The Crux of the Problem

Disclaimer: (In the spirit of Crimson Starlight)

Erin: 'Bout time you put me in here. *reaches out to whap Shana*

Shana: *ducks* Sor-ry. Woulda thought this is a privilege…

Erin: Uh huh. But I'm not just a reviewer. I'm your co-author for Taming.

Shana: *carefully moves away* I know…

Erin: So where are all the elves?

Shana: You're kidding, right?

Erin: *frowns*

Shana: You said it yourself, you're my co-author for Taming.

Erin: Yeah? So?

Shana: So Hal and Glory are shall we say… avoiding you?

Erin: Bugger. What about Erestor and Legolas?

Tal: *sticks head in* Erestor's mine and Lego's still recovering from Domination.

Erin: *thinks* Wait! I know who's available! *snaps fingers*

Thranduil: *looks around confused* How the hell did I get HERE?

Shana: *wide-eyed* I think I'm gonna go find out where Glory went. BYE! *runs away*

Erin: *evil grin*

Thranduil: *catches sight of evil grin, matches it*

Tal: Oh dear. This could be bad.

Shana: *from other room* Neither myself nor my friends own anything or anyone, contrary to what they may claim.

Erin: How's it goin' Thandy?

Tal: *takes off after Shana* This IS gonna be bad… OH! BTW… Please keep this in mind if you review, "Use them carefully, for words have more power than atom bombs." -Unknown

Chapter 7: En Pointe

Back to that first day Haldir chased Janessa into his talan…

Haldir shook his head as he strode back to his talan, remembering the comment Janessa had made as he had left the bedroom. Not even Rumil or Orophin would have dared to say something like that.

Several hours prior…

The Guardian had found his leggings in the outer room and dressed quickly, silently entering the bedroom to retrieve a tunic and his boots, noting Janessa had fallen into a deep sleep, wrapped around her bow. Why did she have to name it Legolas? Granted she did so before she came to be in our world. Still.

Haldir collected the paperwork he needed to deliver to Lord Celeborn regarding patrol updates and other reports, heading out to the Lorien lord's study. The Marchwarden tried to keep his mind on the task at hand, studiously avoiding any thoughts of the woman asleep in his bed.

Haldir arrived at his destination and knocked. Upon hearing an acknowledgement from within, he entered, handing Celeborn the papers. The Lorien lord motioned Haldir into one of the chairs before his desk, which Haldir obligingly sank down into, noting various sore muscles that twitched at the movement.

Celeborn looked over the reports before raising his gaze to his loyal Marchwarden, folding his hands on top of the desk and smiling at the slight scowl that graced Haldir's face. The Lorien lord went over the reports with the Guardian of the Golden Wood, determined to eventually get to the bottom of Haldir's expression. Something or someone is on his mind. Even as they went over the fence assignments for the next month, the slight scowl never left the Marchwarden's face.

Finally after two hours of conferencing, Celeborn put aside the stack of paperwork to be filed away later by his assistant. The Golden Lord turned his amused gaze on Haldir, waiting for the younger elf to volunteer something. Celeborn's smile widened as the edges of the now clearly distracted Marchwarden's lips quirked up for the barest moment. Aha! There is something definitely going on here.

Celeborn sat back in his chair, steepling his fingers beneath his chin, a questioning look upon his face. "So how is your 'vacation' going so far? You have yet to grouse about the enforced time off I ordered. Between that and the fact that you have been distracted this whole time I surmise something is on your mind," Celeborn observed.

Haldir gazed back at his liege, carefully schooling his expression back to a neutral one. "I know not of what you speak Milord."

Celeborn waved dismissively, "Drop the 'Milord' and you know exactly what I speak of."

Haldir simply gazed back blankly.

This is obviously not going to work. Changing tracks, Celeborn tried a different tact. "Have you met our latest arrival to the Golden Wood? She arrived early this morning with Elrond's sons. She is a human woman with the most unusual shade of red hair. Quite the firebrand," he chuckled. "Perhaps you met her during your trip to Imladris. Her name is Janessa."

