Fan Fiction ❯ Wild Blue Yonder ❯ Failed Apologies ( Chapter 26 )

**REVISIED**

Disclaimer: I don't own it and never will, unfortunately. . .

Wild Blue Yonder

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Chapter 26 - Failed Apologies

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Her eyes flashing as she stormed away from the clearing, Rain unseeingly followed the path back towards her room. 'Damn him, he still doesn't trust me.' she raged hotly, ignoring the elves that jumped out of her path, her fury pulsing through the air surrounding her. Stopping suddenly in the path, she turned away from the direction she was heading and down another path towards the river, deciding that she didn't want to be cooped up inside in the current mood she was in.

Reaching the river, she moved farther down the bank until she was alone, away from the group of giggling elves frolicking in the water. Sitting down under a small elm tree, she placed Elrohir's bow and quiver on the ground next to her. Leaning back against the tree, she pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them balancing her chin on top of her bent knees. She stared out over the river, watching as small birds darted restlessly back and forth, catching their morning breakfast.

Broodingly, she replayed the scene over and over in her head, hearing his voice yelling at her and her heated reply back. Bolting upright suddenly, she groaned and slapped a hand over her eyes, her head bowing forward as she realized what she had just done.

"I am such a bitch." she whispered softly into the light breeze. Legolas's voice had been filled with panic, not accusation, she just realized. She had managed to startle him and he had reacted by drawing his weapon, as if he had been under attack. Running her hands up from her face, she buried them in her hair as she groaned. "I am a first class bitch. I can't believe that I did that to Legolas." She sat there for a long time, debating on what she was going to say for an apology to him.

Looking up into the sky she saw that the sun had reached its zenith and suddenly remembering that she had a lunch appointment with Galadriel. Standing up, she brushed off the back of her pants and bent down to pickup the bow and quiver, slinging them over her uninjured shoulder before setting off the path back towards the tree.

Striding up the path towards the spiral staircase, she saw Legolas ahead of her. Sprinting quickly forward, she slid to a halt next to him. He stopped and looked down at her, his expression blank.

"Legolas. . .I. . ." she started hesitantly.

"I'm sorry Lady Rain, but you must excuse me. I have a meeting with Lord Celeborn." he said coolly, before turning away and walking quickly up the stairs leaving her to stare dismayed at his retreating back.

She continued to stare at his retreating figure as she realized that she may have gone too far this time.

"Your people skills really suck, Clearwater." she muttered aloud to herself, realizing for the first time that maybe she spent too much time worrying about proving herself. So intent on being better than anyone expected of her, that she shut herself away emotionally, always focusing on her career.

But that couldn't help her now. She could only understand and react properly to aggression, and she now realized that would only hurt her and Legolas more.

Sighing heavily, her shoulders slumped slightly as she trudged wearily up the stairs. She needed to know how to heal the wounds she'd caused, and help learning how to prevent any more. Stopping in front of the door that lead to Legolas and Elrohir's room, she knocked softly. Hearing a groaning 'come in', she pushed open the door and saw Elrohir sitting on his bed, fully dressed with his head cradled in his hands. She walked forward and plopped down on the bed next to him.

Elrohir looked up at the dejected expression on Rain's face, concern running through him. "Rain, are you all right." he asked quietly.

"I really goofed this time Elrohir." she said, her voice filled with self-loathing.

"Huh?" he asked, not understanding her, puzzlement flittering across his features.

"I sorta accused Legolas of not trusting me this morning, when in reality I had just caused him to yell at me." she said, confusing Elrohir even further.

"What happened?" he asked.

He sat and listened to her as she related her story of this mornings encounter, she wisely leaving off about her laughing at his inebriated state. He sighed heavily, understanding Legolas's reaction, but was unsure of how to reassure Rain at this moment.

