Alateriel567 : Real life is when we act stupid and is confusing. Remember my dear that everything is not always spelled out for us. Sorry for the delay but we're just lazy. Keep reading!

Elvin BlueEyesIn the words of the Prime Minster (I don't know who) Wait and see! Keep reading!

chelseypudgeSorry for the long time between up dates but life is…no, we're just lazy authors. But other then that I hope you like the up date! Keep reading!

Princess SiaraFirst Reaction: YESSSSSSSSSSSS! We up dated! We up dated! Keep reading!

Phantom666Barbara went home of course!

E.TphonehomeI hope this wasn't too long for you. I had to drag Winkle to the keyboard and strap him down to it. It wasn't my fault! Keep reading!

Laer4572You'll just have to wait and see what happens. We are very sneaky authors after all. Keep reading!

kaleidoscopic blueberry muf... : I hope you enjoy this chapter as much. I still love your name by the way. Keep Reading!

Fk306 animeloverHere you go! Keep reading!

PlainAndSimpleAh good plainandsimple how we love thee! We always love getting reviews from our very old reviewers. Good to hear from you. Keep reading!

Annamariah : you will have to wait and see but I am glad you liked this last chapter so much. The audio version is getting a long time in finding a way to launch it. But hopefully we can work something out. Keep reading!

PrettygoblinprincessWhat a groovy name you have there! We love pineapple cake! (Snodgrass eats all of it) Keep reading!

Luthien and Tari OronarYou guys need to up date your story too! And as for Lindir you learn a tiny bit more about him in here. Keep reading!

Slayer3 : Harry Potter? Grrrrrrrrr! Keep reading!

Siriusly Sirius Lily BlackOf course she isn't going to forget it all. But she doesn't really fit and never would. Trust me I know her too well. But I understand the wish that she would stay in ME. Of course, you have to keep reading to see what happens!

Alberix.Silver.Quill : Lindir isn't exactly a little elf. But I'll let that slid. I hope we didn't keep you waiting too long! Keep reading!

Time and Fate : Ditto!

Silveni : I agree. Keep reading!

Pancake : Hey! The Pancake is in the house! Go Pancake! Go Pancake! Go Pancake! Keep writing and you will see how your style impressive and changes. Trust when this story began we had a lot to learn. We're so glad that you like out story and that it was interesting enough for you to keep reading all the chapters. Keep reading!

crazyroninchicI hope you didn't hurt yourself dear. Keep reading!

Lady Boromir : Wow! Thanks you so much for the complement! We really try hard to write a good story and of course we love your name! I ( Snodgrass) sometimes wonder if Emily and Boromir are less loved then the others but you set my mind as ease. Keep reading!

halfelvenmedea : You spelled it right, but not quite correct in the idea of who he was. Anyway, I hope this chapter will lift your spirits! Keep reading!

Georgiana : Wow, you write reviews just like my sister does….not of course that I have one. But we were all like "cool when we saw the spell check and then we were like "Snap!" when we got all these reviews and then we were like "totally" when we heard we should up date again. Keep reading!

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Chapter Forty Four

Too Mary Sue-ish

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Earth.

A different heart beat in the midst of it, the pulse felt different. You don't really feel this, unless you've been somewhere else. Even astronauts can feel this, that's why they're so moved when they return. Now, they realize why only one place in a huge universe can feel like home.

It also smells a heck of a lot different. I tilted my head back, and breathed in deeply. Cars, fast food, and a brisk cold breeze that said, yes, this is fall. Autumnal zephyr is probably what Haldir would have called it.

I didn't really think about how much I missed trees. Our town was an out of the way place, and huge maples still lined the streets. They exploded in golden, red, and orange leaves, falling in a slow rain, continually frustrating the efforts of neighborhood nitpicks who wanted to keep their lawns green all year long.

It hurt, at first. You see something like a airplane, and for this brief time, it's like "Eru, what's that!" I'm not kidding. I always thought it was stupid when writers made a person from the past fascinated with ordinary objects- the faucet, for instance, but I found it somewhat true.

Naturally, places like McDonalds and a shower took about 1.5 seconds to appreciate. The doctor said ( and I was trying not to laugh at the time, because I kept thinking about how his big, mournful eyes looked like a cow) "Ms. Paul, you should get out more. Go shopping, or on walks. Maybe you could sign up at a gym."

My version of "getting out of the house" consisted of going straight to the bookstore. There were some books I definitely wanted to get my hands on. Mom and Dad thought the best thing for me was to forget the whole thing.

