Come to Life

Chapter IV

"What?!" Everyone stared at him and ceased what they were doing.

"Just kidding," Legolas said with a huge smile on his face. "You guys should see your faces!"

Parker rolled his eyes and said "dude, you're a horrible liar."

"Shut up Parker, he's obviously telling the truth," Melody snapped. She inserted a bite of lettuce in her mouth and rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I was just kidding," Legolas reiterated with an easy smile. I don't know why, but I found his lopsided smile endearing.

Everyone at the table seemed to relax some and Riley started to laugh and soon, everyone was chortling along with her.

~~~~~~~

"So what's it like in Middle Earth?" I asked curiously. I was sitting crosslegged under a tree outside with Legolas sitting opposite to me but in a similar fashion.

"I don't know how to explain it," Legolas admitted with a tilt of his head. "Tolkien explains it pretty accurately and I bet the movies provide visual aid to his words as well. Unless..." He trailed off and looked me with something in his eyes I couldn't explain. "I could show you."

"You could show me?" I asked dubiously. "How would you show me?"

"Do you trust me?" Legolas queried, completely ignoring my question.

"I don't know, I just met you," I said, feeling slightly uncomfortable. "I guess I do, sort of."

Reaching out, Legolas put his hands over mine and whispered "close your eyes."

I did as he said so and immediately, my mind was filled with a whirlwind of memories. Before I could even register this clearly, I felt a jolt and my eyes flew open. We were no longer under the tree but in a forest that was lush with life. I saw Legolas standing a few feet away and when I made to move towards him, the world slide around my as if I was in a dream.

"Welcome to my memories," Legolas said wryly. "Well, to my memory of where I live."

My mouth was dry and I couldn't make any sound come out. "This is Mirkwood right?" I asked finally.

"Yes," Legolas replied. His eyes flitted around his surrounding and then came to rest on my face. "I wish I was back in the book," he admitted softly. "I don't fit in, in your word that is. Everything is so foreign."

"Why are you here then?" My question sounded more like an accusation but Legolas seemed to dismiss the accusatory tone that might have been implied.

"By accident or chance, I doubt I will ever know," he said bitterly. "I'm hoping one day I can go back. There is a way, but it's dangerous."

"I can help," I offered without even thinking about what words were coming out of my mouth.
"How brave of you," Legolas laughed with his trademark lopsided grin. "I don't think you quite understand the dangers of this quest."

"I do," I insisted. "And so would my friends."

Before Legolas could reply, the world swirled around us once again.

~~~~~

Minutes before: 3rd person POV~

"Omg, Riley! Look! I see Katherine and Legolas!" Liv exclaimed as they were walking around the campus. Riley followed her gaze and smirked when she saw Katherine and Legolas holding hands. Both of their eyes were closed and they were both smiling.

"Wakey wakey time," Riley laughed as she skipped over to the two people on the ground. With a wink at Liv, she pushed Katherine so her hands disconnected with Legolas'.

~~~~~

Present: Katherine POV~

I was sitting under the tree again with Legolas but this time we were not alone. I groaned when I saw the two faces of Riley and Liv grinning down at me.

"This doesn't look right." Parker had just walked up to us and had an eyebrow raised at the sight before him.

"Shut up Parker," I sighed, rolling my eyes. "Legolas and I need to tell you something, but you have to keep it a secret."

"Did you guys have sex?" Parker asked bluntly. He wrinkled his nose and flipped his hair out of his face.

"Parker! Naughty, naught, naughty!" Riley chastised him lightly. She smacked his arm and continued "so what's up Kale?"

I winced at her nickname for me that was actually given to me by Christian. "Yes... Well... Legolas needs our help finding a portal."

"Katherine!" Legolas hissed, "I didn't say you could ask them for help!"

I shrugged and said "well you're getting help now, L."

"Wait wait, with what?" Liv exclaimed.

"We need to find a portal," I reiterated, "it's to help Legolas get back home."