Title: Drawn Together

Author: Jinni (druscilla@cox.net or jinni@moonlitpaths.com)

Rated: PG13

Pairing: W/Legolas

Genre: BtVS/LotR Crossover

Disclaimer: All things BtVS belong to Joss Whedon, et al. All things LotR belong to JRR Tolkien, et al.

Distribution: WLF, WLS, BMP, NHA, Aislin.

Author’s Note: A short sequel to "Drawn Away". Not beta’d because I felt like posting it right away. Hope you guys enjoy. "Drawn Away" can be found at:

http://ns25.dot5hosting.com/~admin119/tth.moonlitpaths.com/storyline/story.php?no=93

~*~

"You miss them."

Willow turned to the one that had spoken, her eyes alight with playful teasing.

"Of course I do. They are my family. Do you not miss your own kin, my Prince?"

She said the word so teasing that it was impossible for him to take his own title seriously; not when it fell off of lips as soft and fair as a rose petal.

"That I do." He nodded. "Yet they have been my kin for many, many years. And you have only known Haldir and his family for but a small fraction of that time."

Willow shrugged.

"The feeling of family, and the missing of that feeling, does not hold to logic. I would miss you if we should part ways right now. And we’ve only known each other for a month."

The blonde elf chuckled and ran a finger down her cheek.

"But we are Soulbound, my lady. For us to part would end in naught but pain."

"Pft!" She smirked. "Technicalities, I’m sure. The point remains the same – I miss them just as I would miss you. They are a part of me. . ."

"Just as I am a part of you?" He encouraged, willing her to say what she had denied for so long.

"Er… " Willow turned away, blushing. She heard the gentle sigh of the man that would be both her lover and love, and felt a pang in her heart. Soulbonding. It sounded so pretty. But what did it do but force two people who scarcely knew each other to spend a great deal of time together? And yes, he was pretty. And yes, she could admit that she was growing quite fond of him. . . but to say that he was a part of her?

She was having trouble with that.

"I’ll leave you to your thoughts, A’maelamin."

"My beloved." She murmured to herself, quiet enough that not even his superior hearing could have caught wind of it as he walked away. He always called her that. His beloved. How easy it was for him to just accept this. He had lived here his entire life. Many hundreds of years, from what she understood of his past. And so, for him, a Soulbonding was something wonderful, blessed.

And, she supposed, it was for her, too.

It was just. . .

Uncomfortable.

She felt the connection. There was no doubt about that. But, in those first few days after leaving Lorien, when the novelty of everything began to fade, she started to wonder if she could just so willingly give herself over to someone like that. She had never believed in soulmates when she was in her own world. . . and that made it that much harder to believe in them here.

But he was her Soulmate.

And there was absolutely no getting around that.

"Not that I want to." She whispered.

Being near him made her heart flutter, her brain go to mush, and her legs turn to jelly. She wanted nothing more than to give herself to him heart and soul; but her mind railed against it, as though it would destroy who she was.

She sighed, staring up at the night sky. The others were sleeping, with only herself, Aragorn, and Legolas being still awake. The hobbits were asleep. That was good. They needed their rest. Things had been hard lately. The stress of the ring was weighing heavily on Frodo; and she had begun to get a feeling in her heart that they would not all be together when this time came to pass next month.

Looking back over her shoulder, Willow could see Legolas, in the distance, sitting on a rock that was jutting up from the ground. The moonlight made his hair look like spun silver, and she knew his eyes were glistening just as brightly. He was a wonderfully handsome man. A ‘hottie’ as Buffy would have said.

She felt her heart catch.

Buffy. Xander. Dawn. Did they miss her? Did they still look for her? On one hand she hoped that they never give up their search and on the other she prayed that they had moved on with their lives. There was no way home for her; she would have found it by now if there was.

She sniffled, wiping at the tears that had formed in her eyes and were just now beginning to drop down her cheeks.

"Willow? What is wrong?"

She only cried harder at the gentle sound of Legolas’ voice, his arms encircling her body and pulling her close to him. She felt warmth and knew without opening her eyes that he had wrapped the two of them in his cloak, shielding her body from the coolness of the night.

