Fan Fiction ❯ Wild Blue Yonder ❯ Dreams Can Be Worse Than Nightmares ( Chapter 3 )

**REVISIED**

Disclaimer: I wish, I wish. . . Well we all know we wished we owned it, but we don't.

Wild Blue Yonder

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Chapter Three - Dreams Can Be Worse Than Nightmares

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He sat looking down at the unconscious woman next to his feet. He had attempted to catch her as she passed out but the bands about his wrists had made it hard. But at least he had been able to cushion some of her fall. She was dressed strangely in green, black and brown patterned pants and shirt, with a dark blue hat covering her dark hair.

He had seen her when she had staggered across the clearing to the green bag. He had purposefully stepped upon a dry branch to announce his presence and not startle her, but somehow she had gotten the drop on him when he had reached out to tap her shoulder, thinking she may need his assistance. It was the first time something like this had happened to him in a long, long time. Normally no one could best him, but it seemed this slip of a woman had.

The darkness began to fade and slowly Rain heard the soft rustling of leaves. Suddenly she remembered the shimmering air, the feeling of being tossed around, and finally the heavy thud as she plummeted to the ground.

Then the images changed. Glowing blue eyes, golden hair fluttering in the light breeze. 'It's a concussion,' she thought, dismissing the images as the by products of too many late nights pouring over stories of her favorite character.

Groaning, Rain slowly opened her eyes. Her heart began to pound as her vision cleared and the same blue eyes peered down at her with undisguised curiosity. 'He's real!!,' her mind screamed as she scrambled away from him, regaining her feet, eyeing him warily as her head still pounded from earlier.

"I mean you no harm." Legolas said gently, holding his bound hands up to her.

She continued to watch him carefully, until she heard a snorting whine. Whipping her head around, she saw Nanook struggling to sit up. "Bup-pup." she cried as she sprinted across the clearing to skid to a halt next to the dog, going down on her knees next to him.

Soothingly, she helped the dazed dog into a sitting position, carefully running her hands over his body, checking to see if he had any obvious injuries. She stopped when he whimpered as her hands slid across his side. Peering into his face, she saw the pain in his eyes, before he swiped a wet tongue across her face. Laughing she gently hugged him close. He would be alright; she couldn't find any breaks, so he was just like her, bruised good.

Hearing a rustle behind her, Nanook's head came up as a threatening growl escaped his throat. Laying a calming hand on his head, she turned to see Legolas sitting beside them. She gripped Nanook firmly as he attempted to lunge, feebly, at the elf.

"Shh, Bup-pup, it's alright." she murmured comfortingly to the protective dog. He settled down at her voice, his piercing blue eyes staring directly at the elf.

"Careful." she said, as she watched him slowly stretch his hands out to the dog. Nanook dipped his head and sniffed at the elf. Looking up, his head tilted, tongue lolling out the side of his mouth, Nanook grinned happily at him, his tail whapping back in forth madly.

"Well, that's the first time he's done that." she murmured confused. Normally Nanook was wary of all strangers unless she told him otherwise, but he seemed to genuinely like the elf right away, without her approval.

"Animals know who they can trust, instinctively." he said as he scratched Nanook gently behind his ear, the dog leaning into him. "Will you trust me now?" he asked looking at her, holding his hands up.

"Damn elves and your affinity with nature." she laughed at his startled expression with her language. Turning towards him, she reached for her keys and gently unlocked the handcuffs from his wrists. Her breath quickened at the touch of his pale skin beneath her fingers. Soft and warm, she could feel the gentle throb of his pulse. Though they were slender, she could feel the strength in the sinew and bone.

Clenching her teeth, she forced herself to let go of his hands, taking a few steps back, afraid she might try to claim them once again. Watching as he rubbed the red marks about them, as she returned the cuffs and keys to their storage cases on her belt.

"Your friend seems to need some help, though I have to say I never seen anything like him before." Legolas commented looking from her back down to the large dog now laying with his head on his lap. He reached down and gently stroked the dog behind the ears. Nanook sighed and closed his eyes, enjoying the caress.

"He's a Mackenzie River Husky. They are bred for their loyalty and strength." she said, looking jealously at the lounging dog and elf, standing up as she huffed and stomped off over to her A3 bag.

'What is wrong with you?!' she asked herself angrily. A tiny voice in the back of her head answered. 'You wish it was you in his lap, feeling those long fingers caressing you with such care.'

Fully prepared to argue with herself, it was with a start that she realized it was true. Shock and anger warred with each other as she turned her attention back to her bag. Snatching it up by the handles and with a swift twist of her wrist slung it over her back. As she turned back towards Legolas, her gaze fell on Nanook, laying injured in his lap. In that one instant, she realized that they needed Legolas' help and that she had to try to keep her emotions under control if she was to get them home safely.

"I suppose we must be going if I am going to find my way back home." she said, even though she had no idea on how to get home. It had always been her dream of meeting Legolas, and here she was right now with him and he couldn't seem to focus past her dog. What a nightmare.

He was even more handsome in person than in her fantasies. His long golden hair flowed over his shoulders like a rippling waterfall brushed by the rays of the sun; his eyes were even bluer than the sky. He was tall, even taller than she was and she wasn't a tiny thing to begin with. He stood at least 6' 4" she estimated, remembering how she only reached his chin and she was 5' 10" without her boots. His lean, but muscular build was definitely one of an archer. 'Man, I need to stop. I have to face reality here.' she thought.

He looked up at her and saw a flash of emotion run swiftly through her eyes before it disappeared. He wasn't sure exactly what it was. Jealousy, anger, suspicion, and something else. . .desire?

"You're obviously not from around here. I would like to help you find your way home." he said, moving Nanook's head from his lap and standing up to face her.

'Ain't that the truth. I suppose a little help would be in order. Especially since I have no clue on how I am going to get home.' she thought before answering him.

"I would appreciate your assistance." she said professionally, falling back on her military protocol to cover up her confusion about the situation.

"Good, let us go then." Legolas said, as he bent down and scooped up the injured dog. Turning he strode confidently back into the trees. Sighing she hefted her bag into a more comfortable position and followed after him.

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