Title: Out of Space and Time ch6
Author: sheraiah
Rating: T (to be safe, there's some swearing)
Genre: Avengers/LOTR crossover
Summary: The Tesseract and the Bifrost aren't the only ways by which to travel between the worlds, and there are more worlds than Thor has spoken of. When one of the pathways goes awry, the Avengers are called in to clean up the resulting mess.
Disclaimer: If I owned any of it besides the plot, I wouldn't be slaving away in retail.
A/N: I scrapped and re-wrote this chapter six times before I got what I was happy with.
I want to state emphatically that this is not a romance fic, at least not an overt romance fic, other than the obvious Pepper/Tony and Thor/Jane bits. You might get a hint of Clint/Natasha if you squint and turn just right. There also will be just a very little bit of the start of a Steve/Darcy pairing, but that's it. Romance isn't what this one is about. There won't be any slash, either. This is set in my gen story arc. I might be persuaded to write a slash AU some day, but not right now.
Also, once again my personal headcanon comes into play for Legolas in this chapter. If you've read my 'Father and Son' story arc about Legolas and Thranduil, this will be nothing new. However, for those who this is the first of my stories that you have read, please be aware that my version of Legolas' childhood, etc. is somewhat A/U and should under no circumstances be taken for canon.
There is a nod in this chapter to my buddy lerouret and her amazing 'Pottymouth' series. Best LOTR modern day A/U I've ever read, folks. If you've not read it, it's worth the effort to track down. Her 'Green Knight' series is the awesome, too. Actually, anything she writes is amazing.
Ooo
The atmosphere in the quinjet was subdued as the team was flown to the Helicarrier for debriefing. Steve had regained consciousness shortly after the clean up team had given the all-clear and he was currently nursing a headache and nausea aggravated by the motion of the jet. Thor was also unusually solemn, spiders apparently not being among his favorite things, although he had actively participated in the mop up effort in spite of his aversion to the creatures.
Bruce had changed out of his tattered pants, wolfed down a couple of protein bars, drained two bottles of sports drink and checked on both Cap and Legolas before laying down on a stretcher and dropping into a deep sleep. Everyone else was relatively unscathed. Legolas, also uncharacteristically solemn, sat toward the back of the jet, ostensibly checking his arrows for damage. He spoke to no one for the duration of the flight.
Once they landed on the Helicarrier, and Steve was checked out by Medical and cleared to debrief before returning to the Tower to rest, they trooped into the conference room. Fury and Hill were waiting for them, and for once had a respectable array of snacks and beverages. Once everyone was settled, save for Legolas who remained standing where he could look out the bank of windows, the debrief began.
Ooo
"No civilian casualties," Nick Fury said, shuffling papers in front of him. The Avengers had all given their verbal account, and the debriefing was winding down. "Several law enforcement officers were stung, but they're all recovering. We got lucky." He glanced at the elf. "We're going to need as much intel as you can give us, Legolas, about the creatures we've seen so far and whatever else might come through an anomaly." The elf gave him a curt nod. "I'm told things would have been much worse without your assistance today."
"I gave my word that I would assist, in any way possible," Legolas said, his voice quiet. "Once given, my word is not broken."
"I'm also told," Fury stood and walked to the rail in front of the windows, near Legolas but patently giving him plenty of space, "that the anomaly was still open and that you chased the remainder of the spiders through it."
"It was," the elf confirmed, his expression impassive and his voice even. "And we chased the final three spiders back through it before it closed." He turned to look the Director in the face. "What is it that you truly wish to know? We can talk circles around each other as long as you wish, my people invented the art, but I much prefer to get to the point."
"All right, I want to know how compromised you are by seeing your home, and your father on the other side of that anomaly."
"Compromised? Perhaps less than you might expect." He cocked his head, his expression changing little. "Do I wish I had been able to cross through the anomaly and return home? Fervently. Will I allow my disappointment that it closed before I could do so to adversely and dangerously affect my concentration while fighting? No." His jaw firmed. "Do not forget that I have been a warrior for centuries. I have seen friends killed before me and have continued fighting." Fury eyed him for a long moment before nodding.
"Same conditions as before: you're under Captain Rogers' command." He glanced around the table. "Go get some downtime. Xavier's people or the Fantastic Four can handle anything that might crop in the next couple of days."
ooo
"How you holding up, Spangles?" Tony had suited up again for the trip back to the Tower, catching up with Steve as he headed to the jet.
