December 15 (Saturday Evening)

“Did you have a good time in the city? I don’t see any bags, went light on the shopping?” John wrapped his arm around Erin, pulling her in against him.

“You could say that.” Erin snickered, laying her head against his shoulder, nuzzling her nose against his long blonde mane.

“Hey, if you want to talk or anything, give me a ring. Alright?” Amy looked to Erin sympathetically.

“Will do.” Erin nodded. “Did you guys have a good time in Albany?”

Scott gave a sheepish grin, running his hand through his long dark hair. “Well, we didn’t spend the night in jail, so how good could it have been?” He doubled over as Amy belted him across the stomach. “I’ll talk to you later, John.”

John tilted his head up, “alright. Take it easy.” With that John escorted Erin to the car and slid into the drivers seat. “You don’t look so hot. Everything alright? Too much to drink on girls night out?” John had a smile that could light up a room, dancing amidst his steel blue eyes.

“You could definitely say that.” Erin gave a slight smile, winding her fingers through his.

The hours dwindled by at a steady pace. Erin laid on her side, winding long strands of Johns’ dark tendrils around her fingertip. Sated, Erin felt a sense of satisfaction that eased the tension of her mind, if only for a few hours. John had a way of making her feel sexy with every touch of his fingertips, eliciting cries in the darkness that none before had ever wrought from her.

“Hmm that was particularly fierce,” John smiled, watching her as dying sunlight filtered through the bedroom blinds. “think my back is bleeding from those long, gorgeous nails of yours.”

“Would that be a complaint?” Erin teased, raking her claws down along his chest. He shivered at her touch, a cool dark smile playing across his angular features.

“Keep that up and you will be finding yourself out of breath again.” John slid up from the covers, his gorgeous body bathed in the rosy gold hue of twilight.

“Oh, I would love to see you try…” Erin growled coyly. Slowly, she slid onto her back as his hand parted her naked thighs.

“Challenge accepted.” John smiled, feeling her quiver as his fingertips traced into her soft feminine depths.

“..and I damn near pissed myself when Orlando pushed me out from the bloody car with only that cord tied around my ankles.” Dom was laughing, shoving to the side to crash into Orlando.

The fellowship of friends was in complete gaffauw.

“The follies of youth are the memories of old.” Ian laughed, his hand clasped lovingly with his life-mate, Nick. “I have had about enough of cables to last me a lifetime.”

Christopher Lee sat back, sipping his chardonnay. “Here, here, dear friend.”

“I am still quite angry with ya fer that, OB.” Billy attempted to maintain the frown he held during the telling of the story. He was failing miserably.

“There is tape of it, somewhere.” Orlando chuckled, finishing his drink. Leaning over, he picked a few errant vegetables from Livs’ plate.

“Oh, not again. Didn’t we cover this last night?” Lij laughed.

“’an I will keep coverin’ it until OB gits it in that thick skull how foolish it is to gamble with the life of me best mate!” Billy countered. “Come on Vig, be the voice of reason here!”

“Hey, get off my plate, Orli.” Liv threatened him with her fork.

“Lets not draw swords over vegetables. You should know better than to sit next to him by now, Liv.” Sean Bean commented, taking a sip from his drink.

“If I didn’t have such a hectic shooting schedule, I would have loved to see it.” Viggo smiled, setting his fork down. “Would have been nice to have a few days off, like the prissy elf here.”

“Some elves take offense to that.” Liv raised a brow playfully.

“No boom boom for the King.” Dom piped in, dodging a flying crescent roll. “Unfriendly fire!”

“Billy, don’t come after me for endangering the life of your best mate.” Viggo laughed, heartily.

“Yer all against us. Every one of ya. It’s a conspiracy.” Billy folded his arms, authoritatively.

“Come now, boys, your wasting good food!” John grumbled like a dwarf. “Sean A, your being awful quiet, lad. Your wife still at odds with you from last night?”

