Disclaimer - I don't own LOTR

Gandalf told his friends about the trees that surrounded the exit of the Deep.

"So these, trees, they will let us pass?"

King Theoden was still wary about the trees as any king and ruler should be. Strange sounds had come from the trees as the enemy fled the battle field that morn. There were sounds of groans and creaking, as if something large was moving and then shrill shrieks that could only come from an orc.

Lauren shook her head and tapped Sundance's sides to bring him into a moderately paced trot. As she passed King Theoden she turned her head and called out behind her.

"Y'all waist so much time frettin' about what might happen that by the time you figure which way is up, Sauron himself will have decided that none of this was worth it. Come on then."

Legolas, Gimli and Boromir followed her without question, not that Gimli really had a choice in the matter since he was seated on the same horse as Legolas. Aragorn was trying not to laugh as a Theoden was still trying to figure out if he should go or not.

"My Lord, we have learned that Lauren's council is wise, albeit uncouth."

Gandalf smiled as he nodded.

"Yes, some might say she sees the future."

Finally back on track the group made their way toward Isengard. Only Gandalf and Lauren knew that it had fallen but the others assumed that it was as such. Along the way Lauren started to teach her friends the few songs she could actually remember all the words to. It was a lot harder to do when you didn't have the music to accompany it. She only managed to teach them one song before she had to stop. Teaching them songs from home reminded her of what she had left behind. Yea she was a little bit of an oddball and didn't fit in sometimes but she missed the food, clothes, technology, her books, people, other material things like make-up and nail polish and did she mention technology? Oh, and she missed technology. Computers, video games, Facebook, the internet, indoor plumbing, washer machines, all of it, gone… well not gone-gone but it might as well be. Lauren missed her music the most though. Sure there was music here but not like the music she would listen to. She missed the punk rock, the alternative, the crazy Japanese bands she liked, and country.

Lauren was still in her funk by the time they reached Isengard. The men were worried, even Theoden was slightly concerned. Where did their little hyper-active female go? Legolas had tried talking to her but Lauren explained that he wouldn't completely understand. He understood that she needed peace and left her alone even though it was killing him that he couldn't do something. Gimli muttered something about love-struck elves, which got a soft laugh out of Aragorn and Boromir, but Legolas wasn't really paying attention.

The group was greeted by two happy hobbits sitting while drinking, eating and smoking. Lauren still didn't approve that almost everyone in Middle Earth smoked but it's not like she could stop everyone from doing it when they've been doing it for so long. Seeing the hobbits brightened up Lauren's sky a bit and she smiled at them as Gimli complained that the hobbits were feasting.

Boromir groaned as he thought that his friend was beginning to complain a little too much, even though he did agree with him.

Gandalf looked at Lauren with a serious look in his eye.

"Shall I remain here then?"

The wizard nodded, he didn't want his former friend and ally to know about Lauren, for her safety. As luck would have it Quickbeam was lumbering by just then.

"Ah, Quickbeam my friend!"

The Ent turned and bowed to Gandalf.

"Hello, Master Gandalf. It is good to see you again. If you are looking for Treebeard he is over by the tower."

Gandalf nodded, the hobbits had told Gandalf the same thing not a moment ago.

"Thank you Quickbeam but I would ask of you a favor. This is Lauren; can you take her somewhere safe for a while, just until our business here is done?"

The Ent nodded to Gandalf then to Lauren.

"If the Lady will follow me, I will show her to my dwelling."

Lauren nodded in response and as she passed Legolas she smiled warmly at him to let him know that she was better and that things were alright. With that reassurance Legolas relaxed, he didn't realize how tense he was until he saw her smile to let him know she was okay.

After speaking to Saruman, Treebeard called out to Quickbeam and by the time the group got to the exit Quickbeam was back with Lauren and Sundance.

"… and so he holds up a piece of paper with the word sarcasm written across it!"

The two laughed and what seemed to be a joke, well Quickbeam's was more of a harummm rummmm rummmm than an actual laugh. The group was just happy that Lauren was smiling and laughing again, although she did look a bit, different. Gandalf was the first to point this out.

