A/N: Thank you! Thank you! For all the reviews, I'm glad you're still enjoying my story and I have taken what you've said into consideration, I am going to think on it a bit longer and give some other people a chance to give me their opinion before I tell you my final decision on the romance, hopefully everyone will still enjoy it! Remember to R&R!


~Chapter Nine~

The light pulsed brighter then wavered. After an excruciatingly long moment, her chest rose and fell in a single faint breath. Gandalf covered her in a blanket swiftly, lest anyone see her. Though she had been traveling with the group two fortnights now, they had not entirely warmed up to each other. The hobbits took to her well enough, Aragorn seemed the most familiar with her, but that was to be expected, being that they had traveled together the longest. Gimli was rather indifferent to her, as well as all the other members, excluding Legolas who he held a great hatred toward. Gandalf silently hoped that they would grow closer and mend the rift that hung threateningly between the two races. Gandalf was yet unsure of the feelings that Boromir held toward the young woman, but he was most curious about Legolas who seemed to hold back much. He knew that Aragorn and Legolas were familiar enough but otherwise he distanced himself and held a standoffish tone towards all the others in the fellowship. Gandalf had seen Legolas comfort Rosa a time or two, but it was always at an arms length. Gandalf mused over the scene between them that he had witnessed before, he was hopeful when Legolas began to open up to her but his eyes showed clearly the wall that he had slammed back up before leaving her company. Legolas's curiosity was starting to get the better of him, Gandalf thought slyly, nearly chuckling at the thought until he remembered the matter at hand.

Rosa was still unmoving, her breaths coming slowly, nearly a minute apart. Gandalf set his hand to her forehead, she was not suffering of a fever, nor did she look pale. He now knew tell this was no physical ailment. Gently, he tried to wake her. Rosa sat with a quickness.

"Oh, sorry...did I fall asleep?"

Gandalf would have laughed if he wasn't so concerned. The look on her face registered nothing except a mild sleepiness. The wind blew, chilling Rosa. As she brought the blanket up around her shoulders, Gandalf watched the light fade from her until it was nothing more than a faint glow, which too diminished.

"You did, child, and it is best if you do so now. Dawn is not far from us and we have a long journey ahead, you will need your energy."

With that he sent her off to sleep in her own bedroll, he was, however, determined to keep a watchful eye on her at all times.

Then next morning came faster than Rosa was willing. She groaned as she stretched out, her shoulders and neck popping as she rolled them out. She watched as Legolas schooled the horrified look from his face, he did not know how her body could make such sounds and still function properly.

After packing up their bags the group set out again Rosa could see the snowy slopes from where they were. Each day was becoming agonizingly similar. They were all cold, the hobbits could barely speak over the sound of their chattering teeth. Legolas walked on top of the snow without so much as leaving an inch deep imprint, which was infuriating for those whose pants were soaked and frozen from the cold all the way up to their thighs.

Step, step, step, step. Stop thinking about the ache in your feet, it won't make it go away. Step, step, step, step. Maybe the cold will numb the ache away. Step, step, step, step. I wonder if I could get a piggyback ride. Step, step, step, step.

Rosa droned on, stepping forward and then lifting her feet from the encasing of snow that her feet sunk into with each step. The snow chilling up to her thighs and the wind finishing the rest of her off. It blew ferociously into her eyes, making them water. She pulled her hood tighter and tilted her head towards the ground so all that she could see was the snow crunching beneath her feet.

"I think I'll just freeze into a statue," Rosa grumbled to herself, "HEY! BOROMIR!"

"WHAT?" He called back to her, his voice floating to her on the wind.

"DO YOU THINK I'D MAKE A NICE ICE STATUE?" She said, posing with her arms up and her hip popped out. Rosa thought she heard Boromir laugh but he turned away from her shaking his head, so she wasn't certain. From behind her, Rosa heard the hobbits snickering.

Feeling all the more colder from her attempt to make her traveling companions laugh, she pulled her cloak tight and trudged on. Rosa suddenly felt much warmer than she thought was possible, she had been cold for so long. When she looked up she was greeted with the sight of Boromir's shield, he was walking in front of her, blocking the path of the wind. Rosa smiled to herself.

