Sunlight, Moonlight and the Cerulean Stone:

The taxi pulled in front of Milan International Airport. The airport glittered with many lights in the velvety darkness. Legolas looked first out of his own window and then clambered over Charlie and Elijah's legs to look out Charlie's window. "All the lights, it is like the fairy lights in Mirkwood. Are they having a feast?" he asked.

Elijah smiled at him, "No, those lights are to guide the airplanes down when they are landing, so they won't miss the runway or hit something."

Legolas looked shaken, "Does that happen often?"

Charlie slapped Elijah's thigh, "No, Legolas it does not. Flying is actually one of the safest forms of transportation."

Elijah paid the cab driver and gave him a large tip. Charlie and him got out on the curb and waited for Legolas to leave the cab. After a moment, Elijah said, "Ummm... Mate? You really need to get out now."

Charlie looked into the interior of the cab, where Legolas sat white-faced. She got in and put her arm around him, "It's going to be okay, we will be with you. Search Orlando's memories, dear. You will see that he has flown many times."

Legolas sighed and then closed his eyes briefly. His eyes fluttered open and he appeared a small bit calmer. "Ok, Charlie, I think I can do this now." Charlie slipped out of the cab and took his hand when he came out. The trio walked inside the well lit terminal, that was fairly empty due to the lateness of their flight.

Elijah walked swiftly to the ticket desk and waited for the person at the counter to be free. Charlie and Legolas came up behind him. Legolas' eyes were bright as he looked at all the strange thing there were to see. The monitor's hanging from the ceiling listing the flight arrival and departure times caught his eye for a brief moment and then Elijah stepped up to the counter to talk to the woman in a navy skirt and jacket with the green and red 'A' that was Alitalia's logo. "My name is Elijah Wood and I should have three first class tickets on call for the midnight flight to Malta."

The woman smiled at them and said, "If you will wait just a moment Mr. Wood, I will bring your information up on my computer screen." Elijah smiled warmly and nodded his head.

Legolas caught sight of another attendant placing someone's luggage upon the moving track. Watching as the luggage went out of sight, it took all of his control not to leap upon the belt and go with it to see where it went. "Where is it going?" he asked Elijah, pointing to the moving luggage.

Elijah watched the elf within his friend's body and knew how much he wanted to climb on that conveyor belt, "It's going down to the runway to be loaded onto a plane, mate." Charlie watched, amused by Legolas' enthusiasm. It reminded her of Orli when he was young.

The woman cleared her throat, "I have your information, Mr. Wood. Your baggage has already been loaded and they are already boarding First Class." She handed him three boarding passes and smiled, "Have a nice flight and please remember us next time you are traveling to Italy." Elijah smiled pleasantly and thanked her as he turned to go.

Charlie took Legolas' arm, "Come along, Darling. Since they are already boarding First Class we won't have to wait."

"What is First Class?" Legolas asked as he walked through the airport with Elijah and Charlie, turning often to look with those blue rimmed chocolate eyes at the neon signs and shops on the concourse. Passing a closed coffee shop with enticing food posters, he asked, "Can we eat something on this... plane?

Elijah grinned and nodded, "Yes, they have decent food in First Class, it's not like the schlock you get in passenger cabin." They turned into the gate area and Elijah showed the guard his and Orlando's passports, and then Charlie showed hers.

"What is schlock?" Legolas asked as he tested out the new word. He followed Charlie past more shops.

"Schlock is like... troll stew." Elijah giggled as he finally came up with a good Middle Earth comparison.

They passed a large plate glass window and Legolas came to a sudden stop, staring in fascination at the large metal machine parked outside. It had a large symbol like the one the lady had on her jacket at the ticket counter. "That.... that is a plane? It looks like a bird or a dragon that the dwarves might make."

"Yes, that is a plane. There is nothing to worry about Mate, flying is very safe," Elijah took his hand and patted it. They arrived at their gate and moved forward to board.

Charlie rested her hand on his shoulder, "You will be fine Legolas, we are with you." She kissed his cheek softly. Elijah gave the attendant their boarding passes.