Sean Astin shook his head, taking a sip of his soda. “Well the baby was sick last night. She tried to call me and tell me but I forgot to check my phone and went to the club. So, doghouse for me.” He sighed.

“Damn the invention of cell phones.” Orlando laughed warmly.

“Women. Can’t live with them, can’t live without them.” Dom leaned back in his chair.

“Well, speak for yourself.” Ian smiled.

“Excuse me, mates. I have to light one. I will be outside.” Orlando rose taking another bit of water chestnut from Livs’ plate. “Ow!” He exclaimed as she belted him in the hip, much to the delight of the fellowship.

Orlando exited the posh, upscale resturant. Tapping his cigarette against the pack, he raised it to his lips. This is great, one of the best lunches I have taken with my mates. But I wonder…

A spark of flame was before him. Orlando turned his eyes to the side to discover Viggo with lighter in hand. “Thanks, mate.” Orlando mumbled as he inhaled.

“So, how have you been Orli?” Viggo lit his own as he leaned against the elegant banister outside the resturant. “I hear you got wild last night after the Roxy?”

“You could say that,” Orlando exhaled. “Who filled you in?”

“Lij and Billy. They are worried about you and this Erin.” Viggo studied him with soft eyes. “Want to tell me what’s going on?”

Orlando turned his chocolate gaze to his friend. “Well, it went something like this…”

Viggo stood perfectly still as he listened to the turmoil unfolding. “It sounds to me like you already know what you have to do. Far be it from me to give advice, but if it is counsel you seek, then that is the counsel I give.”

“I don’t know if I am just feeling this way because everything in my personal life and work life has gone so haywire. I know I feel bad, but I am not sure why. It wasn’t like me to be so cold, man. She just has, something, I can’t put my finger on. I feel really good around her. I feel comfortable. I feel real and maybe a little threatened. I feel like a jack ass for what I said to her.” Orlando took a drag off another newly sparked cigarette.

“And to think, this is only the beginning of the chapters left to be written.” Viggo looked to him through long fallen tendrils, his blue eyes bright and alert. “You are about to be catapulted into a world where real is the last thing you will find. The media, the fans, they see a lot of potential in you. We have all been down that road, any of us older actors. You might call us your fore-bares on that path. But life is about finding your balance, finding the truth in all things. Are you, Orlando Bloom, at peace with your path?”

“Time seems so short anymore.” Orlando sighed. “I was granted the chance of a lifetime to play the role of Legolas fresh out of Guildhall. It is everything I want and the offers for more movies keep piling up. Jemma and I, I am not so sure about. If one night with this girl can make me forget my fiancee, what does that tell me?”

“Well, what does it tell you?” Viggo observed him.

“That it isn’t meant to be. I don’t think I can be with anyone right now. I have enough constraints on me already.” Orlando looked up as if he was undergoing an epiphany. “But, Viggo, what is life without love, without a companion?”

“It is not in everyones’ cards. It could take lifetimes to find that one perfect companion. Look at Ian and Nick. Or, that perfect being could fall into your life unexpectedly at the worst possible time. Who is to say? We have all loved and lost. I can guarantee that. It is about knowing what you have and facing the truth of the matter.”

“Are you saying that this Erin could be the one perfect companion? Viggo, I barely know the girl.” Orlando was shocked.

“That isn’t what I am saying. But don’t you find it funny that you read it that way?” Viggo smiled that poetic smile.

“I do not believe in such things. I am not grounded that way. I came out here, still thinking that I was sorry for what I had said and how I made her feel. I find, during the conversation, things more complicated.” Orlando was at a loss for words.

“I think you are rushing into that idea too quickly and making it fit. I can not see all ends. But I can see that you are really hurt that this girl, Erin, is hurt. Sometimes a dream is just a dream with no other interpretation than an overactive mind. You are looking too far ahead, Orli. You have to focus on the here and now. The future will take care of itself, it always does.”

Orlando took in his words, glancing to the carpet below his feet. “I have to call her and tell her I am sorry for what I said.”

