Disclaimer- all I own is my cat and even that is kinda iffy.

Fk306 animelover- er, I think I'll stay in Alaska. It has a nice summer, as long as you have mosquito magnet. I'm sorry about the forest; hopefully you'll be able to see many in your life just as beautiful.

Sugarontop1- why thank you! I do not behave in a beastly manner. Yes you do, I do not. Then tell that to Legolas. (Autumn starts chasing the poor elf) I do not behave in a beastly manner! "It wasn't me, I swear! It's all in that crazy reviewers head!" I happen to think 'that crazy reviewer' is rather nice. Any hoot, hope you like this chapter! "Ow! Stop that!" (Autumn is hitting Legolas' excellent butt with her stick) Die evil sexy elf!

FallenTruth- Yay! You have to be my most faithful reviewer! I so love you! And you were actually right about the name. Georgianna is my middle name, heehee! And I am glad that you got an idea from me. Love, love to the world!

Jfjkf- that's an interesting name. Thank you so very much, I am enjoying writing this, even if it's not really owned by me, but the world has its limits. Enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 7

Shiny With a Tic-Tac…

The goblins were retreating. The victory that Autumn felt was smothered by confusion. She had forgotten for a moment that she already knew that this was going to happen. What the hell?

"I'm all right, I'm not hurt." Frodo gasped. He looked like he wasn't sounding too comfortable though, whatever he might say.

"You should be dead," Aragorn said incredulously, Autumn would have given anything to see his face at this point. "That spear would have skewered a wild boar."

"But he's not a boar," Autumn said grinning at one of the pillars as Legolas reached over and directed her head. "He's a hobbit. Much better looking."

Sam glared at her as Gandalf hobbled forward on his stick. "I think there's more to this hobbit than meets the eye." Autumns smile grew broader as she listened to the gasps of wonder from the fellowship.

"Mithril," murmured Gimli in awe. Then he cleared his throat and said in a gruff tone, "You're full of surprises, Master Baggins."

Flashback

The group crept silently down the halls, following the light of Gandalf's staff, soon arriving at a precipice. They all knew that if they took one wrong step, they would either fall to their doom, or raise the goblins that now inhabited the caves. I know a song that gets on every body's nerves… "The wealth of Moria was not in gold. Nor jewels; but, Mithril." He allowed his staff to glow a little brighter for a moment, displaying the cavernous hole burrowing deep into the earth. Even Autumn could see the shining veins of metal-like substance. They moved on after a moment. "Bilbo had a set of Mithril rings, that Thorin gave him." Gandalf continued.

"Oh!" exclaimed Gimli. "That was a kingly gift."

"Yes, I never told him, that the worth of those rings was greater than the shire."

For some unexplainable reason (to the others) Autumn found this hilariously funny. She had to be gagged before she raised any ruckus.

Bahahahahahahahahahahahahah! I know something you don't know!

End of flashback.

Everyone's attention was dragged back to the issue at hand, with the shrieks of goblins echoing through the halls. Every one began to haul butt. I am so not in shape!

She didn't have to run far. In just a few moments, their flight was halted by the thousands of goblins that surrounded them in an old fashioned but efficient pincer movement. Autumn clapped her hands over her ears and groaned as the shrieks grew louder and louder, nearly piercing her eardrums. Gimli hefted his axe menacingly, shouting his own battle cry. "Garr!"

An answering growl overpowered the goblins yells. They started screaming for a different reason, turning tail and crawling back to whatever hell-hole they came out of. "Hah, hah!" snorted Gimli in derision of the fleeing monsters. Autumn could vaguely see an angry red glow making its way towards them.

Every one gathered together like frightened geese, "What is this, new devilry?" Murmured Boromir, in a voice that seemed to blame everyone for his troubles. Another rumble reverberated throughout their bones. I wonder if his breath really smells like fire. God what a moron.

Gandalf was silent for a moment, lost in thought and sorrow. Then his voice floated to their ears. "A Balrog, a demon of the ancient world." Another rumble. "This foe is beyond any of you, run!"

"Running," called Autumn hefting her stick and sprinting away.

A hook magically sprouted from the wizards staff and hooked onto Autumns collar, dragging her back. Yrg! "Wrong way!" cried Gandalf anxiously. The fellowship proceeded to run for all they were worth, some not even knowing what a Balrog even was, but the fear of the others gave them wings on their feet. Autumn was running behind the hobbits, with the intent to pick them up if they slowed down.

