Elladan walked without stopping, trying to maintain a pace that was fast but not damaging to the wounded friend that he carried. He could see the horses belonging to their father and the other elves, along with supplies, and he was eager to reach them. It troubled him that Legolas hadn't shown any sign of life all day, and he wondered how much harm had been wrought by the orc's savage blow.

Elrohir wondered the same thing, as he eyed the bandage around the blond-haired elf's head. Legolas had been their friend literally since the day that he'd been born, in their very own house; Thranduil and his wife had visited Rivendell, and been stranded there when an early winter struck Mirkwood, blocking the High Pass.

Elrohir smiled when he remembered how excited he and Elladan had been when they saw the tiny Legolas for the first time. He had unexpectedly been born very early, and was the smallest elfling that they had ever seen, but tiny Legolas smiled at both of them, his bright blue eyes shining.

Elrohir's smile faded when he remembered Elladan asking Elrond if baby Legolas would live. They'd all been shocked at the elfling's tiny size—he'd been even smaller than Elrond had anticipated. When their father hesitated upon hearing the question, it had sent a shiver of fear down both of their spines.

"His heartbeat is strong," Elrond had finally said. "And he appears to be in no distress…"

The twins had nodded, taking that to mean 'yes'. They didn't let their father continue his sentence, knowing that there could be a 'but'.

"He will live," Elladan said, "and he will be our greatest friend."

Elladan had been right.

Elrohir sighed, reaching out to brush Legolas' hair out of his face.

Elladan knew his brother's thoughts, as his were similar. They shared a unique bond, and Legolas knew them better than anyone. "He will be fine, just like all of the other times that he's been injured through the millennia. I do believe that he is impossible to kill."

Elrohir laughed, knowing that his brother was trying to comfort him. He patted Elladan on the shoulder, who he knew to be as anxious as he himself was.

Sighing with relief, Elladan stopped walking when they reached their destination. Crouching down, he gently laid Legolas on the grass.

Elrohir knelt beside him, looking behind his shoulder. He could see his father and Aragorn walking in their direction, and watched as the human began to run.

"Legolas?" Elladan said, gently tapping his friend's cheek. "Please wake, mellon-nin! We have been saved; the orcs are no longer alive!"

"He is right," said Elrohir. "It is safe to come out now!"

They watched their friend, trying to discern any sign of impending consciousness.

There was none.

Elladan sighed loudly, checking Legolas' pulse. Its beat was rapid and weak, his skin cold and pale as snow. The twins both feared that their friend was slipping into shock. "Get some blankets."

Elrohir nodded, moving to the supplies and digging them out.

Elladan helped his brother wrap their friend in the blankets, folding one and carefully placing it under his head.

Something suddenly touched his back and he looked up, surprised to see Legolas' horse sticking its nose over his shoulder, nuzzling her master.

Elrond and Aragorn knelt beside them, and quickly appraised the wounded elf.

"When do you think he will wake?" Elrohir asked.

Elrond sighed as he looked at his son. "I cannot say, without knowing the full extent of his injury."

Elrohir echoed the sigh, saying nothing more.

More elves arrived from the battleground, helping each other with injuries or cleaning themselves up. Many of them shot worried looks at the four that they had helped rescue, but they kept their distance for the time being, letting Elrond do his job.

All that the healer could further do was make Legolas comfortable, and they sat and watched as smoke began to billow up over the trees as the orc bodies were burned. Everyone was thankful to see that the wind was blowing the smoke away from their direction.

Elrond decided to make camp where they were, and sent some of the elves to hunt for their supper. Walking back to where they'd settled Legolas, Elrond stopped for a moment to study his sons.

Elladan and Elrohir were lying on their sides on either side of Legolas, staring at their friend as if willing him to wake. Aragorn was sitting by his friend's head, occasionally reaching out to check the pulse on the pale neck.

All three of them looked very tired.