The 'whole thing' consisted of my obviously crazy insistence on the fact that I had spent a year of my life in another world. Emily's copies of Tolkien had 'mysteriously' disappeared.

I pushed open the bookstore door, setting off a ghostly howl that told the owners that someone had entered the shop. The whole place was bestrewn with fake cobwebs, and pumpkins. A cheerful lady in a bright red sweater was behind the counter.

"Need any help finding anything?" she asked brightly "No one else is here, so you can just prowl the store as much as you want."

"That's great. I just need to know where you keep fantasy."

She hurried out from behind the counter and led me to a dusty little corner, marked fantasy.

"We don't get many people in here looking for anything other than Harry Potter." she apologized "If you have something special in mind, we might have it in the back room. It's so hard to keep up with all the new stock coming in."

"Thanks" I said, already reaching for some books on the shelf "I've found what I wanted. This is great."

All three of the books sat on the shelf. They looked familiar, and I found out why when I opened the first cover of the first book.

Written in a round, beautiful hand under Property Of were the words Emily Paul. This was her book. Mom and dad must've donated them to the shop. Hurriedly, I flipped open the next book. Emily Paul. Inadvertently , I had found my own sister's copies of this book.

I found a stool, and sat down hard. Then, I opened the last book. A small piece of paper fluttered out, in Emily's handwriting.

"Those were donated a few days ago." Sweater-Woman loomed over me "It's such a shame when someone gets rid of such nice books. You know, when you can tell someone really loved them. Oh, well. Sometimes people get rid of such wonderful books when they move."

I sat, burning with impatience, but forced a smile on my face.

"Yeah. It's a real shame." I nodded, clutching the paper in my hand. Sweater-Woman seemed to be trying to see what it was. Maybe she thought it was some money or something. Unfortunately, I usually found receipts in books.

"Well, I'll just leave you to enjoy your find." she chirped, and moved away, not without casting a last, curious glance over her shoulder.

Carefully, I smoothed the paper over my knees. Silently, I wished Emily wasn't so fond of cursive. Still, I managed to decipher it.

Hey, Barb!

I KNEW you'd be snooping around my shelves after I left. Oh well. I suppose I don't really care, I'm so excited about this trip to Europe. I'm sure I'll meet someone incredibly handsome with a name like Fitzwilliam the Millionth or something.

Watch over everyone for me, and don't be too jealous. You're too American to travel anyway, or at least, too you to get along anywhere but the land of the free and home of the brave. Well, maybe you'd get along in Rohan. It's too bad some places exist only in the imagination.

Love, Emily.

PS. There are jellybeans in my top drawer.

Automatically, my hands smoothed the paper, as tears ran down my face. Good tears. Happy tears. Emily was always right, even when she had had no idea what was going to happen to her. She belonged there, with all of them.

"She was wrong, though, you know." I sniffled, as the sweater lady hovered in anxious confusion "His name wasn't Fitzwilliam. It was Boromir."

When I finally left the shop, I had all three books, a muffin, a phone number ( in case you need someone to talk to honey) a red scarf, and the firm conviction I was right where I belonged. That I was, truly, home.

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Emily's POV

The waves made a soppy smack as they splashed down upon the golden shores of Dol Amroth. I had taken off my shoes and allowed the water to ruin the hem of my dress and shock my feet with icy saltiness. Ecthelion was sleeping in his little beach tent after wearing himself out on sea shells and lunch. It seems wrong some how to see his nurse sitting by him with an umbrella over her shoulder. It doesn't seem like an object you'd find in Middle Earth.

It was exactly three months since Barbie had disappeared and I was still in Dol Amroth 'for a rest' as King Elessar had advised. There was nothing whatever the matter with me. I wasn't wasting away in depression or loneliness, but Aragorn thought I might so I was hustled off to the seaside. Boromir also thought this was a splendid idea, and I can't help but wonder if it didn't have something to do with the fact that his mother faded away.

Oh well, I can't say that I don't like being pampered, because I do.

My feelings on discovering Barbara's going home were mixed. We received no sign that she had gone other then that I knew she had. Unfortunately we never had messages of certainty from Elrond, Galadriel or Gandalf stating it as fact. Worse luck I think.

As for the elf who had arrived as she had left, his name was Lindir. I learned very quickly that he was the one who Barbara had mentioned in her letters all the time. He is charming, but heart broken. Legolas confided to me that if he had sat around composing romantic ballads of lost love he wouldn't worry. But Lindir walks the city streets with his hands in his pockets and his face hidden by his rather shaggy hair.

I feel very sorry for him because it's plain enough to see that he loved…loves her. Imagine that, what Sues we both turned out to be!

