Break-Neck Hights

Legolas spun faster than an Elfling on a newly washed floor. That scream wasn't an illusion. Gimli was running down the hill he saw his daughter on, screaming at him. Legolas took off running.

Legolas ran to the edge of the river, just as there was a large crack, and a scream, and then he saw Alana plunge into the rapids below. Not even thinking he dove in after her.

It was as if his mind was going on Auto-Play, for the rest of him was in too muck shock to move. He swam out towards the thrashing girl, and reached out for her, and it was at the moment he saw her stop thrashing.

Legolas looped his arm about his daughter's waist and brought her back against his chest. Grabbing a bit of the floating log he struggled to stay above water, and to keep Alana up. Now he could only wait for death. He could remember only once when he had been in this situation.

//Flashback//

Alana giggled and threw her thin arms around her father's neck, giggling into his hair as her very angry, and soaked mother arrived on shore.

Legolas took one look at his wife, and knew he was going to die. Novthô l glared at him, and started towards him with slow deliberation. He could just see the knife in her hands. Hugging his toddler daughter to his chest, he turned and ran.

It had been a simple prank, nothing more. Legolas had tricked Novthô l into going with him to the small swimming lagoon, an outbreak of a large river. When they had gotten there, Novthô l, disposed to some relaxation and awaiting no surprise, fell asleep, only to be awoken rudely when her husband decided to give her a bath.

Alana had decided to help her father and had leapt on her mother's stomach, shoving her further down in the water, and then ran out and went to her father, also knowing that her mother was out to kill.

Racing up the hill nearby to the river, he ended up trapped against the riverbank. Novthô l chased them still and as she got very close up to them, Legolas stepped back, and slipped on some wet stones and fell into the rushing river.

Alana screamed and grabbed onto her father's hair. Legolas struggled against the river and swam towards the shore, but the waves kept pushing him back.

"Legolas!" Novthô l screamed and ran downstream to catch them soon.

The waterfall was approaching, and as they were about to go over, Legolas grabbed onto a rock that was jutting from the waterfall. Holding on tightly to the rock, he put both feet against the waterfall's wall and stood up slightly, swinging his body around and onto the shore.

"Oh Legolas, Alana." Novthô l was crying as she hugged them to her, and the soaking family left to return home.

//End of Flashback//

Legolas clung to his daughter a bit harder and prayed that another opportunity for them to be saved would come. The waterfall was drawing closer, and he could hear the falling water.

A coil of rope fell in front of him, and he could hear Aragorn and Gimli yelling at him. Grabbing onto the rope he shut his eyes and prayed. He suddenly felt air beneath him, and looking down he saw that the log had gone over the waterfall and lay in pieces below them. Gimli gave the rope a few good tugs as he brought them up.

Hugging his daughter tightly to him he shakily brought his hand up to her neck, feeling for a pulse. It was faint, but still there.

"We must get her to the healers!" He yelled to Aragorn. Aragron nodded, and took Legolas by the arm, and they took off to the Healers Tent.

The Healers Tent was not very full, and they quickly got Alana to bed. While the healers bustled about, Legolas sat with his daughter and cradled her head, thinking how he could very well lose something he had just gotten back.

"Oh my little one, I love you. Don't leave me."

***

Alana stood in the void, looking at the Halls of Mandos happily. She could soon be with mother. But something was stopping her. Her father. He was alive! She could stay with him forever! They could be happy, too.

"Oh my little one, I love you. Don't leave me." She heard a whisper in her soul, evidently her father. She turned for a second, wandering where to go. She just stood there, waiting for a decision on her part.

***

Legolas looked out the window flap, and saw the sun going down. He hoped that this wasn't a sign of his daughter's passing. He hoped she would watch many, many more with them. He silently was pleading with Iluvatar not to take her away from him. Not to make this her last sunset…

R/R! Still could have a sad ending! A bit of action, and little bit of angst, and then there was that memory…