Legolas looked up as Aragorn walked out of the bathroom with Frodo. Something had just happened and he wanted to know what it was.

'Dunadan?' he queried taking a step toward him.

Aragorn shook his head. 'We'll wait till everyone's here,' he said. He held a hand gently on Frodo's curly head. Frodo looked up at him and tried to smile. Legolas could tell that the hobbit had been crying.

'I'm going to take a shower now,' said Aragorn and disappeared back into the bathroom before anyone could ask him anything else.

'What's the matter, Frodo?' asked Merry.

'Mr. Frodo, have you been crying?'

Frodo ignored both of them and, sinking down on the sofa began whispering a poem to himself in Elvish. Legolas sat down next to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

Frodo smiled at him. 'I'll be all right,' he said.

The room fell into an unnatural silence. Finally Legolas turned to Gimli, wondering if perhaps he should try to start a conversation; Aragorn wanted them to try to get along. The dwarf looked back at him, obviously already stubbornly opposed to whatever he had to say. Legolas gave up on the idea, made a face at him, and walked into his room.

'I'll make dinner.' He heard Sam say through the closed door.

This reminded him that he was hungry, not having eaten since breakfast. He got himself an apple and a brownie and returned to his room. I wonder what time Boromir gets back? He's been gone for a terribly long time. He bit into the apple and looked out the window. So this is the world of men. It isn't very pleasant, dirty and so very unnatural. Not somewhere I'd like to live. I hope we get back soon. I miss the woods. He closed his eyes and imagined his beautiful Mirkwood forest. I don't think that there is one thing about this world that I would want. No, not true, I do like the computer. He smiled at the computer. I wonder what sort of person Tolkien was- Probably a very smart one. He said in his book that he found the old documents written by Elves that he used to make his books. I wonder which manuscripts he found. Do they really chronicle our quest? Is it accurate? Maybe I should read the books. He pondered this for quite some time. No, I don't think so. The idea frightens me.

'Boromir!' cried the hobbits in the next room.

Boromir is back. I should really go apologize to him. I wasn't being very fair last night. Ai, why does Aragorn have to make me feel so guilty? He got up and went into the hobbits' room. Boromir was standing there, soaked.

'Don't ask,' said Boromir, catching his eye. He stormed into his bedroom and slammed the door before Legolas could even get close to apologizing.

'What happened to him?' Legolas asked the hobbits.

'He isn't telling,' said Pippin.

At least Aragorn cannot say that it is my fault that I could not apologize. He frowned. I wonder why Boromir acts they way he does, he seems determined not to like me.

Aragorn came out of the bathroom. 'Did Boromir come in?' he asked.

'Yes,' said Merry, 'and he was all wet.'

'And mad,' said Pippin.

Boromir stamped out of his room and slammed himself into the bathroom.

Aragorn knocked on the door. 'Are you all right, Boromir?' he asked.

Boromir opened the door. 'I need to talk to you,' he said.

Aragorn disappeared into the bathroom.

'Does anyone want to talk to me alone and in private?' asked Pippin, stretching out leisurely on the sofa.

'I doubt it,' said Merry.

'Do you need any help, Sam?' asked Frodo.

'No, I'm all right, Mr. Frodo.'

'I wonder,' mused Pippin, 'How Boromir could possibly succeed in getting soaked on such a day as this.'

'I bet,' said Merry, 'that one of Eeyore's rain clouds found him.'

'Eeyore?' asked Gimli.

'He's a donkey in a television show called Winnie the Pooh,' Merry informed him.

Gimli cast a critical eye at the television set. 'You mean to tell me that you actually watch that thing?'

'What else is there to do trapped all day in this wretched tower?' asked Legolas, throwing his hands up in dramatic despair.

Gimli grunted.

'We could be scholarly,' said Pippin, pulling on his best wise-old-scholar face.

Merry threw a pillow at him. It hit him squarely on the stomach and he fell flat on his back.

'Help!' he cried, 'I've been injured!'

Merry tackled Pippin and soon the two cousins were in the midst of a general hobbit-wrestling match.

'Merry, Pippin, must you?' asked Frodo looking quite annoyed. 'You've been fighting all day.'

