Hey everyone! Thank you all SO MUCH for the awesome reviews! 320 for 7 chapters! I'm flattered, lol! It's so much fun to hear the wonderful things that everyone has to say! Thanks so much! :) Here's chapter 8; we finally get to see Legolas wake up for real! WOO HOO! lol ;)

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Legolas heard voices, but he wasn't sure if they were real or imagined. The blackness in his mind slowly turned into the sight of the Misty Mountains, and he found himself standing in the woods.

"Tell us what we want to know, elf!"

Legolas looked up into the face of a huge orc. 'This does not make sense,' he thought. 'The orcs questioned Estel, not me…'

Stars erupted in his vision when the orc punched him hard in the face, but he didn't fall, as he suddenly found that he was being held up by two more of the foul creatures.

'Where is Aragorn?' he wondered.

"Did that loosen your tongue, or shall I inflict more pain upon you?" the orc sneered.

"I shan't tell you anything!" Legolas shouted.

Growling, the orc pulled back his fist, this time slamming it into the elf's midsection.

Legolas' breath was knocked from his lungs and he gasped in pain and shock, falling to his hands and knees. Black spots danced before his eyes as he tried to breathe, and he suddenly felt a hand on his back.

"Leave him alone!" he heard.

It was Aragorn.

Legolas tried to speak, to tell his friend to run, but he still couldn't get any air.

"Legolas?" Aragorn said, sounding very worried at the sound of his friend's gasps.

Legolas was still unable to answer, but he could gradually feel some ability to breathe returning, as Aragorn held onto him, refusing to let him collapse.

"You will both die!" the orc exclaimed, moving towards them.

Legolas felt himself being pulled to his feet as Aragorn quickly yanked him off the ground, away from the orc. The human's effort was in vain, however, as the orc quickly moved in, dagger in hand.

Legolas gasped again, as the blade was forced into his body. Looking at the orc, he saw it suddenly change into Aragorn, smiling menacingly as he viciously twisted the knife and yanked it out.

'No…' Legolas thought. 'Estel…my friend…he could not have done this…'

Suddenly he was lying on the ground, and the 'real' Aragorn was kneeling over him, with tears in his eyes.

"Legolas!" he exclaimed. "Legolas! No!"

When Legolas started moaning and moving weakly on the bed, Elrond thought him delirious again and leaped out of his chair, taking the wet cloth off the younger elf's forehead and checking his temperature. It was mostly unchanged, and Elrond sighed in concern.

"Hush, Legolas." He tried to soothe the wounded elf by gently smoothing his hair, rewetting the cloth with his other hand.

Legolas exhaled shakily, but thankfully calmed a minute later.

Elrond looked to Aragorn, relieved that the commotion hadn't woken the human. Ringing out the cloth, the elf sighed as he wiped it across Legolas' too-warm face, before replacing it on his forehead.

"Legolas!" Aragorn suddenly exclaimed, apparently suffering a bad dream himself.

Elrond put a hand on his son's shoulder when he bolted upright. "Peace, Estel, you were dreaming."

Aragorn blinked in confusion, remembering being wide-awake in the chair that Elrond currently occupied. "You drugged me!"

Elrond could not hold back a slight smile at his son's tone.

Aragorn sighed, too nervous over his friend's condition to bother arguing as he scooted closer to his friend. "Has he awoken?" he asked, reaching to feel Legolas' forehead.

"No," Elrond told him, deciding not to mention the injured elf's restless episode.

Aragorn sighed heavily. "I can't believe that his temperature hasn't changed much."

Elrond opened his mouth to answer, but quickly closed it. 'It is a very serious injury,' he'd nearly said. Estel feels guilty enough, he thought.

The door opened as Elladan and Elrohir came back in, carrying food.

"How is he?" Elladan asked.

"The same," Aragorn told him, with a sigh.

Elrond took a bowl of broth, crushing some herbs and dropping them in. "Eat something, Estel," he said, noticing that his human son had made no move towards the food.

Aragorn shook his head.

