The Paths We Take Through History

(old title: Well This Was Unexpected)

Authors Note:

WARNING! Definitely read please!

I don't own anything Tolkien created but I own the characters I've created. If you'd like to use them, please ask and cite me. It took hours of research to birth them.

Creative and helpful criticism are always welcome! As well if you just want to tell me what you like or even dislike. Thanks to my sister for helping to Beta! As well as Casey Toh (She had some great stories! Bug her to finish 'Tale of an Orc'! It's a great story!) who reads my chapters before I post when she can. And thanks to thewingedthing! She announced on her story that I had a story in the works! So thank her if you like my story by reading and review us both;)

Reviews really do help! And I'd especially like to know what you feel about my first two chapters:) Heck, all of my chapters really lol Enjoy!

:~*~: Alejandra's POV

Romance (Graphic scenes to follow)/a lil Angst/Adventure/Action (a lil later but this won't be just a love story!)/ a lil Drama flips./Some crude language and humor

Chapter One:

Happy Hour

:~*~:

"Dude don't you dare step on my boots or I swear on Tolkien's grave that I will shove that throw up covered piece of pleather you call a shoe up your no man's land and hell if I know if you'll ever find it." The boy looked down at me through blood shot eyes. I gave the barely legal kid the meanest glare I could muster as he wobbled. Even if he was six foot nine against my five foot seven, these boots got scuffed for no one.

I'd like to think it was because of my impressive stance—somehow giving off the vibes that I had taken four months of Muai Thai and had taken it rather seriously— or that my evil stare must have done the trick. But the fact of the matter was that he was already too piss ass drunk on this Friday afternoon to even know where he was walking. Much less if he was even standing. Sighing, I pushed passed him, making my way through the overly crowded bar. 'Good gosh...I'm such a nerd...Tolkien's grave? Really? ...That guy probably couldn't even spell Tolkien even if sober.'

Finding a seat next to my coworkers was a stroke of luck at this time of the day. The 4:30pm till 5:30pm happy hour had only another fifteen minutes on the clock before I'd have to pay full price. And I'm sorry but no way was I going to pay full price for a drink I could easily make at home for half. As nonchalantly as I could without side glancing the clock, I raised my hand in a slight wave to gain the attention of the man behind the bar as I placed my helmet on the counter beside me. My colleges vaguely acknowledged my presence as was our custom when unwinding from work. Don't talk until our orders are in. It was just that simple.

It's an early happy hour I know and we usually stay for a few hours, but I was thankful for once that it was early. I wanted to leave after a bit since I had planned a weekend trip to met a girl friend in the city for well, another happy hour. But it's in the city so that makes it a bit better. 'Yeah, I'll just keep telling myself that,' I thought with another wave of my hand.

This place was always packed on Friday's after work with the energetic college throng. It's been a year since Rebecca and I started coming here with some of our other coworkers. We had made fast friends with the bartender and since then he's always made sure to check on us and any of our companions no matter how busy he was. 'I'm his favorite after all. Or well more then likely Rebecca is.' But who's keeping tabs?

He seemed to find her rather attractive but for some reason had yet to make a move. And the attraction was obvious between the two. So I really didn't know what was taking him so long. At least she obviously had his interest. I had started coming along first because of one of our flirty coworkers, Vincent. Although by now it was more because of custom. And probably because he begged us to come along. But after a month I kinda figured he only wanted us around more so because of the discounts on beer he got with us around. I knew I wasn't going to get anywhere with Vincent but he was at least good to look at. But at least our other workmate was pleasant eye candy as well.

A loud cheer broke my through my personal thoughts. Turning I saw it had come from a section of seated kids behind me. They look to be theater majors. A girl dressed like she walked outta the sixties had stood up on a chair while boy had pulled a green skull from his back pack as she began to recite some words from a play. A yell from the bartender to get down had her dramatically taking a seat to more cheers.

I miss college.

