Note: This fic is rated R for a good reason. This is a revised version of 'Falling Tears' and branches off differently now. But the ending will pretty much still be the same. Contains shounen ai between Legolas and Aragorn. These characters do not belong to me. The character whose POV is being written are marked with ********. Elven words are in ''.

Secret Pain

Part 2

*************
Boromir
*************

I had understood only one word of the Elvish sentence that Legolas had said to Aragorn.

'Orcs'. I'd heard that word often enough to know what it meant.

I didn't understand. There were no Orcs around here.

"Orcs attacked you, Legolas?" Aragorn questioned. He sounded slightly suspicious.

Legolas nodded, and flinched. He brought one hand up to his head. "Yes," he muttered.

I couldn't believe it. Why was Legolas lying to Aragorn? He could easily have told his friend the truth, and Aragorn would have been furious.

Aragorn frowned, but accepted what Legolas was saying. "Boromir, will you bring me my medicine bag? It's by my pack."

I jumped slightly at my name. I nodded and went over and got it for him, before walking over.

Legolas tensed as I drew near. I couldn't say that I blamed him.

I watched as the elf took a deep breath and forced himself to relax. Even with the bruises and cuts, Legolas was still beautiful. But a new wariness was in his eyes as he looked at me. I could easily tell what he was silently saying with his angry green eyes: "Stay away from me."

I handed the bag to Aragorn and backed away from the Elf. I needed to speak with Legolas alone. To tell him my side of the story. To explain that I had never meant to hurt him like this. I still cared about him. But after what I had done, Legolas would never return my affection.

That was a harsh truth.

Aragorn removed some herbs and split them open. I saw Legolas turn his face away from his friend, because he was keeping his eyes on me. The watchful, wary expression was like a dagger in my heart.

I cleared my throat. "I'm going to go scout around and see if any more Orcs are around."

Aragorn nodded slowly. "Be careful. We don't know how many there may be."

"Aren't I always?" I retorted, needing to get away from Legolas for a while. I hated seeing his Elven beauty marred with bruises and blood, and knowing that I had done that to him.

Aragorn became tight-lipped and said nothing more.

I walked away silently. I didn't know what else to do.

*************
Aragorn
*************

I knew Legolas was not telling me the full truth.

Orcs overpowering him, of all the Company? And I had seen no Orc tracks. But why would he lie?

'What really happened, Legolas?' I questioned in Elvish, after Boromir had walked away.

My Elven friend tensed. 'I already told you, Aragorn.'

I said firmly, 'I know you better than anyone else. You could not be taken down by Orcs.' To my surprise, he went slightly pale at my words.

'Orcs did attack me,' Legolas said angrily. 'So let it be, for the sake of our friendship.'

I was very suspicious now, but I decided to back off for now. I would ask again when he was calmer and not so angry.

I sighed. 'As you wish, Legolas. Now let me tend to your wounds.' Legolas turned towards me, flinching again. I sighed when I saw the blood covering most of the cuts that needed treatment. 'I'll need to clean those off,' I told him.

Legolas narrowed his eyes. 'I will go and bathe myself, and then return.' He pushed the blanket off of him and sat up, hissing softly in pain as he did so.

I would have offered to help him, but I knew that his Elven pride wouldn't allow him to accept my help.

Legolas stood and limped slightly over to his pack, before he carefully sat down. The beautiful elf dug through it, and took out his spare leggings, soap, and other bathing items. Legolas looked at me silently, before he painfully stood and walked away.

I removed my bloody blankets, and replaced them with fresh ones. The others were stained with Elven blood. I shook my head, and began searching through my herbs.

A short time later, I suddenly realized that I still had his weapons, when one of the Elven daggers in my medicine pouch pricked my fingers. I was preparing the herbs I thought I would need to treat the cuts that Legolas had, and realized that I had not returned the Elf's weapons. If the Orcs… or whatever attacked him came back, Legolas would be defenseless. Well, not defenseless, really. But weaponless.

I stood and grabbed his short sword, as well as his bow and quiver. I then went after Legolas.

*************
Legolas
*************

It was very painful to walk. Most of my body hurt, as did my ribs. I was pretty certain that at least one of them was broken.

I finally reached the lake, trudging over the snow. The lake was not frozen, which relieved me. I hung my spare leggings on a branch nearby, and two out of the four drying cloths I'd brought.

It was a relatively small lake, with numerous tall trees around it. If it had not been the winter season, it probably would have been a place of beauty, with the rowan and hemlock trees. If I had not been so distracted, I would have sung of its beauty. But I did not feel like singing very much.

The soap and shampoo I placed beside the lake, along with two of the drying cloths. I undid the braids in my hair carefully, before I stripped off my torn and blood clothes. I'd never wear them again.

I made my way into the lake slowly, glad now that Elves could not feel the cold. Otherwise, I probably could not have cleaned myself, for I would have probably frozen in the water. But I was not going to let Aragorn clean me, when I was capable of doing it myself.

I ducked all the way under the lake water, feeling the soft mud underneath. I kept my ears focused on hearing anything that approached me, as I grabbed the soap and began removing the touch of the one who had violated me.

No, I would not tell Aragorn- or the others- what Boromir had done to me. Our Fellowship would not be broken because of me. Aragorn would most likely try to kill Boromir and wonder why I had not. I could not kill another member of the Fellowship, at least not without just cause.

