Author's Note: Saw DOS last night…I did love it, but at the same time, I feel a little disappointed. Think I might write a review on the film and post it on Tumblr. Don't worry, though, I'll put up spoiler warnings for people who haven't seen the film yet. All I'm gonna say though, is that I am officially a character aficionado! I called so many things before they were going to happen. Thanks chibichibi98, uno mega, DwarvenWarrior, Tulipa Negra, cauldron-of-ceridwen, Shadowsammy, anna. pantelarou, UKReader, house of the falling sun, obsessed reader, and MNRD for reviewing! Special thanks to cauldron-of-ceridwen for the fanart of Rue and Thorin :) It's so beautiful, I am shamelessly fangirling over it! Feel free to visit my Tumblr and take a look. Thanks to the follows and favorites :) Answer to the anon review will be below.
Disclaimer: I don't own "When You Were Young" by The Killers.
Chapter Sixteen: When You Were Young
Gollum. Rue was no Middle-earth Einstein, but everybody knew that voice. There was the sound of a hiss of a sword―multiple swords―being drawn at once. Rue stumbled backwards, feeling the grip of Ori's cardigan glove-clad hands on her shoulders as he pulled her away.
"What was that?" he sputtered fearfully.
Torchlight flooded Gollum's face. He was poking his head out of a crack in the rocky wall, grinning. Sneaky bastard. Thorin and Dwalin were there before Gollum could get away, lifting him as one. They held him against the wall by the throat, their gazes ferociously scrutinizing. Gollum was wide-eyed, looking so…pitiful. Rue couldn't help but feel bad for the guy since Thorin and Dwalin were kind of manhandling him.
"What creature are you?" Thorin roared, pressing his forearm against Gollum's lanky neck. It looked like Thorin could snap his neck.
Gollum's eyes grew wider just as he opened his mouth to speak. Then he shut it, suddenly sneering.
"We have eaten Goblinses and Orcses, but never Dwarfses," he said, smiling from ear to ear like Thorin was just joking around. He leaned closer, sniffing Thorin's forearm. "It smells juicy, we thinks. Yes, yes, we likes it." Gollum nodded to himself, all dreamy eyed suddenly.
Thorin was appalled by Gollum's sniffing, leering. He jerked backwards. She realized quickly he would've dropped Gollum if it hadn't been for Dwalin gripping his thin-rail shoulders. Rue wondered how long it had been since Gollum had last eaten. Damn. She had to stop with these stupid nurturing instincts. Gollum was crazy. Okay, maybe that was true, but didn't he deserve someone to take care of him? Like maybe his own personal caretaker?
Fili blinked, looking like he'd just seen Thorin perform a striptease or something. The dismay on his face reminded Rue of when they'd first seen Radagast. She hoped Radagast and his animagus rabbits were okay. Gloin shook a fist at Gollum, Gimli throwing Psycho a glare worthy of being told a "your mama joke."
In the darkness, Rue could make out the bump from Nori's hair, catching the glint of his teeth. Wait. Was he laughing? Yep. Nori probably was getting a kick out of Gollum.
"Answer the question," Thorin snapped gruffly, placing the tip of Orcrist against Gollum's narrow chest. In a flash, Psycho changed moods, eyes growing big―and watery. Oh, no. Rue shook her head. She couldn't take seeing him cry.
Ori seemed to have some kind of sympathy, too, since he was softly gasping in disbelief.
"A sword? Is it a sword? What is it, precious? What is it?" Gollum cocked his head to the side, staring at Orcrist with the utmost fascination. He wasn't crying anymore. Now Gollum seemed to be as curious as a kitten.
All right, it was official: Gollum was Dr. Phil's wet dream.
Thorin was completely taken aback by Gollum, blinking in confusion. If Big Bad King Under the Mountain didn't even know what to do, then they were screwed.
"It is a sword," a chipper voice sounded. "A very good one, too. It was forged by the Elves."
Rue stepped backwards as Bilbo passed her. He was pointing at Gollum, free hand awkwardly hovering on his side.
"By the Elves?" Gollum asked in child-like wonder.
