at the witch in time to see that her eyes and hair were turning black.

"Such delicious power," Willow said in a deep, throaty voice.

"Willow!" Tara cried.

The scoobies crowded themselves between Willow and Frodo while Tara tried to talk her girlfriend down.

"Fight it Willow! Don't let it control you. Come on baby, come back to me. You're stronger than this."

Willow's hair flickered from black to red and then back again.

"Come on Wills," Xander urged. "You can do it."

The black bled out of Willow's hair, but her black eyes remained.

"That's it Willow," Tara said. "Just a little more."

Gasping as if she had come up for air, Willow's eyes turned back to their normal green. With tears streaming down her face, she said, "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it. There was just this sudden rush and I couldn't stop it. I'm so sorry."

Tara wrapped her arms around her weeping girlfriend as she crumpled to the ground. "It's ok," she whispered. "You fought it and won. It's not your fault. There is something evil trying to penetrate him. Something big and old."

Buffy looked warily at the fellowship. "Sorry about that. She got a little too close to black magic once. But something tells me her relapse wasn't entirely her fault." She looked pointedly at Frodo. "There's something not right about you."
Aragorn stepped protectively in front of Frodo.

"Please sit, and all will be explained," Galadriel said.

Everyone took a seat, with Dawn, Buffy, and Willow sitting as far from Frodo as they could.

Galadriel made quick work of the introductions, but it only slightly eased the tension in the room. Both groups continued to look suspiciously at each other.

"Now what's going on?" Buffy asked impatiently.

"I fail to see how this would concern you," Aragorn said.

"Because it's my job," Buffy said tersely.

"What is?"

"Fighting evil."

Boromir laughed. "You must forgive me for my outburst, but you do not seem like much of a threat."

Buffy rolled her eyes. Why was it always so hard for men to accept it? "I'm the slayer, the chosen one. Giles can explain it better. In fact, he loves making the speech."

Giles sent her a quick glare before saying, "Into every generation a slayer is born. One girl in all the world, a chosen one. One born with the strength and skill to fight the vampires, to stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their numbers. When one girl dies, another is called to take her place."

The fellowship just stared at Buffy as if they didn't believe it.

"I'll give a demonstration later if that will make you feel better, but right now I want to know what's going on."
"To understand the present, you must understand some of our past," Celeborn said. "It began with the forging of the Great Rings. Three were given to the elves; immortal, wisest, and fairest of all beings."

Dawn's eyes widened as she caught a glint of something. On Galadriel's hand was a beautifully wrought ring of mithril.

~Do not yet speak of it.~ Came Galadriel's voice.

"Seven to the dwarf lords," Celeborn continued. "Great miners and craftsmen of the mountain halls. And nine were gifted to the race of men. Within these rings was bound the strength and will to govern each race."

"Something tells me there are more to these rings," Spike mumbled.

Celeborn turned his eyes to the vampire. "You are correct. For another ring was made. In the land of Mordor, in the fires of Mount Doom, Sauron the Deceiver forged in secret a master ring to control all others."

"Into this ring," Galadriel continued, "he poured his cruelty, his malice, and his will to dominate all life. One ring to rule them all."

Buffy and Dawn noted that Frodo shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He had a pained expression on his face. Through their connection they began to have an inkling of an idea of what was going on.

Celeborn picked the story back up. "One by one the free lands of Middle Earth fell to the power of the ring. But there were some who resisted. A Last Alliance of men and elves marched against the armies of Mordor. And on the slopes of Mount Doom, they fought for the freedom of Middle Earth."

"In the battle," Galadriel said, "both the Eldar king Gil-galad and King Elendil of the race of man fell. Isildur, Elendil's son, took up his father's broken sword, Narsil, and cut the ring from Sauron's hand."

"At that time, Isildur could have thrown the ring back into the fires of Mount Doom, for that is the only way to destroy it."

"But he didn't, did he?" Giles asked.

"No, he did not. He took the ring for himself, but it betrayed Isildur to his death, for the ring has a will of its own. The ring was lost."

