A/N: Oh, God, I am SO sorry for the delay. So far I'd managed to update every other day or something, but that sort of fell apart over the week. Sorry to those who'd been waiting impatiently. Some stuff'd come up. My two closest friends (close enough to call them my siblings) got in a fight, and I was in the middle. Doesn't that suck? Anyway, I'd hardly had any time to work on any of my stories, but I somehow managed to get it done tonight. So I hope you like it, and sorry it's so short!

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Disclaimer: It's not mine, and I don't have enough heart to come up with a witty comment telling you that Legolas doesn't belong to me.

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ch.6

Legolas was in there for a long time. I mean, looooooonnggg time as in hours. I waited for him to come out for nearly forty-five minutes, wondering, for the millionth time, what he was thinking about. I sat at the kitchen counter, tapping my long fingernail in the rhythm from "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" by Green Day. I watched the second hand make its journey around the circle of the clock, then begin again at twelve, marching away the seconds that spanned into minutes that stretched into hours. After an hour and a half of waiting, I let my head slump on my crossed arms in hopes of regaining some of the three hours of sleep I missed last night. (Hey, I needed my sleep.)

I didn't get much. When I next woke up, it was only eleven. Legolas had been in that bathroom for three hours. I stood groggily from my stool, stretched, then made my way down the hall. I rapped on the door when I got there. No response.

"Legolas?" I called, then knocked again. Still nothing. He clearly needed more time. Don't push him, I reminded myself. Sighing, I turned away from the bathroom and went into the living room, where I kicked back on the couch, doing anything that would entertain me. I watched TV for a few minutes, but there really is nothing on in the middle of the day. I checked by a couple detective real life shows, not the drama kind, because the real life ones are usually more interesting. That kept me occupied for about three minutes and twenty-four seconds. My mind really wasn't in the show. I tried a couple other channels, but there was nothing there, either, so I picked up a magazine and tried one of those quizzes they had in one of the sections. But I couldn't concentrate on the questions.

To make a long story short (too late), I ended up sprawled on the couch, blowing a small white feather I had pulled from one of the pillows into the air. It was pretty entertaining, really. Once you get the hang of it, you can alter the way your breath moves so the feather could even breakdance in midair. But I'm not going to get into that, because I'm sure you're wondering when Legolas comes out of the bathroom.

He came out at precisely one seventeen. I know. I checked. I was in the middle of trying to get my feather to flip when I saw Legolas standing in the doorway, watching me. I almost literally jumped out of my seat. I hadn't heard him come in at all. It was then I checked the clock, and realized that nearly six hours had gone by. Jeez. Time flies when you're having fun, right?

I forgot all about the feather and sat up, meeting his eyes. He looked like he had a lot on his mind. I softly patted the spot on the couch next to me. "Want to talk?" I asked. He nodded slowly and came to sit beside me, then rested his elbows on his knees and stared at the floor in a position I never would have suspected from him. I waited patiently as he gathered his thoughts.

"I…I did a lot of thinking today," he finally said hesitantly, still not looking at me, but at the rug. Legolas paused for a moment. "A lot of remembering." That was what I was afraid of.

"What were you thinking of?" I asked quietly. Again the elf paused, sorting thoughts, memories, opinions all out in his mind.

"I was thinking about my home and what Fran said this morning," he replied. "I was thinking about my family and the things I'd lost when I came here. At first I was filled with regret and sorrow, for I wondered how my mother and sister were going to deal with my sudden disappearance." He halted his talking and took a deep breath, which he expelled from his lungs in a heaving sigh. "But then I realized that it could not be all that bad." Here he looked up at me as I cocked my head.

"How so?" I asked. Really, I was curious. How could it not be bad? He was away from his home with possibly no way of getting back, missing his family, and planted right in the middle of a world he knew nothing of. What's good about that?

"I've met you," he supplied. I couldn't help but blink in complete surprise at that statement. What? My mind laughed hysterically, spurting out that no one could be grateful for the things I do. No one could even be grateful for my existence. But, then again, I was rather critical of myself back then.

"Me?" I asked incredulously. "I'm what makes this all better?" Legolas nodded, a smile gracing his face.

"I would be off ten times worse if I hadn't run into you," he said, then shook his head slowly. "Oh, Kyla, you degrade yourself too much. Don't you see how much you are worth? You're empathetic, caring, kind…I don't even want to try and list all of your good qualities; there are too many." Ooh, he had me good. I could feel myself blushing at what he was saying. No one had ever spoke to me like that, called me wonderful things…listed my endearing traits, which I'd been certain I didn't have at all. It took me a moment to exit my dazed mind and realize that Legolas was speaking again.

"I realized…that it couldn't be too bad being here," he went on, "because I have all these things to explore and you as my guide. And I'm glad you're my guide. You make a wonderful friend." Okay, here's when the flutes start trilling, the butterflies flutter, and something inflates my heart. Who knew that being called all of these things by a truly sweet guy could set you on fire? I mean, I felt good. Really good when he said those things about me. Watch out Superman, here comes Kyla!

I didn't snap out of my daze until the phone began ringing. Legolas and I jerked out of our little bubble and looked towards the kitchen, where an annoyingly high-pitched tone was screaming. I sighed and got up off of the couch, Legolas following me, and I picked up the corded phone and pressed it to my ear.

