__CHAPTER six [ SUNNYDALE ]
A/N: Oops. Sorry for lack of update. But here’s one! ^_^ And my Microsoft Word is being the biggest bitch ever.

Buffy immediately pushed Anya away, taking her place and blocking the arrow from piercing flesh by kicking its tail, making it clatter to the ground. Legolas stared at her, alarmed, and immediately moved to load another arrow into his bow. But as quick and agile as he was, Buffy was in front of him at lightning speed, grabbing the bow out of his hands.

“I imagine this weapon is very dear to you. It’s really pretty, by the way, and by the looks of it, it is also your only weapon.” Buffy said with disdain. She made a move as to snap it in half.

Legolas wordlessly unsheathed the two Elven blades that hung on his back in beautifully and intricately carven scabbards. Spike, Xander and Willow grabbed whatever weapon was at hand, while Aragorn quickly unsheathed his sword, Gimli wielded his axe, and Gandalf readied his staff.

“We did not come here to warmonger!” Arwen exclaimed in distress.

Everyone stared at the beautiful Elven maiden, frozen in their attacking stances.

“Quite right,” Gandalf sighed heavily, leaning upon his staff, in an image of an old, weathered man.

Buffy stared at the elf spitefully as she reluctantly handed him his bow back. Legolas none too gently grabbed the bow from her hands, backing away to stand between Gimli and Aragorn.

“Obviously, we’ve all started off on the wrong foot,” Gandalf said leniently.

“That’s an understatement,” Xander grumbled under his breath.

“Xander!” Willow chastised him.

Buffy stepped up to their newest visitors, and Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas placed their hands on their weapons in precaution. “There must be another way of separating the Ring from Anya without manhandling her.”

“There is no other way. The Ring has already taken her,” Aragorn said tersely.

“And you cannot take the Ring from her with magic. It may destroy her mind.” Gandalf replied solemnly.

Dawn cautiously stepped up to the Fellowship. “Well, Anya is a former demon. Does that give her a special kind of resistiblility to magic?”

“Do you really want to take that risk?” Aragorn asked her gently. “If all goes wrong, she will live, but her mind will be destroyed. Her life will be utterly useless.”

“Well we few are adapt to magic, in our own ways, really,” Willow piped up, gesturing to the Scoobies.

In the midst of their talking, Anya ungracefully stood from her place on the floor and made a move as to leave. Gollum, always wary, saw this and leapt after her.

“Gollum!” cried Frodo, chasing after the sordid creature. He dove for him, barely grabbing him by his thin wrist.

Gollum thrashed and fidgeted in his hold, kicking Frodo in the face and his upper arms. Though in pain, Frodo resisted, and dared not let go. Finally, Gollum with a pitiful wail collapsed onto the floor, letting the Ringbearer drag him back to the training room. Anya watched warily as he was dragged away. Seeing that it was safe now to escape, she got to her feet and stormed out of the shop.

“We cannot let her go out there alone!” Legolas cried. “Many will succumb to the power of the Ring! Not many have such strong wills as yours.”

Buffy remembered how easy the vampires from the night before had been called to the Ring. She nodded in understanding. “You will help us,” she stated.

“No, you will help us. It is not our fault that the Ring ended up in your Godforsaken world!” Gandalf cried, perturbed. With that, he stormed out of the room, holding up his staff.

Frodo bit his lip, sensing the tension among the Fellowship and Buffy and her friends. He glanced at Merry and Pippin, and then at Sam. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this. I thought they would get along just fine…” he sighed in dismay.

“Well, they have a lot of differences, Mr. Frodo.” Sam piped up. “Gandalf’s mind is so bent upon having the Ring returned back home that he doesn’t see that there are consequences to taking the Ring out of this world. Obviously, the Ring had been called here. A portal does not appear in Middle-Earth out of the blue. Not that I know of, anyway. Otherwise, portals would be popping up all over the place!”

Pippin winced. “That portal bit sounds a bit reckless to me,” he muttered. “I’m hungry,” he whinged.

“We must follow Gandalf,” Aragorn told Gimli and Legolas. “Who knows what spells he will put on the girl in his rage.” He, Gimli and Legolas ran out the door. He paused momentarily to place a reassuring hand on Frodo’s shoulder. “Stay with these people. We will return.”

“Willow, you have the positive-hostess-aura. I think you should talk to our new guests,” Buffy suggested to the redhead, smiling sheepishly.

Willow glanced at her best friend, her posture showing discomfort. “Okay, okay…” She approached the four Hobbits, smiling at them meekly. “Hey, you guys, I’m really sorry for what just happened here,” she said, worrying her bottom lip. “We really didn’t mean for our meeting to happen this way.”

Merry sighed softly, nodding his head. “Neither did we. We just wanted to get our pals, Frodo and Sam back. We’re really sorry to cause you so much trouble.”

The redhead nodded. “As soon as they come back with your friend, we can try to settle this out.”

Gollum wailed in repugnance. “My… Preciouss…” he cried ruefully.

