(Author: Jennzah)

Gandalf the wizard furrowed his brow.

He'd been searching for the home of his friends, Legolas and Jairah Greenleaf, for some time now. He knew they lived in the woods of Mirkwood, but he did not know exactly where their home was. Three years ago, they had left Rivendell with the intent on hiding themselves from the rest of the world, only for a short time.

A short time turned into three years, but then Gandalf had been visiting his friend Frodo Baggins, in the Shire, when a little butterfly had come to him, telling him that the two elves wished to see him. That had been about a month ago, and he had journeyed to Mirkwood to see them.

Now if he could only find where they lived! They had hidden themselves well. He doubted that even King Thranduil, Legolas' father, knew where they dwelt, though they had decided to stay in Mirkwood, in which both of them had been born.

After what seemed like the fifth circle he turned in, Gandalf felt a presence behind him, and he smiled. "Master Legolas," he said,
turning. "How nice of you to turn up."

Legolas smiled back at him. "Having trouble, my friend?"

"Yes, it would seem so. You two are impossible to find!" Gandalf extended his hand to Legolas and they shook hands, then embraced briefly.

"How do you fare?" Gandalf said, as they started walking.

Legolas beamed. "I am quite well, my friend. Happy."

"And what of your wife? How does she fare?" Gandalf asked, his eyes twinkling.

"She is well, radiant. You will soon be able to ask her yourself how she is." Legolas stopped underneath a thicket of trees, and looked up.

Gandalf looked up as well. Right above him, he saw nothing but leaves. But he knew better.

"Master Legolas, i have been past this thicket FIVE times today. Not once did you come down to stop me from going past it??" Gandalf asked playfully.

"Oh, come now, Gandalf," came a female voice. "What would have been the fun in that?"

"Lady Jairah," Gandalf said. Her voice had come to him in his head. "Your wife seems to think that it was some sort of game." He said to Legolas, whose eyes twinkled.

"She wondered how long it would take you to find us, and then sent me after you. "

"You have hidden yourselves well, there is no question." Gandalf smiled again.

"Legolas, bring him up." Jairah's voice came from up in the trees.

Legolas looked at Gandalf, then sprang up into the trees. Gandalf followed, floating himself up with the power of his mind and staff.

Through the leaves, high up in the trees, was their home. Gandalf couldn't believe his eyes, it reminded him greatly of Lothlorien,
though not as expansive. The house itself stretched over several trees, and was room enough for the two of them.

"My friend, i am impressed." Gandalf said. "Did you build this yourselves?"

Legolas nodded as they walked to the door. He opened it, and Gandalf and he entered.

"Gandalf!" Jairah's voice preceded her as she came down the stairs to greet him. Only her face was visible over the high railing of the staircase.

She ran to him, a blur, and threw her arms around his neck and embraced him.

"Lady Jairah! How lovely to see you!" he said and as she pulled away, he took a good look at her.

She looked exactly the same as the day she and Legolas had been married. Her long blonde hair was twisted away from her face in the front and made to hang down long in the back. She wore a deep green dress on her little frame. Gandalf noticed that her belly was swollen, and smiled at her.

"A child?" he asked the both of them, as Legolas went around to pull Jairah into his arms.

Jairah's eyes shined at him as she nodded. "Soon, too." she said. "Oh, Gandalf. Im so glad to see you!"

"And I you two. I had thought that you two had gone over the sea, or vanished completely. Our friends ask of you."

Gandalf looked at the two elves, who stood with their arms around eachother, and felt their happiness. But he also sense some troubled feelings in the air, coming from Jairah. He pushed the thoughts aside and listened to her as she spoke again.

"Of course, we didn't intend to be away for so long. Thats just how it worked out. We travelled after we were married, a little. But we have been here for a long time. We are sorry to frighten you, and our friends."

Gandalf smiled. "I am sure they will forgive you. and they will rejoice in the new life you carry, Jairah."

The smile on Jairah's face dimmed a little, but she shook whatever thought she had in her head away. "I must admit, it came as a
surprise to us." She looked at Gandalf, as Legolas released her and went to get some tea.

Gandalf came up to Jairah and took her face in his hands, and looked in her eyes.

"Something is amiss, Lady, " he said, tenderly. "I can feel it in you."

Jairah looked at him sadly. "Yes. But it is not to be talked of now, not right now." she whispered. "Later." she backed away as Legolas came back in.

They sat and talked long into the night, and then all retreated to rest. The next morning Gandalf came into their main room, to find Jairah staring out the window after Legolas as he went down into the woods.

"Jairah?" Gandalf said.

Jairah turned around and smiled. "Good morning, Gandalf!"

He smiled at her, then bade her to sit down. "Something is troubling you, Lady Jairah. Please. Tell me what it is."

Jairah sat down and then looked at Gandalf with small tears in her eyes.

"You are right. Legolas knows of this, but i wanted to talk to you about it, because you know more of magicks than him and i could possibly ever."

She stopped, and looked down at her stomach, rubbed it gently, and then contiuned. "I have had dreams of Reighn. Dreams of her and the shadows, in her time. I do not understand them. But i think that she is calling to me for help, and i do not know how to get to her. That is one of the things that troubles my mind."

Gandalf looked at her intently. "And the other?"

Jairah looked at him fearfully. "The other Legolas does not know of, though i am sure he feels it." She took Gandalfs hand and placed it on her swollen belly.

"Tell me, Gandalf, what do you feel?" She looked at him, her hand atop his on her belly.

Gandalf eyes widened, then closed as he concentrated on the life that grew inside of Jairah.

When he finally opened his eyes, he looked sadly at Jairah, who looked at him in fear.

"Something is wrong with our child, isn't there, Gandalf?" she said quietly.

Gandalf nodded sadly. "I was afraid of this, Lady Jairah." he said sullenly.

Jairah looked at him expectantly. "Tell me, please, Gandalf. I must know."

Gandalf didnt want to tell her, he was sure it would break her heart, but he continued. "Jairah, your child will be born dead."

Jairah froze in her chair, tears coming into her eyes. "But, why? I did not think that something was that wrong, only that the child might be sick in some way....."

Gandalf rose from his chair and walked to the window. "You were taken by the Dark Lord, and tortured by him. You were touched by him. No being that is touched by the Dark Lord can bear life." he turned and looked at her again, she was still sitting in the chair. "You were lucky to come back alive from that. The life you carry will grow to a certain point, and then die inside of you."

Jairah had tears streaming down her face. "How cruel of the Dark Lord to do this to me. To Legolas! He is so happy, he wants a son. or a daughter, it does not matter. How can i tell him that we will never have children?"

Gandalf placed a hand on her head. "We must tell him. Then i will perform a healing spell to take the child out of you, and to save you both from any further grief."

Jairah nodded at him, though she still cried. And at that moment, Legolas returned.

He immedately went over to Jairah, and knelt before her. She had not cried in so long and it brought immediate worry and fear to his heart. He looked up at Gandalf as he kissed her hands.

"Gandalf? What has happened?" Legolas looked at him expectantly.

Gandalf didnt know where to begin, so he just came out and said it. "Legolas, the child your wife carries, it will die."

Legolas looked at him with large eyes. "How do you know this?" he asked.

"She was touched by the Dark Lord. No soul that is touched by the Dark Lord can ever wield life from it again. The child will die inside of her." Gandalf touched his shoulder. "I am sorry, my friend."

Legolas looked heartbroken. He stared off for a minute before he turned back to his crying wife. "Shh, love, it is alright." He kissed her cheek and held her tightly, looking back at Gandalf.

"What do we do?" He said, cradling Jairah as she cried.

"I will perform a spell to take the child out of her, for i am certain it is already dead. Then i will perform a spell so that grief such as this will not happen to the both of you again."

Legolas stared at him for a minute before speaking again. "So she will not ever be able to bear children?"

