Aragorn and Legolas stayed at her side, each holding an arm and making sure she was ok as they made their way to Frodo's room. He and Sam had been rescued by Gandalf. He looked so happy to be alive with his friends and to see them at the door. They stood at the edge of the bed, smiling. Legolas held her hand and laid his other, closer one, on her back to hold her up. She laid her head on his shoulder. Behind them, Sam walked in and smiled.
"Frodo." Buffy walked to the bed where Merry and Pippin helped her to sit. She took off the cross necklace and put in around his neck gently.
"Buffy, no. This is yours." Frodo said.
She refused to take it back. "That's yours. That's your strength now. Don't ever forget that you have it in you."
Buffy stood with the Elves with Legolas at the head. He was a prince after all. They watched Gandulf crown Aragorn the new King of Gondor.
"Now come the days of the king." Gandulf announced. "May they be blessed."
Aragorn turned and the crowd cheered. "This day does not belong to one man, but to all. Let us together rebuild this world, that we may share in the days of peace."
Rose petals fell all around as Aragorn walked forward. They all bowed and Legolas walked forward. He held fast to her hand and forced her to walk to Aragorn with him. The two touched each other's shoulders and Aragorn spoke to him in Elvish. He glanced at Buffy, and she knew he was talking about her.
Buffy smiled and she and Aragorn embraced. "You are a worthy champion, Buffy Anne Summers. I will always hold a place in my kingdom for you."
She kissed his cheek. "Thank you. I'm truly honored that I could be a part in all of this with you."
"As am I." Aragorn bowed towards Buffy and was confused when Buffy and Legolas stepped away, revealing Arwen, Aragorn's Elven love. She bowed her head, obviously uncertain of how he still felt about her, and he kissed her deeply, dispelling all doubts in her mind. Legolas squeezed Buffy's hand and smiled down at her. She smiled back up at him, both of them ignoring the fact that she would be leaving that very night.
Aragorn moved to Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin. They bowed, but he stopped them. "My friends, you bow to no one." He in turned bowed to them and everyone followed suit.
Later that day, the Fellowship was gathered in the Great Hall to bid farewell to Buffy and Willow. Buffy shook Gandalf's hand. "I am most honored to know a woman such as yourself." He said. "May there be more like you."
"You're pretty cool yourself Gandalf. I hope you take you care of yourself."
"I shall try my best."
Buffy bent in front of Gimli and kissed his cheek. He blushed. "You are a true warrior, my friend. Don't lose your spirit."
"Aye, I won't lass. Don't worry you're pretty head off about me." Gimli said.
Merry and Pippin ran over and hugged her tightly. "We don't want you to go!" Pippin said.
"Stay here and visit the Shire. You're always welcome there." Merry said.
"Maybe someday I'll be able to return, but I have to go back." She kissed their heads and hugged them again. "Look out for each other." She moved to Frodo and Sam. "You two are a lot braver than I am. I'm truly privileged to have known you guys."
"And we you Miss Summers." Sam said.
"Buffy. You can still call me Buffy, Sam."
"Sorry. You just make sure you take care of yourself, you hear?"
"I hear you." She kissed his cheek and looked at Frodo.
He hugged her tightly. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"For being my friend. For believing in me. And thank you for the necklace. I'll cherish it forever. You stay beautiful and strong, ok?"
"I'll try." She winked at him and ruffed up his hair.
Aragorn bowed. "Safe journeys, sister."
She smiled and laughed, hugging him tightly. "Don't be a dictator. Rule as a king with a heart and a brain. And definitely don't let power go to your head, or I'll come back and beat the crap out of you, brother." Finally, she turned to Legolas. He looked completely heart broken as they moved away from everyone else. She held him tightly to her. "Please don't make this harder."
"I do not want to let you go." Legolas whispered, weaving his fingers in her hair as she looked up at him.
"Then don't. Keep me in your heart forever and I'll keep you in mine." She touched his cheek. "Please don't ever forget me Legolas."
"I could not, even if I wanted to." He bent down, pulling her closer and kissed her gently, neither of them wanting to let go.
