A/N: It's been an age. I know I probably don't have any readers left but I'm not giving up on this fic just yet. I'm re-writing a day in the life at the moment so if you were fan of the old one, please do leave me a review. Also if you're still reading this fic, please let me know.

This chapter is deliberately long to make up for the lost time. I hope you guys will enjoy it :)

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CHAPTER 6:

The thunderstorm was still ongoing and powerful. Maggie saw lightning strikes in the distances and felt the thunder overheard. It was worse than that first night when Maggie and Riley had first ended up in Middle-Earth all those years ago. There were so many emotions running through her mind, and she wasn't sure where to begin. The fact that her own mother was there was overwhelming and she couldn't understand why.

"Maggie? What's going on where are we?"

"It'll be okay, mum. We-"

"Maggie, look!" Faramir called out and pointed ahead "Horses!"

Faramir was right. There were three horses galloping towards them. Even if the darkness, she recognised Lord Elrond's shape. The other two riders were Aragorn and Felix.

"What the hell….Maggie is that your mum?!" Felix started when he saw her mother. He couldn't believe her eyes and judging by the look on Maggie's neither could she.

"Felix?!" said Susan "Oh my God!"

"I am certain there is a lot to explain and discuss but for now, we must get out of the storm." said Aragorn

"Elrond!" Maggie threw her arms around her husband. "Thank God. I was so scared I'd never see you again."

"Hush melemin, you are home now. Come now, let's go."

Faramir turned to Susan who seemed to still be in shock. "This must all be very frightening, but you are safe and in good hands. Let me help you on the horse."

Faramir helped Susan up on the Aragorn's horse, while he rode with Felix and Maggie with Elrond.

Even though she was glad to be back in Middle-Earth, Maggie had a feeling in her gut that this was just the beginning of something else and it scared her.

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When they got back to Minas Tirith, everyone else were already up waiting for them. The hobbits, who had been in the middle of a second supper, even stopped eating to come join their friends again. Maggie was soaked through from the thunderstorm and overwhelmed by everything going on. What surprised her the most however, was how calmly her mum was deling with everything. Most people, she thought, who ended up in a different reality wouldn't exactly take it well. Her mother had always been strong though, and that was one of the things she admired the most about her.

"I can't believe you're really here." said Nat in disbelief. Nat, Laura and Felix had all been close with Maggie and Riley's family. Seeing Susan there was a reminder that their world back home still existed. Nat often thought about her home and her family, but after five years in Middle-Earth sometimes it was difficult to picture her old life and what it had been like.

"I can't believe this is really Middle-Earth." Susan replied "These were stories I grew up with. Works of fiction that isn't supposed to be real. I mean, I've just had a conversation with an elf and hobbits."

"Yeah," Laura said "It takes some getting used to. The first time we came here, I thought I'd lost my mind. But, I honestly can't imagine a different kind of life."

"You're happy here?" Susan asked. The question was directed to all of them, especially Maggie.

The four of them nodded. "This is home now."

For a moment, Maggie saw sadness in her mother's eyes and she herself felt sad. For them, five years had gone by and they'd had a chance to get used to a new life. For Susan however, it was different. As far she knew, Maggie and the others had been away at university but now that the truth was out, Maggie felt as though she had been dishonest and lied to her mother even though she knew that wasn't the case.

As she was about to speak, a familiar young voice interrupted the conversation and Maggie turned around to see Caspian running towards her.

"Mummy!"

Caspian flew into Maggie's arms, buried his face in her shirt and held on tight. Even though it had only been a few days, at least by normal Earth-time, it had been long enough. Not knowing whether or not she'd be able to see her son again was the worst feeling in the world.

"Where did you go, Mummy? You weren't here. Ada and I couldn't see you."

Caspian sobbed into the fabric of her clothes and Maggie literally felt her heart break. There was a time when Maggie was certain she never desired to be a mother but every time she saw Caspian, the love she felt for him was overwhelming.

"I know, I'm sorry. But I'm here now, I'm not going anywhere."

"Maggie," Susan said, with her voice trembling. Maggie still wasn't sure how to explain all of this to her mother or if there was even a way to explain it properly in the first place, but she did empathise with her.

"Caspian, I want to introduce you to someone." Maggie put her son back on the floor and turned to face her mother. Caspian, who had suddenly become very shy, hid behind Maggie. "This is your grandmother, Susan."

"Grandmother? You mean she is your Naneth?"

"Exactly."

Maggie watched the interaction between her mum and soon. Susan bent down so that she was on the same level as Caspian.

"It's very lovely to meet you, Caspian. You can just call me, Nan." Susan said

"Mummy, is she your naneth even if she looks older than even adar?"

