Author's Note: Once again, these people are not mine, though I am attempting to buy them off e-bay (lol). Thank you to all of my faithful reviewers…your input really counts! I feel so loved…I haven't gotten a single flame (yet). Glad y'all like it! Um, I don't think I'll turn this story into a slash, at least not graphic or anything, mostly because my family is reading this story, and if I want to finish this story, I won't be able to do it if I'm locked in my room, lol! Sorry, it's an interesting idea though…can you say "new story"? Kk, erm, please review!!!:-P

Random Song Line of the Chapter:

Remember when, we never needed each other…The best of friends, like sister and brother. We understood we'd never be alone…

Chapter Six: A Familiar Face in the Crowd

Perillessuwen walked to Bill and relieved him of Frodo. She carried him as a mother carries a sleeping child, tenderly and with care. A fit of shivers overcame him, and she looked quite shocked.

"I told you he was ill…" Sam said quietly.

"I didn't expect…I didn't think that…Oh, if only we could reach Elrond!" she exclaimed, glaring at the sky. She walked a little further before she realized the other hobbits were no longer walking at her heels. She turned around to find they were all staring open mouthed at her. "What?" she asked, slightly defensively.

"We can't reach him? I thought he was just gone!" cried Sam, and Merry and Pippin murmured their assent, mouths still hanging open.

"Alas, no! Elrond is many leagues away; it would take over a year just to reach him. I am sorry." She added, startled by the crestfallen looks on their faces. "We will have to care for Mr. Baggins without him."

"He…he's gone? And can't be reached?" Merry stuttered out. When Perillessuwen nodded, he muttered, "Frodo…we will loose him…" Tears began to well up in his eyes, as well as in Sam and Pippin's eyes.

"Speak not of ill tidings! We shall care for him directly…No care is better than the care of Rivendell's Elves." She commanded, her voice filled with pride.

She led them into one of the stunning white buildings and led them up the stairs. They reached an open door that revealed a beautiful room, with velvet-laced curtains, a picture window with a balcony, and a fireplace. The walls were white, but upon them were beautiful paintings and framed clippings of poetry written in Quenya, an attractive looking style of elfish language.

She laid Frodo down on the large wooden-framed bed. He instantly curled into a small, huddling ball.

~*~*~*~

Perillessuwen called for nurses and maids. The maids bathed Frodo in a warm bath, washing the caked grime and sweat from his body. The nurses, after his bath, began to sterilize the wound and check for the extent of the infection.

The Hobbits were shooed out of the room while the elves tended to their friend. They mostly stayed outside the door, making small talk, but not really paying attention to each other. Mostly they disappeared within their own thoughts and concerns.

After several hours, the head nurse came out, looking grave. "Mr. Baggins has an infected wound. The wound was not properly cared for, so the infection spread. The fever is but a mere side effect. He may die, but we cannot tell at this time. He has an almost equal chance of living, mind you." the nurse said, looking around at the small halflings in front of him.

"Almost?" Pippin echoed.

"May we see him now?" Sam asked, his voice barely more than a whisper. Tears were welling in his eyes, and he blinked them away. Poor Mr. Frodo…

The nurse nodded and moved aside to admit them into the room. Frodo lay in his bed, tucked in neatly. The size of the bed made his already shrunken body appear to shrink more…much to the dismay of Sam. Frodo's curly locks were spread out around his head on the pillow, like a dark aura. Frodo looked positively forlorn.

Behind them, the head nurse was informing them of what Frodo's feeding schedule would be (the elves were taking over the duty) and what his bathing schedule was. None of the hobbits really listened.

Sam pulled up a chair beside Frodo, much like he had in Bag-End.

~*~*~*~

Frodo remained asleep, and did not know he had reached Rivendell, though his dreams were filled with elven voices and Sam's kind face.

~*~*~*~

Merry and pippin explored Rivendell, visiting places familiar and new, while Sam stayed by Frodo's bedside, mopping his sweaty brow and reading bits of poetry to him (to soothe his dreams).

The elves tended to Frodo. His condition did not worsen, nor did it improve.

Every day went by as such, with hardly anything new happening. Finally, several days later, Merry and Pippin burst through the door, breathless and wide eyed with excitement.

"Sam!" they cried together.

"Wait till you see!" Pippin yelled, tugging at Sam's arm to make him stand.

"We couldn't believe!" Merry added, aiding Sam out the door.

Sam allowed himself to be dragged for a moment. Then he planted his feet and asked, "See what? And what about Mr. Frodo?"

Merry and Pippin looked exasperated, and Pippin said, "Frodo has the elves! Now COME ON!"

Sam followed them reluctantly down staircases and out of the building. Perillessuwen raised a hand in greeting, and he returned it. When the Hobbits reached their destination, Sam's eyes widened and his mouth dropped.

In front of them stood Legolas, an old friend and companion of theirs. He didn't appear to have aged a bit, and he was wearing his traveling garments. He saw Sam and smiled. "Greetings, Master Samwise! It has been too long!" he called, waving a hand to urge him forward.

"Legolas!" Sam cried, delighted. "It is so nice to see a familiar face in the crowd!"

Legolas smiled down at them. Sam had forgotten how tall he was, even by elf standards. Standing there, with sunlight glinting off of his spun-gold hair, his shoulders broad and strong, and a small smile upon his face, Legolas looked quite remarkable.

Sam wasn't the only one who noticed Legolas's appearance. Perillessuwen also watched him, eyes carefully guarded, lest anyone see how she studied him.

Merry smiled at her (not that she noticed, she was too busy assessing Legolas) and murmured to Legolas, "It looks like you have a fan…" Legolas glanced at Perillessuwen and smiled at her. She smiled back, then turned, and went into the building.

"You mean Perillessuwen? She is a cold elf…her parents died when she was young, and her family abandoned her. She found refuge at the house of Elrond, but she has lost her trust of most anyone." Legolas said, pity in his fair voice and blue eyes.

"We knew she was cold…that's too bad." Merry replied.

They stood around for a moment, clearly comfortable in each other's company. Then Legolas broke the silence and said, "Tell me of Frodo. Has he improved?"

Author's Note: Thank you for reading this far! I hope this chapter wasn't too corny…I told you Legolas would show up (you know who you are if you asked)! The others will probably show up soon…I promise.

Please review, anything welcome! The only way to get the next few chapters is to review, otherwise I shall…delete them, muahahaha! Ok, maybe I won't do that, but still, please review!!!