"You had some of their drink didn't you?"

Lauren flashed a big smile and shook her head.

"I don't know what you're talking about? Right my friends?"

She winked at the hobbits who immediately knew what she was talking about. Treebeard laughed and wished the group luck.

When the group finally arrived back at Edoras they were all laughing at jokes that Lauren was making, some didn't make much sense because of the words she used but her facial expressions were priceless. After taking the tack off the horses the group went to their separate rooms to get ready for the party that was going to be held that night. Most of the Lorien elves had returned back but Haldir remained. He said he would leave after the banquet and giving Lauren a proper thanks.

Éowyn and Lauren got ready together. It was nice having female company again. The girls shared gossip and thoughts about what might happen tonight.

"So tell me more about this Captain of Gondor."

Lauren tutted as she ran the brush through her friend's hair.

"You'll have to find out for yourself. I don't wanna sway your view of him. By raising him on too high of a pedestal you might see him as less when you actually meet him."

Éowyn sighed, she still liked Aragorn even though his heart was with another but she hoped her friend was right, that this Faramir would indeed take a liking to her, and she to him.

"What about Legolas?"

Lauren laughed as she set the brush down and set to pulling the front pieces back.

"What about Legolas? That is a very vague question, my friend."

"I have seen the way he looks at you. We all have. If it was not for that Elven reserve he would be all over you, I am sure of it."

Éowyn laughed when she saw Lauren blush.

"He is an elven prince, Éowyn. It's not my place. It's fine for you and Faramir and for Arwen and Aragorn because you are both of the same standing. For crying all night, we don't even really have nobility where I come from."

This startled Éowyn and she turned in her chair to face her friend.

"No nobility? Who rules then, if not the nobles?"

Lauren shifted her weight, she was never good at politics, and she didn't really care for it because she thought the whole system was messed up. She knew she would probably botch up the explanation but she didn't really care.

"In my land, we have something called a democracy, though not all lands have it. We choose our own ruler and after 4 years we choose another one. It's a way to stop whoever is ruling from becoming a power-hungry tyrant. Long ago my people rebelled against our mother country and we became free. Other lands did this as well, though at different times, most of them happened before ours though. There are still people that can trace their blood line back to a noble family but where I come from we don't take too kindly to be repressed by a ruling family. It's kind of hard to explain if you haven't experienced it. Plus I never bothered myself in such affairs. I was most concerned with the mechanics of speech, language, learning, and the mind."

Éowyn nodded as she turned back around so Lauren could finish the small braid.

"I think I understand but I do not see it. Commoners ruling, it is an odd thought, I must admit. When we are not pressed for time you must tell me what you know of the things you have interest in. I am very curious to know what you know."

Lauren laughed.

"We really aren't commoners. Yes there are different classes but not in the way they are defined here. And it'll be my honor to tell you what I know. Females aren't looked down on where I come from and we pride ourselves in education, but that's a discussion for another time."

Lauren thought for a moment about the topic at hand.

"Let's see. We have of course the people that rule and their advisors and such, celebrities and wealthy people, the people that defend and protect our lands; there are the regular everyday people, then the people that live on the streets and such. So essentially; people with a lot money and or power are in the upper class, normal people are in the middle class and the poor and homeless are in the lower."

Although some of the words didn't make much sense to Éowyn she kind of understood a little bit more than she did before.

"What is celebrities?"

"A celebrity? They are the famous people; people that everyone knows, um, like people of legend and people in stories or songs."

Éowyn nodded and smiled as she looked at the braid.

"It is lovely thank you. Now let us do yours."

Lauren smiled as they traded spots.

The hall was packed with people by the time the two women came out of Éowyn's room. They were greeted by many people and Lauren smiled when she caught Legolas's eye. Apparently he was staring because Gimli nudged him and said something that made Legolas blush and look away. Tonight was going to be very interesting.

The night went on and Lauren laughed when she saw the two hobbits drinking and singing on the table top. Hobbits really were fun to watch. Legolas came up to her and handed her a drink. Lauren didn't drink at home and she wasn't going to start now. She accepted the drink with a polite nod though.

