Title: A Slayers Holiday: There and Back Again
Author: Wildecate
Email: Wildecate@hotmail.com
Rating: G - for the moment
Notes: Since you were all so nice the first time round, here we go again.
Pairing: None as yet
Credits: Joss Whedon/JRR Tolkein - ya de ya de ya

Buffy woke up screaming. By the time Gandalf got to her she was sitting bolt upright, bathed in sweat, eyes open but unseeing. He was horrified by the terror on her face and as he tried to approach the bed to calm her she turned her petrified gaze upon him and screamed all the louder. She pushed herself up against the carved head board of the bed, pulling the covers to her, hands out spiked into claws. Elrond was seconds behind the wizard but he was also unable to approach. Even the smallest hint that they would approach her set Buffy screaming off again. They watched as she edged her way out of the bed and headed for the door that led on to the balcony that edged its way around her room, keeping her eyes on them the entire time.

Neither of them wanted to use magic on the girl. It was obvious that she was traumatised by whatever had happened to her in her world and whatever means the Powers had used to bring her to Valinor had not helped. Who knew what magic could do to her. Galdalf moved a step closer, and she stopped, standing bolt upright and stared straight at him.

"Buffy, don't you recognise me?" asked the wizard softly. She shook her head and tried to back into the wall. Elrond pulled Gandalf backwards and whispered in his ear. Gandalf nodded shortly and vanished out of the door. Elrond kept his position, not moving a muscle, watching her carefully. Her hand wandered to the door and found the handle. Deep blue eyes stared into her hazel ones. Elrond did not which to force this girl to do anything but he was not sure what she had in mind. He reached out to her with his thoughts, keeping eye contact. I am a friend, he told her silently, trust me. Again she shook her head and in one quick movement opened the door and stepped onto the balcony.

Elrond covered the room in a few quick paces resulting on Buffy backing away from him until she was leaning up against the wooden carved rail of the balcony. He stretched out his hand and she stared at it for a long moment before looking back into his eyes.

He saw the desperate look there. She so wanted to trust him but could not bring herself to. She did not know him and he wished that Gandalf would return. She looked like a wild animal, scared and lonely. Her hair was knotted around her face, dark bruises beneath her eyes. He tried again to reach her silently.

"You are safe here" he told her but she shook her head violently.

"Not safe anywhere" she told him "Have to do the right thing. Have to jump to save Dawnie."

"You don't have to jump. Dawnie is safe" Elrond had no idea who she was talking about and prayed that he was saying the right thing."

"It always has to be blood" she whispered "Summers blood".

There was a noise behind Elrond and Legolas pushed past him, stopping short when he saw Buffy standing precariously on the edge of the balcony. His eyes widened and he moved a couple of steps towards her. She saw him and quietened almost immediately. Legolas took another slow step towards her and spoke softly.

"Buffy, come back here" and he held his hands to her and to Elrond's amazement she hesitated for only a moment before moving towards him. He clasped her hands and pulled her close. She allowed the embrace for a moment before stepping backwards again. He ran a hand over her face and down her cheek. She winced as his gentle fingers caught a cut on her face. He kissed his fingertip and placed it softly on the cut.

There was complete silence as Legolas led Buffy back into the chamber, Elrond following them, closing the door. Buffy allowed Legolas to help her back into bed and lay gazing at him with an unnerving calmness but her hands clung to him as if she was scared he would vanish.

Gandalf re-appeared next to Elrond, he had not been able to keep up with Legolas' rapid run up to Buffy's chamber. He watched as Legolas pulled up a chair next to the bed and began to talk softly to Buffy, and she lay back, her eyes not wavering from the elf. Gandalf motioned to Elrond and they slipped out of the chamber, unnoticed by the others.

"She seems deeply distressed" said Elrond as he and Gandalf headed to his study "I had not expected this."

"Her world was a strange and confusing place and her place in it was that of a hero." Gandalf sighed as Elrond pushed open the door of his study and the two took their usual seats, either side of a picture window that looked out over the City.

"It is possible that she will not recover from this madness. She has been severely scarred by whatever means were used to bring her here." Elrond settled himself comfortably in his chair. "I wonder what provoked the Powers to intervene."

Gandalf pondered the problem before answering slowly "The only way we will know is to ask her. She is no state to be interrogated at the moment. Perhaps the Lady Galadriel will be able to calm her mind. Legolas cannot stay beside her every waking moment, despite the fact that nothing would give him greater pleasure." Gandalf sucked on his unlit pipe. "We should ask the Lady to see if she can assist in this. After all, it was her vision and it was with her help that Buffy was able to come here."

Legolas had been watching Buffy for hours. The sun had long since set and the lamps around the City were now burning bright. She had finally fallen asleep and now lay, her hair spread out messily across the silken pillows, the weariness evident in her face. Every so often she would flinch in her sleep and her hands would reach out for him. She muttered and mumbled under her breath, something about glory and dawn and blood. There was a quiet knock on the door and Haldir entered, walking softly. He carried a tray with a plate of food and a jug of wine for Legolas. Hunger suddenly reared its head and he realised he had not eaten all day. Haldir pulled up a chair next to Legolas.

"You never told me about her" he said, without any accusation in his voice, just curiousity.

"My time with her is not something that I speak of to anyone" Legolas attacked the meal with the appetite of a starving man.

"Will you tell me now?" asked Haldir "If I can help I will do" he turned his gaze to Buffy who was sleeping peacefully at the moment. She seemed fragile to his eyes and he wanted to see her awake and laughing. It was obvious that this human girl had captured Legolas' heart and he would do anything for his friend. Legolas was silent as he carried on eating. How could he explain to his best friend what he felt for this girl? That he had known her for only a couple of days and in that time had found a woman that he had come to respect and admire, not just because she was beautiful and not just because she could fight but just the entirety of her. Her smile, her attitude, her refusal to give up on her friends, the way she had shouldered her burden, not shirking from the fact that she had an enormous responsibility to the people in her world and with it came the knowledge that every night she went into battle could be her last. Legolas tried to put these feelings into fractured words. Haldir listened without speaking but heard more than just the words that Legolas was saying.

This girl, a hero in her word, had somehow ended up in Middle Earth during the time Legolas had been a member of the Fellowship of the Ring. After Frodo and Sam had parted from the Fellowship, Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas had gone after Merry and Pippin to rescue them from orcs. And at some point they had come upon Buffy. And then they had come upon Gandalf who had returned and was now Gandalf the White. He had sent Buffy straight back to her world, not giving her any option to join the company in the battle that they were engaged in, instead making her see that she had her own responsibilities, that people needed her in her world. And so she had gone. A lesser elf would have suggested that perhaps this meant Buffy did not care for Legolas as much as he did for her but Haldir got the impression this was not so. Instead, she had given up the chance of time with Legolas for her life back in her world, Sunnydale, to take up her mantle of Slayer again. Haldir thought long and hard about that word. Slayer. It did not fit the tiny woman who slept fitfully in the bed before him. She bore few scars of battle, save for a pair of circular marks on her neck, and the cuts and bruising on her face and arms which was fading slowly.

"Come, get some rest Legolas" Haldir noticed his friend looked weary "You cannot help her when you are tired"

"I can sleep here" said Legolas "she seems to know when I leave and wakes, as if from a nightmare. I cannot knowingly inflict pain that on her."

Haldir nodded and rose from his chair "I will come again tomorrow my friend. Perhaps the Lady Galadriel will be able to help."

"Perhaps" Legolas did not watch his friend, instead turning his attention back to the girl in the bed.

She slept the night through, unstirring. Legolas did not sleep, all his attention on her, questions whirling through his mind. How had she gotten like this? Would she always be like this? He longed to see her smile at him, that smile with a hint of mischief had stolen his heart - would he ever see it again?

The stars faded from the sky and dawn tinted the sky pink and then gold as the sun rose fully, Frodo entered the room and found Buffy fast asleep clinging on to Legolas' hands. He was also asleep, his eyes finally closing in tiredness. He touched Legolas who woke instantly, gaze going straight to Buffy to make sure she was OK before turning to Frodo.

"Breakfast?" he laid out a full breakfast before Legolas, pulling the table up before him, before taking his place at the other side. The elf looked bewildered at the hobbit who began serving the food on to his plate and to Legolas, eggs, toast, bacon, jugs of juice, rich creamy milk and fresh fruit.

"I thought I would keep you company" Frodo began but Buffy stirred on the bed, opening her eyes, seeking Legolas.

"I'm here a'mael" He helped her to sit and she looked at Frodo who gave her a gentle smile. She seemed content with Frodo's company and he handed her a piece of fruit which she took, almost snatching it from his hand before retreating to the end of the bed again to nibble on it. Frodo began chatting quietly , talking about nothing in particular and Legolas listened with one eye on Buffy who was creeping forward on the bed again to sit closer to him and one eye on his breakfast. He had not realised he was so hungry. Buffy tugged at his sleeve and pointed to another piece of fruit which Frodo handed to her. She took it more carefully this time and did not move away at his gentle touch. She did not smile and the hunted expression in her eyes did not change but she seemed slightly more calm.

Breakfast finished, Frodo cleared the table and piled up the tray before turning to the other two and speaking to them both.

"Lady Galadriel wondered if you would be well enough to see her today. She would like to help you, if you would let her."

Buffy gave a slightly uncertain look to Legolas who nodded reassuringly at the girl and she nodded at him. Frodo gave her another one of his sweet smiles and Buffy couldn't help herself and gave a tiny smile back.

Frodo left the room and Legolas settled Buffy back into bed, pulling the covers over her. There was a hairbrush on a table next to the bed and Legolas picked it up, and trustingly, Buffy allowed him to stroke the brush through the thick tangled strands. He tried very not to pull too hard but her hair was snarled up and eventually he had to use his fingers to pull the knots apart. Eventually her hair was smooth and sleek and he was able to run the brush through it without it catching on any knots. They had still not spoken to each other, bar the comfort Legolas had offered when she had been on the balcony. He did not know what to say to this scared girl and it frightened him a little. She was not the girl he had known all those years ago. She did not seem to have aged at all and he had so many things he wanted to ask her but she was barely capable of smiling let alone talking so he held this need in check.

"I don't know what has happened to you Buffy, but you are safe here." Legolas spoke in a low voice as he carried on brushing her hair which seemed to comfort her even though there was no need now. She turned to him and looked into his deep blue eyes and he thought he saw something of the fiery old Buffy there but it was buried deep beneath all the pain that he could see in her eyes. She was mute, but it was as though she wanted to talk but had been shocked and scared into silence.

"You don't have to talk to me yet" Legolas lowered the brush and ran his hand through her hair, loving the feeling of the thick golden hair on his skin.

"Whenever you are ready."




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