Gandalf shook his head. "No, my friend. The life will only die inside of her. It is not her fault. I will fix it so this will not happen to you again, so this sort of pain can be spared." He looked at Jairah who was sobbing into Legolas' arms. "I am sorry," he said again.

Legolas rose off the floor and picked Jairah up. He kissed her again as he led Gandalf up the stairs into their bed room, and laid Jairah out on their bed, so Gandalf could perform the spells.

(Author: Alasia)

    "Daddy!"
Boromir pushed himself away from the blue Ford Explorer that he was leaning on and knelt as his daughter flew into his arms. He picked her up and held her close. Four years ago he would not have expected this, four years ago he had entered this amazing world and had married Reighn, and now, his daughter would be turning four in two weeks. The little girl only knew a few words, like 'daddy' and 'mommy' and of course the classic 'no', but she was still a happy little girl.
"Did you have fun baby?"
"Yes."
"Good, let's go home," he said, and buckled her into the back seat. He and Reighn had moved to America six months after they
returned to this world, because the shadows seemed to be concentrating themselves there. They now lived in the San Francisco Bay area and were quite happy - mostly.
    They fought the shadows with everything they had, and they had at least two encounters a week. Things were getting rather bad here, and they had recently found out that other Celts from abroad were moving to the city to help. In fact, that was the only reason why they allowed Rhiannon to go to daycare - Her teacher was a Celt. The times were getting worse, and no one knew about it. A war a begun overseas and the world's view was on that as if it would end the world.
    Boromir moved around to the other side of the car and opened his door to get in when he heard and Irish accented voice call his name. He looked up to see Jenna Murray coming toward him. She looked slightly relieved to have caught him before he left and she rushed up, pulling him away from the car, "It's gotten worse."
He turned white, "How? Where?"
"The peir," she replied, "I've just gotten word from Annea. She says there are six shadows still attacking, and she says that two more are headed in our direction."
"Take Rhia and hide her inside, get your things and get ready to fight. Where's Reighn?"
"She was the first to arrive at the peir. We don't have enough power to defeat them if they start attacking in bulk like this! Only Reighn has enough power to kill so many at a time, and then she's out of comission for days afterwards," Jenna replied.
"I know," Boromir said as he moved over to the side of the car his daughter was on a and pulled her out of the car.
"Daddy?"
"Baby, I want you to go with Jenna, okay," at the little girl's nod he continued, "I want you to do everything she says to."
"Okay," she said, and hugged him before Jenna led her off.
    Boromir waited until they entered the building to move around to the back of the car and pull out his armor. He quickly dawned the armor he had not had to waer except for in battle and put it on, looking like the Boromir he had been in Middle-Earth. He pulled out a silver long-sword that held intracate Celtic ingravings and runes and strapped it to his side. The sword was known as Mhias, the brother sword of Athair. Jenna dashed out of the building wearing Celtic armor that magicers used. The woman did not know weaponry and could not weild a sword worth her life, so she chose to stand back and spell cast.
"Two?"
"Aye, that's what my sister said."
"You can't stand back in this one Jenna, I need you to hold one off while I kill the first, then, if you haven't destroyed it, I will help you," he said. She nodded in response and the pair looked up, watching as the two Shadows approached them from the air.
"Earth and Fire," she said, getting a look at their eyes, "compatibles."
"Take the Fire Demon," Boromir replied, "You are gifted in Water are you not?"
"Yes."
    Nothing eles was uttered as the Shadows landed and the Earthen one charged Boromir, he brought Mhias up and slashed off one of the creature's arms - the battle had begun.

*****

    Fisherman's Warf was in chaos. Shop windows her shattered and rides destroyed. There were holes in the actual peir and what civilians were left in the area were running around to and fro screaming. Reighn graoned and pulled herself up out of the glass and shells that she'd been thrown into by the Dream-Weaver Shadow she had been confronted with. She was the only Dream-Weaver in the City - in fact, she was the only one in the country. As the other ten Celts had arrived she had been left with the strongest on. The others had split up into pairs and confronted each of the other five Shadows, and were now scattered all over the Peir and down the street aways.
    She climbed out of the shop and stood there, waiting for an attack that she knew would come. Athair lay quiet at her side, for here, he was useless. Suddenly she was hit with a mental barrage, the Shadow had surfaced all of her bad momories and created turmoil in her mind. She fell to one knee in pain while she tried to erect enough sheilds so that the Shadow could not attack her mentally. It took her all of five minutes before she suddenly sprang to her feet before the unaware Shadow and punched him. The power she poured into that punch caused the Shadow to fly backwards for almost ten yards before it crashed into the carousel. She followed, preparing to attack with the power of Earth. The Earth around her erupted and huge rocks from the water below rushed up at her command and hurled themselves at the Shadow.
    Her barrage ended as quickly as it had begun when the Shadow began to destroy the boulders with its mind. She growled at it and threw all of the elements at it all in one strike. Suddenly she stumbled as pain seared trough her shoulder. Her vision clouded and she was suddenly in front of Rhiannon's day care center watching as Jenna and Boromir fought two shadows. Boromir had been slashed across the shoulder by an Earth Shadow, his clothes were slowly becoming stained with red. She looked around frantically to find Rhiannon but realized when she did not find her that the little girl was hiding inside the building.
    The feel of her body impacting water brought her back to her own mind. Her eyes snapped open and she was surrounded by sea water, the peir was above her. She sent out a call and a group of sea liaon swam up, helping her to the surface and launching her into the air. She landed on the peir and quickly took in the situation. Four of the six Shadows were dead, and three of the five pairs of Celts were out of comission, two pairs now faught the last, and were unaware of the Dream-Weaver headed directly toward them. A sneer crossed her face and she powered up, the magical energy creating a baseball sized orb in her hand. The raw power seared the area with light and she launched it at the Shadow that wasn't fighting. On impact it exploded and the Shadow was gone - all that remained was a ten foot by ten foot hole in the peir.

*****

    Boromir stopped the car in front of his house and carried his sleeping daughter inside and up the stairs to her bedroom. He closed the door behind him before heading to the kitchen and the first aid kit. When he got there he found Reighn sitting at the table shirtless, pulling glass and peices of shell from her skin. He stripped off his armor and shirt before walking over to her and helping her remove the last bits of it and helped bandage it. She turned to him and smiled gratefully. A large cut sat above her right eyebrow, cleaned and treated. He sat down next to her and she began to clean the gash on his shoulder, wincing as she shifted.
"I felt this when you got it," she said softly.
"You did," he questioned.
"Aye," she replied, "It was searing. Made me leave my own mind and leap to the day care center. I was thrown off the peir next thing I knew. It took raw power to destroy the most powerful one."
"And what of injuries?"
"All minor," she said, "cuts and brusies, no one was directly scarred like you. And Jenna?"
"Jenna got a cut on her cheek and maybe a couple of bruises. Rhia was hidden away inside the building," he told her as she began to wrap the wound, "There a meeting?"
"At the Murray's place," she replied, "their brother Derrik is a healer. The one gift I wish I had right now."
A smile crossed his face, "You have all of the gifts but Fire and Healing, love. I'll call Mrs. Daneils and see if she'll watch Rhia for us, you go change, and I will while you wait for her."
She nodded and stood, leaving the room.

