Gandalf raced off in front of them, not giving them time to think. Alexis stumbled as Boromir nearly toppled off of a broken stair. Gandalf shoved Aragorn forward, "Alexis, Adam with me, hold the arrows off," he shouted.

Alexis threw up a shield over the group after crossing the gap, the creature roar shook the caves causing large pieces to fall from the top. Aragorn and Frodo teetered periously on the broken staircases but managed to leap the gap.

As they ran down through the weaving tunnels they could feel the heat growing at their backs. The creature became visible as they crossed narrow bridge. Alexis stopped, realizing Adam and Gandalf were not behind her. She ran back out across the bridge, summoning her power as Gandalf raised his sword and staff. Adam threw up a wall of flame just as the creature attacked and what force she could pull out of her well Alexis shoved it in front of the two of them.

The impact of the attack shattered her shield; she stared as Gandalf raised his staff.

"You shall not pass!" his voice echoed in the caverns above and below them. A bright light illuminated blinded them as his staff crushed down and destroyed the bridge under the dark creature. Alexis's legs wobbled underneath her as she fell to her knees, meeting her brother's relieved smile. None of them saw the whip of embers shoot out of the darkness until Gandalf was pulled back. Alexis screamed as Adam whirled around and grasped the old wizards arms with his. As if in slow motion she watched as her brother and Gandalf were pulled over the edge and into the darkness below.

Emptiness filled her chest as she threw herself forwards, reaching out with everything she had, mind, heart and body. She screamed even louder as she saw her brother sailing downwards.

"Don't leave me Adam, you said you said no don't," she screamed out at him in her mind.

"I love you my twin, run for me and live, I regret nothing," then it was gone. The small light that was always in the back of her mind was gone.

Someones arms were around her, pulling her up and back, she stumbled up as Aragorn lifted her off of the ground and fled, carrying her. She never stopped screaming.

Aragorn fell onto the ground, loosing his balance on the stones, "Up, Alexis we need you. Up, get them up Boromir," but Alexis heard nothing. All she felt was emptiness, they weren't gone, they could not be gone.

She remembered nothing of the next few days, occasionally a voice and someone holding her as she cried. She couldn't speak; if she spoke then she would not feel him and would have to return to a place where Adam and Gandalf were not.

Alexis let Aragorn bind and treat her wounds with out remark or protest after they passed the borders of the woods. Something was silently moving through the forest above them.

"My cousin, my kin I welcome one of the ancient blood line that has not been seen for many a hundred years." A voice echoed through her mind.

"Get out," Alexis shoved her away letting her mind fill with wonderful dark nothingness. She looked up through her lashes at the arrows pointed at them, she followed the shaft of the arrow and her eyes met the elfs. The elf jerked backwards, away from er and several more arrows were directed at her. The intensity of her silver and gold eyes bored into each of them.

"Get those fucking arrows out of my face dipshit or I will freeze you all to hell," she growled, glaring and trying to control the anger rising up in her.

"Do not act rashly Lexy or these pointy ears will put a blade in your back," Gimli growled from next to her.

Alexis did not listen she just walked which ever way Boromir tugged her, ate what food was put into her hands and drank what water was offered. She felt nothing, not tired, not weary, never hungry, or thirsty just nothing.

She could hear her name mentioned in conversations but never participated, she wouldn't sleep because every time she closed her eyes she saw her brothers face. Something jolted her out of her stupor, a light bore through her mind. Alexis looked up examining her surroundings, not remembering where she was.

Boromir was clutching her hand tightly, she looked over at him and squeezed his hand softly. She heard a voice in her mind, the tingling of silver bells of light holding the emptiness of the dark at bay.

"The enemy know you have entered her, what hope you had in secrecy is now gone. Nine there are before me and yet eleven there were set out from Rivendell. Tell me where is Gandalf for I much desire to speak with him." The man wreathed in silver spoke.

"Gandalf the Gray did not pass the borders of this land. He has fallen into shadow," they seemed stunned and the mention brought tears and opened the wounds in their hearts.

"A servant of shadow and flame; a Balrog of Morgoth, for we went needlessly into the net of Moria." Alexis could see Legolas lift his head high as if trying to defy the path they had all taken.

Anger rose up in her chest and lashed out, Alexis jerked away from Boromir and grabbed the front of Legolas's tunic jerking his face inches from hers. She bored into his eyes with her fey ones.

"Don't you dare speak of blame, Gandalf and my brother gave their lives for this quest, we all knew this could happen to any of us. So keep your trap shut elf boy," Legolas stumbled back as she let go, the wrath and hate in her startleing him.

Alexis's gaze swept over the fellowship before she left the room, going back down the stairs and taking a seat on the bottom step.

"Alexis, come here," she looked up as Aragon walked down the stairs and stood before her, she stood and let him pull her to him. "Hush now, I know it hurts. Like something was ripped from your chest. Dear one, Legolas is grieving your brother and Gandalf were very dear to all of us." She broke down in, his arms being the only thing holding her up.

"Aragorn we tried so hard, I tried to stop it but I couldn't. I saw the whip in the darkness but I couldn't reach them in time, I wasn't fast enough. He told me," she hiccupped, trying to breathe through her sobs, "he told me to let him go, to run and live. He wanted me to live without him, he's always been there even when we were apart he has always been there. I could always feel him but now I cant, where his fire was is nothing." They sat there for awhile, Aragorn hushing and rocking her as silent tears trickled down his face.

"I'm sorry, Aragorn I know Gandalf was very dear to all of you. I'm sorry I'm being selfish," she stood, pulling him up off of the steps. "I should go apologize to Legolas," the fellowship had passed them on the stairs but did not disturb them a while ago. Alexis walked down the path they had gone. There were tents set up in the dim clearing, everything felt so peaceful, serene and full of grief. Legolas was standing with his eyes closed as the music filled the air.