"What do you think?"

Lauren turned her head to glance at the tall elf.

"Of the party or something else?"

"The party."

"Well, it makes me homesick to be completely honest with you. I didn't go to parties often but the few that I went to were lots of fun. I miss the dancing and music the most."

Legolas felt sorry for Lauren. To be torn away from everything she knew must have come as a complete shock, although she had adjusted extremely well in his eyes.

"How is it different?"

Lauren laughed at the thought of the people around her dancing to some of the music she listened to. Somehow she had a feeling they wouldn't like it very much, or the way people danced. It was a bit to risqué for their tastes.

"Well, dancing at a party is more of an intimate thing where I come from depending on the style; there are several styles depending on the type of song. Most songs have dancing that go along with them and some people dance using the routine, it's called choreography. There is line dancing which is similar to the other dancing but with a specific music genre called country. There are more but then we'd be here all night talking about it. Let's just say that even a stone dwarf would blush at the way we dance to certain music at home."

The two laughed some more before Legolas was dragged to a table by Gimli and Éomer for a drinking contest. The dwarf was positive that he was going to win but Lauren smirked as the drink finally started to have its toll on the stout warrior. Legolas of course was still composed, it made Lauren wonder how much he actually drank at home or if it was just an elf thing, she would have to ask Haldir later, assuming she could find him in this crowd. Lauren was woken from her thinking by thud; Gimli had fallen on the floor. She smiled as she helped him up. Legolas smiled at the inebriated dwarf.

"Game over."

It wasn't long before she found the elf captain. He was talking to Aragorn, most likely about something important. She made her way over to them and waited, at a polite distance, for them to stop their discussion. Aragorn spotted her and called her over before they finished.

"I don't know if you've been properly introduced. This is Haldir; Haldir this is Lauren. We met in Rivendell and she has become like a sister to me and to many of the people that she meets."

The elf bowed his head in greeting. Haldir smiled to himself. He could see why the young elf prince was so taken by Lauren. She was different somehow; he couldn't place his finger on it though.

"I have heard much about you. It is an honor to have met you. I understand I have you to thank for saving me at Helm's Deep. If there is anything I can do, please let me know. I am in your debt."

Lauren fidgeted; she didn't want to go through this again. It was hard enough with Boromir making sure she didn't even so much as trip over a rock. He still felt he had to make it up to her, although she told him that it was unnecessary.

"Please, I don't expect anything. A person should not have to be rewarded for something they would have done regardless. But I do have a question if you don't mind indulging idle curiosity…"

She told the men about the drinking contest between Legolas and Gimli, which raised a laugh out of them. Lauren then asked if it was normal for an elf to have a high tolerance level. Haldir thought for a moment before giving an answer about something to do with Elven metabolism. After he was finished she excused herself under the pretense that she wanted to grab some food before it was all gone, which was true but she had interrupted their conversation and she assumed that they would want to continue talking.

The party was coming to an end and many of the people had left the great hall. Lauren was staying in Éowyn's room for the night. Éowyn didn't think it proper for a woman to sleep in the same room as men. Lauren wanted to laugh, if only she knew what it was like at home. Not wanting to go against her friend's wishes she gave her male friends a hug goodnight and Haldir a hug goodbye. Legolas wasn't anywhere to be seen, it shouldn't have bothered her but it did. She smiled at them as she turned down the hallway where Éowyn's room was.

Lauren knew what was going to happen that night and even though she felt bad that Pippin had to go through seeing the Eye, it was necessary. The women brushed each other's hair out when Éowyn asked her where she would like to sleep.

"I would like to be by the window if you don't mind. I still can't get over how bright the stars are here."

Éowyn had a bed roll spread out by the window, which was slightly ajar. It was a few minutes after Éowyn had fallen asleep when Lauren sat up and gazed out the window.

