Elrond's eyes flew open and he quickly sat up in the bed. He started to get out of the bed he was currently lying in, but someone came and pushed him back on it. Elrond looked over there and saw Erestor.
"Where is my son?" Elrond asked forcefully, but allowed Erestor to keep him on the bed. He looked around in the room and saw Glorfindel in the bed opposite his. He looked better than he had then, it was clear that he was on the mend. Fear tightened around Elrond's heart when he realized that Elrohir had not only pulled him back, but also Glorfindel.
He turned to Erestor with eyes that demanded an answer. Erestor sighed and sat down in the chair beside the bed. Immediately Elrond got up from the bed and checked Glorfindel.
"I thought I would lose you, both of you." Erestor started. "I went searching for Elrohir and finally I found him. I told him what had happened and asked him to pull you back… only you. They locked Nestor and me out of the room. Almost two hours after we heard Elladan call for Elrohir. We broke in the door and found Elladan on the floor with Elrohir in his arms. He collapsed."
Elrond had turned slightly pale. "How long have I been asleep?"
"Almost a day." Erestor said.
"Where are they now?" Elrond asked, "Have you checked on them?"
"Elladan brought him to their rooms. I haven't seen them since, but Nestor has checked on them a couple of times. He says it's best just to let them sleep."
Elrond nodded and said, "Thank you Erestor." Then he walked swiftly from the ward and through the corridors until he came to Elrohir's room.
He opened the door to find it empty. Unfazed he walked to other side of the room and opened the door to Elladan's room. The heat in the room hit him first. Even though it was in the middle of the summer it seemed as though Elladan had lit a fire in the fireplace.
Elladan stood up from the chair he had been sitting in when Elrond came into the room. He quickly walked over there and hugged Elrond tightly.
"You're awake." Elladan stated there was clear relief in his voice.
"I'm awake." Elrond said, "Sorry for worrying you."
Elladan held him at an arm's length and looked at him. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine. How's Elrohir?" Elrond asked and immediately looked towards the bed. There were several blankets lying over Elrohir, but Elrond couldn't see his face from where he was standing.
Elladan let go of him and followed Elrond as he walked over to the bed. Elrond kneeled beside the bed and rested his hand on Elrohir's cheek. It was cold in spite of the warmness in the room. Elrohir was pale and his breathing was labored. The worst thing was the fact that his eyes were closed.
Elrond turned to Elladan again and asked, "He hasn't woken up since?"
Elladan shook his head and sat down on Elrohir's other side. "But he looks better than he did in the beginning." He added when he saw his father's worried expression.
"Have you slept?" Elrond asked Elladan without taking his eyes off Elrohir.
"Yes. Ada, Elrohir took some energy from me and it felt strange… it almost hurt." Elladan said softly, "Does he feel the same when he gives his energy to heal?"
Elrond looked up at Elladan at that. "Elrohir hasn't resorted to using your energy before this?"
Elladan shook his head and said, "He was even reluctant to it this time, but I convinced him to do it."
"Without knowing exactly how you felt I would say that it pretty much describes the feeling I get when I give energy. I'm not exactly sure what it feels like to Elrohir, but he was pretty shaken the first time he did it. He has tried transferring larger amounts than me. You should ask him about it, but I think he has gotten used to the feeling, whatever it is." Elrond said.
Elrond again placed his hand on Elrohir's cheek and closed his eyes. He muttered something under his breath and after a minute Elrohir's eyes started moving restlessly under his eyelids. Slowly they opened and Elrohir found himself looking into his father's eyes.
"Ada…" Elrohir whispered. "I thought you were the one who said that waking people from sleep by giving them energy is unnecessary… and the body will wake up when it's ready…"
Elrond smiled apologetically and said, "I'm sorry Elrohir I needed to know how you were."
Elrohir's eyes fluttered closed with a low moan. Already there Elrond regretting waking him, he clearly wasn't ready for it. Elrond tapped him gently on the cheek.
"Stay with me Elrohir."
"I am… with you." Elrohir muttered.
"Then why don't you open your eyes and show me?" Elrohir asked smiling.
Elrohir slowly opened his eyes.
"How are you feeling?"
"Tired."
"I know that already. Is there anything else?"
"Head hurts… dizzy." Elrohir muttered and closed his eyes again. "Can't move… cold… Gonna sleep…"
Before Elrond could protest Elrohir's breathing deepened again and his head rolled slightly to the side. He brushed the hair away from Elrohir's face and tucked the, already perfectly placed, covers tighter in around him.