“Well that is how a path is traveled. One step at a time.” Viggo smiled.

“Thanks, man.” Orlando looked up to meet his eyes. If ever there were a king, he would be it. Poet, philosopher, warrior. This is what the definition of real, means.

“Don’t thank me, you answered your own questions. I was just your sounding board.” Viggo rose from his half seated position on the banister, raising his right hand at a fist to his heart before pounding against it twice. An Elvish salute.

Orlando mimicked his motion before returning to the chaos of the fellowship of friends seated in the restarunt.

Amy grabbed the phone in the midst of slicing onions for dinner. “Hello?” she sniffled.

“Ahh, come on darlin’ ya couldn’t be missin’ me that much, it’s barely been a day. No need to cry.” Billy laughed on the other end.

“Hey!” Amy exclaimed. “Holy shit, I didn’t think you would call.”

“Did you say something honey?” Scott piped in from the living room. Amy put her hand over the receiver. “Just talking to Erin on the phone.”

“Hey, have Erin ask John if he wants to go down to New Paultz tonight, killer band playing?” Scott yelled back in.

“Oh, so yer lyin’ to yer boyfriend now, eh?” Billy laughed, darkly. “Tell him that John would be delighted to attend.”

“Um, she said she will ask him.” Amy yelled out to Scott, who grew silent again. “Oh, your in for some trouble, pal.” Amy warned, quietly. “Saw that little special on ‘E’ today. Why the hell didn’t you tell us?”

Billy was silent for a moment. “Um, I forgot. Anyway, I have Orlando here with me. He was lookin’ for Erin.”

“Oh, that prick? I have a few bones to pick with him for that shit he pulled.” Amy lowered her voice to keep her comments private from Scott.

“He has been in torment fer the past few hours over it, lass. Trust me in that. He wants to talk to her. Can ya help him out?” Billy tried to sound as pennantent for Orlando as possible.

“He hurt her feelings. What kind of a best friend would I be to set her up for more pain and anguish? She will forget about him, she is probably boinking her boyfriend right now anyway.” Amy growled.

“Hey, Orlando. Amy thinks Erin might be boinkin’ her boyfriend right about now.” Billy snickered. “Still want to talk to her?”

Amy could hear Orlando in the background, expressing some dismay at that idea. The phone was filled with static before another voice took over.

“Amy, its Orlando. Look, I know both of you are pissed off with me. I’m pissed off at myself. I just want to talk to her and apologize for hurting her feelings. I had such a great time with both of you last night. I swear, I won’t hurt her feelings again. Help me make ammends, please?” Orlando pleaded as Billy spoke intelligably in the background.

“Look, Mr. Hollywood co-star of Lord of the Rings, what you said was bullshit. How could you go around kissing another woman when you are fucking engaged.” Amy growled into the phone, keeping her voice low. Silence.

Amy continued. “Both Erin and I caught that little special on ‘E’ today, so we know all about your little game. Get your rocks off somewhere else. Don’t fuck with my best friend or you fuck with me.”

“What are you and Erin fighting about? I know that tone of voice. I told you, John and I didn’t do anything wrong in Albany.” Scott walked into the room, yelling out to make sure the person on the phone could hear it.

“Um, Erin and I are just talking about some BS that is going down at work, that’s all. Could you do me a favor and run out to the store, I need some Cayenne pepper for dinner and I am fresh out.” Amy tried to keep from sounding desperate.

Scott nodded, obediantly and grabbed his keys from the kitchen table. “Need anything else while I am out?”

“Um, laundry soap. Tide. Thanks babe.” Amy kissed him on the cheek and sent him packing. When she heard the car start, she continued. “Alright, I am back.”

“I wasn’t completely honest about all of that. I know. But, in truth, I wasn’t thinking about Jemma. I was having too much fun.” Orlando sounded believable. Of course he does, he’s an actor, Amy noted.

