SERENDIPITY

Chapter Five - Sore Feelings

"It's a wrap! For today anyway," Peter Jackson's voice boomed through the forest and cast and crew alike quickly tried to get the gear stowed away for the weekend. Orlando examined his fingers on his right hand, index, middle and ring finger had bloody scaps and he cursed beneath his breath for forgetting the small leather patch to protect his fingers.

Over the past week he had forgotten a lot of things. One morning it were his contact lenses, then again he had forgotten to have taken off his ears and elicited giggles and stupid stares from those who saw him driving around on the street.

Inhaling deeply, Orli's hand dug into the back of his wig and scratched his neck. His moodswings and absentmindedness had been duly noted and laughed upon but he couldn't help himself. He felt a total wreck and he was in worse shape then when Jo had left him.

"Hey, Orli, don't forget Ian's party in an hour, for chrissake," Dominic yelled at him from a few feet afar and the young man nodded absent mindedly.

"Yeah, yeah ... I don't forget," Orli shouted back. He did not feel to socialise tonight. He just wanted to cuddle up on the sofa for once and listen to some music. Tonight would be his chance with the Hobbits on Ian's party.

'Yup, that was it,' he told himself silently. 'Hook off the phone, ignore the door bell and I'm all set for a quiet night at home.'

He trailed away behind the others, always assuring them he would come by later though Elijah had shot him a strange look.

"Get a move on, Orli," Lij said and nudged his taller friend in the ribs. "You know Ian hates it if we are late."

"Jesus, Lij, lay off, okay?" Orli snapped and stopped walking. "I really don't care if Ian gets a fit or not, in fact I'm quite positive that the party will be a hit without me getting drunk."

Elijah watched him, a frown building on his face. "Orli ..." he started but Orli shook his head.

"Just give me some time to myself, Lij, okay?"

For a moment Lij just watched him, scrutinizing him, then he slowly nodded. "Just do me a favour and don't get too drunk on your own, okay?"

Orli snorted, then shook his head. "Thanks, Lij. And no I won't get drunk."

They parted and Orli inhaled deeply, closing his eyes. He just wanted to be left alone, that was all.

Dom was patting his jeans for his purse when Lij almost shoved him out of the door. "You checked already, your money is in the left breast pocket of your jacket," Elijah said and closed the door behind him.

"You and your punctuality," Dom grumbled as he sauntered off to jump into his jeep. "You are obsessed with it."

"Well, my dear mama taught me well," Lij retorted as he climbed onto the passenger's seat. They drove in silence, both deeply engrossed in their thoughts. About half an hour later they had reached Ian's house which lay at the slope of a hill. Getting out and retrieving the bouquet of flowers Dom had the mind to purchase the two friends sauntered over to the door. From the sounds of it, the party was already in full swing but before they could ring the door bell, the door was pulled open and Ian, wearing a light blue silk shirt and a pair of rolled up chinos, was grinning at them.

"Ahhhhhh the missing hobbit boys, come on in," he said cordially and waved his hand that grasped a well filled glass of Whiskey.

"Where is our Elf Boy?"

"Orli is still jet lagged, and bowed out, Ian. He really had a bad time this week and he snuggled up at home to get a good night's sleep. I guess we overdid it with him," Lij was quick to explain and Dom threw him an ominous look which Elijah only answered with a shrug.

They followed Ian into the house, cast and crew were lounging on the sun deck everywhere and while Ian hunted down his niece, bouquet in hand, Billy strolled up and grinned from ear to ear.

"What'ver yae do, refer to Orli as OB, alright?" he said and put his finger to his lips when he saw Ian returning with his niece. "Trust me."

"Billy, what has gotten into you?" Lij asked and turned in time to follow Billy's gaze and if it was possible, his blue eyes grew even more round and wide. "I don't believe it."

"Me sentiments exactly," Billy drawled and grinned. "And Elfboy has decided to whine and wallow at hom', it's jus' tae grand."

"Ah, here they are ...," Ian said and pulled his niece in front of him, resting his hands on her shoulders. "May I introduce to you the rest of the Fellowship, minus the Elf," he introduced them referring by name and character.

"Nice to meet you," Meg said.

"Nice to meet you too, ..ehmmm.. Meg?" Dom asked and threw Lij and Billy who silently snickered beside him a threatening look.

"Megan, yes, but friends call me Meg," Megan answered and watched the young man with a bit of an awkward glance. "How did you know?"

Dom was about to open his mouth, "Or-Owww!"

