Disclaimer: Almost nothing is mine. ;)

Rating: PG-13.

Author's Note:

Many thanks to Templa Otmena, for reviewing A Winter Evening in Imladris! And you really make me blush – it is such a treat for me to get your reviews! And I am glad and astounded that you could see so much from my little text involving Erestor! I am presently working on different stories right now, and one of them is a roughly completed fic featuring Erestor and Glorfindel. As I believe that you will be done with your exams by the time you read this, I will just say – I hope your exams went well! ;)

Thank you to all reviewers who told me that writing AU is all right with them – it made me feel much better! I am now considering changing my awkwardly-changed piece back into its AU form, due to the confidence boost you all gave me! Thank you!

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Tears of Yesterday

Chapter 3: Crossing Choices

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The twins were playing in the garden. They were racing, competing for speed and strength as they climbed trees and sprinted on the grass. Gentle winds entangled their fingers in their hair as they ran, and breathed a rosy tinge on their cheeks as they wrestled with each other. Sword and bow discarded, they romped on the grass, and their breathless laughter rang into the skies overlooking the valley. Standing at the brink of adolescence, the children glowed with innocent joy, their marred hearts mended, unaware of the depth with which the scars would run.

The sun was shining.

"My mind is unchanged."

At Elrond's soft voice, Celebrian turned her eyes away from the children, regarding him, questioning. Clad in a flowing lavender dress, her hair neatly brushed, she was once again the goddess of beauty, the evenstar of Imladris. No longer skeletal thin, her skin was once again moist and smooth, color restored to her pallid face. And her eyes remained hollowly luminescent.

Elrond met her gaze. In a distance, a swallow let out a piercing cry.

"If the Undying Lands can erase your memory, if the peace that resides there can ease your weary heart-" He lowered his head and slowly took his beloved's hand into his hands. Gentle fingers stroked the soft skin tenderly, reverently. "Let us set sail, Celebrian."

Eyes frozen on her husband's bowed head, Celebrian slowly pulled out of his grasp. The lavender phantom stepped back, gliding against the grass. Fading into the shadow of the trees. And pale hair wavered as she shook her head.

"No."

Elrond took a step forward, toward the ghostly beauty.

"You need not offer me this." An unsteady hand reached out to grab a nearby branch. "I will heal."

"Left like this, you will never heal." The firm voice resonated alongside the swallow's shrill call.

He approached, and gently took her hands into his own once again. Resolute dark orbs gazed into quivering blue eyes. "Your heart is weary of this world. I feel it. Let us sail for Valinor."

White hands trembled faintly among the green foliage. Silken lavender tapped gently against the bushes. In the screen of green, Elrond suddenly pulled the pallid phantom into a tight embrace.

"I cannot watch you continue." The murmurs whispered against her neck, fingers lost in warm hair. "I cannot watch you continue to suffer like this."

The two bodies, merged as one, remained still as the children's laughter rang in a distance.

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The chamber was upturned, all of their belongings scattered on the floor. Celebrian was never known for neatness. Elrond smiled to himself as he packed his belongings on the bed. His wife was standing near the drawers, taking out miniscule items. He glanced at her, and breathed deeply.

Imladris had been his sanctuary, his refuge. But he would go to the ends of the earth for her; no place offered sanctuary without his evenstar. And so he continued to resolutely organize the items strewn around. It was time to say goodbye to his home.

A knock on the door could be heard. Elrond raised his gaze as Erestor poked his head in. Seeing the couple packing, he swung the door fully open and stood upright. Elrond nodded in silent greeting. Erestor riveted his piercing black eyes upon him, and Elrond smiled.

The advisor's eyes were grim; he had been instructed to rule the valley after Elrond's departure. And though he had responded with only silence, Elrond had stepped close, had touched the black crystal that hung around Erestor's neck – and the advisor had bowed his head, defeated. And Elrond had smiled. The black pearl of Eregion could shine without Elrond Peredhil's protection. He needed a sanctuary no longer.

"The party is ready to depart." Erestor's eyes wandered toward the lady, whose back was turned from them both.

Elrond turned his head toward Celebrian as well. Her movements were slow. He noticed that her hands were trembling as they packed her belongings; her head was bowed, refusing to meet his gaze. Elrond's features softened with understanding.

"Are you not prepared to leave, Celebrian?" he called gently. "If you wish, we may stay longer."

The lady's hand froze. Slowly she straightened her back, and brushed her long hair behind her ears. Elrond turned fully toward her, alarmed. Her face was bathed in tears.

