Disclaimers : chapter 1

Special thanks to my beta, Scattered Logic.

Chapter 21: An unexpected discovery…

Kaitlyn had been surprised when Legolas walked to her and guided her along with him. The Elf had put a hand of reassurance on Gimli's shoulder after the Dwarf complained. It pleased her to see the two men, who had once loathed each other, become friends.

After they stepped past Gimli, Legolas walked closely to her and Kaitlyn did not mind in the least. The Elf pointed to the trees and explained how Fangorn was different from the other forests of Middle Earth. He told her of his desire to return to this forest and walk beneath its boughs when the evil of the world had passed.

Kaitlyn felt her worry about the future fade while she walked with Legolas. There was something about the Elf's presence that put her at ease. She did not know if it was his gentle, enthusiastic voice or the feel of his warm fingers entwined with hers. One thing of which she was certain was that she and Legolas had grown much closer than she thought possible. She welcomed his company and she realized that it would pain her greatly to be separated from him.

They followed after Gandalf and Aragorn who led them out of the forest and into the bright sunlight.

Kaitlyn frowned as she gazed over the plains. They had no transportation and, somehow, she couldn't see Gandalf running across the plains in his long robes as she and her companions had done.

Gandalf could see that she was worried and it was time to ease that. He gave a long, loud whistle that echoed across the plains for miles.

The sound of a horse neighing could be heard in the distance.

Kaitlyn's eyes widened as a large pure white horse galloped from behind some trees and headed in their direction. Behind him, two horses, one grey and one chestnut, wearing saddles and bridles followed.

"Our horses!" Kaitlyn cried out in joy.

Gandalf smiled at her outburst and watched as the steeds drew nearer.

Legolas squinted his eyes in the sun. "That is one of the meras unless my eyes are cheated by some spell."

Gandalf's smile widened. The white stallion slowed to a trot and finally halted directly in front of Gandalf. "Shadowfax is the lord of all horses and has been my friend through many dangers."

Kaitlyn couldn't deny that he was a beautiful animal. Tall, muscular, but still elegant.

Gandalf leapt upon the stallion's back, needing no saddle or bridle to ride the beast. "We must not delay."

Legolas mounted Arod and looked down at Kaitlyn. He offered her his hand but she shook her head.

"You ride with Gimli. I'll ride with Aragorn," she told him.

Legolas hid the hurt that her words caused. He had hoped that she would ride with him to Edoras. He had welcomed the possibility of feeling her arms about his waist as the wind blew through their hair and the land vanished beneath Arod's hooves. He watched as she moved to Aragorn and the Ranger hoisted her up behind him.

Gimli stood looking up at Legolas. The Dwarf attempted to mount the horse on his own when the Elf didn't help him right away. He used the saddle like a rope to pull himself up, but it was a lost cause. Legolas reached down and hoisted him up without a word and gathered the reins in his hands. The feel of the Dwarf's hand on his waist was not the same as how he imagined Kaitlyn's would feel.

Kaitlyn could see that Legolas was upset with her decision, but she wanted Legolas and Gimli to continue becoming friends. She did not want hard feelings to arise because Legolas had chosen her as his riding companion over Gimli. And some part of her needed the time and space away from the Elf. She realized just how close they had become over the past few months and it frightened her.

The men drove their horses forward and the group galloped over the plains. They rode for hours until the sun began to drift toward the western horizon.

As the sun set and the light of it began to fade, Gandalf slowed Shadowfax and the others slowed their horses.

"We will camp here tonight," Gandalf told them as he dismounted. "The horses need rest, as do we."

Aragorn started a small fire for the first time since they had left Amon Hen.

Kaitlyn sat beside the flickering flames, the light bouncing across her face. She wondered how Frodo and Sam were doing and where they were. There had not been much discussion of the ring among her, Legolas, Aragorn or Gimli after Frodo and Sam had left. Sometimes she forgot the whole reason her companions traveled was their quest to make sure the ring and the evil that desired it were destroyed.