"Yes'm?" I muttered. I really didn't appreciate being interrupted, I had been being complemented, for goodness sakes! And by a guy who suddenly looked very handsome!

"Hi Kyla is he okay did he come out of the bathroom yet if he did can I talk to him?" Fran rambled off on the other side of the phone. I blinked, and it took a moment to translate her mile-a-minute speech.

"Uh…hi. Yeah, he's fine, and he did come out of the bathroom," I replied.

"Well can I talk to him?" Fran asked abruptly. I backed the phone away from my ear. She'd been practically screeching in urgency.

"Yes, yes, he's right here," I said, trying to calm her down. I handed the phone over to Legolas, who took it carefully. He'd only learned a minimum about phones, and this was clearly a very new experience for him.

"…Hello?" he said hesitantly, and I almost laughed as his eyes widened when Fran began immediately babbling into his ear. He tried to follow what she was saying, but was obviously having trouble with it.

"Yes," he said, "yes, I'm fine. I—I know you didn't mean it Fran. It's alright. Yes, I'm sure. It's alright. No, I don't hate you." The comments went on like that for a little while. He said basically three things the entire time: Yes, he was absolutely fine; he knew she meant nothing by what she'd said this morning; and he didn't hate her guts. Finally, after nearly fifteen minutes of this, he said his farewell and handed the phone back to me so I could assure Fran that I would take care of him and hang it up.

When I turned back around, Legolas was leaning against the counter, his arms folded. I mimicked his position and gazed at him from across the kitchen. "So…you're sure you're going to be alright?" I asked softly. He didn't respond for a few moments, long enough for me to wonder if he even heard me. At last he languidly shifted his posture and his sapphire eyes swirled up to me.

"I'm sure the pain has dulled somewhat," he replied a bit evasively. "Though…I cannot help but miss my family, as anyone would in this kind of situation." I swallowed, then scratched my forehead.

"I understand," I murmured, glancing at the floor, then back up at him. "Would…you like to…talk to me about it? Tell me of your home, your family, your friends?" Legolas hesitated, but then a wide grin spread across his face.

"That would be nice," he whispered.

That day had to be the longest I've ever listened to anything or anyone. It might be ADD that makes me zone out when people are talking, or it could just be an auditory problem. But for the whole four hours that Legolas talked to me, I caught every single word he said. Nearly everything he told me was utterly fascinating or entertaining. I had never read the pages on the internet about elves, and it was interesting to learn their customs and about the personal life of one of them.

Legolas started with facts about his family: he told me of his father's strict rules and regulations he held uptight for his children, and the fact that his mother was the only one who could sway him into lenience. He told me of his elder sister's over-protectiveness of him and her mild teasings. He told me of a collection of friends he considered close and the mischief they had gotten into when they were younger. And, apparently, his sister had been part of their schemes on more than one occasion. Every word he uttered was filled with deep affection and warm reminiscence.

We stayed in the kitchen for the remainder of the day, swapping stories of our childhood and our rebellious wills. Can you believe that when Legolas was confined to his room for the latest prank he had cast, he'd climbed out his window and run away into the forest, simply for the satisfaction of knowing that his will wouldn't be dominated? Amazing. My parents would have flayed me alive if I had done that.

And, to my great joy, Legolas actually listened to me. It seemed that what I said really did captivate him, and that made me feel…I wouldn't say 'giddy', but I felt close to that. Sometimes I got the feeling that nobody cared for what I said when I talked, but I actually felt heard when I was talking to Legolas.

We spent what seemed like such a short time in the kitchen, simply sharing memories and enjoying each other's company. After our remembrance well went dry (which took some time), we went into the living room, where we sat on the couch and flipped through channels on the TV. Legolas would occasionally ask questions about some of the images we passed by, and I answered them all as best as I could. The inquiries of things mechanical and stuff I wasn't too good at.

At around four, the front door burst open and Fran rushed into the room, looking mightily disheveled and in disarray. She threw her things down and looked around the apartment, like a scanner. When she saw Legolas sitting on the couch beside me, I could have sworn I saw the words "Target Locked" flash across her eyes.

Fran instantly zipped straight past me and threw herself into Legolas' arms, who seemed surprised that a frazzled woman was now clinging tightly to the front of his shirt. Not only that, he threw me a glance that clearly stated he did not know exactly what to make of Fran's colossal grip.

"I'm so sorry!" Fran sobbed into his chest. "This is the second time I've messed up! I'm such an ass! Will you forgive me?" Legolas swallowed, glanced at me again, and tentatively patted Fran's shoulder.

"I'd forgiven you long before," he replied gently. "I hold you at fault for nothing." Fran's head shot up, nearly smacking him in the chin. Thank God for elven reflexes.

"Really?" she asked. "Thank you! I won't let you down!" Fran kissed his cheek, then released him and scurried into the hall, disappearing from our sight, and the sound of a door slamming closed echoed throughout the apartment. I looked over at Legolas, who was staring at the opening of the hall with a bemused expression.

"Frightened?" I asked jokingly with a laugh. Legolas smiled and shook his head.

"Merely…contemplative," he said.

"That's normal behavior for her," I explained. "If she thinks someone's pissed at her, she wants to talk to them face to face to figure the feud out. If she can't see that someone for a long period of time, she flips." Legolas nodded in understanding and said no more.

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Again, sorry that it's so short; I'll try and make it longer next time. Thanx for reading! Reviews please!