*****

    "We cannot fight like this forever," Susan McDermott said.
"No, we cannot. Our numbers are not great enough to do so," Annea Murray replied. Her brother Derrik nodded his reply as he
continued going around the circle, healing the wounds too great to hinder regular life.
"We haven't a choice," David O'Rourke said sternly, "If we don't fight then all of San Francisco will be under the darkness."
"We cannot aford to lose another city," Danny, David's brother, said, "We lost Atlanta in three weeks. We must keep San Francisco, it's too close to L.A. and San Deigo."
"There isn't anything we can do but fight," Boromir spoke, "And hope that help arrives."
"And hopefully it will soon," Reighn said, drectly to her husband, "That is, if Jairah manages to decipher my message. We need her power and Gandalf's."
Boromir sighed, "If she cannot not decipher what it means, then Gandalf will. There's no telling what will happen until they do, but we can't lose hope."
"Who are these Jairah and Gandalf," someone asked.
Reighn's eyes closed and she sighed, "Jairah is one of us, a Fire weilder, one of the few. I felt her awakening four years ago, she's from the past - thousands of years in the past. Gandaalf is an immortal wizard. His power is greater than I could ever hope to become - Though I might end up as powerful as he is if we keep having to fight as we are."
"How can you summon someone from the past," Jenna asked.
An indigant look crossed over Boromir's face, "I'll have you know that I was born and grew up in that timeline, thank you."
"We cannot explain," Reighn said, "It is too complicated, and is better left unknown until the time comes."
"If they arrive we want a full account," Annea said.
"And you will have it," Reighn replied.

(author : Jennzah)

Gandalf closed the door to the elves’ room. He’d just finished the spell that would prevent Jairah from ever conceiving again, and his heart was heavy. He felt the pain of both the elves, for both their hearts ached. He had left Legolas with his wife, so that they might console each other.

He walked into their main room, and sat before the fire, making ready to smoke his pipe, for he had brought with him the weed of the Shire. As he sat there, thinking deeply about what had just happened in the rooms above, his thoughts moved to what Jairah had said earlier, about having dreams of Reighn, and the shadows. How she thought Reighn was calling for help.

Gandalf closed his eyes, and concentrated. He knew of the magicks that Jairah bore in her blood, and that belonged to the sorceress from the future.

He found himself in the web, and he quickly found a thread of energy that was connected to the sorceress, which was also being sent out to Jairah. He latched onto it, and rode it untill he felt his body being pulled through a portal, and he landed with a thonk outside some sort of house.

He stood up, it was night, and the air was thick with smog. He looked at the house, it was very different than anything he'd seen before. Several houses of the same sort surrounded it. He closed his eyes, and he knew that this was the house of Reighn.

He went up the wooden steps and knocked on the door with his staff. The door was opened by a man that Gandalf once knew, though he did not look much like his old self anymore.

"Hail, Boromir of Gondor," Gandalf said, smiling. "Although i believe it is of some other title you go by now?"

Boromir did not believe what he saw. It had been four years since he'd seen the Wizard, and it felt like an eternity longer.

"Gandalf!" Boromir said, smiling back at him. "Reighn! Come quickly!" He moved aside so that Gandalf could enter their home, for he looked quite strange in this world.

Reighn came down the stairs, she had been putting Rhia to bed. She smiled when she saw the wizard.

Gandalf smiled back. "Hail, Reighn O'Haire," he said.

Reighn came forward and embraced Gandalf for a moment. "Gandalf! So good to see you!"

"And you, though im afraid i haven't come on a social call, dear sorceress." Gandalf said, the smile fading from his face.

"No, i thought not." Reighn said. She motioned towards the living room, and they all went and took seats. Gandalf picked a stout wooden chair, and not the modern couches.

They all sat in silence for a moment, before Reighn spoke.

"Well, Gandalf. What news of Middle Earth? How is everyone?"

Gandalf smiled a bit. "They are all, for the most part, well. Though i have just been visiting the Greenleafs, which is why i am here to speak with you.." he said, looking at Reighn.

"Has Jairah heard my calls?" she asked intently.

"That she has. But she does not understand your cries for help. She voiced her fears to me, and that is why i come here."

"The shadows here are getting too strong," Reighn said. "I need her help."

"I am under the impression that you have several of your kind now fighting the Shadows, Reighn. Why do you need Jairah to help you?" Gandalf sat back and looked at her.

"The Shadows are too many for us. They attack more and more frequently. Jairah is stronger than most of the Celts that fight with me, she is a Fire-Wielder, and a Healer. I need her help, very badly."

Gandalf looked at Boromir and Reign grimly. "I do not think it wise for you to seek her help, Reighn."

"Why? I dont understand, Gandalf." Reign looked to him for answers.

Gandalf sighed. "Since you left Rivendell, it has been three years in Middle Earth. And for three years she and Legolas have lived in peace, in the forests. She has had no need for the power that runs in her blood. In fact, she has neglected it almost entirely, though it grows within her. She has not bothered to learn to use it fully."

Reighn grimaced. "I am not surprised. Middle Earth is a save haven now, she would not need to use it. But i cannot say that im not disappointed. She has such power in her veins. She could heal the land of Mordor if she so chose."

Gandalf shook his head. "Jairah's only wish was to live happily with her husband, who has also gained some sort of strength in his blood. Their power, when combined, is quite great. But they do not know this, nor do they want to. They have had no reason."

Reighn stood up. "They can be taught to use it. If we had them, we could get rid of the Shadows forever. I do not see why we cannot teach them to use it! Gandalf, my people are dying. Cities are falling. I cannot just stand by, and know that there is a power so great to stop this madness, and not use it!"

Gandalf put a hand up to silence her.

"As i have said, Reighn, it is not wise to seek their help, especially that of Jairah, right now. I cannot go back there and ask her to help you, it is not a good time." Gandalf looked sadly at the both of them.

Reighn sat back down, subdued. She felt a great sadness coming from Gandalf. "Gandalf? Something is wrong, please, tell us."

Gandalf closed his eyes, and sighed.

"The elves were to have a child," he said. "But when i came to their house, Jairah confided in me that she felt something was amiss with the baby inside of her. And in fact there was."

Reighn and Boromir exchanged a look, and then looked at Gandalf. "What was wrong, Gandalf? Did they bring their child into the world without problems?"

Gandalf shook his head sadly. "No. The child was dead, inside her. I had to explain to her and Legolas that because she had been touched by the Dark Lord, that she would never be able to wield life from her body. And this came as a devastating blow to the both of them. As you know, Legolas and Jairah are heirs to the throne of Mirkwood, the last of their Kind to be. They will not be able to carry on their line. But that is not what made it so hard for them. To know that they could concieve life, but never bring it into the world, i think was the hardest for them, especially Jairah."

"How terrible for them, " Reighn said softly.

"Indeed." Gandalf said. "I performed a spell to take the dead child from Jairah, and then one to ensure that heartache of this kind will not happen again to them. Already i fear that it has taken its toll on their souls. There are only two ways for an elf to die, and one is in battle. The other is grief."

He looked up at Reign again. "So that is why i say that you must not ask Jairah to help you now. She is fragile, and she is out of
commission. She doesn't know how to use her powers, not fully, and i believe that to place this burden on the both of them is too great a thing to ask, atleast, right now."

Reighn closed her eyes. "You dont understand, Gandalf. The shadows grow in number and strength every minute that passes. If we do not stop them, we will all die! My daughter will die!"

She sat down, shaky with anger, putting her head in her hands. Boromir came and sat next to her, trying to comfort her. He looked at Gandalf.

"She fights almost every day now. It is taking its toll. I've seen these things, Gandalf, and they are worse than any beast i've battled with back in Middle Earth. Things in this time are far more harsher, and stronger."

Gandalf looked at him, and at Reighn, and sighed. "I cannot ask her now, my friends. She is too fragile. Imagine if you were told you could not bring life into this world."

Boromir looked at him. "We asking her to SAVE lives, Gandalf."

