AN: Thank you so much to all of my readers! I always look forward to your responses to new chapters! I do not own anything that belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien. I am truly grateful that he gave us such a wonderful world to explore.

Sincera

"sincere

You are always true

Always alive inside me, ah

Always give me strength

Always by a sense of reality

I know

I know I have a world to learn

I think of the nights

I cried so much and you

Gave me your heart

Always live inside of me

Always give me strength

Always by a sense of reality

I know"~ Sincera by Josh Groban (Translated by Google translator)

/

Three months had passed since she had woken up in Leoglas's arms and they hadn't spent a night alone since. Mia still didn't remember her old life, but she was determined to make the best of the situation and create new memories with those she cared about. Today she was in the archery yard with Aragorn trying to develop a skill that he insisted she was a natural at.

"You are struggling with the bow too much. Relax. Don't try to force it," Aragorn told her from the lane beside hers.

Mia was beyond frustrated. They had been here all morning and she had made no progress. In the weeks she had been practicing she had barely managed to hit the target. "It's no use. Whatever I used to be good at is worthless now." She sat down putting her head in her hands.

Aragorn walked to where she sat, looking down at her and said, "You were never one to give up little sister."

Mia frowned up at him, "I'm not giving up. I am simply taking a break."

Aragorn chuckled, "Oh, well of course. My apologies for offending you." He made a slight mocking bow and Mia threw a clump of grass at him. It felt good to have this easy relationship with him. In fact, her father, grandfather and Gandalf had also adapted to this equally as well.

No one pushed her about her memories and they all continued on as though starting fresh. She and Legolas were careful to keep their nights a secret, but she was almost certain that Gandalf knew. He had once caught her leaving Legolas's room early one morning, but had not spoken to her about it. As long as no one else knew, she was ok. Who knew what her brother or father would think if they found out.

Mia shuddered at the thought and Aragorn asked, "Are you cold?" Shaking her head and standing up she replied, "No just telling myself to try again."

Picking up her bow, her mind still on her blissful nights, she wasn't truly concentrating on her shots.

"By the Valar!" Aragorn shouted.

Startled and feeling guilty, Mia looked around wondering what damage she had done. "What?! Where did it go now?"

Aragorn was staring at her with wide eyes. "You mean, you weren't aiming there?" Sheepishly, she shrugged her shoulders, "I was distracted."

Aragorn pointed to the target fifty meters away, "Apparently whatever you were thinking about is the key."

Mia focused her eyes and saw her arrow sticking out of the dead center of the target. "You've got to be kidding," she mumbled, disbelieving. Then the more she thought about it the more it made sense. Everything came easier here when she wasn't trying. Memories and skills that were 'natural' to her old self slipped into the present when she wasn't focused on them.

Turning to Aragorn she grinned, "Who knew?"

Aragorn smiled at her and said, "Do it again."

Mia mock frowned and shook her head, "Just like a brother. 'Do it again. Do it better.' Never good enough."

Excited, Mia drew back on the bow once more when a slicing pain through her right thigh brought her to her knees. Aragorn was beside her immediately, "What is it? What's wrong?"

Mia grabbed her thigh, "I don't know. My leg feels like someone tried to slice it off." Her heart started to hurt and she felt panicked. "Aragorn. Something is wrong." Grasping her brothers' arm she asked, "Where is Legolas?" Confused because there was no obvious wound he told her, "Out on patrol. He won't be back for a few hours."

An unexplainable urge came over Mia and she knew she had to find Legolas immediately. Jumping to her feet and all but flying to the stables, she called over her shoulder to Aragorn who was following closely, "He's in trouble Aragorn. I have to get to him."

Bless her brother, he didn't so much as stumble. He entered the stables the same time she did and immediately began saddling horses and grabbing weapons. They both still had their bows and to each saddle he strapped a sword and a knife. In under two minuets they were mounted and riding out of the gates of the city. Aragorn knew which way the scouting party had gone and so Mia fell in behind him, trusting him to get them there.

The scene they arrived to a few minuets later was horrible. The party, which had been twenty strong warriors, was now decimated to only six. Legolas stood at the front of the group defending those that were injured worse than he, but Mia could clearly see the gash in his leg from across the clearing. It said something that she first saw Legolas and then the spiders, because lord help her they were huge and there were at least thirty.

She hated spiders. Ugh! It didn't matter what size, they were disgusting and the only bug she was frightened of, but right now none of that mattered. Only 3 spiders were left alive and they needed to die quickly so that they could get the survivors the help they needed.