Elrond sighed, knowing that their ordeal had most likely included lost sleep. Walking closer, he stood over them. "Why do you not sleep, my sons? I shall watch over Legolas."

All three of them shook their heads.

Aragorn patted the ground beside him. "Sit, Ada. We shall tell you the events that led to this situation."

Elrond obeyed, listening to the tale. After only five minutes, he had to stop the human. "Wait…I do not understand how only the three of you were captured and Legolas was not…especially since his arm had already been broken by then."

Aragorn gave him a sheepish look, having left that out purposely. "Well…"

The twins said nothing, amused.

"Since Legolas was hurt, we tried to make him hide…"

One of Elrond's eyebrows shot up.

Aragorn sighed. "But he would not, of course, so I had to…take matters into my own hands."

"What he's trying to say, Ada," said Elrohir. "Is that he knocked Legolas out and hid him!"

Elrond's other eyebrow quickly joined the other. "Did he?"

"I had to!" Aragorn exclaimed. "He could not fight with a broken arm!"

"I am not angry, ion-nin," Elrond said, smiling slightly. He wished that he could've seen Legolas' face when he awoke to realize what Aragorn had done. "I can fully understand why you took such action." He reached over to feel for Legolas' pulse, seeing that the wounded elf was still not close to waking.

Aragorn and the twins told their father the rest of the story, and by the time that they finished, the hunters had returned with their catch.

Aragorn found himself starving but not hungry at the same time. They hadn't eaten since the night before their capture, but he was too worried over Legolas to eat.

"Ion-nin…" said Elrond, knowing Aragorn's frame of mind.

Sighing, Aragorn took the food and ate it, not wanting to give his father another patient to worry about.

Darkness quickly fell, and Elrond saw that all three of his sons had finally fallen asleep; he was not surprised at all…as he had put sleeping herbs in their water.

When Aragorn awoke the next morning, he instantly knew what his father had done. "How is he?" he asked, scrambling up to check on his friend.

Elrond looked up from where he was feeding Legolas some medicine. "He still has not woken."

Aragorn sighed as worry knotted his stomach. Looking around the campsite, he saw that his brothers were helping to pack everything up. "We leave soon?"

Elrond nodded.

"Is it safe to move him?"

Elrond gently laid Legolas back down, careful not to jostle his head. Looking at Aragorn, he sighed. "The sooner we get him back to Imladris, the better."

Aragorn noticed that he didn't answer his question.

The campsite was packed up quickly, and everyone was soon ready to leave.

Aragorn insisted on keeping Legolas with him on the journey, and they rode the wounded elf's faithful horse. Gwaeren seemed to know that her master was not well, and trod very carefully.

Elrond rode beside them, should Legolas need sudden attention.

The journey was slow and long, as they needed to make every effort to keep Legolas as still as possible.

When evening came once again, Aragorn was nearly beside himself with immense worry; Legolas had not even so much as stirred for thirty-six hours. As he carefully handed his friend down to Elrond, he felt his arms actually shaking.

Elrond and the twins were just a worried as the human, and Elrond sighed as he gently laid Legolas on the ground.

Aragorn jumped off the horse and knelt, helping his brothers cover their friend with blankets and watching silently as Elrond examined him.

The healer could still see evidence of concussion in Legolas, and knew that the elf would have a massive headache when he awoke.

That night passed very slowly. The twins again lay on either side of their friend, and Aragorn lay behind the elf's head, fighting slumber. His eyes kept closing by themselves, and he knew that he needed to sleep; if he did not, he was at risk to nod off on the horse tomorrow and accidentally drop Legolas.

Sighing, he settled for reaching out an arm and laying his hand over his friend's heart, reassured at feeling the beat. Lifting up a prayer for Legolas to wake soon, Aragorn allowed himself to fall asleep.

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(Deana runs like the wind before the readers kill her, lol!) Don't worry, Legolas will wake soon! Promise! lol ;)