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Disclaimer: I don't own anything associated with Lord of the Rings.

Chapter 31

Éomer's tears slowed as he looked down at her. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli had pulled Alric's body from the room and left him alone with Avelina. He ran a hand over her face and sighed. Her skin was still warm and he swore he could feel her heart slowly beat as his hand rested on her deeply bruised throat.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I'm sorry I did not find you in time. Oh, Avelina," he choked and his tears returned. He could speak no more as he buried his face in her hair and held her close to him. All he wanted was in his arms, but it was just the shell of what he truly wanted. For what he really wanted was lost to the halls of her fathers and he would never have her again.

Avelina slowly opened her eyes and she was nearly blinded by the white light that surrounded her. She found that she was standing, dressed in a white gown, and her hair flowed down her back. She frowned and looked around. She was not where she had been, and fear took her heart once again.

"My daughter," a deep voice said and Avelina turned around quickly to meet mirroring dark blue eyes. Avelina's eyes widened and she felt herself began to tremble. Her father stood there dressed in robes of white and he seemed to glow.

"Father?" she asked shakily and tears came to her eyes. "How can this be? How can you be?" Her father gave her a small smile.

"You are at the gates of heaven my dear, and I have come to welcome you," he said gently. Avelina shook her head and took a step back. Alric had killed her. She was dead.

"But . . . but I do not want to go." His smile grew and he walked over to her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Father, as much as I want to join you and mother . . . I cannot. I do not want to enter those gates."

"You love him, don't you?" he asked and she nodded slightly surprised.

"We were to be married, father, when I was taken from our home. Is there anyway I can go back?" When he only looked at her, her heart sank. "Please, father, is there anyway I can go back I do not wish to be here." He squeezed her shoulders.

"You have not completely left your body yet, Avelina. I was sent to see your wishes, and I am glad that you have much to live for." He kissed her forehead and she embraced him. Soon he pulled away and smiled down at her. "To return to your body, just turn around and walk down the path before your feet. You have many, many years before you will see me again, Avelina, just know that your mother and I are always watching."

"Tell mother I love her, and I love you so much." Without a second thought and knowing that she would be joining them when she passed after many happy years with Éomer, she turned from him and ran down the path. As she ran she began to hear things, someone was crying and there was deep sorrow in their tears. Hope filled her and she prayed that it was Éomer and that he had found her to save her from the terror she had been living.

Mist surrounded her and she slowed. She came to a stop and felt so tired. She closed her eyes and felt as though she was falling before she knew nothing else.

Éomer pulled back and looked down at her, his tears still falling from his eyes. He didn't know what he was going to do without her, and he had never felt more lost in his life than he did that very moment. The loss of his father, mother, cousin, and uncle had felt nothing like the loss of Avelina and he did not know if his heart would ever stop grieving.

Suddenly, Avelina's body jerked and she took in a strangled breath. Her eyes flew open and her breath came in loud deep gasps. Éomer nearly dropped her and looked at her with wide eyes. She struggled to control her breathing and her eyes remained unfocused.

"Aragorn!" Éomer called as panic filled him. "Aragorn!" Soon loud footsteps were heard coming down the corridor but Éomer was focused solely on the woman in his arms. She was still gasping but it was not as hard. He looked at the door quickly just as the King of Men stepped inside. "I don't know what is happening!" he said urgently. Aragorn looked on with wide eyes and Avelina raised her arms to Éomer's upper arms.

"Éomer," she whispered and his eyes snapped back to hers. They were focused on him and there were tears in the dark blue pools. She was taking deep long breaths, no longer gasps, and she looked as though he was in pain. He realized then that his grip was tight on her small form. He loosened his grip and he looked at her like she was not real. "Éomer," she said quietly once more before she closed her eyes and let sleep claim her. As she closed her eyes a tear rolled down her cheek and Éomer looked at Aragorn, with hope, fear, and doubt etched across his face. Aragorn quickly walked over and Éomer laid Avelina down on the bed.

Aragorn looked her over. He was nearly certain that she had been dead. She was not breathing and a blue tint was on her lips. But, now as he looked her over it looked as though she was merely sleeping. Her breathing was normal, her heart strong and steady, and aside from the bruises and obvious fatigue that plagued her, she seemed perfectly healthy. Aragorn looked up at Éomer and saw Legolas and Gimli as well as Eothain standing behind him.

"I do not know how, but she is alive," Aragorn said. Éomer walked over her and removed his cloak and wrapped her in it. "She will rest for a time. Come, there is much to be done." Éomer shook his head.