Hell, maybe even high school at times…oh second thought, no I don't. But I do miss college. This bar is a favorite of our group. After a demanding week of slaving at our desks, bent over like a pack of rats typing and drawing away. Hunched over dimly lit computer screens for hours on end. This atmosphere was the complete opposite. It gave us all a little taste of what it feels like to be younger once again—or at least gave our weekend that much more of a fresh start. It made me feel as if I was back in my university days.

Almost.

Another girl in their group had her nose stuck in a book. She looked like she had been dragged her against her will as she tried to speed read through all the ruckus. She looked like she was about to have a nervous break down. She reminded me of how I was during finals week. I cringed inwardly as that thought floated through my mind. I glance around to see if I could spot any art students. After a few scans, I found a few in a corner. A small mixed group of girls and boys, one or two with sketchbooks in hand trying to be as detached as possible. Looking up and down casually as they drew their subjects without their knowledge. A few of the girls in the group were all smiles while sipping their designer looking drinks. 'Enjoying life, well enjoy it while it lasts.' I can't help the wry smile on my lips. Turning my attention back to the bar I wave a bit more impatiently.

Jake, the bartender nodded his head with a smile towards me. That damn cheeky smile of his eases all of my irritation out my ears. Yea, if anything he was the only reason I came back every Friday. The service and banter were good…well the banter was really good. I liked teasing him about Rebecca. Although since she wasn't here tonight it wouldn't be as entertaining. A loud belch turned my attention down the bar by the entrance. I looked just in time to see a kid almost keel over, dropping a shot glass onto the floor. His friends then grabbing him while laughing and walked him out the door. I can't really tell for sure but I think it's the pukey pleather punk from earlier. Serves him right. It's hard not to notice the various beer bottles by his seat followed by only a few shot glasses.

'Beer then liquor never sicker, liquor then beer never fear. Dude definitely has yet to learn that in college.' I exhaled stiffly before taking another glance around the bar only this time I felt more distant. This whole thing was suddenly starting to get old for me really fast. Things like that actually made me question my need to be around college kids any more. Not that I'm old. I'm young, just not young, young. The more times things like that happened it made me feel older since they just seemed so stupid now. 'And I'm definitely not that old. I'm thirty and flirty damn it,' I thought with a sudden determined look. "And Latina to boot as well!' And because of that I always look younger then I really am and I got it going on but… I still had a longing for something else as I finished my look around the modern Irish themed pub.

I wanted more. 'Maybe I'm hitting my mid life crisis early?'

'Yea, I'm being vain, but at least I'm not so over board to check my face every five minutes like some of the women here.' I looked towards my left as the music gets louder. A few of the college Coed's started dancing, swaying their hips almost erratically to a out of place techno beat. Down the bar there is a pretty red head with a pixie cut opening up her powder compact. That had to be the third time she's done that since I had arrived just eight minutes ago; puckering her lips like a fish as she placed more sticky lip gloss on.

'Really?' I couldn't help the eye brow raise. 'Why continue to re-apply lip-gloss if you're just going to smear it all over your shot glass?' I think to myself before I see her shot of choice. 'Ah…' I raised an eyebrow. 'Blowjob shots. Heh. Great reason.' I can't help but roll my eyes at the catcalls she's receiving from her male companions. Though I smirk as another girl from the drama table purposefully walks past her and makes a gagging noise along with some wonderful 'gag-me' theatrics to another group of kids, making them all laugh. 'At least they aren't all like that. Still, maybe it's time to pick a new bar for our Fridays? I'm sure Jake would understand…maybe even get him to finally ask Rebecca out.' Turning my attention back to the bar once more I let out an irritated pout.

"SWEET CHEEKS! You're taking your damn ass time tonight! I know you prefer Rebecca, but come on!" I called out keenly to Jake the bartender waving him over frantically now to our little group. "Where's the love for the Latina? Have you looked at the time? Come on! I'm cheap! You're lucky I even come out here!"

He smirked over his shoulder. "A little impatient tonight my lovely More-anita? And just what are you complaining about? I always give your group the bartenders discount anyway!" Sweet cheeks, or Jake smugly answers before he takes his time in coming over to take our orders.