Elrond sighed and looked out the window. The sky was beginning to darken. Just as the thought of food crossed his mind the dinner bell rang clearly through the house. He looked at Elladan and then stood up.
"Let's get something to eat."
Elladan looked down at Elrohir, "I don't want to leave him."
Elrond nodded knowing that nothing he said would sway Elladan's decision. He had tried to many times before when one of them had been injured, but they always managed to outsmart him.
"I'll have someone bring you something to eat." Elrond said before walking out the door. "And Elladan, sleep some more. You look like you could use it."
After eating Elrond went to the healing ward to check on Glorfindel. When he opened the door he immediately saw Glorfindel trying to get out of the bed and Erestor trying desperately to hold him down. Even injured Glorfindel was still far stronger than Erestor. Elrond grinned recognizing the way he himself had woken up.
"Don't even dream of getting out of that bed Glorfindel." Elrond said as he moved closer. Glorfindel stopped when he saw him and Erestor gave a sigh of relief. "You'll end up opening your wound completely if you keep moving like that. Now. Lay. Back. Down."
Glorfindel glared at him but did as he said. Erestor then moved aside so Elrond could check Glorfindel's wound. Luckily it hadn't opened.
"It has cost too much to bring you back for you to just throw it all away again…" Elrond whispered under his breath. Unfortunately Glorfindel caught it and his eyes darkened with guilt.
"You never should have done it." Glorfindel said.
Elrond looked shocked up at Glorfindel's guilt filled expression. It had been a foolish thing to say, he scolded himself. He knew that Glorfindel would react in that way if he heard it.
"Do not blame yourself Glorfindel it was our own decision to save you."
"What happened Elrond? I felt you for a long time, but then you got pulled away in jerks until you disappeared completely and someone else replaced your presence. Who was it?" Glorfindel asked confused.
"I found out too late that I didn't have the strength to call you back so I was trapped in there with you. We both would probably have perished if Erestor hadn't realized what was happening and gone to get Elrohir who had been on patrol."
"Elrohir?" Glorfindel said amazed, "Elrohir was the one who saved us? He felt so strong. I couldn't even recognize the gentle Elrohir. He enfolded me with his power."
Elrond smiled, "Elrohir is strong even if he doesn't show it. I don't know the limits to his power, but I think he came precariously close to the edge this time. He collapsed after bringing both me and you back from the border."
"What?" Glorfindel exclaimed horrified and struggled to get up again. Elrond's glare made him lie back down.
"I went to check on him before coming here." Elrond sighed, "He woke up shortly because I forced him to, but it was too soon. He's sleeping again now."
"Will he be alright?" Glorfindel asked.
"I believe so." Elrond said and then changed topic, "How are you feeling Glorfindel?"
"The wound does not pain me." Glorfindel answered.
"The energy you got from Elrohir is probably still in your body and currently healing the wound while blocking the pain. You would recover faster if you saved the energy for healing instead of being awake."
Glorfindel rolled his eyes, but nevertheless allowed his body to fall into a peaceful sleep. Elrond was surprised it was the first time Glorfindel had agreed to sleeping so readily he had been prepared for a discussion. It was probably because he didn't want Elrohir's energy to be wasted.
"Will he be alright?" Erestor asked as soon as Glorfindel had closed his eyes.
Elrond smiled, "I think he'll be fine. He just needs time to heal. There will be no lasting complications."
Erestor let out a sigh of relief and sat down in the chair beside his bed.
Elrond looked worried at him and asked, "You haven't slept since yesterday have you?"
"I'm fine Elrond." Erestor persisted.
"You're exhausted. After all we've put you through I don't blame you, but please sleep for some hours. I've already slept so I am perfectly capable of looking after Glorfindel while you rest." There was a tone to Elrond's voice that allowed no discussion.
Reluctantly Erestor got up from the chair and moved towards the door. Before he went out he asked, "Can I stop by Elladan and Elrohir, or would that bother their recovery?"
Elrond heard the pleading and worried pitch in Erestor's voice and guessed that the last image Erestor had of Elrohir hadn't been exactly pleasant. "They're in Elladan's room. Elladan is most likely awake. I had some food brought to him. You could use some as well, I'm sure he doesn't mind your company. But Erestor you still need to sleep."
"I will." Erestor said, "Thank you Elrond."
