Sean Bean.

In addiction, he was accompanied by what seemed a wonderful woman, surely a model. Bean was not stupid. He definitely knew how to choose a woman.

"Mr Sean Bean?" he grinned at him. "I'm Dominic Monaghan. It's a pleasure to meet you. We'll have a lot of scenes together...you know, I'm Merry..."

Sean grinned in return, raising an eyebrow amusedly as he offered his hand to the youngling. "Honoured to know my first hobbit" he chuckled, shaking his hand warmly. In the meantime Elijah had followed the other and was nearing the three, eyeing them curiously. He offered his hand to Sean first, then to Alex.

"I thought you weren't arrived yet, I haven't seen you around." he said with a smirk, "I'm Elijah."

"Honoured to meet the ringbearer, too" Sean smiled, and then added: "We've arrived this morning, but we've been a tad busy sorting out a couple of things. This is Alex."

Elijah smiled at her. She was at least ten years younger than Bean. And hot as hell, to say the least. Sorted out a couple of things no doubt, he thought, flashing an eloquent glance to Dom.

Dom grinned in response, offering his hand to the girl. God. She was sexy.

"It's a pleasure to meet such a beautiful girl there".

"Nice to meet you, too" Alex grinned back, shaking his hand first and then Elijah'.

"I think I've seen you in Flipper...it was you, right?"

"Um yeah, it was me" he replied, nodding a little awkwardly.

"He's nearly been around for longer than me" Sean commented with a smile, hugging his Alex from behind affectionately and resting his chin on her shoulder. They might be younglings, he thought, but doubtlessly grown up enough to stare at her a little too much.

"So what about you, Alex?" Elijah demanded then, quite amused by Sean's obvious possessiveness. Well, not that he could blame him, though he didn't know if they were actually engaged or just having some fun. He'd just been told that Bean was to be accompanied by some lass, nothing more, but he wasn't cheeky enough to ask openly.

"I'm not in the show business" she just had the time to reply, before that Dom interrupted her.

He wasn't too much worried about Bean, and surely he was going to tattle about them for a while, so he needed to be informed.

"Well, Alex... I thought that what Lij there had in mind was to ask you if you and Sean are engaged or...well just some sort of particular friends?"

Sean's eyebrow raised in a quite alarming way at the question. "We're engaged from about three years." he said bluntly, though he just couldn't help but smile at Dom's sauciness. Eighteen long months ahead, indeed.

"Oh, I see." Elijah nodded, eyeing the couple. He wasn't expecting that. And there goes any chance to have a tumble or two, he thought sulkily. "And.. what do you do?"

Alex hadn't missed the change of behaviour, and thought she had understand the situation.

Those two were trying to see if she was up to something with them.

Ridiculous. Simply ridiculous.

"Well actually I'm just improving my hobby for photography. And dedicating all of my time to my man..."

"Which is definitely a good thing" Sean commented with a grin. No way his Alex was going to give the little buggers any chance, he told himself a little smugly. The sooner they would have given up, the better.

"Photography?" Elijah repeated, seemingly quite interested. "That's good, because I've heard PJ saying something about that.. I believe they need someone available to take some informal pics now and then, but I don't know for sure. You could ask him."

"No way" she just replied, shaking her head. "I'm not so good. I just like to take photos to relax myself. I could never take the responsibility to work for him. I'm not a professional photographer..."

"Alright, but you are good enough" Sean said, "And it could be a good way to keep yourself busy while I work."

"Well.. ask him to give you a try" Elijah suggested with a smile, "Show him some of your work.. you have nothing to lose after all."

"Yeah, I could accompany you" Dom grinned again, looking straight at her. "We could go and take the photos from your trailer and then we'll show them to Peter..."

"No way buster." Sean grinned back, decided to make it clear. "She happens to be private property as I happen to be quite jealous. I'll see to accompany her and everything else."

"Oh but I wasn't.." Dom begun, making a surprised and baffled face. He was an actor, after all.

And one could never say that Dominic hadn't tried.

"You are too jealous, Sean. I was just trying to be friendly and polite. Believe me, I would never harm your girlfriend..."

Sean's grin widened. "Of course you wouldn't. I'd tan your arse straightaway in that case."

Elijah couldn't hold back a chuckle at such words. It was clear to him that Sean was jesting, but not thoroughly. What was obvious, anyway, was that he and Alex were actually in love and not just sharing the same bed.