"Caspian," Elrond placed his hands on Maggie's waist and she instantly felt more relaxed.

"Come on," said Felix "Let's give them some privacy." Felix and the others left the room, leaving Maggie alone with Elrond, Caspian and her mother.

"Mum, I'd like you to meet my husband, Lord Elrond of Rivendell. Elrond, this is my mother, Susan."

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you. Your daughter speaks of you often."

"Likewise, I think." Susan stuttered. "So, when you say you're married to Lord Elrond does that by definition make you, queen?"

"Technically Lady of Rivendell. I know, it's all a lot to take in."

Maggie picked up Caspian who was holding on so tightly, as if to make sure she was unable to go anywhere again. Having her mother here, was situation Maggie never thought possible. She wasn't sure how it would work out or how to even explain everything to her. How to explain Riley. The Lady of Rivendell felt her heart grow heavy and Elrond placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Caspian, aier," He "Your mother and grandmother haven't seen each other in a very long time and there. I shall take you to you to see the horses and we can go out for a ride if you like."

"No!" Caspian's panicked, with tears flowing down his eyes again "I don't want to leave mummy."

"I am not going anywhere." Maggie held onto her son, she hated seeing him so scared. "I am here. I won't go away. Tonight, I will tell you stories at bedtime and make you hot cocoa from the kitchen. And in the morning when you wake up, I will be there."

Caspian sobbed and dried his tears. "Vanda?" (Do you promise?)

Maggie smiled and wiped the tears from his cheeks. "I promise." she said and kissed him on the forehead. "Go with your father now."

Maggie handed Caspian to Lord Elrond whose eyes met hers. The were filled with concern and she couldn't blame him for it. There was a lot to discuss and Maggie wasn't sure where to begin. Over the years, her and Elrond's bond had grown stronger and though she was not the one with telepathic abilities, she found it easier to read him now and could often figure out was his thoughts were.

"Mum," Maggie started but Susan cut her off.

"I always had a feeling that something happened. Us mums know these things, as I'm sure you've experienced now that you're one yourself." Susan said

She took her daughter's hand and sat down next to her. Maggie had always been strong and Susan had always been proud of her. While it was certainly strange to be in a land that wasn't even supposed to exist, she knew that for some reason, this is where she was meant to be at the moment. "You were different when you came back from Wales. Both you and Riley. You didn't really speak about it but something happened that changed you. You seemed closer somehow than you already were."

Maggie nodded. "That was the first time we came to Middle-Earth. We lived in Rivendell for a year. Elrond took us in and Aragorn was only a child then." It was hard to imagine sometimes, that it had been such a long time ago. Nearly a century had passed since that first day when she woke up in Rivendell.

"I fell in love with Elrond before I'd even realised or accepted it myself. It was actually Riley who pointed it out and for the longest time I wouldn't believe it. I thought I had no chance because I'm human and I certainly don't belong in this world."

"I've only been here a little while but I can see how much he loves you from how he looks at you. And how he is with your son. Caspain is beautiful. I can't believe you're a mother."

"Caspian is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I look at him and sometimes I just get so sad that... "

Maggie felt herself choking up and found the words hard to say but it was like her mother knew because she held closer. "...I just get sad that Riley never got the chance to see Caspian grow up. He would have loved him so much."

"Ssh, come here."

For what seemed like ages, they just sat there. Maggie's mother embracing her and for once, Maggie allowed herself to cry. Of course, she had been heartbroken the day Riley died in the battle but she had never fully allowed herself to feel that pain. She'd told herself she needed to be strong and to be a good mother for her son and so she had pushed all those other feelings aside. The grief had simply been too much for Maggie to bear because even if Riley had told her not to, she still blamed herself and a part of her always would.

"How did it happen?" Susan asked

Maggie wiped her tears "It was the battle of Pelennor Fields. He was shot in the heart by a poisoned arrow. It was instant and nothing we could do. He's buried here in Minas Tirith."

She looked up at her mother whose tears were more silent than hers. Hearing of your nephew's death couldn't be easy and Maggie once again felt guilty.

"I'm sorry, mum." she apologised

"Whatever for, dear?" Susan asked and looked at her daughter. "You've done nothing wrong. I'll admit, all of this is a bit strange but nothing that's happened has been in your control. Sometimes, whether we see it or not, things happen for a reason. Now you know me, I've never been the religious sort but I believe in my heart that you being sent here, has been for a reason. I will mourn Riley's death because I loved him dearly, but I'm also grateful that I get to see you here. Besides, you forget I love those books just as much as you."

Maggie couldn't help but to laugh at that. It was true, she remember being read the Hobbit by as a child and how she'd fallen in love with the magic of Middle-Earth. Her mother had retold the story with such enthusiasm and passion..

