Disclaimer- No, I don't own any of Lord of the Rings. I just make stuff up and…hem hem borrow generously from the book sand movie. But it's not copyright infringement! Really, it's not! Right?

Chapter 4 hmm…how familiar…

She was running, running down a dark street. Her feet hit hard, cold cement and she stumbled, nearly falling. She looked around her, taking a moment to figure out where she was. Then how this scene was familiar slammed into her, and she stumbled. No, no! She had finished this! She had escaped, and gone to Middle Earth- and- and- she looked behind her, the gasping sob rising in her throat. There they were, the shadowy figures, not speaking, just following. No! She wasn't here! She couldn't be! She saw the alley ahead and turned. She had to get back! She couldn't be here! She had to get back to Middle Earth, and Gandalf, and elves, and hobbits, and…and… She ran blindly, trying to keep herself calm. You're dreaming Thor-Holly. Holly, you're just dreaming. Soon you'll wake up in Rivendell and be far away from Dell and Rance and…and… she was having trouble keeping her thoughts straight. Turning around a narrow corner, she saw the brick wall. Half relieved, half scared shitless, she ran to it, throwing her full weight against it. It hurt. A lot. In dreams, things weren't supposed to hurt. No! NO!

She ran her fingers over the wall, hoping to trigger some sort of reaction, a switch, or a door, or something.

"Gandalf," she murmured, half laughing, half sobbing "hey, Gandalf, take me back, please take me back-"

A low laugh came from behind her. Slowly, trying to tell her quivering nerves that she was dreaming, she turned to face them. It was a nightmare, but it would end. It would. It would. It had to.

"Alright Thorn," Spike said "How about you hand over that bag?"

Oh shit, it was all the same.

"F-Fuck that" she stammered. She was going to throw up, she knew it.

"Come on Thorn, it's over" Leo whispered. "Just hand it over. You don't have any choice."

Dell tilted his head to the side, his dark eyes glinting in the soft moonlight. He was just loving this. He was just loving to watch her squirm, trapped and doomed in a corner.

Suddenly she couldn't take it. She would not beg and plead and cry again, throwing herself down on her knees to him. Not even sure of what she was doing, she suddenly bent down and launched herself into Dell's chest. Surprised, he tumbled backwards with a grunt, landing heavily. She tumbled over him and up, trying to force her way through the press of bodies. They were too solid, and reached out, trying to grab her. She dropped the bag and lashed out with her fists, hitting at random anyone who got too close. Her ears seemed to have given out. She could see the Stars shouting and calling to each other, but somehow couldn't hear them. They were drowned out by the furious roaring that filled her head. One Star fell, clutching a broken nose. Another reeled away, sent down by a kick to the stomach.

Suddenly she smiled and almost laughed. Maybe she could do this! She could escape, get away after all. She fought even harder, the way out to freedom becoming clearer and clearer. Then something hard, heavy, and metallic smashed into the back of her head, the blow sending her to her knees, causing stars to wink before her eyes.

Everyone instantly backed up, clearing a circle around her. She groaned, putting her hands to the back of her head, fighting to stay conscious. Dell walked slowly around to face her, his gun held loosely in his hand. The bastard. How could she have forgotten about Dell? She must really be panicky; she usually fought better then this. She slowly raised her head, trying to stare him in the eye, even though he swam in and out of focus.

"Man, Thorn," he laughed, rubbing his jaw thoughtfully. His voice rose uncontrollably as he spoke, ending in a half shout, spoken to the others around them. "I knew you were crazy when I heard that you had sold us all out to the cops," Then he turned back to her, his voice softer. "But I never knew you were this crazy." He knelt, so that he was level with her face, his dark eyes boring into hers with the same intensity that used to render her completely helpless. His voice was deceptively calm. "I was just going to kill you, but now you've really pissed me off. So I'm going to just take my time. Is that OK with you?" He raised his hand, and put it on her neck, just where her neck and shoulders met. His thumb moved lazily up and down, gently rubbing her skin, damp with sweat. His eyes never left hers.

Fully aware of the wonderfully corny cliché of it, Holly gathered up all the moisture in her mouth and spat in his face. In an instant, she was on the ground, and he was on top of her, slapping her so hard that by the time she had cleared her head, he was hitting her again. She tried to push him away, tried to fight back, but he knocked her hands aside easily. She felt the blood streaming down her nose, and could hear the voices of the gang, jeering and shouting. Dell was silent. He just kept on hitting her. She felt a cut open above her eyebrow, and his fist slammed into her left eye. She squinted up at the sky, little white lights winking down at her. Dell let out a small grunt, and she turned her eyes to him. He was grinning. Oh my God, she managed to think, this is worse then being shot. Just kill me, Dell. Just do it. Hate more pungent then anything she'd ever felt filled her. Her heart beat double time, and filled up with a dark heat that spread to her whole body. Her skin crawled, and her hands itched to fasten around his neck, his arms, any place where she could hurt him. She saw red. The sky behind Dell's shoulder was red, not a sign of stars or sky. The sky was on fire. Dell laughed softly, then his laughter grew into a hideous, growling, harsh, and inhuman laugh. The fire swirled, condensing into an oval-like slit. It was an eye, like a cat's eye, made out of flame. The laughter was coming from the eye. The fire from the eye slowly reached out, burning away the laughing gang members, then burning away Dell until it was just her and it…

"Hold her down! She'll hurt herself further!"

