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Elf Academy Part Deux  by Fiondil

16: An Awkward Reunion

Within half an hour, the helicopter was landing on the helipad outside of Wiseman’s St. Luke’s Hospital. By now reaction was setting in, and even as Alex was being helped from the chopper, he began to tremble, his legs failing him and he found himself being thoroughly sick on the pavement. After that, everything became hazy. He vaguely felt others around him and then being lifted and after that darkness took him....

The sound of chanting brought him back to consciousness. Alex was not sure where he was or what had happened. He only knew that he was warm and lying on his back. The chanting or singing was not in English. He thought it was Sindarin but wasn’t sure. Opening his eyes a crack he saw Dan and Roy standing on either side of him, their arms before them with the palms facing down, moving them slowly above his body. He blinked and when Roy noticed he was awake, he reached over and covered Alex’s eyes, never stopping his singing. Before Alex could utter a protest sleep took him once again....

The next time he came to, he was lying in a dark hospital room, the black-out window shades down, blocking out the sun. Medical instruments beeping softly provided the only illumination. He stirred and noticed an IV drip attached to his arm. As he struggled to sit up, someone came out of the shadows and gently helped him up, pressing the button to allow the head of the bed to rise to a more comfortable position. Alex recognized Loren and in the semi-darkness swore the man was glowing, but decided to put it down to whatever meds the doctors had pumped into him.

"How are you feeling?" Loren asked quietly.

"Warmer," Alex replied without thinking. Loren chuckled as he readjusted the pillows behind Alex’s back. "Where am I?"

"St. Luke’s. Don’t you remember? I’m going to turn on a light so close your eyes."

Alex complied, shaking his head. "There was a helicopter ride and then...." He frowned, opening his eyes and blinking a couple of times as they adjusted to the brighter light, trying to put the pieces of his fractured memory together. "Caleb! Is he...."

"He’s safe home with his family," Loren assured him. "He suffered little more than a cold dunking. It’s you that has had us all worried."

"Why?" Alex asked perplexed.

"Your fëa was nearly severed from your hröa."

"Huh? In English, please."

Loren chuckled. "Sorry. You almost died."

"I did die!" Alex exclaimed. "Or, at least, I think I did. I... can’t really remember."

"Perhaps just as well," Loren said gravely, "for you are alive and it is to Life to whom you owe your allegiance, not Death. That will come eventually, but not now."

Alex just stared at the man in confusion. His words sounded so formal and archaic and he suddenly felt as if he were in the presence of someone... ancient. He shivered at the thought. Loren, noticing, went over to a cupboard and pulled out a blanket and spread it over him. Even though he wasn’t really feeling cold he was grateful for the man’s solicitousness and thanked him.

"How long have I been here?" he asked.

"It’s Wednesday," Loren answered.

Alex could only stare at him in disbelief. "I’ve been out of it for four days?!"

Loren nodded. "We were finally able to drive out the darkness that clung to your spirit only last night. It took five of us to do it. Whatever sleeps in the tarn had a firm grip on your soul."

"I don’t understand," Alex said weakly.

Loren gave him a slight smile. "I don’t expect you to, Alex. I do expect you to concentrate on getting better. You’re missing your classes and you don’t want to fall too far behind."

Alex leaned back into the pillows with a sigh. "Somehow, Elf Academy doesn’t seem all that important to me anymore."

Loren leaned over the bed and brushed his hand through Alex’s hair. The intimacy, rather than embarrassing him, brought him comfort. "Perhaps," Loren said, "but you are important to us and we would see you back on your feet sooner rather than later. Are you hungry? I can have one of the nurses bring you something and then you should rest. I’ll tell the others that you’re awake and I have no doubt you’ll be inundated with visitors tomorrow." He gave Alex a knowing smile and Alex chuckled.

"Thanks. I think I could eat a little something."

"Good. I’ll go find a nurse and in the meantime I bid you goodnight. I’ll see you in the morning."

Alex nodded as Loren headed for the door. He was nearly falling asleep when a nurse bustled into the room a half an hour later carrying a tray with chicken noodle soup and some soft rolls. Five minutes after finishing the light meal, he was fast asleep.

****

Sometime in the night he dreamt of the tarn. Someone was swimming leisurely in the dark still waters as if in a pool. Alex was watching, wondering who would be so foolish. He tried to warn the swimmer but, as was typical in dreams, he found that he made no noise though he was practically screaming for the person to get out. He tried to move but found he could not; he could only watch helplessly as the swimmer continued, oblivious to his danger.

Then, something rose from the depths. Alex couldn’t really see what it was; he only knew that something terrible was coming and the swimmer (he still couldn’t see his face) kept on, apparently unaware or unconcerned. Alex fought with all his being to run to the tarn and warn the swimmer but to no avail. And all the while the something from the depths continued to rise.

Then, the swimmer started flailing and sinking into the waters as if being dragged down. It was only then that Alex got a good look at the swimmer’s face: it was his own but not as he looked now. This was who he really was, with his dark brown hair and blue eyes. This was Artemus Gordon Meriwether and as he watched himself being taken by whatever lived in the tarn, their eyes locked and to Alex’s horror, his other self smiled and that smile was ugly and as cold as the waters in which he was drowning....

