Disclaimer: I don't own Steely Dan, and I don't claim ownership to the lyrics reprinted here. 'Kay? 'Kay.

Author's Note: This chapter's even shorter! Ha! But I needed a chapter for Faythe and Aragorn to just…you know, talk and stuff. We don't see that often enough. Oh yeah, some material in this chapter may be unsuitable for children.

Chapter Seventeen

Playing the Fool

FAYTHE'S ROOM

Faythe was soaking in a hot tub in the adjoining bathroom in her and Aragorn's bedroom. She was listening to her CD player and reading Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King for the 4th time. She sang along with the song, a Steely Dan hit, "Bad Sneakers."

"…Bad sneakers and a piña colada, my friend

Stomping on the avenue the radio playing

With a transistor and a large sum of money to spend…"

Faythe even sang along with the instrumental break before the next verse.

Aragorn came in and got in next to her. Oblivious to the world around her, Faythe didn't notice he was there until he slid his arm over her shoulders. "Honey, you need to stop denying your past," he said gently.

Despite the headphones, Faythe heard most of what he said. She turned off the CD player. "I know that, Aragorn! I'm not a fool, I'm just doing a real good job at pretending to be one."

Aragorn chuckled. "That you are." They sat in silence for a while. Then, Aragorn asked something he'd wanted to ask. "Will our kids be more human, elf, demon, or hobbit?"

Faythe glared at him. "We agreed not to discuss that, remember? And with all your speeches about hiding from who you are, you seem to have forgotten that you did the exact same thing for 60 years!" She sighed. "I don't want to own up to yet, A. I'm not ready."

"And do you think I was when I had to reveal myself and take responsibility for my lineage?" Faythe was about to respond when Aragorn said quickly, "That was a rhetorical question."

"Oh." She turned her CD player back on and listened to "My Old School" for a while.

Aragorn turned it off again. "We weren't through talking yet!"

Faythe replied coldly, "Really? We seemed through to me."
Aragorn started to say something when the door opened and Jake came in, bearing a toothbrush and mouthwash. He stared at them. They stared back. Jake shook his head, as though trying to dispel the image. "Well…I can see that you're busy," he said, embarrassed, "I'll come back."

Faythe got out of the tub and wrapped a towel around herself. "No, Jake, go right ahead." She glared at Aragorn. "We're done here."