Disclaimer: I do not own Batman nor do I own Lord of the Rings. They are the sole property of DC Comics and JRR Tolkien.

Author's Note: What? Two updates within two days of one another? Madness I tells ya! Truth is I originally planed for these last two chapters as one, but I decided it be best I split them into two. And once again, I know that at times I have spelling and grammar errors and I promise you that I DO check for them before I post. But unfortunately things still get missed from time to time. It drives me crazy enough as it is. But as the saying goes 'no one is perfect.'

Anyways back to the important matter at hand… Enjoy and as always, Please read and review.

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Chapter 29
Under New Management

"Welcome, my lords… to Isengard!"

The hail came from the crumbling ruin of a shattered section of the once impenetrable ring of Isengard and Haldir did his best stifle an amused smile at the sight before them. A young boy he appeared, or like one since he was not much taller than an adolescent child. He had a mop of curly brown hair on his head, and was clad in an all too familiar greenish-gray wool cloak. Leaping to his feet, the greeter stood up and swayed back and forth in an intoxicated fashion on the pile of rock and stone. In one hand he held tightly to a chunk of bread and in the other a smoking pipe.

"We are the doorwardens," he continued. "Meriadoc, son of Saradoc is my name; and my companion is Peregrin, son of Paladin, of the house of Took! The Lord Saruman is within; but at the moment he is closeted with one Wormtongue, or doubtless he would be here to welcome such honorable guests."

"Doubtless he would!" replied Gandalf. "And was it Saruman that ordered you to guard his damaged doors, and watch for the arrival of guests, when your attention could be spared from plate and bottle?"

"No, good sir, the matter escaped him," answered Merry. "He has been much occupied. We are under orders come from Treebeard, who has taken over the management of Isengard. He commanded me to welcome the Lord of Rohan with fitting words. I have done my best."

While Haldir tried his very best not to laugh Legolas, Aragorn, Gimli, Robin and Batgirl all let out a unified gasp before their faces split into amazed and joyful smiles.

"Of all the…" Robin grinned.

"It appears this is a time of many reunions for your company," Éomer said to Aragorn. The Ranger's face was split into a rare full out smile as yet two more lost friends were returned to them.

"Merry!" Batgirl cried out, dismounting her house and racing towards the two long lost Halflings. "Pippin!"

"Cassandra!" they cried out together, hopping down from their perch just in time to be hugged tightly by the masked vigilante.

"Um… Cassie…" Pippin said in a muffled yelp.

"We can't breath…" finished Merry.

"Oh! Sorry," Batgirl apologized but still smiling. "Just… So happy to see you're safe."

"Oh sure, they get hugs, I almost get my jaw shattered. I see how it is…" Robin smirked sarcastically as he and the others dismounted their own horses. Merry and Pippin's smiles grew at the sight of the Boy Wonder who they thought had been slain while trying to rescue them from the Uruk-Hai, like Boromir. "Good to see you guys are alright. You had me scared for a while." Robin up and ruffled the hair on both of their heads before looking at both of them in confusion.

"Hey… didn't you two used to be shorter before?" The two Hobbits grinned secretly to one another.

"Ye young rascals! Ye woolly-footed and wool patted truants!" Gimli cried from his seat behind Legolas, hardly able to contain himself any longer. "A merry hunt ye've led us on! Two hundred leagues, through fen and forest, battle and death, to rescue ye! And now we find ye… feasting and… and smoking!"

Pippin gave a drunken smirk, as he pulled the pipe from his teeth. "We are sitting on a field of victory," he stated, his words slurring slightly, "enjoying a few well-earned comforts." Merry nodded proudly in agreement as Pippin added: "The salted pork is particularly good."

"Salted pork?" Gimli asked his mouth watering and apparently forgetting his mock anger for a moment.

