Disclaimer: You get the idea!

Enjoy!!!!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Chapter 7: Balin

Gimli tapped on the wall to his left, listening. Gandalf was doing the same, in front of Gimli.

"Dwarf doors are invisible when closed," Gimli said, still tapping.

Jessica smiled and heightened her hearing and tried to hear the same thing Gandalf and Gimli were listening for as she tapped with her left hand; her right holding the blanket about her shoulders in front of her..

"Yes, Gimli, their own masters cannot find them if their secrets are forgotten," Gandalf said, pausing in his tapping.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Legolas said.

Jessica tried hard not to laugh out loud and succeeded. Gimli sniffed with disgust and continued to tap the wall.

Gandalf approached a smooth area of rock between two, twisted, gnarled trees. His hands brushed the stone and slowly lines appeared in the stone.

"Isildin… it mirrors only starlight and moonlight," he turned around as the moon rose over the mountain.

The lines became broader and clearer forming a glowing arch of interlacing ancient letters and symbols, at least that was what it looked like to Jessica.

"It reads, 'The door of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter,' " Gandalf said, pointing with the top of his staff to each word.

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

"It's simple. If you are a friend, you speak the password and the doors will open," Gandalf said confidently. He turned to the door and chanted. "Annon Edhellen, edro hi ammen!"

The doors remained closed as a cold wind blew and both Jessica and Frodo shuddered.

Gandalf chanted again. "Fennas Nogothrim, lasto beth lammen."

"Nothing's happening," Pippin said.

Gandalf glanced at him, annoyed. He began to push on the door, but they remained closed. "I once knew every spell in all the tongues of Elves, Men, and Orcs," he said, slightly annoyed.

"What are you going to do, then?" Pippin asked.

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

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Some time had passed and both Jessica and Legolas were at the tree to Gandalf's right. Jessica sat on one of the lower branches while Legolas stood on the roots. The blanket that Jessica had worn was now back in Aragorn's pack, neatly folded.

Jessica jumped down and stood on the roots next to Legolas. "I wanted to thank you for helping me on Caradhras," Jessica said.

"No need," Legolas said.

Jessica turned her attention to Frodo who was looking at the elvish inscription. A smile of comprehension broke on his face.

"It's a riddle," Frodo said. Gandalf raised his eyebrows.

"'Speak, friend, and enter.' What's the elvish word for friend?" he asked.

"Oh…… mellon," Gandalf said.

As soon as he said that, the rock face silently divided in the middle and two great doors swung outwards, revealing a blackness that no outside light could penetrate. Everyone picked their things up and began to enter Moria. Jessica heard a ripple in the water.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Gimli walked next to Legolas and Jessica. "Soon, Master Elf, you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves; roaring fires, malt beer, red meat off the bone! This, my friend, is the home of my cousin Balin… And they call this a mine," he snorted in contempt. "A mine!"

Gandalf's staff erupted in light, covering the entire chamber in its glow. Everyone recoiled in horror. There were many dwarf skeletons lying about. All of them were clearly dead from some old battle; there was rust on armour and shields were peppered wit arrows and axes.

"This is no mine…… it's a tomb," Boromir said grimly.

Gimli went to one of the skeletons. "Oh… no… no… no!" Gimli moaned in horror.

Legolas pulled a crude arrow out of one of the skeletons and looked at it. "Goblins!" he said, throwing down the arrow and drawing his own.

Everyone else pulled their swords out and began to back away.

"We make for the Gap of Rohan. We should have never of come here," Boromir said.

Frodo let out a yelp as he was pulled to the ground and towards the lake. Frodo let out a cry as Boromir and Aragorn raced forwards. Aragorn cut at the tentacle causing the thing to let go of Frodo.

More tentacles came out and pushed the others away from Frodo and grabbed him.

After a few minutes had passed the others ran into the mine with Frodo in Aragorn's arms. The octopus thing pulled the doors down, blocking the entrance. A faint glow came from Gandalfs' staff. The light cast an eerie glow upon Gandalf.

