A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry I took so long with the new chapter, the week was rather hectic. I will probably only be updating once a week now. I just started a job at a dog groomers, and I fear that the work is very draining at times. Sorry about that. But anyway, to my wonderful reviewers: ephona- Glad you love it! Keep reading! Enjoy! Fiona McKinnon- I suppose it was a little messed up…but I'm glad you found it amusing J. angelsfyre1- Always glad to hear from you : D. I hope you enjoy the new chapter. Duvet- I couldn't resist throwing in an embarrassing situation XD. Hope you like the new chapter! animebishieluver- You're talking about the dream, right? Sad is what I was going for. Glad you like it, enjoy the new chapter! BellaRu- You know any situation involving Merry and Pippin is going to be hilarious XD. It might be a while before you figure out who the dudes with the guns were. I'm trying to decide whether to throw in some more hints before all is revealed. Either way, enjoy the new chapter! IwishChan- Sorry, no slapping this time. But don't worry, our Donna is going to open up a can of whoop-ass soon. Probably next chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Legolas (unfortunately XD) or any other character you recognize. They belong to J.R.R. Tolkien. Donna, however, is still and will always be mine.

Chapter 4: I don't need anyone!

Donna sat in the library, looking through books and humming quietly. After the little incident with the hobbits, all she wanted to do was be alone somewhere quiet. Arwen gave her a quick tour, so that she wouldn't get lost, then took her to the library, and there she stayed for the rest of the afternoon.

There were very few books there that she could actually read, but the illustrations in many of them were beautiful. As she sat, she suddenly heard the door open. Aw shit…She sat still, not bothering to turn around. Hopefully it would just be some elf after a book, and they wouldn't bother to say anything beyond a greeting and a goodbye.

Unfortunately, as they got closer, her sensitive nose picked up a whiff of pine and cinnamon. Double shit. Anyone but him…She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder, and she looked up the see the smiling face of Legolas. She returned the smile as best she could, and said, "Uh…hi Legolas…how's it hangin'?" He stared at her blankly. "Ah, in other words, how are you?"

"Oh! Very good, and yourself?"

"Well, I had a rather embarrassing encounter with some hobbits earlier, but other then that I'm fine," she replied, closing her book.

"Embarrassing encounter?" he asked curiously.

"Don't ask."

"Alright then…that dress suits you perfectly. It brings out the colour in your eyes," he said with a smile. She turned away and blushed, remembering her conversation with Arwen. All elves are charming, all elves are charming, all elves are charming…she chanted mentally. In her short time there, she had discovered that all the elves seemed to be devastatingly beautiful. Unfortunately, for some reason she found it very difficult to resist the charms of Legolas.

He sat down next to her, far too close for her comfort, and glanced at the book she had been looking at.

"I thought you said you didn't know elvish," he said, looking at her questioningly.

"I don't, but the illustrations are beautiful. Wow, did that sound as stupid to you as it did to me?"

"No. Perhaps I could teach you some elvish," he replied, smiling at her again. Damn that charming smile…and those pretty blue eyes…and that tight, muscular…OH MY GOD! SNAP OUT OF IT YOU BRAIN-DEAD SLUT! "My lady…are you alright?"

"Wha? Oh cripes, sorry about that. I guess I'm still a bit fuzzy-headed from the herbs they gave me yesterday. What were you saying?"

"Never mind. How is your shoulder?" he asked with concern.

"Fine. It doesn't really hurt unless I do a lot of moving…and what the hell are you doing?" she cried, jumping up. He had started to rub her back in a slightly suggestive manner. He looked hurt to some extent as he stood up after her and replied, "Forgive me…I just thought that after last night you might have allowed me to get closer to you." Her mind reeled as she tried to think of some way to discourage him. Finally, not being able to think of anything better, she decided to play dumb.

"And what, dare I ask, happened last night that would make it alright for a complete stranger to get that friendly with me?" she asked, doing her best to glare at him angrily.

"You do not remember?"

"Obviously not!"

"You were having some sort of terrible dream, and you woke in tears…I held you close as you wept…you fell asleep in my arms. You would not let go of me for some time…but I did not mind…I would have stayed with you all night," he said, looking more and more like a slapped puppy with every passing moment. It made her feel like scum, being so cruel and dishonest to him. He had been nothing but gentle and compassionate to her. But she couldn't bring herself to let him in, she believed that he would die like everyone else she had let herself love.

"Well, I'm sorry but I don't remember. What d'you expect? I was probably delirious. It sure as hell don't sound like somethin' I'd do in a HEALTHY state of mind, that's for sure!" she said, the Ottawa Valley accent she had picked up over the years becoming thicker as she grew more aggravated. "Look, I ain't sayin' it didn't happen. The latest thing I can remember from yesterday was when that healer started probing my bad shoulder. Everything after that's a blur. But even if I did have a nasty dream and started bawlin', it don't change nothin'. I don't know you, and you sure as hell don't know me." With that, she turned her back on him and stormed out of the library as quickly as she could manage wearing a long dress.