"Emily! There you are. I had visions of you tossed into the sea and drownED!" Imrahil called out cheerfully. I looked up and saw Imrahil wading across the sandy beach with his trousers rolled up to his rather hairy knees.

Ever since we had come to Dol Amroth Imrahil had become more nautical. He said things like argh, matey and aye all the time. Now he was looking rather lordly and slightly silly as he came rambling down the beach.

"I do not look silly," he called out.

"Stop reading my mind!" I shouted back and grinned. I really loved Imrahil.

"I have a letter from Boromir: he chortled and waved a long slim packet around in the air.

"Oh? What does it say?" I asked as I made my way toward him.

He reached me and laid the letter in my hand breathing rather hard, "I didn't read my dear. Let's have a rest shall we?" and he flopped unceremoniously unto the ground. He stretched his long legs in front of him and rested back on his elbows.

I plopped down next to him and broke the red wax seal before reading the letter. Imrahil said nothing but I could tell that he was scanning my reaction with his thoughts. If you ever meet someone and you get a little tickle in the back of your throat see if their a mind reader because that is a sure sign that they are.

"Boromir says that all searchers have come back without any sign of Barbara from Rivendell to Mirkwood," I said, 'But I knew they would. He tries to be so careful about how he words everything."

"He is a very good man, my nephew," Imrahil said, "He takes after Finduilas that way…tact you know."

"I can't say that was always true," I laughed, 'He also says that he means to be here by the evening."

"Good, being shut up in that stuffy city for months is hell! I am sorry I meant, ah, it is hard on the nerves," Imrahil coughed and sat up right, "I suppose you'll be heading back to Gondor then?"

"I assume so," I answered, "I'll miss you and this place."

"Aye," Imrahil said and winked, "Let's head on back to the house. If Boromir sees you looking like this when he arrives he'll think I'm a terrible host."

"Argh," I answered, "As if you don't already spoil me completely."

"Tis too true matey," he smirked and we laughed as we went back to collect Ecthelion.

The baby had grown like a weed in the fresh sea air and his head was now covered with a heavy brown of straight black hair. I missed his baby curls, but I had kept them when we cut his hair the first time. I cried when they came off but I think I was crying for more then the curls. I think the idea that Barbie and the family would never see my baby was the hard part.

"Lindir arrived today as well," Imrahil commented, "I mean to set him to work on a new ballad for me. Hopefully that will keep his mind off of your sister."

"What is the song going to be about?" I asked interested.

"The aftermath of battle," Imrahil said happily.

I looked off to where the sea gulls were weaving in the air over the waves, "Then I hardly think he'll be thinking of anyone else."

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Three Years Later

( I know, I know the 'handy time lapse' thing. Work with it.)

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Barbara's POV

Exactly three years from the day I left the bookstore, and an entire world behind, I became a Famous And Important Person Who Is Worthy Of Your Attention. No, I didn't astonish people by my skill with elvish ( let's just say Elrond asked me to stick to common when I was in Imladris) my magical bow skills, or sword skills, or intimate knowledge of Minas Tirith.

I became famous for another reason, and the instrument I wielded was a pen.

My doctor (I love saying "my doctor", it's like saying "my car" or "my useful household appliance" ) had advised writing. His big ponderous hands folded over his clipboard, he said

"Writing is a useful way of ridding oneself of inner demons. Just write whatever comes into your head, and you'd be surprised. Don't worry if what you write scares you. Let the emotion pour out."

It was hard to concentrate on what he said when I kept noticing the ketchup on his tie.

But I did write. At first, it was about what happened. I began to want to remember it, all of it, so I would never forget. Even when memory began to fade, I would still have it on paper. No one would tell me I had imagined it all because my mind was unbalanced.

Then, after that, I found I enjoyed writing. Not because I released any inner demons, although I did admit some things to paper I hadn't to anything, or anyone else. I just enjoyed the flow, the accomplishment I felt through writing. College became easier to swallow when I found out they had writing courses, literature courses, even English became easier.

And one day, I began my book.

I began hesitatingly, haltingly, but I worked on it. Don't get any ideas that writing's easy. It's hard. It's harder than anything, including disemboweling a fully armed orc, who carries an axe, when all you have is a rusty dwarf sword. Actually, it was a lot harder.

When finally I finished it, I felt like I never wanted to see it again. That lasted for exactly two weeks. I pulled the unwieldy manuscript from my binder, and set about the dreary task of editing and revision. In a way, that was easier than writing the book itself.

