Title: Canticle of Hope

Fandom: Lord of the Rings

Pairings: Aragorn/Legolas, Arwen/Aragorn, Frodo/Sam, and Merry/Pippin.

Rating: PG-13, for slash, language, and pure-bishi-luvin'!

Warnings: Slashy! ^___^ Some of my thoughts are kinda AU, so keep in mind that had Tolkien had his way, he wouldn't EVER let me try these things!

Disclaimer: I soooo do NOT own Lord of the Rings… ::Sniff:: I wish!

Dedication: ^_^ This is for the people who reviewed "Immortal Pendant"… that story is even more AU than this one, and it's kinda raised some controversy! So, sorry for all you guys, and this is more Tolkien-appropriate for you! Hope you don't kill me! ^.~

A/N: The thing I hate most of all about LotR, although I love it to death, is Aragorn/Arwen… ;_; They are SO not meant to be! ^_^ Although Tolkien is an absolute genius, I don't believe that they should be together! So, here goes…

(This is going to get weird… ^_^) It's set after the part in the second MOVIE, where Faramir departs with Sam, Frodo, and Gollum… I've pretended (like I normally do, when writing ff's!) that by some fluke chance, Legolas, Gimli, and Aragorn met up with them, leaving Sméagol behind after Aragorn heard him plotting to kill all of them for the ring…

Now, here's where it gets kinda sticky (no pun intended!)… [I start out with all info from the second movie… and then it gets completely AU… as in, this NEVER happened, but I thought it would've been cool… so, this is kinda my idea for some events in the THIRD movie, with some info from the third BOOK!] Legolas, Gimli, and Aragorn are asked to return to Rivendell to help fight the ongoing battle. Gimli and Legolas agree, but Aragorn tells them he is going to stay with the hobbits when they go to Mount Doom. In reality, he just doesn't want Arwen to see him and Legolas together… , So, he stays… and he and the hobbits make their way to Mount Doom at a very slow pace…

This is where we begin our story… ^_^ Hope you enjoy! ::Hugs::)

Chapter One: Aragorn.

"Aragorn!" a voice cried out from behind the human.

Aragorn snapped his head to the side, a grin spreading across his face. "Gimli! How y'been?" he asked excitedly, before a thought crossed his mind, 'Where's Legolas?'

Gimli waddled over, hand extended to Aragorn. Accepting it, the man pulled the dwarf in for a friendly embrace. "Good, I guess…!"

"How's Legolas?" he asked, finally. The happy look on Gimli's face turned to one of shock and dismay.

"You mean… he isn't with you?"

"What do you mean, Gimli?" he asked quickly.

The dwarf began to pace nervously. "He left me two months ago to return to you! He said that he couldn't fight this battle without you…"

"He… he never arrived," Aragorn gasped out.

Just then, Frodo and Sam appeared on the horizon, walking hand-in-hand and giggling quietly to each other.

"Hey, Strider," Sam said. "Can you tell me where I can find----" His jaw dropped when Frodo jabbed him in the side and pointed out their newly-arrived companion. "Gimli!" he squealed.

"Hello, Sam… how've you been?" The dwarf smiled.

"Great," he said breathlessly. "And you?"

His grin vanished. "Fairly well until just now…"

Frodo stepped up and hugged Gimli, staring him in the eye. "What's wrong?"

"Legolas left me a couple of months ago to return to you," Gimli began, smirking at Aragorn. His look quickly became somber as he continued his story, "He obviously never arrived and we've yet to hear from him… we have no idea how or where he is…"

Frodo coughed. "Let me get this straight… Two years ago, Sam and I met up with you three… and about a year ago, you and Legolas left for Rivendell to help the elves fight. Aragorn, you didn't want to go help because you didn't want Lady Arwen to see you and Legolas together… for… obvious reasons…" Aragorn blushed crimson, while Frodo continued. "So, then Legolas couldn't bear to be away from you, Aragorn… and he left Rivendell two months ago, but hasn't been seen since?"

"You've got a good hold on it, Frodo," Aragorn said, brow creased with worry.

"I think I get it now, Mr. Frodo…" Sam said, with a puzzled look still on his face.

"Sam! I told you not to call me that anymore!" the smaller hobbit scolded, embarrassed.

