The lightning, formerly known as (frantically typing) Firefly-Maj, greets all faithful reviewers and readers! Here are the last two chapters! It´s somehow developed from major angst to major fluff, but that´s how it goes sometimes. There´s an author´s note at the very end, dedicated to Calenlass Greenleaf 1, ElindielStargazer, Elfinabottle, Oleanne and Thorongirl.

Enjoy!

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Chapter 11: Comfort

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Slowly, Aragorn recovered. He did not sleep as much anymore, and Elrond started to reduce the amount of pain relievers and other medicaments he was giving him.

Aragorn was glad to be able to move more freely as his body healed, although he was not allowed out of bed yet. He did not complain about it this time, which was unusual for him, but the truth was that he did not trust his body yet. He had never experienced this before and endured his brothers´ teasing about it without comment. Whenever he went to the bathroom, which was the only time he was permitted to get up, he was glad to be back in bed afterwards, feeling too insecure being up.

"I think", Elrohir said one day, "that Estel only acts in what he assumes to be an inconspicuous manner during the day, and goes sneaking about at night."

Elladan shook his head, playing along: "And here we were, believing that he had actually complied to Ada´s ministrations." But as he said it, he actually sensed the truth behind it.

As long as they could remember, whenever he had been ill, Aragorn had insisted that he in fact was not and tried to leave his bed.

This time, however, he seemed to have resigned to his situation.

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Later that evening, Elladan went to Aragorn´s room alone.

Only one small lamp was lit, producing a homely glow.

The ranger was dozing but opened his eyes when his brother sat down on the bed.

They looked at eachother.

"What ails you?", Elladan asked softly.

Aragorn hesitated. "I do not remember what has happened", he said after a while. "And I ask myself how it could have happened in the first place."

"What do you mean?"

"Elladan... I have been a ranger for years now. I have been living in the wild, and I can look after myself. I can defend myself, and I am careful. So how have those orcs been able to catch me like that?"

Elladan sighed. It was as he had suspected, Aragorn apparently did not trust himself anymore.

"It was a trap", he said quietly. "They had found someone in Brynn whom they could interrogate about you."

Aragorn´s throat constricted. "Who?", he whispered, although he thought he already knew the answer.

"Beruan." Elladan lowered his head.

They fell silent for a while, until Aragorn spoke again: "Did they...what did they do to him?", he asked, barely audible.

"They shot him", Elladan said gravely. "He was found near Rivendell´s borders." And he told Aragorn all he knew about it. He knew how hard this was on his foster brother, but he had to understand what had happened, otherwise he would forever doubt his abilities.

Aragorn remained silent for a long time after Elladan had ended. The elf waited patiently, intuitively knowing that there were no words of solace right now which would help the man.

"Elladan", Aragorn finally said, "will you stay with me, please?"

So the elf lay down on the bed next to the man.

"What order did Beruan belong to?", he asked after a while. Although Elladan´s presence calmed him, Aragorn was wide awake; too many thoughts were rushing through his mind, keeping him from falling asleep.

"He actually did not belong to any", Aragorn murmured. "He said he would not have fitted in anyway, so he lived on his own as what in his opinion came closest to a monk´s equivalent. Hence the donkey", he added.

Elladan did ask no more, leaving Aragorn to his thoughts. He could see now why Aragorn had taken a liking to Beruan: because the ranger could identify himself with the monk to a certain extent. It even explained why he had confided in him a little. He surely regretted that now, or did he? No, Elladan decided, Aragorn was not one to think ill about someone so quickly. And no one knew if Beruan had in the end betrayed him willingly.

At least, Aragorn seemed to have abandoned his feeling of guilt about his own betrayal, if it could be called betrayal at all. Elladan reached out and took his brother´s hand, gently stroking it with his thumb: "Do not worry anymore", he whispered. "Time will heal it..."

Eventually, Aragorn´s mind calmed down, and he fell asleep.

Elladan, however, stayed awake, watching over him.

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Elrond stood on his balcony; the air was chilled, but refreshing, and the elf sought comfort in the light of the stars.

He had wanted to look in on Aragorn only to discover that Elladan was with him, and thus had retreated unseen.

He was still worried about his son, who had never seemed so utterly defeated before. It would probably take a lot of time and patience to restore his spirit, and Elrond was not sure if Aragorn still felt at home enough in Imladris to stay, apart from let his family help him.

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TBC