~Baldor's Point of View~

Song: "Don't Let the Light Go Out" by Panic! At the Disco

******

I left when Callie and Anna started talking. I wasn't too keen to listening to either her or Aaron saying another bad thing about me, and Callie... she seemed disappointed in me too.

Did she want to send us all back?

If she did, I'd never see her again. Was she ok with that? Did she really care for me at all? She seemed pretty serious when she said that there was nothing worse than this. What did she mean by that exactly? She did take my hand and sat with me, so I must be overthinking it. I just didn't want to lose her now that I knew I had her.

I sat at my desk and rubbed at my temples. The cut had scarred over my eyebrow now, and it reminded me of her and how she took care of me that day in the library basement.

Then, I heard something that launched me out of my thoughts and chilled me to my very core.

A scream of fear. A call of my name. A call for help.

From Callie.

I was up in an instant and appeared outside through the shadows of a tree.

I began searching for her, trying to pick up a scent, and when I did, it lead me to the woods.

Anger surged through me and I took off at a sprint towards the woods.

Once I reached the tree line, I could hear twigs snapping and muffled screams, shouts, and laughter.

Callie.

I looked up, looking for a clear opening, and then... I changed. To the form that got me the nickname of monster.

Wings unfurled behind me composed of red scales as I turned into a dragon. I soared up over the trees, my night vision picking up, and when I located five figures below in a small clearing, I dove for that clearing.

I landed with a boom and the trees shook, pine needles and leaves falling to the ground. I hissed and the four men spun around to look at me in fear. Their hands were on Callie, pinning her to a tree. Her shirt was ripped and her hair was a mess. She was crying.

"And what the hell are you doing?" I hissed, eyes glowing as red as my scales.

I stepped forward and the four guys took off with screams of terror. I knew they would be back.

I turned to Callie. She was cowering on the ground, arms wrapped around her head and shaking all over.

My wings drooped and I curled my tail around my feet and lowered myself to the ground and gently touched her foot with the tip of my nose. She looked up at me and gasped and backed away.

I rested my head on the ground. I had never really realized how big I could get in this form, but realized just how huge when I noticed she was the size of my head.

The red glow in my eyes faded and I looked at her, waiting for her to realize who I was.

"Callie." I said and she looked at me, frozen stiff, then she reached into her pocket and I went still, remembering how she carried a gun. She slowly pulled out a folded piece of paper and looked from it to me, then dropped the paper in shock.

It was her drawing of me and Imara in our dragon forms.

"S-Sam?" She managed weakly.

"Yes." I said and lifted my head a little and she crawled over to me and wrapped her arms tightly around my neck.

I curled up around her and shifted my wings around her protectively, careful not to crush her.

"Oh my gosh." She sobbed.

I shifted back to my human form. She looked at me and I lifted my hands to her face and kissed away her tears and she just clung to my shirt, hands shaking.

"It's ok. You're safe now, love." I whispered and she hugged me again tightly. I lifted her up and into my arms and shadow travelled back to her dorm.

"D-Don't go, S-Sam. Don't e-ever go." She manages through sobs. "P-Please."

"Never again. I'm sorry." I said and held her closer.

"Please stay tonight." She whispered hoarsely.

I paused, and when I realized she was serious, I took off my shoes, then carried her over to her bed and gently set her down on it and I pulled off her shoes and took her phone, keys, and the drawing, and put them on her desk. I shrugged out of my sweatshirt and helped her out of the ripped one and tossed it away and wrapped it around her, zipping it up to her chin.

I returned to her side and gently helped her to her feet, then I slid under the blankets and held my arms out to her. She practically dove into them, face in my chest and arms wrapped around me tightly. 

I pulled the blankets up around her securely, then wrapped my arms around her protectively.

I kissed her forehead and smoothed her hair.

She looked up at me and I gently wiped away her tears and she closed her eyes.

"If you need to cry, love, cry. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."

Her eyes filled with tears and she croaked, "Sam... I... I saw you. When I was talking with Anna and Aragorn. You... you looked scared. Don't be afraid of me, please. I care about you too much to let anything happen to you. No... I... I love you too much to let you suffer anymore."

She lifted her hand to my face and I was shocked.

"You... love me?" I managed.

She smiled and said with a forced laugh, "Yes, you idiot."

I looked at her, then leaned forward and kissed her. She kissed me back, hands sliding down my sides for my shirt and I broke the kiss and grabbed her hand.

My heart was beating out of control and I squeezed my eyes shut.

"Sam?" She whispered. She took my face in her hands and said, "Sam, I'm sorry. What's wrong?"

