A Second Chance

A Second Chance Part 9

"Tarien... Finley... Fin, wake up," the voice is quiet and muffled and it takes me a while to focus on it and open my eyes, everything blurry and fuzzy for a few seconds and I have to blink several times before Aragorn and Legolas' faces appear before me.

"Why did you do that nessa er, you could have been killed?" Aragorn says and he sounds angry and scared and proud all at the same time.

"Had to, Frodo, you had to stop him from being stabbed," I whisper back hoarsely and they both look shocked for a second before Legolas moves to speak.

"Come to the bridge," Gandalf yells and before either one of them can say anything I am struggling to my feet hissing and groaning at the pain it causes and then they are both half running half supporting and dragging me along behind the rest of the fellowship as we flee.

By the time we stop and are being caged in I barely have the energy to be scared anymore I am so focussed on the pain that is pulsing quite freely through my entire body. I have definitely cracked at least a couple of ribs I think and if the nausea and pounding fuzziness in my head is anything to go by then a fairly heavy concussion is also a certainty. I also think I may have dislocated my shoulder again as it hangs uselessly by my side causing agony every time I move or breath.

"Tarien," Legolas queries in an almost panicked voice, so much for the cool aloofness of elves, and I glance up at him before quickly looking away too aware of the fact that he would be able to read my pain far too easily.

"Mm... fine," I manage after a second and luckily we are interrupted before he can say anything further.

"Run," Gandalf cries and before I can do anything we are sprinting and I am just thankful that the occasional whimper of pain that escapes me is covered up by the pounding of our feet on the stone floors.

The fact that I know we are running towards a death defying leap and a battle with a Balroq which will take Gandalf's life makes it even worse. I had thought that knowing what was to happen would make it easier but I couldn't have been more wrong. It is as I am thinking about this that we come to a stop and I swallow a scream as Legolas leaps across the gap in the stairway. I know that he will make it, I have read and seen it a hundred times but it doesn't make the fear that he won't any less real. Before I can gather my sense's, I feel two strong hands grasp my face and pull my attention.

"Finley listen you must jump," Aragorn is saying urgently to me and I baulk at the thought,

"I can't," I whisper immediately panic consuming me completely every part of me trembling.

"You must, I shall toss you and Legolas shall catch you," he says spinning me to face the gap and I can see the others waiting, realising that the others are all there. Wait a minute, they are all there including Frodo but he is supposed to be here when... the ground shakes beneath us and I scream aloud in terror as the steps we are on crumble forcing Aragorn to grab me and roughly pull me up a few steps beside him.

"We shall never make it," he whispers desperately and his own fear seeps into his voice causing my heart to constrict painfully. Come on Finley, remember, fucking use your head, I scream at myself.

"Lean forward... we have to lean forward," I gasp out and he looks at me in slight shock for a second before gripping me to him tightly and obeying. My scream of terror is caught in my throat as we pitch forward and I feel as though I am on the worst and most terrifying roller coaster ride with no way off and a broken track until I find myself in strong arms. I cling desperately to the person who has caught me barely able to breathe and unable to let go.

"Come tarien, we must move," Legolas yells as he grabs my hand in his and pulls me away from Boromir, who it seems had caught me I realise with a slight blush despite everything.