Gandalf shook his head dismissively, though there was no mistaking the glint of joy in his eyes as he mumbled: "Hobbits…"

"It cannot be doubted that we witness the meeting of dear friends," Théoden said, feeling slightly guilty at interrupting such enjoyable merriment after such pain and loss, but he himself had many questions he'd like answered. "So these are the remaining members of your company, Gandalf? The days are fated to be filled with marvels. Already I have seen many since I left my housel and now here before my eyes stand yet another folk of legend. Are not these the Halfling, that some among us call the Holbytlan?"

"Hobbits, if ye please, lord," said Pippin.

"Hobbits?" Repeated the King. "Your tongue is strangely changed; but the name sounds not unfitting so. Hobbits! No report that I have heard does justice to the truth."

The two Hobbits bowed low. "You are gracious my lord," Pippin smiled, feeling intoxicated from both compliment and unspeakable amount of wine and beer that he and Merry had ingested over the past day.

Both Hobbits looked up too see Haldir amongst the assortment of people and waved at him drunkenly. Haldir remembered how shy they had been around him in Lórien. He bowed his head in return greeting.

"So do we have you two to thanks for the major redecoration to Saruman's pad?" Robin asked the Hobbits, still looking at them with interest. He could swear they seemed taller.

"Well, we did what we could…" replied Pippin with no-false modesty.

"So what happened?" asked Batgirl, anxious to hear what happened to the two hobbits since they were taken from the rest of the Fellowship. Merry and Pippin looked more than ready to dive into their tale, but there was a loud clearing of someone's throat.

"Some other time would be better for a story, Cassandra," Gandalf interrupted reluctantly. "Where is Treebeard Merry?"

"Away on the north side, I believe. He went to get a drink of clean water. Most of the other Ents are with him, still buys at their work over there." Merry pointed towards the streaming lake where they heard a loud 'hoom-hom', which sounded somewhat like a victory horn.

"And is the Orthanc then left unguarded?" asked Gandalf.

"There is the water," Merry replied. "But Quickbeam and some others are watching it. Not all those posts and pillars in the plain are of Saruman's, planting."

Robin pulled his binoculars from his belt and looked over to where Merry indicated and his mouth fell open. Sure enough, he could now see a handful of large creature moving about the Orthanc's base. At first glance one would think them to merely be trees that had survived the flood and destruction, but they certainly were more than that.

Batgirl dropped her own binoculars from her eyes. "Wow," she murmured before looking back over her shoulder at the forest behind them. She wondered how many of those trees had been literally watching them all this time?

"It is past noon," Gandalf said. "And we at any rate have not eaten since early this morning. Yet I wish to see Treebeard as soon as may be. Did he leave me no message, or has plate and bottle driven it from your mind?"

The Hobbits exchanged slightly offended looks. "He left a message," replied Merry, "and I was coming to it, but I have been hindered by many other questions. I was to say that, if the Lord of Mark and Gandalf will ride to the Orthanc they will find Treebeard there, and he will welcome them. I may add that they will also find food of the best there, it was discovered and selected by your humble servants." The Hobbit bowed low.

Gandalf laughed. "That is better! Well, Théoden, will you ride with me to find Treebeard?"

"I will come with you," Théoden answered. "Farewell, my hobbits."

Merry and Pippin both bowed again.

While Robin was interested in meeting this 'Treebeard' fellow, he and the members of the Fellowship weren't ready to cut their reunion so short. "Hey Gandalf, would it be alright if we stuck around here, with Merry and Pippin?"

The White Wizard smiled. "Certainly. We shall only be gone for a bit. If the rest of you wish to stay, that would be well."

As Gandalf, the King, Haldir and joint Rohan and Elf host rode to locate the Ent known as Treebeard, Pippin turned back to the others, slapped his hands together rubbed them furiously.

"So," he began, with a lovable grin plastered on his face, "how's 'bout we go and get something to eat?"

---

Merry and Pippin led the reunited Fellowship into the tunnel that passed through the thick outer wall of Isengard. Hidden inside the wall of the tunnel was a wooden door that Merry swung open with a loud crash. Everyone could see that this area had suffered serious flood damage, of course they had a feeling it wasn't much to look at even before the flooding. Still, there was a very impressive collection of food and drink on the room's shelves.