"I am not sure that I want to do this... is there another way to get to this.. Troy?" he asked, even as the two of them got him on the plane and into his aisle seat. He looked around in trepidation.

Charlie said soothingly, "Not in time for the shoot tomorrow, Dear. Here hold my hand" she said holding his hand lightly in hers across the aisle.

Elijah said, "The set for Troy is as far away as Rohan was from Gondor. This is the only way we can make it by Orli's call." He squeezed Legolas' knee comfortingly. He picked a magazine out of the flap on the seat ahead and handed it to Legolas. "Here read this, it will take your mind off things."

"And you are sure we will get there in this?" Legolas asked, as he held Charlie's hand in his own and gave it a squeeze, before taking the magazine and flipped it open. He blinked at the pictures for he was confused and not sure what all the words meant. But then his eyes landed on something familiar, "Look, Elijah, this is one of those rubber things from earlier," he said quite loudly, as he pointed to a paragraph about birth control. "What does this mean?" he pointed to a sentence.

Elijah looked at it quickly, blushed and mumbled something about Charlie knowing how to explain it better.

Charlie laughed at Elijah's embarrassment. "It is talking about how condoms can be used to prevent diseases as well as unwelcome birth."

Legolas nodded, "But... we did not have these... in the dreamscape," he said softly, looking down. "Does that mean that I will be diseased?"

Elijah became really flustered, "I don't think so. Orli isn't diseased, he is really careful about those things."

Charlie just laughed huskily.

"I understand. I am sorry if my questions are not correct," Legolas was saddened that he upset Elijah.

Charlie touched him on the cheek, "You are fine, Sweetheart. Elijah is just so new to a lot of this that he gets embarrassed easily. But he is so cute when he turns red."

Legolas glanced over at Elijah with amused eyes, "Yes I believe you are right. Very cute." He smiled as he looked at the magazine again.

"Darling, you had better buckle your seatbelt as the waitress is coming to take our orders," Charlie said. When Legolas looked totally bewildered she reached across the aisle and grabbed the buckles at the sides of his hips. Pulling the straps across his lap, she belted him, grazing his groin with the palm of her hand. Grinning, she sat back in her seat and did her own buckle, while Elijah watched with a grin.

Legolas looked at Charlie with a flair of heat, "You should not play with a caged beast, Charlie. Besides it is best now that you restrict your activities to your mate, Elijah. I am better now."

Charlie smirked in Elijah's direction, "Am I your mate, luv?" Her knowing smile made Elijah turn bright red again.

Elijah didn't know where to look, so he buckled his seat belt, "Charlie isn't my mate, Legolas. I told you that already, we just met last night. I don't have any say in what she does ... yet." Then he gave her a grin and handed Legolas a menu.

A confused look passed over Legolas' face as he reached out and took the menu. "What... another menu?" he asked as he perused it over, "Oh, I should like the salmon, and maybe some juice."

Charley looked over her menu quickly, "Would you like some wine, Legolas, it might calm you down."

Legolas thought of the wine served in his father's court, "No... I think I would prefer juice."

The stewardess came up to them and gushed, "It is such an honor to have you fly with us Mr. Bloom and Mr. Wood. What can I get you to drink?" The woman raked her eyes over Legolas with a hot glance, making it obvious she would like to bring him something very different than a drink.

Elijah was used to women's reactions to Orlando and didn't even blink an eye. "I would like some ginger ale please and my friend here will have orange juice. We would both like the salmon."

Charlie ordered a mimosa and filet mignon absently, she was thinking about Elijah's comment about their possible relationship and how she felt about that.

Legolas didn't like the way the woman stared at him, like he was a rich dessert upon a platter. He stared at her with a scowl and his nostrils flared.

Disappointed, the stewardess went to the galley and prepared their drinks, orange juice, ginger ale and a mimosa for Charlie. As she returned with the drinks the plane powered up and began taxiing out to the runway.

Disliking the vibrations, "Is it... supposed to do this?" Legolas asked, gripping the armrests for dear life. He scowled deeper as he watched the scenery go by as they headed down the runway.