"FRODO!"

Rosa peeked out from behind Boromir to see Frodo tumble down the mountain towards them, Aragorn picked him up and Frodo brushed the snow from his clothes. Seeing Boromir reach towards the ring, Rosa darted out from behind Boromir and snatched it up, before Boromir could touch it. As soon as her fingers touched the cold metal of the ring, Rosa felt a dark feeling consume her. She heard whisperings in her mind, the ring was calling to her. It wanted her to slip it over her slender finger, she could disappear, all her worries gone. Rosa shook her head, trying to shake the feeling but it grew stronger and she became sick to her stomach. With a deep hatred for the tiny thing she stumbled forward and gave it to Frodo without so much as a second glance.

As they continued on Boromir and Aragorn carried the hobbits in their arms. Rosa struggled behind, the snow now up to her hips. Rosa watched with envy as Legolas dashed by, on top of the snow, his face contorted into deep concentration.

"Cuiva nwaica Carnirasse; nai yarvaxea rasselya!" (Wake up cruel Redhorn! May your horn be bloodstained!)

"There is a fell voice on the air."

Gandalf's face drew to a grave point, "It's Saruman."

Rocks came tumbling down and Rosa stepped back pressing against the mountainside.

"He's trying to bring down the mountain! Gandalf! We must turn back!"

"No! Losto Caradhras, sehdo, hodo, nuitho i 'ruith!" (Sleep, Caradhras, be still, lie still, hold your wrath!)

"Cuiva nwaica Carnirasse; Nai yarvaxea rasselya; taltuva notto-carinnar!" (Wake up cruel Redhorn! May your bloodstained horn fall upon enemy heads!)

Rosa flinched as a deafing crack rang out. The snow from the mountain tops came crashing down and if Rosa thought she was cold before, it now held new meaning to her. When the avalanche subsided Legolas burst through the snow, then Gandalf. Boromir and Aragorn helped the hobbits to surface and Gimli burst through with a crazed vigor that only dwarves posses.

"We must get off the mountain! Make for the Gap of Rohan and take the west road to my city!" Boromir yelled.

Aragorn countered, "The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard!"

"If we cannot pass over the mountain, let us go under it! Let us go through the Mines of Moria," chimed Gimli.

Gandalf paused to think.

"Where is Rosa?" Legolas asked. Boromir and Aragorn looked horrified, they had been so concerned with making sure the hobbits made it to the surface, they hadn't considered that Rosa was a great deal shorter than they were and already hunched over when the snow hit. Boromir turned frantically and saw her fingertips poking out through the snow, he trudged towards her and dug through the snow until he found her huddled form.

Rosa looked up when she felt an arm encircle her waist and she was pulled snug against Boromir's chest. Her feet were an inch above his and she could feel the warmth of his breath against her cheek. They were both breahing raggedly, in a deep, breathy voice Boromir looked down into her eyes, "Are you okay?"

She tried to calm her breathing and get ahold of herself as she felt her heart pounding in rhythm with his, "Yes...thank you...the snow...its...heavier than you'd think..."

Rosa swore she saw him chuckle but then his eyes grew dark and Rosa was suddenly very aware of how they were touching, his arms around her waist, her hands on his arms as they were pressed chest to chest. Up close Rosa could see his hazel eyes, at the moment they were shockingly blue, she could see herself in their reflection, her hair tousled and frosted with snow, her cheek and nose flushed red from the snow. His lips parted slightly, Rosa couldn't help but notice them and wonder what it would be like to kiss him. Their breath mingled and Rosa felt a chill slide up her spine, and not from the cold. Her hands grazed his arms, moving up to his shoulders and then down to his chest where she pushed him away and fell the few inches to the ground.

He was only phased by her movements for seconds before his mind caught up with hers and he took a step away from her, turning back towards the rest of the fellowship. He didn't know why he felt this way, but when he found out that she hadn't surfaced the snow he had an overwhelming feeling to save her. He groaned to himself, this woman will be the death of me...

"Found her," he said gesturing over his shoulder, Boromir gave a shrug when Legolas gave him and incredulous look.


