((Author's Note: Sorry this took so long, but as I explained in my other current fic, life has been chaotic. My therapist tells me I might need anti-depressants, my dad and I aren't really getting along or speaking, my mom is constantly trying to get my dad and I to get along and my brother is turning into a slob. To top that off, life at school is chaotic with all the homework. So bear with me while I try to get my life together.

Thanks,
music is my muse))

Epilogue I

Elizabeth Gunner was 11 years old. An agonizing day had passed since she'd been marooned in the modern world, Earth. She couldn't stop missing her dearest friend, Gandalf. But there were others that where on her mind.

First there was Frodo, the one who had bore the Ring all the way to Mordor. Than there had been Sam, who'd accompanied Frodo. Boromir, a man who Elizabeth only remembered to be mean had been killed, was never a friend to Elizabeth although she deeply regretted being rude to him. Aragorn came next, being the only Ranger that Elizabeth had ever met save Faramir. There were so many friends that she'd made.

But still, the one Elizabeth remembered the most was Gandalf. Gandalf had always been there for her and she could always depend on her wizard friend. But where was he now? He was unable to help her now.

Elizabeth sat in her pink room, hugging her knees. She was unsure of what to expect from the grandfather that she'd never met. Supposedly, he was to arrive that evening for dinner.

Elizabeth smiled fondly as she glanced to her closet. Her grandfather had sent some of the most expensive designers to his home in London. They'd made several beautiful outfits for Elizabeth, but at the moment, she was wearing one of the many gothic outfits that had been designed for her. It was a simple black uniformed button-down shirt with sleeves that covered her shoulders. She wore a black business-like jacket over it, buttoned down and a simple black skirt.

Elizabeth changed her sitting position to criss-crossed or Indian style. She opened the book she was reading: A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray. She turned the page. She only half paid attention to what she was reading. The pictures that the words painted in her mind were faded from lack of concentration.

She heard voices downstairs through her slightly open door. Her back was facing the door as she sat on her bed. If anyone entered her room, she would not look at them on purpose. At the moment, any human being was the last thing she wanted to see.

Faint footsteps coming down the wood floor echoed in Elizabeth's ears. Elizabeth sighed. She didn't look at the door. She knew someone was watching her through it. She shouldn't have left it open even a crack. Then no one would've disturbed her solitude, her solace.

"Elizabeth?" a soft voice asked. Elizabeth didn't move to show any acknowledgement that she knew someone was there. Elizabeth turned the page of her book slowly.

Just by listening to the voice, she knew that it belonged to a man. An older man. She recognized the voice. But Elizabeth's heart did not fill with joy. She already knew that her grandfather was Gandalf's form on this world.

"Elizabeth?" the voice repeated. Elizabeth still did not move. She heard the owner of the voice enter her room entirely and close the door behind him.

Elizabeth looked at his shadow on the wall. He was tall, just like Gandalf, but he lacked Gandalf's long hair and beard. His body was like Gandalf's too. Tall and lean.

"Are you all right, Elizabeth? Won't you stand up and say hello to your grandfather?" the voice asked softly. When Elizabeth didn't answer, the voice sighed. "You must speak to me, my dear. Really, child, I thought you would be overjoyed to see me."

Elizabeth froze. That was what Gandalf had said when he had been in her mirror. She turned her head slowly and looked at his shoes. They were an expensive brand. She slowly turned her head to look timidly up at him.

A nagging voice spoke in the back of her head. He's not Gandalf, he's not Gandalf. But Elizabeth shook the thought away and found herself studying the man before her. This was her grandfather: the man in X Men and the one in Lord of the Rings.

Elizabeth had no idea what Lord of the Rings was, only that the books had been famous when they'd come out and now some bloke called Peter Jackson was making a movie. Elizabeth felt that she should have read at least one of the books. After all, she did live in England where the books were quite popular.

Sir Ian McKellan smiled down at her, causing Elizabeth to grow uncomfortable under his gaze.

"That's much better," he said. "But you still haven't spoken."