"Now we have but one choice… we must face the long dark of Moria. Be on your guard… there are older and fouler things than the Orcs in the deep places in the world," Gandalf said ominously.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The Fellowship walked across a precarious bridge above deep mine workings. Jessica kept to the middle. "Quietly now. It's a four day journey to the other side. Let us hope that our presence will go unnoticed," Gandalf said, his hat was tucked under his left arm.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Gandalf stood at a fork in the path with three possible passages. He frowned. "I have no memory of this place," he said.

Everyone sat about, all of them were doing something to keep themselves occupied. Jessica was kneeling, meditating; her eyes closed and her breathing even.

Jessica heard someone walk up to her, almost silently on their feet. Jessica inwardly smiled; it was Legolas that stood near her. Jessica opened her eyes and stood up in one fluid movement.

"Yes, Legolas?" Jessica asked the Elf as she turned to look at him.

Legolas looked at her a bit sheepishly. "I was wondering what you were doing?" he asked.

Jessica smiled. "I was meditating, it's a way for me to clear my head of distractions," Jessica said. "It was one of the many things that I learnt from my brother before he was-" at that Jessica stopped.

"Are you alright?" Legolas asked. Jessica nodded. "You feel homesick don't you?"

Jessica nodded. "I do not belong here," Jessica said.

She turned her head and heard an exclamation from Gandalf. "Ah! It's that way," he said pointing at the right hand tunnel. Everyone scrambled to their feet.

"He's remembered!" Merry said relieved.

"No," Gandalf corrected. "But the air doesn't smell so foul down here. If in doubt, Meriadoc, always follow your nose!" Gandalf said with a laugh as he led the Fellowship down the stairs.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Gandalf led them under an arched doorway in a black place that seemed empty of life and light. Gandalf paused.

"Let me risk a little more light," he said, tapping his staff sending a fresh wave of light around them. "Behold! The great realm, and Dwarf-city of Dwarrowdelf."

Everyone was stunned by what they saw. Jessica looked to Legolas out of the corner of her eye and saw that he was slightly edgy. Jessica turned attention to the view and saw a huge empty hall, with black walls.

"Well, there's an eye opener and no mistake!" Sam said.

Jessica nodded. "I agree," she said quietly.

That was then that they started walking. They had walked so far that if Jessica turned around to look for the entrance to the hall she couldn't see it. She turned around when she heard Gimli loudly exclaim.

"Gimli!" Gandalf said, warningly.

Gimli ran toward a doorway where sunshine could be seen. Everyone followed and saw Gimli on one knee and crying before a stone box.

Gandalf walked passed Gimli and read the inscription on the box. "'Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria.' He is dead then. It's as I feared," Gandalf said sorrowfully.

Jessica could hear Gimli quietly chanting to himself as he sobbed. "Kilmin malur ni zaram kalil ra narag. Kheled-zâram… Balin tazlifi."

"We must move on. We cannot linger," Legolas whispered urgently to Aragorn.

"They have taken the Bridge and the second hall: we have barred the gates… but cannot hold them for long… the ground shakes... drums, drums in the deep… we cannot get out. A shadow moves in the dark. Will no-one save us? They are coming," Gandalf read out from a book that he had pulled from the skeleton.

Jessica shook herself, hearing that sent shivers down her spine. She heard a loud clanging sound from behind her and saw Pippin, he was facing Gandalf, wincing with every bang.

"Fool of a Took!" Gandalf said, coming forwards and grabbing his things. "Throw yourself in next time, and rid us of you stupidity!" Pippin looked at his feet, chastened.

Everyone fell silent as they heard a loud rolling boom from the depths below, it grew louder, and louder, and louder as if the caverns of Moria were turning into a vast drum. Everyone jumped as they heard a loud horn blast nearby, they heard horns answer before they heard the sound of running feet and harsh cries. Sam's eyes ran to Frodo's belt.