It had taken longer to recede from the mountain than it had to trek up it, if that was even possible, Rosa mused. With the ability to wiggle her fingers and toes, no longer frozen stiff, Rosa seemed unable to keep still. They had made camp but she was up and about pacing. She had an uneasy feeling and refused to rest until it subsided. She stomped over to Aragorn, "Practice with me?"

Aragorn looked up at her with disbelief, "After all that, you wish to practice sword fighting with me?"

Rosa tapped her foot impatiently, "Yes!"

A weary look claimed him, "You should be resting, not trying to drain your energy. Sleep."

Rosa sighed and went off to find Legolas. When she saw him she picked up her pace, "Care to pick up with the lessons?"

Legolas turned to her slowly, his face utterly unamused with her, "I heard what Aragorn said. No. Sleep."

She let out an exasperated sigh that was louder than the first. Rosa looked over to Gimli, who rolled over and tugged the blanket tighter around himself, "Don't even ask, Lassie."

She shuffled back to her bedroll and tossed herself on it with a thump. She heard leaves crunch, "Get up."

Rosa looked up, "What?"

Boromir was hovering over her, "You wish to practice, get up."

"Oh...oh! Okay!"

Rosa picked herself up with a quickness and followed Boromir to an open spot far enough away to not bother the others but close enough that they would not be in danger of not being seen by Legolas, should the need arise. When she began to draw her sword Boromir shook his head at her, "No." He turned and reached for something in his bags.

"I did not want you to come," he began.

"Yeah...thanks for reminding me, makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside," Rosa said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I wasn't finished," he scowled at her," I did not wish for you to join us, but I brought these," Boromir showed her a pair of daggers.

"I saw the way you wielded them on the training ground, though you could do with some practice and further training. I could tell that you were familiar with them, and knew far more about them than the sword or bow. If you must put yourself in the path of danger, you must use all that you know to your advantage."

Rosa nodded, taking the daggers from him, "Thanks."

They began fighting and Rosa felt some of the tension leave her shoulders, which was replaced by the ache in her arms and legs. The uneasy feeling slowly died down. It wasn't until Boromir was helping her up off the ground that the feeling returned, Rosa looked out into the distance and thought she heard a wolf howl.

"Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"It...sounded like a wolf." Rosa shivered involuntarily, she had never seen a wolf, nor did she want to. Rosa felt Boromir's large hand on her shoulder as he stepped forward, straining to hear the howl.

Again the howl.

"Can't you hear that?" Rosa asked, looking up at Boromir.

Another wolf cried out into the night, louder than any howl before it, giving fuel to the ominous feeling that had already arisen in Rosa's gut. This time Boromir had definitely heard it. As the two turned back to camp they saw Legolas dashing towards them, an arrow drawn, "Wake the others. A fight is upon us."

Rosa ran back to the camp as fast as she could, with Boromir hard on her trail. She stumbled into camp and shook Gimli with all her might; he was a heavy sleeper.

"What! What?"

"Wolves," she said, wide eyed. Gimli leapt up and tossing the blanket aside and readying his axe. When Rosa looked up Gandalf and Aragorn were already up, so she ran towards the hobbits waking them as quickly as she could. Once they were up with their own blades in their hands Rosa stood in front of them protectively. As the wolves came into few Rosa gasped, they were much larger than she had imagined them to be.

Legolas began releasing a mirage of arrows and Gimli charged headlong into the fray. It wasn't long before the fellowship was surrounded on all sides.

Rosa heard a growl from behind her and turned swiftly, keeping the hobbits behind her. She was determined to stand her ground, when the wolf charged at her she took a few fast steps towards it then spun to the side as it passed, stabbing her dagger into the wolf. The wolf's own momentum helped the blade tear through its side. The whimpering howl of the wolf prompted the hobbits to charge at it with their own weapons, attacking it ferociously until it was a dead heap on the ground. Rosa looked at it feeling sick, she had never killed an animal before but she quickly shook the thoughts from her head. It was trying to kill us, she reasoned with herself. She yanked her dagger from the wolf's body and prepared herself for the next attack.