(Author: Alasia)

    The room fell into silence after Boromir said this, and soon, Reighn could not take it and spoke, "If Jairah cannot help us, then will you Gandalf?"
Gandalf looked up at her in surprise, "I cannot."
"You cannot," she asked, her voice trembling, "You can't or you won't? You have the power to help destroy these creatures, you have more power than I weild, and yet you say you cannot? I spend every moment of every day on watch for any disturbances in the city. We have lost so much, our numbers grow thin while Challan's forces grow in strength and numbers. All of my people look to me to do something to save our world, and I cannot answer them!"
Boromir quickly wrapped his arm around her and a small voice came from the top of the stairs, "Mommy? Daddy?"
The trio looked up to see Rhia standing at the top of the stairs rubbing her eyes. Gandalf's eyes widened at the sight of the little girl as Reighn spoke, "What is it sweetie?"
Rhia turned huge emerald eyes to her mother, "I had a bad dream..."
Reighn smiled sadly before standing and scooping her daughter up into his arms and leaving silently. Boromir turned back to Gandalf and spoke, his voice deadly, "If our daughter dies because of your stupidity I will hunt you down and kill you a thousand times over."
Gandalf stared at the man, who had never voiced such a threat, even when they were the Fellowship. Boromir continued, "If Jairah cannot help us, and you will not, then I will make you. Take Rhia back to Middle-Earth with you until we come for her. At least there we know she will be safe."
"You do not know of what you ask me," Gandalf said.
"I do not know," Boromir stood, "Why in hell did I allow Reighn to send to you and Jairah for help?! Oh, wait, maybe it was because I thought that you had a good soul. Gandalf the White, you are a disgrace to your kind!"
Gandalf rose, "Watch yourself boy."
"Watch myself," the blonde's voice rose, "Whatch yourself old man! I have to much to do here, and too many lives to protect to stand here and give a rat's ass what you tell me!"
"Boromir-"
"No," Boromir said, cutting the wizard off, "You are wasting our time. If you will not help us, then leave. We have no time to play games with you - unlike you we have the fate of the world on our shoulders, and our people look to us for guidance. We have lost three major cities to the Shadows -We have lost London, Paris and Bejing! We cannot lose San Francisco or we will lose L.A. and San Deigo as well! We have no time."
"What are these places you speak of?"
"These places are as important as Rivendell, Lothlorien and Minas Tirith Gandalf - and they have fallen!"

"Boromir, Rhia wants to see you."

The two men looked up at Reighn as she came down the stairs and Boromir nodded, giving a last glare to Gandalf and leaving. Reighn turned to Gandalf, and in a deadly voice, "You are not welcome in our home Gandalf, if you will do nothing but sit here and let people die when you have the power to change this course."
"Reighn," Gandalf said, "You do not understand-"
"I SAID GET OUT!!!!"
Gandalf stared at the raging sorceress in front of him before sighing in defeat and heading for the door, "You know not of what you speak Reighn O'Haire."
She barked out a harsh laugh as he turned on the doorstep, "I do not know? If I am not mistaken I am the one waging a magical war in a world where Magic no longer exhists. You are out of line Gandalf. Go back to Middle-Earth. I will leave Jairah be, only because I love her as I would a sister, but right now, you have less than my respect."
The door slammed shut in his face and the light flashed off, leaving the wizard plunged in smog-filled darkness. He could not help but wonder if he had made the right decision by refusing to help them.

*****

    Boromir sighed and ran a hand through his short hair, causing it to be less orderly than it already had been, as he shut the door to Rhia's room. Reighn appeared at the top of the stairs and walked into his arms. Once there she began to cry, she cried tears of heartbreak, sadness and anger. He placed his head on hers and let her cry. Over the fours years that they had been in this world, his haircut had not been thoe only thing to change - he no longer had a full beard, but a goatee.
"Why does this have to happen?"
He looked down at her, "Let us wait a few days, then I will take Rhia to Middle-Earth with me and make them see how badly we need their help."
Her head shot up, "You would do such a thing?"
"We need this beloved," he replied, "We cannot win without their help."
She nodded and he continued, "But let's not dwell on it, we will later."
He leaned down and kissed her, pulling her closer. She moaned slightly before melting into his embrace and allowing him to lead her into their bedroom, where they held each other until dawn.

*****

    Two weeks came and went before Boromir was ready to leave. He now stood in his living room wearing a blackened ring mail tunic over black breeches and black boots. His undertunic was the same burgundy as he had worn so long ago and dissapeared into worn gloves. His black cloak hung over his shoulders and Mhiras was strapped to his side. Rhiannon stood next to him, latched to his hand in a small, elegant elven stlyle dress. Reighn stood in front of them, the gate in the doorway that seperated the living room from the dining room and kitched. He kissed her feircely before picking up Rhia and allowing her to say goodbye to her mother. Then he stepped through the gateway.
    His sudden appearance in Rivendell went unnoticed and he realized that Reighn had chosen a remote archway for the trip. Boromir streched his senses and realized that the entire Fellowship was here for a reunion. He sighed and looked down at Rhia. She was clutching the rim of his cloak in fear and he kissed her forehead, "It's all right baby girl. We're safe here, we're going to go meet some of Daddy's friends."
She nodded slightly before leaning her head on his shoulder and he turned with a determined look toward the main building.
    His clothing clashed greatly with everything else, his clothing was strictly that of a Celtic warrior. He strode into the building and down the hall, stopping a confused elf to inquire after the Fellowship. He discovered that they were in the council chamber that was no longer used as such. He sighed and walked toward it. Boromir stopped just outside the room and watched as the people he had thought he'd known laughed and talked. He hugged Rhia before whispering in her ear and setting her down. he ruffled her blonde curles before she ran forward.
    She entered the room timidly before walking over to the female elf on the other side of the room. Jairah stared at her as she
approached and the room went silent as she climbed into the woman's lap and hugged her, "My Mommy says that everyone needs a hug."

"She did say that didn't she Rhiannon?"

the group looked up and Gandalf's eyes went wide, none of the other's recognized him, "Boromir..."
The man nodded curtly to the wizard, "Hello Gandalf."
"I hoped that you had thought about the situation," Gandlaf said.
His eyes darkened, "Of course I have. It's only gotten worse. We've lost two of our team since we spoke last wizard."
Rhia sat where she was as she stared at her father, "Daddy?"
Boromir's face immediately softened and he turned to her, "What is it munchkin?"
"Why is that man being so mean?"
The innocent question caused even more silence and Pippin fell over. Boromir walked over to Jairah and Rhia and sat down, "He's not being mean sweetie."
"But he yelled at you and Mommy..."
"I know," Boromir said, "But things like that happen when people are angry and confused. It doesn't mean that he's being mean."
"Why?"
"So many questions!"
Rhia giggled and turned to look at Jairah, "You have pointy ears!"
Jairah smiled at the little girl in her lap, "I do. All elves do."
"They do," Rhia said, "I've never met an elf, Mommy said that they don't live in San Francisco."
Boromir laughed and kissed Rhia's head, "They don't Muchkin."

(Author: Jennzah)

Jairah looked at the small mortal child. She had smiled because the child had spoke about the ears, but inside the pain was eating at her, though it had been considerably lessened since the first day.

Before the child and Boromir had come in, the group had just come together. This was the idea of Gandalf, meant to lift the spirits of Legolas and Jairah.

When he'd returned to Middle Earth, it had been daytime and Legolas had been looking for him. Gandalf told him not a word of what had been spoken of with Reign and Boromir, it was not the time. His compassion for the elves was strong. He'd gone to speak with Jairah, but she had not wanted to talk, just sitting on her bed, knees drawn up to her chin, staring out the window. So Gandalf had left her be, and then gone back down to tell Legolas that he was indeed leaving, and had set to work getting all of the Fellowship back to Rivendell. Aragorn and Arwen were already there, it was the Hobbits that he had to pull away from the Shire that was the problem. They were reluctant to leave, but at the persuasion of Frodo, they had all relented. Then Gandalf had to find Gimli, who was travelling far out by Fangorn. But he'd gotten them all to agree to the trip to Rivendell, and then had gone back to Mirkwood to persuade Legolas to bring Jairah.

And now they were all here, reunited. and Jairah tried to be happy to see her friends. They all knew of the hardship that had befallen her and Legolas, and they all gave words of encouragement. And so her pain was lessened. But still her heart ached. She looked at her husband, and she loved him. And that should have been enough, because he loved her too, and they were one.

But there was a hole inside of her, a slowly shrinking hole, but a hole nonetheless. She wanted it to go away, she wanted to be happy again.

She sought council with Elrond. And she would meet with him soon, he would perform a ritual to make the pain go away quicker.

And now Boromir, come back from the future, had arrived, bringing with him his daughter, Reighns daughter. And the child sat in her lap, and poked at her ears.

"All elves have ears like this," she'd said.

"Mommy says they dont live in San Francisco!" the little girl said.

"No," Jairah said, looking at Legolas. "We do not. We live in the trees, all over the place. I live in a place called Mirkwood." She looked up at Boromir. "You have a lovely daughter, my friend."

Boromir smiled kindly at Jairah, for he knew what pain was behind those words. "Thank you, Lady Jairah." he said. "I was sorry to hear of your misfortune."

Legolas took Jairah's hand. "Thank you for your condolences," he said. "What has brought you here?"

Boromir looked at Gandalf again, whose eyes darkened, and he shook his head slightly.

"It is not the time now to speak of these things." Boromir said. "Let us just rejoice that we are all back together, friends, after so long."

"Where is Reighn?" Jairah asked, as Rhia jumped from her lap and went to inspect the hobbits.

"She did not come this time." Boromir brushed the question away. "She sends her love."

Jairah looked at him curiously, untill Elrond came up to greet Boromir. "Hello, friend from another time." They shook hands and then Elrond looked at Jairah. "Lady Jairah, are you ready?"

Jairah nodded, and looked at Legolas, who squeezed her hand and kissed her forehead. "It will be alright, you'll see," he whispered to her. "We will be happy again." She nodded and then went with Elrond, to some unbeknownst place.

Legolas watched her go, his face a little sad, and Boromir put his hand on his shoulder. "Where is she going?" he asked.

Legolas looked at him, after a moment. "Elrond is going to perform a ritual on her, to make the pain go away faster. She is afraid she might die of grief, and she only wants to be happy again."

Boromir looked at Legolas. "It pained me to hear what happened, my friend. " he said quietly.

"Thank you." Legolas said. "But i think she will be alright, in time. It is harder for her. Before we knew, she carried the child for six months. She so wanted to be a mother, and not a warrior anymore. I will not deny that i had been looking forward to being a father, but if it is not to be, it is not. We cannot change these things. Now i wish only for her to be happy again, so that we may live our days long and fruitful, before the time we wish to go over the sea."

Boromir looked at Gandalf, who was watching Rhia play with Merry and Pippin, leapfrogging, and took Legolas aside.

"The warrior in her will never die, my friend. She still has power yet in her veins." he whispered.

Legolas looked at him with wide eyes. "Of what do you speak?" he asked.

"I speak of the power that flows through you both. You know what power, it is in your blood. You may have forgotten you two wield it, for you have no use of it now. But back in my time, we are in dire need of the power to fight the Shadows." Boromir kept glancing hastily at Gandalf, who was still watching the hobbits and Rhia play.

Legolas looked at him, quiet, but Boromir could feel the tension in him. "You are right. We have had no need to use it. I am afraid it has been forgotten, by her. I never really learned how to use it, and i possess so little of it anyway."

Boromir shook his head. "That is where you are wrong, my friend. She is strong yet, and you are stronger than you know. Your power grows everyday. Together you make a force strong enough to take down the Dark Lord in Mordor, in his day. She is strong enough alone to make South Gondor a fruitful place again, along with Mordor. Can you imagine how strong you two are together?"

"What are you asking, Boromir?" Legolas asked. "For me to convince her to go to your time and fight off the Shadows? She is not a warrior anymore. I cannot ask her to do that. My mind would help you, but my heart says that i need to be cautious for my wife, because of the state her heart and mind are in."

"I am sorry, again, for the tragic events that have burdened her heart, and yours. But people are dying, Legolas, cities are falling, much like it once was here during the time of the Ring. The power of you and Jairah combined is enough to wipe out these Shadows, forever. I am telling you I need your help." Boromir looked intensly at Legolas, who glared at him.

"And I am telling you, that i will not let you burden my wife with this! Perhaps, in time, she will be ready to help you. But not right now. It is too soon, Boromir." He shook his head. "You are not to ask her. Do you understand? Or you will feel the sting of my arrows." He backed away from Boromir.

"You and your daughter are welcome to stay here as long as you wish. But you are not to say one word to her, about the Shadows in your time. Do you understand?" he repeated.

Boromir closed his eyes, and nodded, as Legolas turned on his heel and went out of the room.

What was he to do now, he thought. He had seen Jairah, and through the words of Legolas he knew it was not the right time to ask her. But what of the Shadows back at home? What were they to do, without the power of the Elven-lovers? He had no idea.

(Author: Alasia)

    Two days passed in quiet silence as Boromir wondered what they were supposed to do. He knew they could not abandon their people, their hearts would not let them, but he knew that without the help of those he came to seek that their fight would be futile. His worry over Reighn was eased when he felt no pain from her. The Celtic wedding that they'd had had bound their souls, so that they would feel each others pain. He sighed and looked down into the courtyard, watching Rhia play with Merry and Pippin.
"You are troubled my friend?"
He turned to Aragorn, "Yes. I have many reasons to be."
Aragorn moved over to stand next to him, "You have changed much."
Boromir sighed, "I have at that. And I am only still here because Rhia seems so happy. She is safe here."
"Safe? Would she not be safe in your world?"
"No one is safe in my world Aragorn."
"What do you mean?" It was obvious that the King of Gondor was confused.
"I-"
White hot pain lanced across Boromir's abdomen and he leaned over the railing by which he stood, clutching it. He gasped as his vision went white for a moment. He vaugely heard Aragorn call his name, but he was yanked from his body and back into his own world. He appeared on the Golden Gate Bridge to see all of the members of the San Francisco team fighting. He turned and saw Reighn on her knees, hands clutched to her stomach, blood pouring from the wound. A Shadow charged her and she drew steel for the first time in four years. Athair was brought up and was used to decapitate the shadow, Reighn then collapsed as the group's Healer ran toward her.
    His vision came back to Rivendell to find all of the Fellowship standing around him. He quickly noticed that he was on his knees and he looked up and watched as Rhia tried to push through the adults. She managed to get past and she ran up to her father, he held out an arm and enveloped her in his embrace. He kissed the top of her head before standing slowly, taking her with him. Rhia continued to cling to him, whimpering.
"Hush," he whispered to her, "Everything's going to be okay."
"Where's Mommy?"
Boromir's eyes widened and pain filled them, "Mommy's at home sweetie. Mommy's going to be just fine."
The little girl nodded before Arwen took her and walked away, Boromir throwing the elf a grateful look.
"What happened?"
Boromir turned flaming eyes to Gandalf and slammed the wizard against the wall, "If Reighn dies I swear!"
Gandalf's eyes went wide, "What are you speaking of."
Boromir let the man go and turned away from the group, "I came here to keep Rhia safe Gandalf, and now it looks as if I will lose my wife in trade for my daughter's life."
Shocked gasps filled the room and Jairah stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder, "How do you know this."
He turned pained eyes to her, "When we were married our souls were bound together, making us one. Any great pain that is inflicted on me she will feel, and vice versa."
"Then that was not normal?"
"No," Boromir said, "I chose not to involve you in this because your pain is so great..."
"Invole me in what Boromir?"
He sighed and pulled away, looking out over the gardens, "In the War."
"War," Gimli asked, "What War?"
"The war over the fate of my world," Boromir said, turning to the group, "The war in which good is losing."
They stared at him, but he continued, "When we got back four years ago the war had worsened. The Celts had lost London and Bejing, and Paris was about to fall. The casualties were bad, only because we have so few to fight. We fight in a war that the world does not know about because Magic no longer exhists to them."
"What are these places?"
"Those cities are as big a casualty as if you lost Lothlorien, Rivendell and Minas Tirith to Mordor."
"You had better tell us everything," Elrond said.
    A scream filled the air and Boromir's head shot up, "Rhia!"
Mhiras was out and ready as he ran down the corridor swiftly. He turned the corner to see a Shadow standing over Rhia and Arwen. His eyes narrowed and he charged, tackling the Shadow and rolling to his feet. The shadow hissed and its eyes glowed light blue. An Air Shadow. Boromir stood in front of the two females on the ground protectively as the Shadow spoke, "Move Human."
Boromir raised an eyebrow, "That doesn't work on me Shadow."
"Give me the girrrrrl..."
Boromir's stance was immediately defensive, "You'll have to kill me first."
"Have it yourrr way."
The Shadow charged, claws ready and Boromir stood ready. He blocked the attack with his own, leather-clad arm and aimed at the creature's mid-section. It moved at the last moment and aimed a blow at his head. He ducked and performed a roundhouse to its head, forcing it back by ten feet. The Fellowship watched, gape-mouthed as they fought, unable to comprehend how much better Boromir's skills had become. The Man threw a magically charged fist into the creature's stomach and brached himself as he was thrown across the courtyard and into a wall. He sprang back up and drew on the power that he now shared with Reighn before throwing bolts of lightning at the Shadow. He ran forward, bringing Mhiras up and bringing it around in an arc. It came across the Shadow's stomach as it moved at the last momet and the thing hissed in pain.
    Boromir jumped backwards about ten feet and the two combatants stood staring at each other. Boromir glanced down at his shoulder and saw that his half healed shoulder had been re-opened. He groaned inwardly, realizing that he wasn't going to have any help magically this time and parried a blow from the Shadow's claws. He performed an uppercut to the creature's jaw and quickly decapitated it. He collapsed to one knee, leaning his forehead against the cold metal of the sword. His breathing was ragged and his eyes closed.
"Daddy!!"
He spun and dropped the sword in the dirt and opened his arms to his daughter. She ran into them, crying, "It's okay baby. The bad thing is gone."
Rhia hiccupped and buried her head in his non-wounded shoulder. He picked her up, and bent, retrieving the sword and sheathing it at his side. He walked foreward, exhaustion shown in every movement and walked toward Rhia's room. By the time he got there, the little girl had cried herself to sleep, and he tucked her in before exiting the room and closing the door softly. He ran a hand over his face and looked up at the Fellowship, "I never stopped fighting."
The statement was plain and he walked toward the healing hall, followed closely by the others. When he got there he stripped off his ring mail shirt and under tunic and sat, and elf almost immediately there, working on cleaning the wound on his shoulder.
"You act as if being wounded like this is normal."
Boromir grimaced and looked up at Elrond, "In my life, it is to be expected. We only have one Healer, so this would was only half healed before that Shadow reopened it."
Jairah sat down across from Boromir, "How did it get here."

