Chapter 8:

It's Not Fair!

(A/N: I had the hardest time trying to write for a spoiled, malicious princeling. The closest I could get was picturing a Malfoy in Legolas's place. All in all, please forgive me if it sounds foppish and immature. I will take all suggestions and criticisms into suggestion. I must warn you, though, as I stated at the beginning of the first chapter, Legolas is not the hero of this story. Legomance lovers, ye have been warned.)

(A/N: I have made some changes to previous chapter, just for fyi.)

(A/N: Rating has increased due to this chapter's content – attempted rape – and future chapters' content.)

And on with the story…

He opened his ice blue eyes, feeling sore all over (particularly in the abdomen) and had a bad taste in his mouth. The bad taste he was used to, but he was used to waking up with pain in his head, not his stomach, and normally he would be yelling for a servant to get their pathetic head into his chambers and wait on him – after they fetched his normal morning mixture to get rid of the monster hangover. He felt disgustingly dirty, as if he had spent the night on the forest floor. He looked down at his dirt covered hands, sneering in disgust. He HAD slept on the forest floor! How sickening! Assessing his person to note that not only were his clothes dirty and ripped, and not only did his normally gorgeous mane muddied and now resembled a bird's nest, but now there was DIRT UNDERNEATH HIS FINGERNAILS!

How revolting! It sickened him to think he now resembled a pathetic, reeking, savage mortal. Any worse and he could have been mistaken for a very tall dwarf, or worse… a man.

He looked around, assessing his situation. He was still in the forest, though he much rather be in his soft bed. The mortals he had tried to play with stood to one side. The boy he attacked had a bandage over his wound, though he knew it wouldn't be anything serious. After all, he was just trying to have some fun. The mortals all seemed engaged by something or other, whether it be inspecting those odd looking sticks, acting as a sentry, poking at another boy's leg, or writing something in the dirt. He turned his head, finding his friends opposite of the mortals. They were still tied up, glaring at the mortals that had the presumption to act as if they were equals. As for himself, he found himself utterly annoyed. How dare they treat him with such disrespect! Miserable slugs such as themselves should know better how to treat their superiors. This wasn't fair!

"Milord," Sarniul whispered, trying to attract his attention. Whispered in Sindarin, the volume was low enough so the mortals would not hear.

He met the eyes of his long time servant and friend. "What happened?"

"What do you remember, Milord?"

What did he remember? He remembered being tied up like livestock. He remembered not being able to sleep due to lying on the hard, rocky earth. That and the mortals' snoring kept him awake. Watching as the large one left his post and approached them. Having that foul cloth shoved into his mouth. Listening as the mortal snarled, "You attacked the wrong girl!" And seeing a fist coming towards him.

"The large Orc, I mean mortal, attacking me," he answered, wondering which elleth the large mortal was referring to.

Sarniul and a few others chuckled as another, Glandruil (the son of Thranduil's captain and chief counselor, Angelor) spoke, "At least Legolas wasn't conscious to remember that boy's lips on him." Glandruil and three others laughed while Sarniul remained quiet.

"What!?" hissed Legolas, his head snapping towards the flame-haired boy.

"You weren't breathing, Milord," explained Sarniul. "The boy was merely forcing breath into your lungs."

He was far too angry to listen. If Legolas was angry before, he was now seething. How dare that whelp handle him! How dare he lay his grimy lips upon his person. The little scapegrace humiliated him in such a fashion in front of his friends.

"That little…" the prince let out a string of curses.

***

Newt's ears perked at the low voices and cocked an eyebrow as the now-conscious elf let out a hiss and, judging by his clenched teeth, hissing and spitting, and the foam around his mouth, was cussing up a storm. His moustache wiggled as he fought the smirk.

"Wylde," he called out.

Kat was going through her supplies again, calculating how long they would last and review possible scenarios that might occur prior reaching friendly civilization. They had been in Middle-Earth for nearly two weeks and certain supplies (e.g. food and water) were near an end, despite the brief replenishment provided by the Lothlorien elves. When Newt called, she looked up.

He continued, "I've got some good news and bad news." She had an expectant look. "Good news is your guy is awake." Though it was barely noticeable, Newt spotted a smile springing forth as she visually assessed him from where she sat. "Bad news, I don't think he's too happy."

"Oh, what a shame," she said through a crooked grin.

If Newt hadn't been aware of Kat's sardonic tendencies before they had landed here, he was now.

