Well, here ya go… angst yet fluffy. You can consider this Pippin/Legolas slash… but that's kind of gross, so I just call it angst fluff.

All That Really Mattered

Legolas sat up quietly in his bed, ignoring the pain that shot through his chest as he sat up. Something had woken him up, but nothing ever did. Orcs? No they were in Gondor… Minas Tirith for crying out loud. No Orcs… only in Mordor. He glanced out the window, there it was.

Legolas closed his eyes and stood. This was the first time his body had willed himself to stand since their discussion yesterday. The horrible battle the day before that had at least left his friends alive was still very clear in his mind. He could still hear the agonized screams of soldiers as Orcs ran them through or the panicked whinnies of horses as they galloped past.

Instead of using his bow, Legolas used his twin knives to cut through the black creatures with his ambidextrous hands. They swung deftly at him, not afraid to take a 'well-earned' swipe at the Elf prince or a swipe themselves.

From somewhere far behind him Legolas heard the Witch King's low voice and Eowyn shriek as she was lifted off the ground be her neck. Eowyn?!? Very quickly he turned. That was when the arrow hit him.

It took a very long time for him to actually realize the situation. Legolas was snapped back to reality when Gimli asked him if he was alright. All of the Orcs that he had been fighting earlier were on the ground, dead, various body parts strewn about.

"I'm fine." Legolas retorted. "Since when do you question my well-being?"

Gimli raised an eyebrow. Then he said, "So you happen to notice the arrow in your side then?"

That was when Legolas felt the pain. It was just a slight sting, but that soon progressed into real pain… the feeling you get when you see that you are hurt and you do need help. The sight of blood.

Later

"Have you seen Aragorn by any chance?" Legolas asked Eomer breathlessly when they crossed paths.

"Nay, I have not… I search for Eowyn. She rode into battle disguised as a young soldier, but I fear she had died." he said, looking strangely at Legolas's arrow wound. Thus he changed the subject. "Doesn't that hurt? You really should find Aragorn. I-"

"I saw her when I got hit with the arrow…she was battling the Witch King. Almost everyone saw that. If you find a soul that's alive enough to talk and they were about just where Gimli and I were… you'll hear the account. As for the arrow, it does hurt… and yes, we do need to find Aragorn." Legolas answered. They moved on.

After 30 minutes Legolas could barely walk and Gimli had to stop often. Finally, while the two sat up against a wall, Legolas said out of the blue: "You need to take the arrow out Gimli. Do that or leave me here to go search on your own. I can go no further with this bolt in my side."

His friend stopped short. Of course Gimli would do anything for a friend, but remove an arrow. He couldn't even remember if he had done that before. "Well, I would, you know that Elf, but I don't know how."

"Fine then!" Legolas cried sullenly. He grabbed the arrow and reefed it out of his side before Gimli could do or say anything. Legolas tightly closed his eyes as a spasm of pain hit him. A steady flow of blood was now running down his tunic.

"Legolas!" cried Gimli, out of the audacity of his friend. He knew Legolas knew what he was doing; therefore he would be alright… possibly.

"Very well then," Legolas said standing. The world spun and he thought better of it. Gimli saw the look on his friend's face. Without a suggestion or a question, Gimli said, "Sit down, I'm going to look for Aragorn. You cannot and will not go any further."

"But Gimli-" Legolas moaned.

"No, stay here." Gimli commanded, as if he were talking to a dog. "I will return with our friend. Don't go anywhere crazy… Aragorn will have a fit and fall in it."

Back to Reality

And that was all he remembered. Legolas shook the memory out of his head and opened the door to his room. The hallway was quiet, as if no one else in the whole world were alive. He heard a sniff. Legolas turned and walked toward it.

On a balcony, Peregrin Took stood, looking out and across the land. Legolas silently approached.

"Hello Legolas." Pippin greeted quietly and not-so-cheerfully. This made Legolas jump. He had used this to sneak up on fully trained Rangers and hadn't been detected till he was standing in front of them… how a Hobbit had heard him he did not know.

"Greetings, Master Peregrin. Why are you outside at this hour of night? Something troubles you I sense." Legolas responded coolly.

"No, I was just thinking." Pippin answered. He sniffed again. Then Legolas noticed Pippin was crying.

"Why do you weep little one?" he asked kneeling beside the Hobbit so now he was only a little taller that Pippin.

"I fear for Frodo. He and Sam went all alone into Mordor, and Faramir said that Gollum was with them. I-I just don't know if they're going to make it to their destination. It's so far." Pippin said.

"There was always fear for him, Pippin. Everyone felt that… they still do. But if you still believe that he can make it that should be enough for you. And when he doesn't succeed and darkness is swept across the land and all things good and bright are burned and killed you will know that you believed and that was all that really mattered."

End... for now

Did you like it? Should I continue it? R&R… PLEASE!