Gimli pulled them apart. 'That's quite enough from you two,' he decided, sitting them both firmly down and giving them a stern Dwarvish frown.

Aragorn and Boromir walked out of the bathroom; they both seemed very serious.

'All right, everyone, please settle down,' said Aragorn, 'we're going to have a council of sorts and everyone has to pay attention.' He looked around nervously to see if anyone was going to listen to him.

His companions quietly seated themselves and looked at him expectantly.

Aragorn looked relieved. 'We need to discuss our circumstances. As everyone knows we are here for a reason we do not know,'

'But where is here?' asked Sam.

'We aren't entirely certain, but this much we do know. Here we all belong to a work of fiction.'

'What?' cried Boromir, springing to his feet, 'what do you mean by that?'

The hobbits gasped and made a few exclamations. Gimli muttered something in Dwarvish.

Aragorn pressed Boromir firmly down. 'Yes. And that's just how it is. Furthermore, we know of no way back.' He glanced around trying to appear calm, but Legolas could see the fear in his deep grey eyes.

'Even if we could go back,' said Frodo, 'we shouldn't. The ring is safe here, that's really what matters.'

'The ring staying out of the hands of Sauron won't end our woes!' cried Boromir. 'He has done enough damage to my city without it! I must go back to protect Minis Tirith!'

'There is no going back,' said Aragorn. 'At least none that we know of.' His voice softened. 'I'm sorry.'

There was a strained silence. Merry began to cry; Frodo wrapped his arms around him.

'But,' said Sam, and then said no more.

Pippin sat in stunned silence.

Gimli covered his face and said nothing.

Boromir got up and began to pace the room.

Legolas watched them all in silence; he had been expecting this, but it still was not easy. He put his arms around Sam and held him tightly.

'So, now we decide what we should do,' coaxed Aragorn.

'What do you mean by that?' asked Boromir. 'You already said that there was nothing we could do. And now you ask what we should do? Aragorn, you amaze me.'

Aragorn shook his head. 'There are things that we can do. We can try to get along for one.' He looked about at all of them. 'We can try to find a way to make our lives here pleasant, at least as pleasant as they can be. We can try to help each other find the strength and courage to face this strange, new world. We can try to support each other, to care for each other, to love each other. That, Boromir, is what we can do.' He fell silent.

Boromir shrugged. 'I do not see what any of that matters. We are here and this world is not ours. I will go back to Gondor, or I will die trying.' He glared at Aragorn and turned away.

There was a long, cruel silence.

Sam pulled away from Legolas and went to the kitchen.

Legolas hugged his knees and looked at Boromir, who was standing, staring out the window, trying not to cry.

'I hate it here,' said Pippin finally.

Frodo hugged him. 'So do I, Pip.'

'Dinner's ready,' said Sam quietly.

They ate their dinner with little appetite, each caught in his own thoughts. When they were finished, they went to their rooms to think some more.

'We'll hold the second part of our council in half an hour,' said Aragorn, but no one seemed to care.

'Aragorn,' asked Legolas, sitting down cross-legged on their bed. 'There really is no way back, is there?'

Aragorn shook his head. 'Not that I know of; I believe that we are trapped here forever.'

'Forever has a very different meaning for you than for me,' said the Elf softly.

Aragorn sat down near him and tried to appear comforting. 'I know.' He placed a hand on the elf's knee and squeezed it.

'I don't think we should stay here, in Boston, I mean. It's too loud and dirty and confining.' He closed his eyes for a moment, as if remembering something. 'Dunadan, why did you attack me earlier today?'

'Sorry, I was trying to keep you from hearing something.'

'What?' He tilted his head to one side curiously.

'I shouldn't tell you.' Aragorn folded his arms.

'I want to know.' The elf looked at him pleadingly.

Aragorn sighed. 'Fine, it was the bird that you saw. Do you know what kind of bird that was?'

'No, what was it?'

'It was a gull.'

'A gull?' He perked up.

'Yes. A sea gull.'

'A sea gull! Aragorn, are we by the sea?' the elf exclaimed, his eyes growing wide with wonder and delight.

Aragorn nodded.

Legolas sprang to his feet and rushed to the door. Aragorn jumped up and caught him. 'You don't want to do that,' he said, holding him tightly.