Elizabeth continued staring up at the knighted man before her. He'd met the Queen and had been knighted. And yet, she still refused to speak. She turned her head and heard another sigh escape his lips.

He came to stand at the foot of her bed. She could not escape his gaze or his eyes unless she turned her entire self around. But doing that would be childish. So Elizabeth gave in and looked up at Sir Ian once more. He'd put a face that practically begged her to speak.

"Might you at least say hello?" he asked hopefully.

Elizabeth opened her mouth but closed it. She again grew uncomfortable under his gaze.

"I apologize, sir," she whispered finally. Then, she continued a bit louder and clearer. "I find myself in the presence of one knighted by the Queen and yet, no words come to mind that I could speak to feel worthy of such a presence."

Sir Ian smiled. "You don't need words to be worthy of my presence. Being my granddaughter is worth enough."

Elizabeth frowned. "I…do not understand."

"I know, your parents never told you about me. Your mother and I had a bit of a run-in before you were born. I didn't quite like that Jack character she married." Ian said. He suddenly smiled. "But such discussions are for other times. I saw that Stella finished packing your things."

Elizabeth nodded, finalizing her 'grandfather's' words.

"Good," Ian said. He glanced at his wristwatch (which was also high quality if I might add). "Oops, we're running short on time. Come now, the driver put your things in the trunk. We've a plane to catch."

Elizabeth looked at her grandfather curiously. "A plane?"

"Yes," Sir Ian said. "I'm currently in the middle of filming a movie in New Zealand. I'm sure I told Stella to tell you that…"

She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up at her grandfather.

"I hope you don't mind." He said. "I will hire a tutor to teach you while I'm filming. How's that?"

Elizabeth smiled. "It's fine, it's just that…"

"What?" Ian pressed gently.

"Everything's changing so quickly." Elizabeth said. "I feel like I'm being left behind."

"You'll adjust, don't worry." Ian said. "Come on,"

The walk to the limo was sincerely quiet. Ian watched Elizabeth as she took two steps to match each of his own.

"Is that one of your new outfits?" he asked suddenly.

"Yes…" Elizabeth answered softly. Ian smiled down at her.

"It's lovely on you. Is black your favorite color?"

"At the moment, yes." Elizabeth replied.

The driver opened the door for the two of them. Elizabeth thanked him as she climbed in and took her seat as far away from the door as possible. Her grandfather sat close to the door. Elizabeth looked around the limo as it lurched forward and they began to drive away from her new home. Elizabeth had a feeling that she would be doing that often.

"I suppose you ought to be eleven next week." Ian said, attempting small talk. Elizabeth nodded. "Are you excited?"

Elizabeth shook her head. She pointedly averted her gaze out the window rather than at her grandfather. He was gazing at her the same way that Gandalf always did.

"What's this movie about?" she asked.

Ian smiled. "A dark lord, an evil ring, and a quest to destroy it."

Elizabeth's eyes widened and she fought the urge to allow her mouth to drop the ground.

"It doesn't, by any chance, include a character called Gandalf, does it?" Elizabeth asked.

"In fact it does! Gandalf the Gray and Gandalf the White are the characters that I portray." Ian said cheerfully. "Have you read the book? It's called The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien."

It made sense now. Her grandfather was playing Gandalf in a movie called Lord of the Rings.

"I've never heard of the book or the author." Elizabeth said. "It doesn't have any girls in it, does it?"

Ian frowned. "Not in the quest, no. But one character, Aragorn, has a romantic relationship with—"

"Arwen. And he is tempted by Eowyn, who believes that she is in love with him. But she ends up with Faramir." Elizabeth finished.

Ian was impressed. "You seem to be one step ahead of me. But how can you know that unless you've read the book?"

Elizabeth searched her mind for an answer that would be believable.

"I…heard the story…from a friend." She lied quickly. Her grandfather accepted the answer.

Elizabeth sat in the BMW as it drove her and her grandfather towards the set that the actors and crew were currently using. The ride had been overall silent with little small talk that originated from her grandfather. The plane ride had been even worse with complete silence and no words at all.