"Excuse Dom here," Lij said and hugged Dom, though it looked suspiciously like a chokehold. "His hobbit's way don't wear off .. method acting and all."

"I see," Megan replied though it was obvious she did't see it at all. This was the third time today that she got funny looks from some of the cast and crew. Earlier Viggo Mortensen had gawped at her and then had quickly excused himself. Then one of the make-up artists had just started to laugh and Megan was certain some of the more artiste like folks here were better off on a long nerve-calming vacation instead of working in the business.

"So, when did'a com' to Paradise?" Billy inquired and Lij almost kneed him from behind if he had not tried to keep Dom still who was just staring at Megan and then struggling against his chokehold.

Megan noticed the strange behaviour but dismissed it as a tic or something. She had come across some pretty weird things in her life as Ian's niece so she just decided to ignore it.

"A week ago. Flew in from London," Meg said an smiled at Billy who grinned sweetly at her.

"Oh, I hate these long haul flights," he commented and winked. "I always pray that there is a nice lady on the plane so I can ... talk. Why not give me a call when you fly back."

Megan actually blushed at his comment. "Thanks Billy, but most of the time I read on the plane."

Dom snorted at that and was about to open his mouth when Lij clamped his hand over his mouth. "Come on, Dommy-darling, we'll need a drink!" Smiling an apology, Elijah shoved Dom into the general direction of the bar.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, Lij?" Dom asked when he had gotten out of the chokehold. "Didn't you see that she's Orli's one night stand?"

"Sssssssshhhhhh," Lij made and looked around. "Of course I noticed and so have Billy and at least Viggo," he pointed to Mortensen who made his way over to them at that moment.

"What are we doing now?" Dom asked, turning slightly to grab a beer from the bar. "Should we call Orli and tell him the news?"

"I don't know," Lij said and grinned when Viggo reached them.

"Can someone tell me why Orli isn't here when his girlfirend is? And why didn't he tell us he is with Ian's niece?" Viggo asked. "Orlando is a piece of shit if he starts that all over again like with Joanne." Elijah rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"First, she isn't his girlfriend, second, he doesn't know and third, he only dished out to Joanne what she served him and fourth if Orli knew Meg is here I think there was hell to pay..."

"You mean it is a setup?" Mortensen asked, raising an eyebrow. Ever since the shoting of GI Jane where some woman had tried to frame him with faked photos he was kind of paranoid.

Dom shook his head. "If it were, her name would have been mentioned too in the press. I think she just didn't know who he is and for that matter I think Orli just doesn't know who she is either ... didn't Orli say he doesn't know her surname?"

"Orli needs to know though," Lij commented and watched Billy and Sean talking to Megan and from the animated conversation he knew they related some funny anedotes from the set. "How about you get into your jeep and drop by him, Dom?" Elijah asked and took the beer away from him.

"Oi! If you think I'm meeting the wrath of Leggy alone, you are mistaken, if I tell him the Hobbits will be there for my rescue."

Orlando sighed and for the umpteenth time in an hour he tried to pry off the artificial pointy ears. He pulled ever so carefully but the burning sensation on his ear only increased.

"Ow Fuck!" he exclaimed and whirled away from the mirror and stomped his foot. Both his ears seemed to be burning and he was in pain, real pain. He seemed to remember that Ken had told him he had used some new glue to attach his ears and wig but he had only half heartedly listened to him this morning.

'Well, Orlando, you should have listened to him better, you stupid asshole,' Orli thought and scrutinized his image in the mirror. His right ear looked suspiciously swollen and red, purplish red. With a sigh he dug around in his trailer and managed to find the cell phone Peter had insisted of all the cast and crew getting. After a few more minutes he had managed to get Ken's phone number from the address book and waiting impatiently but only the mailbox was on and Orli groaned out, not leaving a message.

'Okay, think, Orli,' he told himself and called up another number.

Elijah had just decided to accompany Dom when his cell phone started ringing, and following Dom outside, he answered it.

"Yo ... Orli, what happened?" he asked worriedly and listened to the barrage of swear words on the other end. "Yeah, he is here. What? I see. Well, hang on I'll get him."

Dom looked at Lij and Lij chuckled. "Orli can't get his ears off, Ken must have used some new special glue." Both men laughed and Orli's voice could be heard through the phone.

"Lij, this is not funny... and who is with you? Dom? I hope you'll get your feet and ears also glued on wrong, you stupid buggers!"

"Sure, Orli, whatever you say," Dom managed to yell in between fits of laughter.

Both men watched as Ken, none too sober by the time they had spotted him, tried to explain how to use the new dispensing oil. When he knew he didn't make any sense the make-up artist just shook his head at the phone.

