In all honesty, I might kind of speed through lots of the traveling parts. I was so excited to get the Fellowship together, and now I don't know what to do with them. I guess I'll just have to see how it flows.

Disclaimer: What's that you say? Oh yeah, it's I NEVER HAVE AND NEVER WILL OWN LORD OF THE RINGS!

Chapter 18 Recap:

"What about them black riders?" Sam asked.

Gandalf shook his head. "They won't be back, at least not tonight."

"How can you be so sure of that?" voiced Legolas.

"They never return after an attack, especially if they have been hurt at all. We saw that at Weather top," Frodo spoke.

"I think we are fine, for the night." Aragorn agreed. "But we should have watches all night, and leave quickly in the morning."

All mumbled some sort of 'yes' and cleaned up the camp, still wondering what had really just happened.

Chapter 19:

Abigail did come back shortly, with a good stack of firewood in her hands. Dinner consisted of a couple of pheasants and some packed cheese.

"How did you manage to get pheasants?" Pippin wondered.

Aragorn shrugged. "There are a few wild ones left, or they could of escaped from a nearby farm."

"Well, I'm glad they did," Pippin said contently. Everyone seemed to enjoy the meal, and there was reflective silence for a while until Gimli asked,

"Where do we go from here?"

"We have a few options I believe," Legolas said, but turned to Aragorn for assurance.

"It would be best if we head south and make for the Gap of Rohan. We would probably have the best traveling conditions on that road," he said.

"Are we in danger of coming to close to Isengard?" Abigail finally spoke up. Curious faces looked at her.

"Don't be so surprised that I can read a map," she said sharply.

"Oh sorry, I was just thinking, " Aragorn said.

Abigail was surprised in return for an apology.

The man continued. "True, Isengard is on the northern side of the gap. But if we stay on the more southern path to Edoras, we should pass through quietly."

"Do we plan on stopping in Edoras?" Boromir asked.

"I do not know how wise that would be. Perhaps if we need provisions, but overall it is best we stay away from villages. I think we would stir up to many questions," Gandalf said.

Abigail chuckled to herself. "I suppose we are a bit of an odd looking family," she said sarcastically.

"Indeed," Gimli snorted.

The hobbits still kept to their thought. Gap of Rohan? Edoras? Both were slightly familiar names, but with no real meaning behind them. The one Frodo recognized the best was Isengard. And from what he heard from Gandalf, he would like to stay away from wizard Saruman. Frodo studied Abigail again. He had wanted to talk to her ever since the council. First she offered him words of comfort, and then she pledged to help him by any means. She was the strangest woman he had ever met.

The fire soon began to dim, and the people with it. Aragorn took the first watch, of course, so the rest tried to find a respectable sleeping spot.

Abigail couldn't sleep though, and she kept track of the watch changes throughout the night. When she realized Boromir's time was up, she went herself to revive him. They needed to have a little chat. She found him on the far edge of the campsite, sitting on a stump.

"Lord Boromir, you're done," she whispered.

"I am not tired," he said bitterly.

Abigail sighed. She was expecting his attitude.

"I'm sure you aren't. But neither am I, so I think you should just go lie down and let me take over."

I do not need your help," he whispered harshly.

"Fine," she said. "Then I will just sit here with you," and she did sit on the ground next to him.

He grumbled, but thankfully made no complaints outright.

"I need to thank you, by the way, for saving my life."

He wasn't fazed. "I would not leave any other girl defenseless and dead, you are no exception."

"Well, I'm still grateful."

"You're welcome, I guess."

Out of the corner of her eye, he saw him yawn. She smirked, but didn't let him see it.

"Boromir, please, just let me do this," she begged.

He rolled his eyes, and she could tell even in the dark.

"Fine, you can have your stupid watch. If anything moves just shoot it, okay? Except for me," he said. She smiled, for he had unknowingly made a joke (sort of). There was still some anger in his voice, but she thought he was really just too tired to argue.

"Understood. See you in the morning."