"That's easy to answer."

"David. What the hell are you doing here," Boromir said as the Celt entered the room.
"You Lady wife sent me," David said as he stopped in front of Boromir, "It seems as if your visitor three weeks ago left a hole in the gateways."
Boromir's eyes narrowed, "How bad?"
"Bad enough for the Shadows to get through. Reighn sent me to help you close the gap before the Shadows chose to attack this world as well," David looked around at the group around them and spoke again, "And it looks as though I've arrived just on time."
Boromir let out an ironic laugh, "Yeah, well, an Air Shadow thought it would be fun to go after Rhia."
David's eyebrows shot up, "Where is the Munchkin?"
"Sleeping," Boromir replied, "David, I'd like you to meet some friends. These are Aragorn, Arwen, Legolas, Jairah, Frodo, Sam, Elrond, Pippin and Merry, and Gandalf. Everyone, this is David O'Rourke, a member of the San Francisco team. Gandalf's our culprit. But he left in a hurry, so blame me, I blew up on him."
David raised an eyebrow and nodded to the group, "You blew up? I can't see you doing that Boromir."
"Blew up," Merry asked, "Boromir's right there, he can't have blown up."
David and Boromir laughed and the red headed Scot mussed Merry's hair, "It's an expression."
"Uncle Davy!!!!"
The kilted man turned in time to swing Rhia up into his arms, "Hey Munchkin!"
Rhia hugged him and tugged on a lock of his hair. David chuckled and turned back to the group, "You explain."
"I was working on it when the attack came," Boromir replied, standing and pulling on his armor, "We'll continue later after Rhia goes to bed."

(Author : Jennzah)

Jairah sat alone, high up near to the falls of Rivendell, deep in thought.  She had turned on her heel and fled from the room where
everyone sat, when the strange friend of Boromir had arrived. One hand played with her hair as she thought, staring out to the crashing water.

She was still trying to comprehend the feeling she'd felt when the Shadow had appeared. She'd been frozen to the spot, but she'd felt a stirring inside of her, a sense of power that she'd not felt in years.

She knew she had power in her veins, but had neglected it after she and Legolas were married, there had been no need. The only time she'd ever used it was to speak to the butterflies, to send messages to others, but this was a commonly known power. The power to communicate mentally with her husband came from their shared blood, and the fact that they were elves.

The rest of the powers, she'd forsaken. She didnt need them. In fact she didnt even want them. There was much she didnt know of it.

"That is correct, my child." Gandalf said, coming up behind her. "There is much you dont know about what flows through your veins."

Jairah looked at Gandalf. "Did you know what was happening in Reighn's time? Is that why she was calling for help?"

Gandalf sighed. "Yes. I went to assess the situation, to ask her why she called on you. And when she told me of the War, she asked for your strengths. But you must realize, Jairah, i told her not to ask you. I did not believe that it was a good time to ask you. You were, and still are, in a very fragile state. Plus you do not know how to grasp your powers. It could prove deadly for them and you."

Jairah lowered her eyes to the falls again. "Is it true, Gandalf? Are people dying there?"

Gandalf nodded. "Yes, my Lady. People are. Boromir brought his daughter here to protect her, and to ask you to help them."

Jairah looked at him. "But he did not ask me. He said he did not wish to include me."

Gandalf smiled. "Boromir would have asked. He intended to. But it was the wish of your husband that he did not. I overheard a
conversation between the two, and Legolas clearly stated to Boromir that he not ask. In fact I believe he even threatened him with an arrow if he did. His heart seeks to protect you, Jairah, just as mine sought to also."

Jairah looked at Gandalf, with tears in her eyes. "For that i thank you. I am lucky to have you as a friend, dear Gandalf. But this
troubles my mind, it does. Do you know, when i saw that shadow, i felt the power stir inside of me, though i did nothing?"

Gandalf's face lost it's smile. "Jairah, what your husband said, is true. You are not a warrior anymore, though i am sure that if you were put into battle, you would have no problem defending yourself. You have proven time and again, in the olden days, that you were a strong fighter. But it has been a long time since then. And this power inside of you has manifested, grown. You do not know what you wield. It is stronger than anything I have ever seen. And this evil, in their time, is bigger and darker than anything you have ever faced. These are no mere Orcs, nor are they Uruk-Hai."

Jairah was silent for a moment. "Gandalf, I have been in the very heart of Mordor. I have been in the presence of the Dark Lord, and survived torture by him, despite its horrid repercussions. I have slain my share of Orcs, goblins, and those Uruk-Hai. And yet you say that the evil there is bigger than all of this. I tell you, Gandalf, what do I have to lose? If i cannot wield life, i must do what i can to save it, shouldn't i?"

Gandalf looked at her sadly. "You are very brave, and valiant. But i fear that the power, once you grasp it, could change you. You would not be Jairah, wife of Legolas, future Queen of Mirkwood. You would become something else, something terrible. Power is not always a good thing."

Jairah looked at Gandalf. "But people are dying, Gandalf. You said so yourself. I do not wish to become something dark, but i cannot stand by and know that people, Reighn's people, are dying. She once saved me, you know that. Now I may be able to help her, like i helped Frodo long ago. It is the same thing."