She took another glance at the fuming elf, critically assessing and searching for potential hazardous symptoms. Just like a minute newborn – if he's making loud noises, then his airway was cleared and had appropriate volume intake. He wasn't clutching any body part, for the exception of violently wiping his lips, followed by spitting. Strange, but nothing to be worried about. He recognized his friends and by the means of glaring, identified the squad as foe. All in all, the elf was going to be alright

Kat stood up, stretching the muscles in the back and feeling her spine crack and pop. If she ever got home, she was going to go straight to a masseuse and booking for a week's worth of back massage. The military definitely had a way of making a young body grow old quickly.

Kat's gaze rested on each being in the camp, reviewing what each person needed. It was still a habit of hers, something she carried on from her civilian nursing job, to look at each person individually, creating mental lists of needs, compiling the lists, and then acting.

Ty was medically fit, though his demeanor was subdued. That was most likely from the scolding he received earlier. Though the scolding was well deserved, Kat felt the need to remind Ty that he was still a part of the squad. They still counted on him, and she was able to forgive him. Though Kat did have a temper, like Lil she was unable to hate a person; it was too exhausting. She would talk to him later.

Wally's leg was not yet completely healed, though showing no sign of infection. She'll have to change the dressing sometime soon, but there was nothing urgent about it. He was quiet, as usual. Personally, Kat liked the kid and wanted to see him open up more. Unlike some malingerers and sick call rangers, Wally was never one to try to overplay or downplay his juries. His injuries were exactly what they were. Typically, Kat had to deal with those who try to fake an injury to get out of work or those who didn't want the stigma of a 'sick call ranger' and refused any help whatsoever. With that line of thought, Wally was a rare and refreshing patient.

Reggie's gaze was shifting from the elves to Ty to Newt to Kat back to the weapon in his lap, which he was currently cleaning. It was obvious that he was still thinking about Ty's outburst this morning. To be honest, the outburst had shocked the rest of the squad, as well. Ty was normally cheerful, if not charming, and though he usually horsed around with a few others in the platoon, never had any of the squad heard him so much as raise his voice, much less raise his hand. Sometimes, Reggie's eyes would soften, as if he was looking into another world. It wasn't the look of remembering old battles – that look she knew well enough. No, there was sadness and love in this gaze. He was remembering his fiancée, who Kat had met only a few times before. Kat had never been in love herself, so she had no idea what to do to help him.

The elves were each still glaring at the squad, except perhaps one, whose green eyes almost looked abashed – but for what reason, she had no idea. Most of the elves they had met so far seemed far too proud to even understand the emotion. But this one did. He even held himself differently. It wasn't too noticeable, except for how sat a sliver bit further from the others and shifted his eyes from members of the squad back to that first elf (Kat had now decided that the elf that attacked her led the others). The elves had started to accept food, though reluctantly. That was at least one concern she didn't need to worry herself over.

Newt sat at the base of another tree, elbows resting on his knees, hands clasped (almost as if in prayer), and eyes distant. He was thinking, and thinking hard. Kat could only guess what he was thinking. She could only hope to help him with whatever burden he was obviously bearing. She was never very close to her older brothers, but she liked her squad leader enough to consider him one. And she could tell that he liked her very much; if he ever had a baby sister, he couldn't ask for anyone different. True, when he first met her, he was only trying to get on her good side. One of the few things they taught was to make friends with supply and the medic. True, he had expected a professional who would fix him up if he broke – and Kat was and did – but she bet he hadn't expected someone he would grow to have a familial rapport with.

Kat walked over towards her squad leader, who looked up as his eyes caught the movement. Sitting down, she joined him, facing forward and observing the camp again. They didn't talk, didn't look at the other, didn't nudge or touch the other. Yet, somehow, they shared a comfortable silence, sharing each other's burdens and giving comfort, though they made no tangible contact. They sat this way for perhaps a good hour, without murmuring a syllable.

Ty, Reggie, and Wally seemed to understand the need for silence and provided a still atmosphere. Ty retreated from his post, sat down and started cleaning his weapon, occasionally glancing up at Kat. Wally watched the elves and, every now and then, offered them food and drink. Reggie took up Ty's post and starred into the woods.

"We need to take a look at the surrounding area," Newt suddenly said, breaking the silence and startling the rest.

"Sergeant?" Kat asked, confused at his statement and his reasoning behind it.

Newt turned to the medic. "We need to assess how close we are to the forest's end, and we can't do it hauling prisoners. Heck! We can't continue marching with them! We need to see if there's anyone in the area. If there is, we can try talking to them and see if they can take these guys off our hands. If there isn't, I want to know if there's any way we can just let them go and get out of here before all hell breaks loose. I want to know if there's anything dangerous nearby, cause I need to know how dangerous our position is."

Kat nodded. "Alright."

