Willow danced around her room singing in a pitchy, off-key, tone to Katrina and The Waves 'Walking on sunshine' as she cleaned the soot off the furniture. She thought being pregnant with this superpowered baby would become an issue so far besides a few odd kinks in her power she felt great. She smiled, pretending not to notice Legolas watching her.

She was bent over, swishing her hips and her barely covered behind. She wore one of his tunics since everything else of hers was no longer fit for public consumption. She stopped singing and asked, "Is that you baby?"

He chuckled, "How did you know? I was enjoying the song and dance tremendously. Never heard that tune but it's very festive."

She sat down on the bare stone floor and with a nonchalant shrug, she replied, "A euphemism for human happiness but, I digress. I knew it was you." Said with a confident smile, "I could feel you coming down the hall, stomping up here like someone stole your lunch money. Something's bothering you, isn't it?" She patted a spot next to her on the floor.

"Shouldn't the servants be attending these matters." He said snatching her cleaning cloth away, "You are with child, Willow, and are in a delicate situation." His face scrunched up adorably.

With a humph, she stood up, "That is an excellent observation. I'm pregnant, not handicapped. I can still do things like clean my own room. Don't change the subject and just answer the freaking question, what's wrong Leggy."

He moved past her to stand near the window, his face was detached, aloof. He was working very hard to hide something from her and she could feel it.

She never liked using her telepathic ability going into someone else's head could get messy, but she relaxed her barriers and came into contact with the ice wall that was his mind. She waited, watching him intently, as he just stood there staring out into the wilderness.

"Are you going to at least acknowledge that I asked you a question?"

His stoic expression sent chills down Willow's spine. His glacial blue eyes were looking at her and through her at the same time. He was shutting her out. She touched his mind and heart before never having worried about being on the outside and after everything they'd been through, he slammed that door firmly in her face.

"Legolas Greenleaf, I don't understand why you feel, you can't tell me what happened between, our knocking the boots this morning and you getting something to eat, to make you act like this. You don't clam up and sit on your problems and expect them to magically go away."

She spun on her heel and started kicking things out of her way ready to storm out of the room. She reached the doorknob when she felt his cool hand on top of her own.

His breath danced in her ear, calling up memories of a night spent in passion, "You can't go out there like that. I won't have so many eyes on my wife's skin."

She twisted about to face him, a hair's breadth from his tempting lips, "Is it possible that you only remember I'm your wife when it's convenient for you?"

"We will always be one Willow, come what may, " he said pressing closer nearly closing the gap between them.

"Then tell me what's wrong." She asked sincerely.

He said nothing.

Searing with rage; her hair changed first to a shock of luminous white; brown eyes became devoid of color, now bright with power. Her body emitted a bright white light. Her hair coiled and moved like it had an independent will of its own. Moved by some zephyr only she felt. Seams of power crackled and roared, sparking like bolts of lightning.

He did not fear this display of strength, he knew it would not harm him. He stood near the door. She waved her hand. He felt his body levitate and glide to the far side of the room. When his feet touch the stone, her hair fell back to its usual black, and her skin to its return to normal russet. She pulled the door open and stomped out of the room.

He made no move to stop her this time. He hurt her with his recalcitrance. He didn't need to guess where she was going. Her thoughts were clear enough. She was going to Gimli. At least she was in safe hands. Gimli would kill anyone who dared disrespect his wife.

Willow didn't make it down the hall before Arwen's ladies caught her. She was immediately bathed and clothed. She received all the pampered delights of Queen, but she was still dreadfully unhappy. Nothing seemed to console her despite their continued attempts.

When they finally let her go, she found Gimli outside in the stone courtyard on a seat near a white flowering tree, remarkably similar to the ones painted on all the armor in Minas Tirth. He was smoking his favorite pipe. She sat next to him, let out a heavy sigh and leaned her head on his shoulder

"That bad, eh, Lass?" He asked.

Her head popped up, "What the hell is wrong with him? Why can't he just tell me what's going on in that big blonde head?" She kicked her heeled feet in front of her in infantile petulance.

"He's never had to share his concerns or feelings with a partner before. That takes some getting used to."

"Does he tell you everything?" She looked up hopefully.

"Certainly, not. Some things I've had to figure for myself. He's not much for talking. Listen, Lass, he's thousands of years old, change comes slowly if at all for his kind. Take slow steps with him." 

She sighed deeply again letting her head drop hard on to Gimli's shoulder. "Ooph" he yelped nearly dropping his pipe.

"I don't know how to help him. I don't know what to do." Gimli let his hand smooth over her hair.

"Let him be. He'll come round. He was smart enough to make me his closest friend and to marry you. So, he'll sort it out. My auld mam used to say you've got to do your own growing no matter how tall your father be. Let him do his growing."

Legolas watched in agony as Willow wept on Gimli's shoulder that night. He stayed quietly in the background as Gimli walked her back to their shared chamber for her to rest. He waited till Gimli was alone to appear at his side.

"You shouldnae make the girl worry so much. She loves you something fierce and she knows something's afoot." Gimli diligently scraping the excess from his pipe as he began to repack it with pipe weed.

"I cannot tell her that she and our child are in mortal danger and that I fear I don't know how to protect them. To send her back to her world would be the end of me." He clenched his fists as he paced the courtyard. The sky over Minas Morgul and Mordor were ablaze with the hellfire Morgoth used to create his creatures. They were running out of time.

"We need to leave Minas Tirith and make for the Woodland realm at least there we'll have a chance."

"Yes, look on the sky there, it's as black as the devil's waistcoat. He's stirring up trouble that old goat, but we still don't know if he means to kill her in his next campaign."

"I have no intention of waiting to find out."