Legolas struggled against him, 'Yes I do; I want to see the sea!'

'That might not be the wisest of ideas,' Aragorn cautioned.

'Why ever not?' asked Legolas incredulously.

'Because I don't want to loose you,' Aragorn said firmly, lifting him off the floor.

Legolas squirmed helplessly for a few moments, but gave up. 'Aragorn, do you think…do you think I could escape?' he asked, looking out the window as if he expected to see a great white ship waiting patiently for him in a sparkling blue harbor.

'To Valinor? I don't know. I don't know if it's still reachable, or if the Valar shut it off, or even if it exists here,' Aragorn answered grimly, still not releasing him.

'We exist here.' His voice was hopeful, but sad.

'I know, but…ah, Legolas, that means so little now.'

There was a long silence. Aragorn set Legolas down and went to look again out the window.

Finally Legolas spoke. 'Dunadan, I don't want to be the hobbits' mother.'

'Of course you don't,' Aragorn agreed.

'But I'm trapped. Our next-door neighbor thinks I am and if I'm not, she's going to get very suspicious…' Legolas trailed off and sat down on the bed again.

Aragorn shrugged. 'Well then, we move. We can't stay here, that's for sure. It's far too high up, for one thing and then we have your maternal problems for another…' There was a faint hint of amusement in his voice.

'Aragorn!' the elf kicked him lightly.

'It isn't my fault,' complained the ranger. 'I wasn't the one who got you into the mess.'

'You think it's funny!'

'No I don't.' Aragorn's eyes were sparkling.

'Yes you do. And it isn't. It is mortally distressing.'

Aragorn shoved the pillow back at him. 'It's funny.'

'It is not!'

'If it isn't funny, then why are you laughing?' asked Aragorn with a wicked smile.

'I am not laughing.'

'Your eyes are laughing.'

'Stop teasing me.'

'Why ever should I? Elves tease their friends all the time, why should we be any different?'

'Because you are a wicked wretch, my friend, and that makes all the difference in the world.'

'Oh, does it now?' Aragorn smiled. 'In that case…'

He tackled the elf, knocking him swiftly to the floor; Legolas tried desperately to get away, but Aragorn held him tight and, twisting himself quickly about the elf, he began to tickle him expertly.

'Aragorn, this is not fair! You're stronger than me!' laughed Legolas.

'Seeing that I am a wicked wretch, I couldn't care less.' He tickled the elf until he begged for mercy and his slim body shook with laughter and a gentle pain, then loosened his hold and smiled. 'What say you to that?'

'I'm going to kill you,' Legolas declared, his eyes shining with delight, as he lay exhausted in his arms.

'I'm so frightened,' Aragorn teased, releasing him.

Legolas smiled at him. 'I thought you were a grim and grave ranger,' he said.

Aragorn smiled and ruffled his hair. 'That got boring.'

Legolas smirked. 'Did it?' he wrestled Aragorn down with a fierce display of Elven agility.

Aragorn fought back and managed to get a hold of him; dragging him into his arms again, he quickly found a sensitive spot on the elf's stomach.

'Ai! Aragorn, stop!' Legolas cried, writhing with laugher.

'Make me,' Aragorn shot back, drawing the elf's knees up against his chest and tickling his feet.

'I…you…look at the time!' Legolas gasped.

The ranger looked at the clock. 'It's about time for the second council,' he announced. He reluctantly let go of the elf and stood up.

Legolas got up off the floor and straightened himself out, quickly smoothing down his hair and brushing his wayward tunic back down, shaking from the much-needed diversion. It had been good to laugh.

He saw that Aragorn's face was grave again. I wonder how we will ever reach an agreement on this. I suppose Aragorn is right, but I don't really want to believe him. I don't suppose any of us do, not even him.

Aragorn was standing still trying to compose himself so that the others would not worry too much. Legolas lay a hand on his shoulder.

'Don't worry too much, mellon nin, everything will go the way it should. Iluvatar will protect us.'

Aragorn turned to him; Legolas could read the doubt in his grey eyes, so changed from just a moment ago. 'I don't know,' he said, 'Iluvatar might not exist here.'

'That cannot be.'

'I don't know, Greenleaf. What if He is…just fiction?'