A/N: I am SO sorry this took so long to write. I've been so busy with life and work, and inspiration has been slow in coming. I hope this makes up for it, even a little bit... o.o;

--To Where You Were--

Chapter Two:
And The Ages Collide

“Lilah?”

Delilah abruptly came out of her trance, looking up at her sister, blinking. “Huh?”

Noelle bent and gave her a tight hug, which she returned after a moment. “You’ll be all right,” she whispered in her ear. “No matter what happens in this crazy situation, we’re with you.”

The older Korr sister bit her lower lip against a lump that rose in her throat. “Th-Thanks, Elle.”

Noelle beamed as she pulled away, looking over to Boromir. “There’s no way he can go to school dressed like that,” she said, studying him for a few seconds. “Do you have anything he could borrow, Gwen?”

The redhead nodded as she headed for the hallway. “I think some of Dad’s old stuff will probably fit him,” she called over her shoulder as she disappeared around the doorframe and into the room next door.

Delilah was gently pulled to her feet by Boromir, and given a chaste peck on the cheek. “What is our strategy for this day, love?” he inquired of her. “From what I gather, you have lessons today at your place of schooling?”

“Yep, that’s right,” she said, sighing heavily. “We have to go to school, no matter how much I don’t want to. I have to end things the right way.”

Noelle agreed. “As I said, we’re with you, Lilah,” she said reassuringly, placing a hand on her sister’s shoulder.

Gwen came sweeping back into the room, holding a small pile of folded clothes. “Here we go,” she said, beaming at the Gondorian. “With a shower and these clothes, you’ll be sure to fit in nicely.”

To the girls’ disbelief, one of Boromir’s eyebrows quirked upward in curiosity. “Shower?” He peered out the window for a moment before shaking his head, his expression even more confused. “There are no clouds, Lady Gwen… of what do you speak, exactly?”

Gwen, Delilah, and Noelle all exchanged looks, blinking in surprise. After a split second, they all burst out giggling. “Wow, he really must be from the Third Age if doesn’t know what a shower is,” Noelle said through her laughter.

“It’s basically the same as taking a bath,” Delilah explained, still laughing herself. “But think of it as though you were underneath a waterfall, the water flowing down from above you instead of just sitting in a tub.”

Boromir nodded in comprehension. “Ah, I see.” He looked down at his elaborate gear, and with a little sigh, began to unbuckle his belt and release the clasps of his coat. “Where might the wash room be, Lady Gwen?” he asked as Delilah came forward to help him.

“Just straight down this hallway,” Gwen informed him, gesturing in the general direction of the bathroom. “Can’t miss it.”

“I think I’ll take mine first!” Noelle piped up, pulling her clothes out from her bag and dashing down the hall. “I won’t take long!” They heard the door close and the shower turn on, all sharing a laugh.

Boromir shrugged off his coat, and Gwen couldn’t help but dash over and take it from him, carefully folding it over one arm. The Gondorian chuckled and shook his head, allowing the other girl to take the outer gear from him as it was taken off. She handled his sword with the most care of all, placing it on top of the pile.

The Gondorian sat on the bed to take off his boots, and Gwen wrinkled her nose at Delilah. “I think you should be the next one to take a shower, girl,” she said, failing to suppress a tiny grin. “You reek of sweat and blood and leather, sorry to say.” Her eyes suddenly lit up and she nodded her head toward the bathroom. “You guys could take one together and save some time.”

Boromir nearly dropped the boot he’d just taken off. “Together?!” he blurted, blinking in shock at the redhead. “Just what are you implying, Lady Gwen?”

Gwen did not stop the outright laugh. “It’s way too obvious how far you two have gone already, so I thought you wouldn’t mind.”

Noelle came back in at that point, trying hard to keep her expression neutral. “Just take a damn shower, you two,” she said with a giggle. “Does it really matter if you take it together or not? You’re just going in there to wash up.”

Delilah sighed in defeat, steeling herself for the first shower she would ever share with another human being – much less a full grown man she had just pulled out of his own universe. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to have him in a small space with hot, steamy water pouring down on the both of them… It was the small space, plus hot and steamy water, plus naked Boromir – which honestly equaled one hell of a turn-on.