"No! It is not the same, Jairah. When you helped Frodo, you helped him conventionally, you protected him with your skill with the bow and the sword. Your own Elvish wits, senses. You cannot help Reighn this way. To help Reighn, you must embrace the power thats inside of you, the magic. You have never used it! It is so great it might overtake you. It is what happened to your mother!"

Jairah's head snapped up, her eyes wide. "What of my mother?" she said. "My mother died, long ago, bringing me into this world!" Her eyes scanned Gandalf, almost glowing with intensity.

Gandalf closed his eyes. "Your father told you that, this is true. But it is not what happened to your mother, Jairah. Your mother was very powerful. Have you ever heard the tales of the "Elven Witch of the Brown Lands?" He looked at her.

Jairah nodded. "It is a well known tale in Mirkwood, but the Witch is just a myth." she sat down again.

Gandalf shook his head. "No. It is not a myth. Your mother was the Elven Witch. You know the tale. It tells of an elf who posessed great powers, almost those as strong as the Lady Galadriel herself. The powers of the Witch were great, so great that they poisoned her mind into thinking that she was the rightful Queen of the Elves, and so she set out to take Nenya, the ring that Galadriel bears, one of the Three, from her. Into Lothlorien she went, and she met her end, because the powers of Galadriel were, in the end, greater. This happened right after you were born, Jairah. She left your father, and you, and dwelt in the Brown Lands just south of Mirkwood.  She was responsible for the death of your father."

Jairah sat silently, tears falling down her face. "No. I wont believe it. Its not true!" she started to shake.

Gandalf looked at her gravely. "Your mother commanded a number of Orcs and Goblins. One night, she sent them into Southern Mirkwood, to the home of you and your father, to retrieve you. She wanted to yoke the power inside of you for her own use. Your father, and many of the Elves of Mirkwood fought off the Orcs, as best they could. Thranduil was one of them, he and your father were friends. But your father was killed. Thranduil fought to protect you, which is why you went to live with him, he hid you away from your mother, untill she met her end."

He paused. Jairah was staring him, her amber eyes full of tears. She had her arms wrapped about herself.

She shook her head. "It cant be true. It's not true!"

Gandalf sighed. " I do not lie, Jairah, daughter of Sandros. This is why i tell you that i fear for you, because you possess the same amount of power, if not more."

Jairah started back at him, breathing heavily. Then she turned her head to the open window and called "Legolas! iquista tulesse!", before looking back at Gandalf, the pain evident in her eyes.

Legolas came sprinting up the stairs, into the room. He'd heard her call, he could hear it even if he was miles away. She sounded
distressed, and he did not like that.

She was sitting on the ledge of the window, her back to the falls behind her, her arms about herself. There were tearstains on her face, and he went to her, took her face in his hands, and kissed her forehead before turning to look at Gandalf. She leaned her head into his chest as he did.

"What did you say to her??" he asked. "What has happened?"

Gandalf looked at him. "I told her about her mother." he said. Legolas just looked at him blankly. "Surely your father told you of it?" Gandalf asked.

Legolas eyes became wide. "Only once, when i was younger. I thought it was just a myth he made up to frighten me."

Gandalf shook his head. "It is no myth. That was Jairah's mother. and Sandros died at the hand of her Orcs, in a battle for Jairah
herself."

Jairah let out a small cry, and Legolas turned to her again. "Shh..." he said, sitting on the ledge next to her. Then he turned back to the wizard. "Gandalf! Why do you tell her such things? She has had enough pain! I will not allow for this anymore." Back again he turned to Jairah, who was looking past him, out to the falls again, gasping for air like she was being suffocated.

Gandalf looked at the elves. "Legolas, i am sorry. I did not mean to upset her. But she was speaking of going to Reighn's time, to fight the shadows. And her power is so great, like her mother. I do not want to see it poison her, like it did her mother."

Legolas looked at him, and then looked down at Jairah, who had stopped shaking, but now was stonily silent, staring at Gandalf.

"I will not be like my mother, Gandalf. My mother had no heart, if what you say about her is true. But i do. I would use my power to help Reighn, and then return here, never to use it again." She said. "I will go to Reighn's time, and help her."

Gandalf closed his eyes. "Jairah, i do not think that is wise." He looked at Legolas, a sort of pleading in his eyes, as if to say 'dont let her do this.'

Jairah stood up. "People are dying, Gandalf. People would have died if Reighn had not come here, and helped us all. I would have died at the hands of the Dark Lord. He would have re-emerged, and we would all live in darkness. And so i must go there and help, all I can." She looked at Gandalf hard.

Gandalf looked back at her. "If that is what you wish, then you will take your husband with you. Though i suppose he was already planning on going with you, were you not?" He looked at Legolas.

"Yes. I will go. Boromir spoke of the power, that runs through us. He said together that Jairah and i could stop these Shadows. Is this true, Gandalf?"

Gandalf nodded. "She is stronger than you, but your power has grown considerably. I will also go with you, to complete this task. I am fearful for you, Jairah. I will go to protect you. Come. Let us go tell Boromir of our decision, and see what must be done."

(author: jennzah)

Boromir had just put Rhia down to sleep, in a room that Elrond had graciously provided. He stroked his daughter's hair, and thought of Reighn, back at home, fighting the shadows. He closed his eyes when the thought of how Legolas had spoken to him rang into his brain, how he had seen the contempt on his features. He was just trying to protect Jairah, Boromir reasoned. Had their roles been reversed, he probably would have reacted the same way, his only thoughts to protect Reighn.

He sighed, and rose from the child's bed and went out, closing the door quietly behind him, then he walked towards the council area once more. Jairah and Legolas sat there, talking softly in rapid Elvish, and Boromir could not understand what they said. He meant to walk past them, and just give them a smile, but Gandalf stopped him in his tracks, and pulled him off to the side.

The wizard did not look happy. He leaned on his staff, and when they had gone around the corner from the council area, he looked at Boromir strongly.

"You have gotten your wish. The Lady Jairah will go to your time, and help you fight off the Shadows." Gandalf stared at Boromir, waiting for a reaction.

Boromir did not believe his ears. "if this is a trick, sir wizard, it is not a funny one!" He went to move past Gandalf but then looked in his eyes, Gandalf was not lying.

Gandalf shook his head sadly. "She will go, despite my pleadings for her not to. There is more at stake here than you know, Boromir. She and Legolas will travel with you to your time, and will help in the battle. I will also go, to protect her."

Boromir gave him an odd look. "Why would she need to be protected, if Legolas is going? Surely he is enough to protect her..."

Gandalf sighed. "The magick in her blood is very strong. She needs to be protected from it, and from the Shadows. Legolas cannot do that alone, for he knows not what she wields. I will go. There is no argument here, Boromir."

Boromir reasoned with himself. He did not want to let Gandalf back through to his time, but he had to admit to himself that if Gandalf wanted to go to protect Jairah, he would find some way. He was very powerful.

"Right then," Boromir said. "We will leave in 2 days. Teach Jairah all you can about the power in her blood, for the Shadows will surely feel the presence of them as soon as we arrive. She will need to be on her guard, both of them will."

With that, Boromir walked past Gandalf and into the woods, relishing the greenery that he'd missed for so long.

**

Gandalf watched him go, and he sighed. He looked at the elves, who were sitting silently together now, probably speaking to one another in their minds.

Gandalf remembered the day the two elves had been married, how happy they had been. now they both had battle on their minds again, adventure. He wished he could go back and erase all that had happened to them in such a short time.

He remembered two other such elves who had been happy together at one time, Sandros and his wife, Aduariel. When Jairah had claimed that her mother had had no heart, she had been wrong. But Gandalf had lead her to believe that.