"Well first you can pronounce that correctly, its mor-en-ee-ta, morenita. Really Jake? It's been how long and you still can't properly flirt with me, or Rebecca for that matter because you're both still single." I smirked at him. By now, I think he pronounces Spanish words incorrectly just to see me huff and puff about his pronunciation and correct him. He tried mimicking my pouty face but instead he looked like a dying blobfish. I guess the reaction I made gave that fact away as he stuck his tongue out and smiled. Before long he was looking side to side and behind me before glancing over to my group beside me. I knew already who he was looking for before he even asked.

"So…where's Rebecca?" He asks somehow timidly.

I automatically eye rolled. 'Dude, I swear, just ask the damn woman out.' I thought as my grin grew more pronounced.

"She's not here tonight, Sweet Cheeks. Although I will make sure to tell her that you were looking for her next time I see her!" Jake smiled genuinely at me and opened his mouth to say more but I chimed in. "But, if you want me to express your undying, true love and how much you want to hump her," I offered with a cheeky smile. "Gimme a mai tai, really fruity so you can't even tell it's loaded, and for the boys their regulars…happy hour price." Stated with a look at the clock. I then turned towards my right at the said 'boys' to see them grin at Jake, with the exception of Fred, who just nodded his thanks.

"Coming up, More-Anita!" He turned with a flashy spin, before suddenly stopping on his heels to look over his shoulder. "Though, I expect you to talk to her!" He called with a finger pointed in my direction and a little hip motion. I stuck out my tongue at him in retaliation but it only caused him to smirk as he went about getting our drinks.

I turned my attention back to the three men beside me. By now these guys have been coming here long before I was hired. Vincent being a senior to us by six years in the design firm, followed by Fred and James having been there for a little over three years and now there was myself of course. I had just a little over one year under my belt. Rebecca though, had four years but had only starting coming to the bar ever since I begged her to when I first started work. Although she indulged me at first, having a cute bartender here made it easier for her to accompany us more frequently.

There were others from our firm that would come once in a while, but the five of us had become the regulars. Why was I always here on Fridays? It was some place to be and something to do on Friday nights. In a small town their really wasn't much to do. Most of my friends had moved out of the area after college and I for some reason had decided to stay. I did have other friends, such as in my belly dance troop but they all lived much too far away and had families of their own to look after. So couldn't hang out more often with me, their only single friend. Though I did have Rebecca…kind of. For some reason we just could never get the time to hang outside of work or Fridays. And I wasn't even going to think about my beginner Muay Thai boxing classmates. Thank goodness there were only two of four paid months left of that crap before I would be dropping it. That whole class, instructor included were chauvinistic assholes. I should have taken fucking Kung Fu.

I sighed once more. At least I only had two more months, I could put up with that. Turning my attention back to my coworkers, I noticed Vincent and James deep into a conversation between which is better. Beer or Ale.

'Does it really matter?' I thought and looked down at the bar. For being semi modern at least it had the tell tale signs of wear on it.

They always acquired the same drinks. Every Friday. Of every single freaking month of the year no less. Vincent a dark Guinness, Fred a Bud lite, and James a Yuengling lager. Me on the other hand, I would go back and forth and sideways. Sometimes a nice beer, other times a mixed fruity drink, a shot then a beer, and then some days I just wanted a milk shake. That was my kind of regular, irregular.

I heard a deep chuckle next to me and couldn't help the grin before turning to Vincent. "Why is it, Alejandra, that you can never get the same drink?"

"I dunno? I guess I like change a bit too much" I answered and playfully stuck out my tongue. He quickly makes to bite it but I move back out of reflex before coming to a sudden pout at realizing what I had done. To have Vincent 'accidentally' place those lips on mine would definitely be just the thing I needed before my mini road trip of escape into the city tomorrow. I had felt rather trodden these past summer months, not being able to really travel anywhere for the first time in a long while. And not to mention not having had a romp in the sack in just as long wasn't helping much either. I quickly wipe the pout off my face when a more naughty thought passed through my head and I started to grin all over again…

Although if that ever happened who knows if I would want to leave for my weekend trip or just pull the sexy light haired hipster into my bedroom, lock the door and throw away the key. 'I had put in that I might need Monday off…' Pulling my tongue back with a little phiff noise, I gave him a seductive look. "Now Vincent! Play nice! You know I bite." I playfully elbow him with a smirk. I know this shouldn't go anywhere, but I can't help myself. He was after all, the first reason I even came here on Fridays in the first place. But he was the office flirt and notorious for breaking hearts just because he could.