"I'm sorry! It's a habit!" Sam whined, causing Gimli and Aragorn to laugh.

"But, in all seriousness," Gimli said, "we have to find Legolas."

Aragorn was immediately quiet, a sullen look on his face. He knelt down, tracing a small Lorien bow in the dirt.

Gimli frowned and muttered, "I'm sorry…"

Aragorn waved it off, "No, you're right…"

Frodo walked over and patted him on the back. "It'll be okay… we'll find him," he promised.

A single tear dripped down the man's cheek. The other hobbit and the dwarf stepped closer to comfort him. "That elf means everything to me… How I am supposed to live without him?!"

"Come on, Aragorn! Pull yourself together! We'll find him!" Gimli commanded.

Aragorn looked up at his companions. "And what if we don't?" There was an absolute silence before Sam spoke softly,

"Through everything, all I had was Mist---… Frodo…" The smaller hobbit squeezed Sam's hand reassuringly. "So, when he decided to leave us to finish this quest alone, I had to stop him… One night, when we were out there alone together, he told me something that I'll never forget… he said, 'When you feel like you can't go on, someone else out there somewhere, hopes that you will'… Remember that, Aragorn… Legolas is out there, just as worried about you as you are about him…"

Aragorn mustered a small grin. "Thank you, Sam… I'll remember that…"

"Tomorrow, we will look for him… I promise," Frodo said.

"Let's get some sleep… we're going to need it…" Gimli said calmly. Frodo and Sam bid their companions a good-night and headed off to the clearing where they normally slept. Gimli walked over to the leaf bed that had been made for him by the hobbits.

Aragorn stayed out alone, sitting up against the cold rock wall and weeping quietly, "Oh, Legolas… where are you?"

~*~

Arwen grinned. "So, Legolas…" He glared at her, not answering. "You think Aragorn misses you?" She slapped him across his cheek and leaned in close, examining the expression on his face. "You think he does, don't you? Tell me what was going on between you two… and maybe, just maybe… I'll consider letting you go…"

"What do you think I am? Stupid?!" he spat, trying to move in his tight bindings.

Arwen raised a perfectly-sculpted eyebrow. "Maybe…"

"You really want to know what was going on between Aragorn and I?" She nodded, intrigued. "He loved me." A look of determination crossed his face.

"Ha! What a laugh!" Arwen giggled. "He could never love you! He loved me! We are engaged to be married, remember?" Her comment made him cringe, the grim feeling he had elevating his need to prove her wrong.

"Then, why didn't he come to fight… because he knew he'd see you!" Legolas grinned when she couldn't answer him. "That's what I thought."

Arwen pressed a small green button to the left of the chair Legolas was bound to. Two elven soldiers entered through a back door, each carrying a sword.

"Take him away," she said curtly.

They sheathed their weapons and unbound the blonde elf, carrying him out of the room.

Legolas allowed it, sliding forward a bit and grabbing the keys on the one elf's belt, completely unnoticed. Taking him down a dank staircase to the dungeons, they threw him in the familiar dark cell and left without a word.

Legolas laughed quietly at their retreating backs, unlocking the door and slipping out. "For once in my entire life, I never want to see Rivendell again." The elf instincts in him granted him his well-deserved freedom from the gates.

"Wait patiently, my Aragorn… I am coming," he vowed, heading south in the direction of the man and two hobbits' last whereabouts.

~*~

Frodo awoke with a start and pulled the chain out of his shirt self-consciously. He stood up and began walking in the opposite direction of his companions, arriving at a small cliff. He sat on the edge, allowing his legs to dangle dangerously.

'Oh, Sam!' he thought. 'You're not safe with me… I'm not even safe with me!' Frodo tucked the ring back in his shirt, patting it as if to reassure himself that it was real.

"Good morning, Frodo," Sam's voice startled him. He turned around and smiled.

"Mornin', Sam…" he said sweetly.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked, sitting beside Frodo and kissing his neck gently. Frodo wrapped an arm around him, laying his head on Sam's shoulder.

"Thinking," he murmured.

"About what?" Sam pressed, gazing into his lover's eyes intently.

"Life," he said vaguely, suddenly very afraid of losing Sam.

"Oh…" he sounded disappointed.

"Hey, Sam?" Frodo said, glancing at him.