The airplane picked up speed as it headed down the runway for takeoff. The loud speaker blazed on, "Thank you for traveling with Alitalia, we are now approaching take off, please keep your seat belts on until the seat belt light stops blinking. We will be traveling at 35,300 feet and the weather looks fine for flying. Have a nice flight."

"Have a nice flight..." he said sarcastically, "just bloody get me in the fuckin' air." He grimaced as his eyes rolled into his head.

Elijah looked at him in surprise, "Eh, mate, did you just say bloody? You sounded just like Orlando."

"Oiy, I am bloody Orlando, mate. Who'd you think I was?" Orlando asked, as he glanced at Elijah with deep chocolate brown eyes, "and why am I on a plane anyway... ugh, my stomach hurts."

Elijah looked at the changed eye in amazement, "Well I thought you were Legolas, mate. He has been walking around in your body all day. We are heading to Malta, because you got called back to the set early. I am so glad to see you." He threw himself on Orlando's chest and hugged him.

"He has?" he blinked a bit as Elijah threw himself into his arms. "Glad to see you too, mate," he said ruffling his hair. "Charlie? You're here too?" he asked, swallowing as his stomach lurched.

Charlie reached out and took his hand, "Of course I am, I promised I wouldn't leave your side, Luv." She gesture to the Stewardess, "Please bring Mr. Bloom some Maalox." -

Elijah squirmed, "He stuffed you full of sausages, Orli!"

"What the hell did he eat? My stomach is in real bad shape," he said at the same time as Elijah spoke. He groaned softly as he rested back in the seat, giving Charlie's hand a squeeze. Then blinked at Elijah as he realized what he had said, "He bloody did WHAT?!" He moaned loudly as a wave of nausea hit him, "Sausages? Oh Bloody Christ." He climbed out of his seat and headed straight for the small airplane bathroom to promptly empty the contents of his stomach.

Elijah looked at Charlie with worry in his eyes, "Do you think he will be all right?"

"I think so Luv, he just needs to clean himself out," she moved over next to Elijah and kissed him heatedly. "You really are cute when you turn red!"

In the bathroom, Orlando finished emptying the contents of his stomach. With a groan he looked in the mirror and actually saw a translucent Legolas standing behind him with a worried look upon his face. Orlando whimpered, "sausages... you had to eat bloody sausages," as he stared at his reflection.

"I apologize..." Legolas said with a sheepish grin. "They were so good, the flavors burst over my tongue."

Charlie had climbed into Elijah's lap after raising the divider, "Ever thought about becoming a member of the mile high club, Sweet Thing?"

"Charlie! please stop trying to make me blush. My head might explode," Elijah grinned at her.

"I'll get used to eating meat again if it makes you happy, Legolas... It is the least I can do... How many did you eat anyway?" Orlando asked warily.

The handsome elf blushed a deep rose, "A dozen or more."

Orlando groaned pitifully, "Okay, then I need to go lie down and get some sleep." He exited the bathroom and went back to his chair where he saw his friends wrapped in a heated embrace. "Cute you two, but save it, I need to get to my seat," he said as he nudged Charlie aside and plopped into his seat. Closing his eyes he whispered, "Wake me when we get there and I mean on the bloody ground... not landing."

Charlie returned to her seat and then smiled a come hither smile at Elijah, "The seat next to me is free, lover. Want to come get cozy with me?"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The mood at the set for Troy was frenetic as everyone rushed to get ready a week earlier than scheduled. The crew was busy doing last minute changes to the set and setting up the camera's and lights. Orlando, Charlie and Elijah arrived at 6:00am for Orlando's makeup call. Sean Bean was in the trailer waiting for him, "Dammit, mate. I have been worried, you sounded fucked up yesterday. What the bloody hell is wrong?" He gave Orlando a hug and then he noticed Elijah and Charlie standing just inside the doorway. "Christ, now you have a fuckin' entourage! How are you man?" he asked as he hugged Elijah too.

Stepping up, Orlando introduced Charlie, "This is my best friend, Charlie. Charlie, this is Sean."

Sean bowed over her hand, "It is most pleasant to meet you, my lady," giving his best courtier impression. Charlie smiled and nodded at him with twinkling eyes.