I heard a sigh then that oddly mimicked my own. James had pull his lips into a forced smile at us before looking ahead at the different liquor bottles on display. Drumming his fingers almost absentmindedly on the bar. 'I wonder what's the matter with him?'

Before I could ask, a loud scoff at the other side of James caught my attention. "You'll just have to get in fucking line behind all those other fucking bastards she's biting who knows where." Frowning I shot a scowl towards Fred but it goes unseen. He's staring down and shredding a napkin to bits rather forcibly on the bar counter with his nails, ignoring my glare. He'd been rather snippy with everyone at work today and apparently it's going to continue. He's turned into such a moody asshole as of late.

"Hey, don't start insinuating, pendejo!" I retorted angrily and pointed towards him. "Just because I date a lot doesn't mean they all get a free taste of the Latin dish! What the hell has been your problem lately?"

Vincent gave Fred a quick side-glance before leaning towards me and whispering. "Fred's girl left him a note. Took all of her effects out of their apartment last night. He told her about his…illness a week ago. Just let it go."

Vincent then turned around to crowd gaze behind us. I glared at Vincent now for a moment, 'what did that have to do with him calling me a freaking whore!' But my glare once more went ignored. 'Just because his now ex left didn't make every woman on earth one!' Phiff! 'Whatever.' I turned back to the bar. Sure, I did feel bad for Fred, but really…asshole. My eyes fell from Fred to James. And here was the second reason I now came to this bar and the last member in our company of, wannabe-back-in-our-college-days group. He's a good-looking man, hell who am I kidding? He is hot and at just a year older then myself with his shoulder length wavy brown hair, hazel eyes and nicely trimmed goatee and not to mention smoking muscular body, he was a catch for some lucky girl.

He was nice enough but very shy. He would flirt here and there with me but never any more. I guess I'm just too use to Latino men being more forward about what they want and along with that, how to tell them to screw themselves when they become too pushy. I just wasn't sure how to deal with shy men at all. I was starting to think he wasn't really attracted to me. He always stuck to Vincent's other side every time we came here. If I was on Vincent's left he was on his right, if I was on his right he was on his left. 'Do I smell bad?' I did a quick stretch check and sniffed but of course I was fine. Or was it that he wanted to desperately be Vincent's wingman…or just wanted to get under Vincent's tail feathers in another way, I don't really know. My gay-dar isn't all that great. My one ex can attest to that.

I take a deep breath and slowly let it out, shooting yet another glare at Fred for good measure. It again goes unnoticed by the brooding young man under his dark brown hoodie. So, he had that the new illness. This strange disease or virus, I really didn't know. It was a disease that everyone thought was the best thing since sliced bread…at first. It started showing up a few years ago out of the blue as the media says. People actually started to grow a few inches! Up to half a foot had been reported so far! It of course came with growing pains, but it was still seen as something good. People were trying to figure out how to get it and use it to their advantage. Yet in the few years of it showing up another symptom showed that was less desirable. Their immune systems slowly started to become less effective. It seemed as if we had solved the problem to Aids to only have another worse problem show up.

Some people weren't even that lucky. Whole families in some cases just died after growing only an inch tall. It seemed that it wasn't stuck to just one race or gender either. I did feel bad for Fred since he had talked to us only months before about how he had found out and now his girl wasn't all too pleased by his revelation. And although the doctors and scientists were saying it was more in our genetics some how then an airborne or blood pathogen disease. They weren't sure exactly how it was suddenly popping up around the globe. Or how it was effecting some with Aids like symptoms while with others, whole families began to die. They thought it might even be two diseases. So that didn't stop the fear some people had, including Fred's ex.

