Disclaimer- I own nothing!!!

Uh- your welcome- don't you feel sorry for Katlin?- just a little bit?

Nilimade- thanks- oh and thanks for reviewing Salvation

A.H.Smith- well it's not as if I could kill them could I- you lot'd lynch me- thanks as always

Lady Viola- umm no- mainly because I didn't feel it was necessary- it's all explained in this chapter and I hope you'll agree

Dazzler420- Good- thanks exactly how it should be- as I am- which is why this chapter may seem a little weak

Angelhair- why thank you

And thanks to everybody else who read and reviewed xxx

Legolas had returned from his walk in a foul mood and had said nothing to anyone but he had still tucked his children in and made sure that his wife slept in his arms.

They were still on the healing wing and there they would stay until Eleni was well. Elrond had assured them she would wake within the next day, she would probably be a little fussy but she would recover swiftly so long as she had her family with her.

It was a little after midnight when Thalia had woken from a nightmare. A nightmare, which played itself over and over again in her mind like a memory.

She sat in the darkness, blind to all but the red-hot flames that danced within the stone hearth. The complicated dance that they undertook captured her and trapped her.

Her thoughts were overtaking her and she could think of nothing but the need for peace. The voices and questions whirled around her heart tearing her in two from the inside.

Her stormy eyes slipped from the fire and rested on the sleeping forms of her children and the guilt and sadness that she felt over almost losing them filled her once more and began to drown her.

She looked down to her hands, wishing that they were wrapped around the cool metal of a dagger but knowing that if she was to rise and retrieve one Legolas would wake.

Wearily she knelt down before the flames and sat in silence, listening and watching. Her arms came up and carefully she removed the pin in her hair and let it cascade down her back, shrouding her shoulders in a cloak of silver waves.

With a shaky breath she leaned forward and placed her hand near to the flames, feeling the hot fire lick her palms but not actually touching them. She waited, hoping that the sensation would be enough to curb her need for pain but she found herself yearning for more and without thinking or registering anything she placed her hand within the flames.

Legolas shot up from beneath the blankets as his heart answered a silent cry and a sharp pain engulfed him. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the room before finally resting on the still figure of his wife. He sat for a moment unsure of the urgency that his heart pushed him to acknowledge.

He rose from the bed quickly and approached her.

His eyes widened and with lightening reflexes he sat and pulled her hand from within the burning flames.

He did not have time to comprehend what she had done before he pushed everything to the back of his mind and set about retrieving a bucket of cold water and the herbs and wraps he would need.

His chest felt constricted as his eyes took in the sight of her red and blistered skin that covered her shaking hands.

As he sat with her hand in the bucket he studied her, the tears of betrayal and fear pricking in his eyes as he contemplated the situation.

He was beginning to doubt that she would ever heal. Her children had been taken from her, she had betrayed by her mother, he knew that she would consider cutting but never had he seen any one inflict pain on themselves by putting their hand in a fire.

The circle should have ended with the birth of their children and it should have fled her mind.

His body felt drained of all energy and his mind was heavy with thoughts of revenge and sorrow.

Thalia sat, as still as stone. Her eyes wide but unresponsive and her mouth closed, letting no sound come from her throat, be it a sob or a cry.

Legolas stood, tired, he could no longer live like this. As he did so Thalia cried out quietly, unleashing the torrent of emotion that had lain within her heart, that heart wrenching cry that told him everything. Her sorrow, her joy, her hurt.

And in that moment his questions were answered and his heart remade.

He sat down and embraced her with every fibre of his being and he knew then that they would survive for no bond was stronger.

The hall filled with the cries of the prince and princess of Mirkwood. Both curled around each other, making them as one. Raw emotion made it's way from the prince's heart and spilled into the world with every tear and every sob. Never had anyone felt such sorrow as they did.

The dawn arrived and shone through the tress and bathed the two elves as they sat, awake but quiet. They had sat that way for hours. Locked in each other's arms and refusing to let go. Not even when the fire burnt itself out did they move.