He just walked off.

A Little While Later

Frodo woke up, and happened to notice Abigail was not in her blanket.

'Maybe she's at the watch. This would make for a good time to talk," he thought. He got up and looked around, but still couldn't see here.

"Where is she?" he whispered.

"Looking for me?" a soft voice spoke from above.

Suddenly a figure jumped down from the tree in front of him.

"Gaffer's toe, don't do that!" he said.

She chuckled, "Gaffer's toe?"

"Um…I heard Pippin say it once."

"Well then it must be good." She grinned. "What can I do for you Frodo?"

"In short, I am very confused," he confessed.

Her mouth frowned a little. "About what?"

"I don't understand…why everyone would risk their lives to protect me, when they hardly know me."

"While they vowed to protect you, they are also doing this to save the earth as well."

"Yes, I realized that, I'm not that self-centered. But, in that moment I couldn't believe that all these strangers would pledge their loyalty in an instant." He paused and looked straight at her. "Why did you join?"

She thought, and suddenly she laughed softly.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"I find it humorous, that I can't really say why I joined."

She looked into the distance.

"How I acted that day was very out of character. I usually do what I am told and I'm very shy."

She turned back around.

"But then I saw you, and your determination made me confident. I heard the oaths that were being taken, and I knew I would do anything I could to help. That I would be strong and take risks in the name of all that is good. You are an excellent picture of goodness and hope, Frodo. I would willingly defend that, as well as the rest of them would."

Frodo was able to smile a little, something he hadn't done in a while.

"Thanks, I feel a bit better now."

"I'm glad," she said.

She was about to go back into her tree, when she noticed he wasn't moving.

"Sorry, anything else?" she asked.

"This might sound strange," he began slowly, "But today with the Nazgûl, I was wondering, why your side was hurting so much. I didn't see any blood or anything…" he trailed off.

"I was wondering who would notice that," she spoke more to herself than to Frodo. "I suppose I'll just come out and say it. I was stabbed by a wraith, about 7 years ago."

Frodo looked shocked.

"7 years ago? But…that would mean you were only a child."

"A child of 12," she finished.

"How? Why?"

"I don't really remember, it's such a blur. I do know it was close to Lorien, and I was saved by elvish medicine, much like yourself."

"Is that how your parents died?"

She looked startled. "My parents?"

"Yes, I heard you were orphaned at that age and moved to Lorien. Is that why?"

'Right, my make believe parents and my fictional childhood,' she thought sadly.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up."

She almost laughed. He thought she was sad about her "dead parents".

"It's fine, you didn't know," she finally answered.

Silence.

"Seven years and there is still a scar," Frodo thought out loud.

"I'm sorry that you have to bear that pain as well."

She was truly sorry to see his peaceful expression gone.

"All part of the job, right?"

She nodded. "Right," she said weakly. "You should go back to sleep Frodo, it's no short trip to Rohan."

"G'night," he said, and went back to camp.

Abigail, half-heartedly, returned to that tree to and focused on watch duty again.

'How long can I keep up this masquerade of my life?' she questioned herself.

She tried not to think about it, and just went back to scanning the forest.

Short chapter, I know. This is more of a filler for you readers, and I tried not to have a horrible cliffhanger or anything. But this also means of posted twice in the past 24 hours, and I even still had reviewers!

Thanks go to:

mandapandape: I'm glad you like my story, and of course I'm always glad to see a new reviewer. Thanks!

LOTR Lover 24 and 7: How did I toy with you? I'm sorry, I don't think I meant to! Please don't kill me; I don't wanna be with Isildur!

Narnian Sprite: Thank you for the complement! I love to know that my chapters are written well.

ArwenEvenstar83: Good to hear you liked the action, and the mind talk thing. I was worried that was going to be a little far-fetched, even for Middle Earth.

May the sun shine if you live in California!

Readers: What the heck is that suppose to mean?

Me: BwaHaHa! (And that's suppose to be an evil laugh)

Until later!

-MysticNight9