“Come on, Boromir,” she said quietly, getting up and removing her own outer gear. Delilah pulled Boromir down the hall and into the bathroom, closing the door and setting their fresh clothes onto the toilet lid. She moved several things out of the way, tossing Gwen’s extra laundry into the hamper near the foot of the tub. “All right, let’s get you out of those clothes…” she said, though the second the sentence left her lips, she knew it sounded far too suggestive.

It seemed Boromir had caught the tone of her voice, and could almost sense the heat radiating off her as she approached him. One eyebrow rose, a covetous smile curving his mouth. He nodded without saying a word; his swordsman hands rose and curled around the hem of his tunic, pulling it up and over his head. A deep blush had spread across his Delilah’s cheeks when she reappeared in his sight, an oh so lovely idea forming in his mind as he pulled her to him – one hand gliding up her stomach and easily pulling the laces of her bodice loose.

Delilah couldn’t help a tiny squeak of surprise, a delicious thrill shooting up her spine as he slid his fingers beneath the leather and helped her wriggle out of it. “B-Boromir…” she breathed, eyes fluttering up into her head for a moment as his lips trailed soft kisses down her neck. “W-We need to get r-ready to go…”

Boromir smiled into her skin, unbuckling her belt and drawing it from her trousers, pulling her blouse loose. “That we do, meleth nín,” he replied huskily into her ear, easing the blouse upward, his fingers gliding along the soft skin of her back. “I am merely lending you a helping hand.”

Delilah knew exactly where this was going. She curled her fingers into the waistline of his trousers, giving it a teasing little tug. Boromir muffled his soft grunt of approval into a hot kiss against the junction of her neck and shoulder, raking his fingers up her spine. “If we help each other, we aren’t going to get out of here anytime soon,” she teased, giggling lightly.

Boromir pulled the blouse completely off her, tossing it carelessly into a corner and snaring her lips in a heated kiss. With a monumental effort of will, she eased herself away from him, offering a deep blush and silly grin before turning to the shower. She bent and turned on the water, testing the temperature for a nice, steamy warmth – and suddenly became aware of Boromir’s hands lazily traveling along the curve of her rear, and up her bare sides. She shivered, hand shaking a little as she pulled the lever on the faucet to activate the shower.

“All r-right,” she said, voice cracking a little with carefully restrained desire. “Time to get in.”

The Gondorian wasted no time, stripping off his trousers and tossing them to the side with his tunic. Delilah blushed even deeper and turned toward the shower again, pulling her own leggings off and stepping into the tub. The steamy water felt wonderfully relaxing, and she pulled the clear curtain shut on one side to keep the entire bathroom from getting soaked. She took a deep breath, beckoning Boromir’s slightly distorted figure to come in with her.

Boromir obliged, his lovely lass moving a little so he got the full brunt of the hot water as well. He heaved a relieved sigh, just standing under the showerhead for a few moments, before he felt his Lilah’s hands smoothing his hair back from his face. His gray gaze smoldered with pent up passion for his beautiful Seventh Age girl, her dark hair soaked and almost lovingly plastered to her curves. His heart pounded beneath his breast, her touch tender as she worked a body sponge into a lather, gently massaging it across his muscled torso.

Oh damn is he just so… Delilah could hardly breathe, a hot coil of desire beginning to make itself quite known low in her belly. But she kept herself in check – they both did need a shower, and watching all the dirt and grime falling off his body gave her a weird sense of satisfaction. Though she had to admit… The cleaner he got, the more handsome he seemed to become, his skin almost seeming to gain an otherworldly glow.

As her hands tenderly worked their way across Boromir’s chest, she found herself just admiring the Gondorian man she’d brought with her through time. His beautiful masculine frame stood at just over six feet in height, tanned torso dusted with soft, dark hair. Small battle scars were visible across his upper body, but three in particular stood out: one at his left shoulder, his abdomen, and just beneath his breast, near his heart on the right side. They gave her pause, but only for a moment as she temporarily placed the sponge back on its hook and measured out a small amount of shampoo. Her fingers worked the vanilla-scented formula into his hair, the locks darkened to a rich raven black and reaching down past his shoulders in their soaked state. His head lolled back slightly as she massaged up a lather, pulling her close to his body, little purrs of pleasure slipping past his lips.