Rosa felt like a circus act with all the somersaults and leaping she was doing, but was quickly roused from her musings when she heard Frodo yell her name. She turned in time to see a wolf leaping at her and she hit the ground with a quickness, groaning as she felt a rock jab into her side. The wolf turned back towards her and she tried to roll out of its path but knew that she hadn't done so fast enough when she felt it's claws swipe at her side. She tried not to dwell on the pain but got back up to her feet and threw a dagger into the wolf's head. It landed in it's skull with a sickening thunk and she wearily walked over and retrieved it.

By the time Rosa and the hobbits had managed to kill three wolves, Rosa was drenched in sweat, her arms were shaky but she knew that the adrenaline pumping through her veins would keep her standing. The wolves seemed unending, Rosa took a few steps back when she saw three more wolves emerging from between the trees.

"Get back," she called to the hobbits, who readily did as she told. She felt her back press into someone else's and turned to see Aragorn behind her, he gave her a nod and turned his attention back to the wolves that were surrounding the fellowship. Rosa had been impressed with herself and the hobbits because they had managed to kill three, but as she looked around her the others had killed far more, and without so much as a scratch. She watched as Aragorn fought, how he held the sword in his hand and his movements were fluid. She turned her gaze to see a pile of bodies with Legolas's arrows in them, if she thought Aragorn was graceful it was nothing compared to he way Legolas moved. Like flowing water with the weight of air. When Rosa turned to Gimli she nearly laughed, as graceful and elegant as Legolas was Gimli was equally not...quite the opposite in fact, but he got the job done nonetheless.

His axe came swinging down with all his might, detaching a wolf's head from it's body, Rosa wanted to throw up right then and there. As she turned in a circle it seemed as though the wolves were multiplying, they were sorely outnumbered, tired, and Rosa barely thought she could keep herself standing up let alone hold up against another wolf. She tried to shake the tiredness away but felt as though each second that passed sucked away the lingering bits of her energy along with it.

Rosa thought they weren't going to make it until she heard Gandalf speak, his voice was low but slowly gained volume as he went on, she didn't realize what he was doing until a wall of fire burst forth, burning bright. The wolves howled in pain as the fire consumed them, those that were not burned by the fire turned and ran. Rosa heaved a sigh of relief, she knew that if Gandalf had not cast that spell then she would have been a goner. The fire slowly died down, and darkness settled over the group, as well as a tired silence. Rosa was about to collapse into a heap when she felt two strong hands clamp down on her shoulders, she looked up to see a very concerned Boromir.

"What are-

"Are you hurt?" One of his hands darted up to her cheek, turn her head to the side as his eyes surveyed her, then he lifted her arms checking for wounds. Rosa was nearly covered head to toe in bruises and scraps from the fight, but there were no obvious signs of major harm.

"I'm fine, I'm fine, Boromir, I'm- Ow!" His hand brushed against the claw marks in her side. He moved her cloak back to reveal the tears in her shirt, blood from the wound was slowly soaking the surrounding material. He went to lift up her shirt and Rosa smacked his hand away.

"What do you think you're doing?"

He looked at her like it was obvious, "I'm going to treat the wound."

Rosa nearly laughed at him, "Oh, no you're not." She marched over to her bedroll and retrieved the bag that she had brought with her. No one had asked her what was in it but she never let anyone touch it. When she had first found the bag with the note, Rosa didn't understand why she would need a bag full of medical supplies but now she knew and she was determined to use it wisely. Along with asking Vala to teach her Sindarin, she had also asked about what they did for medication in Middle Earth. It had taken up quite a lot of her time there but she familiarized herself with the herbs and salves that were used to heal and added them to her bag. Rosa had felt so useless as a doctor when Frodo had been stabbed and she didn't know how to help but now she felt a little more prepared.

She lifted her shirt and tired to look at the wound. There were three distinct claw marks, one barely broke the skin but the other two were centimeters deep. She cringed as she looked at it, the would needed to be cleaned and bound and Rosa would need some help.

Boromir made his way over to Rosa, he didn't know what was in her hand but she seemed to know what she was doing and he knew that she would need help. He knelt down in front of her, "What do you need me to do?"

