Title: Moving On
Author: Wildecate
Email: Wildecate@hotmail.com
Rating: G - just fluff
Notes: First attempt at BtVS/LOTR crossover. Don't flame me.
Pairing: Willow/Legolas (of course!)
Credits: We all know who created the characters - songs by Avril Lavigne/Daniel Bedingfield
Dedication: For Lara

It had been forty wonderful years. Years filled with both sadness and joy. The time did not show on Willow and she still had the appearance of being in her twenties. Her hair, worn elven fashion, fell down past her waist and there was no sign of age on her face, her smooth skin belying the years that had passed by. Elrond had come to the conclusion that it was because the time moved faster in Middle Earth than it did in Sunnydale. If she had been at home only 40 hours would have passed, not even two days and certainly not time enough to make any sort of physical difference. He could not explain her initial aging but likened her lifetime now as similar to that of an elf, a fact which had overjoyed both Willow and Legolas, knowing then that she would be perhaps, as immortal as he was. She moved around Rivendell with a familiarity as if she had always been there and Sunnydale and her friends began to fade in her memory, she only occasionally thought of Xander, Buffy and Giles, had only vague memories of Oz and thought virtually nothing of her family. She and Legolas stayed in Rivendell, he having given up his princely duties for her and as she said "Tarien (Princess) Willow sounded so weird." Legolas felt no homesickness for the wide forests of Mirkwood, instead taking pleasure in the beauty of Rivendell and Willow. They had not married, had never seemed to get around to it, but were never tired of each other's company.

Willow lay back on her bed, gazing up at the painted ceiling and felt the smallest stir of something, almost a feeling of having forgotten something but she couldn't remember what it was. She rose and moved restlessly through her chamber, stretching her thoughts, trying to discover what it was that disturbed her peaceful frame of mind. There was something flickering at the back of her mind, something that was wrong somewhere. A quiet knock on the door and Elrond entered her chamber at her invitation. He was concerned for her, had felt her confusion and the ripple of something very wrong. Willow could not understand it but when Elrond touched her temple to try and quiet her mind, he was flung backwards, and Willow dropped to her knees with one thought running through her mind.

"It's Buffy"

Elrond picked himself up off the floor and helped Willow to her feet. Running feet could be heard and Legolas came in through the door, gathering her in his arms and laying her on the bed. He did not ask her what was wrong, could not and Willow found the tears running down her cheeks to be unstoppable. She looked at Elrond who was clasping her other hand.

"I need to get back" she said firmly "We need to find a way to get back."

"Willow, I don't even know how they did it" Elrond explained "Portals are not in common usage in this land." Willow pleaded with him and Elrond left, saying he would search his library to see if he could find a way which seemed to calm her.

"A'mael, tell me" Legolas wiped the tears from her eyes and she shook her head mutely. "You said it was Buffy, how do you know this?"

"I can feel it" she whispered "in my heart"

Elrond returned later that afternoon, his search for a way to get back to Sunnydale proving fruitless. Willow sat quietly as he spoke to her, trying to calm her.

"If they need you, they know how to find you" he said, stroking her hand "We do not have the power in this world, you yourself know that." Willow nodded, her powers which were just beginning to take shape in Sunnydale were non-existent in this place. The magic was there, but in a form that she could not understand, that she could not access. Perhaps they would call for her, perhaps... her train of frantic thought was interrupted by Elrond, pressing her hand. She looked up at him and saw the ripple of light which had heralded the portal the last time.

Willow stood eagerly in front of it and was impatient as the light sparkled and moved together before forming the portal. Giles stood there, blood coming from a gash down his cheek, looking very dishevelled with Xander next to him, his eye beginning to swell and bruises round his neck. It was all Willow could do to stop herself from flinging herself through the portal there and then.

"We didn't know what to do Willow" Xander's voice was flat "Buffy.."

"Something happened, I felt it. Is she dead?"

"No, she's in the hospital but we need you now." Xander gave her a closer look and then turned to Giles before saying "You were right about the aging thing G-man."

"What can I do?"

"We need you here to perform the spell you did before, to restore Angel's soul." Giles spoke simply "But it will take some time to set up and perform the spell in safety and you may not be able to return to Middle Earth."

Willow didn't understand "What happened? How did Angel lose his soul?"

"It's a long story Will, can you come?" Xander didn't even bother with the preliminaries, just needed to know if she could risk her time in Middle Earth to save Buffy.

Willow turned to Legolas who was already throwing things into two bags, picking up the weapons that they used and then handing Willow a cloak. He clasped his cloak around him and turned to Willow who was standing there, her arms full of bags, tears jewelling her eyes. Legolas took the bags from her and she hugged Elrond, who kissed her forehead and then her cheek before letting her go.

"Be well, Willow" he said "You have become as a daughter to me and most precious. I would not see you hurt for the world. If you feel you must do this, then go with my love." Willow looked up at the kind elf who had become as a father to her and realised that this could be the last time she saw him.

"Namaarie, atar" Farewell, my father.

She stepped away and took Legolas' hand squeezing it tightly.

"You don't have to do this. You don't have to come with me. I may be able to find a way back."

"I would not lose you for all of this world and yours a'mael. I would follow you to the ends of the earth." He smiled simply "I am yours, always."

"Willow, we don't have much longer." Giles urged her and the pair turned to face the portal, giving Elrond one last loving look before stepping through.




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