Delilah grinned lightly as she detached the showerhead and rinsed out his hair, replacing the showerhead again – before being pulled into a tender kiss. Her grin widened as she pulled back, taking the still soapy sponge and continuing her loving work. She playfully traced down his chest and stomach – when she became quite aware of something that hadn’t been there before. She didn’t think it was possible, but her heartbeat picked up the pace, every sensitive zone of her body beginning to tingle as she came to realize that there was just no way around this…

Boromir felt her slow, and as she lifted her head – he caught his breath. He had never had a woman look at him quite like that before. Her jade orbs were dark with a scorching desire, her skin flushed with the heat of both the hot water and lust. The Gondorian’s eyes fell half closed as he bent and enveloped her slightly parted lips with his; a soft kiss, silently asking for permission to continue. She moaned into his mouth, the hand holding the sponge reaching backward and replacing it onto its hook. Her arms flung themselves around his neck, tongue nearly forcing its sweet way in and fiercely battling his.

Damn damn damn. Delilah couldn’t hold it back…

Down the hall, Gwen and Noelle were discussing what their next move should be – though Gwen was having trouble concentrating for even a few moments. She was much more interested in Boromir’s clothes and sword, completely nerding out over every detail.

“Honestly.” Noelle sighed, looking just about ready to give up. “We need to have a solid plan in the case that Robert goes bonkers on us – which he most likely will.”

The redhead frowned, sticking her bottom lip out in a small pout. She almost reverently placed Boromir’s sword back on his pile of clothes, sighing and turning to Noelle. “Trust me, I know. I’m trying not to think about it – especially considering how badly he took rejection last time.” She placed a finger to her lips thoughtfully, expression apprehensive. “I think we should take Boromir with us. For protection, and because my mom is going to be home pretty soon.”

Noelle boggled at her, glasses slipping down to sit precariously at the tip of her nose. “Are you crazy?!” she exclaimed, pointing in the general direction of the bathroom. “For one, how in the hell are we going to make him blend in? For two, our teachers aren’t that dumb, and will ask why a full-grown man is accompanying us to class. And three – ” She suddenly stopped, a very odd noise reaching her ears.

It was soft at first, but then another noise joined it – one that was easily recognizable: a moan, one sounding like it belonged to a girl. Gwen picked up on it immediately, eyes wide. A corner of her mouth twitched upward. “Uh oh,” she whispered, lips curving in a shocked grin. She beckoned Noelle, getting up and padding stealthily down the hall.

Sure enough, the noises got a little louder as they neared the bathroom. Noelle was following close on Gwen’s heels – when a small muffled squeal from the other side of the door startled her so badly her glasses fell completely off. She caught them before they fell too far, clutching them to her chest out of pure instinct. “Oh bejeebus, I sodid not need to hear that!” she said, clearly freaked out by what was going on.

Her sister was… very intimately involved with a man at least twice her age.

Gwen had had her ear to the door for only a few moments before she jumped back at a particularly pleasured growl from Boromir. She bit her lip, her silly grin apparent – along with a deep pink blush quickly spreading across her cheeks and even into her ears. “Well,” she said quietly, tiptoeing back toward her room, Noelle close behind. “There goes my bathroom.” She couldn’t stop an embarrassed laugh as they sat back down in the middle of the room. “I’ll never look at it the same again.”

Neither of the girls said a word when the two lovers came out of the bathroom ten minutes later, both fully dressed except for shoes. Delilah had worked his dark locks into a fashionable ponytail, and to the Gondorian’s chagrin, made him shave his beard. Gwen and Noelle almost didn’t recognize him when he entered the room, appearing much more modern, not to mention years younger than his true age. Dark denim jeans, a fitted black tee, and a sable cotton sweater vest left unzipped gave his battle-hardened frame a sleeker, more youthful appearance.

The Gondorian fidgeted under the surprised stares of the other two girls, subconsciously rubbing his now smooth chin. “Was it truly necessary for me to shave?” he protested, giving his Seventh Age lass a weary sigh. “I feel quite naked, to be frank.”

Noelle shook her head vigorously, a smile splitting her face. “You will fit in here much better without the beard, trust me,” she assured, slipping her feet into her shoes. “Especially since you’re coming to school with us.”

“What about…?” Delilah started.

“Getting him in?” Gwen finished for her. She grinned. “I’ve already thought of that. Boromir, your new name will be Mir Rimoro, and you are our tutor and fencing maestro.”

