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

Chapter 7: Stuck

Ana began to panic, whatever was out there had Sadie ready to defend her and the normally calm golden retriever was actually scarring her owner. Ana swallowed the lump in throat and looked around. A roar echoed and Ana jumped. A large mass was moving towards her and Sadie was knocked away before she could even lunge. "Sadie!" Ana screamed before she saw something swinging towards her head. She ducked and backed away, but a large hand grasped her throat.

The words that whatever held her spoke actually hurt her ears and she raised her hands to the large hand. She clawed at it but its grip only tightened. She gasped and felt tears fall from her eyes. Another roar sounded and Ana collapsed to the ground in a heap. She raised her hands to her throat and gasped deeply as she laid on the forest floor. The sound of metal hitting metal echoed in the trees, but Ana didn't look up from the ground, she was too busy trying to regain her breath.

Haldir saw the orc hold Ana from the ground by her throat, she was struggling and he didn't know why the orc hadn't struck her down with its sword. There was one other orc, and with one quick swish of his sword the orc fell dead and he quickly move to the one that held Ana. Haldir slashed at the orc's leg and it dropped Ana and swung it's sword at him after it screamed out.

Haldir easily blocked its swing and countered with a strike of his own. As he fought he heard Ana's gasps and felt relief flood him that she was alright. He heard Sadie as well and as he delivered the final blow and the orc fell dead he looked to Ana. He took deep even breaths and saw the animal nudge Ana's shoulder. He moved quickly and laid his sword on the ground before he put his hands on her shoulders and lifted her up. She stiffened at his touch but as he pushed her hair from her face and her eyes met his in the darkened light. He saw tears come to her eyes before she threw her arms around him and sobbed into his chest.

Haldir stiffened and her grip only tightened as she spoke quickly to him and shook her head against his chest.

He didn't understand her, meaning both her words and her actions. One minute she's running away because of him and now she wouldn't let go of him. Haldir tentatively wrapped his arms around her as he looked down at the top of her head and her sobs only increased. He sighed and shook his head before he looked to her animal. He noticed blood near Sadie's nose and he figured the animal had been knocked away so the orcs could get to Ana. Haldir turned his attention back to Ana. He pulled back slightly and lifted her head from his chest.

"Cease your tears, Ana," he said gently. "You are alright." He wiped her tears away. She sniffed deeply and held his gaze before she pulled back and wiped her face of what was left of her tears. He wiped his sword and sheathed it while he waited for her to compose herself from her outburst. Haldir turned his attention to the orcs. He turned both over and looked at them carefully, when something on the second orc that he had slain caught his eye.

Ana stood from the ground and looked down at Sadie. She sighed and kneeled back down. Sadie walked up to her and Ana hugged her. She felt the blood near Sadie's nose and sighed again. "We'll get you taken care of girl," she whispered as she rubbed behind Sadie's ears.

She mentally cursed herself for the vulnerability she just showed to Haldir. Now, he had even more cause to humiliate her, but she couldn't hold back the tears. As that thing held her, facing death had brought back memories she had succeeded in burying and because of that she shared a side of herself with the last person she ever wanted to see that side of her.

She pushed back those thoughts and buried down her tears, just as she always did. She was stuck going back into the city, back with the elf that would cause nothing but trouble for her until Galadriel found a way to send her home.

Haldir pulled the leather strap from the orc's body and looked at the large piece of stone that rested on it, but it was what was on the stone that caught his attention and it unnerved him. He heard Ana speak quietly to her animal and he glanced at her.

Her face had gone from fear filled and frightened to cold and masked, the face he had become used to. He tucked the piece of stone in his tunic and stood.

"We must go back," he said in Westron and Ana looked at him with surprise taking over her face. "You understand?" he asked and she continued to stare at him before she slowly nodded.

"I understand," she said slowly and looked at Sadie. "Sadie hurt. Needs help," she said and the look on her face showed that she waited for him to laugh at her again, but he learned his lesson the first time. He would not laugh at her again, at least not openly.

"You need help as well," he told her as he looked at the scratches as well as the deep bruises he saw forming on her throat. Ana raised her hand and covered her throat before she shook her head.

"I fine," she said her tone firm. Haldir sighed but did not argue. At least he could communicate a little with her now. He took her arm and led her back into the city.

Ana stumbled for what felt like the twentieth time in the last hour they walked. She hadn't realized she had actually ran as far as she did. The next thing she knew she found herself in Haldir's arms once more. She looked at him with wide eyes. "You fall too much," he said and Ana sighed. "Relax," he said after a moment and she did as she was told. She was afraid he would throw her to the ground, if she didn't.

Once again as they neared the city, she fell asleep in his arms. As they neared the city border, Haldir was not surprised to see Galadriel along with Beriadan, one of the healers in the city, standing waiting for them. "Give Ana to Beriadan, Haldir. He will take her to her talan and tend to her wounds as well as her animals," Galadriel said. Haldir nodded and did as instructed. Beriadan adjusted to Ana's weight and carried her off. Haldir then looked at Galadriel when Beriadan disappeared along with Sadie and Ana. "What is it you wish to show me?" Galadriel asked and Haldir pulled the piece of stone from his tunic. Galadriel sighed heavily.

"What does this mean?" Haldir asked. Galadriel turned her eyes to him and he saw sadness in their depths.

"Even I do not truly have an answer," she said before she gave the stone back to Haldir. He frowned and clasped the stone in a tight fist. "Explain to me, Marchwarden, what happened this eve." Haldir's frown deepened at the change of subject, but nodded his head before he began to tell the Lady the events leading up to that moment.

Ana slowly opened her eyes feeling slightly groggy. She sat up and smiled at Sadie as she slept on the right side of her bed. Ana looked at herself and was surprised that she was dressed in her nightdress. "Beriadan, a healer, changed your clothes before he put you to bed," came Galadriel's voice. Ana looked to the door and suddenly felt very small as she looked at Galadriel. "Tell me, Ana, why you foolishly ran into the trees?" Ana sighed as Galadriel walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed gazing at Ana evenly.

"I wanted to go home. I was tired of him! I know I haven't been here that long, but in the short time I've been here, he's managed to harm me, belittle me, and laugh at me. I don't want to stay here anymore! I want to go home and soon!" she exclaimed.

"You risked your life by running into the forest unprotected and alone because of Haldir?" Galadriel asked with a perfectly raised eyebrow. Ana sighed and rubbed her face with her hands before they trailed down to her neck where a soft cloth was wrapped around her neck.

"I don't know. I don't know what I'm doing anymore. I just want to go home," Ana said as her hands flopped down into her lap. Galadriel sighed and Ana looked at her as the elf looked away from her.

"You will never go home Ana. Whatever brought you here is closed and I cannot reopen it."

"What?" Ana asked her voice betraying her surprise and horror.

"The matter I had to attend to yesterday was a council to determine what it was that brought you to our land and how we could return you to where you are from. However, we failed in finding anything. I am afraid you shall never leave this world," Galadriel said gently as she looked at Ana. The woman just stared back before she flung the covers back and walked out of the room and into the sitting room where she was startled to see Haldir standing there.

"Great, what now?" she asked as she crossed her arms over her chest. When he didn't answer, when he just looked at her sadly a look she realized that she hated seeing come from him, she couldn't take it anymore. She held back her tears and turned from him and rushed down the corridor to the bathing talan. Thankfully no one was there and she sat down on one of the benches and let one lone tear roll down her cheek before she closed her eyes and sobbed once more, only that time she was alone.