Ms. Engle, my English teacher, poked and prodded me. She was sure I was a hidden genius, and I would blossom like a magnificent rose once I realized my true self. She talks like that a lot.

She was also the one to push me to submit the book to a publisher, a living, breathing publisher. In fear and trembling, I did. A couple of months later, I still hadn't heard from anyone. Magnificent rose or not, I was beginning to feel that maybe a living breathing publisher didn't want the work of a college student.

"Don't you pay any attention to one silly rejection." Ms. Engle had told me that day. Her perfume filled the room like a million lilacs, as she leaned towards me "Jack London received hundreds of rejections before a single story of his was published."

I sighed, and hefted my backpack over my shoulder. Maybe I should let this book live a graceful retirement. After all, maybe first books were more like practice runs.

Winter was beginning to make itself felt. It snapped brusquely at my hair and clothes, as if it was in a very bad temper. A few snowflakes fluttered from the grey, early afternoon sky. From the way the clouds bulged, a lot more was going to follow.

College students scurried everywhere through the town, probably stocking up on essentials--- you know, chips, pizza, soda. I shivered, wondering how someone could wear shorts at this time of year.

When I reached my apartment, it was freezing. I dumped my backpack onto my roommate's skinny futon, that seemed to whimper under the weight. Our landlady had a bad habit of turning off the heat, to save on electricity, so it was always cold when I got back.

The temperature had reached just above freezing when the telephone rang. Why is it that people call when you've just begun to eat something that has to be kept cold or warm?

"Hello, Barbara Paul speaking, may I ask who's speaking please?" I rattled off the greeting I'd learned at the tender age of nine. I eyed my soup jealously. Already, I thought I saw a thin layer of ice forming.

"This is Barbara Paul?" said a high, yet not unpleasant voice on the other end. It sounded as if the person had just run very fast, or was very excited. I learned later that this person always spoke this way, no matter what was going on.

"Yes. May I ask who's speaking?" I gave up the soup for lost, and sat down. It was probably good that I did.

"Hugh," the voice answered promptly "But you wouldn't know my name. I'm calling about your book. I read it today, and I think I may safely assure you that we are very pleased with your manuscript. I called to see if I could arrange a meeting at my office, so we could discuss it together. Of course, we'll be talking about the rights to a film, and all that. "

"Oh," I said weakly.

There was silence on the other end.

"Is that all you're going to say?" Hugh said, in a slightly injured tone "I hope you haven't gone and signed a contract with someone else, that would be so inconvenient."

"No." I regained my voice "No! I was just so surprised…this is awesome. I was just so.."

"Surprised? Never mind that. I was thinking tomorrow, in fact, if you're not too busy, or anything." He then rattled off an address and his office phone number, his personal number, his personal cell-phone number, and "Celia's number , who you'll probably only talk to if I am lying dead in a ditch somewhere." I had very few chances to say anything, something else I found was usual with Hugh.

"Tomorrow's great." I said blithely. That would be some excuse to give my horrible math teacher. I'm going to be rich and famous, so I'm going to skip your class! "I'll just come over, and look at the contract. I'm just flabbergasted. Film rights…"

"Yes, film rights and all that. I do hope you'll be able to come through the snow, it's looking ferocious where I am, positively horrific." Hugh sounded decidedly cheerful about this.

"I'll be there, count on it."

When I finally got off the phone, I was astonished. I covered my face with my hands, trying to take it all in. This was too much. Then, I had to laugh. I found this hard to believe, when most people thought I was crazy talking about some other world.

I think I surprised my roommate most of all, however, when she came in the door, and I was dancing, and singing "Oh What A Beautiful Morning".

"You're insane.' she grumbled.

But then, of course, I didn't care. Everything was going my way.

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Emily's POV

"And I shall protect you my lady! No evil dwarf shall put a hand on you!" Ecthelion shouted.

He held his small sword aloft toward Gimli's advancing figure. Behind Ecthelion the princess Royal was pretending to be afraid. She clutched at Ecthelion's sleeve and made little screeching sounds whenever the wooden swords clashed. Our second son, Bedivere screamed with excitement and clapped his hands. Bedivere was tied to the leg of the work table. He was a fast crawler and had already fallen down several steps because of his adventurous nature.

"I don't think that you should be playing so near the windows!" Arwen called out calmly.

She was holding Falawen, the third in the royal family. Eldarion was playing at her feet with her dress tassel tied to the dog's tail. The dog was so good and patient he would never dream of running away from his evil little charge.

"Ecthelion, come away from the window," I called, "Gimli please?"