I noticed James lean over towards Fred then and say something. What ever it is, it made Fred glanced over at me before shooting a withering look back at James. "Whatever, just fuck off, I just wanna get plastered before my legs grow another fucking inch."

'Life sucks sometimes,' I thought sadly.

Just then Jake came with our drinks and my wonderful mai tai, which happens to be right on time for happy hour price regardless if we were getting the discount already. "Ooooo Life is good!" I can't help it, one minute I'm down the next I'm happy. It's really the simple pleasures in life that you need. Just have to except the bad then look for the little good things to make you happy and then just keep rollin' with that.

I took a good long sip of my drink from my straw. Fruitiness to the fullest! 'Oh, if I was texting it would be full of happy anime faces!'

"You look like the cat that got the canary, Alejandra." Jake says as he smiles at me before giving the men their beers. I smirked at him and continue to take a few more sips of my momentary happiness in a glass. Jake opened his mouth to no doubt to tease me but a pounding from the other end of the bar towards the entrance from some jock makes him grimace. Turning around he started yelling at them, give or take a few swear words in between for them to calm down. But he insistent pounding of the one kid and the hooting and hollering from his friends behind him continues so Jake stalked over. I looked down the bar, to see what the hell all the pounding is about and continue to sip slowly at my fruity drink. There at the end of the bar surrounded by 'young adults' was an elderly man in an ocean blue suit jacket of all things with a long beard that went down past the bar. And stranger still he had on a blue Chinese rice hat of all things. I had to blink a few times as I continued sipping. 'Really? Now I know I came here with these guys to feel a bit young but, really? Was he lost? Having his mid life crisis? Lost his way to an anime cosplay con?'

The jock that was pounding before started once again and began to yell at the old fellow. The elderly man was looking towards my end of the bar in questionable curiosity considering his situation. The jock began to yell with so many colorful curses it reminded me of some rap videos on MTV. Or what was left of MTV, since at least every three or four words out of his mouth were curses. Just what was he so pissed about? After listening for a few minutes because their was no other choice with the volume and amount of swearing leaving his mouth, you had to wait to put together his sentences to make them coherent. I almost wished I had a pen and napkin. The entire fuss was about how the old man was apparently in his 'seat'.

"For the love of—Really? I mean, really?" I blurted out as I watch the scene fold out in front of us. The old man doesn't look frightened at all, but the boy seems to be getting more and more agitated. "Is he that much of a fucking big baby that he wants an assigned seat? What is he? In freaking kindergarten?" I move to get up but Vincent puts his hand on my shoulder sitting me down rather firmly. I looked at him dubiously and shook his hand from my shoulder.

"Don't get involved, you'll just get a black eye." He advised me.

"Does that mean you're going to help?" I asked him, quickly looking towards the ever increasing yelling then back to him, "Jake isn't having that much of an affect on calming the situation down."

As soon as those words left my mouth the idiotic kid took a swing at Jake, promptly knocking him down behind the bar. Standing swiftly to see if Jake was bleeding or unconscious, I looked him over. Jake was slowly moving around, groaning a bit but with no obvious bleeding, he was also safe behind the bar and so not my main concern at the moment. The punch caused an all out uproar as the bouncer made his way through the crowd with fists beginning to fly about. Some girls started screaming, running and ducking towards the exits while others threw in a few punches themselves. A few of the other kids made their way to the exits ducking and dodging the bar fight.

"So much for getting wasted with friends to start off another great fucking weekend." Fred state dryly before taking another chug of his beer.

'I can't believe he's so freaking sarcastic right now, illness or not.' I look to see where the old man is but he's nowhere visible. Zipping up my brown leather jacket and grabbing my helmet I try and see if I can move closer to make sure he hasn't been hit or trampled onto the ground. But a firm hold on my arm stops me and I turn to see Vincent once more. Pulling me away, he moves our little group out of the bar. Placing himself between me and the high levels of testosterone that had a pinch of estrogen here and there we made our way towards the exit. James followed closely behind me, not letting anyone near. Pausing a moment Vincent looked back. Fred still sat there, taking his sweet time with his drink. "Move it Fred!" Vincent called sharply. An annoyed scowl was shot down by a worse glare from Vincent. Grumbling he chugged the rest and followed our group out of the brawl. For a moment I was caught off guard and couldn't help but stare awkwardly at Vincent as he led us outside. 'Wow…maybe I was wrong about Vincent? He was being so—'