Legolas stared at the door long after she had left. Well Legolas, you have done it now…he thought angrily. Any trust he had managed to gain from the enigmatic Donna was likely lost to him. Does she really remember nothing of what happened ? He found it difficult to believe. He would not likely ever forget the tender moment he had shared with her. She seemed so lost, so torn. One moment she would be friendly and good natured, the next she would be snappish and evasive. It was almost as if she were afraid. She seemed to be friendly until he got too close, or tried to get her to speak of her family, or her past. What does she fear? He sat in the library and pondered this for some time.

A while later, he was joined by Arwen.

"Where is Donna? Father asked me to bring her to the Dinning Hall."

"I fear that I scared her off," Legolas muttered guiltily.

"How did you manage that? From what I could gather, she seemed rather fond of you."

"I am not sure. She reminds me very much of a wild horse…I think I tried to get too close too soon," he replied.

"You noticed that as well? I asked Father about her…he said that her wounds go deeper than flesh and bone. But he would say no more. I suppose that is all he knows. Emotional wounds are far more difficult to heal than physical ones. It takes a certain skill, one that Father does not posses. If she could be persuaded to journey to Lorien, it is likely that Grandmother could give her much help," said Arwen thoughtfully.

"But that is a very large 'if'. The lady Donna is very strong-willed. She has been agreeable enough thus far, but if one were to attempt to persuade her to do something when she did not have the inclination, she could prove to be rather stubborn. Saelbeth took a great risk when we first arrived. He got very…ah…shall we say, friendly? If she had not just been kicked by a warhorse, it is likely that he would have soon been in a worse state than she was. She certainly did not appreciate my advances."

"Well, in any case, she will attend the council tomorrow. Perhaps Gandalf will know more of her. See you at the banquet," she said, leaving the library to search for her charge.

Donna paced about her room, muttering to herself as she tried to gather her thoughts. She was torn between being outraged at Legolas for being so bold, at herself for being so brutally cruel and dishonest, and at whatever force of nature that had caused her to come to this odd world in the first place. It seemed she had a lot to be outraged about.

Suddenly, she heard a knock on her door.

"Bugger-off Legolas, I ain't done being pissed at you yet!" she yelled at the door, turning her back to it.

"It's not Legolas, it is Arwen. May I come in?"

"Yeah." Arwen entered, a worried look on her face.

"So, I take it you and Legolas had a falling out?" she asked.

"There was never anything to fall out of! Though I guess he'd like to think there is. Don't get me wrong, he's a top notch guy, a little forward and presumptuous maybe, but top notch. But appealing as a fairy-tale life with an elf prince might be, I don't want anything to do with him or anyone else romantically. I don't need anyone. Oh look, I've said too much," Donna muttered, slapping herself on the forehead.

"Why do not want to be loved?" asked Arwen, a look of pity playing on her delicate features.

"Forget it. I don't wanna talk about it. Did you need something?" she replied, desperately trying to change the subject. Arwen shook her head, the look of pity becoming more and more prominent. What happened to this girl to make her so afraid of love? She thought.

"Ah, Father asked me to show you to the banquet hall, dinner will be served soon."

"Oh, alright then. I am getting a bit hungry," replied Donna, walking out of her room, straight into Legolas. "OOF! Sorry about…aw shit." Legolas looked down at her, a hopeful expression on his face. A man with dark hair and a close-shaven beard stood next to him, dressed in a very dark green and black tunic.

"Lady Arwen said that she was going to show you to the banquet hall, but Aragorn wished to escort the lady," Legolas explained, indicating the dark-haired man. He nodded at Donna good naturedly.

"My lady," he said, kissing her knuckles.

"Pleasure," she replied, dipping into the curtsy Arwen had taught her. Aragorn smiled affectionately at Arwen, and offered her his arm, which she took with a bright smile. Donna couldn't help smiling at the couple. They looked so right together. They looked so happy. She longed to have what they had, but it seemed that fate had a different path for her to take. One of loneliness. For she believed that to love her was the kiss of death.

"It is not suitable for a lady to arrive at a banquet unescorted, may I have the honor?" asked Legolas, a look of naivety and hope on his flawless face. Damn, he just never gives up, does he? Aw shit…he knows how to work those eyes…ah, what the hell? Letting him escort me can't hurt.

"Ah, what the hell. You can escort me. The last thing I need is a hall full of people gawking at me because I'm not latched on to anybody. But pull anything like you did earlier, and I'll slap ya!" she said, attempting to sound threatening. She was finding it very difficult to stay angry, and judging from the ear-to-pointy-ear grin that Legolas wore, her threat was not very effective.