What should she do? She couldn't very well follow her friends into the mountains to summon the undead king and she couldn't follow Éowyn into battle, almost everyone knew her horse, she would be spotted in seconds. She could ride ahead; make sure that Faramir was safe. No, that was Pippin's job, he needed to do that and he would, Lauren was sure of that. Stopping Saruman from getting to the Shire was out of the question; Pippin and Merry needed to do that as well. Trying to save Theoden was also out of the question, Éowyn would realize her own strength and beauty; it's also how she would end up meeting Faramir. That and going up against the King of the Nazgûl didn't seem like the smartest of ideas. It seemed that everything was taken care of, well almost everything. If only she told Frodo and Sam to not trust Gollum while they were still in Rivendell. There was no way that she could reach them in time though. As she thought some more she played with her rings on her hand, she could always go back to Rivendell. That was always a possibility. She would be able to see Elrond and Arwen again then.

"What to do, what to do…"

A light scuffle startled Lauren out of her revere, and then she could hear Merry call out to Gandalf. So Pippin has touched the plantír has he? Lauren sat up when she saw Éowyn get up.

"Everything is alright, Éowyn. One of the hobbits probably got into something they shouldn't have. They are all more than capable to handle themselves."

Éowyn nodded and went back under the covers to go back to sleep. Lauren finally came up with a plan. At first she thought she would go to Aragorn for advice but then she remembered the Dúnedain captain, Halbarad. He was a good man, as far as she could tell from the books. Aragorn was disheartened at his death; she couldn't let the man she considered to be her brother and pseudo-father go through that pain if it could be avoided. With all the commotion going on with the war no one would notice her horse, she hoped. If and when they did it would probably be too late to do anything about it anyway. With a plan set Lauren was finally able to get some sleep.

Morning came and Lauren was actually up with the sun. Éowyn was still asleep so she wrote down a quick note and left the room to go down to the stables. When she reached the stables Sundance came to the edge of his stall and whinnied. Lauren smiled as she took out a carrot that she brought for him.

She laughed as the big horse practically inhaled the vegetable. Taking a brush that was sitting on a barrel; she began to brush her horse's mane and coat. He apparently had decided to roll around in his bedding the previous night because he was covered in the bedding! Lauren scolded him about being neater but the horse just snorted in her general direction before going back to doing whatever it was he was doing. She rolled her eyes at him before she continued. Males, they're all the same.

Just as she was about finished with the thorough brushing Gandalf came into the stable in a hurry with two hobbits tagging along beside him. Pippin was lifted onto Shadowfax and Gandalf followed right after. She felt bad for them now; they didn't know what was going to happen and were probably worried sick. They used to live a safe, comfortable life but then when things started getting crazy they were thrust into the world of Men. Lauren could tell that they kept each other company for more than the fact that they were friends. They were both hobbits in a strange world; now that they were being separated things were different. When Shadowfax bolted out of the stable Lauren went over to Merry and gave him a hug.

"I know how you feel, my friend. Things won't be so bad; you still have me and the others. You'll see Pip again."

The confidence in Lauren's eyes gave strength to Merry. The two walked out of the stable with higher hopes than when they went in.

"Lauren, did you have many friends and family back at home?"

Lauren paused for a minute and smiled, remembering the ones that were left behind.

"More or less, yea. I was an only child and I only had a few close friends but I was friendly with a lot of people. I was hurt a few times by people I thought were my friend so I became a little distant and hesitant to trust people. As for my family, my parents were the best. Since I was an only child I got whatever I asked for… well almost everything. I wasn't terribly close with a lot of my family because we were so spread out and we could only see each other on certain occasions or holidays. Y'all have changed that though."

She wrapped an arm around Merry and gave him another hug.

"You guys have become my family, and I love every single one of you unconditionally."

They continued walking and were greeted by Gimli when they entered the hall. Food was just brought out and he asked them to join him. Of course Merry didn't say no and when Lauren found out it was pork she couldn't say no either.

"Ya know this is really good. I feel like all we've been eating are travel rations. No offence to the elves and their food but I could not live on such light meals. Maybe that's why they're so thin?"

The men laughed. Even when she was feeling a little down Lauren could still crack a joke.