"We can't have you of all people getting involved in that mess back there! You're part of my team for the CD jacket design that we're lucky enough to get from the new major studio that's setting up around here. We can't mess it up! If you have two black eyes how the hell are you going to get your part done in time for the deadline! Much less met the clients that way!" He wouldn't even let me speak as he began to mock me even more. "I know you were going to say you could go 'all Latina' on their asses," he declared in a mock accent, "but come on, you put on some weigh since starting last year, so you obviously aren't doing that Muai Thai shit enough! If at all! People thought I got you pregnant at first! You're in no shape to handle it!"

'…Ok? What the fuck!' Pulling my arm out of his hold, we stopped abruptly. "That old man could be getting trampled on in there! Someone has got to go back inside to make sure he's fine and out of harms way! And I'm on fucking birth control you ASSHOLE! And I wouldn't touch your dick even if it had a thousand condoms on it!" As if that should explain everything, I make to go back in through the small crowd of people who where clearing out of the bar before the cops came but this time, instead of Vincent, James stood in front of my path.

"No he's right, Alejandra, but only about two things. One you are part of the team with us," He stated quickly, not allowing me through, "but two and most importantly, you could get hurt," I paused a bit puzzled as he continued, "I couldn't stand to see that. I'll go in to have a quick look around because it's pretty bad in there. Just wait here, please?" With that, he smiled at me and went back in.

That interaction left me with a queer look on my face. James spoke more then two words to me? Just then a car horn sounded and a little orange buggy, straight out of the sixties with tinted windows pulled out of the side alley and took off followed by a few other cars from the parking lot across the street leaving in various directions. I couldn't help but stare at the orange buggy as the taillights faded off down the road. Something about it drew my attention. Maybe it belonged to one of the drama kids? By then most of the bar patrons had taken off or were standing out in the curb around us. Excited by the early evenings events or just plain out too drunk to know where they were standing at 5:50pm.

A few minutes later James came out a little flustered but other wise unhurt.

"I can't see anyone on the floor at all but there is only a small group inside still at each others throats, keeping the bouncer busy. Jake's fine and waved me off so we'd better go before the cops arrive."

"Fine by me." We turned in Fred's direction. "I'll get plastered at home, see you all on fucking Monday. If I'm still here that is." With that Fred took off walking home. I shook my head slowly as he left. I hope he gets over his break up and illness; he can be an ass even when he's not sad. But either way, no one deserves to be that miserable. Well there probably is someone, but it definitely wasn't Fred.

Morenita- little dark one (used as a term of endearment)

Pendejo- Asshole

First chapter!

Ok, so yes this is a 'Girl falls into ME' story.

I'll try my best to keep it as real as possible with a girl going into ME; but you'll have to give me some artistic license though.

Especially since Tolkien didn't finish all his works and did leave some icely hidden plot holes for my borrowed bunnies to go digging though:)

I will take my time in setting up her past; before her adventure (just a chapter and a half) and during her stay in Rivendell (A couple of chapters but I've been told they're worth reading;)

All good things are worth waiting for!:)

I want to have my character's develop themselves in due time. I'm also seeing hw I want to develop a few of the other characters of Tolkien (who don't belong to me) yet he never got the chance to really advance further with. So I will for the entertainment of my fan fiction story.

And I'm going to try and do different points of views from different characters here and there as well as third person. So that you don't get too confused I added a visual aid for third person as well as when any other character's point of view that starts.

._-_-_-_. Third Person Point of View

:~*~: Alejandra's point of view

Again, thank you for reading and please review! Tell me if you hate it or love it! Let me know! I would like to meet a personal goal of mine in reviews (100 by the time my story is done) since this story is a practice run for an original I would like to write. So I'm trying out my writing style^_^ So I would love to know what your opinions are!

Thanks!