Author's Note: Alright then, here's the next chapter! I'm sorry about the really long wait as I was at the Commonwealth Games and had no personal internet and so could not upload stories. And again, let me know if it comes out entirely underlined or in bold or something and if it does I'm sorry and I'll try fix it as soon as I can.

Please review and enjoy!

There was a long moment of silence as the twins struggled to think of anything to say to help their father, they linked their hands behind Elrond's back, pulling the family even closer together as if their small failure would have their father fading away into nothingness before their very eyes.

Elrond however took pleasure in the silence. His ungrudging sons' arms around him was all the comfort he would ever want and all he was sure he would ever need.

He took a deep breath and gently patted Elladan and Elrohir's shoulders, reassuring them in the serene silence.

Elrond spoke, his voice an echo of a melody.

"I didn't leave them with him because I wanted to. I left them because I had to. Who am I to take children from their father? Who am I to decide that he did not deserve his children?" He continued with a sigh, "No one has that right. Not even the Lord of the Valar himself."

"But the man should be killed for his deed." Elrohir bitterly spat, kin slaying an unimaginable crime in his eyes.

Elrond slowly shook his head and patted his son, seeing the rage almost completely drain from him as he looked upon his father.

"No Elrohir, we must think of the greater good. Those children needed their father and, murderer or not, he was still their father."

The Elven Lord heaved another great sigh.

"It was a few years later that I heard from them again. They sent a plea to the house, asking for help to cure an illness that had befallen the young boy. They had neither the medicine nor the knowledge to cure him and his condition was fast deteriorating."

Elladan blinked, he remembered this part.

"So you sent me to help him."

Elrond nodded, "I felt I owed that young boy a life since his mother lost hers."

Elrohir looked to his brother then, closely scrutinising his face, looking for traces of the trauma he knew should be there.

"Dan?" He tentatively asked, "What happened to you?"

Elladan calmly shook his head, "I don't know how it began. I was treating the boy, Ryth, he had grown not so much fond of me, but now he would tolerate my hands doing up his bandages and feeding him his medicine, he would talk with me about more than just his treatment and my reason for being there. He was not what I'd call 'friendly' with me, but he was no longer hostile. I believe he was grateful."

Elladan smiled, he, on the other hand, had been quite fond of the boy. He had a strong, fighting spirit and, although the boy had disliked him to begin with, had obeyed the rules he had set down to help him heal.

"I was treating him one day and he was talking about school and how he missed it. I took pity and told him he could probably stand a visit from some of his friends from school if he was feeling up to it and as long as he stayed in his bed. He was so happy, happier than I'd ever seen him, and he hugged me. Then all I knew was a fiery pain in my side and someone's hands around my neck, pulling me away from him and throwing me outside. I heard the children screaming. I yelled for Ryth to stay in his bed and the man punched my jaw to make me stop talking to him. I saw his daughter standing a short while away, I couldn't fight back in front of her. I hadn't the heart to beat a father in front of his daughter." He paused, frowning, "The next thing I knew you and Ro were there. I don't know how or why but I'm glad you were, for whatever the reason!"

He offered a smile of thanks to his father and brother even though he had thanked them thousands of times as soon as he was able.

"What happened to him?" Elladan asked.

There was a pause as suddenly Elrond realised he didn't know.

"We can find out," He said, "Because that man's daughter was Nerea."

"So what do we do?" Elrohir asked, animosity still souring his voice.

Elrond shook his head.

"We wait."

'For what?' the twins wondered, but Elrond knew.

The days went by and Legolas' Elven healing abilities were making short work of the Orcs' destruction of his body and hands, regaining strength with every passing moment. Aragorn, too, was recovering quickly and, very soon after their ordeal, both were allowed to exit the Healing Halls and return to their rooms, albeit wrapped in the Elf Lord's orders of things they were not to do.

One of which was climb trees.

Which was exactly why both were now sat on a low branch in the gardens of Rivendell.

Legolas' hands were healing painfully slowly, unlike the rest of his body. It irritated him, not only because of the slow process, but because until they were healed, he'd not know if the injuries will have affected his archery, a devastating loss to the young Elf Prince.

He sighed, inspecting them. Many of the small bones in his hands were still not healed yet in the almost four weeks it had been since he had met the Orcs and he was worried about their condition. Aragorn noticed his scrutiny but did nothing to stop him. He knew the Elf would worry more if he wasn't allowed to see the damage.

The two friends sat in peace, Legolas listening to the song of the trees and Aragorn humming a light tune. It was moments like these that they'd missed whilst being cooped up inside. The serenity and comfort the outside world had to give to them, the healing tranquillity that the gardens of Rivendell brought to them, the happiness and calm the two felt to be able to just sit and enjoy the other's company. This is what they had missed inside and this is what they would have missed of life.

"You know," Aragorn mused, "We never found out why."

Legolas considered this with a half smile, "You want to know, don't you."

It wasn't a question. Truthfully, Legolas did too.

Aragorn sent Legolas a half pleading look mixed with a teasing glimmer of a smile.

"Come on Amin, where's your Elvin curiosity gone?"

"'Tis wounded along with my feelings now Estel!"

Aragorn laughed, "So you won't come?""Absolutely not."

"You're not a bit curious about anything that has happened?"

"My curiosity is still recovering from our last adventure Estel."

"You don't really mean that do you?"

"Not a word."