Legolas and Ashley stood outside the local bookstore, waiting for Amy to finish some quick shopping. It had been thirty minutes since her friend had entered the store, and Ashley was growing impatient. Looking at her watch once again, she sighed.

      "What is your friend doing?" The Elf asked, he too was growing tired of waiting.
      Ashley just shrugged, "Who knows with her. But she sure is taking her sweet time."

      Before Legolas could respond, Amy exited the store, a bag in her hands.

      "Alright, let's go."
      "It is about time." The Elf and woman responded at the same time.
      Amy held up a hand, "That... was freaky."
      As the trio walked toward the SUV before them, Ashley laughed, "That was kinda freaky..."
      "No duh." Her friend replied, "I thought only we said the same things at the same time. I guess I'm wrong, you two must be connected one some mental level that I've yet to figure out."
      "Maybe..." The woman shrugged, "Who can really tell."
      Legolas looked down at her, "Your worry is showing through." he whispered.

      Amy was out of hearing and busy unlocking the car. But Ashley turned to him for a moment.

      "If this doesn't work..."
      He shook his head, "That is not what you are worried about."
      Ashley blinked, "Of course it is!" her voice raised slightly as they walked, "If this doesn't work then I don't even want to think about what would happen. Aside from Arda being overthrown, Sauron's darkness could penetrate into this world, using the vortex." She visually shuddered, "I feel as if..."
      They had stopped walking and now Legolas stood in front of her, "As if?" he asked, waiting for her reply.
      "I can't just sit here, not now, not after the fate of Middle-Earth has been changed." she looked into his eyes, "I'm going back with you."

      This was what the Elf had feared. He wished to not involve anyone else in such a suicide mission and yet...

      "No."
      Ashley shook her head, "You don't understand, Legolas. This isn't just about your world any longer, it's about this one as well. If the story has been changed, my being there and knowing what is supposed to happen, would be useful."
      "I said no." he began walking back to the car.

      The woman stood there for a moment, then followed him. However, Ashley was stubborn, just as much as any Elf, and she was not about to let him leave without her.

      The ride back to the cabin was uneventful and very quite. Amy wondered what had created the tension between the two, but decided not to ask. Instead, she looked back at Ashley.

      "Hey, I took the liberty to bring you back some of the stuff you left at my place. I put it in the trunk."

      Ashley got up from her seat and leaned over into the back. She nearly fell in her attempt to reach the bag, but righted herself once more and sat down.

      "You could've put it closer to the seat."
      Amy laughed, "But it was funny to watch you reach to get it."
      "Ha ha." she replied, blushing.

      Unzipping the backpack, Ashley found to her surprise, that she had indeed left many things with Amy. There were a couple of her pens, some drawings and paper, even her piccolo was stuffed into the bag.

      "Amy..." Ashley began, "Am I really that absent minded to forget all this stuff?"
      Her friend shrugged, "That's not all of it."

      She began to dig around again, finding her cd player, cds, her huge copy of all the Lord of The Rings books in one, and even a blanket.

      "Crap... I am absent minded."
      With a laugh, Amy nodded, "You also left your flashlight and a few extra batteries. Actually, the entire front pocket it filled with the things."

      Ashley opened the front and out spilled a mountain of batteries, every shape and size. As she put them back into the bag, something else caught her eye.

      "Freakin crap man, this isn't mine!"
      Amy looked into the rearview mirror, "Well no, not really."
      Reaching in, Ashley pulled out a dagger, "Who's is it?"
      "Actually, that's your late Christmas present. I had forgotten about it and, the other day, found it stuffed in my closet. It's a replica of..."
      "I know what it's of." She replied, "The real ones are in my room along with someone's clothes."

      At this, Legolas turned around, having paid little attention to the conversation so far.

      "I suppose that comment was directed at me?" he asked.
      Ashley nodded and held up the dagger, "Look familiar?"
      His eyes widened, "It is exactly like the two I have. Now I am confused. How is that possible?"
      "Well, this company just starting making replicas of the daggers which were used in the Lord of The Rings movie and..." Amy started.

      Of course, Legolas did not know what a movie was so Ashley interjected.