"My heart is heavy," she whispered, her voice hoarse and unsteady. She cleared her throat. She turned to face him, and her voice was once more melodic, shaking in a mournful cry, a weeping swallow. "Is my pain excuse enough for me to abandon my husband and children?"

Silence upturned the room.

Erestor's black orbs flitted toward Elrond, who seemed to have been turned to stone.

Shaking himself out of his trance, the young lord slowly took a step forward. Then he stopped, a disbelieving frown upon his fair features. He did not move further.

"What did you say?" The voice was a fearful whisper.

And then, Celebrian smiled. Among her tears, she smiled. And she was beautiful.

Elrond could not win.

Erestor looked away and stared stubbornly at the wall, his jaw clenched, as Elrond's knuckles whitened.

"You will stay, my love," whispered Celebrian. She put down what she had been holding, and glided across the room, toward her husband. Looking up into frozen face, she smiled, gently caressed his cheek. Her whisper was breathed ever softly upon his skin. "You have much to do here. Your heart still belongs in Middle Earth."

Silence.

Erestor's eyes were still burning into the wall when Elrond abruptly spoke, his trembling dark eyes still riveted onto her face. The tone was tight, rigid. "Erestor, tell them to unpack. We will not be leaving today."

Erestor closed his eyes.

He shut the door quietly as Celebrian sank down upon the bed, pulling her beloved's hand down with her. And he could hear the soft plea of the lady through the door, before he at last turned silently away.

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To Be Continued

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Sheeijan: I was so surprised! I take it that you like my new story. Thank you so much for bothering to break the laziness and write me a review. Each review is a huge energizer for me. Thank you again!

Erestor: Thank you for your compliments, and the lovely lengthy review. I really am honored. ;) And yes, you have my idea down flawlessly! I'm glad you find my reasoning to be satisfactory ;) It's good to hear also that an accomplished writer such as yourself does not disapprove of me taking liberties with canon ;) I shall keep that in mind. I hope I don't disappoint in my further chapters. Thank you!

Someone Reading: I am so flattered and embarrassed that you thought so highly of my last chapter! And the fact that I made you cry with that chapter was a surprise, and I must thank you for your attention and heartfelt reading that you give my stories. You may call me an accomplished writer, but you are a truly accomplished reader. ;) And please do not feel bad about rambling, I love rambling reviewers. ;) The more you ramble, the more feedback I get! Thank you again mellon-nin.

Beling: Full of heart? I cannot look at my stories in an objective point of view, but I am surprised and very flattered to hear that ;) And yes, I was quite interested in making a moderately prominent feature of Glorfindel and Erestor and their relationship with Elrond's family in this story. You like? ::grins:: I have only read glimpses and snatches of Celebrian's story, and always wondered how she could sail away from her home, husband and children...I thought, "it had better be a good reason" and also couldn't imagine the whole tale without much angst and pain on her part as well as Elrond and the children's. So I started this story to depict some of that family angst and struggle that must have occurred in this situation. I hope I do not disappoint. And don't worry, I love rambling reviews. Thank you for your thoughtful review!

KissTheRainGirl12489: Wow, really? I am so honored! Hopefully the story will stay good enough to make you log in to review again...;) Thank you for your kind words!

xAKGIRLx: Aww, thank you. I shall definitely need it! Thank you for your review!

Leannan: Aww, so I have you to thank for that review! Hehehe. That was sweet of you. This fic is not going to be a very happy fic, but I hope you stick through... and I am glad to hear that my fic offers solace from your turbulent path in life. I hope you find easy footing soon.

Unsung Heroine: Wow, I am excited to hear that you look forward to seeing how the story will unfold! And I shall remember those terms – 'how-tension' and 'what-tension'...hehehe. And thanks for telling me that you don't mind AU...it does make me feel better! ;)

Achika: Aww, yes it did make me feel better. And your latest review too! I'm glad you like my Celebrian. ;) Thank you for your review!

Unni: Ooh, this one is the saddest one? I'll take that as a compliment ;) And I was excited to hear that this fic shows a different side of me! You let me see something about myself and my stories that I would otherwise never be able to see! Thanks much, and take care! ;)

Brazgirl: That was sweet of you to review each chapter, and to write me a review even when you were about to leave. ;) And I'm mad at FF.net for not giving you an alert too! Thank you for telling me that it's ok to do AU ;) And I am really glad to hear that whatever cast a shadow over your life is gone. I want all of my wonderful readers to be happy! Heh. Thank you again!