"Until now," Buffy surmised. She looked at Frodo, "And you have it."

A panicked look appeared on the hobbit's face.

"You're going to destroy it," Dawn said in understanding. "That's good."

Frodo relaxed somewhat.

"How did this fellowship get formed?" Giles asked.

"The ring found its way to Frodo," Aragorn said quietly. "A good friend of ours, Gandalf, learned that the Nazgûl were roaming..."

"Nascar?" Buffy asked.

"Nazgûl, the Ringwraiths. There were the nine kings of men who were twisted by their greed and lust for power. They are drawn to the one ring."

"And they were out looking for it?"

"Yes. Gandalf told Frodo that he needed to leave the Shire, his home. Gandalf left on an errand and the other three hobbits joined Frodo. They later met up with me and I took them to Rivendell.

"While we were there, a group of dwarves of elves arrived, along with Boromir. They all had a serious issue to be brought to Lord Elrond's attention." The scoobies ears perked up at the recognized name. "There was a council and Frodo volunteered to take the ring to Mordor and we volunteered to accompany him."
"Sauron is massing an army as we speak," Legolas said fiercely. "Our only hope is to destroy the ring for it is the only thing keeping him alive."

The scoobies sat in deep thought, then one by one they looked to Buffy. The slayer shared a long look with her sister and then Spike before saying, "Well, good luck on you quest thingie. I hope everything works out for you."
Aragorn blinked in surprise. "I thought it was your destiny to fight evil."

"It is, but I'm already involved in another war on our world. I can only fight one big bad at a time."

"Your world?"

Buffy looked at Dawn. "You didn't tell them?"

"It never came up."

The slayer gave the fellowship a slight smile. "We're umm, not exactly from Middle Earth. We're from just plain old Earth in another dimension."

Legolas' eyes widened as he studied Dawn. "You are Amaurëa, the Noldor who was transformed into the key of dimensions!"

"Looks like I'm not the only one who can read," Dawn said with a smirk. "Yes, this is my... new body, I guess. Although it's the only one I remember."

"I'm confused. What's a dimension?" The hobbit named Peregrin asked.

"There are other worlds than our own," Galadriel explained. "They are from one of those worlds."

This only caused the young hobbit to stare at them in wonder.

"Perhaps we should break," Celeborn said.

"Just in time for breakfast!" Peregrin said gleefully.

"You didn't eat breakfast?" Xander asked.

"Yes, but now it's time for second breakfast," Meriadoc explained. "We hobbits prefer six meals a day."

"Six meals," Xander said, clearly interested. "You guys sound like my kind of people. Would you like some company, Peregrin?"

"Sure, but call me Pippin."
The meeting ended and they went off in separate directions.

********

After lunch, Buffy was walking around the woods alone. Spike was off exploring with an elf he had made friends with, Dawn and Draco were getting to know the hobbits, and the witches were with Giles and Celeborn somewhere talking about books.

She didn't mind being alone for a short time. It gave her a chance to relax and just be. But her solitude was soon interrupted for she came upon Aragorn sitting by a stream, sharpening his sword.

"Nice sword," she said as she sat next to him. She had noticed during the meeting that morning that something seemed to hover over his shoulders, some sort of burden.

"It is Anduril, forged from the shards of Narsil," he said softly.

"That sword that cut the ring?" At his solemn nod it clicked in Buffy's head. "You're the king of Gondor."

He looked at her in faint surprise. "No, but I am the heir."

Buffy looked away from him and seemed to look off in the distance. "I was fifteen when I was called as the slayer. At the time I didn't know what that meant or that vampires and demons were real. Merrick, my first watcher..."
"Watcher?"

"They train slayers. Giles is my current watcher." She went back to her tale. "He opened my eyes to a new world and I hated it."

"Why?"

"Slayers rarely make it to their eighteenth birthday. I didn't want to die young, or be special. I just wanted a normal life."
"What happened to Merrick?"