Elrond knew that he would refuse, and put on a strict expression. "If you do not, I shall make your brothers carry you out of this room and I shall lock the door behind you." It was perhaps a little too stern, considering the circumstances, but Elrond knew that Aragorn hadn't eaten since the previous day.

Aragorn was horrified at the thought of being locked out, and sighed, reaching towards the tray, not caring what his hand touched. "Have we heard anything from the warriors that were sent out to slay the orcs?"

Elrond looked to his twin sons, who shook their heads.

"Not yet," Elladan said.

Aragorn frowned, hoping that the orcs hadn't somehow overcome the elves…

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Legolas remained unconscious through the night, with only a slight decrease in his temperature. Elrond gave him stronger medicine, hoping that it would break the fever that plagued the younger elf.

Aragorn sat in a chair at his friend's bedside all night, trying to remain awake. The hours passed excruciatingly slow, and he sighed heavily. How many times have I waited for Legolas to awaken from one injury or another? To now be the one to cause such an injury to him…

Elrond sensed his son's anguish. "Ion-nin…"

Aragorn looked up, surprised at his father's sudden voice.

"Legolas knows that you care for him as if he were your brother. You fret unnecessarily; he will not hold you responsible."

Aragorn sighed. "But I…he…"

Elrond frowned. "What is it?" he whispered, since Elladan and Elrohir were asleep in chairs at the foot of the bed.

"Legolas lost consciousness immediately," Aragorn closed his eyes against the memory. "He wasn't aware of what happened; that I mistook him for an orc…I didn't get a chance to say anything before he passed out…"

Elrond sighed, not having known that. He crossed to the other side of the bed and put a hand on his son's shoulder. "He will understand, I promise you."

Aragorn sighed, reopening his eyes. Reaching forward, he laid his hand on Legolas' forehead, finding that his temperature seemed a little lower.

Elrond saw the look on his face and felt the elf's forehead for himself. "It appears that his fever is lessening."

Aragorn gave him a smile, sitting back in his chair and loudly sighing with relief.

The noise roused Elrohir, whose body gave a small jerk. He fell back to sleep immediately, however, and let out a loud snore.

Elladan—though still asleep—suddenly reached up a hand and smacked his brother on the arm.

Elrohir's snoring instantly stopped.

Aragorn and Elrond smiled at the sight, neither of them able to hold back a quiet chuckle.

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Noontime came and went without Legolas waking.

Aragorn continued to rewet the cloth on his friend's forehead; anxiety not letting him leave his friend's side.

It was towards evening when the injured elf finally stirred.

The sound of dripping water was the first thing that Legolas heard, before suddenly feeling something cold and wet laid on his forehead. He abruptly realized what was happening, and fought to open his eyes.

"Estel."

Aragorn leaped out of his chair, in shock at the sound of his friend's voice. "Legolas?"

Legolas opened his eyes halfway, smiling slightly.

Aragorn sat on the side of the bed, utterly relived to see his friend conscious. "Are you all right? How do you feel?"

"Fine," Legolas whispered.

Aragorn made a face, knowing that it was a ridiculous lie. "Do you..." he paused, sighing. "Do you recall what happened?"

Legolas blinked his eyes, leaving them closed for a few seconds. When he opened them, he look puzzled for a minute, before his confusion melted away. "Aye...I remember."

Aragorn could barely hold back his emotions. "Legolas, mellon-nin, I am so sorry! I understand if you do not forgive me..."

Legolas frowned, his eyes opening further. "You think that I would not forgive you?" The long sentence was too much for the weak elf to say all at once, and he closed his eyes, breathing heavily. "It was...an accident..."

"Shh," Aragorn said, tears welling in his eyes at his friend's unfailing loyalty. "Rest."

Legolas said nothing for a minute, eyes still closed, so Aragorn thought him asleep. "Im innas anna-nin cuil an beria lin, mellon-nin," the human whispered.

Legolas smiled slightly. "A im…sui eithel…" he whispered back, drifting into sleep.

Translations:

'Im innas anna-nin cuil an beria lin, mellon-nin' : Sindarin Elvish for, 'I would give my life to protect yours, my friend'

'A im sui eithel' : 'And I as well'