Which is first, stairs or Balrog? They arrived at a very crooked looking set of stairs. Oh. Legolas jumped the gap first, then Gandalf. Then, contrary to the movie, Gimli grabbed Autumns arm and leaped across, dragging her with him. "My father would never forgive me if I let you die," he muttered ungallantly. Merry and Pippin hopped across.The arrows shot from the side; one of them nearly got Frodo and Sam's feet, another grazed Gandalfs cheek. It was time for… Super Psycho Autumn! She swooped down, picked up a rock and positioned herself in the age-old baseball look. "Merry! I need your eyes, spy me a goblin." He screamed out their location and Autumn tossed up the rock and, whammo! Home run, folks! The terrible two cheered excitedly as a thunk and scream rang out.

"You got him right in the schnozzle!" they yelled together. A few more of the others joined them on the lower stairs. Autumn sweated nervously as she heard the crash of stone as the stairs separated the group from each other. Let them make it, please, wait a minute… of course they will! I forgot again. I wonder if they have any ginko here.

And, true to the story, they all survived. More running, yay!

They all rounded a corner and Gandalf counted them as they passed, but when it was Autumns turn, the fire/shadow monster made his appearance. And he was not pretty. Autumn clutched Gandalfs arm, trying to pull him away, but they both froze in horror as the Balrog pushed his face up close and roared. "Whoa, hasn't the Balrog nation been introduced to tic-tacs?" Then they could run.

Gandalf pushed Autumn ahead of him as they approached the bridge, and after a few feet, Gandalf did the most courageous and stupid thing that a Wizard could do. He turned around. "You cannot pass." He shouted firmly. The beast snorted derisively as Autumn shakily made her way across the bridge. She could hear the noise of a fiery sword crash against Gandalfs light. Her heart wrenched at the old mans cry of defiance. "You shall not pass!" The cracking of rock as his wizardly staff smote the bridge surface echoed mightily throughout the halls. Silence for a moment, and the beast stepped forward in challenge. You know what happened next. He fell, and Autumn spun around and hurried back to the old man, intending to get him out of there as fast as possible. The whip slashed up and pulled him down and Autumn threw herself down on the ground, grasping his arms.

"Let me go," he whispered.

"Are you crazy?" gritted Autumn angrily, "Frodo does not need this. None of them need this."

"You cannot alter the future," he muttered back. "Who knows what might have changed in this few moments? Fly fool!" Autumn let go with a cry of shock and pain as he sent magic to burning her hands.

She swore violently as he fell down, along with her stick. But, ironically, the stick came flying back up into her hands. "Oh, that's nice!" she shouted. "You won't let me save you, but you'll save my stick? That's real nice." Someone yanked on her arm and dragged her out of the cursed place.

They had run after, fleeing down the mountainside after Aragorn threw a hasty bandage around her palms. He murmured in confusion upon seeing the burns, but had asked nothing. No one looked her way, and she didn't look back. She felt useless, like baggage, she couldn't even hang on to Gandalf because of a little burn. I should never have come here, I'm not good for anything, and I lost Gandalf. But, in retrospect, Gandalf was right. She couldn't maneuver the future to her whim, and he wouldn't have wanted her to try. Whose side are you on? I'm on no side; he was right, that's all there is to it. Whatever.

Amusement bubbled through her veins like a strong wine. Today was a good day. That foolish girl was forgetting her home, and that would put the fellowship at a greater disadvantage then ever. Her task would be over, and she could take her place at the feet of Sauron; as his friend, his confidant, his lover. She wasn't ambitious, like Saruman. She had watched the foolish toad, wanting to be equals with the greatest lord to grace the earth. He would be disposed of in due time. Her master had assured her of that. She would be his, he had said, and his alone. That was all she wanted. All she had ever wanted. She stared into the palantir; into the eye of Sauron, letting his whispers flow throughout her mind. Yes, today was a very good day.

Authors Note- the chapters rather short, but I finally got to add the evil entity that I've been craving. She's a horny little turd, eh? Reviews are now welcome, and if you guess who she is by the time they meet face to face (Autumn and mystery girl); you'll get this lovely imaginary Viper! Chrome trimming, to. Review, now!