Rosa looked up at Boromir, a little startled that he was willing to let her be in charge.

"Do we have any alcohol? Mead or ale or whatever the hell you people call it?"

Boromir nodded and left momentarily returning with a small bottle. Rosa took it from him a took a gulp of the liquid, her face morphing to show her distaste, then she handed it back to him.

"Pour a little on the wound."

"You want me to what?"

"Pour. It. On. The. Wound. You can't use water, it'll infect the wound and we don't have the time to boil the water." He nodded again and brought the bottle forward.

"Wait, wait, wait...gimme your hand."

Rosa took his other hand and then nodded to him. As the alcohol poured over her open wounds Rosa shut her eyes tight and squeezed Boromir's hand, he returned in kind. Once she was finished she reached into her bag, grabbing a needle and thread. She began her work with stitching up the wounds, which Rosa found to be extremely difficult the longer it went on, she had to bite down on her own belt to continue.

"Is everyone else all right?" Rosa asked, trying to keep her mind off the pain.

"Well other than a few cuts and bruises the hobbits are looking no worse for wear," Boromir paused and looked into her amazingly blue eyes, "You were very brave and kept the hobbits safe while the rest of us could not." He stood, beginning to turn away from her but looked back down at her wound, "You need to be more careful, you cannot continue to be so reckless as you were tonight," he stated with a scowl and walked away.

"Well gee thanks," Rosa muttered to herself. One minute he's all nice and I'm brave and then next I'm a reckless child and he can't wait to get away...what the hell?

Rosa looked over to see Aragorn lighting a fire. One by one the fellowship gathered around the fire. The hobbits roasted their food, content to eat their fill and forget their worries. Neither Gimli nor Legolas looked pleased with the other's company but Rosa had noticed that their hatred had lessened to a slightly more friendly competition between the two. She watched from afar as Boromir and Aragorn talked, reminiscing about their time in Gondor.

As the bonding continued Rosa smiled to herself, watching the story unfold around her was so very different from anything she could have imagined. They were all just people, with a common goal, all from very different lands and races, but here they were sitting around a campfire sharing stories and smiles. As the night wore on, Rosa snuck away from the group, settling down on her blanket. She spread out on her back and stared up at the stars, they were shining so bright, it was a sight that she hadn't witnessed for many years, having lived in the city as a doctor. Rosa remembered nights with her father out in the country, he had tried to teach her the constellations, well his version of them anyway. She tried to turn on her side and winced as the movement pulled at her stiches.

Rosa laid there, curled up under the stars and slowly fell into a deep sleep. The hobbits settled down not long after and rest of the fellowship sorted out watch duty, then tried to get some more sleep with the few hours they had left until sunrise. Gandalf watched Rosa wearily, he had observed the same strange light each night since the first, every time lasting a little longer than before but each morning she awoke and he could find no signs of change in her waking life. He was both thoroughly interested and concerned by it and knew not how the rest of the fellowship would react when they found out, which he knew was sure to happen soon if it hadn't already.


Morning came with a quickness that none of the fellowship appreciated, including Legolas who needed the least amount of sleep out of all of them. When Rosa rolled over to stretch she was met with a sharp reminder in her side of the previous night's occurrences. She groaned and got up, trying to move her side as little as possible. When Rosa looked around she was met by startled faces.

"What?" Do I have bedhead, a third eye, what's going on? Rosa turned around to find out that they were not staring at her but just behind her. There was no trace of the wolves' bodies around the camp. If it wasn't for the wound in her side and Legolas' arrows scattered about, Rosa would have thought that the battle had just been a bad dream. By the time Rosa had her mind wrapped around what she was seeing, or rather what she wasn't seeing, the rest of the fellowship was readying to be on their way. Gandalf did not like what this meant and was in no hurry to stick around.

"How very ladylike," Boromir stated looking at Rosa with a smirk. She promptly closed her mouth, not realizing that up until that point it had been hanging wide open with shock.

"Shut up." She grumbled, punching his shoulder playfully as she walked by.