A smiling Fiona, followed by Dave, neared them just in time, for Dom was ready to answer not too gently at Sean.

"Hey, good evening" Alex greeted her, glad for the situation was becoming too much dangerous for her.

"Good evening" Fiona smiled at them. "He's David Wenham, our Faramir. And you should be Sean Bean. Boromir...right?"

Sean nodded, smiling as he shook her hand. "So this happens to be my little brother, eh?"

"The very one." Dave smirked, "And this should be Alex, right?"

"The very one." Sean mimicked, casting an eye over his lover, who was now standing at his side and shaking the other's hand.

Quietly, Dom and Elijah walked away, ready to tease and laugh with Billy and Orlando and report them the latest news about Alex.

Smiling, Alex shook Dave's hand, while her other hand reached to take Sean's and squeeze it gently.

"How long have you been there?" she then friendly asked at the blonde actor, curious to know if he and Fiona were a couple or not.

"About a week." David replied, "I've been summoned ahead of time because of this infamous archery thing. I'd never wielded a bow before, I suppose they wanted me to be readied in time."

"I see" Sean chuckled, "I'm lucky I can wield a sword, then."

Dave grinned in response, raising an eyebrow. "Oh I know, I know. And I know about your awards, too. The place is teeming with all sorts of gossips."

"Indeed" Fiona quietly chuckled at his side, lightly nodding towards the hobbits' group that was clearly looking at them.

"I think that Alex had aroused their interest, so they'll have much to gossip and tattle about..."

"Well...actually I can say that I don't mind if they do it. As long as they don't become molest!" the other girl replied, grinning at Sean.

He glared at the hobbits in response, squeezing Alex' hand into his. "I am set and ready to tan hobbit arses, my dear." he said solemnly, causing Dave to chuckle quietly and flash them both an amused glance. "Of course you can rely on your little brother, in case of need."

"Much obliged."

"Wow what a wonderful couple of Supermen" Fiona grinned, winking at Alex. "I'm almost envying you, my dear. I would like two defenders like them, too. But I suppose that I should be at least beautiful as you are. Otherwise men would just run to you... what a pity..."

"You are very beautiful too, never fear" Sean smiled, giving Dave a look and an hint. The other smiled, too.

"More than true." he said solemnly, winding an arm around Fiona's waist affectionately. "I would be more than happy to defend you, too."

"So would I" Sean offered, sensing that it was time to leave the two alone. "We'll see you around."

"See ya!" Alex greeted them, taking hold of Sean's hand and walking away at his side.

Once alone, Fiona turned to Dave, grinning.

"I am not beautiful, you flatterer! Not as she is, anyway. I think she could be a top model...Oh, well. At least I can't say that men stay with me just for my beauty, if I'm not that beautiful" she said, her grin widening. So at ease with him that she almost didn't notice that his arm was still at her waist.

"I can assure you that to me you are very beautiful, no matter what you say to belittle yourself." Dave said, leaning to kiss her cheek. A wide grin was on his face when he drew back. "Have you ever thought that we could be easily mistaken for a couple, by the way?"

Laughing out loudly, she affectionately pinched his cheek, shaking her head.

"Well. I wouldn't mind, to say the truth. But I doubt that Kate would be so happy should she know that you're hanging around with another girl..."

"Screw Kate." he grimaced, "She's not here, is she? But you are, and I am absolutely free to hang around with you as I wish." He gave her a quick peck on the lips then, drawing back before she could have any chance to react, and tugged at her hand. "Come with me. I want to show you the garden."

Too baffled to even think clearly, she just nodded, following him without a word.

What was that kiss for? They were supposed to be just friends.

But who was she trying to fool. She was falling for him. They had spent wonderful days together, sometimes being on the brink of a kiss or a furious sex session.

Anyway they had never done it. Not once. Until then.

The garden was in the back of the building, very tidy and plentiful of tropical and strange plants and trees. A small path ran just in the middle of the vegetation, white benches set here and there along the way. He had been there a couple of days before, on his own, and had instantly loved the place. He had meant to show it to her, thinking that she would have liked it as well, and there they were.

They walked hand in hand for a while, following the path in silence. An odd, awkward silence. When Dave eventually managed to gather all of his courage he stopped abruptly, knowing that otherwise his bravery would have abandoned him, and spun around to face her.