I pressed my forehead against hers, shame coursing through me. "I'm sorry, I... I can't... do that..."

I couldn't do it. I was weak.

"It's ok, Sam." She whispered and kissed my forehead and twisted a little in my arms to lay on her side again. "Look at me." She said softly.

I slowly opened my eyes and a tear slid down my cheek. She immediately wiped it away. I looked at her and managed a weak, pained smile.

"I... I need to tell you something." I said quietly. She needed to know why I couldn't. That it wasn't her- it could never be her.

"Tell me tomorrow." She said gently. "Tell me tomorrow. This day has had enough evil in it. Just let me hold you instead."

I stared at her, and she merely slid up more and slipped an arm under my head and pulled me closer. I dropped my head onto her shoulder and just held onto her.

And then, I drifted off to sleep to the sound of her even breathing and steady heartbeat.

*****

I woke up slowly to sunlight streaming in through the open curtains the next day. She was still sleeping, and I kissed her forehead, then pulled out my phone to see I had received several text messages from both Haven and Imara. They needed me. Now.

I clenched my jaw, then glanced at Callie and shadow traveled away.

I'd apologize for leaving when I saw her again.

I met Haven and Imara at the library in the basement and they both were glaring at a slumped figure in a chair. They held onto each other, Haven taking a protective stance as he watched the figure.

"I got your messages." I say and ran my fingers through my hair and fixed my jacket. "Is the meeting now?"

"Indeed." Imara said. Her jaw was clenched and she was staring at the figure with a pale face. I froze a few feet away as the figure stood up.

A tall black pointed crown sat on top of a head of red hair. The air around him sparked with heat and fire. His form shimmered, and I knew he wasn't really here, but a chill ran down my spine as my father turned around to face me.

"Hello, Baldor." My father hissed, cold gray eyes staring into my own and I clenched my jaw.

"Hello, father."

"I trust you haven't failed me completely yet?" He asked, voice terse and bored.

"No. I'm still searching." I say seriously. "I'll get you your Ring back so that you can join us."

"Yes, I hope you will soon. Doing this might just make me want to let you live for a little longer. Do not disappoint me. Follow your sister's lead. She, on the other hand, never fails me. This is your chance to change my mind about your use or worth to me, Baldor. Don't make me a fool. You know what I can do with your mind, but not your sister's. I know how much you hate it."

I clenched my jaw, keeping my emotions hidden. "Yes, father. I know."

"You don't like having no control of your hands do you, boy?" He snarled and lifted his hand and I felt my muscles suddenly seize up and I was forced into a kneeling position, my fists clenching so hard, my nails dug into my palms and my wrists ached.

"N-No, father." I said, ignoring the pain.

Sauron clenched his hands into a fist and I felt my chest begin to constrict and a rib snapped and I let out a grunt in pain, but remained still, not able to move anyways as tears blurred my vision from the pain. It was getting harder to breathe.

"I've waited long enough, you useless fool!" Sauron bellowed. "If I don't have that Ring by week's end, I will kill your sister next! I see Arielle wasn't enough punishment for you, you insolent child!"

Then, the pressure disappeared and Sauron disappeared with a puff of smoke.

I sagged to the floor, my arms wrapping around myself and I pressed my forehead onto the floor, gritting my teeth.

Imara was by my side, hands on my shoulders as she supported me into a sitting position.

Haven supported my back and I clenched my teeth.

"Y-You're not... not going to die, Imara. I... won't let it happen. You'll be ok. He won't touch you." I said breathlessly.

Her gray eyes filled with tears as she supported me against her and rested her hands on my sides and healed me.

I let out a slow, shaking breath and she took my hands and held them palm-up. They were bleeding and she healed them, too.

"Baldor, I think it's time you start using the heir to your advantage. And quickly. Whether you want to or not. Because now it isn't just you whose life is at risk. It's me now. Yes she is at risk, too, but..." she squeezed her eyes shut and a tear slipped out down her cheek. "Baldor, I'm scared." She gasped through a sob.

I took her face in my hands and wiped her tears away with my thumbs and pressed my forehead to hers. "So am I, but we're going to get through this, ok? We will find the Ring. And we'll do it. Whatever it takes. Whatever the cost. You will not die. I won't let you. I won't let him take anyone else from me. Never again."

She just threw her arms around me and buried her face into my shoulder. I looked at Haven and his jaw was clenched, blue eyes trained on Imara, but they flicked up to meet mine with a grim determination I hadn't seen in the wizard's eyes in centuries.

"Whatever it takes." He said.