Boromir blinked once, staring at Gwen as though he wasn’t seeing her properly.

“Well we can’t very well use your real name, now can we?” she said matter-of-factly. “So we decided that you are going to be our tutor. It’s the easiest way to get you into class with Delilah and I, as we both share the first ‘lesson’ of the day, and you can accompany Elle to her classes too if you so wished.”

He blinked once more, then smiled and nodded. “A well-conceived plan, Lady Gwen.”

“Let’s get going, since we need to sneak him in early to be undetected,” Gwen said as she headed for the shower herself. “We can go to the library until homeroom.”

The walk to school was uneventful, save for constant thoughts of anxiety about what Art class would bring. The trio had no trouble getting their Gondorian visitor inside the campus, as it was still early, and what students were present were already in early-bird classes. Boromir was entranced with the library, to their surprise. They never would have thought Boromir would be interested in the many books of the Seventh Age. If Faramir had been with them, it wouldn't have been so strange, as he was the more scholarly inclined of the brothers. He also listened intently when they explained how the class periods worked and where each of them went when.

The warning bell rang fifteen minutes before homeroom, and Noelle bid them good luck as Gwen and Delilah led Boromir to their homeroom. The two older girls shared that class, as they were in the same grade level, but the Gondorian received quite a shock when the door opened.

It was full of teenage girls the same age as the ones accompanying him, not a single male in sight.

Delilah sensed his anxiety spike for a moment, before he composed himself and entered the classroom. “Morning, Mrs. McNair!” both girls said in unison.

A woman in her early fifties stood behind an old desk, brown hair cut in a neat bob just below her chin. She stood only five-foot-two, willowy but with a strong composure. Her cat-eye glasses glinted softly in the fluorescent lights, a warm smile lighting her face as she spotted the girls. “Good morning girls!” Mrs. McNair cocked her head slightly as she noticed the Gondorian. “And who is this?”

“This is Mir, our tutor!” Gwen said promptly, smiling broadly. Boromir couldn’t help but smile himself. “We asked him to come to school today and help me, Lilah, and her sister.”

“I also teach them the art of swordplay,” Boromir volunteered. “No real weapons are used, of course, for reasons of safety. I have only recently begun to teach Gwen and Noelle, and Delilah is progressing well.” He paused, giving each girl’s shoulder a squeeze. “I am here merely to aid them as they have asked, and also to ascertain if my extra lessons may continue. I do not wish their schoolwork to suffer on my account.”

Mrs. McNair blinked at him a moment, a bit taken aback by his small speech. She studied him for a few moments more, before a smile spread across her face. “Very well then, Mir. You’re welcome to have a seat with your students.” She gestured to a set of empty desks.

Homeroom went surprisingly well, though Delilah noticed that many of the girls in the class kept eyeing him with keen interest. A glance from him earned intense blushes and hushed giggles and whispers. A few even ventured over to talk to the three of them. After class, Boromir accompanied Gwen for History, then Noelle for her math class.

The four met up outside of the Art building, not but a few minutes away from the most dreaded class of the day. They didn’t linger, but bid each other good luck. “No bullshitting around, Lilah,” Noelle said firmly. “Tell him the deal and that’s it. Get it over with quick, yeah?”

Delilah nodded, Boromir giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze as the three of them started inside.

Noelle waved to her sister as Delilah disappeared into the Art classroom with Boromir and Gwen, calling, “Have fun, Mir! Math was awesome!”

Boromir leaned back around the doorframe, laughing. “It was a pleasure, Noelle, and you are quite a hard worker. Good luck in your next lesson!”

Delilah giggled and pulled the Gondorian back into the room. “All right, here we go,” she said, gesturing around. Several round tables sat in a loose U shape around the room, each with several chairs neatly pushed in around them. An alcove at the back held a table for larger projects, with a wall of cubbyholes for storing student artwork. Cabinets and counters lined the walls, various art tools and supplies organized into open baskets and boxes. A door at the opposite side of the back wall led into the storage room where most of the extra supplies were housed. “This is the Art room.”

“Good morning, Delilah, Gwen.”