"I would like to remain here, with her, until she wakes. If you had not noticed there is nothing but the door and a fireplace. No windows, no light. I do not want her to wake alone and feel as though I have not come for her yet. That seeing me was just a dream. I could not do that to her." Aragorn looked at him and then at Avelina's sleeping form. He knew exactly how the man felt. There was no doubt in his mind that he would feel the same way if Arwen would be taken from him as Avelina had been taken from Éomer.

"Very well, my friend, I'll come and check on her when we've finished." Éomer nodded and watched as the others left the room. Eothain, however, remained.

"Tell me, Eothain," Éomer said as he stood fully and looked at his longtime friend. "Were you told anything else of Alric and his reasons for his madness?" Eothain looked at Avelina and then at his King and nodded.

"All the servants in the house are basically prisoners. The only ones that fought us were the guards and they were easily dealt with," Eothain said. "The servants were grateful and are assisting in the removal of the bodies of the guards. They're providing food and drink to the men and thanking us all profusely." The man stopped and looked at Avelina once again. "One woman told us of his plans for Avelina, and I dare not repeat it." Éomer had seen the dress she was undoubtedly forced to wear. She would never wear such a garment even he asked her to, which he never would. He knew the plans Alric probably had in store for her, and Éomer had hoped he had not already put those plans into affect.

"Did they know anything else?" he managed after a moment and Eothain shook his head.

"Not that they have shared with me. I know not if they have told King Elessar anything." Éomer nodded. "If you should need me, just call for me my lord." Éomer gave his friend a smile and nodded his head before the man left him.

Éomer sat down on the bed next to Avelina and pushed her hair from her face. The color had slowly returned to her face, but it was still pale. "How did you come back to me little one?" he asked her quietly but then laughed quietly at his own question. "It does not matter how, it only matters that you are back and as long as I live I will never let you travel far from my sight ever again as long as I can help it." He leaned into her and kissed her forehead with a sigh.

Soon they would travel back to Minas Tirith, seeing as the White City was only a day and a half ride from the fortress they were in. There Avelina would be checked to ensure her health was well enough to make the long journey back to Edoras. However, before they left, he would have to find a pair of leggings and a tunic for her to wear because he would not let her leave dressed the way she was, and he knew she more than likely would not step from the room wearing the revealing dress.

Avelina felt at peace when she opened her eyes. A protective arm was draped across her waist and soft snores were heard coming from her left. She smiled thinking it was Éomer and that she was home, until she looked to her left and saw that she was still trapped in the cell of a room Alric had kept her in. She jumped from the bed, but as soon as her feet hit the stone floor she crumpled to the floor because she was too weak to stand on her own. The firelight filled the room and tears came to her eyes. She was almost certain Éomer had found her, and had been holding her the first time she woke.

She made to crawl away when she saw the door was left open. However, she was stopped when the same arm that had been around her moments before wrapped around her. She tried to pull away but she was too week.

"Avelina," his voice said urgently and she stopped. She froze and her heart rate doubled as she looked over her shoulder. Her teary blue eyes met the concerned hazel ones of Éomer who looked at her with the utmost confusion written on his face. She said nothing and only turned in his arms and threw her arms around his neck.

"You found me," she choked out through her tears. "You found me." She buried her face in his neck and sobbed. Éomer was confused but let her hold onto him and weep. He raised his hand to the back of her head and just held her. When her tears quieted he pulled back and looked at her.

"You were dead," he whispered. "You were dead when we found you, Avelina, but somehow as I held you, you breathed again and life filled you." Avelina gave him a small smile and raised a trembling hand to his cheek.

"Not even death will keep me from you," she whispered and Éomer sighed as her fingers caressed his cheek. Avelina wanted him to kiss her, but he did not move from his spot. His eyes met hers and she watched as his eyes traveled down to her throat and he raised his hand to it and his fingers barely grazed the bruised skin. Avelina winced slightly and Éomer met her eyes.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he said and she removed her hand from his face and took his hand into hers.

"You're here now, and that is all that matters." He cupped her cheek then, and kissed her tenderly. Avelina closed her eyes before she wrapped her arms around him once more and just held him. He pulled his lips away and smiled at her. She returned it and wiped away the tears that rolled down his cheek. "Tell me everything. Tell me how you found me," she whispered and Éomer nodded before he lifted her from the stone floor and carried her over to the bed. He laid her down and crawled in next to her before he told her of Sigeric, his ride to Minas Tirith, and everything that happened from the moment she was taken until that very moment.

A/N: Hope those of you that were angry with me are no longer are angry. I just couldn't kill her off, espcially after I had rotten eggs thrown at me by a certain reviewer ;) I couldn't disappoint you all like that!I hope you liked it!