He woke with a gasp of terror, struggling to sit up, to run from the dream. Someone came and held him, turning on the light over the bed.

"Easy now. Take a deep breath and let it out slowly. It’s all right. You’re safe. That’s it. It was just a nightmare, nothing more."

It took several minutes for Alex to get his breathing under control. All the while the person spoke to him in quiet tones, willing calmness, even as he adjusted the bed to a sitting position, encouraging Alex to lie back. It was only when he had calmed down and the person was handing him a cup of water that he recognized who it was.

"Ambrose," he whispered without thinking.

Amroth smiled at the young man. "Hello, Artemus. It’s been a long time."

"Only my mom calls me Artemus," was all Alex could think to say.

"And Mrs. Dunlap, as I recall. How is the old bat? Still plying the agents with her brownies and grandmotherly advice?"

"Why aren’t you dead?" Alex demanded.

Amroth sighed and moved away to bring a chair closer to the bed. For a long moment, there was only silence between them, an uncomfortable silence for Alex, who kept shifting his position.

"Careful of the IV," Amroth said.

"I hate IVs," Alex groused and Amroth chuckled.

"I’m sure if you behave yourself, they’ll remove it soon. Drink some more water. It’ll help."

In spite of himself, Alex complied and indeed the water seemed to calm him and he settled back into his pillows with a sigh. Amroth rose and fussed with the bedclothes. Alex gave him a sardonic look.

"Even my mom gave up tucking me into bed a long time ago."

Amroth laughed lightly. "Just making sure you’re comfortable."

"I’d be more comfortable if you were dead," Alex retorted and then immediately regretted his words. "Sorry. I didn’t mean that."

"I know you didn’t," Amroth said kindly, brushing a hand through Alex’s hair. "You’ve had a frightening experience, one that few have had, and I doubt if you’re even thinking straight. What were you dreaming?"

Alex shook his head. "Not important. It was just a nightmare. Now stop avoiding the question. Why are you still alive? How are you still alive? And what in blue blazes are you doing here in the Back of the Beyond?"

"I will not answer your questions at this time, son," Amroth said, his expression grave and it was one that Alex recognized from earlier times when he was a young trainee. "It is too complicated to go into at this moment."

"You know I was sent to bring you back... or not."

Amroth merely nodded, apparently unconcerned. Alex frowned. "So how long have you known? What gave me away?"

Now Amroth chuckled in amusement. "You can disguise your features and you did a good job of that, by the way, but it’s difficult to disguise one’s handwriting and I suspect when you signed the application form for the Academy you weren’t really thinking about that, were you?" Alex gave him a chagrined look and shook his head. "Yes, well, all applications go through a committee," Amroth continued, "and I happened to be on it. I recognized your signature if not your name."

Alex gave him a disbelieving look. "You recognized my signature? After fifteen years and I don’t even use my real name and you recognized my signature?"

"You forget who trained you," Amroth said darkly, his expression altering in some indefinable manner and Alex was immediately reminded of the fact that the man sitting next to him was very dangerous, probably the most dangerous person he’d ever known and he felt his heart beating faster in trepidation. Then, Amroth’s mien lightened somewhat, much to Alex’s relief. "Besides, once you arrived, I was certain of who you were. One’s voice is another thing that’s hard to disguise and you weren’t being all that careful to disguise it with an accent. I thought I taught you better than that."

The last was said in a somewhat disapproving tone and Alex sighed, feeling as if he were a kid being admonished by a grown up for some dereliction of behavior.

"So what now?" was all he could think to say.

"Now, you need to concentrate on getting back on your feet," Amroth said briskly. "We’ll deal with the rest later."

"You’re kidding!" Alex protested, sitting up straight, giving Amroth a glare. "That’s it? No ‘I’m sorry for deceiving you’ or even ‘You’ll never take me alive’? C’mon, Ambrose, what the hell is going on here? I’ve been here for a month and I still don’t have a clue."

Amroth did not answer immediately. Instead he reached up and turned off the bed light, plunging them into semi-darkness once again. "Try to get some more sleep," he said. "You still have a couple of hours before the nurse comes in to make your life miserable." He pushed the chair back into a corner and headed for the door, stopping to look at Alex who had the strangest feeling that the man was glowing ever so lightly. "And in case it’s slipped your mind, the name is Ryan McKinley. Ambrose Elwood died fifteen years ago and I have no intention of resurrecting him any time soon."

He opened the door and left. It was some while before Alex finally fell back to sleep.

****

He woke again to the sound of the nurse coming in to check his vitals, and was assured that he was allowed out of bed. "A walk around the ward will do you good," the nurse said. "There’s a robe hanging in the cupboard. Breakfast will be along shortly. There’s a small lounge at the end of the hall if you’d like to eat there."

