Elrond knocked on Aragorn's bedroom door and opening it, he saw his youngest

son sitting on the bed. Aragorn sighed as the older elf sat on the bed beside

him and softly touched his shoulder.

"Our friend doesn't have much time left." Elrond told his adopted son.

Aragorn closed his eyes tightly as he struggled to come to terms with the

news.

"Legolas saved my life, Ada." Aragorn whispered.

The twins came into the room and Elrohir sat down beside his human brother

putting his arm around his human brother. Elladan looked sadly at the three of

them.

"Ada, is there anymore you can do for our friend?" Elladan asked.

Elrond shook his head. " Not unless I put him into a coma."

The ranger turned to his adoptive father. " I think Legolas would want that."

Elrond squeezed the young man's shoulder softly.

"Would you like to be with him?"

Aragorn nodded silently and they all stood up.

The twins went with their human brother to their friend's room. Legolas opened

his eyes when he sensed someone by his bedside.

"Estel..." The young elf whispered, his voice strained.

The ranger placed a consoling hand onto his best friend's arm. Elladan saw the

bruises on Legolas' face they where turning an awful color. The young elf's

skin had lost most of its color as well. Elahir knew that the arrows the orcs had used

had been laced with a fatal posion and if not for Legolas their human brother

would've been killed.

Elladan cautiously coved their friend with another blanket and then soothed

the prince of Mirkwood by rubbing his arm.

"Estel, I am glad to have known you..I wouldn't have missed a day..by your

side.."

Aragorn heard the unsteadiness in their friend's voice and without hesitation

he squeezed the prince of Mirkwood's hand tenderly.

"I have treasured every moment, mellon nin." Aragorn's eyes trailed over

Legolas' face taking in the fatigued look of his best friend. "You'll be able

to rest comfortably soon, mellon nin."

Legolas' eyes shone with gratitude when they looked into each other's eyes again.

Elrond walked into the room and as he placed a tray on the bedside table with

herbs, bowl and a cup of water he spoke to the Mirkwood prince. "Legolas,

this will only take a little while longer."

Elladan and Elahir saw the mask of bravery their human brother wore as he

apologized to all of them and left the room, closing the door behind himself.

Aragorn sat by the wall in the hallway, his sorrowful gaze resting on the far

wall as he looked at a picture Legolas had drawn of all of them last year for

yule. Elladan emerged from the youngest elf's room and paused when he saw his

human brother glancing at the picture.

Elladan slid down beside him. The twin saw the wobbly smile on the ranger's

face. Aragorn swallowed hard and dropped his gaze from the picture to the

floor. He knew why his brother was there. Elladan gently wrapped his arms

around the young man seeing the pain flickering across the ranger's face.

"They were poisioned." Aragorn whispered. Elladan heard the apology in the

human's voice as the ranger tried to explain. "We where ambushed." The ranger

wiped his palm against his nose and sniffled as he fought his hardest to not

cry.

Elladan felt the tremoring of his brother's body and knew the human was

fighting back tears. "You didn't know this was going to happen, Estel." The

elf trailed his fingers through Aragorn's hair as the ranger glanced back up

at the photo.

Elahir came out of the bedroom and kneeled in front of them and they both

looked at him in pain. "Ada's getting ready to give Legolas his medications."

Aragorn got up and walked to the bedroom as the twins followed him silently. Elrond looked up from his work as Aragorn and the twins took their places at Legolas' bedside again. Legolas looked into the ranger's eyes and neither spoke for a moment.
"I love you so much, Mellon nin!" Aragorn blurted out and the elf nodded immediately.

"I love you too, Estel."
Elladan helped prop the younger elf up as Elrond stirred the herb mixture. "Legolas, when I give you this it will only take a few seconds to work." He warned gently. "Would you like us to do anything for you beforehand?"
Legolas sighed sadly and glanced at each of them. "Just be with me." Aragorn instinctively hugged his best friend he knew the young elf felt very vulnerable. Elahir gently brushed his friend's cheek.
"We will be with you the whole way." Elladan promised.