Haldir tried to keep his expression neutral. How would you know what a firebrand she is? "Aye, I did," he answered. "I had several occasions to go hunting for her and the twins after the trio pulled one of their notorious pranks. She is quite the able evader when she does not want to be found, more so than even the Perendhils. She was quite upset when she discovered I could and would track her down."

Celeborn's brows rose. "Oh? Why was that?" the lord inquired.

Realizing he had been successfully baited, Haldir mentally smacked himself. Too much information, you gave him too much information. "Apparently prior to my arrival she had been able to successfully evade everyone but Prince Legolas." Celeborn's brows drew together so Haldir continued, "I found her in half the time it usually took the Prince. She was quite distressed by the turn of events." The Marchwarden couldn't help but smile at the particular memory.

"Really." One of Celeborn's brows drew up higher than the other in a close facsimile of the Marchwarden's trademark expression.

Unable to hold back further, Haldir chuckled lightly, explaining, "She was well-hidden up a tree in a rather remote location. I pulled her kicking and screaming out of said tree. She still refused to cooperate, so I threw her over my shoulder and carried her back to Lord Elrond's house."

Celeborn laughed along with his guardian, picturing the red-head he had just met, slung over the Marchwarden's shoulder like a sack of vegetables. That MUST have been quite the sight.

"She expressed her displeasure rather… colorfully. I could not understand most of the languages she was using but there were several interesting dwarfish and Sindarin curses in there," Haldir finished.

Celeborn burst into full peals of laughter at the now complete mental picture. "Oh my. That is rather amusing. I take it you did not make the best of impressions on her."

Haldir had to agree, "No I did not." If you only knew just what kind of impression she actually had the first time she laid eyes on me. Haldir shivered inwardly. At least that is no longer the case. Wearing the face of someone's most vicious attacker is not a good way of making a first impression. Haldir broke from his thoughts as his liege spoke.

"She made quite the impression on my wife. Despite their early-morning arrival Galadriel insisted on meeting the red-head Elrond had written to us about." Celeborn laughed, "She got quite the surprise."

"Oh, how so?" intrigued Haldir inquired further.

"Well, we came down to meet our grandchildren and their new friend and Galadriel just stared at the woman, a look of consternation creasing her brows. Janessa on the other side was sporting a smirk that would rival one of yours."

Haldir's brows rose at that as Celeborn continued.

"Galadriel looks at me then back at Janessa, finally asking her, 'Why can I not read you?' Janessa's smile only got wider. She answered, 'Milady, when one has a strong empathic connection to another you learn to shield yourself if you want any semblance of privacy. It was a small step to shield my thoughts as well.' Apparently Janessa then sent my wife a thought to the extent of, 'If there is something you wish to know, you need but ask.'"

Haldir's eyes widened at the idea of anyone getting the better of Lady Galadriel.

"My wife is greatly looking forward to getting to know this woman. I can't remember the last time someone was able to hold her at bay. It has taken millennia of practice for me to keep her out of my head," the Lorien lord mused ruefully.

"It would seem you had a more interesting time in Imladris than you led me to believe. You will have to regale me with further tales of your adventures in Lord Elrond's lands, but now I will release you to your well-deserved respite."

Haldir rose from his seat at the dismissal, bowing to his Lord before exiting, his mind turning back to the woman who would be waiting in his bed. From the angle of the now fading sunlight Haldir surmised he had been gone several hours. The Marchwarden lengthened his strides, wishing to return to his abode as quickly as possible.

*******

While Haldir and Celeborn were talking shop and other things…

Janessa awoke about two hours after Haldir had left on his errands. Her sleep had been initially troubled, visions of Legolas plaguing her until she managed to take control of her dreams, finally falling into a dreamless sleep that was all too short.

She sat up in the bed, still clutching her bow close. Looking around her eyes confirmed that she was indeed in Haldir's talan. Her protesting muscles also confirmed that. Her gaze came to rest on the top of a dresser where a black leather satchel sat.