"They are all anxious to meet you," Ian said. "When the phone call came, they could not express all their excitement."

Elizabeth smiled wistfully and unbuckled her seat belt. The BMW stopped a few moments later. Ian exited the vehicle first and opened the door for his granddaughter.

"Ian!" a voice called. "Hurry or you'll miss lunch!"

Ian waved and nodded to whoever was calling. He looked down at Elizabeth and closed the car door. After thanking the driver, he motioned for Elizabeth to walk towards the open door that stood not twenty feet away.

"Who was that?" Elizabeth asked softly.

"Hmm? Oh, that was Elijah." Ian said. "You'll meet them all once we enter the mess hall."

Elizabeth accepted her grandfather's reply and entered the mess hall. They went over to the buffet table and she began to make herself a plate. Once finished, Elizabeth took her seat across from her grandfather at a lone table.

"I won't have to have bodyguards, will I?" Elizabeth asked. Ian looked at her before answering.

"You may have to," he answered. "I don't really know. But the media will find out eventually and I will have to tell them who you are."

Elizabeth sighed and returned her gaze to the contents of her plate.

"If you'd like to avoid all media attention, I can arrange for that…" Ian said.

Elizabeth shook her head. "I'll get used to it."

Ian smiled. "Good! Tomorrow the reporters are coming…"

Elizabeth just about passed out.

Elizabeth shifted nervously under the gaze of the many reporters. At the moment, she was wearing a navy blue dress that came down just past her knees with a little black lace apron.

Two strands of her hair were pulled back delicately and tied together. The reporters were anxiously awaiting the arrival of Elizabeth's grandfather before they began.

As if on cue, Sir Ian walked in and cameras flashed.

"How did you find her?"

"Where has she been all this time?"

"Sir Ian, will your granddaughter be following your footsteps and start an acting career?"

Sir Ian chuckled. "Why don't you ask Elizabeth? She seems to have a good head on her shoulders."

The reporters turned their greedy eyes on Elizabeth and she took a step away. She felt a reassuring hand on her shoulder and looked up at her grandfather questioningly. He nodded silently in reply.

"Actually, I don't really know where I've been…" Elizabeth began. "…I thought I was in a forest and then lightning struck and I was next to a home in the ground…"

Ian came out of his trailer, already dressed as his character Gandalf the White to go to the set.

He paused when he saw a small, lithe form lying on a blue couch, sleeping. Before leaving, Ian retrieved a blanket from his room and draped it over Elizabeth's sleeping form. She moaned softly and shifted her position slightly. Ian smiled and left his trailer with his granddaughter in it.

Once Ian exited the long trailer, he found a security member and allowed them to lead him to the set. When he arrived, Ian laid his coat over the chair with his name on it and ran over his lines one last time.

"So how is Elizabeth?" a voice asked. Ian looked up to see Hugo Weaving in full costume, awaiting an answer. Ian looked back down at his lines.

"I can't really say." He said, frowning. "You know teenage girls these days. One minute they're happy and one minute they're bawling over some boy."

"Ah, but Elizabeth has yet to become a teenager." Hugo said. "I thought you said she was only eleven."

"Ah, I stand corrected. You are quite right, Hugo." Ian said. "But it changes little. I still can't understand her. I don't know if she's happy or sad to be back. It's as if she wants to be here, but she doesn't quite belong here anymore."

Ian looked up from his lines and turned his gaze on Hugo to check if his friend understood what he'd said. Hugo was nodding thoughtfully.

"I can understand that. No one really knows where she's been." Hugo replied.

"No, no," Ian corrected. "There is one person on this Earth that knows where my granddaughter has been and that is my granddaughter. Only she can tell me."

The next day, being Saturday, Elizabeth told her grandfather that she'd like to spend the day alone in honor of some friends. Her grandfather, knowing that whatever Elizabeth had gone through in the past had affected her, told her to do whatever she wished.