But neither would I be foolish enough to believe that it could not happen again. The Ring had corrupted Boromir once, and I knew that it could happen to any of us. The One Ring had claimed its first victim in Boromir. Would I be next, or one of the Hobbits? Or Gimli, perhaps? Any of us might be tempted by its evil power.

Could Aragorn be swayed by it? I was not certain. For all that he was afraid of being tempted, he alone was showing no signs of being corrupted. I was relieved for his sake, for that was what Aragorn had feared the most.

My head ached fiercely from where I had been hit with Boromir's sword hilt. The human had been surprisingly strong. I was not certain if that had been his own strength, or if the Ring had somehow given him more. I was not going to let my guard down around him again.

I heard someone approaching, as I finished cleaning my body. It had been more than just a mere bath; I felt that I had cleaned my soul as well. I was waist-high in the water, and ducked down until the figure came closer. It was a man; I could tell by the sound. I hoped it was not Boromir. I knew I would have to face and confront him, but I would rather do so later.

To my relief, I saw that it was Aragorn. I stood once more and let him see me.

This was a human I admired and respected in all the time that I had known him. It was Aragorn I had desired more than anyone I had ever known. I had never told him of my feelings, for I knew of his relationship with the daughter of Elrond.

*************
Aragorn
*************

I was stunned at the sight before me as I reached the shore of the lake.

Legolas stood there, looking at me. His natural beauty made the deep bruises and cuts stand out even more. A strange look was on his face, as droplets of water dripped down his beautiful, pale skin. His green eyes looked… relieved, which was curious to me. The water had made Legolas's long golden hair turn into wet, little ringlets.

I was unable to speak for a few moments.

'What is it, Aragorn?' Legolas asked quietly, as a concerned look came over his face.

I cleared my throat. 'I forgot to give you your weapons back, Legolas. I found them in the forest.'

He nodded slowly, and winced. 'Thank you,' Legolas said, his eyes never leaving me, as he walked forward somewhat, very slowly.

'What hurts you so?' I questioned.

Legolas curled one of his slender arms around his ribcage. 'I received a minor blow to my ribs, Aragorn. I shall be all right in a few days. Elves heal fast.'

I frowned. 'At least let me bind it for you when you return to the camp, Legolas.'

He frowned back. 'I am capable of treating my own injuries,' Legolas said firmly. 'I am much older than you, after all.'

'Why are you acting like this?' I blurted out.

'Acting like what?' Legolas said. A tense expression was on his face.

I scowled. 'You rarely complain when I treat your injuries. What is wrong?'

To my shock, I saw a slight glimmer of tears in his green eyes, before Legolas blinked them away and replaced the glimpse of sadness that I had seen with anger.

He snapped, 'Nothing is wrong!' Legolas then moaned softly and touched his forehead. My friend looked at me, before he nearly fell over.

I dropped what I carried and ran over to catch him. I held him, and felt Legolas tense in my arms. He tried to jerk loose, but nearly collapsed again. I ignored the smoothness of his skin, as I looked directly into his face. Wariness, a hint of fear, and anger crossed the usually calm and stoic Elven face.

'Let me go!' Legolas shouted. He struggled again.

I released him, and backed away. 'I sought only to aid you, my friend.'

Legolas flinched. 'I'm sorry, Aragorn. It's not your fault,' he said, looking me straight in the eyes.

'What's not my fault?' I inquired. I was relieved to know that he wasn't angry at me.

'N-Nothing,' Legolas said quickly. He turned his gaze from me and went to the shore, long enough to grab his shampoo. 'Leave my weapons where my other clothes are.'

I nodded. Legolas was not ready to tell me whatever his secret was, so I left the lake and placed his weapons by his disheveled shirt, tunic, and leggings.

Legolas hastily scrubbed his hair with the shampoo and rinsed. I watched him as he washed his face for a second time, seeing pain in his emerald eyes as he touched the bruise and gash on his forehead. My Elven friend then started walking towards the shore.

I averted my gaze slightly as he left the lake and picked up one of the cloths.

Legolas turned his back to me and began drying himself off. I was horrified when I saw the numerous bruises on his backside. Raw, red marks of what looked like fingernail scratches were on his lower back. His eyes challenged me to say something, as he glanced over his shoulder, so I remained silent.

What could I say, anyway? I didn't know what had happened to Legolas, but I knew that it must have been something bad. He never acted like this, at least not around me. And Legolas was in pain.

His stubbornness rivaled my own. The blond Prince of Mirkwood prided himself on being strong and independent. He refused help when it was offered, unless he was seriously injured.

I heard Legolas say my name weakly, and I looked at him.

*************
Legolas
*************

I carefully avoided looking at Aragorn, but I knew that he still suspected something.

I was also beginning to feel slightly unwell, but I continued walking over to the tree where I'd hung my clean leggings. My ribs were hurting much worse, now. Especially after I'd cleaned my hair.

I took my leggings in one hand, and let the cloth drop in the other. I dressed as fast as I could, ignoring the pain. Nausea had crept up on me, but I was trying not to give in to it. I was not having much success, either.

I suddenly felt the blood drain from my face and the world spun around me slightly. By Elbereth, I thought. I am going to faint. My vision blurred even more, as I whispered Aragorn's name. My friend turned to face me, right before I crumpled to the ground. The world went black.

To be continued