"Yes―" Bilbo daringly stepped even closer to Gollum, Dwalin and Thorin both tensing. He brought his mouth closer to Gollum's ear to whisper, "And just between us, you do not want Thorin to use it. It would be better if―" Bilbo was all doe-eyed now as he tapped his chin― "Maybe, quite possibly, if you showed us another way through the Misty Mountains. You see, we were taking the High Pass when―"
"He does not need to know more," Thorin interrupted angrily, starting toward Bilbo. Mr. Hobbitkins stumbled backwards, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down as he gulped.
Suddenly, Bilbo seemed to put on some balls of steel, stepping closer to Thorin and whispering heatedly, "He most likely knows the way. Look at him. He looks like he lives down here." Bilbo shook his head in disapproval of Thorin's temper. "Maybe if you were not so mean to him, then―"
"Why would we do that?" Gollum piped up. "What we gets if we agree to help Dwarves?" His eyes were big and hopeful, pleading. Bilbo and Thorin turned to face Gollum, both faces set in some serious contemplation.
It was the first time Gollum referring to himself as "we," really crept Rue out.
"Your vile life," Thorin spat inches away from Gollum's face now. Psycho shrieked away in fear. How could Thorin be so mean? Bilbo was right.
Bilbo nodded encouragingly. "Your life, but also―also―" The soft glow of blue light shrouded the tunnel. Bilbo had pulled out his sword. Why was it glowing blue? Bilbo pointed at his sword, forcing himself to grin. "This is what you will get if you help us find a different path."
Gollum smiled. "It glows! It lights! Why does it light? It is so bright!"
Bilbo nodded. "It lights when―" His calm expression suddenly fell, replaced by fear. Bilbo held his sword out. Comprehension dawned seconds too late. Oh, shit.
"Move!" Thorin shouted, grip slackening on Gollum's throat.
Everything happened so fast. Gollum lunged forward, licking Thorin's forearm. Rue could see his tongue was black thanks to Bilbo's magic sword. Thorin dropped him like a burlap sack, bringing the point of his sword to Gollum's throat.
Rue and Bilbo leapt forward at the same time.
"We need him!" Bilbo shouted in panic. "He knows the way! He must―"
Thorin faced Bilbo, his expression screwed in a fire-breathing grimace. "HE DOES NOT!" His yell―which was more like the Kraken's roar―shook throughout the tunnel, echoing, and echoing. The entire company fell silent, probably thinking all at once, "The fuck you just do, Thorin?"
Rue might've been pretty stupid at times, but yelling underground in a mountain, where Orcs and Goblins possibly were cultivating and within hearing distance, wasn't the smartest thing to do.
"Bilbo's right!" Rue sputtered, awkwardly standing in front of Gollum. "And he―he's defenseless! He needs help; maybe we can give him a bread crumb―"
Rue's words were short-circuited by a scream, her scream. The feel of teeth biting into her skin―her hand―made her peer down in horror: Gollum, that bastard, was biting her hand. It burned like hell.
Thorin was there fast, kicking Gollum in the chest. Rue instinctively tried to pull away from his teeth, but the more she tried, the harder he bit. She forced herself not to scream, latching onto Gollum's arm, hand wandering down, finding cloth in the dimness. Gollum gave an outcry of pain. She saw blurs of Thorin striking Gollum with the hilt of his sword. Her hand was free from Psycho's teeth, dripping with blood. Nestled in her hand was a shred of cloth, and the feel of something… cool.
"EATS IT! COME HERE! GOBLINS! TAKE THEM TO GOBLIN-TOWN!" Gollum's ear-splitting shriek ripped through the tunnel, probably throughout the whole fucking mountain, Misty Mountains, Middle-earth.
The feel of too many bodies in urgency pressed against Rue. Suddenly, someone's damn boot stepped on her foot. Rue lurched forward, the cloth falling out her hand, landing in another. She looked at Bilbo, who was open-mouthed as he met her eyes, his hand gripping the cloth. That look said it all. He knew that she knew they had found something.
"Where did it go?" Thorin bellowed monstrously, scanning the tunnel floor nonstop with his torchlight. Gollum was gone. Sneaky asshole. He probably had crawled back into the slit in the rock.
"We must go on, Thorin," Balin spoke up from the darkness.
Rue caught shadows of Thorin's face. He neared her, reaching for her hand with his own, seeming hesitant; but like he couldn't help himself if that made sense.
Snarls, cries, and tiny shrieks echoed. Thorin looked up. The entire company followed Thorin's gaze. More ruckus―more animalistic noises―boomed from the ceiling.