Elizabeth made sure that she stayed inside the house that they had been given while her grandfather shot scenes. Coincidentally, her room's closet was made from a mirror.

Elizabeth sat on the bed and waited patiently for Gandalf to arrive. Within a moment, she could see his face in the large mirror. He smiled.

"Elizabeth, I have been eager to lay my eyes upon your face." He said softly, as if he were seeing an angel for the first time.

"Oh shush, Gandalf, you don't know how hard it's been for me." Elizabeth replied. "Is it just you today?"

"Not at all, in fact, there are others here that wish to express how much they miss you." Gandalf said.

Elizabeth just about keeled over with joy. As it turned out, she was given the opportunity to speak with not only Gandalf, but Elrond, Haldir and Legolas. And, as the day ended for Elizabeth, she found herself eager to return to Middle Earth.

5 years later:

Elizabeth walked out of her classroom laughing with friends. Class had just ended for the summer and Elizabeth couldn't wait for all the parties that she and her friends were going to plan. Not to mention all the guys that were going to attend.

Elizabeth had forgotten about Middle Earth and she had not spoken to any of her friends from Middle Earth since she'd turned fourteen. She had forgotten them, and had forgotten that she was "stuck" in the present time.

After saying goodbye to friends, Elizabeth walked to the school parking lot and got into her car. She turned the ignition and drove off towards home. Upon arriving at her grandfather's home, she noticed in annoyance that he'd taken her parking spot.

Elizabeth rarely saw her grandfather. Both of them had busy schedules. Ian was always either filming, or visiting, or supporting the gay squad of London. And when he was around, Elizabeth was either busy at work, busy with homework, busy with friends, busy with parties, or just plain not home.

The maids, of course, said nothing about the number of nights that Elizabeth was driven home by her friends, drunk as a fiddle. And the maids said nothing about any of Ian's secrets either.

Elizabeth locked her car and entered the large estate, dropping her coat on the rack as she walked in. She quickly headed up to her room and shut the door. No one would hear a peep out of her for the rest of the night.

"Oh come on! It'll be fun!" Sarah urged. "It's just a few friends, a keg, and some dancing at my house."

"Yeah, that's the part that worries me." Elizabeth said. "Every time there's a party at your house, it never fails to be crashed by the entire Davenport High School Prep population."

"Oh, it'll be fine."

"All right, all right." Elizabeth sighed. "I'll go."

Secretly she'd already said yes the moment she'd heard about the party. She couldn't wait.

Elizabeth swung her hips seductively to the beat of the music. Sarah was dancing nearby with her boyfriend, Charlie. At the moment, Mark, one of Charlie's mates, was paying specific attention to Elizabeth.

She noticed how many of the other couples were freak dancing with each other and decided that it looked fun. Mark came up behind her and seemed to have the same idea.

"Hey," he said loudly, over the music. "You want to get something to drink?"

"Sure." Elizabeth said. She followed Mark off the dance floor and towards the table.

"Let me get one for you." He offered and headed towards the table.

Elizabeth said nothing and allowed him to fetch her drink. He came back a minute later with two drinks in his hand. Mark handed her one and she chugged it down quickly, not noticing the half dissolved tablets at the bottom. Elizabeth drank the contents of the cup down, tablets and all.

"Care to go back for a dance?" Mark asked. Elizabeth nodded, tossing the cup aside. She led Mark back onto the dance floor and began dancing her cares away.

Mark watched her carefully. Elizabeth seemed to be slowing down, putting a hand to her forehead every few minutes. Suddenly, her knees buckled from underneath of her. Mark caught her immediately.

"Hey, are you all right?" Mark asked.

Elizabeth nodded. "I don't feel so great. You think you can drive me home?"

"Sure." Mark said. He wrapped a supportive arm around Elizabeth and helped her towards the door.

"Hey Elizabeth, where you going?" a voice asked. Mark turned around.

"She's not feeling so great, Sarah. I'm driving her home." Mark answered.

"You be careful with her." Charlie said. "She looks like she's coming down with something."