Orlando watched with hooded eyes and then asked, "So, what happened? Why the early callback?"

Sean grimaced, "Who the fuck knows, Orli? Maybe he read it in his horoscope. Who knows when it comes to Wolfgang?" Sean passed his hand through his light brown hair, "All I know is that for some bloody reason he decided to put me in charge of you."

Sighing, Orlando replied, "I guess I haven't been myself lately, Sean. I was hoping that I was hiding it better. The last thing I need to get is a reputation as fruit cake."

Elijah and Charlie each put an arm around him. Elijah patted his arm, "Hey Orli, don't worry about it. Actor's are all a little strange, we earn the right to it with the constant exposure. You are gonna be okay now that we know where it's coming from and you have friends to help you."

Charlie squeezed him against her for a moment, "Things are gonna work out ok, darling. I am not sure how yet, but you will be fine. I know it."

Encased in their love, Orlando stood somewhat taller and nodded.

Sean watched this with an air of confusion, "Okay, I don't know what is happening here, but Orli needs his bloody paint on. He's needs to  look gorgeous in time for 'Action'. I am gonna leave now and maybe we can talk later, okay?" At Orlando's confirmation, he left shaking his head wearily.

Orlando nodded to the waiting makeup technician and sat in the chair. It was time to become the lover of the most beautiful woman in the world, but all he really wanted was to have his scruffy ranger back.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Troy was eventually put in the can. Orlando managed to make it through with the help of Charlie and Elijah, who was thankfully between projects. Elijah and Charlie put off any discussion of a relationship between them, unspokenly agreeing that getting Orlando through this part was of paramount importance. Orlando, being distracted with his own problems, never noticed what was going on or rather what wasn't going on between them. Legolas, however, cried in frustration within Orlando, as he watched them sacrifice their love for the sake of Orlando and him.

After the movie was over, they rented a beach house together and settled in to discover where fate was leading them. Sean Bean called quite a bit  to go out to the pubs, but usually Orlando passed on this so that he could just spend time with Charlie and Elijah. Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan visited often, visits filled with laughter and companionship. In this place, Orlando began to feel himself heal.

About three months after they moved in, Billy and Dom were coming in for the weekend and the three of them planned on barbecuing the evening they were arriving. Dom and Billy landed in LAX airport and took a cab to the beach house which was set near Laguna Beach. Elijah, who was wearing stonewashed jeans and a white tank, was attempting to grill, which was not one of his strong points. So when Dom took over as soon as he stowed his gear in a guest bedroom, Elijah breathed a sigh of relief as he didn't want to be the one ruining Orlando's salmon this time. Looking over to where Orlando and Charlie were tanning and holding hands, his eyes turned bleak. As he turned away, he found Dom watching him.

Orlando was happy to have all his friends over. Contentedly, he gave Charlie's hand a squeeze. "You know, luv, 'Lij has been looking a bit off lately. Do you think you could see what's bothering him?" he said as he gave Charlie a swift pat on her butt. He got up and headed over to the grill where he glared at Dom, "Don't be overdoing my salmon, and set aside a burger for me too, will ya?" he asked, as he headed into the house to change his grey surfing tee for a white tank top.

Dom waved Elijah over, "Hey, what's up with the eyes, mate? You look like you have lost your best friend. I thought things were going great between the three of you." Dom turned the burgers over carefully and then started the salmon.

Elijah just gave Dom a tired smile and looked out toward Charlie's deck chair.

Gazing over at Elijah, Charlie smiled and gestured for him to come sit with her. "Come on, luv. Have a seat, I don't bite... hard," she said with a grin that was reminiscent of the cat who had eaten the canary.

Billy sat at the deck table drinking a beer. He watched the various groupings of his friends with an air of gravity that was unusual for him. He had noticed lately that whenever they came to visit that Elijah was constantly watching his housemates with fierce intensity. As Elijah left Dom to go sit with Charlie, Billy went to go stand with Dom, "What do you think is going on with them, mate?"

