Author's Note:

Sorry for the late update and a short one in fact. School's has already started for me and assignments are piling like mountains. NOOOOOOOO

Well, for the daily readers and reviewers, thank you for your support and I will try to keep this story interesting for you guys to stay on. So Chapter 17 is UP! I reedited it so enjoy.

Disclaimer: Tolkein owes LOTR

Chapter 17 - Please forgive... (reedited)

I woke up in the next morning with a huge headache and found myself on the hard cold floor.

"Augh… that is one heck of a nightmare…" I groaned as I got up and tried to steady myself.

That has got to be all a dream right? I thought and sat on my bed, thinking back on the ghost girl yesterday night. A Dinmension guide who uses me as an entertainment and quench her boredom…. Wait! Isn't it possible that she may have the powers to sent me back home? I mean, she's after all from the Dimension! I sighed and lay back on the bed with a soft thud.

I do have fun on Middle Earth… everything fascinates me… the Shire, Rohan, Gondor… and I met Frodo, Merry, Pippin, Sam, the children…. And even Gandalf! But…

I looked up at the ceiling wearily and closed my eyes, before falling into a dreamless sleep.

"Jacqueline… wake up… it's already past luncheon…"

"Go away Frodo… I still want to sleep…" I whimpered as I pressed a pillow against my ears to block out the noise. The feminine voice laughed and pulled the pillow away from me.

"Sorry my dear, but the sun has already reaches its highest in the sky. I am afraid you have to wake up for you have a few guests waiting for you at the hall."

Immediately, I woke and sat up, only to find Marthia in her usual dressing, smiling at me amusedly.

"I… I'm sorry Marthia; I thought you are someone else… I am up now." I grinned weakly before climbing out of the comfort of my bed and grabbed my towel, soap and my cloak. Marthia nodded understandingly.

"So… who is this Frodo Jacqueline? Pardon my curiosity." She asked. I raised my eyebrows before thinking thoughtfully.

"… He is a dear friend of mine I met outside Gondor. A friend of Gandalf… and a dear brother to me…" I answered with a fond smile. "You said that there are guests below? For me? Who are they?"

Marthia just smiled mysteriously and pulled me out of the room to the bathroom for me to refresh myself.

After taking a good bath and a change into Gondor's male clothes (provided kindly by Valento) and put on my cloak, I went down the staircase and to the dining hall where Marthia and Valento were busy doing their duties. Then I saw two familiar faces sitting near the counter.

"Boromir! Faramir!" I said in surprise. The two men heard my voice and twisted their body slightly to see me.

"Good afternoon Lady Jacqueline, I believe you have a good rest?" Faramir asked and gave a charming smile. I nodded with a grin and I turned to Boromir who just nodded in acknowledgement. They were not wearing their cloaks and were dressed simply in a collared long-sleeved shirt and dark brown pants but of a richer material.

"What are you two doing here? Don't you have your duties to attend to?"

Faramir gave a sheepish grin. "It seems that our Father has decided to let us off today. I do not know why but, I am glad to be able to see you again Lady Jacqueline."

"But father seems to be in a rather peculiar mood today… I heard that Gandalf the Grey has managed to convince him to use Gondor's secret libraries from one of father's trusted guards… for what business I do not know…." Boromir said with worried eyes.

So Gandalf has successfully entered the libraries. Good for you old Man! I cheered mentally as I saw Uncle Valento coming towards us, probably overhearing our conversation.

"I heard Lord Denethor was never too fond of the old wizard… I wonder why…" He wondered out loud and Boromir furrowed his eyebrows. Faramir kept quiet whereas I gave a sigh. The atmosphere around me was getting quite down.

"Say, so where are you two going to bring me to sightsee? I am quite excited to see the wonders and beauty of Minas Tirith," I broke the silence.

Boromir and Faramir jerked their heads up; their thoughts in their heads pushed behind and each gave a boyish smirk. Without a word to me, they each took one of my arms and began to drag me out of the inn, before saying their goodbyes to Valento and Marthia, who just laughed and shook their head.

"Come on Jacqueline! We have only been through two levels of the city, and you are already out of breath! We have much to see still! Don't tell me your large size is pulling you down," Boromir jested as I panted heavily at the entrance of the second watch gate.

I looked towards Faramir who just smiled at me amusedly, with no signs of even a slight breathlessness. Cursed those two men. They have walked up and down the city like for all their lives, of course they are used to it.

"Hey, I came up the levels of Gondor by horse, not walking! Besides, I need this exercise anyway. So stop laughing at me and continue walking! And don't you laugh at me too Faramir, I can see you stifling," I growled, looking towards Faramir who jumped at that and gave an apologetic smile.