"Okay, Orlando, grab all the bottles on the shelf and get your sorry ass here, I'll make it alright again!" Handing the phone back to Eliajh with a 'so there' look on his face, Lij tried to ignore the yelling on the other end of the phone.

"Orli?" he asked and held the phone away from his ear and whinced.

"Yes, man, calm down ... it wouldn't be the first time you drive around as the Elven Prince... Yeah I know, but ... Jesus, Orli get a grip. Change into your normal clothes and put one of your silly hats on ...yes, they are not silly, sorry... but it is the only way ... okay ... see you in half an hour."

"Ouch," Lij whispered after he had pushed the disconnect button.

"He is not amused," Dominic commented and Lij threw him an incredulous look.

"What do you think? He is pissed off to high heaven, the ears and wig won't come off," turning towards Ken who was trying to hit on one of the gopher guys. "Ken, what did you put on his face, for crying out loud?"

"Oh just some new glue I was experiementing with. It's mostly based on vegetable gum with some other secret stuff."

Elijah shook his head and turned only to bump into Dom.

"So what do we do now?" Dominic asked and Lij shrug his shoulders.

"Stand by and watch the fall out I guess, and pick up the pieces afterwards."

Orli tried to ignore the burning sensation on his ears, especially after he had put his bushman hat on, the material scratching over the already sore patches of skin. After he had discarded his Elf clothing, the buckskin trousers, tunic and all, he had been relieved to just jump into some cargo pants cut offs, his trainers and a comfortable t-shirt.

Now he was carefully steering the jeep up the hilly road towards Ian's house. He still was mad but mostly at himself than at Ken. He knew they always tried something new, to make sure that ears, feet and wigs would stay in place even during the most furious action sequences, but today had been enough.

'Why does it always seem to happen to me?' he asked in a fit of self-pity but he shook his head. 'Focus!' he told himself sternly as he stopped the car in front of Ian's house. Hopping out of the jeep he grabbed the various bottles and lotions he had found in Ken's railer and made his way to the door.

Robbie was concocting some mean fruit punch in kitchen when Meg walked in. Crinkling her nose, she watched as Robbie emptied another bottle of vodka into the large bowl and added vanilla ice cream to it.

"Robbie, are you intending to have us die of alcohol poisoning?" she asked with a raised eyebrow and hopped up on the counter beside him.

Robbie watched her and sighed inwardly. Like so many of her peers, Meg had thought that casual party wear should consist of faded jeans with a grey tank shirt. But what really got onto his nerves was the long straight braid that was dangling down her back.

"Meg-Darling, why haven't you changed into that little flowery beach dress I seem to remember from a year ago?" he asked.

"What does my dress have to do with the fruit punch?" Meg asked and watched as Robbie rolled his eyes heavenward.

"Everything," he exclaimed, waving his hand at the people beyond the kitchen. "Style, saviour vivre. I can't believe that you youngsters think that the highest degree of comfortability is more important than style."

Meg laughed and wiggled her toes. "Oh come on, Robbie, you know I have to wear suits and dresses all the time at university, especially with those stupid robes. That's casual," she made an all encompassing gesture at her attire.

Robbie shook his head and grinned at Sean Astin who strolled in, closely followed by his wife Christine. "Now this is what I call style," Robbie greeted him and pointed to the sleeved, tie wearing young actor.

"Shush, Robbie, I try to get him to loosen up more," Christine said and turned to Meg with smile. "Men, either they are one extreme or the other. You have to wait till you meet Orlando, his fashion sense is ... uncommon."

"So I have heard," Megan replied, recalling one of the more colourful anecdotes Billy had told her earlier about their friend and fellow actor Orlando Bloom. 'Now where do I seem to know the name from?' Megan asked herself but her thoughts were riveted back to what Christine and Sean Astin were saying.

"... Orlando will never know when a colour clashes or not. He must be colour blind, or something." Sean said and shook his head. "Yesterday we had a promo shoot and he wore green and pink polka dot shirt. Luckily he had a black tee underneath, but man, that hurt."

They laughed and Megan started when the door bell rang. Megan jumped off the counter with a laugh.

"I'll get it, Robbie," she said and skipped down the hall to the door.

Megan was still laughing when she oepend the door and encountered the most srange being she had ever seen. Taking in the attire, she concluded it must be Elf Boy, or rather the actor who portrayed Legolas in the movie.

"Hi," she said with a smile and frowned slightly when the man in front of her just gawped at her.