"Buffy." Willow said behind her. "We have to go."
With one last kiss, Buffy turned, wiping away tears, and walked towards Willow. She couldn't bring herself to look back.
Buffy sat in her room at Giles' compound in England. She had been forced to move there since she had been gone so long, her rent was way over due and she didn't have the money to pay it back. She looked at the beautiful English countryside and smiled. It reminded her of her journey with Aragorn, Gimli, and….. Legolas.
God, she missed him so much. It had been two months since her return and she couldn't help but wonder what might have been between them if they had been given more time together. It was more than just physical attraction. For the first time in a long time, she had found someone who had touched her heart so deeply. She had found what she had once had with Angel again. In fact, she had felt so guilty about it when she thought of it, she had gone to Angel to apologize.
"You can't apologize for your heart, Buffy." He had said. "It makes its own decisions and doesn't give us an option in who we fall in love with."
"At least you're not going all Dawson on me this time."
"Don't get me wrong. If I ever meet him, I'll probably punch him." He smiled. "At least he's not dead, undead, or evil."
"Nope, just an Elf."
"Jeez, Buffy, what is it with you and falling for immortal beings?"
"I think it's my curse."
A knock on her door startled her. "Come in!"
"It's just me." Willow said, walking in. "You ok?"
"Not really."
"Whatcha doin?"
"Thinking."
"About Legolas."
"I miss him. I miss all of them."
"It's not your world there."
"Where is? Here? I haven't felt like this is where I belong for quite some time now. And it isn't you or the others….. It's me." Buffy sighed. "For the first time in my entire life, I felt like I truly had a place in the world…. I was somewhere where I was needed. Here I have to hide who I am and be careful because the law could be watching and one wrong step….."
"That world, those people….. Buffy, I know you feel sad now, but….."
"Willow, I didn't have to explain my differences away. They accepted me, no questions asked. Because everyone is different there. I was what I've always wanted to be: normal, but different at the same time. You can't know what that's like."
Willow looked up, tears falling. "You're my best friend. The best I've ever had. I don't want to say goodbye." Buffy stared at her. "I'm really going to miss you."
"Will….."
"I'll explain to the others somehow, but I doubt they'll understand why you wanted to go back like I do. They'll probably be really mad at me. Especially Dawn."
"Dawn…."
"She'll be fine. In the end, she'll understand. She's grown up now and starting her own life. And if she misses you as much as I know she will….. I'll bring her to visit you one day. I know my way back there."
"Thank you Willow. Thank you for everything." Buffy hugged her best friend tightly. "I'll never forget you."
"Oh, you know I won't let you."
"Legolas!" Aragorn called from his horse as he dismounted. "Where are you going, my friend?"
Legolas turned. "Aragorn?"
"Why are you leaving?"
"My time here is over. I sail to the Undying Lands with my kin."
"Your time here has only begun."
"Are you mad?"
"No! Of course not. I came to stop you from making the greatest mistake of your long life."
"Aragorn….."
"Just wait." Aragorn summoned a group of guards. At his command, they parted and there stood Buffy dressed in a flowing blue dress the same color and material as his tunic. She was beautiful and she was smiling as if she didn't have a care in the world.
"Buffy…..?"
"Hi." She said as they walked towards each other. "You're not planning on getting on that boat and making my trip back here a waste, are you? Cause if you are….." Legolas grabbed her and kissed her deeply, holding her as a drowning man clings to a life raft. "…..I'd be stuck. Um, wow." She smiled.
"You came back."
"I had to. I realized even before I left that this is where I belong….. with you."
"Why did you leave?"
"I had to be certain. I had to know you were the one. I had to know that this is really where I belong."
"Are you certain?"
"Well, it really depends on you. Do you want me here? But before you answer, just know that I gave up a lot to come back here. I have to know that you want me here….. with you."
"More than anything." Legolas smiled and held her face gently. "I will not make your sacrifice be in vain."
Buffy hugged him tightly. "Good." She smiled. "Good."
THE END