She looked to Aragorn motioning for him to take the left while she took the spider on the right. Legolas and two other elves were taking on the one in the middle and she hoped they would last long enough for Aragorn and her to help. Nodding his head, slipping back into their fighting routine, Aragorn drew his bow.

Mia's instincts were on fire. She knew exactly where to aim to kill the spider with a single blow and as she let the arrow fly effortlessly, her memories slid back into place. No pain, no great explosion, no epic event. Just a realization that she was finally home, where she belonged. As the spider she shot fell dead from the tree overhead, Alatariel turned her head to the elf that had been there from the beginning and who wouldn't be able to believe she was truly back. As she and Aragorn took aim at the one spider left, the monster clipped Legolas in the side of the head sending him sprawling, unconscious.

Complete terror shot through Ariel. To loose him now, just when she remembered, was a cruel twist of fate she refused to believe. As her arrow tore through the clearing into the same spot as Aragorns' killing the spider, a scream ripped from her throat and she tumbled from her saddle to race to Legolas's side.

Flinging herself down she carefully examined the head wound that was trickling blood down the side of his face. Putting her hand gently to his face she called out to him trying to wake him, "Legolas? Please, Legolas wake up." He didn't move, was barely breathing. Turning to Aragorn who was kneeling beside her examining the gash on Legolas's thigh, she said, "We have to get them back to the healers." Aragorn nodded, his face serious, "Yes. This wound needs to be stitched and his head wound will need to be carefully dealt with."

Ariel nodded, "How are the others?"

An elf spoke up behind her, "We are well, arwen en amin."

Grateful, she replied, "Good, can you all ride?"

The elf nodded, "Yes, only one of us is injured badly enough to need help riding and I will take him with me."

Ariel turned to Aragorn, "I'll take Legolas with me. Put him up in front of me and then you must ride on to warn the healers they will be needed."

Aragorn nodded his agreement and whistled to her horse. Once she was seated, he carefully lifted Legolas and sat him gently in front of her.

"Take the road slowly so you don't jostle his head more than it will be," Aragorn instructed her as he mounted his own horse.

"Hurry, brother. Every second counts." Ariel pleaded. With a nod, Aragorn kicked his horse into a run.

The ride was excruciating for her. Legolas never so much as twitched an eyelid and as slowly as she had to go it felt like ages before she saw the castle even though it was minutes. Aragorn had organized the healers and they were arriving at the gates to assist the wounded. Warriors were also leaving to collect the bodies of the dead from the clearing for burial.

As Legolas was slowly lifted from her arms she warned them to be careful even though she knew they would do all they could. Ariel dismounted and followed the healers, not knowing that she was taking the exact path as Legolas had with her only five months ago. Aragorn followed as well and when they reached the healers room tried to hold her back.

"No!" she shouted in his face. "I will not be separated from him for even a moment. Lle rangwa amin?"

Aragorn's eyes widened not from being yelled at by his sister, but by her yelling in elvish.

"Mani ume lle quena?" he asked her, praying she understood.

Shaking her head she started to apologize, "Amin hiraetha. Amin dele ten' ho, Estel."

Before Aragorn could say any more she dodged his arm and entered the room. Watching her stand by the bedside where Legolas now lay he heard her whispering in elvish, "Lle naa belegohtar. Lle ume quell, melamin. Koiva amba, A'maelamin." She kissed his forehead and continued holding his hand as the healers worked on the opposite side of the table.

Aragorn stood in the doorway, stunned. She remembered, he realized that now. When he thought back to the clearing he realized that there was a change in her when she saw Legolas go down. She was the sister that he knew. Strong, in control and completely devoted to the elf who lay lifeless on the table.

Aragorn turned from the room. Elrond had left some time ago for Rivendell, but Elrohir and Gandalf were still here and they needed to know.

/

Alatariel never let go of his hand. Through the treatment she stayed standing so if she needed to move out of the way quickly she could. When they were finished and his wounds were bandaged, someone brought her a chair the same as they had done for Legolas all those months ago.

Thanduil had arrived shortly after she and Aragorn had and was standing to the side pacing anxiously. At some point in the evening her father, brother and Gandalf had arrived though she barely took notice until Elrohir spoke.

"Alatariel?" it was a tentative question, one that he had asked before and received no response.

When she heard her fathers' soothing voice she turned to him. "Ada!" she cried rising from the chair and flinging herself in to his arms. Tears rolled down Elrohirs' cheeks, "Seldeien!"

His joy couldn't be greater. His daughter was truly back. As he held her, he heard her say, "Amin mela lle, Ada."

He could barely respond, but managed to whisper back, "Amin mela lle, ullume."