"What is this talk of elves?"

Legolas and Aragorn walked up behind Lauren and they each placed a hand on her shoulder, their faces grim from the previous comment. Lauren laughed nervously. She knew they wouldn't do anything but she wanted to keep up the humor. Merry was trying his best not to burst out in tears. Gimli was laughing to his heart's content with a pork leg in his hand, which in it of itself was rather humorous. Boromir had walked in behind his friends and was trying his best not to laugh.

"I say we teach the girl some lessons. What say you, Legolas?"

"Yes, I agree. How about strict lessons in sword fighting and archery? I think that is a fair punishment for the insult."

Lauren sobered up and went along with the act.

"If I must walk to my doom I shall go with my pride and dignity intact. I will not resist. Merry, Gimli, it has been an honor to know and dine with you this fine afternoon. May the grass never grow tall beneath your feet."

She dramatically rose and she noticed Boromir by the doors leading to the rooms. He had Lauren's weapons in his hand, which were slightly shaking from his silent laughter.

"Boromir, my friend, I will miss you. Be kind to your brother and make sure he meets Éowyn. I feel that they have a lot in common."

Lauren began walking to the doors but she only managed to take two steps before she let out her laughter and could move no further. Legolas, Boromir, and Aragorn began laughing while Merry and Gimli laughed even more. With all the tension going around it was no wonder they didn't break sooner. If she were back at home she would be worried that someone would have called to have a padded room set up for her.

"Come, let us practice before we all die of laughter."

The four left the hobbit and dwarf to their lunch as they made their way to where the men practiced their arms. They were walking when Boromir began speaking.

"Lauren, you've changed. You look taller and your hair looks redder."

"Yes, I've noticed the change too. It happened after we had that little chat with Saruman. Something was mentioned about a drink?"

Lauren laughed.

"If you must know I drank a brew from the Ents, as did Merry and Pippin. It tasted rather good and now I'm not so small. Well, compared to you guys I am. I swear it's like all males of Middle Earth are 5'9 or taller. What do they feed you here? It's not natural."

Legolas smiled as he put an arm around Lauren.

"You're not small, just fun sized."

A groan escaped her lips; she knew she should never have mentioned that joke earlier that week.

"Yes, well, let's get on with this then shall we! A race I say."

Lauren darted off toward the practice ring leaving a few bewildered men in her wake. Aragorn shook his head.

"I swear we will never get used to her ways."

Legolas shrugged, he found her rather predictable. Boromir smiled and took the opportunity to question the elf.

"Have you told her yet?"

The elf looked at his friend with confusion.

"Told her what?"

Aragorn and Boromir sighed. You think an elf would have more foresight.

"Clearly she is interested in you. We know she is guarded and Aragorn overheard her talking to Lord Elrond when we were in Rivendell."

Now they had his full attention.

"What did they talk about?"

"I was just walking by the room when I heard them talking about you. She is afraid that whatever brought her here will bring her back and that if something were to happen it would harm you both. Also, she was concerned because she is mortal and you are elf-kind, and a prince no less, which might cause problems with your father, or so she inclined to believe."

Legolas's mind was racing. He didn't know what to do. Nothing was clear when it came to Lauren. All he knew was that he wanted her safe and away from the battle, which is why he asked his friends if they would help in her training. Although he hated to admit it, they were better with swords than he was. For now they just had to worry about not letting Lauren's wild, but proficient, swings catch them off guard.

"We should speak of this another time. If we delay any long Lauren will suspect something."

The men nodded as the followed their friend to the practice right. Things could wait until later. They already had a plan. That night they were going to get everyone together, minus Legolas and Lauren, to work on this. Operation Hook-up was a-go, to use Lauren's terminology.

*Author's Note*

Thank you all for reading and thank you XXXDimitrixRozaXXX for the review

~side note~ the joke with Quickbeam was a reference to the Big Bang Theory, the episode where Sheldon learns about sarcasm in season 1

Don't forget to leave a comment :3

Next up on SIME: Another major battle is brewing, what part will Lauren play this time?