"Mr. Frodo!" he said worriedly.

Frodo pulled his sword out of the scabbard and saw that Sting was glowing blue.

"Orcs!" Legolas said.

"Get back! Stay close to Gandalf!" Aragorn said to the Hobbits.

Boromir ran to the door and looked out. He pulled himself back when two arrows embedded themselves in the door. Aragorn ran to side and helped him close the doors. Boromir looked at Aragorn.

"They have a cave-troll!" he said calmly.

Gimli picked up his own axe and one of the axes that one of the dead dwarfs held. "Let them come! There is one Dwarf yet in Moria who still draws breath!" he said challengingly.

The door began to splinter and Legolas took the opportunity to fire an arrow through the hole that presented itself.

The door burst open and Orcs ran into the room, followed by a cave-troll. Gimli ducked a blow and immediately threw one of his axes at the cave-troll, burying it in the chest. Boromir and Aragorn waded into the fight, their swords shining in the blood of their enemies. Legolas was firing arrows into the fray at the enemies, trying desperately trying to shield the Hobbits and Jessica.

Gandalf was clutching Glamdring, his sword, as he joined the fight, as did Jessica with her daggers. Jessica stabbed every Orc that came her way in the face, killing them.

Jessica kept her mind on the fight; it was when she heard Frodo yelling out for Aragorn that she diverted her attention from the Orcs.

She saw Aragorn rushing to Frodo's aide. She tried to follow but was cut off by several goblins.

"Get out of my way," she said. The goblins smiled and Jessica just stabbed them in the necks.

She heard Frodo moan in agony as he was stabbed. Jessica growled as she heard this. Without thinking she changed her form to that of a wolf and began to bite at the enemies that surrounded her. On the outside of her eyesight she saw Aragorn knocked out by the cave-troll.

Jessica watched as the others try to bring down the cave-troll. She slew the last of her opponents when she saw the cave-troll raise its club, ready to swing it at Legolas who was out in the open and closest to the troll.

Jessica shifted her form to that of a 10ft werewolf, 800lbs of killy death. She leapt at the troll, throwing it to the ground, on it's knees. Jessica rapidly shifted back to a wolf, allowing Legolas to fire an arrow into the open mouth of the cave-troll. Everyone watched as the cave-troll fell forwards, dead. They waited a few seconds before Jessica raced to Frodo's side. Aragorn was already crawling towards the Hobbit.

"Oh no!" he said.

Jessica ran to Frodo and nudged his shoulder. She received nothing. She looked at Aragorn who rolled him over. Sam appeared at Jessica's left shoulder as she stood on her feet, waiting for a sound from Frodo.

Everyone jumped slightly as Frodo coughed.

"He's alive," Sam said relieved.

"I'm alright, I'm not hurt," Frodo said.

Jessica smiled and stepped forward and licked Frodo's cheek. "You should be dead," Aragorn said. "That spear would have skewered a wild boar."

"I think there's more to this Hobbit than meets the eye," Gandalf said. "And our dear friend Jessica."

Frodo opened his shirt to reveal a mithril shirt underneath. There were no signs of the spear having hurt Frodo.

"Mithril! You are full of surprises, Master Baggins," Gimli said, shocked.

Jessica smiled at Frodo before she stepped back and shifted to her smaller werewolf form.

"What are you?" Legolas asked, his bow ready in one hand with an arrow ready in his other hand.

Jessica was about to answer that when they all heard; 'BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.' It was the sound of drums. Drums and they were getting closer.

"Wish I could answer that, but I personally I want to get out of here," Jessica said.

"To the bridge of Khazad-Dûm!" Gandalf said taking in the sound of the drums.

Jessica nodded and wasted no time following Gandalf out of the tomb. No one noticed Legolas placing his bow and arrow away as they ran.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Welll? What did ya think? I maybe trying to do an X-Men LOTR crossovers. Maybe!! R&R

6