Frodo looked at the poor creature pitifully. Sam shook his head at the hopeless creature.

Willow frowned. “Who is he?”

“He wielded the Ring, once. For five hundred years, he kept it and it poisoned his mind. He kept it in the deep caves of the Misty Mountains, making it nearly impossible for the Ring to be found again.” Frodo explained. “Nearly, but not quite.”

“It sounds like this Ring has a mind of its own,” Buffy said warily.

“It does.” Frodo sighed softly. “It is always trying to find a way to get back to its Master. One day it could be tight on your finger, and the next, its gold band could expand and slip away from you.” He placed his open palm against his collar bone, rubbing his chest as if trying to trying to grasp the Ring in his hand. “That’s why it’s a bit safer to keep it on a chain.”

Arwen sighed softly, looking out longingly into the open doorway. She imagined her father foreseeing her disappearance. She was sure that his power of sight could not go beyond the realms of Middle-Earth. I wonder if he will sail to Valinor without me, she thought solemnly. She was roused out of her musing when a small hand was laid on her shoulder. Arwen looked up to see Frodo standing beside her.

“You need not worry,” he said softly. “These people helped me. I have faith that they will find a way to bring us home.”

Arwen’s fair face had a bittersweet smile. “But what will we come home to? Surely, Sauron will not stay quiet in his rage.”

“Bilbo,” Frodo whispered longingly. “Oh, I hope he’s alright.”

“He is with my father. They will watch over him.” Arwen told him reassuringly.

“I just wish that we will return before he goes to Valinor.” He looked at Arwen. “I’ve seen him. He’s very weary. I’m sure he will want to go soon.”

Arwen smiled at him. “He will wait for you. Avo ná presto, Frodo.“
*Do not be troubled, Frodo.

Frodo nodded forlornly.

“I miss the Shire, Merry,” Pippin said sadly.

“I do, too, Pippin.” Merry sighed softly.

Willow watched over the homesick visitors, feeling compassion for them. “Are you hungry? I can get you fruit, if you’d like…”

Arwen nodded. “Fruit would be good,” she said with a small smile. “Thank you.”

“Do you have apples?” Merry asked hopefully.

Willow laughed goodheartedly. “I believe we do. I’ll be right back.” She approached Buffy with a small smile. “They’re hungry. I’m just going to go to the deli across the street and get them some fruit.”

“Alright, take care.” Buffy told her. “Oh, wait.” She handed Willow her cell phone. “If anything happens, call the shop.”

“Gotcha,” Willow said with a small smile. She pocketed the cell phone and headed out the door.

Willow returned shortly with two bags of apples and oranges, and a pound of mangos. “I wasn’t sure what else you wanted…” she trailed off.

“It’s fine,” Arwen said with a pleasant smile.

“Thank you, Miss!” Pippin said with a wide grin. The other Hobbits echoed after him.

Frodo crawled towards Gollum, who was sleeping uneasily a few feet away from them. He grabbed an apple from the bag. “Smeagol,” he whispered softly. “Would you like to eat?”

Gollum raised his head and glanced at the fruit in Frodo’s hand. He wailed in protest. “You keep nasty fruit!”

“This might be the only food we’ll be eating for weeks. C’mon now, don’t be stubborn!” He held out the apple. “And then you can help us find the Ring.”

Gollum brightened a little, taking the fruit from his hand. “The nasssty lady stole it from us!” he wailed, backing into the shadows to eat in private.

After a little while longer, Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas returned with a much cooled down Gandalf.

“I’m famished,” Gimli groaned, leaning upon his axe wearily.

Pippin tossed Gimli the bag of apples, and to Legolas, the bag of oranges. The newcomers ate quietly amongst themselves.

“You didn’t hurt her, did you?” Dawn asked in a small voice.

Gandalf looked up at the young lady. He gave her a small reassuring smile. “No, I did not hurt her. I am sorry to worry you, young girl.”

Dawn smiled, relieved. “Thank you.”

“So… you’ll need a place to stay,” Buffy announced.

“I think this place will do, if we may,” Gandalf said politely.

Arwen glanced at Aragorn. Don’t leave me.

“I won’t,” Aragorn said gently.

Seeing the intimate glances between Arwen and Aragorn, Willow piped up, “You two can stay in my room. I have classes at the college, anyway, so I’ll just stay at the dorm.”

“Thank you,” Aragorn murmured.

“And the Hobbits can stay at our house as well,” Dawn said, glancing at Buffy questioningly.

“Yeah,” Buffy replied. “We have two cots that they could share.”

Xander and Spike left out three excercise mats that Gimli, Legolas and Gandalf could sleep on, along with the emergency blankets that they kept in the shop. After exchanging good nights, Buffy, Dawn, the Hobbits and Arwen and Aragorn left for the Summers’ house. Xander drove Willow to her dormitory before heading off to his flat, while Spike walked back to the high school.

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles… [ Wolfram & Hart ]

“What do you mean, you lost the shipment?!”

TBC… Please review!