Well, before I even went on displaying my annoyance to the two brothers, let me present what we had done so far ever since we left Velour's inn:

1. We had toured the entire first level of this huge white city. Seen some shops recommended by the two brothers and ate great food at some inns.

2. Been past the first watch gate after two solid hours later of walking, receiving many attention by the citizens here because of me being cloaked.

3. Managed to talk to some of the citizens here with the help of Boromir and Faramir, seems like they are quite well-liked by the people.

4. Seen arrays of Gondor's finest weapons and merchandises at the second level.

5. Managed to convince Boromir and Faramir to call me on first-name basis.

6. Learned much of Faramir and Boromir in terms of likes and dislikes, hobbies etc. (happened to know that Faramir and I shared the same interest in paintings and drawings. Whereas for Boromir, he likes war stories and stuff.)

And not to say the length I had walked till now… I gave a deep sigh as our group continued the hike up, with Faramir telling me of Minas Tirith's history and lore while Boromir nodded in acknowledgement occasionally to the people who greeted us.

We took a break at a nearby inn when we reached the fourth level, and I told them much of my world softly, receiving much awe and amazement from the two men, which was pretty amusing.

"You mean that man can actually touch the sky and beyond?! Why, it's quite unbelievable if you ask me," Boromir said in disbelief after I told him of Man from my world going to outer space. Faramir laughed as I gave the elder man a grin.

"Believe it my friend, if you have come to my world, trust me, everything that you see here is quite… how you say it… different and much more… advanced. Men are smart to construct machines and tools to help them fulfill their dreams and make their lives better."

Boromir snorted and looked out of the window whereas Faramir smiled at me. "It will be great… to see your world milady… but alas, I believed that Valar might not give us the chance to…" Faramir said softly.

"Although you may not see my world, just imagine it, the tall structures of different sizes covering the vast lands. Imagination is what started the entire process. Let your creative juices BURST FORTH!" I shouted in the end dramatically, receiving much attention from the guests in the inn unknowingly.

Laughter was heard from the two men as I flushed at my loudness. I gave my apology and turned to look at Faramir and Boromir, who was stifling their laughter again.

"Creative juices… I did not know creative has juices, or whatever that means," Faramir grinned, wiping his tears away. "It's the first I have heard a lady talked and behave like that. You are one unique lady Jacqueline."

"Did you see how she says that, Let your creative juices BURST FORTH, its hilarious!" Boromir followed my action before laughing again, this time more heartily. My face felt hotter and I scowled.

"Yeah, yeah, laughed at me. To think you two are such gentlemen to laugh at a female," I said, causing the two men to widen and stopped laughing. They apologized and I waved it off.

"Well, there are many things that Man imagined what it will be like in the future, and many have been fulfilled in my world… and their expectations and wants are getting higher each day…" I said as I gulped down my drink of honey and water. "Many things in nature… valuable and non-valuable… are quickly depleting… quite unlike Middle Earth, with so many natural majestic sceneries…"

I gave a sigh as I looked out of the window, seeing the people of Gondor doing their daily activities.

"You miss your world… don't you Jacqueline. Your family… don't you miss them?" Faramir said softly. I looked towards him and gave a small smile.

I said nothing and looked back to the window, pondering of Faramir's question, not noticing the two brothers' gazes lingered on me.

I have been here on Middle Earth for like nine months now… hiding myself from the people here, to prevent any change of the future… It's like a dream… to be here… But my family and friends… are they worrying for me back home? Are they searching for me now? How long have I been away?

I froze. Wait… I… I… how does Mum look like? Dad… my brothers… I cannot remember their faces… What's going on… I can't remember their faces…

"….Jacqueline?"

I can't remember them… my friends… the school I been to…. My house…. My room…

I held my head and try to remember their faces. I searched hard within my sea of memories, only to find blurred images.

My heart began to race faster as I tried harder, but to no avail. I have to go back… to the inn.

"Sorry, I feel quite tired. I… I will go back to the inn myself," I said at last with an apologetic smile, hiding my inner dispute away in my mind,

"I thank you both for spending your day with me… I will repay you both back some how… til our next meeting."

With that, I left quickly back to Velour's inn, leaving the two men behind confused.

I rushed past Valento and Marthia, not noticing their greetings and looks of surprise and went up to my room, before locking it and went to my table where my journal and my handphone were.

I opened the journal and flipped through the pages where I had tried to draw my family and friends to their likeness. I touched their faces, my heart wrenching hard

"Why can't I remember them… Try Jac! Try! You have to!" I shouted out as I banged my head with my fists as tears streamed down my eyes.

"Mum… Dad… I am sorry… I am so sorry… I did not mean to forget your faces and everyone's… please forgive me…"

That day, I clutched my journal and cried.