Alexis set her hand gently on his arm, hesitating a little. "Legolas," she whispered, unsure if she should disturb and feeling guilty for doing so. The elf turned his head and looked at her, his eyes held so much pain that it made her chest ache. She didn't anything, nothing she said could heal the hurt he felt. She just reached out and gave him a brief hug.

"When I was little, my dad said hugs were the most precious gift God had given us. He told us that they were the one thing everyone could share and the one thing everyone always needed. I'm sorry, I acted rashly and what I said was mean, will you forgive me?"

"All is forgiven my dear friend," he hugged her back.

Boromir was sitting alone, his back turned and shaking with silent sobs. Alexis watched as Aragorn walked over and sat down next to him, she would see Boromir later. Her pack was leaning against a tree next to a very comfortable cot. Alexis took her bag and walked over to an elf that was observing them.

"Is there a place where I can bathe?" the elf nodded and led her away.

The water was neither cool nor warm as she plunged in scrubbing every bit of her skin, the water growing murky from the dirt. As she scrubbed over the cuts and bruises on her abdomen she paused. There was no way she could have gain weight. She placed her hand on the raised area she had never noticed before. She froze thinking, when had she had her period last, it had been awhile but she had been so tired and busy she had never really noticed. There was that one period before they reached the mountains where she felt woozy for a week or so but she put that off as weariness.

"Oh shit," she whispered. She opened a bottle sitting on a rocky ledge next to the pool and poured some of the contents into her hair, scrubbing hard then ducked under the water. She leaned back, looking up through her multi colored hair, she had forgotten about the dye. It had been forever since she last looked in a mirror. When Alexis got out of the water she pulled on the soft robe sitting near by. A woman walked up to her, carrying a basket.

"Miss Alexis, I was bid to bring you some clean clothes," she sat the basket on the stone bench.

"Thank you," she had barely gotten the words out before the elf left the enclosed area. She dressed quickly, pulling on the deep green tunic and trousers then pulling on her well worn boots. A polished silver mirror hung above a table, Alexis wandered over and looked in it. She hardly recognized herself; her skin was sun tanned, opposed to its usual white. Her eyes were a bright blue with golden flecks and her hair hung in long wet clumps past her shoulders. She looked incredibly thin, her once heavier frame had melted away to a lanky body of strong and much used muscles. Her hands were hard and callused. Her arm was nearly completely healed, she rotated her forearm wincing at the pain the simple motion caused.

She took a pair of scissors out of her bag and began to cut her hair so it hung just above her shoulders. Alexis took out one of the decorative combs and used it to help her trim her bangs. Removing a piece of leather she dampened it and used it to pull her hair up into a high ponytail.

She dug through her pack until she found a pair of shorts she had never worn and put them on instead of the trousers. She managed to string and tighten the corset the elf had provided with one hand and laced up the tunic. Finally having the chance to she found her razor.

Carrying her bag over her right shoulder and her boots cradled in her arms she walked back to the camp bare foot in her shorts and clean clothes. Her pack was much lighter now, the elven woman had taken every cloth item out of her bag.

Most of the others were asleep when she got there; from the fresh smell in the air they had taken the opportunity to bathe too.

She woke up the next day feeling completely at peace, stretching she stood up and walked over to where Aragorn sat smoking his pipe. She crouched down in front of him, "Hey, whats up? Where do they keep the food in this joint?" He smiled, taking the pipe out of his mouth.

"We will all go over together when the hobbits rouse themselves. And don't wake them up, they are tired, how are you feeling today?" she sat down cross legged in front of him, placing her chin in her cupped hands.

"Better, more at peace. I don't know how to describe it, it still hurts but it doesn't. It's kinda like it happened years ago instead of recently," she gave him a weak smile, "how about you? I know your trying hard to be the strong one but it's ok to lean on us too."

He nodded, "I feel hopeful, the despair has weakened. The darkness is growing closer, Lexy, we need to be more cautious than ever when we leave here."

"Don't change the subject bub, I know you feel more than you say but guys always seem to do that and you never came off as the chatty-kathy sort." She giggled imagining Aragorn dressed up in blond pigtails and a pink dress.

Merry leaned on her shoulder, "Hey Strider Sam's awake. Now can we eat?"

Alexis gave him a suspicious look, "By what way did Sam wake up?"

"Get that thing out of my shirt!" Sam's voice echoed. Alexis and Aragorn stood up and watched as Sam was jumping around with Frodo trying to reach down his shirt. There was something obviously moving inside of it.

"I think Merry and Pippin thought it would be funny to put a fish down Sam's shirt." Alexis said dryly and at the same time trying not to laugh. "Well then, since Sam's awake too then lets eat, I'm starving."

On their way back from breakfast, with their stomachs full and their hearts a little lighter the same elf that had led them to the city appeared. Alexis watched him cautiously as he approached them, she squeezed Boromir's hand tighter. Boromir stepped forward next to Aragorn and in front of Alexis.

"Hello friend, how may we help you?" the elf looked at him coldly.

"The Lady wishes to speak to Miss Alexis this morning, I am to take you to her," he nodded at Alexis behind Boromir.

"Alright, I'll see you guys later," the elf led her to a secluded area. In the center stood what she though was an elaborate bird bath.

"I am Haldir of the Galadhrim, Alexis we have heard of you from Lord Elrond. You are brave for one so young, I apologize for your losses, please take a seat. She will be with you shortly."

"Uhm, thanks," she walked over to a stone bench and perched on the end.