"Lovely accommodations you guys have here," Robin smirked, as he looked around the room. "This doesn't look like Orc style housing."

"And nay should it," Merry said, walking in first. He reached for a several large pitchers, and went about pouring glasses of wine, ale and water (for Robin, of course) for the others. "There were once many other folk in Isengard. Saruman kept enough wisdom not to trust his Orcs. He had Men to guard his gates, some of his faithful servants, I suppose. Or this could have simply been Saruman's own private storeroom. But ye should have seen when we first got here. Everything was flooded up to our waist. Thankfully the water's dropped down considerably. Now come, come. We have plenty of food here. I know you must all be hungry."

Pippin nodded brightly, as he reached for a loaf of bread set on one of the shelves his height. "And after we eat, we shall all have a good smoke. Merry and myself came across some excellent Shire weed earlier."

Batgirl and Robin in an amazing sense of timing had both taken a drink from their cups and began to chock loudly, while getting surprised looks from the others. "What has gotten into ye two?" Gimli asked.

"Did you say… you have 'weed'?" Batgirl managed to chock out.

"Aye, we did." Pippin held up a parcel for the two vigilantes to examine. None of the others understood what they were getting so worried about.

Robin looked as if her were about to burst out laughing. "Oh boy… Ya know, that explains SOOO much…" he said taking the parcel and opening it. He breathed a sigh of relief and showed the parcel contents to Batgirl.

"Sorry, you just had us worried there for a minute. Thought we were going to have to bust you for possession," Robin smiled as he handed the parcel back to the Hobbit. With all the drug busts they had been to over their tenure as Robin and Batgirl, both vigilantes knew marijuana on sight and what the Hobbit had wasn't it. It was only that river leaf that they were smoking all the time back in Rivendell.

"Possession of what?" Gimli asked.

"Well, back in Gotham there are certain drugs and herbs that have negative effects on people and are forbidden by law," Robin explained.

"One drug…marijuana had nickname 'weed'. We thought you had bad drug," Batgirl finished, before leaning back and smirking evilly at them. "Thought we need to kick your butts." Both Merry and Pippin looked horrified, before Robin and Batgirl began laughing again. After a moment the rest of them joined in.

The travelers sat at a long table and were served by Merry and Pippin, who were more than happy to do so. While they had found their time with Treebeard most enjoyable, they were both thrilled to be back amongst folk who enjoyed good food and smoke.

"You are full of courtesy this morning," commented Legolas. "But maybe, if we had not arrived, you would already have been keeping one another company again."

"Maybe and why not?" returned Pippin. "We had foul fare with the Orcs, and little enough for days before that. It seems a long while since we could eat to heart's content."

"It does not seem to have done you any harm," responded Aragorn. "Indeed you look in the bloom of health."

"Yeah, what is up with that?" Robin asked. "You guys are definitely taller than you used to be and even your hair has done some major growth over the last nine days since we were separated."

"Oh we have Treebeard to thank for that," Merry said.

Pippin nodded. "Aye, Treebeard's draughts does wonders, though after drinking it for so long makes one feel the need of something solid."

Once they had finished eating, the Hobbits offered everyone a bit of the pipe-weed. Gimli, Aragorn as well as Merry and Pippin lit their pipes and leaned back in pleasure. Of course, Robin and Batgirl refrained from smoking, as did Legolas who was instead was staring out the window up at the mid-day sky.

This led to Hobbits telling the Fellowship how they'd drawn the Uruk-Hai away so that Frodo could escape, but then they could not escape themselves. The retold the others how they had witness Robin fight frantically to save them, only to be attacked by more Uruk-Hai and who they had thought him dead at the Uruk-Hai's hands like poor Boromir. Robin looked away from the others in disgust at himself, and Batgirl placed a loving hand onto his.

Merry and Pippin's story continued as they spoke of the days that followed the Fellowship's breaking and being carried by monstrous Uruks, or cruelly forced to run at the ludicrous pace they'd set. They all nodded in agreement when Merry boasted how brave Pippin had been in creating tracks for the others to follow such as dropping his Elven brooch.

"Definitely smart planning, Pip" Tim said, punching the youngest hobbit playfully in the shoulder.

"Pippin," Batgirl then said, reaching for something in her utility belt. "Before I forget… here." Opening her palm, she revealed a familiar green leafed brooch lined with sliver vines. The young Hobbit's eyes lit up.

"Oh thank ye, Cassie," Pippin exclaimed; taking the Elvish brooch that he had been parted from six days past. "I'd thought it gone forever."

Merry continued with the story and told how when the Rohirrim had attacked, Grishknah had tried to kill and eat them. And just Aragorn had deduced when Batgirl, Legolas, Gimli and himself had arrived at Fangorn, Merry re-told them how the pair of Hobbits had escaped into Fangorn. Pippin then took over the story, as he proudly spoke of Merry facing off against the blood thirst Grishknah.

"Oh ye should have seen him," he said, excitedly waving around his hands wildly as if to help him tell the story. "So there I am up in the tree and Merry is following me, right? Well we think we lost him and just then that brute came out of nowhere and pulled Merry down! Well Merry gives him a right good kick in the face and gets back to his feet. They then start circling each other, and I wont lie to ye. I was scarred out of me wits." Pippin turned to Batgirl and Robin excitedly. "But Merry, he did just like you taught us. That Grishknah fellow ran right for him, and Merry used the monster's speed and weight against him and flipped him right over his shoulder and into the tree I was on! It was amazing!"

Everyone laughed as the energy that Pippin told his tale with, while Merry blushed furiously and shrugged at attempted modestly. "But Pip, that weren't just ANY tree I threw him at."

"Oh right ye are, Merry!" Pippin nodded. "Turns out I climb me an Ent, not a tree! Treebeard it was. Just when Merry flipped that fellow, I was cheering and I suppose my cheers and the Orc to his shin… That was Treebeard's shin, right Merry?"

"I suppose ye could call it that," Merry shrugged.

"Well, my cheers and throwing the Orc into his shin must have woken Treebeard up. Gave me a fright it did, and I nearly fell off him and broke my neck. And oh… Treebeard wasn't too happy to find Orcs in his woods."

"To say the least Pip," Merry nodded. "Stomped the Orc flat with one of his huge… err… feet, I suppose."

"And after he stomped the Orc, Treebeard was ready to do the same to us!" Pippin added.

Merry nodded and dropping his voice down deep, he did his best Treebeard impression. "'Little Orcs, Bru-ra-hroom,' he said to us. And so Pippin says: 'its talking, Merry. The tree is talking.' As if I hadn't noticed the talkin' tree myself… But Treebeard didn't take too kindly to being called a tree and said 'Tree? I am not tree! Hoo! I am an Ent!'"

More laughter erupted from the assemblage of friends as Merry continued to imitate Treebeard, especially the bizarre sounds that the Ent was known to making. Although no one aside from the Hobbits had yet met the Tree-herder, the impression was still a riot to behold.

The Hobbits continued to trade off explaining the story of how they tried to convince Treebeard that they were NOT orcs, while Treebeard had gone onto a rant of Forest rights.

"So I tell him, 'we're Halfling! Shire-folk!' to which Treebeard said 'Maybe you are and maybe you aren't. The White Wizard will know.'"

"Needless to say, we're both scared out of our minds," Pippin interrupted. "We thought Treebeard was taking us to Saruman. And then Treebeard drops us like two sacks of potatoes, and when we look up whom do we see? Gandalf, dressed all in white! I just sat up, staring with me mouth open. It tried to call out and I couldn't.

"There was no need. He just looked down at us. 'Gandalf!' I said at last, but my voice was only a whisper. Did he say: 'Hullo, Pippin! This is a pleasant surprise'? No, indeed! He said: "Get up, you tom-fool of a Took!"

There was no mistaking the annoyance that Peregrin felt about their reunion with Gandalf, but this only made every burst out laughing all over again.

"That's Gandalf, alright," Cassandra said, trying to suppress more giggles.

"Well Gandalf only talked to us for a bit," Merry said taking over the story again. "When we asked him about ye lot, he just said 'News must wait. This is a perilous night, and I must ride fast. But the dawn may be brighter; and if so, we shall meet again. Take care of yourselves and keep away from Orthanc! Good-bye!'"

After that the two explained how they had traveled long with Treebeard to his home at the roots of the Mounts. They spoke of how the mighty Ent regaled them with poems and songs he had come up with himself, though they would often admit that old Bilbo's poems were far better, though they would never admit it to Treebeard. After they had arrived at Treebeard's home, both Merry and Pippin spoke in more detail about the Ent Draught that had while there. Everyone was held in fascination, especially Robin who would have loved to have a sample of the water so analyze, should he ever return to Gotham and a proper laboratory.

They went on to talk about how Treebeard took them to meet the other Ents in the forest and then explained the slightly tedious meeting known as the Entmoot. Meriadoc then began to talk about how Pippin's surprising double talk had in the end convinced the Ents into the assault on Isengard after they had initially turned there backs on the war against Saruman's and his master in Mordor. Everyone listened in awe as their friends spoke out the battle that occurred.

"Sounds cool," Batgirl said. "Bet old Saruman… is not happy."

"Oh he wasn't," Merry grinned mischievously.

"Not happy at all," nodded Pippin. "We saw him up on his balcony and we can tell ye, he and Wormtongue were most displeased."

Aragorn took over the storytelling as he re-told of adventures that Batgirl, Gimli, Legolas and himself had discovered Boromir, the ensuing hunt that lead them to Rohan and the first meeting with Éomer. Aragorn went on to speak of traveling to Fangorn where they found the remains of the slain Orcs, and continued on to how they followed Merry and Pippin's tracks into the woods and met with Gandalf who had long been thought dead. From there, the tale continued onto the trek to Edoras and of the evils, which had befallen the country and how Gandalf had expelled Saruman's influence from Théoden. He then went on to tell of Helm's Deep, and Batgirl, Gimli and Legolas added a few things that had occurred on their ends. As their tale ended, everyone turned expectantly to Robin, who had sat in silence the entire time.

"And what of ye, Tim?" Merry asked the Boy Wonder. "Aren't ye gonna tell us what happened to you?" Aragorn, Gimli, Batgirl and Legolas were also anxious to hear the full story of his journey. He hadn't even told Cassandra the full story.

"Maybe later okay, guys?" Robin began, but there was an assortment of pleas from Pippin, Gimli and Merry. Aragorn and Batgirl were less forcing on the issue, although they were all curious as to why Robin seemed so avoidant. This had been the second time they asked about the trip.

"Come now, Tim" Legolas added. "You asked before that we wait until Lady Cassandra was nearby to hear the tale as well. And now we are all together, surely you can't keep us waiting."

"Legolas," Aragorn hissed, giving the elf a pointed look.

Robin's eyes went to each face of his friends, before at last he gave a defeated sighed. He wasn't anxious to go over it all again. One time was enough. The 'wounds' were still fresh, but he knew that he would need to tell someone sooner or later. And so he told them everything. He told them how he had fallen from the cliffs and had been knocked into a coma. He spoke of how Saruman had forced entry into his mind and to an extent raped his memories in search of the location of the One Ring and Frodo and Sam.

Everyone gasped and the Hobbits felt horribly guilty and regretful for forcing the issue when they realized how Robin has been affected.

"We had no idea," Aragorn said.

"How could you?" Robin said. "It isn't exactly something that happens a lot, you know. I… it was really… freaky. I did all I could to stop him, but…" He breathed deeply. "Saruman might have learned about Frodo and Sam, if Gandalf hadn't showed up."

"Gandalf?" Legolas asked.

"Yeah, he sort of appeared and stopped Saruman from going any further into my mind," Robin explained. "But of course, he was doing that whole cryptic act again, and I wasn't sure it was him until later." Robin fell silent for a moment, and others looked at him in concern.

Batgirl moved behind Robin and wrapped her arms around him. "Tim…"

"But hey, it all turned out okay right?" he said. "I'm alive and from what Gandalf says Saruman is still clueless about the guys." No one believed Robin's brave façade for an instant, but didn't push the issue further.

Tim appeared to have no problem explaining the rest of his journey and seemed to lighten up as he told of his time in Eastfold and his meeting with Éomer and the Riders of Rohan. After which he went on to tell of how he traveled alongside the Riders and their battle against the Uruk-Hai who were destined to join the battle at Helm's Deep. The story continued as Tim further explained how Gandalf appeared 'fashionably late' and warned them of the threat against the Hornburg.

"…and that's when I met up with you guys again," he finished finally.

Everyone fell into semi-comfortable silence, as the brewed over the three stories told. Cassandra's eyes remained fixed on Tim. What Saruman had done to him was unspeakable. Invading one's mind had to be the greatest invasion of privacy imaginable. It was no wonder that he hadn't wanted to talk about.

"It looks as if we've all have quite the adventures," Gimli stated breaking the silence. "And to think we all managed found each other again."

"Aye," Legolas nodded. "It is almost unbelievable how we seemed destined to be meet again after all that has happened to us." Everyone nodded in agreement, since the same thought had entered their minds. But the truth was, they all weren't all reunited. There were still three members of their Fellowship who were missing.

Boromir was dead beyond any shadow of a doubt, and he would never return to them. And then there were the two remaining Hobbits who were half a world away, on a mission that they may never return from.

Aragorn stood up and held his drinking glass up. "To missing friends," he said softly. Everyone else stood and raised their own glasses.

"To missing friends," they toasted. Again they sat back down and the air grew heavy with a long silent.

"Do you suppose Sam and Frodo are all right?" Pippin asked, breaking the silence by speaking the same question everyone else was thinking.

No one answered immediately. Instead the others traded small unsure glances.

"Yes." Everyone saw Batgirl stand up and her face was stern and sure. "They will be alright," she said. "They tough. Just need… faith. Right?" She looked at Robin who after a moment nodded.

"Right." The others felt smiles growing on their faces and the tiniest bit of hope enter their heart. Sam and Frodo were more than meets they eye. If anyone could pull this off, it was them.

"Perhaps we should find Gandalf and the others," Aragorn stated looking out the window and standing up. "Surely their meeting with Treebeard has concluded."

"I wonder what he is doing," said Merry, reluctantly setting down his own cup. "The afternoon is getting on. Let us go and look round! You can enter Isengard now at any rate, Strider, if you want to. But it is not a very cheerful sight."

---

The Fellowship passed back through the tunnel and back to where Gandalf had left them. Their horses were still grazing in the open area and despite the desolate area, seemed rather content. Peering up towards the north Legolas, who's natural elf sight was far better than anyone else's could see an assortment of riders moving towards them. And traveling behind the

"There is Gandalf, Haldir, Théoden and their men. And an Ent! An Ent moves with them," he informed the others. "Lets us go and meet them."

"Come on guys," Robin said turning to Merry and Pippin. "You two can ride with Batgirl and me, cool?"

"Very cool," Merry agreed using the teenaged slang word. Batgirl lifted him onto Nadia's back and Robin placed Pippin onto the back of his own horse, Redd. With everyone mounted in their saddles, the Fellowship rode up the fragile and damaged road to meet up with the others. When they drew nearer to Gandalf and company, everyone sans Merry and Pippin gasped in wonder. For standing before them had to have been a sight many would not soon forget.

At first glance one might think him to be merely a tree, but Treebeard was far from it. Standing at roughly 14 feet in height, he stood strong and sturdy, and a feeling of great power and wisdom emanated from him. He looked down on the Fellowship with large round and glassy yellow eyes, and shone brightly against his dark bark-like skin, and twig-like facial hair.

"Hoo now, Master Peregrin, Master Meriadoc!" he called in a loud booming voice, that was deep and gravely. Several of the others tried to suppress new fits of laughter as they remembered Merry's impression and realized how truly accurate it had been.

"Hullo Treebeard," greeted the hobbits in unison.

"Here are five of my companion, Treebeard," Gandalf said. "I have spoken of them, but you have not yet seen them." He then pointed to each member of the Fellowship. "First is Aragorn son of Arathorn. Besides him stand the Elf Prince of Mirkwood, Legolas, son of the Thranduil and the Dwarf master from the Misty Mountain, Gimli son of Glóin. Then there are the visitors from the land far distant known as Gotham. First there is Robin who is also known as Timothy Drake son of Jack, and finally the Lady Cassandra daughter of Cain, though you may also call her Batgirl."

"Men, Elves, Dwarfs, Hobbits, Robins and Bats," Treebeard said taking in the new faces long and searchingly. "You have quiet and assortment of friends, young Gandalf." He looked at the two youngest members of the Fellowship and his eyes fell on Batgirl. "Are you also a Hobbit, small one? For you're face is strange to me and your size is small like a Hobbit."

Batgirl blushed and shook her head. "Not Hobbit. I… not that small. I'm girl. Not from around here. Gotham far away."

Treebeard nodded. "Gotham, I have heard nothing of a land called Gotham, Bru-ra-hroom. There are forests in Gotham, are there?"

Robin and Batgirl swapped awkward looks. "Sorta…" the Boy Wonder said. After all, there was an assortment of parks and arboretums in the City, and the suburbs surrounding Gotham had a few forests and such. But he was certain that the Ent wouldn't be too happy to learn a great deal about the urban jungle of Gotham.

The Ent's ancient gaze landed on Legolas. "So you have come all the way from Mirkwood, my good Elf? A very great forest is used to be!"

The Elf's face lit up at the mention of his home. "And still is," he replied. "But not so great then we who dwell there, ever tire of seeing new trees. I should dearly love to journey in Fangorn's Wood. I scarcely passed beyond the eaves of it, and I did not wish to turn back."

Treebeard's ridged face contorted in an unusual smile that was barely noticeable under his thick beard of twigs and leaves. "I hope you may have your wish, ere the hills be much older."

"I will come, if I have the fortune," Legolas said. "I have made a bargain with m friend that, if all goes well, we will visit Fangorn together – by your leave."

"Any elf that comes with you will be welcome," said Treebeard.

"The friend I speak of is not an Elf," said Legolas, "I mean Gimli, Glóin's son here." Gimli bowed down low to the Ent, but one of his axes slipped loose form his belt and landed on the stone ground with a clatter. The Ent's eyes shot open and his pursed his mouth tightly.

"Hoom, hm! And now," he glared at Gimli. "A dwarf and axe-bearer! Hoom! I have good will to Elves; but you ask much. This is a strange friendship!"

Tim quickly came to Gimli's rescue. "Not to worry, Treebeard. Gimli isn't a lumberjack or anything. The axe is used for taking out Orcs and Uruk-Hai. He doesn't mean your forest any harm."

Legolas nodded. "Forty-three, he hewed in the battle of Helm's Deep."

Treebeard's face softened at hearing this. "Hoo! Come now! That is a better story!"

"But one that must wait for another day," Gandalf interrupted finally, getting a word in over the Tree herder's. "But I've done what I came here to do. I only have to see Saruman before we leave."

Reluctantly everyone nodded and followed Gandalf toward the Orthanc. Batgirl turned to Robin who appeared suddenly more apprehensive then he was before. If she were to take a guess, she might have had an idea about it. "Tim, are you… going to be okay?"

Robin sighed. He wasn't entirely ready to face Saruman again. It wasn't that he was afraid, but Saruman had forced him to relive the darkest moments of his life. What is Saruman were to try again? Would he be strong enough to face the fallen White Wizard.

"Tim...?"

Robin shook himself out of his thoughts too look up at Batgirl. Yes, he would be strong enough. He had Cassandra and his friends with him this time.

"Come on Cass," he said finally. "We're off to see the Wizard."

TO BE CONTINUED…