She gave a heavy sigh. Aragorn was unsaddling his chestnut stallion, Gimli was sitting several yards away, smoking a long-stemmed pipe, and Gandalf was standing alone, looking to the north. She was not aware that Legolas had already unsaddled Arod or that he was standing just a few feet behind her.

With another sigh, Kaitlyn got to her feet and walked to Gandalf.

The wizard smiled as he saw her approach, but the smile faded as he peered into her face.

"You are troubled," he stated.

She nodded slowly.

"You were in fine spirits this morning. What has happened between now and then that has changed that?"

"Time," she shrugged and she kicked at a stone on the ground with her sneaker. She frowned at the condition of her shoes. The grey Nike's were filthy and they were beginning to shred at the toe. Besides her green backpack, her sketchbook that she had not touched in days and the photos of her family that she carried in her wallet, they were all that she had left of her world.

"Why such sadness?" Gandalf asked, breaking her from her thoughts.

She crossed her arms over her chest and then looked up into Gandalf's light eyes. "I've had a lot of dreams while you've been gone. Some of them have been nightmares and all of them have had to do with home in some way or another."

Gandalf put a hand on her shoulder.

Kaitlyn felt tears sting her eyes. "I wanted to go home so badly when I first came here and sometimes the need to find a way is so strong. I miss my parents, I miss traveling by car, eating ice cream, some of my co-workers or strolling through the woods. I miss stupid daily routines that I took for granted."

Gandalf frowned and tilted his head. "You said 'wanted'. Has your desire to return changed?"

Kaitlyn sighed heavily. " I don't know what I want. I'm so confused, Gandalf."

"And understandably so," he whispered. "You have made new friends here and you have grown close to them."

Kaitlyn nodded and wiped away the tears in her eyes away with her sleeve. "It would break my heart to leave them. Aragorn and Gimli are like brothers and Legolas..." her voice became softer as she uttered the Elf's name. "I don't know how it happened, but he's become my best friend."

Gandalf smiled warmly and turned to regard her companions. Aragorn and Gimli were talking and smoking by the fire and Legolas was staring intently at Gandalf and Kaitlyn. The Elf did not hide the fact that he was deeply interested in their discussion.

Gandalf looked at Kaitlyn. She was staring blankly at the ground. The wizard could see that the woman was deeply tormented. He reached for her chin with his fingers and tilted her head up so that he could peer into her eyes. "You must not trouble yourself with attempting to choose between the two worlds. That decision was never yours to make."

Kaitlyn swallowed.

Gandalf put his hands on her shoulders. "I once told you that you would live and die in this world."

Kaitlyn nodded slowly.

"That is the truth. Other than this, I know not what will happen, but this is your home now. Your dreams arise because your mind is in turmoil. You long to go and you long to stay, but no matter what you hope or dream, Middle Earth is your home. Your world has been lost to you."

Kaitlyn couldn't stop the tears that fell as a result of his words. "But why? How did I come here? Why can't I leave?"

Gandalf shook his head. "I know not know how you came to this world. That will no doubt be revealed in time. I only know that you will live and die here. That is a certainty."

"How do you know that?" she asked through her tears.

"Because I am a wizard and I know many things that others do not. We will leave it at that," Gandalf replied harshly.

Kaitlyn frowned.

Gandalf sighed. "This conversation should cease as its only purpose is to hurt you further. It is time that you left your world behind you and prepared yourself for a life here."

Kaitlyn nodded numbly. It was several moments before she spoke. "You told me I couldn't leave and I guess some part of me refused to believe that. I figured that if I came here that I could leave as well."

"It is logical for you to believe that, but not all that happens in life makes sense. Things happen without reason and beyond reckoning." The wizard looked up to see that Legolas was still gazing intently at them before he returned his eyes to Kaitlyn.

"You have made good friends that love you. They can help you cope and I will do whatever is in my power to help you, but only you can let go and move on."

Kaitlyn nodded.

Gandalf leaned in close to her, bringing his mouth near her ear so that only she could hear his words. "A certain Mirkwood Elf has been watching us for quite some time now and he appears worried. He has been uneasy ever since we left Fangorn as I am sure you know."

Kaitlyn nodded.