"Run!" Thorin yelled.
They were running like crazy down the dimly lit tunnel, footsteps too damn loud. Man, they were going to get caught by whatever the hell was above them.
Creaks roared. In a flash, the cave ceiling opened like some disturbing version of a trapdoor. Fifty or so bodies dropped out. Rue crashed into Ori and Bilbo. From the mouth of the tunnel on the far side, Rue could make out the hum of more oncoming bodies.
Their silhouettes were brown, dark, and they looked like―
"GOBLINS!" Dwalin boomed.
Rue was thinking more like Yoda-meets-Dobby-meets-the Cryptkeeper.
Their mangy―no other words fit, Rue felt awful calling them mangy―faces emerged from the darkness. Claws were everywhere, touching her shoulders. Rue felt someone grab her quick, looking to see Thorin protectively shoving her behind him. Her face was pressed against his back, the feel of his fur-lined coat on her nose comforting in some weird way. She peeked out from behind Thorin, wheezing as the company was swarmed by Goblins. And she thought the Wargs and Trolls had been something. The tunnel was too narrow to do much fighting. Thorin and Fili figured that out fast, Fili bringing one boot forward, landing a high-kick in some Goblin's mouth. Bloody teeth flew everywhere as the Goblin spat out its broken teeth. Thorin slammed his elbow against the side of another Goblin's face.
The Goblins started surrounding them from all sides―from above. They were crawling on the tunnel ceiling like they were Nightcrawler or something, mouths opening and closing. Bifur brought his spearhead crashing down on one of the Goblin's skulls, blood spurting against the dim walls.
Kili and Gimli were shoving Goblins backwards, Gloin hacking at legs and torsos. Suddenly, half of the company was being shoved onwards. A Goblin roughly yanked Balin by the hair, Dwalin nearly flipping out.
"DON"T YOU TOUCH HIM!"
Dwalin's giant fist met the Goblin's nose, a crack ripping through the tunnel. Four Goblins crowded him, trying to yank Dwalin's axe away. Good luck little dudes.
Gimli was spitting out a string of insults at Goblins one second and then being shoved roughly and pinched the next. Rue lunged forward instinctively, blocked by Thorin's strong arm.
"Stay back!" he shouted, whirling on three Goblins, managing to slash them in their guts. He brought the end of his torch to one Goblin's face, and then―
"AHHHHH!" The Goblin was shrieking bloody murder.
Rue covered her eyes, trying to ignore the smell of burning flesh.
Without warning, she felt Thorin's fur disappear. Rue's hands dropped to her sides. She looked on in horror. Thorin was being rounded up, his elbows and arms flailing around relentlessly, teeth clenched tightly.
Before she could even blink, Goblin claws locked around her wrists and forearms in vice grips. Rue was yanked away from the tunnel wall, shoved along with the rest of the company.
Seven minutes of hell ensued.
There was pushing and prodding, Rue's boots―and the other Dwarves' boots―slipping on upturned stones. Claws were everywhere. In her face, tugging at her hair, yanking poor Kili's messy hair. It was just an explosion of ghastly claws, from left, right, and all around. Fear set in. Rue gulped, not knowing how in the hell she kept walking, how all of them kept going. Probably because the company consisted of nothing but Dwarves, and Dwarves were resilient, strong, and just freaking tough. But for Rue and Bilbo―it was a completely different story. Bilbo daintily shrieked away from each disgusting Goblin claw like clean-freaks ran from hoarders.
They were shuffled through one narrow tunnel, and then through another, lit sconces lining up the rocky corridor. Why the hell were there sconces inside the mountain? Was the supposed Goblin-town fast approaching?
Rue's knees scraped against rock. Fucking tunnel was for fun sized people or Hobbits. Up ahead, she saw five of the Dwarves led to what appeared to be light. Sudden Goblin hands struck her back, making her ram Oin from behind. Oin made a little huff, catching himself before he nearly fell. Damn the Goblins. Damn Rue for being a weakling.
Seconds later, she was out the tunnel, peering up, mouth falling open in a silent O. There were no more tunnels in sight. Nothing but sky-high caverns met her eyes, rows lit by sconces. It was an open-space―actually, not really. Rue followed the line of Dwarves, coming close to a rocky ledge. Below was a drop, a hollow drop that reminded her of the Grand Canyon. Oh, crap.
