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Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Lord of the Rings.

Chapter 16: Happy Times . . . For Now

Ana pulled her lips back from his after a moment and smiled up at him. Haldir returned her smile and she lowered her hand from his face. "This is quite a turn of events, isn't it?" she asked quietly and Haldir chuckled and nodded his head. He opened his mouth to speak when Galadriel's voice filled the small cove.

"Indeed it is," she said. Ana jumped back from Haldir and stumbled over Sadie, who scurried away with a yelp. Ana would have crashed to the ground if Haldir hadn't grabbed her hand and pulled her close to him. Ana's face was red as she looked to the Lady with wide eyes, "but, I will say that it does not surprise me." She smiled at the pair before she turned and slowly made her way back up the path. Ana sighed and buried her flaming face in Haldir's chest, which she noticed was becoming a habit. She felt his chest rumble from his quiet laughter and she looked up at him with a smile.

"Does my embarrassment amuse you?" she asked and he pushed her hair from her face.

"Always," he said gently before he leaned down and kissed her nose. "Now, come, let us get something to eat. Something tells me you haven't eaten this morning." Ana looked at him as he stepped away and when she didn't follow him, he stopped and turned to her. "Are you coming?" Ana nodded but remained where she stood.

"How come you were watching me this whole week?" she asked. He sighed quietly and stepped back over to her and took her left hand into his right one.

"Lady Galadriel put you under my care. It was my duty to watch over you, but I could not keep your company after that night." Ana felt a sudden pain in her chest at his words. "Do not misunderstand me," he added quickly and squeezed her hand, "what I mean is that before Rumil and Orophin had entered your talan with Sadie, I had every intention of kissing you as I put you to bed. After realizing what I was about to do, I felt the fool. You had just shared with me the darkness in your past and there I was going to kiss you." He slowly raised his left hand to her face as she looked up at him intently waiting for him to continue. He ran his fingers across her skin and then through her hair. "So, instead of keeping your company and to let myself think things through, I watched over you from a distance." Ana nodded as he lowered his hand from her face and she swallowed hard before she spoke next.

"Then what brought you to your conclusion? What made you decide to keep my company again?" she asked.

"The sadness I saw in your face as you watched Mirima and Arandur walk passed you earlier, and the hurt that was in your tone as you spoke to Sadie. I cannot explain my actions to you, Ana, I honestly do not know anything anymore." Ana smiled then and laced her fingers with his once again.

"Then that makes two of us." Haldir smiled and led Ana and Sadie to her talan so they could eat and talk things over further.

Galadriel smiled a small smile as she walked back to her home. She had gone for a walk to enjoy the early spring morning, only to find more than just the blossoms blooming. However, her smile soon fell. No matter how happy she felt for the couple's discovery, she worried. She worried what would become of her Marchwarden if Ana were taken by the Dark Lord. She also worried that if Ana drew little immortality from him that Haldir would not last through the grief.

Three weeks of happiness and stolen kisses had passed and no more signs of orcs as of yet. Ana was dressed in a pair of black leggings and a dark green tunic. She laughed as Haldir ran behind her. She carried a bow in her hand and a quiver on her back and Haldir had the same. He had been helping her train in archery since finding out that she now indeed have some skill with a bow, it just needed work.

"Ana!" he called with a laugh as the pair ran to the archery field. She looked over her shoulder and smiled at him before she turned around a large tree only to stop short and hide behind it. "You should know better than to think you could hide from me," Haldir whispered as he put his hand on her shoulder. Ana jumped and turned around to face him.

"Don't do that!" she exclaimed through her own laugh and Haldir smiled when she pushed him slightly.

"But I enjoy it," he said quietly and she smiled up at him. She had never been happier in her entire life than she had been those three weeks. She'd been in Lothlorien for a little over a month and there were times where she missed home, but slowly she was coming to think of Lothlorien as her home. She did miss her parents and her older brother Daniel, but since her parents moved out to California the year before to be closer to Daniel, his wife and three kids, she hadn't really spent that much time with them. Plus, she found that her thoughts seemed to now revolve around the elf that held her in his arms and pushed her hair from her face gently.

"I know you do," she said. Haldir ran his fingers down her face and sighed quietly. In two days he had to leave for his place on the border and for the first time in his long life, he wished he didn't have to, but it was his duty and he was to see to it. Ana sighed as well and laid her head against his chest. "I've enjoyed the time you've been teaching me archery, well helping me hone the skills I seem to have acquired." Haldir chuckled and rested his chin on the top of her head. "I'm going to miss you while you're on the border."

"Three weeks ago, I didn't believe you would ever say that, nor I feel it," he said softly. She pulled her head back and smiled up at him, a smile that he found himself easily returning. "I will miss you as well, but-."

"But it is your duty and obligation as a Marchwarden of Lothlorien," Ana said automatically and raised an eyebrow at herself, surprised. Haldir looked at her as well s lightly startled that she finished his identically to how he was going to finish it.

"Exactly," he said in a whisper. Ana pulled herself from his arms and unbuckled her quiver and sat that down next to her and Haldir's bows they had rested against the tree. "Ana?" he questioned and she looked up at him with a small smile.

"I'm turning into you," she said as she gently pinched at his muscles under his tunic. He moved back slightly and laughed as he grabbed her hand.

"Well, you did draw from me; maybe you are taking on some of my characteristics." Ana laughed and shook her head as he pulled her close to him. He let go of her hand and wrapped his arms around her, his hands spread out across her back, one on her upper back resting under her hair and the other on her lower back. He pressed her firmly against him and kissed her left cheek. "But hopefully," he paused and kissed her right cheek, "you didn't," he paused and kissed her forehead, "take," he paused and kissed her nose, "too many," he paused and kissed her chin, "things." He finished before he kissed her lips.

Ana sighed against his lips and brought her hands to his shoulders and gripped them tightly. He slowly pulled away and she smiled up at him.

"Not too many things," she said.

"Yes," came a laughter filled voice. Haldir and Ana looked up and saw an amused Orophin standing there, his arms crossed over his chest. "Hopefully not too many things, otherwise you would be in love with yourself brother." Ana felt Haldir stiffen in her arms and she looked up at him.

"Haldir?" she asked quietly and he looked at her. She smiled up at him and she felt him relax slightly. "I know it's not quite to that level yet, so do not worry, he's not putting ideas in my head," she said in Westron. Haldir smiled and shook his head.

"That was not the reason for my tension," he said in elvish and pushed her hair from her face once again from where it had blown into her face. "It is the fact that my brother, who is not due back until after I go to the border is standing in front of us," he said as he looked to Orophin, who was smiling.

"I was no longer needed, so I returned to the city, and Beleg took my position on the border." Haldir nodded and Ana stepped away from Haldir and smiled at Orophin before she picked up her quiver and bow and made her way to the archery field. Orophin watched as Haldir watched Ana walk away. "Do tell me, when did you finally admit you care for her?" he asked. Haldir looked back to Orophin with a confused face.

"What?" Haldir asked as he picked up his bow.

"Rumil and I knew long ago that you were beginning to have feelings for her. Tell me, when did you admit them?" Haldir scoffed and smirked at his brother before he followed Ana.