"I promise, my hands shall never come in contact with you after you are seated, and my eyes will go no lower than your face," he said, offering her his arm good-naturedly. She smiled at him and took it.

"Good. Now lets go, I'm starving!" Legolas beamed, glad to see that the girl held no animosity towards him for his actions in the library. He would not risk doing something so bold again for some time. He would keep the conversation with her light and inconsequential, and perhaps she would speak more willingly of herself after she saw that he would not try and rush her.

He still could not quite figure out why he wanted this strange girl in his life so badly. She could have a foul mouth at times, she was built like a pre-pubescent child, and her personality was dangerously erratic. But it seemed to him that there were many things about her that he had yet to see. And small as she was, she was beautiful. From her deep tan-colored skin to her evergreen eyes, she was a woman of the earth, and that appealed to him.

They reached the dinning hall, and many people were already seated. They looked up as the two entered, and looked curiously at the dark girl onLegolas' arm.

"Aw fuck-berries…they're gawkin' at me even WITH an escort…" she muttered under her breath. He patted her hand sympathetically, fighting back the laughter that threatened to come from hearing her odd expression, and replied, "Do not worry, at least you are not alone."

"Yeah, at least they're staring at you too," she said with a smirk. He chuckled and saw two empty seats, pulling out a chair for her then sitting down himself.

The food soon arrived, and they dug in. He glanced at her curiously, she seemed to hesitate before putting meat on her plate.

"Is there something wrong Milady?" he asked.

"No, nothing. Just remembering something is all. The farm I used to live at…we basically ate what we grew and raised ourselves…I could never bring myself to eat any of the meat because I'd watched the beasts grow from birth. But hey, I didn't know this…uh…rabbit," she said, taking a bite of the meat.

"Well, that makes sense. I do not know if I would be able to eat something I had raised either. Except for maybe cows…they hate me…" he said sheepishly.

"What happened? Get gored by a bull?" she asked, glancing at him as she took a sip of wine.

"Yes," he replied, wincing at the memory. "I was only about 13 at the time."

"Jeeze, you were barely out of the crib!" she cried sympathetically. "The same thing happened to me a few years ago. I was 60. Or at least I think I was. I could have been older. Could have been younger. Don't matter. How old are you anyway?"

"Let me think for a moment…the years go by so quickly, it is hard to keep track…" he said, looking up at the ceiling thoughtfully. "I believe I am 2931." Donna gaped at him openly.

"2931?" she asked, a comical expression of disbelief on her face.

"Well, give or take a few years, yes," replied Legolas with a smile.

"Wholly crap. You're ancient!" she exclaimed.

"Hardly. I am rather young as far as elves are concerned," he replied, smirking.

"Well, there's my shock for the evening," she said with a laugh. She finished her meal, and was about to get up and go outside. She felt like playing her ocarina. Then it hit her, what had they done with her bloody jacket? She imagined that they had probably thrown it away. Blood and leather don't mix. The leather had melted beyond repair by the time she had removed it. She just hoped they had checked the pockets before disposing of it. "Ah, Legolas?"

"Yes Milady?"

"You know that leather trench coat I was wearing when we met?"

"Yes. Is that what you call it?"

"Yup. Do you have any idea what happened to it?"

"It was rather odd, the right shoulder and sleeve fell apart. I didn't see much point in keeping it, it was ruined, so Silinde disposed of it. Oh! That reminds me, I have something that belongs to you," he said, reaching into a pouch that hung on his side and handing her something wrapped in cloth. She unwrapped it and with relief, saw that it was her ocarina.

"Phew, thanks. I was worried it was lost," she said with a relieved smile.

"No problem at all. It looked as if it might be of some value to you. What is it, anyway?"

"It's an ocarina. I've had it for as long as I can remember. Anyway, I'll see you later." With that, she went back to her room and changed back into her jeans, and put on the tunic she had worn the day before. Saelbeth said that she could keep it. After she had changed, she went outside to one of the gardens. It was even more beautiful than Saelbeth had described. The place made her feel so calm and serene, she felt inspired. So she climbed up into a tall old tree, and began to play a sweet, gentle melody, making it up as she went along. Little did she know, she was not alone in the garden. Someone sat in a shadowed corner, listening contentedly as she played.

A while later, she stopped, then cursed herself for not having a pad of paper and a pen with her. It was unlikely that she would remember the song she had just made.

"That was beautiful." She jumped in surprise, nearly falling out of the tree. She looked down, and saw someone stood at the bottom of the tree, looking up at her with a look of curiosity on their face.

A/N: There. Done. For now. Sorry if it was wordy, I was having trouble coming up with stuff to make it long enough. So, who's the person who nearly caused our heroin to fall to her doom (XD)? Find out next time! The next chapter will be better, I promise. Don't forget to read and review!