Gandalf pulled back and smiled warmly. "Allow him to ease your troubles and in doing so perhaps you will ease his."

Kaitlyn stared curiously at the wizard. Gandalf had a knowing look on his face.

She turned to regard Legolas and the look of concern on his face made her heart ache. She nodded her thanks to Gandalf and walked toward the Elf.

"Pedo ah nin?" Speak with me? she asked him as soon as she approached.

He nodded and the two moved several yards away from the others.

Legolas looked into her eyes. "You wish to leave us? Is that what I heard?"

Kaitlyn lowered her head and then raised it to peer into his eyes. "You shouldn't have been eavesdropping."

"It could not be helped." His eyes bored into hers and Kaitlyn had to look away because his gaze was so intense.

"Kaitlyn, do you wish to leave us?" The pain in his sweet voice made her want to cry.

She turned to look at him. He rarely called her by her given name, usually choosing to use his pet name for her.

Kaitlyn shook her head. "I can't return to my world. This is my home now. But if I had the choice to return to my world, I don't think that I could leave and that frightens me."

Legolas took her hands in his, his thumbs running over the back of her fingers. "Why?"

She tilted her head and looked into his eyes. "Because I wanted to go home so badly in the beginning. It was all I thought about. And all it took was time spent with new friends and a few dreams to change my mind." She swallowed hard.

"Thinking about leaving you and the others hurts me." She looked away at the look of concern that burned like blue flame in his eyes.

Kaitlyn realized that her talk of leaving tormented Legolas.

"My mind... it just kept hoping that there was still a way for me to go home, but at the same time, it knew what would happen if I did."

"Of what do you speak?" he asked softly.

"Do you remember the dream I had where I went home and Megan didn't know who you were?"

Legolas nodded, remembering how she had cried out and how upset she had been upon awakening.

"It frightened me because it made me realize that if I did go home I would still remember everything that happened here and no one else would know. Everyone else would think that I was making things up and that upsets me. It made me realize that if I went home I wouldn't be completely happy like I thought I would be. I'd miss the friends I've grown to love like family."

Legolas frowned and stepped closer, his hands gripping hers tighter. "Have all your dreams been of this nature?"

She nodded slowly. "Most of them have been. It wasn't until last night that they stopped. Did you do something to block my dreams?"

Legolas shook his head. "Nay. I told you that I would protect you from them to comfort you, but it is beyond my power to truly make them cease. I am an Elf, not a wizard."

Kaitlyn nodded, feeling silly for believing that he had really been able to block them. It had been a coincidence, nothing more.

"Gandalf talked some sense into me, even though it hurt. Giving up my world completely is hard for me to do, and I don't think I could ever forget where I was born and raised."

Legolas stepped closer and stared deeply into her eyes. "You should never forget your home, Kaitlyn. No matter how far away from it you are, it will always be a part of you."

She sighed. "I know. I just have to figure out how to let go without completely burying away thoughts of it. I'm really bad at hiding things from myself as a way to cope."

"And others as well."

Kaitlyn frowned.

"You attempted to hide your pain from your fall in Fangorn from me. There is not much that you can hide from me any longer. The deeper our friendship becomes, the easier it is for me to read your emotions."

Kaitlyn looked down a moment before she peered cautiously into his eyes. "That was foolish of me and I'm sorry. I was upset because I was the only one to fall and I hurt myself."

"There is nothing to be ashamed of. We can all have accidents."

"You're an Elf, you don't have accidents."

Legolas shot her a look of disbelief. "I do and I have. I am not a perfect being, he said shaking his head. "Only the Valar are believed to be without faults."

Kaitlyn nodded. " I'll promise to try not to hide stuff anymore, but you have to promise me the same."

Legolas' brows furrowed in confusion.

"You can't deny that something has been on your mind all day. I know we've done a lot of riding so there wasn't time to talk, but you didn't look happy when we left Fangorn and you barely said a word when we set up camp tonight. What's on your mind?"

"I had hoped that you would ride with me," he admitted softly.