“None of you had the decency to tell us anything about your lives or your film. That is pretty much bullshit, Orlando. Erin and I had to find everything out by chance, flipping on the TV?” Amy growled.

“Look, I just want to talk to her. This is eating me up. So, either you help me out or I am on my way to Monticello New York. I am sure the driver can get me there, tonight. Its only two hours, if I remember someone saying. Lets not forget that Viggo is a native New Yorker, I am sure he can find his way upstate.” Orlando dealt his card.

“You wouldn’t dare!” Amy was shocked. Can he be for real?

“Oh, believe me, mate. I would.” Orlando sounded sure.

Amy paused. If he comes up here, he will bring Billy. There will be problems if Billy and Orlando meet up with John and Scott. What the hell am I going to do? Think fast, girl. Think fast.

“Listen. I am going to call Erin and see if she wants to talk to you. You can search through all of Monticello but I guarentee you won’t find either of us. You didn’t even bother to catch our last names.” Amy called his bluff.

“But I do have your number and unless its unlisted, I can call local information to get the address.” Orlando was a touch nut to crack, even for Amy.

“I have the number on my caller ID. I will call you back.” Beaten at my own game, Amy grumbled to herself. Can’t tangle with another Capricorn, they know the tricks of their own kind.

“Right. Cheers, mate.” Orlando hung up before Amy could say anything else.

Calming her nerves, Amy dialed a number from her phone memory and waited for the answer.

“Are ya sure ya want to do this?” Billy asked as Orlando pocketed his cellphone.

“I have to do this, Billy. It’s the right thing to do.” Orlando sighed, leaning back onto his bed in the presidential suite.

“She is going to be really pissed at you. That’s how women work.” Liv chimed in. “I still can’t believe you did that to her!” Liv pounded him with a pillow she grabbed from behind her, propped up against the head board.

“You can’t tell me anything I haven’t already told myself.” Orlando removed the pillow from his face. “I will make amends of it.”

“Are we going out tonight, or what? The native New Yorker is getting anxious to hit the streets. But then again, you know how Viggo is.” Sean Bean leaned in against the wall. No one had seen him come in. "There is enough drama already, do we need to get involved in Softies love life?”

Orlando flipped him off. “No one told you to get involved, Bean. You just made yourself welcome.”

“Well, when I hear pleading on the phone in the voice of our favorite Priss, I have no choice but to butt in.” Sean grinned ear to ear. “So, who is Erin?”

“It’s a long story.” Liv smiled, tossing another pillow, this time aimed at Sean. “I am going to wait with Orlando. Why don’t you boys all go down to the club and we will meet you there.”

“Right. I will get the gang. Think Ian might join us. Christopher and Sean left already. John and Dom went down to visit the Intrepid.” Sean turned.

“What? That traitor!” Billy growled. “I will have a mind to tell him a thing or two later. Some best mate!”

“Dom knew you would say that,” Sean smiled. “He told me to tell you he would meet you at the Roxy tonight and to save a dance for him.”

Billy and Liv both shook their heads as Sean exited the room. “You know, Orlando, Erin seemed really nice. I can usually tell about people when I meet them and she had this really great aura around her. She might forgive you, but I would make you suffer.” Liv scowled at him.

“That’s why I would never kiss you.” Orlando stuck his tongue out at her.

“You are so disgusting. Your like my brother.” Liv returned the gesture. “So, what are you going to do about Jemma? You calling the engagement off?”

“That is only one of many possibilities. My mum really likes her. My sister can’t stand her…” Orlando was cut off by both Billy and Liv in unison.

“Agreed.”

“Thanks, mates.” Orlando raised his hand to the line of his brow. “Anyway, she is going to be here tomorrow night. I don’t have much time to figure out what I am going to do, yet.”

“Well, back to the Erin crisis. This is what I would do. It takes two hours to get here from there. It is 5 o’clock now…” Liv continued as Orlando checked the time on his phone, listening intently on the advice of his adopted sister.

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