Newt rubbed his hands nervously and pursed his lips as he stared forward and looked back to Kat. His worry and concern was enough for Kat to make her decision. Her maternal instincts were screaming at her.

"I'll go," she said, as if she were agreeing to an unspoken request.

"Wylde…"

"No, it makes sense," she interrupted. "Who else would be able to tell what's dangerous and not? Between the five of us, I know Middle-Earth best. If it makes you feel better, Reggie could go with me, you know, as a team." The last part was to appease the squad's natural instinct to protect the 'defenseless female'. It was obvious that none of the others wanted her in danger, and it seemed that chivalry wasn't completely gone.

"Sarge," Ty said, "I think I should go instead of Reggie." His eyes landed on Kat and her insides, for some strange reason, started to squirm. "I'm the one who's trained in recon."

Newt considered this for a few seconds. He hated sending Kat anywhere unprotected. Just her being here, in this unknown and dangerous land, worried him. She was essential to their survival and he wasn't sure he wanted to risk it. But both Kat and Ty presented valid points: Kat knew Middle-Earth, and Ty knew recon. Of the four males, Ty would be able to best protect the lone female, and would make sure they stayed safe. Everything considered, it was their best bet.

***

Ty and Kat had spent the better part of the afternoon marching as quietly as possible… well, as quietly as Kat tried. Ty was in his element, moving quickly through the forage without sound. If it weren't for his beard, Kat would have thought him to be an elf. The two soldiers moved in unison, Ty leading, maneuvering over the terrain, and Kat following, assessing the surroundings and comparing it to what she had read. They had found some open, elevated areas and found that they were nearly a half-day hike from the forest's border. In her mind's eye, Kat could picture Beorn's house and the ford and the gates of Moria. She shivered with the thought of being so close to so many Orcs and a Balrog.

Ty had stopped every now and then, watching and waiting as Kat would catch up. He would look at her with an unreadable expression. She felt sorry for not being as fast, and making him wait.

The sun was descending, not quit touching the horizon, but low enough to announce how late it really was. Kat had reasoned with Ty that neither one had brought a flashlight or a torch and wouldn't have any means of illumination when the sun went down, so it would be sensible to turn around and head back to camp.

After begging a latrine break, Kat made a little ways away from the large infantryman. From the color of her urine, Kat could tell she was getting very dehydrated. They were all being very careful with the water. Kat prayed that if what Ty and her found today were indicative of what to come, then perhaps they could reach the ford by tomorrow evening.

Oh, what a blessing that would be! They could drink their fill and refill their camelbaks. Kat could take an honest to goodness bath.

Kat buckled her belt and started to don her gear as one foot kicked dirt onto her waste. A feeling of unease was starting to settle. The woods were quiet and it was starting to get dark… well, darker. She would be so happy when they left these woods. As the shadows started to stretch, Kat's imagination began to grow. She spun her head up towards the tree tops, wondering if she was seeing glowing eyes and eight legs. More black squirrels scurried by, one stopping, flashing blood red eyes at her.

A twig snapped and Kat jumped towards the sound. Relief spread through her as panic melted away till it was only a puddle at her feet. Ty smiled sheepishly as Kat chuckled at her previous anxiety.

"Is everything okay?" she asked. He most likely wanted to get back as badly as she and was too embarrassed to admit it. Ty adverted his eyes and shift his feet, his Kevlar helmet and weapon lying next to them.

Ty wasn't a bad looking man. In fact, he was quite the opposite. It didn't hurt that he was also had all the right proportions in spades. There was rarely a girl that passed his way that didn't leave unsatisfied. He had a smile that could charm a cobra and the most startling green eyes. And Kat could find no fault with his character or his manners… well, except for his burst of violence that morning. She just wasn't attracted to blonds. Considering the elves that they had recently met, that was a good thing. So it was no surprise that, as handsome as Ty was, Kat was not captivated by him.

"I was worried," Ty said.

Kat resumed snapping on her gear, and divided her attention between Ty and her gear. "What about?"

"You," he said, as if it was the most obvious thing.

Curious, Kat hands froze, giving Ty her complete attention. "Me?"

Ty shrugged. "Yeah. I mean, in less than two weeks, we've landed in place that – before now – was considered totally imaginary, a place that only you know the fine points of. We've almost became spider food, met up with elves twice, and you're life's been threatened three times. Come on, if anybody needs to be protected, it's you!"

Kat gave him a small smile as she finished snapping the last buckle and looked back up. "Thanks, Ty, but I can look out for myself."

Ty huffed, "Well, you shouldn't have to."

Kat chuckled. "I didn't say that I had to, only that I can. It is my choice to look after myself. I like being independent."