But as they had cried their bond had strengthened, Legolas realised that he did not have to protect her and Thalia realised that he was not perfect.

Elrond entered the room, a curious look upon his face as he studied the two young elves who at that moment looked like elflings themselves.

Thalia lifted her head and met the Lord eyes. He withheld a gasp as he saw into her very being, her eyes revealed everything to him and he understood.

Legolas stood without letting go of her and lifted her into his arms. There was a subdued atmosphere as he laid her down on the bed and lifted his children into his protective arms before joining her on the bed.

Both parents allowed themselves to become overwhelmed by their children and they revelled in them as they were fed one by one. Legolas lay with Niall in his arms as his wife cradled the tired but very hungry Eleni to her chest, neither acknowledging Lord Elrond as he tended to Thalia' s burnt hand.

He finished and left as she lay down beside her husband, the room once again being shrouded by calm and tranquillity.

Elrond, upon leaving the room literally bumped into Glorfindel.

"I apologise Elrond, my mind is elsewhere"

Elrond waved a hand and the subject was dismissed.

"I must speak with you"

Glorfindel raised an eyebrow at the Lord's strained voice but followed as he walked towards his study.

"There is something I must inform you of"

He paused and closed his eyes, he did not wish to deliver the news to his friend but knew he must. He knew that Glorfindel had not slept and had taken no rest. He had spent the night in the library, thinking. Elrond could feel the turmoil that his friend felt but he also knew that it would do him some good to hear the news.

"Thalia, injured herself last night"

Glorfindel's head shot up and his eyes blazed with an icy flame.

"How?"

His tone was forceful and sharp and had it been anybody other than Glorfindel Elrond would have said something.

"She placed her hand within a fire. Her hand is burnt but it will heal quiuckly, luckily it was not as serious as it could have been"

Glorfindel's temper flared and he turned to look at Elrond with blazing eyes.

"Not as serious, Elrond! My daughter sticks her hand in a fire purposely and you tell me it is not serious!"

He was fuming, anger welled up within him and it needed an outlet or else he felt he would burst.

"My daughter sits in a healing awaiting the awakening of her ill child and now she needs tending to herself. And it is all the fault of that...of that woman who sits in her room telling all that she is sorry and she will never again do such a thing. How dare she ask for forgiveness, she had none for her daughter, she ran when she was needed, there is no courage or strength in running Elrond! What am I to do? I cannot allow her to go free, and what of Thalia surely she will want a part in this..."

"I can assure you that she will not. She is happy, there is nothing she wishes to do more than go to Mirkwood and settle with her family. We cannot deny her that"

Glorfindel stood by the window overlooking the garden,

"How do you know this?"

Elrond cast a glace towards his friend and stood beside him.

"I saw it this morning. In her pain she found what she had been looking for. Peace. She no longer cares for the trivial details in this situation. She is merely glad that she has her children back, as is Legolas"

He waited and watched as the emotions flicked in the Eldars eyes. The golden haired lord raised his head and nodded.

"A letter will be sent to Mirkwood, as soon as we receive a reply, the four of them will leave"

"And what of Katlin?"

The pain and hesitation in Glorfindel's voice was plain to hear,

"I certainly see no reason to kill her, and banishing her will do no good. She shall be sent to Galadriel, with her help perhaps she will overcome her darker impulses"

"You believe that that is possible?"

The barb in his voice did not go unnoticed by his friend. Glorfindel did indeed doubt that even with the Lady's help Katlin would be able to overcome everything. But you could not change who you were, that was something that he had had to learn the hard way over the last few millennia.

"I do not know"

Elrond squeezed his shoulder and left him to his thoughts.

The blonde elf allowed a single tear to fall as he closed his heart against the harsh reality of the woman he loved.

The thought of losing his love and his daughter hurt, but he knew that he was letting Thalia go with love and he would see her in a short while. But he had to let Katlin go, not with hate but with indifference, if he didn't it would be his downfall.