The girls jumped a little and swiveled around – to see a slender woman in her early forties sitting at the large desk in front of the chalkboard. Her blond hair was up in a neat bun, hazel eyes twinkling with her usual cheerfulness behind her glasses. “Oh gosh! Sorry, was just showing Mr. Rimoro around.” Delilah gestured at the blond woman. “This is Ms. Laurnir, our art teacher. Ms. Laurnir, this is Mr. Rimoro, our tutor and fencing maestro.”

Ms. Laurnir blinked, then smiled broadly. “Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Thora Laurnir.” She stood, extending a hand professionally.

Boromir smiled, returning the gesture and shaking her hand firmly. “Mir Rimoro, and the pleasure is mine,” he replied. “I am here to aid Gwen, Delilah, and her sister in their lessons today. I wish to be sure that they are not slacking in their scholarly pursuits while they are also learning swordplay from me.”

Ms. Laurnir nodded once, still smiling. “I can assure you that Delilah is a great student and a fine artist, though I must say her written pieces are a bit better than her artwork.” She chuckled, giving Delilah’s shoulder a small playful squeeze. "Gwen has quite a talent for photography, as well as a good eye for traditional art." She nodded toward the table closest to the desk and classroom door, laughing lightly. “Good thing you got here early, girls. Your favorite table is open.”

The two girls grinned and sat down with their backs to the door, facing the center of the room. Students began to filter in a few minutes later, some girls whispering and giggling when they spotted Boromir. He appeared to be filtering it out, his keen gray eyes keeping watch for a particular boy he had never forgotten, though he’d only seen him in a dream.

Delilah got up and went to the back of the room, pulling out a carefully rolled piece of paper with her half-finished portrait drawing. A sudden tingle made the tiny hairs on the back of her neck prickle and stand on end, and she moved out of the alcove to see the door.

She wished she hadn’t.

Robert stood framed in the doorway, the midday sun lighting him from behind and casting him in shadow for a few moments. His tall, lanky frame was enveloped in his usual dark jeans and fitted t-shirt, his enormous backpack slung over his shoulders. Light brown hair was cut in neat layers to his chin, accentuating his defined, angular face. The shadow of a goatee accented his chin, his mouth curving in a smile as his dark blue eyes met Delilah’s jade ones.

A quick glance at her table almost made Delilah’s heart leap out of her chest. Boromir had gone rigid, and though she couldn’t see his eyes, she knew they were on fire as he studied the boy making his way toward her. Her hands began to shake slightly, her cheeks flushing pink as Robert pulled the earbuds from his ears and hit the power button on his iPod.

“Morning, Lilah.”

The mere sound of his pleasant tenor voice sent a chill down her spine. She quickly hitched on a smile and nodded. “Morning, Rob.”

He brushed past her to retrieve some artwork of his own, and followed her back to the table. Delilah saw one of Gwen’s hands quickly take hold and squeeze Boromir’s forearm warningly, the Gondorian contemplating a moment before sighing and nodding. She knew the silent communication her friend had given: “Our cover will be blown if you make a scene, so don’t lose your head.” I don’t know what I’d do without you, she thought with a little smile.

“Who is this young man?” Boromir’s eerily pleasant question brought her back to reality.

“Oh, how silly of me not to introduce him!” she said, trying to play it cool. “This is Robert. Robert, this is Mir, our tutor and fencing teacher. We asked him to come and help us out today with schoolwork.”

Boromir extended his hand to the boy, who shook it firmly. “A pleasure, Robert,” he said, though Delilah saw through his polite smile, a hateful fire in his darkened gray eyes.

“Same here,” Robert replied jovially, sitting beside Delilah as she sat next to Boromir. The bell sounded not one tense minute later, and she steeled herself for the most intense class she’d ever had to endure.

They watched a short documentary on portrait artists, the dimmed lights allowing Boromir to hold her right hand under the table and out of sight. Robert paid little attention to film, instead moving two chairs over as he bent over his most recent art piece. Delilah could hardly focus at all, the weight of what she was going to do taking its toll on her nerves. It wasn’t until near the end of the movie that she decided to enact some kind of plan. She had seen how Boromir had been eying Robert, and she knew him well enough to know that he wouldn’t hesitate to beat the crap out of Rob if he made a single wrong move. Getting him thrown out of the school – or worse, arrested – was something she wasn’t willing to risk.

Delilah moved over to sit beside Gwen, beckoning her close. The girl bent her head, lending her friend an ear. “Gwen, there’s something I want you to do for me,” she whispered.