If Rosa thought she didn't like traveling over the mountain she was less than surprised to find out that she didn't like traveling back down it any better. The weather was dreary and damp. The humidity stuck to Rosa as a warm layer of water against her hot skin, and began to dampen her loose clothing so that it clung to her body. It stuck to her in all the wrong places, she tried pulling it up off her skin but the wind would blow it back down again, if Vala had thought wearing these loose traveling clothing would be improper she would be horrified to know that the clothing that once concealed Rosa's feminine curves now clung to each and every part of her.

Rosa fidgeted around trying to cover herself better with her cloak, she may be lacking in the amount of modesty that most women in Middle Earth had, but she at least had a shred of decency left and she wished to keep it intact. She felt something nudging at her mind, like she was forgetting something, she felt the damp ground beneath her feet and saw a pond in the distance and couldn't help but feel as though she recognized it. She hadn't thought much of it until then but she couldn't quite remember what happened next, her brain registered something was wrong immediately but she didn't know what it was. Soon Rosa would find out that she had forgotten that there was a giant, ugly, kraken-like creature lurking under the surface of the still waters ahead. The misty air of the valley made her lungs feel heavy with water and the closer they got to the entrance the less she wanted to be there.

"Ah! The walls of Moria," Gimli exclaimed, "dwarf doors are invisible when closed."

Rosa watched as Gimli tapped his axe against the smooth stone surface.

"Yes, Gimli! Their own masters cannot find them, if their secrets are forgotten."

Legolas looked vaguely amused, "Why doesn't that surprise me?"

Rosa stifled a laugh. She turned to her right when she heard Frodo stumbled, his foot slipping into the lake. She reached forward and pulled him back quickly, the uneasy feeling rising in her chest.

"Ah... now let me see... Ithildin," Gandalf's hands brush away the dirt to reveal patterns in the stone, "It mirrors only starlight..." he looks up to see the clouds move away from the moon, "and moonlight"

As he spoke the patterning on the door shined brightly revealing an ornate door, with elvish writing above it on the arch. Gimli looked in awe of it. Gandalf pointed at the writing with his staff.

"It reads 'The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria, Speak Friend and Enter'"

"What do you suppose that means?" Merry asked.

"Oh it's quite simple. If you are a friend, you speak the password and the doors will open," he turned back to the door and held his staff against the star in the center of it, "Annon Edhellen, edro hi ammen!" (Gate of the Elves, open now for me!)

Pippin grinned widely, but nothing happened. Gandalf looked confused and cleared his throat, holding up both his hands.

"Fennas Nogothrim, lasto beth lammen." (Doorway of the Dwarf-folk, listen to the word of my tongue.)

Still nothing happened. Gimli grunted. Legolas looked at him.

Pippin turned, speaking to Legolas, "Nothing's happening."
Gandalf walked up to the door and tries to push it, "I once knew every spell in all the tongues of elves, men and orcs."

"What're you going to do then?"

"Knock your head against these doors Peregrin Took! and if that does not shatter them and I'm allowed a little peace from foolish questions I will try to find the opening words."

The Fellowship sat around on the rocks, waiting for Gandalf to come up with the right words.

Gandalf mutters, "Ando Eldarinwa…a lasta quettanya, Fenda Casarinwa…" (Gate of Elves…listen to my word, Threshold of Dwarves).

While they waited Merry started throwing rocks into the lake and Pippin soon joined him. Aragorn stepped forward and grabed Pippin's arm, "Do not disturb the water," he looks out at it, concern spread across his face.

Boromir walked up behind him, sharing his look of concern, while Rosa stayed back. She didn't like the feeling she was getting from it and she wasn't about to get closer and find out if her gut was right.

"Mellon."

A great crack is heard and the doors swing open, Gandalf chuckles. Gimli removed his pipe from his mouth and looked round. The Fellowship got up as Gandalf lead the way through the doors, placing a crystal in the top of his staff. Aragorn looked backwards at the lake before entering and Rosa was determined not to.

"Soon Mr. Elf, you will enjoy the fabelled hospitality of the dwarves. Roaring fires! Malt Beer! Red Meat off the bone!"

Gandalf blew on the crystal in his staff and it lit up.