"I want to kiss you."

She would have kissed him right here and now. But she couldn't allow herself such foolishness.

He wasn't in love with her. Maybe he was just searching for some fun, waiting for his girlfriend to come back.

"You are still in love with her, Dave...and...we can't do it..." she said softly, looking intensely at him.

God. He was gorgeous.

Dave averted his eyes. The bravery was suddenly and irremediably gone.

And it was obvious that he'd been wrong to think that she could like him that way. Obvious. He just hoped to have not freaked her out or ruined their friendship, since it seemed that there was nothing else to lose.

"Got the message." he mumbled, trying to smile and yet still looking elsewhere, hands stuck in the pockets of his trousers. And that was indeed a memorable moment, he thought, one of those rare occasions in which you feel thoroughly and embarrassingly stupid.

"I haven't said I don't want to..." she smiled at his tenderness.

He didn't even notice how sweet and kind he was. But she had.

"I don't want to hurt you... I--I would like to...kiss you, too. I would have done it quite a while ago. I was just...worried for you're still confused but... I like you, Dave..."

A pair of utterly astonished, pale blue eyes strayed back to Fiona's almost instantly.

He was tempted to ask her to say it again, just in case he'd heard wrong. But he didn't. And he knew to have heard it well.

They were already very close. He only had to take his hands out of the pockets and bring them to her face to frame it gently, caressing her cheeks all the while. Then his eyes closed, and their lips touched lightly.

Fiona savoured the taste of his lips, closing her eyes and relishing the sweetness of the moment, without searching for a more intimate contact.

It was just too beautiful to be true. Sweet. Unsure. Tender. And he was giving it to her.

He liked her. Thus in that moment she allowed herself to relax. Forgetting about Kate. Not even thinking that someone could have spotted them. She was kissing him, and nothing else mattered.

After another light caress to her lips Dave drew back for a moment, to look at her, and smiled softly to see her so relaxed. He neared her face again, and then unexpectedly took her lower lip in between his teeth, gently, laving it quickly with his tongue in order to study her reaction.

No complains at all. Good.

He nibbled enthusiastically at her lip, still holding her face tenderly in his hands, until he eventually slipped the tip of his tongue into her mouth to search for hers. A content sigh escaped from him when their tongues met and he let go, giving all of himself in that kiss. He had been dreaming of it since that first day they'd spent together.

The kiss grew more and more passionate. Each caress becoming more frenzied, each bite more urgent, until Fiona had to break it.

She needed to breath. And look in his eyes.

What now? Were they a couple or simple friends? How should she behave?

Not daring to ask, she just stared at him, a content smile playing at the corner of her lips. It was too perfect to ruin it with her stupid questions.

Dave, too, was struggling to hold back a smile. He wound his arms around her waist, pulling her so close that their bodies were almost glued together, all the while staring intently in her green eyes. Then he kissed her again, slower and gentler this time, yet deeply and passionately. He couldn't get enough of that oh-so-inviting mouth, of her taste, of her soft lips pressed against his. And she definitely could kiss.

Their mouths parted after a last, lingering peck. And Dave was now smiling openly.

"Now what?" he asked softly, his arms still wrapped tightly around her.

"I have no idea..." she chuckled, staring straight at him and sighing contentedly.

"You have to decide. You've been hurt and I just don't want to rush things...I'm trying to do it from our fist day together..."

"Yeah?" he chuckled, tilting his head on the side. "I thought you didn't like me.. well, I thought you didn't like me that way. And about Kate.. she's the last thing I want to think about. It's much more pleasing to think about you, and to be with you.."

"Glad to hear that" she grinned against his lips, gently caressing them with her own.

"Now do you think we should come back inside with the others? I bet that those hobbits are already gossiping about us... or even spying us..."

"Oh, I wouldn't care that big deal, to be honest." he smiled, drawing back and taking her hand only after another kiss. "Let's go then. I'm also quite hungry, pity I can't sample you. It would maybe be a tad misbecoming to do it right here, among other things."

"And..." she began, squeezing lightly his hand. "...would it be misbecoming if you would sample me in my trailer? Mmm...say...later? A nice after dinner, don't you think?"

"A wonderful after dinner, I'd say.." David replied, utterly and thoroughly pleased by her proposal, even though he wasn't certainly expecting that. At all. What was sure was that he wasn't going to draw back, anyway. He wanted her, too, and quite badly.