Haldir must have moved all my belongings over here from Rumil's flat. Saddlebags off to the side, check. Clothes are probably in one of those dresser drawers? Janessa stood, placing her bow near her quiver and walked to the bathing room, retrieving a light robe she had spotted earlier.

Once she was covered, the red-head proceeded to explore her accommodations. She headed out to the front room, intending to retrieve her clothing from wherever it had ended up. The articles were nowhere to be found. She spied a basket finally in a corner of the bedroom and approached it, realizing it contained laundry. Underneath one of Haldir's tunics she spotted her attire from earlier. Thinking better of retrieving them she left them there, moving instead to the dresser.

Pulling open the first three drawers she came across Haldir's clothes. The fourth one had some of her belongings. Janessa recognized them as the pieces that had been loose from her bags. Twisting she bent down to grab the saddlebags that sat next to the piece of furniture and slide them closer.

She quickly arranged her belongings in the drawer, emptying the bags. She stopped as her hand closed around something she had forgotten was there. She pulled the pair of items out of her bag, looking at them with a mixture of dismay and surprise. She had never fully unpacked her bags in Imladris and the contents must have shifted around during the trip to Lothlorien to bring these to the surface.

Janessa placed them on top of the dresser, selecting a bra-top tank and another pair of cut-off leggings before retrieving the items and moving back to the bed. She dropped everything on the sheets; removing the robe she deposited that on the bed as well. She quickly donned her garments and returned the robe to its place in the bathroom before returning to sit on the bed.

The red-head sat cross-legged on the bed, contemplating the pair before her. I don't remember packing these. Not on Earth, not here. She finally picked them up, unwinding the satin ribbons from around her last pair of Pointe shoes.

I haven't danced in forever. Ever since I "developed" my center of gravity shifted and I haven't been able to dance or do gymnastics like I used to. I wonder if my body even remembers what it felt like.

Janessa sighed and reached inside the Pointe shoes, pulling out the toe pads. She sat for another moment, looking at the ballet shoes that seemed to call out for her to put them on. At the very least I can do some stretches and simple drills to limber up. If the past few hours are any indicator I'm going to need my flexibility with Haldir.

Resigned, Janessa put the toe pads on before sliding her feet into the slippers, first checking the backs to make sure she had the right shoe on the right foot. They still fit. She wrapped the satin ribbon lengths up around her ankles before tying them up, tucking the ends under the knots.

Experimentally she flexed her feet and pointed her toes, working the stiffness out of the shoes. She slid off the bed, standing she rose to the balls of her feet, breaking the shoes back in. She did not rise to her toes, not yet.

She walked over the dresser to the black leather satchel, easily falling back into a dancer's turned-out, soft steps. Janessa opened the bag, pulling her CD player and mini-speakers out. She checked the battery level, and then bent to her saddle-bags again, retrieving one of her large CD books. She flipped through the book until she came to the one she wanted, removed it and placed the disc in the player.

Janessa put the book back and gathered up the player and speakers, gliding out into the main room. She glanced about, grateful that Haldir's flat was rather sparsely furnished and had smooth wood floors. She appraised one of the chairs, deciding the back was just the right height for her to use as a barre, and placed the player and speakers on the seat.

Janessa slid the remaining furniture out of the way, clearing a large area for her to move in. Positioning herself next to the piece of furniture so her hand rested lightly on the back bar of the chair and her feet were turned out in first position, she reached down and hit play, adjusting the volume as the music began. She had always loved the Center Stage movie and soundtrack. I wonder if I will ever see a movie again.

When the going starts to get rough
And you feel like you've had enough
Let the music take control of your soul
Take a chance and do what you feel
Your voice, they cannot live without it
You gotta break the chain

Janessa let the beginning of the song wash over her. As the beat started she fell back into the old warm-up routine she had performed every day for over a decade.

There's a passion inside you
And a strength that drives
Can't nobody take that away from you
It's the greatest high
You set the floor on fire
When you come alive

The music warmed her heart, reminding her of home and long-gone friends and other times, far away from this place. As much as she hated to admit it her loneliness from Earth had not truly faded when she came to be in Middle Earth.