"This my friend is the home of my cousin Balin and they call it a Mine," the light revealed many dead corpses and skeletons on the stairs in front of them, "A Mine!"

Boromir looked around himself, "This isn't a mine, it's a tomb."

They all look about them to see the skeletons of dwarves with arrows sticking out of them. Gimli gasped, running to a corpse, "Nooooo! NOOOOOOOOOOoooooooo!"

Legolas pulled an arrow from a skeleton and looked at it in distaste, "Goblins!" He threw the arrow down. Aragorn and Boromir drew their swords and Legolas loaded his bow with an arrow.

"We make for the gap of Rohan. We should never have come here."

The hobbits huddle together backing out of the mines.

"Now get out of here! Get out!"

Suddenly Frodo falls. He was grabbed by a large tenticle that crept into the mine from the water. Rosa felt the unexpected rush of air against her skin then she collided with the hard ground, a groan escaping her as she felt the stiches in her side rip.

Merry and Pippin yelled, "Frodo! Frodo! Rosa!"

The tentacles pull Frodo and Rosa out of the cave.

"Strider!" Sam slashed at the tenticle with his sword and freed Frodo, "Get off him!"

The other two hobbits drag him backwards.

"Aragorn!"

The tentacle withdraws. Then suddenly many tenticles jump out of the water, knocking the hobbits over and grabbing Frodo by the leg, pulling him back to dangle him in the air above the water.

"Frodo!"

Legolas appears and fires an arrow at it, but the creature does not let go.

"Strider!"

Rosa felt the blood rush to her head as she swung through the air, "Boromir!"

Aragorn and Boromir slashed at the tenticles, cutting them off, but more appeared. Frodo was drawn into the center where the body appears and a huge gaping mouth with great teeth emerge from the water threatening to plunge their sharp tips into Frodo's body. He screamed. Boromir cut through the tentacle holding Rosa, while Aragorn cut through the tenticle holding Frodo. Frodo fell and Boromir caught him. Rosa felt the creature lose it's hold on her and suddenly she was falling into the water that incased the creature.

"Into the Mines!" Gandalf commanded.

"Legolas!" Boromir shouted as the creature advanced on Aragorn and himself, while he still carried Frodo. They were struggling to get out of the water. Legolas fired an arrow into the creature's body. It groaned and backed off momentarily. Rosa paddled through the water with her injured side, she was too far away from Boromir and Aragorn for them to help her escape the tentacle that was winding it's way towards her. Rosa felt it's slime touch her as it wrapped around her body, she cringed, screaming as it squeezed her tight and pulled her under the water. Rosa kicked at it and tried her best to get away. Each second without air felt like a century, soon she barely had the strength to move her limbs. Her body ached but it was nothing compared to the screaming pain coming from her lungs. Her body wanted to gasp for air but she knew as soon as she did water would fill her lungs.

Rosa's eyesight began to grow hazy, she could see the muggy water being tainted by her blood and blinked once more before her thoughts were lost to her. As consciousness slipped away from Rosa, Boromir dove under the water. While Legolas distracted the creature with arrows to it's head, Boromir swam towards Rosa, determined to save her. Once he had her securely in his arms he waded back through the water, getting her as far from the creature as he could.

The Fellowship hurried through the door with the creature following them. It tore at the doorway, bringing it crashing down and blocking the entrance. Silence accompanied the darkness that had fallen over the fellowship, all that could be heard was their ragged breathing and the dripping of water onto the dirty stone floor.

Boromir carefully set Rosa down on the ground, checking to see if she was breathing. She coughed loudly, water spilling from her mouth. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open, "Boromir?"

He smiled down at her, his fingers removing the wet hair from her face, normally she had it tied up and out of her face but now it was down and matted against her skin. "You're safe now," he whispered to her.

A soft light glowed from Gandalf's staff, "We now have but one choice, we must face the long dark of Moria. Be on your guard, there are older and fouler things than orcs in the deep places of the world."


A/N: Sooooo? Tell me, tell me! What do you think? I'm happy with the outcome annnnnnnnnd it's the longest chapter yet! :) I'm excited about it. As always, my lovely readers, please R&R!