"I'm really touched that you wanted me to ride with you, but I didn't want Gimli's feelings to get hurt. You two have been becoming friendly and that makes me happy. I didn't want him to feel as if he were second best."

Legolas nodded. "I did not realize that I could have hurt his feelings. I understand why you did not accept my offer."

"Good. So, there's no hard feelings."

Legolas shook his head. "Nay."

The two stood in silence for a long while.

The Elf seemed uncharacteristically nervous. One of his hands began toying with the fraying outer edge of his tunic. Kaitlyn realized that all this time she had not noticed how the edge of his tunic was missing. It dawned on her that many months before Legolas had ripped part of his tunic and had wrapped her hand with the soft cloth. He had done so much for her in the past few months.

"Legolas, what's wrong?" she asked.

Legolas looked up and into her eyes, his gaze intense, but also worried. "There is something I have desired to ask you, but I knew not if I would be overstepping boundaries."

Kaitlyn became silent for a moment. His words made her tense with slight worry, but her curiosity was much more dominant. "You're my friend, Legolas. Nothing you ask will overstep any boundaries."

He smiled but it faded and Kaitlyn wondered what was bothering him so much.

"Are you still upset about me not riding with you? Are you mad at me?" she asked, not knowing what he could be so uptight about.

He shook his head quickly. "Nay, 'tis but a question that has been sitting in my mind for some time." He lowered his head and then raised it. "Ever since you told me how you acquired your scar. I wanted to ask you that night, but I did not want to cause you further pain."

She tilted her head up so that she could look directly into his eyes. She was extremely curious now as well as slightly nervous. "The scar and the events around it don't bother me as much now that I've been able to talk about it. So, ask me."

The Elf's eyes bored into hers almost as if he meant to draw the answer he sought from her eyes. "I am aware that you loved... Derrick," the Elf whispered.

Kaitlyn nodded, her heart beginning to race. Licking her lips, she answered, "Yes. I loved him for 3 years."

Legolas inhaled sharply and exhaled in the same manner. "Were you bound in marriage?"

Kaitlyn shook her head. "No," she said and she lowered her head. "He never even asked for my hand in marriage. I waited for him to. I was even bold enough to ask him about it once. " She looked up into Legolas' face. The Elf was staring at her intently.

"He told me that he wasn't ready and that we didn't have the money anyhow." She shrugged. "I just think he wasn't ready for a serious commitment and that always bothered me."

Legolas' brows furrowed.

"I don't know how love works here, but in my world some people lie and say they love someone to get what they want, they have one night stands, they cheat on their wives or husbands. It's sick how it's become." She frowned, realizing that she was trailing off.

"To go back to your question; no, I wasn't married to him." She looked into Legolas' eyes. "I'm glad that I never married him."

Legolas exhaled and he did not understand why her words comforted him so. "Forgive me if I have stirred up bad memories or if I have overstepped my-"

He stopped talking the moment Kaitlyn's finger pressed against his lips. "You didn't." She slowly lowered her hand. "You allowed me to talk to you once about what happened with him and me. While it sometimes hurts to think or talk about him, it doesn't hurt as much anymore."

Legolas smiled. "This pleases me."

Kaitlyn smiled. "Me too." She moved closer to him and rested her hands against the soft fabric of his tunic.

"Was that all that you wanted to know? If Derrick and I were married?"

Legolas nodded. "Aye. I know not why it plagued me. I only know that I am content to know the answer."

Kaitlyn found it slightly disturbing that Legolas wanted to know if she had been married. But she told herself that he was only curious and concerned and she left it at that.

They stood close together in silence for several minutes. The wind blew around them and Kaitlyn brushed her hair out of her face. She sighed when her fingers caught in one of the many tangles.

After a few frustrating failed attempts, she managed to pull her fingers free. She tilted her head and gazed curiously at Legolas.

"Man?" he asked. What?

She shook her head and chuckled. "It amazes me how your hair manages to stay perfectly in place 99.9% of the time. You have to tell me your secret."

Legolas grinned. He sensed that she was more at ease and the fact that she wished to tease put him in a light mood. "'Tis a well kept secret of the Elves, hiril nin. It would not be a secret if I told you," he teased in return.