"And.. I can't wait to sample you." he added with a mischievous grin and a longing glance.

Grinning, she led him inside, noticing that almost everyone at the table was looking at them.

Dom grinned at the sight, and tapped on Orlando's shoulder to let him see the couple.

Another beautiful prey lost.

Walking towards the table Dave noticed that Sean had kept two near seats for him and Fiona, and thanked him as he sat at his side. He was nice, and Alex too. And Dave was finally feeling a little less insecure about the whole matter. Eighteen months might be long, but it's a whole lot easier when you're in company of good people. And, above all, there was Fiona to make things easier for him.

The dinner passed fairly quietly, and Fiona had the possibility to know a little better the actors she would have directed within a week, more or less.

Professionals.

Even the ones that had never worked in a big production were ready to give all of themselves in that project. Peter had well chosen. Those people would have done a wonderful fellowship.

After the dinner was over, Fiona and Dave excused themselves. Many of the others were going to have a quiet after dinner in a bar or something. But they had other matters of major importance to attend to.

In Dave's car, Fiona often turned to look at him. Was he nervous?

Though he was seemingly lost in thought, Dave sensed her gaze on him more than once. He eventually cast her a quick glance, a small smile on his lips, and one of his hands moved to settle on her leg as his eyes went back to the road. So very slowly his hand moved to stroke her inner thigh, very gently and yet teasingly.

"Are you absolutely sure?" he asked softly then, his eyes straying to meet hers and then quickly to the road again. There was no need to say about what. He knew that she was thinking about it as well.

"Yes" she just said in a whisper, trembling under his touch.

God. She couldn't understand how could it happen that she melt each and every time he touched her.

Even before she could say or do something else, Dave's cell started to ring, and to give him some privacy, the girl just looked away, sighing softly.

A much deeper sigh escaped from him, as the hand on Fiona's thigh was reluctantly removed in order to grab the phone.

"Yeah?" he answered in a slightly annoyed fashion, inwardly rolling his eyes to the intruder. But then breath hitched in his throat, eliciting him a startled gasp, when the voice on the other side came to his hear. An even too familiar voice.

Kate.

He stiffened, his features hardening all of a sudden, his heart beating almost wildly into his chest.

What the hell did she want?

Fiona understood just from his reaction who could it be.

His girlfriend.

Sighing again and trying not to let him see the hurt in her eyes, the girl slowly settled her skirt in place, turning her head so he wouldn't have been able to look at her.

It was over even before to start. And she had been a fool to think that he could choose her.

"What do you want?" Dave was asking harshly, his voice as cold as ice. Without noticing he was gripping at the wheel, like it was the only thing to keep him anchored to reality. For it had to be a nightmare. It couldn't be true. She couldn't just call him like that, feigning that nothing had really happened that morning, before he took that plane and met Fiona. Feigning that she hadn't dumped him at all.

And now she was asking him to forgive her for the meaningless little fight. After all he'd been through because of her.

"A little late to apologize." he replied in the same cold voice, though an edge of restrained rage was still well perceivable behind the seeming impassiveness. "You've been the one to say that it was over. And it's actually over in my concern, I have nothing else to say to you. Take care."

And the phone call was over.

Fiona didn't turn to look at him.

The situation was clear enough, she didn't need to be dumped.

It had been just a little fun he had had with her. Nothing more, nothing less.

Without noticing it she was grinding her purse, trying hard not to give herself to the tears.

It wasn't fair. Not now. Not when they were so close.

That bastard had called him just now to ruin everything.

Yet she tried to smile, looking at the landscape outside, to don't let him see what was she feeling.

"I'm sorry..."

"You don't have to be." Dave replied quietly, staring straight at the road.

The quiet before the storm, indeed, for even if he tried hard to disguise it, deep inside he was still fuming. And he needed to give some vent to all that fury, if he didn't want to burst in a thousand of pieces.

"I am the one who's sorry."

"No. I should have known better" she just answered softly, sighing again and looking at her trailer.

She wasn't even able to look at him.

Almost even before he could stop the car, she was already opening the door.

A last, longing glance at him, without smiling. She couldn't do it anymore.

And then she was gone, stepping in her trailer and closing the door behind her, resting her back against it.

Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck.