Don’t look for trouble, it will come to you

Willow sighed as she drank her juice. She was for the most part, enjoying her stay in LA with Angel although it was brought about by something horrible. After Tara died and Buffy said she couldn’t do anything to the little bastard who killed her because he was human Willow lost it. She took matters into own own hands the only way she could, by using the black arts. With her natural magic so strong, she could not control the power she possessed and soon was consumed by her rage and hatred. It was a very dark time for her and no one understood; hell no one cared. It wasn’t ‘Buffy’ so it wasn’t important. Willow had hoped they would offer help and try to find a way to control what was inside her but no, they just turned on her. She was dying physically aentaentally because of the magic and heartache. The fact that no one cared or wanted her around anymore was more then she could take.

Packing all her clothing and niceties she could into a black duffel bag she decided to leave Sunnydale and her former friends. With no idea where to go she handed the attendant all the cash she had, “How far will this get me?”

The lady behind the counter looked at her, “Not far honey, even on a bus. Looks like LA is your destination.”

Willow sighed and took the ticket. This was just great; she was leaving to get away from people she knew and going to the place where Angel lived. Oh well, she thought, LA is a big town we won’t have to cross paths. Something inside her was screaming that she needed to find Angel but what was left of her pride wouldn’t let her; so, she did the only thing she could when she got off the bus, she walked the streets.
Her first night in LA she was mugged, all her things stolen, the rest of the time she either tried to panhandle or prayed for an end to her miserable life. After a couple weeks Willow sought out the Hyperion and Angel.

Much to her surprise Angel and Wesley were waiting for her. When she walked into the lobby, Angel pulled her into a crushing embrace then scolded her for worrying him so much. Turns out that Cordelia is like vision girl now and saw her coming to LA. She was stunned that they wanted to help her, in fact Wesley and Angel insisted on it. Wesley preformed a binding spell to with hold her magic powers until they could teach her to properly control them. They held no malice or hatred toward her instead they knew her pain and soothed her aching heart. Not once did they pass judgment on her; in fact they both spent sleepless night holding her as she cried over the things she had done and the withdrawals from the dark magic that had once flowed through her.

That was two years ago and today she was a powerful white witch and a major part of Angel Investigations. The downside to all of this was that she had fallen in love with Angel and he had fallen just as hard for her. It didn’t bother Willow that they could never really ‘be together’, after all there was a lot more to love then sex. Angel on the other hand was being torn apart. As always he worried about her, the fact that they could never be together and that he could never give her the life and family she so deserved. Willow knew Angel felt that way and it broke her heart to watch his anguish. She could see how much it hurt him not to take comfort in her for fear of losing his soul again and she couldn’t stand it. She was going to do what had to be done and leave LA.
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Meanwhile in another dimension, in a place called Middle earth a ring of great power was found in the hands of a Hobbit named Bilbo Baggins. He found the ring while on one of his adventures fifty years in the past and had kept it a secret until now. You see this Hobbit felt the need to leave his home in the safety of the Shire and head out for adventures once more; after all today was his eleventy-first (One hundred and eleventh) birthday.

A great wizard known as Gandalf the Grey, an old, dear friend of the Hobbit had learned of the magic ring but until just recently had not known it’s true power. Gandalf had talked Bilbo into leaving the ring to his young cousin and heir, Frodo Baggins. He told a very confused Frodo to keep the ring until his return, “Keep it secret, keep it safe”.

The very next night Gandalf returned and told young Master Frodo that he must flee the Shire. Horrible evil was after that ring, Ringwraiths would search him out and cause more anguish and death then he could ever imagine. This revelation of course terrified the young Hobbit and he tried to get Gandalf to take the ring. The wizard told him he could not take the ring because he would want to do ‘good’ with it and the ring was forged by pure evil. Even the purest of hearts would turn evil with that ring and for some reason Frodo had been chosen by the higher powers to be the ring bearer.

Frodo set out on his adventure, albeit a forced one, with three friends from the Shire Samwise “Sam” Gamgee, Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck and Peregrin “Pippin” Took. The four young hobbits cut through the woods; careful toy ofy off the main roads until they reached a town call Bree and an Inn called The Prancing Pony where they were suppose to me Gandalf and get farther instruction. Unfortunately Gandalf had not arrived and Fordo had gotten himself into a bit of trouble; a mysterious Ranger called Strider saved him.

Strider knew of Frodo and his journey with the ring and also knew of the horrible Ringwraiths that followed them. Although Frodo was wary of trusting the stranger he agreed to go with him to safety when he found out Strider was a friend of Gandalf’s.

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Gandalf journeyed to see his elder Saruman the White to seek advice about the ring only to find that he had fallen under the dark powers of Sauron. Sauron was the original great evil that forged the ring millennia ago, yet his soul lived waiting for the ring to once again bring him into power.
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Back on the Journey with the Hobbits, the five arrived at the Elf Woods of Rivendell. Gandalf was also there having escaped his evil captor Saruman. He knew the others had arrived and sought out the Elf King Lord Elrond. Lord Elrond agreed that the ring must be destroyed and called a meeting with all the powers of Middle Earth, as they would be the ones affected if the ring was not destroyed.

The counsel learned that the only way for ringring to be destroyed was to take it to Mordor and cast it back into the lake of fire from whence it was forged. A great argument broke out over which one of them was going to take the ring, if they could even make it through the tertiary and evil of the land of Mordor or even if it should be destroyed until Frodo announced he would take the ring. Gandalf told Frodo he would help him to find his way on the quest. Strider, whose real name is Aragorn; the true King of Gondor offered to accompany Frodo. Legolas, Elf Prince of Mirkwood and close friend of Aragorn stood and offered himself to the quest as well. Gimli, son of the Dwarf King aagreagreed to go. Boromir, Lord of Minas Tirith, a human, stepped up also and of course Merry, Pippin and Sam refused to leave their friend.

“So it shall be,” Lord Elrond spoke, “Nine shall be for this quest and they shall be called The Fellowship Of The Ring.”
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Chapter 2

The next morning as they set out on their way, Lord Elrond pulled Gandalf to the side, “Wizard I am in way of knowing that two of the fellowship shall fall and two strangers you shall meet along the way. One will be a great warrior and the other a great wizard. I fear however that I do not know if the two that fall will fall the fall of death.” Lord Elrond extended his hand to Gandalf, “Namaarie mellonamin. Aa’ Menealle Nauua Calen ar’ malta.” (Farewell my friend. May your ways be green and golden.)

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Willow was preparing to tell Angel goodbye when Wesley came running into the hotel waving a bundle of papers. “You will never believe what I found!”

Angel smiled, “From your excitement I would wager to say it was some great prophecy.” The vampire grimaced, “It’s not the end of the world again is it? That’s getting so boring.”

Willow playfully slapped his arm and chuckled. “What is it Wesley?”

“It’s the dimensional scrolls of The Fellowship!”

“What the hell is that,” Gunn asked as he walked into the lobby.

Wesley told him the legend of a place called Middle Earth and the last great alliance of men and elves. When he was finished Gunn’s jaw was dropped and he hid a Chuckle.

“You’re trying to tell me that in another dimension there are elves, dwarves and hobbits running around trying to find a gold ring?”

“Destroy it actually, “Wesley corrected. “It’s not that hard to believe really. After all the demons and monsters we have seen here it’s truly not that far fetched
Gunn pondered the thought for a moment and decided Wes was right, “So, what do the scrolls say?”

Wesley’s shoulders dropped, “ I’m afraid I don’t know. It’s written in an unknown language.”

Willow patted his back supportively; “We’ll figure it out Wes. Let’s see it, maybe Angel will know what language it is.”

They spent hours trying to decipher the strange text to no avail. Wesley and Willow continued to work on the decryption while Gunn and Angel went out on a case. They returned a couple hours later after dusting the nest of vamps to find Cordy and Conner laughing hysterically.

“What’s so funny?” Gunn asked

Between laughs Cordelia panted, “He.. he thinks,” more laughter, “these scrolls are… are true!” They both erupted in a fit of laughter again.

Angel rolled his eyes and put his weapons away. He had hard feelings toward both his son and Cordelia now; why wouldn’t he? After all Conner tried to kill him and Cordy betrayed him by sleeping with his son. He loved Willow so it wasn’t jealousy, more like disgust that she would have sex with his son! “You two of all people should know that other dimensions do exist. Wasn’t it you Cordelia that introduced the ‘Vampire Willow’ to the good town of Sunnydale because of a stupid wish?”

Cordy’s mood turned somber, “Ok, first that was Anya’s fault for being a vengeance demon and granting the wish and what crawled up your butt and died?”

Willow saw Angel’s eyes flash gold and hugged him whispering where only he could hear, “Forget her, she’s not worth it Angel. One day she will see her mistakes, I just hope it’s not too late.”

Cordy, who once again was laughing at the scrolls attempted to read from it. “Irma haeannon. Dagin en taur’ ohtar” (dimension door to Rangers Bane)

“Cordelia!” Wesley yelled. “You never read aloud from a text you can’t translate! You don’t know what you will conger!”

With a brilliant flash of white light a vortex began to open in the lobby of the Hyperion. “Not again,” Gunn groaned.

The force of power the vortex bared was more than they had ever witnessed. With out warning Angel was sucked in to the vortex followed by Willow. The gaping hole quickly closed as if it had the only two people it intended to take leaving the remaining members of AI standing in shock. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Willow landed roughly on her backside letting out a small yelp. She quickly realized the sun was shining, “Angel!” Her eyes searched frantically, afraid he would catch on fire from the sun.

“Willow?” Angel groaned as he held his ribs. He’d hit the trunk of a tree hard when he came flying out of the vortex.

She rushed to his side, “Angel the sun! We have to find you shelter!” She looked at him for a moment, suddenly realizing he wasn’t burning, “Why aren’t you burning?”

He had to laugh at her expression, “I don’t know. It must have something to do with the dimension.”

“Can you still, you know, Grrrr?” Angel’s features changed then went back to normal. “I’d say that was a big yep,” she smiled.

“Shh,” Angel whispered as he jumped to his feet, his vampire senses picking up the sound of footsteps. He quickly spun ad tod to find a man, with long blond hair and silver-blue eyes pointing an arrow at his chest.

Willow gasped as two other men walked out of the woods. One looked to be 8 feet tall with silver hair; dressed all in gray. The other looked to be in his mid twenties with dark hair; dressed in black and silver.

The blond was the first to speak, “Ya naa lle? Manke naa lee tuula?” (Who are you? Where are you from?)

“I..I’m sorry. We don’t know what you’re saying,” Willow stuttered.

“My friend asked who you are and what land do you journey from?” The dark haired man asked.

“My name is Willow and this is Angel. I’m afraid you won’t believe me if I tell you where we are from.”

The dark man looked to his blond friend, “Legolas n’ndengina ho.” (Legolas don’t kill him.)

“Man ka lle merna mellon,” (If you wish my friend) the blond answered lowering his bow.

The tension eased and the dark one extended his hand to Angel. “My name is Aragorn, this is Legolas, Gandalf,” he pointed to the woods where more people were emerging, “Gimli, Boromir, Frodo, Merry, Sam and Pippin.”

They all shook hands then Gandalf spoke, “You are the two the scrolls spoke of.”

Angel groaned, “Not more scrolls.”

“What would your kind know of celestial scrolls?” The small man in armor, Gimli, growled.

“It was a scroll that brought us from our dimension to this one,” Angel offered. Turning to Gandalf, “How do you know the scrolls spoke of us? What did they say?”

“The Fellowship of nine would meet two strangers along the way. One will be a great warrior of the light and the other a great white wizard.” The old one paused for a moment, “I assume you are the warrior so where is the wizard?”

Angel pulled Willow forward, “She is powerful in white magic.”

“A woman,” Boromir scoffed! “What would a woman know of magics and wizardry? Women are for decoration, nothing more! Lets be off, we have not time for this foolishness!”

Angel felt Willow begin to tremble and stepped away pulling Leg wit with him. Before anyone could question his actions a bolt of electricity shot from Willow’s fingertips striking Boromir square in the backside. With a smile on her face and a glare in her eyes she spoke, “Only a man who feels threatened by a women’s power would say something so arrogant!”

Everyone burst into laughter as Boromir sat on a near by rock and sulked.

Legolas stepped forward, “I hate to intrude but we have not time for this. We must move now.”

Aragorn knew something had spooked his companion, “Mani naa ta Legolas?” (What is it Legolas)

“Glamhoth!”

The dark one turned to the small men, “We must keep moving. There are Orc near by.


Chapter 3

It was nightfall and the new companions had learned much about each other. One secret remained though, the fact that Angel was a vampire. Willow leaned against Angel warming herself by the fire. “Who would have guessed back in high school that I would one day be in the presence of a Prince and a Wizard?” Willow beamed as the others laughed. “What is it like being an Elf Prince, Prince Legolas?”

“Please, its just Legolas,” he said uncomfortably. “I should go scout the woods,” he said as he made a hasty exit.

Willow looked at Gandalf as Aragon stood and went after Legolas, “I didn’t mean to offend him.”

“It wasn’t you young one,” the wizard assured her. “His past haunts him and rightfully so. Although he is a prince, Legolas has never considered himself above or better then anyone else and when it came time the time of the first great war against the evil trying to destroy Middle Earth he was the first to volunteer to go. After the war was won, due mostly to the Elves, Legolas stayed on for a second journey.”

The wizard continued, “That time, he was helping people who had lost everything in the Great War. He and his men helped to rebuild cities, helped the wounded heal, they even helped their enemies the Dwarves. It was toward then end of that journey that the Prince was kidnapped by a human and held for ransom. The human King took the eleven jewels, forged by the sweat of the Mirkwood elves, and fled Middle Earth. Legolas felt like he had let his people down, most of all his father. He never forgave himself, said he couldn’t bear to live knowing that because of his weakness his people lost everything they held dear. He was just a babe then, in the elf years anyway, not more then 40 years of age. Understand that to an elf two thousand years is equal to twenty of human years for Elves are immortal and live many, many life times. Legolas has not been home since the theft; his memories still like fresh wounds. Humans remind him of those times and all the ways he thinks he’s failed and he has not yet trusted one again.”

“Isn’t Aragorn a human?” Angel asked confused.

“Yes he is of human blood, but since he was a child he was raised by the Elf King Elrond. I think that is why the two are so close. They both feel they have failed their people and seek solace in the silent understanding they each have knowing they feel the same. It’s as if there friendship is the only thing they hold dear.”

Willow brushed a tear from her cheek, “That is so sad.” They sat in silence for a while before she spoke again, “I know you are a Wizard, Aragorn and Boromir are human, Legolas is and Elf so what are the others?”

“Gimli is a Dwarf, Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin are hobbits.”

“Oh!” Willow bounced, “Like in the... the book about Bilbo Baggins called “The Hobbit.”

“Book?” Frodo queried.

“In our dimension Hobbits, elves and dwarves are made up. We have Vampires, werewolves, demons, stuff like that.”

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Aragorn found Legolas setting on the cliff’s edge and sat beside him, “They meant no harm.”

“I know!” The elf snapped before his friend could finish.

Aragorn shook his head, “Not all humans are like the ones who took you my friend. Some have big hearts and loving souls. Every breed has both light and dark, good and evil, but it’s the ability to put things in the past that makes us stronger.”

Legolas sighed heavily, “I know your right Aragorn. Yet my heart won’t free me of the past. I let down my people and brought shame to the haven of Mirkwood because I was weak. I let my father give in to their demands because I feared the humans that held me captive and I wanted my suffering to come to an end!” Unshed tears sparkled in the elf’s eyes as pain played across his face. He stood, “You are right Lord Aragorn, it’s not the fault of the humans but of my own. My weakness is the cause and that weakness shall be no more!”

“Legolas wait!” Aragorn tried to stop him but he had fled to the treetops. He knew that the Elf would the the guise of scouting, but the escape was really to release his pain in peace. “Amin sinta thalio lle mellonamin. Lle carmanim naa malta astalden” (I know your strength my friend. Your heart is golden valiant one.)

Gandalf watched as Aragorn returned to camp alone. “Sut naa ro?” (How is he?)

“Amin deleten ho” (I am worried about him.)

“What language are you speaking?” Willow asked. “It’s so beautiful.”

Aragorn smiled at her, “It is Elvish my lady. It is truly one of the most beautiful tongues of Middle Earth.”

Angel and Boromir were sparing with long swords in attempt to teach the hobbits how to protect themselves. It was obvious that Boromir was trying to take Angel down and failing miserably. Angel laughed as Frodo, Merry and Pippin jumped on him and eventually knocked him to the ground in a fit of laughter. Even Gandalf laughed at the playfulness of the four. Though Boromir had him concerned; he felt a great darkness burning in the human and feared the fellowship would soon break because of it.

Frodo gasped and jumped behind Angel. Angle too had picked up on the intruder that was near by and turned in that direction as Legolas leapt from the treetops; landing on his feet with a cat like grace. Aragorn was also alerted to something none of the others could hear. Suddenly a group of Orcs attacked the small camp. It had to be 30 to 40 but one by one Angel, Aragorn, Legolas and Boromir slew them while Willow and Gandalf preformed a protection spell to shield the hobbits.

In the final wave of the attack Legolas was stabbed in the side and Angel was shot with an arrow landing just below his heart. When the last Orc lay dead Aragorn rushed to Angel fearing the arrow would mean his death. “Lay back so I can remove the arrow.” he put his hands on his shoulders to help lower him.

Angel turned to face him; his game face to the fore. Everyone stepped back in a frightened gasp except for Willow. She went to him as he painfully removed the arrow from his chest and touched his vampire features trying to soothe him. His features went back to human as he lowered his head before the others.

Aragorn, Gandalf and Legolas all the chimed, “Agrayulnaer!” (Blood-sucker)

“That word I know. Yes I am a vampire. I am a vampire with..”

“A soul,” Gandalf finished for him causing the others to turn to him. He returned their look, “Myself and Lord Elrond saw this to come. In his land Angel is a great warrior for the Gods as he is here.” Everyone but Boromir took the wizards words to heart. They knew Gandalf would never knowingly endanger them and trusted him with their lives.

“How could you allow this demon into our camp wizard? Have we not enough danger to fill you?” Boromir yelled!

“What gives you the right to say who is a danger to us?” Legolas demanded. “You are no God and have no judgment to pass on any being! He fought at our sides to kill the Orc and protected Frodo and the ring. Yet you do nothing but complain Kotyaer ea!” (Hostile one)

“I will run you through, elf prince or no!” Boromir exclaimed placing his hand on his sword!

“Auta miqula orqu!” (Go kiss an Orc!) Legolas hissed half-heary. y.

Aragorn stifled a laugh knowing the human had no idea what his friend had said and stepped between them. “Enough of this, we have no time for childish games here.” He turned his attention to Legolas’ wounded side. The elf looked even paler then normal and there was far too much blood on his green tunic to have come from a mere flesh wound. Suddenly Legolas collapsed to the ground in a heap clutching his side. Angel and Aragon sprang into actions shoving everyone else out of the way. Angel removed the elf’s tunic and Aragorn cradled his head. Blood spurted from his mouth as he coughed and struggled to breath.

The two dark men shared a knowing look of concern, Legolas was severely injured and although he was immortal he could still suffer great pain. Aragorn pushed the damp hair from his friends face and tried to soothe him, “Esta mellonamin, marth maa lle” (Rest my friend, luck is with you.)

There was a deep wound on the fallen mans side. You could see where the blade cut between his ribs, the blood bubbling as he tried to breath; his lung was punctured. Angel applied pressure to the wound in att to to slow the bleeding and turned to Gandalf, “Help him!”

“I’m afraid I can not; I haven’t the power to heal. I would need my herbs and potions to perform such magic.”

"Then tell us what you need,” Frodo pleaded, “and we shall gather it!” His heart was aching for his new friend. Legolas had offered not only his bow in protection of Frodo and his quest but also his life.

Gandalf hung his head; there was nothing he could do for the prince of Mirkwood now.

Willow knelt on the opposite side of Legolas setting across from Angel. “We can help him,” she nodded to the vampire. Angel pulled Boromir to the ground and forced his hands to Legolas’s side keeping the pressure on the wound. Legolas writhed not only under the pain but the humans touching him as well. Damn his fear and damn his heart for it!

Angel and Willow joined hands over the elf and began to chant in unison, “I call upon the powers of light, the powers of good and the powers of right. I invoke thee to heal this elf. Nik ta quata coreso shey. Que ray dolf sanco ser ler lanf cortox me kilya! Powers I invoke thee!” Willow, Angel and Legolas were encircled in a misty white aura; it looked as though it was flowing straight into Legolas’s wound. Suddenly Willow and Angel collapsed and the mist was gone.

Boromir pulled his hands away and looked at the blood in disgust. He was startled when he heard Sam yell, “He’s healed! Mister Gandalf Siry diy did it! The elf is whole again,” he said in astonishment.
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