"I…see…you" the eye teased, its voice a rough growl that sent cold shivers down her back. She clapped her hands over her ears, but the laughter was all around her, inside her, inside her head.

"You cannot hide" She tried to scream, but couldn't hear herself over the sound of fire and its voice. There was nothing between her and it, no where to go, and it was coming closer and closer. The heat became so intense she felt like she was going to burn away too. Holly pushed herself back hurriedly, trying to get away from that horrible eye and the horrible laugh. She was almost insane with terror, incapable of thinking anything except for an urgent, piercing scream which reverberated around inside her skull. She bumped up against the brick wall, and the eye drew closer and closer, still laughing, laughing…

Holly awoke screaming, fighting for breath. She couldn't see, she could only feel hands pinning her down, shouting around her. Her vision cleared, and she was looking into the dark face of a man with a black stubbly beard and hair who was sitting on her, his face only a few inches away from hers. She screamed and jammed the heels of her hands into his eyes. He rolled off her, clutching his face, and Gandalf suddenly took his place. She lashed out, and grabbed the sleeve of his long gray robe, twisting it in her hot fist.

"Gan- Gandalf!" she panted, "Gandalf!" she turned her head wildly, looking around for the eye, still feeling the burning heat on her skin, not feeling the cool of night in Rivendell or the hands that pinned her to her sweat soaked sheets. "Alley. Dell. Fire! It! Eye! The Eye!" She twisted madly, still trying to escape. Gandalf stiffened, but then laid a hand over her eyes. She felt coolness spread out from his hand, and slowly her breathing slowed, and the all-consuming fear lessened. She stopped writhing, and her heart slowed to its normal pace.

Gandalf removed his hand, and knelt down beside her. He peered intently into her face, she turned away, nervous and panting slightly, but her took her chin and turned her face to his. She stared into his old eyes for a moment, until he sighed, and straightened, releasing her. Gently, he worked her hand off his robe.

"Fuck…Fuck…I'm…I'm sorry Gandalf. I had a," she faltered, remembering that terrible vision "a nightmare." Gandalf still stared at her. Nervous, she started talking, half aware of what she was saying "I was running, and I was back in the alley, back home, before I came here, and, and, I thought it was just a dream, but then I hit the wall and it hurt like hell, and it seemed so real, and then Dell was there, and I got scared and tried to run, and then he was beating me, and I was bleeding, and then I hated him, and the sky turned red, and- it was an eye!" Gandalf looked over at someone who was standing behind her bed as she said this, but she couldn't stop to question it. "and, and it burned up Dell and all of them, and it was so hot, and it laughed, and came closer, and closer" She stopped, knowing that if she talked anymore she'd either throw up or start crying again. She wiped her face with the back of one hand, not meeting his gaze.

Gandalf looked back at her, trying his best to look fatherly and comforting. "It was a dream, Holly. You are safe here. The men in your world cannot find you or hurt you anymore."

She shuddered, and looked away. The man she'd hit sat on the bed next to hers, kneading his eyes with a bemused smile on his face. He was dressed in black leather armor with a black cloak and hood which partly hid the scabbard at his side. His black hair hung down a little past his chin, and he was maybe thirty at the oldest. His face was scarred, but the hurts had been healed a long time ago. Holly wouldn't have been able to see the scars if she hadn't known so much about scars. He dropped his hand, and regarded her. His blue eyes were startling, and she couldn't place why. Feeling that she had to say something, Holly opened her mouth.

"You were on top of me."

He raised his eyebrows, and smiled slightly. "I suppose I was. But you were in such terror that the healers feared you would do additional injury to yourself," he nodded to her in some kind of salute, and laid his right hand over his heart "I am Aragorn, Son of Arathorn."

She nodded. "I'm Holly Waller… Daughter of Malcolm Waller." He nodded solemnly, still smiling. She turned away, pissed off and almost embarrassed. She looked up at Gandalf, who was also smiling. Ignoring him and not looking at Aragorn, she addressed Gandalf.

"Is he the one you've been waiting for?" Gandalf nodded. "So he's with Frodo?" Gandalf nodded again. She looked around "Has he woken up yet?"

Gandalf sighed. "No. Not yet. We will redouble our efforts to heal him," He sighed slightly, and shook his head. Looking up, he smiled slightly. "Tonight you may leave this room, and have a room of your own. The healer informs me that your side is fully healed." Gandalf rose, and turned to leave. Aragorn got to his feet also, and went to his side. They started to leave, when Gandalf turned as if suddenly remembering something, and paused. He seemed to be arguing something over in his head. Then,

"Lord Elrond will be holding a council as soon as Frodo awakes and the delegations of Men, Elves, and Dwarves arrive. It is the wish of myself and Lord Elrond that you should attend. Your arriving at this time cannot be an accident. The council will have much to discuss." He turned, and walked out with Aragorn, their heads bent together, talking intently. Suddenly completely exhausted, Holly fell back against her pillows and fell fast asleep. If she had any dreams, she couldn't remember them.

Hey there! I just need to thank immortalwizardpirateelf-fan for catching my mistake in chapter 2- the year is not 1042 of the Second Age- it's 3017 in the Third Age. Bad Slug! Bad! But my eternal thanks to immortal wizard. Sorry for the screw-up.