Melannen closed the car door and started the engine. Turning on the heater, she watched with growing impatience for Elladan to come out of the house. After a few minutes he came jogging out, with a fleece sweater on. She could not help but laugh when she noticed that when she had given him Elros' old pants to wear, she had forgotten that Elladan was quite a bit taller than her son had been. When he was sitting beside her, warming his hands, she took it as an invitation to mention his slight problem.

"Nice bloomers."

Elladan only muttered something that sounded remarkably like 'Up yours.'

Laughing, Melannen backed out of the driveway and drove to the nearby Borders book store. It took them only about ten minutes before pulling into the parking lot. Both walked into the store, passing by an elderly woman who was sitting outside puffing on a cigarette. Once they were a ways inside, Elladan leaned over and whispered into Melannen's ear.

"I've been scarred for life."

"What do you mean?" she asked, quietly.

He shuddered visibly, "That old woman back there . . . . . . when we passed . . . . she pinched my butt!" he whispered furiously.

Melannen raised her eyebrows in surprise, "Oh my." she paused to regain herself, "She probably thought you looked sexy in your bloomers." Elladan shoved her. "What was that for!"

He did not answer, instead he just walked off and seemed to disappear in the mazes of bookshelves. Melannen followed suit. After about an hour, Melannen went to find Elladan so that they could leave, he was sitting with his back to one of the tall shelves with a book in his hand, reading. She went over and sat down beside him.

"Time to go."

Elladan nodded, and both went to stand, but somehow their legs had gotten entangled, so both fell to the floor. "Ouch. Get off my groin!" Elladan said in a rather squeaky voice.

Though the humorousness of the situation vanished as soon as it had begun. "Get a room." a deep voice said behind them, Melannen whirled. Her heart was pounding, and her blood was racing, but when their eyes met there was no mistaking. From her rather akward position on the floor, she gazed up at him and almost immediately wanted to vomit, her stomach was going on a roller-coaster ride. A haunting feeling of deja vu came over her, the helplessness of being caught in the act of a great sin, but it wasn't just that, it was everything.

She could only think to say one thing, "It's not what it seems!"

"No, you're right, it's much worse."