"Well, being independent now might get you killed!" There was something in Ty's tone and stance that caused her to be concerned. He was getting frustrated, that was obvious. And she had seen what he could do while in anger. The only question left was what the border between frustration and rage was.

Kat sighed. "Ty… I know I don't have to be alone. And I'm not. I have Reggie, Newt, Wally, and you – just like you have all of us. I just rely on myself, too."

He crossed the distance between the two in three strides. "You don't seem to understand," Ty hissed, his fingers digging into Kat's shoulders with strength that she flinched in pain. Chances were they were going to leave bruises. "You're a woman, in the middle of nowhere, with only a boy, a geek, and a worrier to protect you, if they are able to. I've seen battle, can fight with the best. I can give you absolute protection, Wylde."

"Stop it!" She tried to get free, but Ty was far too strong. She wiggled and squirmed this way and that, but nothing would yield. His fingers only dug deeper into her skin. How could he… someone she trusted, her teammate, a fellow soldier… do this?! "You're hurting me!"

"I've watched you for so long, Katherine. You have no idea what a woman like you means to a man like me. You try to be strong… so strong. You don't have to be. Just give yourself to me!" Ty eyes had a wild gleam to them, a frenzy that scared her to the point of panic. "All you have to say is that you'll commit to me, and I'll be a good man for you."

He grabbed her hair with one hand, holding her head in place, and crashed his lips against hers – hard. Kat pressed against Ty, trying to push him away. She had to stop this! As hard as she tried, as hard as she pushed against him, Ty was just too strong. He held her in place, pressing her against him, as he nipped at her lips, demanding entrance. Tears began to form behind her eyes as an old memory and an old panic returned. –Oh, please no, please no, please no.- Her mind strayed back to another time and another place…

&The news was that joggers were advised to run in pairs, especially during the dark hours. The new trend was to mug unsuspecting, individual innocents who only wished to stay healthy. It was wise reasoning – but Kat was too stubborn, too independent to follow. Besides, who would want to bother with someone like her?

With dawn approaching, in a well lit route, Kat had been testing her body's limits and striving for a little further, a little faster. She was so intently focused on the path before her and her aching body when a force pushed her into the dirt besides the path. A pair of hands was already pulling at her clothes before she registered what had happened, what was happening. Her sweat pants were to her mid-shins by the time she realized what he wanted. The assailant was pulling at her panties by the time she remembered to fight back and started thrashing about. He immediately sat on her legs, restraining them from kicking his groin. She swung her fists this way and that, desperate to fight him off. Fighting might aggravate the assailant, but death would be far better than to be raped of her virginity. Her panic doubled when he captured both her wrists and restrained them above her head. She tried rolling this way and that, desperate to free herself, or at least one of her limbs. The rolling shifted the man, temporarily dislodging him and freeing one of her legs. Without hesitation, she swung her leg, her ankle hitting the base of his skull. He fell down and was still. With a shaky breath, Kat stood and recovered herself. She knelt down and unstrapped the ten pound weight from her ankle, thanking whatever deity that she had thought to strap the extra weights on.

The next few hours passed in a haze. She could remember the cloud of red and blue flashing lights that crowded her eyes and distorted voices that rose and melded with one another till it resembled a hive of bees. It was the following days that she remembered with clarity. She would never forget how disparate her feeling were when she learned that the metal weight on her ankle had broken one of his lower cervical disks in his neck, leaving her attacker a quadriplegic for the rest of his young life. His imprisonment wouldn't be for a few decades, but instead till the day he died. He was imprisoned in his own body. Every day for the rest of his life, he would not be able to walk, use his legs, reach out to grab for something, feed himself, turn in bed, or even wipe his own bottom after defecation.

She didn't know whether to be elated or mortified. On one hand, all those he had harmed now had their reprisal and no other female would ever – EVER – be victimized by his deeds. So many needed this closure and so many needed this promise of safety. But this man would now be at the mercies of other for the rest of his life. As a nurse, she knew all that was involved when caring for someone who could never use or feel his arms or legs again and knew how easy it would be for him to develop an unbound list of wounds and diseases. He had been given a condemnation that was possibly worse than death… and she had done that to him.&

He lowered them to their knees and the tears that were building up behind her eyes began to fall freely. She could feel his fingers burrowing underneath her armored vest into her back, almost as if he were trying to massage her. It would have been a tender thing if it didn't hurt so much. –Anything, but this.-

Ty's lips moved from hers, lowering to the crook of her neck, while the hand that held her head steady moved to the snaps and buckles of her gear.