"To Goblin-town they go!" A Goblin squealed like he was the Pillsbury Dough Boy.
Hisses and laughter echoed.
Rue was traipsing weakly, wondering what in the hell a Goblin-town was, when all of a sudden―
"Not Goblin-town. No, no, no. They don't go there. We wants it. We wants it." High-pitched. Crazy. Speaking in multiple-persons. Gollum.
Rue followed the voice. She was taken aback as Psycho emerged on a nearby outcropping of rock. His teeth gleamed. Wait. Did he just smile?
Some of the Goblins noticed the reemergence of Gollum, while others paid no heed in favor of literally trying to slap some of the Dwarves. Rue wasn't sure what else to call it.
That was where the Goblins went wrong.
Now out the tunnel, the company could physically move and see and―fight back.
Thorin whirled around―looking all majestic―elbowing a Goblin in the face holding him captive.
A chain reaction was born.
Everybody was fighting back within seconds. Ori sent a fist cracking against a Goblin's ear. Fili kicked two Goblins in the guts, reminding Rue of Buffy for some reason. It must've been the blonde hair flying and twirling about. Kili notched an arrow. He let it go. The arrowhead pierced through one Goblin's forehead, the force of the blow sending it crashing down.
Rue backed away. With shaky hands, she whipped out her own dagger: Severus. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Nori nod in encouragement as he pulled his own dagger out. Gloin and Gimli tackled down three Goblins, taking turns hacking at the creatures. But just as Dwalin kneed a particularly big Goblin in the gut, Gollum's voice rented through the cavern.
"Come quick, preciousess! This way! This way! We knows the way."
Gollum hopped down from the rock, landing on all fours. He watched the fighting with wild, excited eyes. Did he think this was UFC or something? Down a dark passage he went―what appeared to be another tunnel, but wider than the last few they'd been forced through. Rue's gaze flew to Thorin instinctively. He watched Gollum go, indecision flickering in his eyes.
Balin lay his arms down first, watching Gollum go with an open-mouth. Suddenly, Bilbo was slipping past three Goblins, ducking between one's legs, making a mad dash for Gollum.
Thorin watched in uncertainty, swinging his sword left, right, slicing through never-ending Goblin flesh. And then―
"Go! Follow!"
Rue understood Thorin's decision. Gollum was pretty much their only chance out this mountain. Their lives were in the hands of someone who spoke in multiple-persons and bit people for kicks. She wasn't sure if she should cry in relief or horror.
Her feet pounded against rock. Rue ran, following the rest of the company. Thorin pressed himself against one of the rocky walls, waiting for the rest of them to pass as he kept the Goblins at bay.
Inside the tunnel, which was more like a dimly lit path, Rue could feel the cold air biting her limbs. Shallow breaths hissed against her pulsing ears. Rue swore she could even hear other hearts beating. A stitch was in her side. Shit. Running fundamentals: breathe through your nose. How had Rue forgotten to breathe through her nose?
She slowed down, sidestepping away from the line of Dwarves stampeding. Rue waited with bated breath. Her heart was booming so loud, she swore she could hear it in her ears: pound, pound, pound. It was corny, but all she could think of was Thorin. Thorin.
Rue couldn't keep going without knowing if he was safe. With trembling legs, she stepped away from the wall. She squinted.
From the mouth of the muted path, Thorin emerged, running like crazy.
"What are you doing? Go! Go!" Thorin bellowed, linking an arm around her elbow and pushing her ahead. Wouldn't "thanks for waiting for me" have sufficed?
Rue raced down the path, arms and elbows flailing around in her panic. She skinned herself multiple times, stumbling, nearly falling twice. Glimpsing over her shoulder nonstop, Rue was breathing heavily, waiting for the Goblins. Silhouettes appeared from the mouth of the path. Goblins. There they were.
Ahead, she steadied her eyes on Bombur's bouncing, sprinting form. The rest of the Dwarves were farther away, harder and harder to see each passing second.
At once, the Dwarves stopped running, appearing to be waiting one at a time for something, no longer so hard to see. Eh? The pathway narrowed, transforming into nothing but rock ahead. Was it a dead-end? No. No.