The redhead nodded once, not saying anything but listening intently.

“Just in case Rob decides he wants to talk to me in private after I tell him it’s over,” she placed a reassuring hand on her friend’s knee to keep her from alerting either of the men, “I want you to keep Boromir in check.”

“Why?” Gwen whispered, arching an eyebrow.

Delilah bit her lip, glancing over at Robert and Boromir; the latter was eyeing the former warily. “I want to make sure he understands just why I’m breaking up with him, and you know how that’s gonna go over.” She rolled her eyes with a small sigh. “Keep any eye on us though, okay? You know how I am with these kinds of things.” She sighed again. “Middle-earth sadly didn’t change that.”

“You got it, Lilah.” Gwen nodded, giving Delilah’s hand at her knee a small encouraging squeeze. “Just be careful, all right? He’s not exactly your everyday stalker.”

“Trust me, I know,” she whispered. A small grin flitted across her lips. “But I’m not your average girl, now am I? Middle-earth taught me so many valuable things – including how to survive in a real battle. This’ll be no different.” She glanced at the back of Boromir’s head, a wistful smile playing across her face. “If I could survive the Orcs in Moria and the Uruk-hai in Amon Hen, handling Robert will be child’s play.”

Gwen’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped a little. “You – !” she started to whisper excitedly.

Delilah shook her head. “Not here. And yes, I did fight in both those battles, if you remember me telling you this morning. I have a scar across my right hip to prove it.” She patted her friend’s knee as she started to make her way back around to her table. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine,” she whispered as she passed. “Remember to keep close, just in case.”

Gwen watched Delilah as she quietly made her way back to her seat. She had changed practically overnight, even down to the way she moved. Her steps were more calculated, stance relaxed yet ready to spring into action if the situation demanded it. The redhead smiled to herself. You’ll be fine. I’m sure of it.

Delilah showed no outward sign of it – but her heart was pounding in fierce anxiety as she quietly replaced herself between Boromir and Robert. The Gondorian’s hand found hers again, his warmth familiar yet providing little comfort. The moment she had dreaded was nearly upon her, and all she could think about was how Robert was going to react. He could be unpredictable, though her intuition told her he would not take it well at all and do something irrational – and she had come to trust that little voice with all her soul.

Tense minutes seemed to pass by in the blink of an eye, and Delilah suddenly found the lights of the classroom nearly blinding her as they brightened. Robert got up beside her, carefully rolling up a sketch he had been working on during the film and leaving to stash it in his drawer in the back room. She caught a glimpse of Gwen coming up and gently pulling Boromir back from her. He resisted at first, but after hushed whispers from the redhead, he acquiesced with a small nod at his Seventh Age lass. Thanks, Gwen… Remember to stay close, she thought.

Delilah took a deep breath and picked up her binder, making sure all her supplies were in the zip bag she kept inside. She held it to her chest, partially hiding her face as her fellow students all began to crowd around the door, waiting for the bell to ring to signal the beginning of lunch. A thousand butterflies of anxiety whirled in her chest, but she tried to quell them and keep her mind rational. This is no different from a battle with sword and shield, she reasoned. Words will be both my weapon and armor. Better make every one count.

A pair of cool hands and long arms wrapped themselves around her shoulders from her left, pulling her to the owner’s lithe body. A chill wriggled up and down her spine, heart picking up its pace. “I missed you, Lilah.” The hairs on the back of her neck immediately rose and stood on end, his warm breath spiking her anxiety. “What’s on your mind? You look wonderful, by the way.”

Delilah swallowed the frustration and anger Robert always seemed to induce, trying to choose her words carefully, as there were other people around. “If you want the truth, you have been,” she said quietly, her eyes focused on the clock above the door. Ninety seconds…

Robert seemed elated by this, giving her a small squeeze. “Really?” Her stomach felt as if it were literally turning over. He rummaged in his pocket, and held up a thin pile of neatly folded binder paper. “I wrote these for you this weekend.” He slipped them into the back of her binder, and she caught the blue of his eyes as she gave him a glance.

Seventy seconds. Gwen, I hope you’re keeping Boromir back… It’s about to get ugly. “Thanks, but I don’t think I ever said why you’ve been on my mind.” She just couldn’t keep the little savage bite out of her tone.