"I love you so much, mum." Maggie said "I'm glad you're here. Although I'm not exactly sure why yet. Whenever we got sent here, it was for a reason. You're handling all of this really well, though."

"I think I'll need to digest everything with some form of strong alcohol later tonight, but right now, I'm just grateful to see you."

Maggie let out a yawn and suddenly realised how exhausted she was.

"Get some sleep, love. I'm sure there's more to see in the morning."

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They said goodnight and parted ways for the evening. A myriad of emotions and thoughts ran through her and she wasn't sure how to handle them. She changed into a nightgown and left the bedroom to find Caspian and Elrond. Caspian, who still seemed frightened that Maggie would go away, held on tightly to her.

"You're still her mummy."

"I promised you some hot cocoa and bedtime stories, didn't I?"

"Just stories." said Caspian "Can you stay in my room tonight naneth?"

"I'll stay as long as you need me to."

Maggie picked up Caspian and kissed Elrond. "I will see you later my love,"

She nodded and walked towards Caspian's bedroom. "Now, what story do you want to hear?" Maggie asked

"I want to hear about Smaug the dragon."

Maggie smiled. When Aragorn was a child, the only story he wanted to hear was about Smaug and the old days. When Caspian was younger, sometimes the stories would frighten him but the older the more they enchanted him and actually made it easier for him to fall asleep.

"Mummy?"

Maggie had tucked Caspian between the sheets of the bed and was sat next to him, stroking his long dark hair. He reminded him much of Elrond and would undoubtedly grow up to be a handsome young man.

"Yes, aier." (little one)

"Is your naneth going to stay with us now?" Caspian asked

"For a while, I hope."

"You look like her. Adar says she comes from far away. Like you."

Maggie nodded. "Your adar is right. Our home is far away from here and I haven't seen her in a long time. I'm very happy she's here and that she can meet you."

Caspian's eyes lit up with joyful glee. "Maybe tomorrow I can show her the horses?"

"Absolutely. But now you have to go to sleep,"

"I don't want you to go mummy."

Maggie could see her son becoming scared again but she quickly hushed him. "When you wake up tomorrow morning, you can come and wake me up and we will go to the horses first thing. I promise. Now sleep, little one. I love you very much."

"I love you too mummy."

It took a little while but eventually Caspian fell asleep, and when Maggie was certain he wouldn't wake up she left the bedroom. The halls of Minas Tirith were quiet but as she wandered into the kitchen, she found her friends already waiting for her.

"What are you guys still doing up?"

"We wanted to see how you were doing." Felix said "No offence darling, but you look terrible."

"Oh thanks, Felix." Maggie replied jokinlgy. "I'm okay though."

"Are you sure?" Nat asked "Jesus Maggie, your mum is here. That would be enough to mess with anyone. How is she handling all this?"

"Surprisingly well actually. You know what she's like." Maggie sat down and Felix handed her a mug of cocoa. "I told her about Riley. I had to let her know. It's not fair otherwise."

"Oh christ," Laura reached out and held Maggie's hand. "I'm so sorry Maggie, that must have been so hard."

"She raised Riley like he was her son. He was more than a cousin to me, in many ways Riley was like my brother."

"We know you've been dreaming about him." Felix said. "When you were gone, Aragorn told us about your visions."

"That's why we got sent back. It was Riley."

Silence fell between them. "I don't understand. What do you mean Riley sent you?" Nat asked,

Maggie thought for a few moments, because she wasn't sure she understood everything herself. She knew talking about Riley was painful but she also knew she needed to pass on the message.

"There's something bad coming. Something evil. He told me I was sent back because he couldn't reach me here. "

"Okay, you're scaring me now." Laura said

"Have either of you heard of Melkor? Supposedly, he is the first Dark Lord of Middle Earth. Back in the early days of Middle-Earth, when Feanor was Fëanor was searching for the Silmarils, he tried to steal them from him but the Valar fought him and cast him into something called the Door of Night. Riley described it like some kind of purgatory where has been locked for millenia. Apparently, the Valar have reason to believe that Melkor is gathering power to break out. Riley says, the only way to stop him is to find the Silmarils because that's the only way to throw him back into the Door of Night permanently."

The air changed in the room. Maggie was frightened and she could tell the others were too. For five years they had lived in peace without any wars or evil trying to overthrow Aragorn's reign or destroy the world they loved but now - things were changing and they could feel it.

"I don't know about you guys," Felix said "But I could use something stronger to drink."

To be continued….

Well, that was quite a chapter. And it's good to be back. Like I mentioned earlier, I don't know if I still have readers but if I do please let me know what you thought about this chapter and what you'd like to see happen.