Alex thanked her and with a little help, got out of bed. Putting on the robe was a bit awkward with the IV still in him, but the nurse said it would be removed sometime after breakfast. She helped him put his slippers on and then escorted him out of the room. "The lounge is that way," she said, pointing to her right, and Alex set out, walking carefully as he pushed the IV cart with him. Other nurses were about and a few patients, but the lounge itself was empty. He found a chair near one of the windows that looked out onto a garden and sat. A TV in the corner was turned on to a local news station. He paid little attention to it, his thoughts elsewhere, replaying the frustrating conversation he’d had with Ambrose, or Ryan, as he was calling himself now.

His thoughts were interrupted by a nurse bringing him his breakfast and he moved over to a small table where he was still sitting a half an hour later sipping his coffee and perusing a magazine when he had visitors.

"So there you are."

Alex looked up and smiled as Derek and Zach entered the lounge.

"We thought to find you still in bed," Derek said as he and Zach took seats around the table. "Glad to see you back among the living. How’re you feeling?"

"Better," Alex said. "I’m hoping they’ll release me today. I’m not really sick or anything."

"Hey mate, from what we were told you almost died. That’s not something to sneeze at."

Alex shrugged. "I guess. Anyway, what have I missed? I can’t believe it’s been four, or no, five days."

Now it was Derek’s turn to shrug. "Nothing special," he answered. "If you’re out of here by tomorrow, you’ll get to go camping with us. It’s our turn, you know."

"I’d forgotten about that," Alex said with a nod. "Not sure if I’m up to another hike or anything. You okay, Zach? How are the kids? Loren said Caleb is fine?"

Zach nodded. "Everyth-thing is c-c-cool," he stuttered and then grimaced in disgust, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. "Sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry about. It’s not your fault," Alex said.

"I should’ve remembered that Loren warned me that you shouldn't go on that trail again. He reamed me out on that."

"Well, he had no right to," Alex said firmly, "and when I next see him, I’ll tell him so. It was just an unfortunate set of circumstances. If I hadn’t shouted Caleb probably wouldn’t have fallen in. I let my own panic take over and so if anyone’s to blame it’s me."

Derek waved a hand. "Old news and pointing fingers gets you nowhere. You and Caleb are alive and that’s all that matters."

"Who were those people who rescued us?" Alex asked. He was surprised to see Zach turn pale, though Derek just shook his head.

"No idea," he said. "But you and Caleb are damn lucky they arrived when they did."

"I know," Alex averred. "Well, the nurse has promised they’ll remove the IV in a bit and then I can take a shower."

"We’ll walk you back to your room and stay until then," Derek said and the three stood and returned to Alex’s room, with Derek supplying answers to Alex’s questions about the classes he’d missed. "I think they’ll excuse you from the camping trip this weekend. You should just rest up and catch up on assignments."

Alex thought that was a good idea. He had a lot to think about and wanted some privacy in which to do so. Plus, he needed to speak with Ambrose. He needed answers and he needed them now.

About then, the nurse came in to remove the IV and Derek and Zach made their farewells. "As soon as you know when you’re being released, we’ll come get you," Derek promised and Alex thanked them both.

As it was, though, Loren came for him an hour after lunch. "You’re looking better," he commented as he helped Alex into his van. Alex merely grunted as he buckled up. Loren got in on his side and did the same but did not immediately start the van up. "You’re upset."

Alex gave him a surprised look and then nodded. "Yeah, sorry. I’m still...." He shrugged, not entirely sure what to say. He decided to change the subject. "Zach told me you gave him hell for taking us to the tarn. It wasn’t his fault, you know."

"Actually, it was, because I told him you should not go there again. He apparently forgot. And anyway, that was no place to be taking the children. Well, water under the bridge now." With that he turned over the engine and they set off. It took Alex a couple of minutes to realize they weren’t heading for the college.

"Where are we going?" he asked in confusion. "Didn’t we just pass the turn-off to the campus?"

"I don’t think you should be alone," Loren said. "Derek will be leaving tomorrow for the camping trip directly after the morning classes. I think you could do with a bit of quiet and you’re not going to get it at the Academy. I had Derek throw together some clothes for you. You’ll be staying with me for the next couple of days."

"And I don’t get a choice in this?" Alex demanded angrily.

Loren flashed him a brief smile. "No, you don’t. So sit back and relax. We’ll be there soon. I’ve had a room made ready for you and you’re free to stay in it all weekend if you want, but I hope you’ll at least join us for meals."

"Us?" Alex asked, but Loren didn’t answer. Five minutes later they were tuning in the drive fronting the mansion where Alex had seen Ambrose and Della kissing. "Here we are," Loren said unnecessarily and even as they were getting out of the van, the front door opened and Ambrose was standing there.

"Welcome to Edhellond, son," he said as he and Loren ushered him inside. "Let’s get you settled. Oh, and I believe this is yours." He fished something out of his pocket and placed a small object in Alex’s right hand. Alex stared down at the small bug he’d placed weeks earlier in the back garden, then glanced up at Ambrose smiling a wicked smile while Loren merely rolled his eyes.

"Your room’s this way," he said and before Alex could muster a reply of any sort he found himself being led up a flight of stairs. He looked back to see Ambrose standing there, still smiling.





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