And we're dancing, and it feels all right
I can't control my desire
And we're dancing, and it feels all right
Yeah

Her body protested initially as muscles long-unused were stretched and those most recently used protested at the added exertion. She rose to her toes for several seconds before pain forced her down. She repeated the move again until her feet adjusted.

And we're dancing, and it feels all right
Can't hold me down, got to reach for the sky
And we're dancing, and it feels all right
Yeah

As her limbs loosened, she moved into more and more advanced series of movements, repeating each in first, second, fourth and fifth positions.

Some people don't know the love you possess (love you possess)
They pretend, but they don't understand
It's natural, you're in a world of your own

Janessa lost all sense of her surroundings as her body remembered this sweet torture, muscles warming and stretching with the exertion.

There's a passion inside you
And a strength that drives
Can't nobody take that away from you
It's the greatest high
You set the floor on fire
When you come alive

The song reminded her of the passion she had danced and done gymnastics with before her developing body bad betrayed her. Unwilling to damage herself through extreme dieting to keep her child's figure, she had quit both, only practicing and performing for herself. Her frustration was ever increasing as her shifted center of balance prevented her from performing flawlessly moves she had been doing effortlessly for years.

And we're dancing, and it feels all right
I can't control my desire
And we're dancing, and it feels all right
Yeah, yeah, yeah

Janessa moved away from the chair trying a series of pirouettes, only to hit the floor hard with her backside half-way through the second one. Not one to give up easily, she got up and tried again.

Push it to the max
Feel the room fall at your feet
Don't you dare hold back
'Cause it feels so good inside

Unnoticed, Haldir stood inside the front door within a shadow, watching Janessa with fascination. He flinched inwardly every time she fell, her hip or backside hitting the wood floor with a resounding smack. She's going to have bruises by morning.

There's a passion inside you
And a strength that drives
Can't nobody take that away from you
It's the greatest high
You set the floor on fire
When you come alive

Haldir could read the concentration and determination on the red-head's face, deciding she would not appreciate being interrupted. He watched her as frustrated she pulled her hair up into a tight knot to get it out of the way, a tell-tale tightening starting in his loins.

And we're dancing, and it feels all right
I can't control my desire
And we're dancing, and it feels all right
Yeah

She finally got the pirouettes right, doing a sequence of five without falling. Satisfied, she finished the song, doing moves along with the beat, making a short routine up as she went.

And we're dancing, and it feels all right
Can't hold me down, got to reach for the sky
And we're dancing, and it feels all right
Yeah, yeah, yeah

And we're dancing.

Janessa stopped as the song ended, resting in fifth position, her breathing labored, forehead beaded with sweat.

Haldir decided to use the moment of silence to announce his presence, opening and closing the front door with an audible slam. He then moved about the darkening room lighting candles in various places.

Janessa whirled toward the door, eyes widening as she watched Haldir glide about the room with feral grace. She observed him as he took in the rearranged room, prowling ever closer to her position. He stopped before her tilting his head to the side, looking from her unusual footwear to her face.

Janessa explained quickly, "They're Pointe shoes for doing ballet dance in, though I'm not really any good anymore."

Haldir tsked at her, "If that wasn't any good I would like to see what bad actually looks like. I thought it was beautiful." Janessa immediately picked up on what he didn't want her to.

Her voice rising sharply, she squeaked out, "You were WATCHING?"

"Aye." Haldir chose to ignore the protest evident in her voice instead asking, almost shyly, "Is there a song I could dance to with you?"

Janessa momentarily drew a blank before her face brightened with a smile as an idea bloomed in her mind. Music was such an intrinsic part of her life it often spoke things she herself could not verbalize. She turned, setting the CD to another song. When she turned back she found Haldir slightly bowed, hand extended, "May I have this dance Milady?"

A stringed instrument and soft electronic drums filled the room as she took his hand, rising to her toes, and let him draw her against his chest. On full Pointe she was just about level with Haldir's eyes.