Drawing back to look at her he asked, "How is he?" He saw her eyes grow misty as she shook her head, "They do not know. He seems to be resting fine, but he won't wake." He gathered her close and told her, "Do not worry. When we first found you, you wouldn't wake either and now you are perfectly fine. He will wake."

He felt her start to shake with sobs. "How could fate be so cruel, Ada? My life returns to me just as his is taken. It is beyond cruel." Elrohir stroked her back soothingly. It wasn't fair he knew, but then when was life ever fair? He had lost his beloved wife and then his daughter as well, but he trusted in the Valar. "You will see that it will all work out."

Aragorn and Gandalf gave their assurances as well. Nodding her head in thanks, she wiped her face of the tear streaks and took a deep breath.

"Thank you, you are right of course. He will be fine." Alatariel smiled shakily, "I'm sure now that my memory has returned, you all have questions."

Gandalf nodded for his questions had more to do with the how and why she disappeared more than any emotional questions, not that he didn't care about her.

"Do you remember the day that you vanished?"

"Yes. I do," Ariel nodded. "I was with the Rangers, down south towards Isengard, Legolas was there as well. We tracked a party of orcs and when we entered the clearing to fight, I was separated from the rest of the group. At first I thought it was an accident, but now…" Ariel paused, thinking back at how strategized the orcs had been.

Gandalf prompted, "You don't think it was an accident do you?"

Ariel shook her head, "No, I didn't think about it then, but I think it was planned." She turned to look at Aragorn. "They were too organized. I didn't realize it, but think about it. It must have been a trap." Aragorn thought back to that terrible day and tried to block out everything, but the way the orcs had fought.

His eyes flashed up to hers, "Yes. You're right. They never really attacked. It was more of a distraction." Ariel nodded in agreement. "That's what I was thinking. They kept me separated while pushing me back farther into the forest. When I reached a certain point they fell back. I thought they were going to turn and run and that's when I felt it. A weird tingling in my limbs and then I was falling. When I woke I knew nothing about this land. I was in a healing unit with a kindly old woman telling me I had an accident and that she was going to take me home." Ariel then proceeded to explain her life with the woman and then her friendship with Sara.

When she finished they all were looking at each other trying to put the puzzle together, but they were still missing a large piece.

"Who or what would have done this? What was there to be gained from sending me away?" Ariel asked them all. She received three shaking heads. No one could guess.

Movement from the bed had Ariel turning quickly back to Legolas. He had shifted slightly, but was still unconscious. She hung her head in disappointment. She heard a voice from across the room, "He will wake Alatariel. He has to." Thranduil was looking at her with a weary expression not yet devoid of hope. She smiled, "I couldn't agree more your highness."

/

It had been one week since Alatariel had brought Legolas back and he was still unconscious. She hadn't left his side and even slept with her head on the bedside. Elrohir, Aragorn and even the King had begged her to at least take a nap in a real bed, but she refused. She only ate or drank if someone brought it to her. She was determined to be here when he woke up just as he had been for her.

She talked to him, read to him, begged him and pleaded with him to wake. She told him everything from the time she entered the clearing to all that she and the others had discussed about her disappearance. He never moved. If she didn't see the rise and fall of his chest she would have sworn he was dead.

She prayed desperately every day to whoever would listen. She was praying today as well when a bright light appeared before her eyes and grew brighter still until it filled her vision. She tried closing her eyes against it, but realized her eyes had already been closed in prayer. Then she was on a white field and the angel from before was coming towards her. Finally! Someone must have heard her prayers!

As the angel slowed to a stop no more then three feet from her she heard the disembodied voice fill her head.

"Yes, child. We have heard your cries. Do not despair."

Ariel smiled, "Thank you. When will he wake?"

The reply came, "I did not say that he would wake. I said only that we have heard your cries."

Panicked, Ariel shouted, "What do you mean? Will he wake? Please! He has to!"

The angel stood unfazed in the face of her pain. "Things will happen that are supposed to happen."

"What in the hell does that mean!? Tell me! You saved me! Brought me back to my world and at the same moment I remember the man who loves me, you take him away!? WHY?! Damn you, TELL ME!" At this, Ariel collapsed in a heap at the angels' feet, sobbing. Clutching her middle and rocking back and forth, she continued sobbing, "Why? Why bring me back at all? I will die without him."

The angel watched her for a moment, compassion crossing the beautiful face. Finally, it reached down and drew Alatariel to her feet. "You have shed enough tears, child. Stop this crying. Everything in this world happens for a reason. We may no like it, but there is no stopping it."