"Still have a headache, but it's fading. I mostly just need a real meal now," the super soldier answered. "Tony, you didn't hold me back to ask me that."
"No, I didn't," Stark agreed. "I wanted to give you a heads up: things might get a little rowdy when we get back and I know you're the DSP but try not to break it up too early. I have an agenda to get through tonight."
"I hate to even ask."
"Designated Sober Person. My agenda is: getting the elf prince drunk tonight." Tony sighed, his expression turning from smirk to serious. "Cap, you weren't there. No one knows better than I do that it doesn't solve anything, but the least we can do is get him drunk enough to forget for a little while."
"All right."
"That was too easy. Who are you and what have you done with the stick up Cap's ass?" Steve gave him a scornful look.
"Tony, I was in the army. I lost friends in the war. Sometimes it helps that there's someone who cares enough to try to get you drunk after a tough mission." His eyes turned sad. "God knows I tried to after Bucky died." He looked away for a moment. "I'll ride herd on you lunatics and make sure no one goes dancing in the streets. Bruce can help if he feels up to it."
ooo
Thranduil scanned the trees around them warily. There was fresh spider sign everywhere, but no spiders. It was unlike the beasts to abandon so choice a hunting ground of their own accord. It was far enough from the more populated parts of the realm that his patrols would not have ventured here in some time, nor had the Beornings, apparently. Gimli and Luinloth flanked him, both as alert and battle ready as he was. The horses trailed nervously behind, bound only by the elves' requests. Twenty paces into the copse, Thranduil began to hear the unmistakable sound of spiders, but far fewer than he expected given the amount of webs around the copse.
"'Ware, I hear them."
"My axe drinks spider blood as readily as orc," Gimli replied, his attention fully focused on the trees around them. Luinloth made no reply, save for shifting his stance and his grip on his sword.
They pressed on, moving through the copse and into a clearing. At the far end of the clearing stood something neither elf for all their combined years had ever seen the like of: it appeared to be a hole in the forest through which a different forest could be seen. Although it was close to mid-day, on the other side of the hole the pale gray light of dawn wavered. Thranduil glanced at Luinloth, who shook his head.
"What is that?" Gimli asked, dividing his attention between the surrounding trees and the hole.
"I have no idea," Thranduil grated through his teeth.
"Nor I," Luinloth said, his stance shifting slightly to cover his king's right flank. "I have never seen the like, or heard of anything similar."
"From the sound of things, the spiders are on the other side of that thing." Thranduil's eyes narrowed. "We will remain here, and slaughter them if the pass back through." He glanced at Gimli. "I would not chance approaching that object until we know more of it."
"My lord, they are coming!" Luinloth reached into his tunic, drawing a previously hidden knife.
"I hear them," Thranduil replied tersely. The first spider emerged through the hole at a fast pace, clearly fleeing from something. Luinloth ducked quickly out of its path, slashing its belly as he moved, fatally wounding it. Thranduil closed with the second of the foul creatures to pass through, stabbing it in the belly before removing its head. Gimli neatly beheaded the third with a single powerful stroke of his axe, sidestepping the falling body with far more grace than most beings would have given him credit for having.
All three held their positions, waiting for more spiders. Through the hole, they could see movement but nothing else came through. As the dawn broke on the other side, Thranduil could make out several figures. One broke away from the others, running towards the hole. With a shock, he recognized Legolas, garbed as he had never before seen him, in solid black with an odd-looking bow and quiver on his back and equally odd knives in his hands. He saw the recognition and hope on Legolas' face as he ran. Abruptly, the hole vanished and Thranduil bit back a cry of frustration. Gimli showed no restraint in voicing his and Thranduil closed his eyes, stricken to the core to be so close to regaining his son and yet so very far. He drew a deep breath, steadying himself and opening his eyes. He had to keep moving; there was no other acceptable alternative. He would fail neither his son nor himself by doing otherwise.
"We will continue to Gondor. Legolas will make his way there first when he finds a way back. It will be easier to work on a solution from this end if we are all in one place," he said. He stooped to clean his sword on a patch of grass before wiping it with a scrap of cloth and sheathing it.
"Aye," Gimli said, controlling his voice and expression with difficulty. "He will, and we'd best be there to greet him or we'll never hear the end of it." He cleaned the spider ichor off his axe and turned to Thranduil. "At least we know he's well enough to be fighting."
"And that he appears to have allies, odd though they may be," Luinloth added in his quiet manner. He whistled and the horses came willingly to him. "Best we be on our way, my lord. We will have daylight for only so long and I would be well away from here by the time we no longer have it."
Thranduil nodded and took his mount's reins from Luinloth. Mounting swiftly, he reached down to lift Gimli into place behind him. As soon as Luinloth was in the saddle, they set as swift a pace as possible through the forest.
Ooo
"All right, everyone hit the showers and meet back here in 30!" Tony swiveled to look everyone in the eye in turn. "Food's on the way, Thai if anyone wanted to know, and I'll open the bar as soon as everyone's back. It was a hell of a day. We need to blow off some steam."
"I wish to greet Jane, and then I will return," Thor said, heading for the elevator. He took pride in doing as much 'the Midguardian way' as possible.
"Bring her, Point Break. We've got plenty of food coming, and you know I've always got enough alcohol. We can make it a joint 'It Was a Shitty Day' and 'Welcome to the Asylum, Jane' party." Tony grinned at Thor. "Her assistant, too, if she's here."
"Do you really want to traumatize her this early in, Tony?" Bruce said with a weary chuckle. Thor gave a belly laugh.
"Very little could traumatize Darcy, I assure you. When first we met, she felled me with her taser." He grinned widely at the memory.
"I know. That's part of the reason I offered her a job too. Anyone who has the balls to tase a demigod belongs in this loony bin," Tony said, smirking.
"What is 'tase'?" Legolas asked, speaking up for the first time since the Quinjet had left the Helicarrier.
"Remember when you accidentally touched the prongs on the tablet's charger while you were plugging it into the wall?" Tony asked. Legolas nodded, shuddering. It had not been a pleasant sensation. "Imagine it being used as a defensive weapon." The elf's eyebrows rose.
"I can see how that would be useful," he commented. "I shall rejoin you after I have removed the spider residue from my person." He nodded to them and headed for the stairwell. Since he had been pronounced well enough to return to his normal level of activity, he had begun eschewing the elevator for the stairs. Tony had been remarkably restrained on the subject, only very gently ribbing him about it.
"What about you, Spangles? Gonna make the rest of us look like slackers by taking the stairs?" Tony turned his smirk onto Steve, who snorted.
"No. I got stung by Charlotte on steroids; I'm taking the elevator today," Steve snarked back, the grin pulling at his lips only slightly spoiling the effect.
"Day-um, Cap! That was a good one," Clint drawled, grinning. Tony mimed removing a hat and bowed to Steve, who shook his head, laughing.
"JARVIS, save that; it's my new ring tone." Tony said as he headed for the elevator.
Ooo
Legolas appropriated a comfortable spot in a corner of the common area and opened the carton of red curry with shrimp that he had selected from the truly astounding amount of food that Tony had ordered. A very slight smile, the first since the battle, crossed his lips as he unwrapped his chopsticks. Tony, Bruce, Clint, Pepper, and Natasha all used them with ease. Steve was learning, but claimed that after a mission he was 'too hungry to fool with anything but a fork and spoon'. Legolas had picked up the knack of using them rather quickly and enjoyed doing so.
Deftly moving morsels of food from the carton to his mouth, he watched the action around him. Thus far, the others seemed to be willing to give him some space to process the day's events and to come to terms with them. He thought perhaps that was part of what Bruce had meant when he had said that it helped to be surrounded by people who knew what you had been through and how to react when you were having a bad day. This day certainly qualified as that for him. He firmly pushed the sadness and disappointment into the back of his mind, determined not to be a damper on the evening for everyone else.
Tony approached him, but instead of saying anything just handed him a bottle of one of the exotic types of ale he kept in stock. Legolas accepted it with a nod, knowing Tony well enough by now to know that it would perfectly compliment his meal. Thor rejoined the group just then, a petite, slender woman on his arm and a second, much curvier young woman trailing behind. He proudly introduced the lady on his arm as 'my lady, Dr. Jane Foster' and the other as 'Lady Darcy Lewis, she of the mighty taser'. Darcy laughed and lightly slugged his shoulder, making the demigod grin widely. They appeared to Legolas to have something of a brother/sister relationship and it made him smile slightly again.
The smile turned into a smirk as he observed Thor introducing the ladies to the team. Apparently, Darcy rather liked what she saw when introduced to Steve and vice versa if the super soldier's blush and stammer were anything to judge by. Legolas hid his grin in his carton of curry, remembering fondly a surprisingly similar situation with Gimli at the Yule celebration he had attended with the dwarf at Erebor. He wondered idly if he would have to give Steve a nudge in the proper direction as he had for Gimli. Perhaps not, there were others here who knew Steve far better than he did. It did seem to him that Steve was lonely, though, so perhaps this would be good for him.
"Friend Legolas! This my lady, Dr. Jane Foster and Lady Darcy. Jane, Darcy, this is Legolas, an elf of Arda." Thor drew the ladies over to Legolas' corner. The elf quickly set aside his food and rose, bowing to the newcomers.
"I am honored to make your acquaintance," he said through his translator. "Thor has spoken often and highly of both of you."
"Wait, hold up. Arda? And Legolas? Are you serious, Thor?" Darcy asked, a look of mixed disbelief and delight on her face. "Seriously? THE Legolas?"
"To be fair, Darce, there were two elves named Legolas," Jane corrected. "You're Legolas of Mirkwood, yes?" she asked, turning back to the elf.
"It is the Wood of Green Leaves now, but yes that is correct," he replied, hiding his amusement. Darcy gave the petite astrophysicist an arch look over the top of her glasses.
"Just because I never read the Silmarillion," she groused good-naturedly.
"Slacker," Jane retorted, grinning. "I'm glad to meet you, Legolas. I'd like to talk to you later, if that's okay? I have questions I'd like to ask. Tony and Bruce asked for my input on the anomalies."
"I will be at your disposal, my lady. You have only to state when you wish to speak."
"Oh, tomorrow sometime will be soon enough. I've been banned from the lab until at least then," she grinned up at Thor, taking any sting there might have been in her words away with the expression on her face when she looked at the Asgardian.
"Just so," the thunder god agreed, raising Jane's hand to his lips and kissing her knuckles. "Tonight I wish to enjoy your company along with the company of my fellow warriors. You honor me by indulging me."
"Okay, I'm drowning in the shmoopy," Darcy said, smirking and giving Thor a friendly shove. "Go make Stark sick with your mushiness." Thor chuckled, drawing Jane towards the bar.
"Okay, so, would you mind if I sat here and talked with you for awhile?" the young woman, really not much more than a girl, asked, fidgeting slightly. "I mean, I really do want to talk to you, but it's just that I'm kind of the odd one out, you know? And holy crap, the Avengers, you know?" Legolas grinned.
"Tony falls asleep standing up and cannot even speak until he has had at least three cups of coffee. Bruce steals Steve's orange juice out of the refrigerator on a daily basis. Natasha steals Thor's chocolate Pop tarts. Clint travels through the air ducts and shoots toy arrows at all of us. Steve watches 'My Little Pony'," he said, pitching his voice and adjusting the volume on the translator so that only she would hear him. She giggled. "They are flawed, eccentric beings just as we are." He shrugged. "I like Miss Piggy and Kermit."
"Rizzo is my favorite," she offered.
"I think Gimli would agree with you, were he ever to watch the Muppets." He gestured to the chair next to his and she sat down. "Have you had your meal yet?"
"Not since lunch. I've been too nervous to eat."
"What do you prefer? I would be happy to bring it to you as I am still standing."
"Um, pad thai would be great. Or red curry, if there's any left. You don't have to, I can do it."
"No, remain in your seat. I will see to it." He found her another carton of the curry and both chopsticks and a fork. "The curry has shrimp, is this acceptable?" he asked, handing her the utensils first.
"Oooh, yes, yum!" Darcy accepted the carton from his hand with such enthusiasm that he chuckled.
"Refills, kiddies!" Tony swept up with another ale for Legolas, handing it to him before turning his attention to Darcy. "What's your poison, Lewis?"
"Surprise me," she replied, smirking at him. His eyebrows rose.
"Can't decide if that's brave or stupid. One 'Surprise Me' cocktail coming right up!" He darted back to the bar. Darcy looked at Legolas and shrugged.
"Stark doesn't scare me. He's a lot like the uber-brainy geeks I went to school with, just older and richer." She opened the carton and unwrapped her chopsticks, wielding them like an expert. "Plus, I've been Jane's intern, now paid research assistant for awhile now. Brainy, eccentric, and distracted I can deal with."
"Then what is it that you are nervous about?"
"Honestly? I know it's stupid, I mean Thor likes all of them and I trust him, but come on! Captain America is a living legend, Black Widow is a scary spy and assassin and she and Hawkeye are S.H.I.E.L.D. and don't get me started on THEM, and well, Dr. Banner seems like a really nice guy but his dark side is pretty scary." She huffed a sigh and shrugged. "I KNOW they're the good guys. I guess it's just a bit much."
"Bruce is very nice. He has been very good to me," Legolas said, speaking slowly and considering his words with care. "The 'Big Guy' as the others call him, I found not to be frightening at all, but we were fighting on the same side. He seemed well able to recognize that fact." He shrugged. "Natasha is a deadly fighter, but she knows well which side she is on. So long as you do not eat all of her flatbread crackers and the cheese she prefers, I deem that you have little to fear from her. Clint is a prankster. The best manner to deal with him is to play along. He likes having an accomplice, I think. As for Steve, he is a Man of much honor and integrity, but he is even more out of place here than you could ever be. He is very kind, but there is a sadness that hangs above him like the very clouds at times. I think he has lost much." He looked back at her. "They are merely people, young one." He saw her start to bridle at that, but she paused after a moment, considering.
"I suppose it's kind of like traveling with four hobbits, a dwarf, two men and a wizard, isn't it?" she asked, a hint of a cheeky grin on her face. He laughed, nodding.
"I am finding it to be remarkably so."
Ooo
"Oh, you've got to watch 'Dark Crystal'! If you like the Muppets, and you liked 'Labyrinth', then you'd like it. Actually, I can think of a bunch of movies you probably haven't seen that you'd like."
Food had been consumed, dessert had been demolished, and the drinks were still flowing. Bruce had joined Legolas and Darcy, who had quickly overcome any apprehension she had about being in his presence due to his dry sense of humor and the fact that he, like Legolas, appeared to have taken her under his wing.
"Ladyhawke. I vote for Ladyhawke. I always liked that one," Bruce said. "And 'Excalibur'."
"Never would have figured you for the 'sword and sorcery' type, Bruce," Darcy commented, stealing a swig of Legolas' ale, much to the elf's amusement.
"Hey, I played D&D in college!" Banner protested, half-smiling. She grinned at him, winking and he laughed.
"Hey, question, Legolas: what do elves do when they're teenagers and young adults that make the older elves shake their heads and bemoan the state of youth these days?" Darcy asked, taking another healthy swig of ale. The elf grinned.
"We play pranks on each other, do incredibly stupid things like daring each other to jump between treetops and off waterfalls and drink far too much wine or dwarven brandy," he replied grinning impishly. "And before you even ask, I am still considered quite young and would fall well within that category. However, Gimli is far more apt to take me to task for such things than my father is."
"Some things don't change much from culture to culture or generation to generation," Bruce commented, glancing at Steve, who was evidently trying to decide whether to or not to join the conversation. "Right, Steve?"
"Yeah, I got into my fair share of scrapes, no question. Got beat up a lot too. Couldn't keep my mouth shut or back down if I knew I was right," the super soldier said, taking a seat next to Bruce. "If my best pal, Bucky, wasn't getting me into trouble he was getting me out of it."
"Elladan and Elrohir did so for me," Legolas commented. "And still do, to an extent." He shrugged. "We are cousins, somewhat distantly, but our fathers have been friends for millenia. I spent much time with them as a child." He grinned, just a touch maliciously. "And I repaid them by teaching Aragorn everything they taught me and aiding him against them."
"So you did know him prior to the War of the Ring? I always wondered about that," Darcy mused. "How old was he when you met?"
"Five or six years, I believe. He was a very endearing child," Legolas wore a fond smile, remembering his friend before the cares of adulthood and his birthright had fallen upon him. Tony wandered up at that point, breaking the mood and handing Legolas a glass of something that smelled sweet.
"Time to change it up a little," the billionaire stated with a smirk. "I know you're good with wine and ale, so let's try something different."
"What is this?" Legolas asked, sniffing the drink curiously.
"Try it and I'll tell you," the billionaire countered, a hint of challenge in his tone. Legolas arched a brow at him but took a cautious sip. His other eyebrow joined the first and he took a larger sip.
"It is very good," he said, taking another drink.
"It's called a 'Painkiller'. Tastes like candy but will kick your ass if you aren't careful," Tony said with a grin. "You've got about as big a sweet tooth as Capsicle does, I figured you'd like it. Want one, Cap?"
"Sure. It's not like it'll kick MY butt," Steve said. "What's in it?"
"Rum, cream of coconut, pineapple juice, orange juice and nutmeg. You have to use good rum, though, or it'll taste like shit." Tony walked back to the bar and poured a second glass from the pitcher he had mixed the drink in. "Any other takers?" The replies were negative and he shrugged, returning with the pitcher in hand.
"Tony, are you trying to get me drunk?" Legolas asked, his tone both amused and faintly annoyed.
"Maybe," the genius replied with a smirk before becoming serious. "It's optional, Bow Twanger. I won't take it personally if you decline."
"Bow Twanger?"
"I'm test driving it. No? Well, I'll come up with something, give me time." He refilled the elf's glass. "'Elf-boy' just doesn't work for me."
ooo
Legolas sighed, wandering into the kitchen of the common area and rummaging in the refrigerator for a long moment before coming up with some cold fried chicken and a bottle of cranberry juice. He was a tad bit hungry, but more sad, angry and restless. 'I should have taken Tony up on his offer to get me drunk. At least I would be sleeping it off now rather than up and brooding in the wee hours of the morning.' He sighed, too melancholy even to be disgusted with himself, and retreated to his usual perch on the back of the couch. He stared out over the city, nibbling listlessly on the chicken. He heard the faint sound of movement at the entrance to the kitchen area, but know that it was one of the team, he did not react.
"It's hard, being so close but not being able to reach them." Steve commented, sitting down on the opposite end of the couch. "Tony told me what happened. For what it's worth, I'm sorry." Legolas nodded.
"Thank you." He sighed, setting the half-eaten piece of chicken on the plate in his lap and taking a sip of the juice. "One good thing that came of this is that Ada and Gimli saw me and know that I am well enough to be fighting. That is some consolation to me at least." He looked up, meeting Steve's gaze. "I have not lost hope. I have faith that Tony and Bruce, and now Dr. Foster as well, will continue working on this until they reach a solution. I only wish I was able to do something. I do not like feeling helpless."
"You aren't," the super soldier stated bluntly. "You're helping us fight the things that come through the anomalies and you're providing the Brains with as much information as you can so they can do their part of it." He grinned faintly. "And you're giving Bruce something to focus on besides his own problems and giving Clint someone to shoot with. Believe me, that helps a lot." He chuckled suddenly. "The only other thing I can think of that you could do is play tag with him and Natasha in the air vents and keep them out of Tony's and Bruce's hair while they work. Clint and Nat are a pain in the neck when they're bored." Legolas chuckled faintly.
"I can do that. I will mention my sudden fascination with air vents when I see Clint later today," the elf said dryly.
"I thank you and Team Science thanks you," Steve said with a laugh. "It's not their fault that they're bored; they're just too recognizable now to do covert work any more and they aren't used to having that much downtime. I get it, I really do. I wasn't used to it either." He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "People forget that what was 70 years to them was an eye blink to me. The war I fought in was last year, not 71 years ago by my perception. I'll probably never totally adjust to that."
"Believe it or not, I rather know what you mean. Time passes differently for elves than it does for the other races. We can get wrapped up in something that interests us and when we notice the world again, a century has passed. That is not a problem for most of my people, as they tend to limit their contact with the other races, but for those of us who interact regularly with Men, dwarves and hobbits it is devastating." He looked at Steve again, a wealth of sadness in his eyes. "I would not change the road I have traveled, and I believe I am better for the friends I have made, but I will pay a high price for it in the end. Other than Gandalf, I will be the last of the Fellowship one day and that day will arrive far sooner than I would ever wish."
"And that's why this is so much harder for you: you're missing time that you could be spending with them while you're stuck here." Steve grimaced in sympathy.
"Exactly." He gave the super soldier a rueful smile. "And now I have gained another set of friends that I will miss terribly but who I would not have wished to have gone without meeting."
TBC