"Stop this, Ty. STOP IT!" she screamed as loud as her tear clogged throat would allow. There was some small hope, very small, that the others would hear her. The tears were falling faster, turning into a full-fledged sob, as he undid each buckle, one by one.

She wanted to leave her mind, she wanted to black out. She wanted to just not know what her teammate, her battle buddy, was doing to her. As Ty finished with the last snap and pulled open her vest and unbuckled the belt to her pants, then running his free hand underneath her ACU blouse up and down her spine, she wanted nothing more than to die.

"Please, Ty," Kat begged. "Please, stop."

Bringing himself from her neck, Ty smirked. "Don't you worry. I'll take care of you." He slipped his free hand down her pants, cupping her butt. "I'll be nice and gentle." He grazed a finger across her folds.

And Kat snapped.

"NO!"

A bashing sound interrupted her scream and Ty tensed and immediately went limp, falling over her. Kat tried to push him off her, her vision blurred with tears. The weight of his body disappeared and she heard some scuffling.

"That dirty, rotten, fu…" Kat's tears of despair turned to tears of relief. "…stard. Just let me kill 'im, Newt. I'll rip the shi…" Kat wiped the tears from her eyes. "balls off."

Kat looked up from her kneeling position at the three standing men. Newt was standing close by while Reggie and Wally stood over Ty's limp body.

Plopping down to the ground, Kat took in a ragged breath as tears returned and one slipped down her cheek. Why did men assume that they could assault her? Did men just see her as a means to get off? That her only valuable asset was her vagina? It just wasn't fair! She couldn't handle it any longer! She had enough! Her body shook as tears slid down her cheeks. She was tired. She was dirty. She was sore. She was hungry. She was… crying?!

Uh oh. That meant…

As Reggie and Wally proceeded to drag Ty away, both constraining from beating him senseless, Newt watched as their medic began to shake like a leaf in the wind. "Wylde," Newt spoke softly. "We'll make sure he won't come near you again. I promise… I promise to protect you better from now on." Newt crouched to Kat's level, all the while she violently trembled. "Just tell me what I can do to help."

Choking down a sob, and with a ragged breath, she said, "Do you have a sanitary napkin or some chocolate?"

The squad leader went from red to green to white. Newt's complexion lost two shades. His mouth opened, yet his words halted in his throat. Seeing this, Kat laughed. It never failed. Talk of guts and gore could not faze a man. Talk of hard time and poverty couldn't discourage a guy. But mention the 'p' word and a guy couldn't run fast enough. Even a married man.

It wasn't funny.

It wasn't!

Reggie and Wally glanced back, wondering which was more disturbing: Newt's horrific expression or Kat, sobbing and laugh simultaneously.

Newt shift from one foot to the other. Kat was a woman in distress, and he had a mother who raised him to be a gentleman to every woman. But she was also a soldier, 'one of the guys', a battle buddy, someone you could tell a crude joke to, someone who it was alright to pass gas in front off. You don't get touchy-feely with one of the guys. It was a dilemma, an undecided factor; treat her as a lady or a soldier? This was one of the very – very – few times he wished there was another female in his squad.

"Wylde," Newt said, uncertain, "Please… tell me what to do."

Kat smiled through the tears in sympathy of his unease. "Take me back to the campsite," she said softly.

There was something in Kat's soft tone that decided his internal battle. Kneeling down to Kat's form, he gently took hold of her arms and lifted her to her feet. They each grabbed parts of her gear that lay about, and Kat buckled her belt and gear back on. Newt wrapped one arm around her shoulders and other shouldered his and her weapons. The part of her that was shy kept her from wrapping her arms around him, and instead she merely held onto a part of his Kevlar vest.

"How did you find us?" she asked as they began to walk.

Newt shrugged and gave a half-hearted smile. "You really weren't all that far. You guys must've just made a big circle around us. Thank goodness you've got one good set of lungs on ya – well, we just ran towards the scream. Just lucky, it seems."

As they neared the campsite in the dwindling twilight, Kat had to agree. With all the near misses they had – she had – and the support from at least three of her squad members, the fact was inevitable. She was lucky.

Preview on next chapter…

Just as Kat shot one Orc down, two more would step forward to take its place. -Where do these guys come from?- Kat shot two more. -Do they spawn out of the shadows or something?- An Orc tried for her side. Kat rammed the butt into its pointed face. Another approached and stopped short, realizing it was open to her shots.

A wicked smile crept up Kats lips as she pulled the trigger. That smile faded quickly when all she heard was a small click. The Orc still stood.

Kat looked at the dust cover. It was opened, the bolt was locked to the rear, and the chamber was empty. Diagnosis: she was out of ammo.

Next chapter will come after ten reviews. So when I next update is up to you.