Aduariel, before she had succumed to the powers inside of her, had once been a very heartful person. Sandros and she shared a love that had been timeless, before the power had taken her and she lost all ability to feel, except for that of envy, and power. Sadly that had been almost directly after Jairah had been born. Aduariel did not cherish in the new life she'd brought into the world, in fact she disdained it. It was the power telling her that she had passed it on, that it was no longer hers alone.

Gandalf had been friends with Sandros, for many years. Jairah did not know this. The heartache that Sandros suffered after Aduariel had left him had been great, and would had been the end of him, had it not been for his daughter, who brought him much joy. But Sandros carried the grief of the loss of his love untill the day he died. It had weakened him.

Which is why Gandalf feared for Jairah. Sandros had not been able to protect Aduariel from herself, and his love for her did not save her. Instead, his love for her would be his end, fighting for the life of their daughter. Gandalf feared that Legolas' love for Jairah would not save her from what could be her fate. He knew he must speak to him, tell him of what the past fortold of the future. Legolas, he knew, would fight to keep Jairah from succumbing to the power.

So now he called to the elf, who reluctantly left his wife's side, and walked over to Gandalf. "What is it, Gandalf?" he asked, his blue eyes searching the wizard.

"I must speak with you," Gandalf said, motioning for him to follow. Legolas looked back longingly at Jairah, who had her eyes closed and appeared in deep thought, then followed Gandalf.

They settled in an area, not far from the hall of healing. Legolas winced at those doors. The last time he'd seen them, he'd been
waiting for Jairah to come out, for she'd been scarred by the Dark Lord.

"Now, Gandalf," he said, looking at the Wizard as he sat. "What is it?"

Gandalf drew in his breath, and began to speak. "It is about this journey, which you and Jairah are about to embark on, more
specifically, it is about Jairah herself. About the power in her blood."

Legolas looked thoughtful. "Yes. I have been wondering about it, it worries me. Something in her has changed, in this little time since we have spoken about going to Reighn's time."

Gandalf closed his eyes for a moment. "She is becoming aware of the power. She has determination, which altogether might not be such a good thing. Determination was what got Aduariel killed, her own selfish determination."

"But if the story is true, Aduariel's determination was that to take over Lothlorien and the elves," Legolas said. "Jairah wants to help save Reighn's people."

"You are right. Jairah has more heart than Aduariel did. But Legolas, this you may not know. Once, Aduariel was just like Jairah, full of love, life, and heart. It was only after the power corrupted her that she became ruthless. We must stop that from happening to Jairah. And that task will have to be carried out by you, for you are the one being who loves her above everything else. Sandros could not save Aduariel. But he was not wise to the power, he did not know. You do, you possess some of it. You must watch her, carefully, Legolas. You must make sure that the love you feel for her, the love you two share, overpowers that power inside of her."

Legolas nodded, though he was a bit conflicted. "She knows i love her, just as i know she loves me." he said. "She is my life."

"Yes," said Gandalf. "Love will be our only defense against the power. Your love is very old, very strong. You were children together. I am hoping that all of this will help. Sandros and Aduariel did not have a love as strong as yours, for it was broken way too easily.. " Gandalf said these words to himself as much as to Legolas, coming to realizations. "Yes," he said. "I believe you can stop the power from taking Jairah."

Legolas, though he did not want to ask the question, sprouted it anyway. "Gandalf.." he said, his eyes turning a bit darker, "What would happen if i could not stop the power from taking her?"

Gandalf smiled sadly at him. "When the power took Aduariel, she left Sandros for the Brown Lands. She left no word, no reason. She just left, and began her plot to try to overcome Galadriel. Sandros was left with his baby daughter, and a broken heart, for he loved Aduariel, just as you love Jairah. It became the end of him, eventually, though it was an Orc blade that slew him, that battle for his daughter's life. But part of his will to live was gone, after Aduariel left him. Love is quite powerful, Legolas, as im sure you know."

"You didn't answer my question, Gandalf," Legolas said. "What would happen to Jairah?"

"If you could not stop this, Jairah would become cruel. She would forget that she ever loved you, and she would become something terrible, like Aduariel, power-hungry and ruthless. She could command any living being she chose, and she would kill, just like Aduariel did. She would not be the gentle creature you once knew. She would become dark. And with the powers inside of her, which i believe to be double what her mother possessed, she could become dangerous. And we would have to end her existance, for we could not allow such a being to come back into existance."

Legolas had his eyes closed, from the moment Gandalf had mentioned killing Jairah, if the power took her. "I could not bear that," he said. "I could not. I will not let the power take her, i will not."

Gandalf smiled again. "I know you won't." he said. "You love her greatly. It should be enough. You must remind her though, remind her of your love constantly. When we get to Reighns time, it will be harder to do so, she will be made to fight. But when we return here, you must do all you can to banish the power from her, go back to your lives in Mirkwood, your happiness. Love and happiness will stop this.."

Legolas nodded, and rose from his place and quickly went back to where Jairah sat, now speaking to Pippin and Sam, a small smile on her face when she saw her approaching lover. He walked swiftly, swiftly to her, and swept her up in his arms, kissing her as he did. She laughed, something that she had not done since before they had learnt about their child dying.

"Legolas!" she giggled, sounding like she did when they first had fallen in love. "What has gotten into you?" she smiled as he kissed her cheek again and looked at the hobbits, who had amusement playing in their eyes.

"You must excuse me, young hobbits," he said. "I need a word with my wife.." And with that he carried Jairah to their room, and closed the door.

***

Elrond's spell had worked. Jairah had just spent the happiest two days that she could remember in a long time. She and Legolas had frolicked around Rivendell, and hidden themselves away in their room. She felt loved, filled. The days had been filled with laughs, kisses, skin, eyes, and love.

Now, as she laid sleeping, intertwined with her lover, one of her hands laced in his, and the other softly stroking one of his bare arms, she began to dream.

She saw Reighn, who was pacing the floor of her home, in her time. She was calling out for Boromir, she was worried. She knew that he was in Middle-Earth, but she wanted him back, she wanted him home. The shadows were becoming stronger, and the Celts had fled away from them, and they were all hiding right now.

She heard Reighn call out her name. "Jairah!" she called. "Hear me. I need your help, please. I need you to help save my people. They are dying. Please, come to us, come help us..."

She was cut off when the windows of her home exploded, and a huge shadow thing burst in, and started hissing at her, and she prepared to attack it.

Jairah heard Reighn's screams, as she fought it off, and then the shadow grabbed Reighn, and hurled her out of the window. Reighn hit the grass outside, hard, wincing. She was alright, but the shadow loomed over her....

Jairah awoke with a start, a gasp coming out of her lips. She pulled her hand from Legolas' and pushed herself up as best she could, as Legolas' legs and arms were locked around her possessively. He was startled awake with her gasp, and as she let herself fall back down to rest on the pillows again.

He felt the fear and concern in her heart. "What is it, my love?" he asked, kissing her gently as he did.

"Reighn," Jairah said. "I have just heard her call to me, in a dream. The shadows are attacking. One attacked her in my dream. We must get there as soon as possible, Legolas. I think she is in real danger."

Legolas stroked her hair, kissed her forehead. "We are leaving in a few hours, Gandalf is going to take us all there. We will help her, Jairah. Reighn is strong, she will be able to fight off the Shadow that attacked her. " He nuzzled her, and she smiled. The fear in her heart was quickly replaced by love, love so strong it threatened to make her burst.

She looked up at him, looking down at her, his eyes twinkling, and she leaned up and kissed him gently again. "I love you, Legolas." she said, after she'd pulled away. "So much it threatens to make me burst!" she giggled, again like when she was younger. This warmed his heart all the more. She knew, he wouldn't let the power corrupt her.

He took her head in his hands, and touched their foreheads together. "I love you, as well, if not more, Jairah. I will always love you, i have always loved you. We are one, you and i." Then he kissed her again, and desire in the hearts of both of them took over, their lovemaking pushing the thought of imminent battle ahead of them out of their minds once more.