Everything was different. It had been mere minutes but everything had changed. The wind was completely gone, and the gripping cold seemed to have evaporated too. He looked around trying to gauge where he was. The mountain looked so different now, not that he'd really taken it in what it all looked like. He couldn't see anyone around, everything was silent. He remembered breathing in the cold fog and having it hurt his chest, now that had stopped too. How long had he be gone? How had he gotten back?

He was mulling everything over when he heard it. A heart wrenching sob that echoed around his head. He heard leapt, it was her. He ran towards the sound, instinctively knowing where it was coming from. He turned the corner and was stopped short at the sight of that flaming red hair. She was on the ground below him, leaning over,

"Tauriel!" he yelled, she didn't even stir. "Taur…" he stopped as he saw the Elven King coming out of the cavern. He stepped forward, knowing Tauriel was not in his favour. "Get away from her!" he growled. The king didn't even acknowledge him.

"They want to bury him..." Who? What?… he thought unsure of what was happening. He turned his eyes to her back once more. "If this is love I do not want it…" his heart stopped as he heard her weak voice. "Take it from me please…" she moved ever so slightly and he realised why she was on the ground. He finally saw what had been there in front of him. He saw himself lying before her, blood on his face, his eyes closed. The world fell from under him. His knees went weak and he couldn't stand. He'd just presumed that he was back, that he'd been given a second chance. He couldn't be more wrong.

"Tauriel…." He whispered, falling forward onto his knees.

"Why does it hurt so much." She said, looking up at the other elf.

"Because it was real." Kili was shocked at Thranduil's words. That was the last thing he'd expected him to say. He closed his eyes tight trying to will the tears away, and when he opened them again he was kneeling by his own head, staring at Tauriel's tear stained face. He watched helpless as she leaned in and kissed his lips ever so lightly. His hand moved to his lips automatically as he prayed he would feel something.

"Tauriel I'm here." He whispered, his mouth mere inches away from her ear. She didn't even feel his breath on her skin. He saw a smile pass over her face and he was thoroughly confused, until she moved again and kissed his gloved hand. That same hand suddenly felt heavy. He looked down to see what was causing it, only to find a glow coming from it. He opened his hand and sighed. His runestone. "No, no it's hers, she needs to keep it!" He said to the air, even as he squeezed it tight.

He reached out to put it back in her hand, and his arm simply passed through her. He felt sick now, his sstomach well and truly knotted. This was the worst thing he had ever experienced and he couldn't really imagine anything worse.

"Kili she wont be able to see you." He lost all reserve when he heard his brother's voice.

"Fili what are you doing here." He said, tears now freely flowing. He felt his brother's hand on his shoulder. He couldn't bring himself to turn and face him.

"You didn't think I'd leave you now did you?"

"She doesn't know I'm here." He said, his eyes now burning. She looked up staring straight ahead. Right through him.

"We're just spirits, brother." Fili said, clearly at a loss how to support his brother.

"You need to leave him now." Thranduil said taking a step towards the she-elf. Kili growled up at him, only to feel Fili pulling him back. "You need to see a healer." Tauriel didn't reply, she was still clutching his hand. He looked back at her face, seeing the torment in her eyes. He reached out again to try and stroke a tear from her cheek. Stopping himself just before he felt that disappointment again. "Tauriel…"

"I cannot leave him." She said gently, brushing some hair from his face tenderly. He could see her breathing was shallow and she winced almost invisibly with every movement she made.

"You are hurt…" her head snapped around to face him.

"You don't understand. I cannot leave him." She repeated. "We were pledged to each other. We were bound irreversibly."

Kili smiled despite himself then, thrilled to hear her finally saying this out loud. It had been known but unspoken between them. One night in Laketown and it had been decided. They had never had the chance to speak the words.

"We would have been husband and wife, and I will act accordingly." She said defiantly. Thranduil simply nodded.

"I shall wait with you."

"Kili…" Fili had tried to remain silent, to let his brother have this moment however how painful. But he couldn't stay so. "…is this true? Did you promise yourself to her?" Kili did not stop looking at her, remembering her every curve and feature.

"Body and soul." He whispered.

"You… you lay with her?" Kili now heard the slight hurt tone in his voice.

"I wanted to tell you." He said finally looking up at his brother. "I wanted this to all be over before I did though, I didn't want this to be tainted with war." He looked back at her. "Now war has destroyed it all."

"I will go inform the others. They will want to lay him with his brother and the King." Thranduil said even though she was barely listening.

"Fili too?" Tauriel murmured after a few seconds. Hand still grasping his. Kili looked back at his brother again, Fili was watching her now. "They would go together." She nodded. She didn't even seem to notice the other elf leaving. She ran a thumb down his cheek then rested her hand on the ground beside his head. Kili reached out and rested his hand next to hers, barely a hair apart. It was only then he noticed the glow his hand was giving off, how if he looked hard enough he could see the ground beneath it. He looked back up at her and they both spoke together,

"My love…"

Hey all thanks for the amazing response to this been on my mind a while so we'll see what happens!
and 'guest' this fic is a TOTAL nod to BH I wonder what connects the two… ;)

Grace