She forced herself to ignore the snorts, grunts, and hisses coming from the Goblins. It felt like every sound they made buzzed in her ears, as if they were right next to her instead of behind her. Damn being afraid. Rue hated the fear, hated it even more that they were following Crazy.
Rue reached the line of Dwarves, watching as―
Holy crap.
Below the rock, which had appeared to be a dead-end, was an open crevice filled with… rushing water―like a river cutting through the mountain. There was a tiny ledge, then nothing but river shooting down the rocky path.
Gollum was leaning precariously on the ledge, hopping up and down. "This way, Dwarveses! The water leaves the mountain! This way. Quick, quick!"
None of the Dwarves had gone yet, gazes warily flickering to Thorin in indecision as they probed their king for the right answer. Truth was―in Middle-earth while trying to stay alive―there were no right answers. Rue had learned from the Warg chase―from Thorin―that maybe sometimes the hardest decisions were the best ones to make.
Tension reeked the air. More hisses and animal-like snarls tormented the dimly lit tunnel. And then―
"What are we waiting for?" Bilbo's voice broke through the ice as he pushed his way through the line of Dwarves, arms flailing in panic. Without a second thought, he ran to the river, jumping in. A thunderous splash followed. Bilbo's jump into the river seemed to break something in the air. Rue was scared shitless for several moments, watching as Bilbo's head bobbed along in the river. He then was going down the river, the water carrying him down a winding pathway.
"GO!" Thorin roared.
In a flash, the Dwarves were leaping into the river, putting on brave faces. One at a time or with their respective brothers―it didn't matter. They were willing to risk the river instead of face the Goblins. Rue found the Dwarves admirable, awe-inspiring―
"Me turns!" Gollum whooped, running off the ledge. Water splashed the ledge, soaking the tips of Rue's boots as she neared the edge. Gollum went down the river, crying out something she couldn't make out beyond the river's mighty roar.
Her eyes flew left to right. There was no one else left but her and―
Rue swallowed hard, turning to look at Thorin. His gaze was on hers, intense and probing, mouth opened like he wanted to say something, but she chose that precise moment to start jabbering.
"You first," she squeaked, using Severus's tip to point at the swirling blue-green waters below.
Thorin looked affronted, growling, "No―go―" Thorin cast a glance over his shoulder, entire body tensing in one split-second― "GO!"
This time, Rue didn't need to be told twice. She gave a silent prayer for Thorin, hoping to Mahal―wait, she meant God―that he'd be okay. Rue leapt off the ledge, river water swallowing her whole. Millions of ice-cold prickles stabbed her skin. She was breathing hard, trying to keep her head above water. Bursts of water were in her nose―in her mouth. The sound of throbbing water echoed in her ears as she felt her body carried down the path by the formidable current. Damn freaky Mother Nature.
The world was topsy-turvy. Millions of fears reeled in her mind. What about the other Dwarves? All she could see ahead were erratic water currents, Gollum's head, maybe Dwalin's head, and endless rocky tunnels going this way and that way.
Minutes went on, never-ending minutes that felt like hell. They twisted right, left, down more paths. The entire time, Rue's gaze kept shooting to the ceiling, waiting for the moment the Goblin army would burst from the ceiling again. And this time, since she was in a crazy river, they'd get her, they would kill her. No. Be brave like Thorin.
She ventured an awkward glance over her shoulder, fighting the river wilds to see Thorin for the umpteenth time. He was allowing the river to carry him, limbs calm, but his eyes―they told another story. They were stormy―fearful in the patches of dimness the tunnels imparted them.
Rough panting plagued the chilly air. Rue's pants. She thought seeing Azog had made her afraid, but this…this was different, this was death defying scared. Water was something unbeatable, not flesh you could tear or something you could silence.
All the darkness, all the narrowness, the water, made Rue miss the lush forests they traveled, the up close and personal meetings with Mother Nature. It even made her miss Stockton. Anything was better than this. Anything over feeling trapped. Fitful thoughts of drowning―of dying in Middle-earth―pierced her mind. Rue would never have the chance to say goodbye to her family, never have the chance to ask her mom to forgive her―
There was a quick flash. Rue squinted, one hand ducking to her forehead as she shaded her eyes. More flashes. Those weren't just flashes. The river wilds carried her faster. Sunlight. It was freaking sunlight she was seeing!