"Yeah?"

"Can you promise me something?" he asked, genuinely concerned.

"What?"

"Promise me… that you'll protect me…"

"As opposed to what I've been going?" Sam teased.

"I'm serious, Sam…" Frodo scolded. "This ring… it's taken a lot out of me… and… and I don't think I can help myself… or any of you anymore.."

"Oh, Frodo… I didn't know…"

"I tried to hide it from everyone… and I've tried to keep optimistic, but I can't do it alone…"

"Of course, I'll protect you…" Sam leaned closer. "I… I love you…"

Frodo turned and looked at the other hobbit, shocked. "You, what?"

"I love you, Frodo!" Sam pulled him closer and kissed him passionately

"Love you, too, Sam," he muttered breathlessly.

~*~

Aragorn woke Gimli as soon as the sun peaked out over the horizon the next morning. "I'll be back."

"Come on!" Aragorn commanded himself, keeping up a quick pace for a long time. Seeing a rocky platform to rest on, he climbed up slowly, bruising and scratching himself badly along the way.

~*~

Legolas hadn't stopped walking all night, but he had wanted nothing more than to find Aragorn and hold him tight. Coming to a rock plateau, he climbed along the sharp stones, the sun beating down and warming him.

~*~

Aragorn was almost done climbing when he saw a rock jutting out about four feet form the top. He sat on top, letting the sun warm him.

~*~

Legolas pulled himself onto the ledge. He laid out across, roasting in the hot sun. He sprawled himself out, letting his arm fall over the edge. When it touched something warm and greasy, he pulled it back, mentally debating whether or not to check what he had just touched. He closed his eyes, hoping it was some moss and not an angered creature.

~*~

Aragorn felt something touch his hair and saw an arm retreating arm when he looked up. He pushed himself up enough to see a young, blonde elf laying with his eyes shut, basking in the sun.

A grin spread across his face as he pushed himself up all the way, sitting next to Legolas.

Leaning over, he kissed him sweetly, making the elf's eyes shoot open. Smiling, Legolas threw his arms around Aragorn, causing him to fall on top of him. They both giggled, as Aragorn leaned up and they both sat up, hugging each other, refusing to let go.

"Legolas! How've you been?" he questioned, breathing in the smell of his long-lost lover.

"Better, now! Oh, how I missed you, Aragorn!"

"I missed you, too, my elf!" he murmured into Legolas' blonde hair.

They released each other and Legolas stared into Aragorn's eyes. "Did Gimli get back?"

"Yes, and… and that's why I've been looking for you!"

"I got held up in Rivendell…" he replied, simply.

"How's Arwen?" Legolas' sweet look hardened when Aragorn asked his question. "What's wrong?"

"N… nothing…" he stammered, looking at the ground.

Aragorn took Legolas' hand in his own. "Tell me."

"Al-Alright…" Legolas began, "When I left you, I brought one of the letters you had written along with me… as a reminder of our love… and when I got to Rivendell, I fought long and hard, all the time hoping you were okay… One day, Arwen called me into her courtyard… she had found the note… she tied me up and… and tortured me… I finally escaped, but I never want to return to Rivendell again…"

"Legolas?" Aragorn's voice was soft.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry… I should've never sent you alone…"

"It's not your fault…"

"Yes," he said. "It is.. I was too afraid of what Arwen would think of me… I put your life on the line… I am so sorry…" He threw his arms around Legolas' neck and cried into his shoulder, clinging tightly to the elf he loved.

"Oh, Aragorn," the blonde comforted. "S'okay… I'm here now… shhhh… it'll be okay…" He continued to sob quietly and Legolas wrapped his arms around the man, trying to stop his tears. "Please don't cry, my love…"

Aragorn lifted his head enough to look into Legolas' eyes. He shook his head and the elf wiped away his tears, Aragorn buried his head in Legolas' chest.

"Love you, Legolas," he murmured into his green tunic.

"I love you, Aragorn." The blonde elf kissed the top of his head and smiled.

~*~

A/N: THAT took me forever and a dat! ~^_^~ Definitely glad THAT chapter's over! ^_^

In the next chapter………………

Frodo freaks!

And Gandalf arrives with a couple of guests!

REVIEW! ^_^ I'll love you forever! =D

*Give the World*