      "A movie is like we are watching you and the fellowship on your journey first hand. As clearly as I can see you now, I can see you in a movie. Though, I can't actually talk to you and your part is played by an actor. An actor is someone who assumes the role of a person from books or other such things. And, this dagger was in the movie, well, this is a replica but there were two like it in the movie."
      Legolas sat in thought for a moment, "So you truly do know everything that is supposed to happen?"

      Ashley nodded.

      "Any way, so I got this for Ash as a gift and forgot about it." Amy grinned, "But I guess now is as good a time as ever to give it to you."
      "Now, if only I had the bow..."
      Amy laughed, "They actually haven't made the bow yet, sadly." she snapped her fingers, "Oh, and one more thing. I have something else I want to give you, but not until we've left the car."
      "Ummm okay..." the woman replied, "What exactly are you up too?"
      "Nothing."

      And, with that, little more was said on the trip.

      Just as they had thought, three black cars drove down the highway past them. The windows were tinted but, there was no mistaking that they belonged to the MIB agents from earlier.

      Ashley pulled out her cell phone and quickly dialed a number, "Kenneth?"
      "Yo."
      "They've just left, is your party in full swing?"
      The man laughed, "Oh yeah, totally. Danielle showed up at my place while we were getting the generator and she's out here with us."
      Ashley smiled, "Great. Hey Kenneth, can you give a message to everyone for me?"
      "Yeah sure."
      "I'm going to type it into the phone, just tell the others, okay?"
      His voice grew serious, "Ash, what's going on?"

      But she was already typing in the words and, as she finished, she sent them to Kenneth.

      "Until later man, don't get caught." and with that she hung up, turning off her phone completely.

      Little did the others in the car know, she had sent a farewell message to her good friends. When Kenneth saw the words, he immediately tried to dial her number, but it was now use. Her phone was off. He wondered what she was going to do and, as the friends gathered around, gasps could be heard.

      The message read as such...

      Until later everyone. I feel that it is fate that calls me to make this decision and here it goes. I am leaving tonight and may not return. If the dark power of Sauron wins out in Arda, than our world will be next. Deep down, I know this is true. So, I have some parting words for everyone.

      To Mark, hang in there man. To Becca, always stay perky. To Jessica, think of me when you read The Lord of The Rings. To Danielle, make sure Kenneth does not get into trouble while I am gone. To Kenneth, hold the group together and be careful. I will miss you all dearly and will think of you everyday. Maybe, some day, we will see each other again and then, oh the stories we can tell.

      Goodbye.

      "Well, there's the cabin." Amy said.

      She pulled into the driveway and gave Legolas the key. He walked up to the house, unlocked the door, and stepped inside. While he was busy getting his things together, Amy turned to her friend.

      "You're going with him, aren't you?"
      Ashley looked up, "Amy I..." but there was not anything to say.
      Amy just smiled, "I thought this would happen ever since you sent me his picture. You're in love, I see that but do you know if he even returns those feelings?"
      "Maybe not..." she answered, "But even if he doesn't, I can't sit back while the universe hangs in the balance. I have to help, it's what I feel led to do. It's like, all my life has lead up to this one moment in time and, if I don't go, something terrible will happen."

      Amy nodded and grabbed the bag from earlier that day. She took out two journals, each were bound in red leather and had words on their fronts.

      There & Back Again: A Hobbit's Tale

      Taking the journal, Ashley shook her head, "I don't understand."
      "I figure it this way." she said, leaning back against the steering wheel, "If the words in the books disappear then maybe, since these are journals from the books, they'll work the same way. I made a call to some of the guys at the college and they agree that, if you write in here, I should be able to read it as you write and vice versa. That way, as long as the pages hold out, we can keep in touch. I had sent you one in the mail, but I see now that you'll leave before it gets here. Also, since the theory only works with journal's purchased at the same time, I had to buy another one too."
      Ashley could not contain her happiness and hugged her best friend, "Thanks Amy. I really am afraid to leave because, as the message I sent to Kenneth said, I don't think I will ever be back."
      "I know."

      Legolas was heading back to the car now, once more in his traveling clothes, weapons strapped to his back. He ducked low to get into the vehicle and shut the door. As he did so, Ashley leaned back, putting the journal and the daggers back into the bag.

      "You ready?" Amy asked, looking to the Elf.
      He smiled, "Lead on."

      The woman backed up the car and within seconds, the trio were traveling towards the deserted wood area where Legolas had fallen from the sky.