A/N Everyone still alive? Cool. Lemme see if I can fix that.

Is now a good time to tell you my job is on spring break and we can ride this bought of inspiration for daaaays?

Also how are we feeling about the Aragorn POV stuff? I've been enjoying his side of things so I hope y'all are too.

Aragorn hated knowing this had been bothering her since the morning. The pace he'd kept when they set out had hardly been light, they'd pushed off a rest in order to catch the deer, and then with all of that he'd had her help carry it back. It was no wonder she'd fallen ill so quickly. He hoped she'd just been adept at hiding it and not that he'd neglected to see it, but he had to admit he'd been distracted that day.

He'd taken her riding every day since she first asked, looking forward to it all day while he tried to find things to do to pass the time. Now that she would be coming on the quest he was finding it harder to ignore what he'd thought would fade. Harder to ignore a creeping fear of what might happen to her outside the safety of Rivendell.

That fear dogged her, of that he was certain. The panic in her face when she'd spoken to Lord Elrond after the council kept coming back to him. Still, at times when she thought he wasn't looking, it was in her eyes again. No doubt it had pushed her to be so fervent about learning everything she could to the point it seemed, where she may have pushed too hard.

Arriving back at the camp he laid her down on her bedroll and covered her in her cloak. She stirred a little as he did but her eyes stayed shut. A hand on her forehead confirmed her fever had not abated as he'd hoped it might with rest and they were too far out to return to Rivendell. He would have to take care of it here and was thankful they'd chosen a place near a stream to camp so he wouldn't have to leave her long to gather water. He was only gone for a few minutes and set it to boil with willow bark he'd gathered while at the stream. He would begin with that and save his sparse supply of athelas in case she took a turn.

They could have brought horses. Should have brought horses now. He could've had her back in Rivendell by tomorrow if they had. But there was no use in it now and if she did not recover quickly and they were late returning, Lord Elrond would send a party to find them.

The sun had moved quite a bit by the time Josephine opened her eyes again. At some point the pace of Aragorn's gait had helped her nod off and she didn't even remember them getting back to camp. She sat up slowly, regretting it all when her head pounded in retaliation.

By the fire Aragorn set his pack aside and knelt in front of her. "How are you feeling?"

Her first instinct was to lie but then again she'd practically fainted on him, and felt like she'd do it again if she stood up. After all the breakdowns and freak-outs he'd been through with her, if she was going to be honest with anybody it seemed best for it to be him.

"Terrible." She croaked, coughing the moment she tried to put her dry throat to use.

Touching her knee as he stood to go back to the fire, he picked up a tin cup, took a sip to test it, then held it out for her. "This will help."

The hot tea rolled down her throat, soothing some of the burning but not taking it away entirely. She sipped at it and pulled her cloak around her while he stirred something cooking over the fire. When he noticed he was being watched he smiled at her softly and took up an empty bowl, filling it with stew from the cookpot.

"Sorry I ruined our hunting trip." She confessed as he came back to her side.

He sat, exchanging the cup in her hands for the bowl and a spoon. "The bears will be glad to find the fruits of our labor and I will be glad to see you well again. You need not apologize."

She spooned through the stew, a simple broth with some wild carrots and small chunks of meat, probably a rabbit from one of their snares. It wasn't very flavorful but it was hot and the thought of something rich was unappealing anyway.

He shifted, letting her use him as a crutch while she sat up eating. The small bowl was soon empty and she went back to finish the rest of the tea, finding herself leaning against his shoulder more and more. She just wanted to get through it and go back to sleep now, the day was getting along and the cool fall air was seeping into her bones.

By the time she reached the dregs she'd started shivering despite the warmth of the tea. Aragorn laid her back down and tucked her cloak and blankets around her firmly as she curled up on her side, then gathered his own and put them over her as well. She watched him the whole time, wondering if she should be worried by the crease between his eyebrows as she shivered beneath the layers. Finally he pulled the hood of her cloak up and smoothed her hair back from the edge.

"There is nothing you need do but sleep." He assured her, putting a warm hand on her shoulder and the other over the crown of her head. "I will see to the rest."

The moment she closed her eyes she could feel the pull of sleep and it wasn't long before she was doing what he'd asked.

She dreamt of fire surrounded by darkness so deep its light couldn't reach beyond itself. Chittering claws and yelps were all around her and then came the drums. When her eyes snapped open it was night and there was no light except for the low burning fire. A figure moved beside her in the darkness and she jumped back, tangling in blankets.

"Aragorn?" He'd been resting against a stone next to her bed and looked like he'd tried to catch some sleep himself.

"Dreams?" He asked, reaching to help right the blankets.

Dreams about the future, Moria and goblins and Balrogs. She'd heard of people having nightmares when they were sick but she hadn't had to deal with it herself before. In the dark the sounds seemed less inclined to slip away and promised they'd come back full force the second she closed her eyes again.

"Waiting for me to go back to sleep." The pull was so strong but she wasn't ready. "I'm ready to get off this ride now."

"I fear this will still last a while longer." He gazed at her sympathetically and rubbed her shoulders. "Are you able to speak of it?"

She shook her head, feeling a burn in her eyes. "Seer shit. Count yourself lucky." She felt horrible and just wanted to sleep, but now sleep held literal demons and she couldn't even tell him to try and give them less credence. Another shiver ran through her body but it was less than it had been earlier, so at least there was that.

He drew her blanket back around her shoulders and took her hand. "Come, I will tell you a tale from the north, perhaps that will put you at ease."

She wasn't sure if he'd intended for her to curl up in a puddle of blankets, half in his lap as he leaned back against the rock again. But if he hadn't, he didn't stop her either. Nor did it keep him from carding his fingers through her hair as he spoke in a low voice of people she thought she'd heard of before, but couldn't place anymore. They began to replace the fire and yelps from her dream and his voice faded as she drifted off again.

He watched her fall back asleep but didn't stop until the story was finished in case she still heard him. A touch to her cheek promised him her fever had gone down and the tea was working. He hoped by morning she would feel better.

The way she'd curled up on him with her head resting on his stomach and her arms folded into her chest had warmed his heart. He felt almost guilty that her finding comfort in him made him feel such an affection for her. But then again, he supposed he felt somewhat guilty for his feelings towards her as a whole lately. She had enough on her mind and he would not add to them. Unless she gave him reason to believe otherwise, he would keep such things to himself.

Aragorn knew now that there was no hope of them fading. Even with distance he would still think of her and they would receive little of that for some time to come. The best he would hope for now was to be there when she needed, and protect her along the journey.