Moments later, the paths were gone, replaced by wideness. A type of sea cave―or river cave. Not that those existed anywhere. But this was Middle-earth. Maybe they did have river caves? An opening was ahead, light flooding their faces as they left the darkness, left the mountain. The water slowed dramatically, easing them along in a way that made Rue think of good mothers rocking their babies.
Rue blinked, feeling like she might cry. They had actually made out of there alive. Sure, her damn hand was bleeding and her clothes were soaked, but they were alive. Relief flooded her bones―flooded every fiber of her being.
Moments later, the Dwarves were peeling themselves out the water, climbing onto shore. Without a doubt, they were all hot messes. Rue stood up as the water reached a shallow end, stumbling her way for shore.
She fell to her limp knees, breathing hard, touching the cool grass. She followed the grass, realizing some parts were yellow, were dead. She really noticed their surroundings now, mouth open at the sight before her.
The trees were gaunt, stick-like, woods uncannily silent. The sunlight that had been a Godsend before, disappeared behind murky sky and clouds. Wasn't it supposed to be summer?
"The Gladden River," Gloin said, hands on his knees as he remained doubled over. At the sound of Gloin's words, the majority of the company started looking around, and for the first time really seeing where the hell they had ended up.
Gollum was perched curiously on the river shore. He was smiling, glaring, and then growling. Um. No comment. His gangly hand flew to his loincloth. Rue instinctively looked to her own hand, giving a shriek of fright. Blood oozed on her hand, small punctures visible. Damn Gollum. Please don't have rabies. And what if―Rue couldn't even think it―shaking her head. What if she could never play cello again?
"Rue." It was Thorin, standing above her. His clothes were soaked―oh, wow. Thorin had really, really nice arms and strong thighs more visible through wet clothes. He went to reach for her hand. Rue brought her hand closer for Thorin to inspect, trying to reassure him that the bite wound wasn't that bad with a gawky grin. She would play the cello again one day.
He threw Gollum a contemptuous, murderous glare, his strong hand protectively pulling Rue to her feet. Then they were so close their chests were nearly touching. She gulped. His fingers tensed around her bicep, holding Orcrist out with his free hand, the tip of the sword pointed in Gollum's direction.
Rue started, "It's not that―"
There was a shriek. Gollum.
"My precious! Where is it? Precious! Where is it?" Gollum was fumbling around, spinning in circles, eyes inches from the ground as he bent over. Without warning, Gollum stopped thrashing around. He stood stark still, eyes becoming owlish―frightened―as he watched the woods. Rue followed Gollum's eyes. Nothing was there. What in the heck was he seeing?
In a death-like whisper, Gollum said, "We sees it." At once, he was backtracking, tiny body trembling as he made a beeline back to the mountain. He was shaking his head, emaciated body trembling.
Rue hugged herself, shivering, turning to take in the sight of the rest of the Dwarves. Dwalin was patting Gimli on the back as he spat out water. Kili was―
"I see what he sees," Kili muttered. He was transfixed on the woods, mouth parting in dismay. Fili neared Kili, trying to make out what his bro was seeing, cocking his head to the side in confusion―
Kili dropped to the ground like a bat out of hell.
His legs gave out as he collapsed on his back with a painful thud. Then he was twitching, eyes rolling to the back of his head, entire body in spasms.
Rue's blood went cold. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up.
Kili was having a…seizure.
Author's Note: They are going through the Gladden Fields! And I know everyone is wondering where Gandalf is. Don't worry. He will show up :) At this point onward, the fic will be taking pointers from The Conjuring and Paranormal Activity if you get what I'm saying. Thank house of the falling sun for going over this chapter and suggesting a really cool ending, thus making the chapter infinitely better. My original ending was pooh. Hope you review and let me know what you think. I made a big change by not going through Goblin-town. Has anyone else seen DOS? Feel free to PM me and chat if you want. I only have my sister to discuss DOS with. My friends are lame. They don't like Middle-earth. Those bitches.
Obsessed reader: Thanks so much for reviewing and consistently reviewing!
Yep, Rue and Thorin are definitely fragile. They just express themselves in completely different ways. Awe, it grasped at your heart! That means so much! Thanks for thinking my supporting characterization is spot-on ;) After seeing DOS, I agree. Hope I don't sound arrogant in saying that.
Thanks again :)