"Rain, you have to realized that even as old as Legolas is, he has not had a serious relationship with any woman before. You are definitely a hand full, and at times he is unsure of how to handle you. Your actions this morning possibly startled and frightened him. Think about it, if you where caught unaware and drew your weapon and quite possibly almost shot someone you care deeply about, don't you think that you would react harshly to cover up your fear." Elrohir said as he draped a comforting arm about her shoulders. Rain leaned against his warmth, burying her face against his shoulder.

It was with a start that she realized that she now looked upon him as family. Tears slid down her pale cheeks as she admitted to herself that she had missed having family, being able to absorb peace and comfort from their mere presence.

"But what do I do to apologize to him, Elrohir. I tried to but he brushed me off." she whispered, her voice thick with distress.

"Shh, my dear cousin. Everything will be all right. Just give him a little time to cool off, he will come around in time. I promise." he said as he dropped a light kiss across the top of her head. Cradling her in his arms, he let her cry herself to sleep, wondering if love was sometimes worth all the pain it could cause.

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Legolas strode angrily up the stairs away from Rain. He thoughts rolling agitatedly through his head, flashes of her eyes sneering at him, her lips curled up in contempt. His own anger and fear coursing through his veins. He had to get away from her before he said anything else that he would regret later.

He arrived at Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel's door, unaware that his feet had automatically carried him there. Knocking sharply, he entered when bided from within. Walking quietly through the room, he saw the pair sitting on the balcony.

"Ah, Legolas please join us." Celeborn said, gesturing to an empty seat at the table. "Where is the Lady Rain, I thought she was joining us?"

Legolas stiffened slightly at the mention of her name, but covered quickly as he slid into the proffered chair. "I am sure she will be along soon. She needed to return Elrohir's bow to him."

"Elrohir's bow?" Galadriel asked questioningly.

"Yes, she borrowed it earlier this morning to practice." Legolas responded dryly.

"Stubborn woman, with her shoulder injured as it is. I would wonder that she was even able to draw properly." Celeborn said wonderingly.

"She was quite able to hit the target quite adequately." Legolas said chagrined. He had completely forgotten about her injury in the heat of the moment. It caused him to marvel that even with her shoulder injured that she was able to control the thrust and direction of her arrow as she had.

"Well, until she arrives shall we discuss the maps that I have for her." Galadriel said as she looked appraisingly at Legolas.

Celeborn pulled out the roll of parchments and laid them along the table. Discussion of routes and directions within the Lonely Mountain were discussed and an hour passed quickly, before Legolas stretched to relieve the ache in his back from being bent over the table. Reaching down he rolled up the maps and looked at Celeborn and Galadriel.

"I will make sure Rain sees these and understands what is needed." he said, exasperated that she had still not shown up for the meeting.

"Thank you Legolas. Will you be continuing your journey soon?" Celeborn asked politely.

"Yes, we shall be departing tomorrow morning. I would like to thank you for your hospitality." he said as he bowed to the pair. "Now, if you will excuse me." Turning he started to walk towards the door, when Lady Galadriel's voice called out to him.

"Legolas, don't judge her too harshly. She didn't mean what she said this morning." He stopped briefly, not turning around as he nodded his head and then continued on out the door.

"I feel that they will have a long and difficult road ahead of them." she said to her mate, turning her eyes towards him. "I just hope that they can work through their differences before it is too late."

Celeborn smiled as he gathered his wife in his arms. "Have you forgotten so easily what it was like when we first met?"

Galadriel turned pale eyes up to his. "I have not forgotten," she said, looking once more at the door. "But Rain is so much stronger than I; so different."

"Look carefully, my love," Celeborn murmured, laying his cheek against hers, "for I think you'll find she's not so different after all."

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A/N: Well I think that Rain is getting a dose of her own medicine, but I think that Legolas feels just as bad. Tomorrow the journey starts again and our trio will be heading towards the Lonely Mountain. Our journey is nearing the halfway point and there is still so much more to go.

Let me know, what you think should happen. . .I talk all feedback into consideration as I write.

Happy Reading ~ DBZ Vegeta