A/N Some people may not like this chapter if you don't like the idea of a love triangle but I thought it was fun. See if you can spot the Legolas and Gimli foreshadowing ;) - J x

It's easy enough tracking the orc pack. They are heavy footed creatures who do not care for concealing their tracks. Alongside the footprints lay smears of dark blood and even the occasional abandoned weapon or piece of amour. I haven't been travelling far when I sense another being behind me. My breath catches and my fingers bristle against the feathers of my strung arrow. As I spin round, prepared to send the sharp end of it into my pursuer I find not an enemy, but a friend.

"Legolas," I sigh, "I thought you were an orc."

"If I was an orc, you would be dead." He says matter of factly as he walks towards me. His appearance is flawlessly presented as ever but I can see the weariness on his expression. He may convince others of his statuesque, stony persona but he cannot mask his emotions from me. He bridges the distance between us in seconds, until there is only a metre gap.

"Tauriel, you cannot hunt a pack of thirty orcs on your own,"

"But I am not on my own," I reply and watch his half smile appear on his pale lips.

"You knew I would come," his eyes twinkle and I smile at him. Of course I knew. Legolas and I were inseparable even as young elves, not much has changed since then.

"Come back with me, my father will forgive you for your rashness. He killed the orc himself in the end; it seems you share a short temper."

"It is not just about one orc, Legolas," I stare at my friend, willing him to understand but he seems to take my words the wrong way for his smile falters and his brows knit together.

"The dwarf..." He says lowly, "I saw you looking at him when he got shot and your anger at his fate. Do not try to hide from me, Tauriel," My friend's expression turns grave when he looks back at me. I'm taken aback by his observations, was I really being so obvious? And since when did there become anything for me to be obvious about? Can I really admit to having...feelings...for a dwarf?

"It is not just about one dwarf either, Legolas. It is about light and dark, protecting this world from the shadow, I fear it is growing once more. When did we allow evil to become stronger than us?"

"It is not our fight," Legolas snaps and I reply in the same manner.

"It is our fight."

Legolas is used to my blunt, occasionally reckless behaviour but he still seems a little shocked by my words. He pinches the bridge of his nose between his finger and thumb; the way I have often seen him do when he is concentrating. After a pause he steps closer to me, closing the last of the gap between us until our faces are much closer than is usually deemed polite. I wonder about his intentions before he puts them into action but do not move to stop him before his lips press ever so lightly to mine. My own lips part in shock as he pulls back so swiftly that I cannot be sure it even happened.

"You're right; we must protect our world and those in it. If this is your will, I will see it done." He bounds off without me, leaving me confused, watching the sunlight glint on his blonde hair as he runs.

We do not talk much for the rest of the day, speaking only to discuss tracks or the direction in which to go. Legolas acts as if the kiss had never happened so I do too. I'm still hardly sure whether it did or not; it was such a fleeting, surprising thing. It's not like I never noticed Legolas's glances at me, or the subtle hints beneath his words but I had just never supposed there was anything more to them than friendship, or perhaps even a sibling type bond. The way Fili acted over Kili, sp protective and loving – I suppose I thought Legolas's actions toward me to be of a similar nature. A discussion with the King resurfaces in my memory. "He has grown very fond of you; do not give him hope where there is none." Can it be true? There was another time...when we were only very young elves, adolescents. It was Legolas's birthday and we'd stolen away into the forest for some peace, I listened to him moan about distant relations swooning over him and members of the kingdom showering him with gifts and trying to court him. I had giggled with him, elbowing him and teasing him.

"Oh, the hardship of being loved! The trauma of receiving all those gifts!" I remember throwing my arms up dramatically and bursting into fits of laughter; before we had left, Legolas and I had poached some of his father's liquor, not the wine they gave us at festivals and meals but the stronger stuff. The actual drinking of it didn't much appeal to me but I adored any chance to break the rules and any risk of trouble. The liquor affected me more so than it did Legolas, making me particularly jolly and foggy headed, but I can still remember clearly the events of the day.

"So," I had whispered to him, stroking his soft cheek, "What does a young prince really want, if not for treasures and jewels?" Legolas had laughed at my behaviour and shoved my hand away from his face, entwining it in his instead.

"A beautiful maiden!" he grinned back, blue eyes glinting.

"And what would you do with her?" I asked, pretending to be shocked. I don't know whether it was the effects of the drink or just the desire to be wanted that made me toy with my friend this way. He knocked me gently, laughing at my attempts at seduction although there was a hint of pink in his cheeks.

"Go on adventures all across middle earth with her, fighting battles and drinking ale," he chuckled, "Then when we were old and weary, after all our long years of adventure, I would take her with me somewhere beautiful, where she would be safe and look after her, my best friend, until the end of our days," he finished the speech which had started off as a joke somewhat romantically.

"Sounds terribly boring to me!" I had teased; despite thinking that his idea did sound rather fun. "Wouldn't you rather do something more...romantic?" I had joked leaning close.

"And what would you suggest?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Kissing," I had purred as I pressed my mouth to his.

It was long, long ago and I was behaving foolishly at the time but it had happened. I wonder if Legolas remembered this event so clearly too, and perhaps it caused him to act this way today. I don't know, I suppose I enjoyed it at the time; secret stolen moments with a princling in my youth, passionate and risky if we were found out but it never meant love to me. Of course, I love Legolas completely, I would be nothing without my best friend by my side, but that is all he is. A best friend, a soul mate if you will, but not a lover. How can he be, when these days I find myself daydreaming about another pair of lips...