"Right you are," the dwarf said and he and Ecthelion steered their fight toward the outing into the large hallway. Bedivere pulled at the sash around his round tummy with they disappeared but soon found his fingers interesting enough.

"When do you expect the king's return?" I asked.

Arwen took the baby's fingers out of the raspberry bowl and answered serenely, "He and Prince Legolas will arrive before the end of the week. I suppose that Prince Faramir wanted them to stay for the blooming of the cherry trees."

"I hear that the orchard is very fine," I agreed, "But it does seem slightly silly for grown men to be hanging around an orchard waiting to see flowers blooming."

"Emily, they are only enjoying the world around them," Arwen said, a gentle tone of reproof in her voice.

"But surely your brother did not send their time so," I laughed, "Indeed I hardly think they would stand still long enough."

Arwen laughed out right at that and the babies both stopped and smiled at the sound, "I believe you are right. I cannot say that they ever took a great deal of joy in nature. But it is important that his grace the king show the appropriate interest in the people's interests even they do not enjoy them over much."

We continued our work in silence for sometime. The queen and I had started on a tapestry depicting the last battle and we were just getting to the middle of it. Now I know why the old things are so valuable, because the poor women (Arwen and I) work on them for years.

Boromir was announced and came in looking grumpy and uncomfortable. He bowed to the queen and kissed her hand before saying, "This heat is rather too much! I thought the rain would lessen the torrid onslaught of summer, but I have been proved wrong again. How do you do my dear?"

I patted Bedivere's curly red head and took a piece of dust out of his hands, "Fine, but I think he should defiantly be in the army. You should have seen him carrying on while 'Lon and Gimli were fighting."

"Was he indeed?" Boromir smiled proudly and released Bediever before throwing him high into the air. Bedivere screamed with delight and fear much to the shock and interest of the two quiet little princesses sitting with their mother.

Ecthelion and Royal came running into the room at that moment. They stopped and bowed to Boromir and Ecthelion began, "Mother, may we go and paddle about in the fountain?"

"I have no trouble with it my dear," I said, "But the princess must apply to her mother the queen."

Ecthelion turned his blue eyes on the queen pleadingly, "May we your grace?"

Arwen looked to Royal and asked, "Do you want to?"

"It is hideously hot Amme," she said dramatically.

"Then you may, but do change into your swimming things," Arwen nodded and the children ran to the door, and bowed before running off. Princess Royal was already taller then Ecthelion was but that didn't seem to bother the two children. She had been a surprise to everyone. We had all thought that the first child of Arwen and Aragorn would be the only boy. But instead we had the lovely Princess Royal who was already the spitting image of her uncles Elrohir and Elladan. They weren't at all round of her.

"They make me tried just watching them," I said yawning, "I don't know where they get their energy. I feel old."

"Imagine how I feel," Boromir said, "You're young yet, and here I am an old man of forty four. You've no idea how ancient I feel."

"Indeed, you are standing on the grave," Arwen said as she calmly threaded her needle again. Her merry eyes flashed up and twinkled with that something that made her different.

Boromir smiled and bowed, "You have bested me Your Grace. I shall never talk of age again. At least not in Your Grace's presence."

The evening passed nicely and we returned to our home. The children were taken to bed by their army of nannies and Boromir and I went for our usual walk in the gardens. Over time I had learned every plant my dear husband was allegoric to and the garden was a safe place for was both to walk. Bedivere followed his father in nearly everything including his allergies.

"I received a letter from Lord Elrond today," Boromir said, "About young Lindir."

"Oh? How is he? No worse I hope." I asked anxiously.

Lindir has stayed in Gondor for a year and a half after Barbara went home. He had composed the ballad for Imrahil and had haunted Dol Amroth and then Gondor with its wild and mournful strains. Finally, Elrond had sent for him and he had left looking ill and heart broken. We heard every once and a while how he was but every time he was worse off then before.

"I don't know how to say this but--he's disappeared," Boromir said carefully, "During a--storm."

A thrill of hope and excitement ran through me and I clutched Boromir's arm, "Do you think?"

"It is possible," Boromir admitted cautiously, "I am beginning to believe that anything is possible in the world now."

I clapped my hands and said, "This is just wonderful. If he went back to our world then everything is just as it should be. And they could meet and again and fall in love and marry and that would be.."

"Amazing, if she isn't already married to someone else," Boromir said, "Remember she's nearly twenty one by this time isn't she?"

"Yes, I suppose she is, but Boromir, do you think she would marry someone who wasn't him?"

"I don't know. But if he did go back to your home I hope that they will find each other."

I nodded replying, "I sure they will. Our lives are too Mary Sue-ish not for it to happen."