"I don't know, Billy. I just asked Elijah and he just smiled at me, like he didn't even really hear me," Dom answered worriedly.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In his apartment in town, Viggo scooped up his cell phone and pocketed it. Henry, who had been reading with his headphones on, looked up and asked, "Dad, you going out?" When Viggo nodded, Henry said, "Well head towards the beach, I heard Orli rented a place there." Henry's expression plainly dared his father to go and see Orlando. Henry was worried about his dad, because he had been bummed out since their break up.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Back at the beach house, Elijah hesitantly headed over to sit next to Charlie. Lately his heart felt raw and he was having a hard time hiding it. He had been able to set aside his feelings during the Troy shoot, but living here with them and watching them was much more difficult than he had thought it would be. The more time that went by, the more impossible the whole situation seemed. Sighing, he took the final steps and sat down in the chair next to Charlie's lounge chair, "What do you need, Charlie?"

Orlando came back out and stood in the doorway. Glancing around he saw Elijah sitting stiffly beside Charlie looking miserable. Thinking quickly he went over and whispered in Dom and Billy's ears with a grin. He gestured toward Elijah and Charlie. The two 'hobbits' gave answering grins and followed him inside where the instruments and sound equipment was permanently set up. Orlando picked up a small mike, Dom sat behind the drum set and Billy strapped on a guitar. As they warmed up, Orlando smiled, as he hadn't done this in a long time. 

Dom smiled as he keep the slow steady beat with his jazz brush, which was a retractable wire brush, with thin flexible bristles for jazz and fusion. Orlando was looking so much better these days, which was a great relief to all his friends. Dom figured if he was up to jamming and goofing on his friends, then he must be pretty much over Viggo.

With a grin on his lips, Orlando started to sing, "Where have all the good men gone and where are all the Gods... Where's the street wise Hercules to fight the rising odds? Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed, late at night I toss and I turn and I dream of what I need. I need a hero..."

Charlie groaned as she heard Orlando singing and flushed a deep shade of crimson. "Oh God, 'Lij... Just hide me, the boy is singing," she whimpered. Orlando was indeed singing badly and way off key... but maybe that was his intention, for it caused her to bury her nose into Elijah's neck. "You know, you're my hero, my knight in shining armor..."

Elijah stiffened for moment, then forced himself to relax. "That's me, hero of Middle-Earth," he said, forcing a light tone. He put his arm around her and squeezed her gently.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

At his apartment, Viggo stared at Henry, "What do you mean that he's got a house by the beach?" he asked.

Henry smiled, "Just what it sounds like Dad... He rented a house down by the beach." He whistled a tune and went down the hall to his room, leaving his dad standing there in bewilderment. Viggo smiled, picked up his keys and headed out the door.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Billy grinned when the song stepped up it's beat. There was nothing he liked better than jamming with his friends, even if it meant listening to Orli sing. Orli always did everything with enthusiasm, even when he did it badly.

Orlando grinned as he sang, "Elijah's gotta be strong, he's gotta be fast and Elijah's gotta be fresh from the fight!" he wailed, moving his hips in time with the beat. He was purposely sounding horrible as he knew how sensitive Charlie was to poor singing and he knew where she would hide her head.

Dom grimaced as Orlando got louder and more raucous. He was praying silently that Billy, Elijah or Charlie would take the mike from Orli, for he was gonna wake the dead with his caterwauling.

Charlie leaned over and kissed Elijah's lips softly, "You know you are pretty strong and fast, and always fresh from the fight," she said looking at his blushing face, "but please I am begging you, take that microphone from Orlando. If I have to do it, I may bash him over the head..."

Elijah gave the first real smile that he had in a long time, "Don't know about the stuff about me, but you're right about the mike." He stood up and looked at her beautiful face, then he quickly turned and ran lightly up to Orlando, "Hey mate, Charlie has a request." Elijah winked at Dom and Billy and nodded.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Viggo climbed into his jag and headed towards the beach with a smile, he had been missing the energetic young man. He remembered how it felt to find Orlando asleep in his arms when he woke up and he grinned. Going up the entrance ramp to the highway, he found himself in bumper to bumper traffic. Sighing, he pulled his cell phone out and dialed up Orlando's talent agency. He knew he could sweet talk the receptionist into giving him the correct address.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~