She laughed. "Well, I still wish I knew the secret, especially on a night like this when my hair is out of control."

He smiled warmly. "You worry far too much."

"I just hate looking like a wild woman." She pursed her lips and sighed. "I used to work at a bank and my hair would always be neat with some time spent in front of the mirror. Your hair is frightening. Every single strand is exactly where it should be." She cocked her head to one side and smiled. "Well, maybe one or two are out of place, but who's keeping count?"

Legolas smiled. "I am glad you do not hold that against me."

She chuckled and regarded him. She watched as a small wisp of blond hair that had fallen from Legolas' braid, danced in front of his ear.

"Why is it that you always wear braids in your hair? Do they mean something?"

Legolas nodded. "Warriors wear them. It is a symbol of their status."

Kaitlyn nodded, her eyes still drawn to the loose tendrils waving in the breeze. She reached forward and gently brushed the hair back and behind his ear. Her finger lightly touched his ear as she combed the fine hair into place and Legolas' eyes slipped closed at the contact.

She was intrigued by the softness of his skin and the pointed tip of his ear that her people did not possess. She had grown accustomed to Legolas' strange ears and everything Elvish about him, when months before he had been alien to her. Smiling, she allowed her fingers to linger on the outer edge of his ear.

After only a moment, Legolas inhaled and exhaled loudly and his eyes shot open. He gently reached for her hand and pulled it to his chest, covering it with his own hand. His heart was pounding beneath her palm and there was a strange look in his eyes.

Her brows furrowed in confusion at his actions.

"Elven ears are very sensitive to... touch," he said breathlessly.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." She tried to pull her hand back but Legolas didn't release her.

He shook his head. "You did not hurt me...quite the opposite," he revealed softly.

She drew back at the strange look in his eyes and the low sound of his voice, suddenly realizing what he meant.

"Oh..." she whispered, trying to remind herself to breathe. What had she just done?

Legolas saw the expression on her face. "Do not be frightened or regret what has been done, for I do not. The feeling was unexpected, but not unpleasant."

Legolas realized that the feeling had been beyond pleasant. It had been exquisite. Her simple touch upon him had made his heart race with anticipation and had sent a warmth spiraling through his body that he had never experienced before.

"I'm still sorry," she offered weakly.

"Do not be." He gave her a slow smile willing his heart to stop pounding so loudly.

Kaitlyn realized that the Mirkwood Elf was still holding her hand and now his long nimble fingers were tracing the outer edges of her fingers. His eyes still held that strange look. Pleasure and contentment mixed with a little of something else.

Kaitlyn's eyes fluttered closed at his gentle touch. She could feel the gentle movements of his fingers, the steady beating of his heart. She could feel the warmth of his breath and body.

Her breathing quickened, as did the beating of her heart. She felt a familiar warmth and sensation begin to stir within her. It was one that she had not felt in a long time. Butterflies fluttered about in her stomach and her mind was whirling. Exhaling loudly, she quickly stepped back, pulling her hand away.

Legolas appeared confused and worried at the action. Her eyes had been closed and she had seemed content with him touching her hand. What had gone wrong so suddenly?

"We... we should probably go to bed... eh, sleep... Rest. We should probably rest," she fumbled and she felt herself flush hotly.

Legolas nodded slowly. The Elf was confused. He could sense her nervousness and he blamed himself for causing it to appear in her. The Elf did not know what had come over him nor did he completely understand what had happened between them. All he knew was that she was now uncomfortable in his presence and it caused him unexpected pain.

"You are right. It is late." He cast a look at his companions to see that Gimli was sleeping and Aragorn and Gandalf were talking some 10 yards away. "Gimli is already resting. We should do the same."

Legolas walked her back toward the others and Kaitlyn's heart pounded like thunder the entire time. She was aware of his every moment, his every breath. She was suddenly very afraid, because she knew damn well what was going on. Once again, something unexpected jostled her world.

She realized that was attracted to Legolas and, if she had read his actions correctly, he was attracted to her, even if he did not realize it.

To be continued…

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