A/N: i'm back! sorry it's taken so long. i've been caught up with tennis matches and ap english homework and all that good stuff. but now i'm back. so here is the next chapter. hope you like it!

and in case you all didn't know, i have a facebook page for Broken-Rose-Thornesxoxo if you wanna check it out. i gotta get to work uploading some pix and story ideas and such, but i should (hopefully) have something up soon other then useless status'.

Enjoy!

Love,

Broken-Rose-Thornesxoxo ^_^

Back at the room we sere supposed to have slept in, I quickly changed my clothes. I strapped my sword back onto my side and my quiver with my two short swords on my back. I felt batter with them on. My vambraces went back on my forearms and my cloak on my neck. I started to fell normal again. I let my hair fall down before turning it into a single braid starting at the nape of my neck. And then Legolas came back.

"What was that?"

"What was what?" I asked. Silly question. I knew what he was talking about.

"You know what I mean." He backed me into a wall, or pillar or something and rested his arm above my head, looking down on me.

"Oh, you mean what just happened?" I tried not to show him how… distracted he was making me. Everything was becoming a blur. Everything but him.

"Yes. What was that?"

He was coming closer and closer. I forgot what we were talking about almost immediately; instead the realization of what I'd done consumed my mind. I'd risked my secret origins by talking out of context. I had usually been so careful about what I was saying, in fear of having my secret being discovered. And just then, I let my guard down and spoken out of context. I'd just about revealed where I was really from! Ha, great. "I think you lost me." I tried to find anything that would create a diversion away from what just happened.

"Don't worry, I can find you." His breath fanned across my face, making my knees go weak and the butterflies in my stomach flap harder. My face flushed as his lips hovered over mine, barely touching.

"Are you sure about that? I've gone pretty far." My voice betrayed my helplessness.

"Positive." He pressed his lips to mine and everything disappeared. My brain shorted out.

And then, Gimli came in. he cleared his throat and huffed. "I don't think we should leave you two alone anymore."

I slipped out from under Legolas and continued gathering my things, suddenly loving Gimli more than anything. What was that all about? "That was all Legolas. Blame him."

"Oh thank you."

"You're welcome, love." I smiled over my shoulder at Legolas.

He shook his head in mock distraught, and we continued to gather our things… which were just about non-existent.

Outside, Háma was shouting orders to the people.

I grabbed the saddle bags and started to make my way out of the Hall. Legolas rushed out behind me.

"You walk much faster and your feet will be burning."

"we need to go. The king needs as much help as he can get."

It took us only a few minutes to get to the stables. Aragorn was walking down to the end with Gandalf. I almost expected to see the wizard lift Pippin up onto Shadowfax; until I realized that there was still about a week, maybe longer, until I would see him again.

A week is a long time.

My eyes watered as I realized just how much I missed him. What if… what if he wasn't safe? What if neither of them were safe? What if something happened between the time me met Gandalf and got here?

I jerked my head to the north, looking towards Fangorn.

"Elevain?"

My head snapped back towards Legolas and my forehead made contact with his nose.

"Oh my gosh! I am so sorry!"

"It's okay…" reflex tears were already in his eyes. "I'm fine." He held his nose and massaged it.

"I'm so sorry!" I covered my mouth with my hands.

"Elevain its fine-"

He suddenly jerked me out of the way of Gandalf's galloping horse.

"… thanks." I ran my fingers through my hair nervously.

"What's the matter?"

"hunh?" I looked over at him. "Nothings the matter. I'm fine."

"Elevain."

"What?"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong I swear!"

"Then why do you gaze to the north with a far away look in your eyes like you wish to run away?"

"I just… it's nothing." I tried to get past him into the stables, but he moved into my way. "I just want Pippin and Merry to be safe."

"They are safe."

"But what if they're not? What if something happened to them?"

"Nothing will happen to them. Gandalf even said they were in safe hands with Treebeard. What could possibly happen?"

"A lot could possibly happen. This is Merry and Pippin we're talking about. These are the ones that dropped a skeleton down a deserted well in the middle of Moria and brought everything from Hell's half acre down on us."

"You sound angry about this." He tilted his head to one side.

"I'm not! I'm worried that they'll do something stupid again!"

He put his fore finger on my mouth. "Shhhhhh... they'll be fine. I'll admit I'm worried too because I don't know what's going to happen, but none of us do. We're walking blind in this, not knowing if we've made the right choices. We won't know until the end."

I looked away, ashamed that I still couldn't tell him that I knew exactly what was going to happen. My stomach twisted.

"Come. We need to get ready."

I took his outstretched hand as he led me to Hasufel to saddle him. I wondered when Aragorn was going to calm Brego when I realized he already had when I was freaking out about Pippin… the people of the city were already beginning to be led out of the city by the king.

"Crap…" I muttered.

Aragorn came up beside me. "Are you ready?"

"I will be in a moment. I just need to finish saddling Hasufel…" I buckled the saddle and strapped on the bags. "All done."

Aragorn stepped into the stirrup and swung his leg over the horses back, then held out his hand to help me up.

I squeaked when he pulled me up instead of letting me jump up. How was he so strong? And then I remembered who I was thinking about and mentally kicked myself for being so stupid.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes."

Aragorn set the horse at a trot and we caught up with the king and soon Legolas and Gimli joined us as we rode out of the city we had just come to hours earlier…

The sun set and the sky became a rainbow of gold and pink.