Disclaimer: See Chapter One
A/N Hi there everyone. I am terribly sorry that I have not update either of my fics recently. I'm afraid May 14, 2004 a close friend of my family and myself was killed in a car accident while she was on her way home from college. As of now, this fic is dedicated to Carmen, may she rest in peace. Thank you. And many thanks to enb2004 who is helping me through my grief and is also my beta with some great stories. Thank you, and please, drive safely.

Slowly and groggily, Estel pulled himself from the shores of the river and shivered violently in the night air. He started to cough painfully and knew that he had to get home to his Ada soon. Not only was his chest killing him, but his head was throbbing unmercifully. When his put his hand to his head, it came away with dried blood, and he felt that a large knot had formed.

"Come on Estel, you can do this. It's not that much farther. I can see the bridge from here. I have been in worse shape than this, and I have always been fine. Ah, but then this is your first time being injured and alone is it not? Before, you had your brothers or Legolas to help you out, but not so this time, a tiny voice in the back of his head said. No! I'm going to make it," Estel thought determinedly and proceeded to make his way to the bridge that would lead him to the Last Homely House of Lord Elrond of Imladris.

It took Estel two hours to reach the courtyard of his home, each step bringing him more pain than the last, but to Estel, the pain was worth it.

"It's so great to be home," he thought happily. He couldn't remember the last time he had been so happy to see the water fountain and the courtyard with his Ada's flowers.

He looked up at the sky and scowled as he realized that it was still dark and appeared to be very late at night. He sighed. He wasn't about to wake up everyone in the household by going through the front door. He would have to scale the tree that was right by his room and enter the house that way. Sighing wearily, he headed for the tree.

It took every ounce of energy that he had left to scale the tall tree. There were several scary moments, as he wasn't in the best physical shape (as his lungs painfully reminded him) but he finally reached the safety of his balcony.

"Thank the Valar," he muttered while coughing.

"That is the last time I climb a tree without making someone to spot me when I'm injured," he thought.

Making sure to make no noise, he slipped the door open and stepped into his room. "Oh, it is good to be here," he thought happily, momentarily forgetting his injuries and illness. Just by being in his room allowed much of the tension from recent months to dissipate completely.

He coughed again and grimaced. "I really must do something about his cold," he thought, and sighed as he realized that he would need to go downstairs to the House of Healing if he was going to get the herbs and bandages he knew he would need if he was going to cure his illness and heal his injuries.

The problem was that he didn't feel in any shape to be going up and down the stairs, especially after just having climbed a tree. Admittedly, climbing the tree hadn't been the brightest thing he had ever done, but his purpose had been achieved in that he hadn't woken anyone up.

He took one look at the bleeding gash on his leg that had reopened sometime during his journey and knew that he would never make it downstairs. He head was staring to pound even more, and his vision was starting to get blurry. The healer part of his mind recognized the symptoms as shock, concussion, and illness, but in his condition he was in no shape to treat himself. "I really don't want to get Ada as he will only become upset over my injuries. Perhaps I should get Elladan's help, even if he is a mother hen, he isn't nearly as bad as Ada," he thought, not all that rationally

With that in mind, he staggered over to Elladan's room and knocked weakly on the door.