"Shh… I am sorry if I upset you. . . Please, do not cry."

"Wasn’t you. . . " She whispered, shaking her head. Her face was pressed to his chest and she wondered, not for the first time, what he looked like beneath his clothing. It was enough to make her blush, despite her current state of mind.

"Then what was it? If I have it within my power to fix, then I shall."

Such sweet words, chipping at the walls of stubbornness she had built up around her heart.

"I was thinking of my friends and family. . . back in Sunnydale." She looked up into his face, interested in whatever reaction her words might have.

"Would that I could make your heart forget such pain." He murmured, drawing her closer to his body. "But I cannot. I grieve for your loss."

She smiled and raised a hand to his face, cupping his cheek in her hand. His skin was so smooth, so perfect. Surely no human men looked this fine; and even after having lived amongst the Elves for years, she could not help but be amazed by the one that was holding her right at that moment.

"I’m sorry. . ." She sighed, still touching his cheek. "I know I’m being difficult about this thing between us . . . "

"Do not apologize for the way you feel." He corrected her gently, interrupting before she could go any further.

Her heart broke at the sadness in his eyes.

"You think I don’t feel anything about you?"

"My lady, no offense to you, but this is a subject that weighs heavily on my heart and I would prefer not to converse on it. . ."

"No!" She exclaimed, her eyes wide. "Answer my question – please. Do you think that I do not feel anything for you?"

He sighed and shut his eyes.

"Yes, A’maelamin, that is what I have come to believe. It has happened before, that the Soulbonding joins two that cannot reconcile to the bond. . ."

"But. . ." She shook her head. "No, you silly Elf! I do care for you. Really, I do. And I think you’re handsome and sexy and all sorts of other nummy things. But. . . I mean. . .We don’t have stuff like this where I come from. No bonds to tell us who we should be with."

He nodded, and there was a small measure of relief on his face.

"It does not happen often, even here. Amongst the Elves we view it as a Blessing. A gift from above."

"And I understand that. . . this feeling I get every time I’m near you is unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. I would do anything just to touch you day and night. Skin against skin. . . Goddess, did I just say that?"

He smirked, a light blush covering his own cheeks.

"Indeed you did, my lady. If you wish for us to touch ‘skin to skin’ at night, that can most certainly be arranged."

"Oh! That’s not what I meant. . ."

"Isn’t it?" He teased, pulling her closer to his body. His mouth hovered just over hers, his eyes questioning and daring all at the same time.

She leaned forward, taking that next step; and the moment her lips met his she wondered what she had been so afraid of. This was the next best thing to Heaven. He was so warm and so soft. So gentle in his hesitant touches. The bond they shared was flaring with each little caress, each brushing kiss; and she knew when, not if, they joined, it would be an event unlike any she could imagine.

"Let’s. . . go slow." She murmured, pulling back after an eternity of exploring his mouth.

Legolas nodded his agreement, completely serious despite the effect she was having on his body.

"We can go as slow as you need, my love. I would wait until the end of time if that is what it takes."

She laughed.

"I said slow, Mister Sexy Elf, not comatose." Her words were punctuated by a yawn.

"You need to rest. . ."

"Can’t." She admitted tiredly, blushing when he raised his eyebrows in question. "I haven’t been able to sleep a full night since we met. Without you there, by my side, I feel so empty. . . so alone."

He smiled down at her.

"And here I thought that I was the only one affected by this bond between us. Many nights have I lied awake, wishing that you were in my arms."

"I’m sorry. . . we can sleep now, if you want. You and me. . . together?"

Legolas nodded, brushing a piece of hair from her forehead.

"I think I would enjoy that greatly, A’maelamin."

Beloved.

This time when he said it, she didn’t flinch away from the sound of it. She had been running for too long, causing them both grief in the process. And now she didn’t see the reason for that pain. Certainly she wasn’t about to lose herself by giving in to a bond she could never break in the first place.

She smiled.

"Take me to bed, my Prince."

He chuckled, lifting her into his arms. Yet he could not resist one last teasing reminder of her evil babbling tongue.

"Will this be with or without clothing, my lady. For ‘skin to skin’ does sound mighty intriguing."

~*~The End~*~