I try but I can't seem to get myself
to think of anything ... but you.

The Marchwarden smiled ruefully at the red-head as he caught the words of the song she had chosen, moving them with the melody, her arms around his neck, his about her waist.

Your breath on my face ... your warm gentle kiss I taste,
The truth ... I taste the truth,

He brushed his lips lightly against hers in a sweet fleeting kiss that almost melted her right there. Haldir held her closer as he felt her legs trembling with unused-to exertion.

We know what I came here for,
Cos I won't ask for more.

Haldir slid his hands up her back, under her top as he slowly explored the recesses of her mouth. Janessa clung to him as he moved his hands to her front, kneading her breasts, bringing his thumbs up across her nipples.

I wanna be with you,
If only for a night,
To be the one who's in your arms,
To hold you tight.

Haldir worked her breasts free of the top, releasing her mouth long enough to pull the shirt over her head, tossing it aside. Janessa tugged at his tunic in response and he pulled it over his head in one fluid motion, disregarding the catches on the front.

I wanna be with you,
There's nothing more to say,
There's nothing else I want more
Than to feel this way.

Both gasped at the skin-to-skin contact, tongues tangling once again, his arms wrapped around her back, hers about his neck, one hand tangling in his hair.

I wanna be with you yeah ...

Haldir broke the kiss to trail his lips down her neck towards her breasts.

So I'll hold this night like
I would've if you were mine to hold forever more,

Janessa leaned back, baring her breasts to his questing mouth, her hands moving to grip his upper arms, a moan escaping her lips.

And I'll savor each touch that I wanted so much to feel before,
To feel before ....
How beautiful it is .... just to be like this ...

Haldir pulled her back upright, claiming her mouth again. Janessa returned it for a moment then dropped back down to her feet trailing kisses down his neck, her hands moving to his hips.

I wanna be with you,
If only for a night,
To be the one who's in your arms,
To hold you tight.

Haldir released a loud moan, his chest vibrating as Janessa's lips found one of his nipples, his hands moving up to release her hair from its knot. He trailed his fingers through her hair as she teased the rosy bud with her tongue and lips, groaning as she moved to the other one, her own nipples rubbing against his stomach.

I wanna be with you,
There's nothing more to say,
There's nothing else I want more
Than to feel this way.

As she teased Haldir's nipple Janessa's hands moved to the laces at the front of his leggings. With one hand she caressed the hard length beneath the fabric, eliciting a prolonged moan from the Marchwarden, his hands tightening their grip on her hair. With her other hand she swiftly undid the laces, sliding both hands down the back of the garment to cup his cheeks and around his hips, pushing the leggings down till they fell to the floor.

I wanna be… I wanna be with you, oh yeah
I wanna be with you

Janessa trailed kisses down Haldir's stomach and abdomen, bending down until she knelt before him. She gripped his backside with her hands as she leaned forward to lick the weeping head of his arousal. He tasted vaguely of salted honey. She closed her eyes, catching the back end of her tongue stud against her lower teeth she drug her tongue up Haldir's throbbing arousal, pressing the front ball of the stud against the sensitive skin.

Ohh baby, I can't fight this feeling anymore,
Drives me crazy, when I try to,
So call my name, take my hand,
Can make my wish ... baby your command ....

Haldir barely held back a scream as he watched Janessa's tongue dart out to taste him, his hands twisting in her hair, urging her on. He watched her close her eyes as she dragged her tongue along his length from base to tip. This time he could not hold back his howl of pleasure as he felt the ball of her tongue stud against his skin.

Janessa listened to Haldir's howls as she took the head in her mouth, running her stud around the head and under the foreskin as he bucked beneath her, his hands pulling almost painfully at her hair. She could feel his thighs trembling as she took as much of his length in her mouth as she could handle, dragging her lips across the skin.

Haldir's legs almost gave out as he watched himself disappear into her hot mouth. His legs shook as she hollowed her cheeks sucking as she moved back up his length. I'm going to lose it right now if she doesn't stop.

Haldir grasped her shoulders as she went to lick him again, pulling her back to her feet. She obligingly rose to her toes as he pulled her roughly against him, growling with desire. He held her to him with one arm, his other hand undoing the laces of her cut-off leggings, pushing them till they fell in a pool on the floor.

Yeeeeaaah…

Haldir kicked off his boots and released his ankles from the leggings pooled there, never releasing Janessa's lips. Janessa stepped out of her shorts, bringing her right leg up to wrap it around Haldir's hip. Haldir brought his hands to her hips, his throbbing length pressed against her dark red curls.

I wanna be with you,
There's nothing more to say,
There's nothing else I want more
than to feel this way.

Haldir's fingers pressed into her skin as he willed himself to slow down. Breaking the kiss he took several deep breaths before looking into Janessa's desire-darkened eyes that shone like emeralds in the flickering candlelight.

Janessa could read Haldir's barely restrained desire in his sapphire eyes and urged him on, rocking her hips against his as she twisted his head to lick the sensitive tip of his ear. Haldir groaned, his hips rocking against hers.

I wanna be... I wanna be with you
I wanna be with you, oh yeah
I wanna be with you
Wanna be with you… yeah

Haldir held her to him with his right arm and brought his left arm down, catching Janessa's right thigh from the inner side and brought his arm up around her back. He moved slowly, letting her muscles stretch into the unusual position as her leg was drawn up until it was straight up against his shoulder, her left leg straight down, her weight on her left Pointe.

I wanna be, I wanna be
I wanna be with you
Ooooohhhh, yeah
I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be
Yeeeaaahhhh

Janessa pulled Haldir's lips to hers, her hands cupping the sides of his face as he bent slightly, sliding his length within her slick folds until he was fully sheathed within her warmth. They stayed still for a beat, enjoying the feeling of completion that flowed through them.

I wanna be with you
I wanna be baby
I wanna be with you
I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be
Ooooohhhh, yeah
I wanna be with you

Haldir slid his right arm under her buttocks taking some of her weight off her left Pointe. He then began to thrust shallowly into her, moaning into their joined mouths as the position drove him deep inside her, the head of his arousal rubbing against her cervix.

I wanna be, I wanna be baby
I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be
I wanna be with you, yeah

Janessa stroked the tips of Haldir's ears as she squeezed her internal muscles around him, driving them both swiftly towards the edge. Haldir ground his hips against her, eliciting a series of gasps as he felt her channel begin to contract around him.

I wanna be with you
I wanna be, I wanna be with you

Janessa's hands tangled in his hair as he picked her up completely, her left leg curling around his thigh as their bodies slammed together, the position creating unbelievable sensations that sent them both spiraling over the edge, simultaneous screams ripped from their lips as Haldir thrust into her a final time, her muscles continuing to squeeze him. It was all the Marchwarden could do to keep his feet as his thighs twitched convulsively.

I wanna be with you, yeah

Haldir released Janessa's right leg, holding onto her as she wrapped both legs around his waist, holding herself to his chest. She tucked her head into the curve of his neck as he carried her to his bed, the CD player whirring to a stop moments later.

Wanna be with you

******

Outside while Haldir and Janessa were enjoying their "dance"…

The twins approached Haldir's talan for the second time that day, hearing Janessa's CD player from inside, figuring it would be safe to talk to the woman.

As Elladan raised his fist to knock on the door a howl of pleasure rent the air from inside the flat. The elder twin froze, his hand mere centimeters from the wood. He turned his head to look at his twin beside him, Elrohir's expression a wide-eyed mirror of his own.

Elrohir winced as another cry came from the abode, mouthing to his older brother, "Not AGAIN!"

Elladan quickly withdrew his hand and motioned with his head for them to leave. They silently departed, hoping the music playing within would cover any noises they made.

Once safely out of earshot Elrohir turned to Elladan, commenting, "Do they EVER come up for air?"

Elladan simply chuckled at his twin's observation, shaking his head.

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

Dancin' by PYT
I Wanna Be With You by Mandy Moore
Review!!!! Please!!!!