Alatariels' heart grew even heavier. Accept it? Never. She wouldn't. "Why are you here if not to help Legolas?" she demanded.

The angel shook its head, "To bring you one last piece to the puzzle. This will be the last time that we will speak Alatariel. Look to Isenguard for your answers."

With this last statement, the angel began to fade and this time Ariel stayed still. She couldn't believe that there would be no help. As she slowly came back to reality, she heard voices in the room. Raising her head, she saw that Thranduil was back and was speaking with the healer.

"When do you think would be the best time?" Thranduil asked the healer.

The she-elf responded saying, "Now would be fine your majesty. He is healing well and there is no reason that he needs to stay here. As long as there is someone to watch over him to alert the healers if anything is wrong."

Thranduil nodded his head, "I don't think we need to worry about a guardian." He smiled, noticing that Ariel was awake and watching them. "My dear, the healer thinks that we can move my son to his own room if someone will watch over him."

Ariel nodded, "Of course I will. When do you want to do this?"

Just then two elves, a liter stretched between them, entered the room stopping by the bed.

Alatariel rose as they gently transferred Legolas to the liter. As Alatariel followed behind the little party, it felt like a funeral procession such was the sadness in the air. When they settled the Prince into his bed, Alatariel pulled the chair from the desk over to the bed and took up the same position as she had in the infirmary.

A large bell was placed on the nightstand by the healer and she told Alatariel, "Just ring this should there be an emergency my lady and a healer will be hear as quickly as possible." The healer curtsied and left the room to attend to other duties leaving Thranduil and Ariel alone with Legolas.

Thranduil stood behind Ariels' chair and stared down at his son. "Thank you for watching over him."

The whisper was so soft, Ariel barely heard him. "I love him more than anyone. How could I do anything else?" she replied. Turning to him she looked the King in the eye, "You and I have not always agreed on my relationship with Legolas, but I think that we both know how much the other loves him."

Thranduil nodded his head in acknowledgement of the truth she spoke. They hadn't agreed on the relationship. In fact, when he had first found out about the two of them he had forbidden Legolas to continue the relationship. She was half human. No matter that there was royalty in her blood, she would always be beneath his precious son.

However, his forbidding hadn't done any good. In all honesty, Legolas had left that night with Ariel and gone to stay with the Rangers. He hadn't seen his son for an entire year until Alatariel had convinced them both to talk to each other. In all the years that had past they had never agreed, but Thranduil had accepted the fact that there was nothing he could do to separate them.

Watching her take care of Legolas now made him see them in a new light. No one would ever be good enough for his son, but just maybe Ariel was close. A servant knocked on the door interrupting his train of thought. As always, duties of a king called him away. "You will have someone fetch me should anything change." He told her.

"Of course," she said, her thumb brushing across Legolas' s hand, not hearing the king leave.

/

Three days had passed since they had moved Legolas to his room and still there was no sign of improvement. Ariel kept telling herself that as long as he didn't get worse that things would be fine.

Three more days and that excuse was beginning to sound thin even to her ears. She was currently sitting in the bath in Legolas's room, having been convinced by her brother that her smell was probably what kept knocking Legolas out. Brothers, what were they good for besides picking at sisters?

But it had made her laugh a little, which was what Aragorn had been hoping for. She had also taken his advice. She wasn't more than ten feet away and would hear him if he moved so much as an eyelash. It felt good to relax in the hot water, the scents of the oils drifting around her. She had already washed and was now propped up with a towel behind her head enjoying the weightlessness of her body.

The two weeks were weighing heavily on her body and mind and for a moment she was able to relax. She didn't know how long she had been in the bath, but when she raised her fingers from the water they were more than pruning they looked like she had soaked them for days. Climbing out of the tub and drying off she was pulling the clean dress over her head when she heard a sound that was as light as a butterfly's wing on the wind. Hurtling in to the room, she came to an abrupt halt at the sight that was on the bed and her heart stopped in her chest.

/

ELVISH Translations

arwen en amin~~~~ (formal) My Lady

Lle rangwa amin~~~ Do you understand me?

Mani ume lle quena~~~ What did you say?

Amin hiraetha. Amin dele ten' ho, Estel~~~~ I'm sorry. I am worried about him, Aragorn

Lle naa belegohtar~~~~ You are a mighty warrior.

Lle ume quell, melamin~~~~ You did well, my love

Koiva amba, A'maelamin~~~~ Wake up, my beloved

Seldeien~~ My daughter

Amin mela lle, Ada~~~~ I love you, Father

Amin mela lle, ullume~~~ I love you, forever