Disclaimer: Sadly I do not own anything.

Summary: After the death of his friend, Aragorn falls into depression and there may only be one person who can draw him out of it.

~*Author's Notes*~ Hey to all my reviewers! I appreciate it that you all continued to send me all your support and good wishes during my self doubt phase. I am going to finish the story but sadly I won't be able to update as often. I have about a dozen school projects up in the air and I'm going to Ottawa in about a week for a graduation trip. Also I am being confirmed in a couple of weeks. Thus resulting in in lesser time to update. But please keep on reading it, I greatly adore reviews!

How Can I Survive

Chapter 28

Arwen sat up from the chair she was sitting in when she heard a knock on the door. She opened the entrance to her quarters and waiting outside she saw Aragorn holding a bouquet of flowers in his left hand. There was a mix of roses, lilies, daffodils and tulips.

"Oh, Estel they're beautiful. Thank you so much" she said as she took the flowers and placed a kiss on his lips. "Nothing is to good for you. Are you ready to go on our walk that we planned" he asked. "Yes I am" she answered as she placed his gift in a vase filled with water and placed her hand in his.

They walked down the corridors making their way to the exit of the palace. When they walked down the steps that led into the garden Arwen commented "It's a beautiful night" "Yes, it is. But no evening could match the beauty that was bestowed upon you" Aragorn replied causing the evenstar to blush.

They strolled hand in hand through the trees barely talking. There were no words that could fit in the moment. It was such a perfect night and no language was needed. Basically the only things that were said between them, was how much they loved one another.

*****

Ireth stood on her balcony watching the goings on below. "I think I could use a walk" she said to herself when she saw Aragorn and Arwen sauntering through the gardens.

She put her long raven coloured hair up into a bun and put on a lengthy red evening dress that was custom made for Arwen's homecoming, that she didn't end up wearing. "You will suffer Undomiel, you can try anything but you will suffer just like the rest of us" she muttered as she departed her room. She stalked down the hallways only to run into someone. "Nessime get out of my way" she hissed as she pushed the blonde elf towards the wall.

Ireth was going to continue to walk down the hallway but Nessime grabbed on to the sleeve of her gown halting her movements. "Where are you going" she demanded. "It's none of your business" Ireth snapped, pulling her arm away and proceeded to walk away.

Instead of following her Nessime stayed where she was. She didn't want to be involved in what ever was going to go down, more than she already was. She had a gut feeling that whatever it was, was going to happen tonight. She just wanted to stay as far away as possible from the events that were sure to occur. She went back into her room and closed the door.

She laid down in her soft bed and reality hit her right then. She was the reason the Celebrian was dead, and now she wasn't even lifting a finger to make sure that Arwen's relationship stayed alive. She loved Elrohir, but so far all she had done was break the hearts of his family. And now she was doing it again.

"I'm a horrible person" she mumbled to herself and she rubbed her eyes trying to stop the tears that would indisputably fall otherwise. "What is wrong with me? I thought I was trying to change my life." she cursed herself for being so thoughtless. "Well, I am going to do the right thing for once in my life" Nessime promised herself. She stood up and advanced to follow Ireth.

On her way down the stairs, she bumped into someone coming up. "Nessime" Elrohir said as both he and his brother saw her. "Why are you in such a hurry" the younger twin asked. "I have a feeling that Ireth is planning to make her move tonight" she answered. The sylvan elf didn't need to say anything more. The three individuals ran down the steps hoping to stop anything that could break up the two that loved each other so much.

*****

Arwen and Aragorn were walking in the woods that surrounded Imladris. They were slowly making their way back to the palace. "Arwen, I am going to be leaving soon and I don't want to hold you back if you decided love someone else while I am gone" "I will never find anybody that I could love more than you" She could see the anxiety and worry in his eyes. They seemed to have a special bond that he had never had with anyone else.

"Can you just wait here for a second, I have to check on Asfaloth" Arwen asked as they neared the stables. "He is weary of people he doesn't know well" she said explaining why she wanted to go alone. "Oh, of course" he answered whilst nodding his head making sure she knew he didn't mind.

He watched as she ran off towards her horse. He leaned up against a tree and yawned as tiredness crept up on him. He rubbed the sweat off his brow as someone approached him. "Estel" he turned around when he heard her voice. "Ireth, hello" he replied as he turned around. "I didn't expect to see anyone else out here at this hour" she commented. "Well actually Arwen is checking on her horse, I'm just waiting -"

He was cut off as she leaned in and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. He was caught off guard, and he tried to push her away without hurting her. Unfortunately someone saw before he could. "What are you doing" Ireth yelled as she shoved Aragorn away from herself, pretending that she was the victim. "What is going on?" Arwen demanded. She wasn't the only one who came at this time. Nessime and the twins also came up on the scene.

"I don't know. I was just going for a walk and I came across him. We had talked before so I trid to start up a conversation but he just pulled me to him and kissed me" Ireth said, putting on an act. She made her voice sound upset and unstable. "That is not true Arwen, I swear it. She kissed me" Aragorn said defending himself.

Arwen shook her head in disbelief. "You expect me to think that? That my best friend would go behind my back like that" she seethed at him. "No I promise, I love you. I wouldn't do that" the dunadan pleaded with her. "Don't give me those lies. I saw what happened" Arwen shouted at him. "I'm not lying to you. I know what it must have looked like but I'm not lying to you. I have never lied to you once" he begged. "Well we all have to start somewhere" she said as she balled her hand into a fist and met it with Estel's face.

He stumbled a bit but managed to remain on his feet. He grabbed his nose which had started to bleed, for the evenstar had hit him with all her might. "Maybe we should all go back to the palace" Elladan suggested as he placed a hand on Aragorn's shoulder. "Stay out of this" Arwen snapped.

All of a sudden Aragorn felt a shooting pain pass through his head. He felt dizzy and rickety. He massaged his temple trying to make the agony stop. But his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he toppled backward on to an un expecting Nessime. She fell to the ground also, ripping her forest green dress at the bottom. "On my gosh" she exclaimed when she laid her slender hand on his forehead. "What is it" Arwen asked concernedly. She may have been angry with him, but she still loved him. "He's burning up" the sylvan elf answered.

Elrohir, who was the most skilled healer in the group, dropped to his knees to check out the situation. When the younger clenched his eyes shut, the others in the group all knew something was terribly wrong. "He's had a relapse."

Well what do you think? I had to make something happen to Aragorn. Lets face it, he may be a dunadan but he ain't Superman. His injuries had to catch up with him sometime right? Anyway let me know by reviewing!

~*Judy Greenleaf*~