"Right, mate. See ya later, then." Mark said. "Cheers."

"Cheers." Charlie said, and watched his friend help Elizabeth out the door and into his car.

Mark drove off quickly and headed towards Elizabeth's house.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

Elizabeth closed her eyes and moaned.

"I thought so." Mark said. He pulled over at the park near Elizabeth's house. No one was there.

Mark helped Elizabeth out of the car and found a dark area of the park where no one could see them. He laid Elizabeth on the ground and kneeled next to her.

"How about now? How do you feel?"

Elizabeth didn't answer. She frowned; her eyes were still closed and murmured her grandfather's name. Mark frowned. Who was Ian? Was Ian her boyfriend? Mark's jealously raged inside him and within moments, he had unzipped Elizabeth's pants along with his own.

Elizabeth couldn't do anything. The tablets in her drink had been drugs called 'Rupees' and had completely weakened her. Now Mark could have what he had always wanted from Elizabeth and she would never remember.

Mark had an easy time, and enjoyed himself. Elizabeth moaned every few moments from the violation and from the fact that she had no idea what was going on. And then she snapped out of it. Mark was shoved backwards and fell onto a tree stump, scraping his knee and drawing blood. He scattered and jumped into his car, speeding off.

((A/N: That's right. Sorry. But I don't want to write a full on rape chapter. Forgive me.))

Elizabeth sat up. She was still affected by the drug, but at least she could think a little clearer. She stood to her feet, clad in nothing but her underwear and stilettos. She didn't know which way was home.

Holding her hands out in front of her, Elizabeth cried out for help.

"Somebody please! Someone please help me!"

But there was no answer. Everyone in her grandfather's rich, fancy neighborhood had soundproof walls. Elizabeth picked a direction and ran. She ran in the dark until she tripped over a stump and felt a piercing throb throughout her right leg. She stood up and realized that her ankle was twisted, or perhaps entirely broken. She walked on one foot, dragging her right leg behind her and realized that by fate, she had picked the correct way. She could see Ian's house.

Elizabeth dragged herself down the sidewalk, praying that Stella was still awake. Dragging herself on the front lawn, Elizabeth tripped over a small hole in the lawn and felt even more pain in her right leg. She cried out in pain, but pushed herself back onto her feet. She felt something crawling down her face. Thinking it was a bug Elizabeth brushed it away and brought back her hand. It was covered in blood. Elizabeth touched her eye, thinking that her eye was bleeding. She cringed at the bruise that had already formed. She'd have a black eye by the morning, and to add to that, the blood was most likely coming from a head wound.

Elizabeth dragged herself to the doorway and pounded her fist on the doorbell.

"Please! Stella, help me! Please, someone!" Elizabeth shouted, with all her strength. In a moment, she knew she would black out from the head wound.

The door opened and Elizabeth found herself staring at not Stella, but her grandfather, Ian.

"Elizabeth?" Ian asked.

Elizabeth didn't answer. Her eyes rolled up and she fell forward, right into her grandfather's arms.

"Elizabeth?"

Ian turned his fallen granddaughter over so that his arm was supporting her back, and shook her gently. When she did not wake, Ian noticed the blood, and that she was wearing only her underwear.

He laid her on the ground, leaving the front door open and brushed a lone strand of hair away from her bloodied face. Stella peeked out.

"Master Ian?" Stella asked, peering out. Then she noticed Elizabeth. "My stars!"

"Call emergency services, Stella." Ian commanded.

Stella didn't need to be told twice. She dashed off immediately, leaving Ian with his granddaughter.

"Don't you dare leave me, Elizabeth." Ian whispered, resting her head on his lap. "Don't you dare leave me like your mother did."

Stella came back out. "They're on their way, sir."

When she saw that her employer was too preoccupied with his granddaughter, Stella slipped away to alert her coworker, Mia.

Ian brushed aside another strand of hair and held Elizabeth close.

"Elizabeth…" he whispered. "Elizabeth, angel……my darling little angel……"

That was how the paramedics found him.