A/N: Wow, another reviewer! Greeting new person to review… Wow, that's a mouthful. Anyway, Celtic and I welcome you warmly. Don't we Celtic:D

New person to review: Other story? Are you talking about A Broken Past? Well, if you liked A Broken Past, you should like this one too.

Celtic: I'm thinking of that being something that would've happened if she didn't do…er something. If I tell you now it'd spoil the story!

Chapter 2: Gollum

Valia was silent as they continued on that day. Her dream was still very vivid in her mind, and she was consulting the little knowledge she knew of such things to try and understand her dream.

Frodo stopped, looking out toward the dark shadow. Valia stood by his side then lowered her gaze to look at Emyn Muil, the labyrinth of razor-sharp rocks they still had to pass through. Frodo took her hand, and she looked up at him. His eyes searched hers with a worried gaze.

"You've been so quiet today," he said.

"I've been thinking. My dream is still too real in my mind, and it frightens me," she whispered.

"Perhaps it would help to talk about it?"

"We should stop here for lunch." She pulled away, changing the subject quickly.

Frodo didn't press her, but he knew she was hiding something.

"This looks strangely familiar," Valia said, stopping their afternoon trek.

Frodo also stopped then sighed in frustration. "That's because we've been here before. We're going around in circles!" He sat on a rock, his head in his hands.

Valia sat beside him, setting her hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her, and she smiled gently. "Don't give up yet." Then she leaned forward to whisper in his ear. "There is someone that might guide us."

Gollum crawled down the rock toward the two hobbits below. "Those thieves! Those filthy little thieves! Where is it?" he hissed. "Where is it? They stole it from us. My precious." Gollum reached for Frodo, but he and Valia leapt up.

They grabbed hold of his arms and pulled him down. Gollum wriggled loose and leapt at Frodo who fell back. The Ring was revealed, and Gollum grabbed for it. Valia tore him from Frodo, but Gollum whirled around and bit her shoulder.

Valia gave a cry and fell back with Gollum on top of her. His hands grasped her neck, and she grabbed at them as he began to strangle her. Gollum pulled back a little when a sword appeared at his throat.

"This is Sting," Frodo growled. "You've seen it before. Haven't you, Gollum? Release her, or I'll cut your throat!"

Gollum obeyed, and Frodo pulled Valia to her feet and kept her behind him as he kept his sword on Gollum. Valia coughed and rubbed her neck, and Gollum wailed in sorrow and fear.

"What are we going to do with him?" Frodo asked. "I'd personally like to see him strung up with his heart cut out."

"No!" Gollum wailed, falling into a pathetic, distressed pile at Frodo's feet. "No, that would kill us! Kill us!"

"We can't kill him," Valia whispered. "We need him."

"We swears to do what you wants," Gollum begged. "We swears."

"There's no promise you can make that we can trust," Frodo said.

"We swears to serve the master of the precious. We swears on…on the precious!" Gollum looked up at Frodo, his pitiful face full of fearful hope.

"The Ring is treacherous," Frodo warned, "and will hold you to your word."

"Yes, yes…on the precious…the precious," Gollum replied, still groveling at Frodo's feet.

"You know the way to Mordor?" Valia asked Gollum.

"The creature cowered visibly. "Yes."

"You've been there before?"

"Yes."

"You will lead us to the Black Gate," Frodo ordered.

Gollum nodded eagerly. "But first, master and mistress must rest. Isn't good to set off now, precious, no. Hobbits get lost and fall off a cliff." He shook his head sorrowfully. "Terrible, nasty fall."

A/N: Yes, yes, precious. Terrible, nasty fall, precious….