"He died protecting me. I fought to maintain a normal life for years. But when I turned eighteen I was put through a test, my powers were removed. I had never been more terrified in my life." She grew silent, and he waited patiently for her to continue.

"It made me realize that being the slayer was a part of who I was and I didn't want to change it. I was born to be the slayer and I finally accepted it."

"I do not yet know if it is to be my destiny to be the king," he said quietly. "But I will wear that mantle if I must."

********

"How did you take Legolas' bow and arrow last night?" Pippin asked.

"Pippin!"

"What, Merry?" Pippin asked as he turned to Meriadoc.

"That's rude."

"No it's not." He turned back to Dawn and Draco. "Well?"

"I'm a wizard," Draco answered.

"Like Gandalf?" Pippin asked faintly.

"I don't know, does Gandalf use a wand?"

"No, he had a staff," the hobbit said tearfully.

~Oh my god. Gandalf is the one they were talking about last night. He's dead.~ Dawn told Draco. She quickly gathered the two hobbits into her arms. "I'm so sorry."

They cried softly on her shoulders.

"I don't know how we'll make it without him," came Merry's muffled voice.

"You'll find a way," she said softly.

*********

The fellowship had been in Lórien for several days when Anya found Boromir sitting by himself, lost in thought.

"It's hard, isn't it?" She asked.

"What is?" He asked, looking up at her.

"Being part of a group, and yet not."

Boromir laughed self-consciously and looked away. "I do not know what you mean."

Anya crossed to him and sat down. "It's ok. I understand. I've been friends with those guys for years, but I still feel left out."

"Then why do you stay?"

"Because not many will accept me. They know who I am, but they don't care."

"And who are you, my lady?"

"Someone who no longer uses her powers to hurt others," she said evasively. "Plus, life is never dull with them."

"I sometimes wonder," he said after a few minutes, "if I should not have joined the fellowship. I'm not sure what I have to offer that differs from the others."

"Have you helped to save any of them?"

Boromir thought of saving Frodo from the Watcher of Moria, of carrying Merry and Pippin through the deep snows on the pass of Caradhras, and of fighting the orcs within Moria. "Yes, I have."

"Then I say you've contributed something."

*******

Two weeks had passed since the scoobies had arrived in Caras Galadhon. The gang was packing for their return to their world.

"I'm so excited that we get to keep the clothes," Buffy said.

"I know, we can play dress-up whenever we want," Dawn giggled.

"Dawn, we do not play dress-up," Buffy admonished. "We put on clothes that make us look pretty and parade around in them."

"Sounds an awful lot like dress-up to me," Dawn said with a grin.

"I know, but dress-up is for kids, we're adults," Buffy said indignantly.

"If you say so."

All too quickly the scoobies found themselves packed and on the platform where they had first met Galadriel and Celeborn. The two elves were there along with the fellowship.

"Before you leave, we wish to give you some things to remember us by." Several elves stepped forward and they each received a grey cloak with a beautiful green leaf clasp.

Buffy, Dawn, and Draco were presented with bows and arrows. They each also received twin daggers. Spike and Xander were given Elven swords with sheaths. Anya was delighted with the delicately wrought mithril necklace, which she promptly put on. Willow, Tara, and Giles were given several books on lore and magic.

They began their tearful good-byes. Dawn had easily become close to the four hobbits once she was successfully able to block the presence of the one ring. Tears fell down her face as she said, "I will never forget you guys."

As Buffy hugged Aragorn she whispered, "The only way to be truly happy is if you embrace your destiny."

"I will do my best, my lady," he said gravely.

Willow and Tara surprised Celeborn by kissing his cheeks in farewell. The stern elf smiled and returned the favor.

"Tell Haldir we said bye," Dawn said to Galadriel as she hugged her.

"I will be sure he receives the message."

Before they were willing to admit, it was time. Dawn joined hands with Buffy and Draco and built her will. She quickly voiced the spell and the portal appeared. The scoobies stepped through.

Dawn turned and gave the fellowship a final wave and then closed the portal.

"I'm going to miss that dwarf," Xander said sadly.