Disclaimer: This does not belong to me. I am not making money. All hail Tolkien!

A/N: This story begged to be written and once I got the first paragraph on paper, it imprinted itself on my brain. This is not a one shot, as I originally planned. Instead, it has turned into an epic. This is AU. Based on the idea, 'What might have happened if Fingon had come just one day later to save Maedhros?' It is written from Fingon's POV. Context clues and certain side-notes have left me sure that Tolkien intended the two to be together, and though you can think what you want, nothing on earth could convince me otherwise. So, this story is a pet of mine (I have five other things that need to be copied from my notebook, all written before this), hope you enjoy! Thus begins, Too Late. Thanks to my awesome, cough lazy cough beta! (Hey, Michelle!)

On the Elvish: I have shamelessly mixed Quenya and Sindarin to gain the maximum amount of words. I know some of it, but some of the stuff is dictionaries.

Warnings: AU, slash

Chapter 1: Too Late

I was too late. Too late. All I could do was hold his limp, emaciated frame and stroke his tangled crimson hair. I saw it. The wound. The one that took him away from me. What had he done to bring down the rage of Morgoth? How had my meleth-vanya caused his death? {beautiful love}

A ribbon of blood had trickled from his parched lips and dried on his once perfect face. How hard had the sword slammed into his abused flesh? How long had it taken him to die? He was all alone, there was no one to hold him and comfort him.. I felt tears begin to streak down my dirty face, but I just pressed his bloody form against my chest more closely.

'I will never see the light in his silver eyes, or hear him affectionately call me Findekano again. He will never kiss me again, I will never feel his soft lips against mine again. I will never see his silver eyes light up when I call him Almir...' Those were my only coherent thoughts. The Lord of Eagles sensed my pain and let me grieve.

I stroked his too pale face and begged him to wake up, "Maedhros, saes, Almir-Nin! Saes! Teli ata!" But he didn't. I'd lost him. {"Maedhros, please, my sparkling flame! Please! Come back!"}

I couldn't leave him there, but I wouldn't-couldn't maim his body. I wouldn't destroy the remains of his dignity. I will bring blacksmith's tools and take him away tomorrow. I didn't want to leave him, but I had to. "Namarie, meleth, I shall return on the morrow ." It took all my will power for me not to remove my cloak and wrap him in it, but I knew it would only lose me his body: The only thing I had left of him. I brushed my lips against his and forced myself to let him go, but as we flew, I could not force my eyes away from him until he was out of sight. In one more day I would bring the eldest Fëanorion to his crypt. So soon, too soon, he would really, truly be gone.

It had taken a long time to free my love from the steel clutches of Morgoth- but I had. I had slaved to get the shackle off- but I did. I had held him and wrapped his bruised, naked form in my cloak. We had flown and I clung to him possessively.

He was on the bed and I sat in the chair next to him. Maedhros looked much better now, he had been bathed, long crimson hair had been washed and brushed- it shone beautifully. Each wound had been stitched shut and formal garments adorned his slender form. Powder masked various cuts and bruises. My Almir just lay there in a parody of sleep, looking just as he did in life-but all the vibrant life was gone, and his amazing silver eyes were closed.

Maglor sat on the other side of his brother, the other five behind him. Maglor was always his favorite, seeing made it hurt more. Suddenly, I could not help it any more, my hands flew out to grasp his and the tears flowed. One seemingly distant day in the gardens of Lorien, when we had been let in, I had told him, "Where you go, I go also. I'll follow you into the darkest corner of Arda and beyond or the brightest. Your destination is mine." When I told him, his eyes lit up and he asked me "You promise?" and I said yes.

I will not break my oath to him. I'll bury him and bring him back. I'll got to the darkest corner of Arda and beyond and the brightest- And I'll bring him back.

A/N: So, hope you enjoyed the too short first chapter. Please review, as reviews put me in a writing high where I write a lot. So, review! My muses Amarth, Melme, and Saire eat them and use them to catch plot bunnies! So leave your compliments, comments, opinions, and constructive criticism at the button!