Robert stiffened a little, catching on to her subtle anger immediately. “What’s wrong? Have I done something to hurt you? Please tell me.” His voice was meek and worried, cracking a little as he continued to speak softly.

Pure anger roared to life in her chest, her cheeks flushing slightly and her eyes darkening. Fifty seconds. “Rob. There is no point in hiding it from you.” Her voice was brimming with her pent up feelings, her hands shaking as they clutched her binder tighter. “This has to end, and end now. I can’t lie to you or myself anymore.”

Forty seconds. Instead of releasing her like she had thought – he tightened his hold. “W-What are you talking about?” he stammered, though she knew she had him cornered. “I – ”

“You were once a nice guy,” she whispered, heart pounding in her ears. “You came into our circle and we accepted you. But then you tested every bond we have, Everett’s and mine included. You tore my fucking heart out because you just couldn’t seem to win me over.”

Robert was shaking – she could feel it. Twenty seconds.

“And then, when I give you the chance you wanted so desperately, you let slip that you told a bullshit lie to Everett on purpose to break us apart.” Delilah’s knuckles were beginning to whiten with the death grip she had on her binder. “You are a coward and a backstabbing bastard…” Ten seconds. “And you know what?” Her jade orbs finally lifted and met his half frightened, half murderous gaze.

“You don’t deserve me.”

The bell sounded – and she was the first out the door. Her bravery was only skin deep, and her courage was dying rapidly. She knew he was watching her as she went, her fast stride telling him clearly to keep away. Tears stung her eyes, her heart feeling as though it were about to burst from the effort of trying to keep herself calm. Her feet guided her away as fast as they could, toward any place that held any sense of familiarity.

“Delilah!” The voices of her friend and Gondorian lover sounded in unison as her knees buckled near the foot of the small hill beside the school. The students had come to call it “Grave Hill”, as a rainstorm in years past had uncovered very old graves dug into the side of it. It was also a place where they frequented to not be disturbed with whatever they didn’t want the teachers to see or know about.

Gwen and Boromir caught up to her, the man falling to his knees in front of her. “Did he hurt you?” he asked immediately, a fiery determination behind his words. “Shall I let him have a mere taste of my wrath – ?”

Delilah abruptly flung her arms around his neck, burying her face in his chest. Her binder tumbled away to the side, Rob’s love letters falling out to lie on the grassy hillside beside the lovers. Boromir didn’t hesitate, wrapping his arms around her and comfortingly stroking her hair, whispering small reassurances into her ear. Gwen bent down and gently patted her friend’s back, adding her own comfort to the girl. Delilah did not cry; she didn’t have the need to. But she just stayed in her lover’s arms for a minute or two, calming her shaken heart.

Finally, she took a deep breath and pulled away, giving Boromir a sincere nod of gratitude. “Thanks,” she said. “I never was really good with telling the truth of how I felt, especially with him. This was no exception.”

“From what I caught of the conversation,” Gwen said, a grin breaking across her freckled face. “You sure gave it to him straight. I don’t know if I could have been any clearer myself.”

“Lilah!” Noelle’s voice interrupted, the chestnut-haired girl herself coming into view at a jog. “What happened? How did it go?” She stopped beside them all, trying to catch her breath.

Boromir smiled. “She was as brave as any Gondorian soldier, and accomplished her goal.” He gently cupped her cheek, stroking her skin affectionately with his thumb.

Noelle sighed in relief, giving a triumphant laugh. “Told that bastard to piss off, huh? Good for you!”

Delilah couldn’t help but laugh herself. “Thank you. Just having Gwen and Boromir there was enough support to get me through it. I couldn’t have done it without them.” She tenderly paid a quick, chaste kiss to Boromir’s palm, the man chuckling and caressing her cheek.

A pair of dark blue eyes watched them as the man and girls tried to cheer Delilah up. They widened as he saw her lean into Mir’s hand upon her cheek, smiling far too affectionately. The owner of the eyes shook with fury. “So that’s it. ‘Tutor’, my ass! I’ll find you out, Delilah Korr, and you will pay for turning me away.”

Ending Notes: Whew. This took forever to get out, but I hope it is to your liking. It may be a little rushed in places, but still. Reviews are encouraged and appreciated, though flames are not. Thanks!