Ok, sorry, sorry, sorry for the long delay, I've been touring Europe for the past three weeks (yey :D). Also, sorry for the short chapter, I just thought I had better post something. Another chapter will come as quick as humanly possible (for me, which, unfortunately, isn't very quick). Big, big thanks to all reviewers, in particular KissTheRainGirl2489, who seems to like this story...not entirely sure why... but thank you ever so much all the same :D.

I don't own Lord of the Rings or any of the characters (except Taliyne, he's mind ).

Elladan felt his mind wake up, saw the lights appear in front of his closed eyes, heard the gentle buzz of chatter in the room and felt the soft coolness of the sheets beneath him...but still he willed himself to fall asleep again. His aching body would not allow it.

Slowly and with great effort, he opened his eyes. He blinked for several seconds as he brought his vision into focus. The light in the room hurt his eyes and the faces staring down at him span. After a few moments everything settled, although the throbbing in his head did not subside.

First of all he saw Elrohir's face, smiling, if not a little worriedly, at him.

"Brother," he breathed, sounding relieved.

Elladan grinned back, "You look relieved, 'Ro, don't tell me you were worried?" he joked.

Elrohir did not reply, but his smile faded slightly. Elladan slowly turned his head and saw his father standing at the other side of the bed, next to Glorfindel.

Glorfindel smiled widely, "How do you feel?"

"A little stiff and aching, but I think I'm alright," Elladan answered.

"Thanks to your father's healing, I think you will be," Glorfindel replied.

At this point, Elladan felt it really would be rude to avoid his father's eyes any longer and so, reluctantly, turned his gaze towards him.

Elrond, however, did not seem in the mood to talk.

"Come," he said, turning to Glorfindel,"we must leave, my son still needs to rest."

Glorfindel nodded to Elrond, smiled at Elladan and left the room. Elrond, too, began to make his way towards the door. He paused and looked back.

"Five minutes, Elrohir, then he really must be left alone," he said, and walked out.

Elrohir nodded to his father and turned back towards his twin.

His smile faded a little and he spoke quietly.

"Why did you do it, 'Dan?" he asked to the floor.

"Why do you ask questions to which you already know the answer?"

Elrohir sighed, "You're impossible..." he muttered.

"You love me really," Elladan replied, grinning.

"Not of my own free will," his brother replied, but also grinned.

"I knew you'd come back though, one way or another," Elrohir continued.

"Can we please not talk about this?"

"Why shouldn't we? I want to know if you're planning to leave again," Elrohir pressed.

"That really depends on what our dear father has to say..." said Elladan, sighing.

"You've changed your tune," said Elrohir, shrewdly.

"No, I just don't think I'm up to going anywhere at the moment, and nearly drowning shirks your confidence a bit..."

"Ok, who are you and what have you done with Elladan?" Elrohir said, half joking, half not.

"Look, I just don't really feel like doing anything but sleeping at the moment," Elladan said, tiredly.

"Ok, ok, I'll let you rest," Elrohir sighed.

"Thanks, I'll speak to you soon ok?" Elladan replied, smiling.

Elrohir smiled down at his brother, momentarily grasped his hand, and walked out.

..................................................

"Father," Elrohir said as he knocked and opened the door to Elrond's study.

His father looked up from his desk and smiled, gesturing to the seat opposite him.

"Father," he repeated.

"Spit it out, Elrohir," Elrond smiled.

"I was just wondering," he paused, "if you're going to give Elladan leave to go, after he is recovered I mean."

Elrond sighed, "After his recent excursions, I shall have to seriously consider ever letting him out of my sight again, not that it will make any difference to him what I say."

"He seems to be more willing to listen to your counsel now, sir," Elrohir said quietly, remembering his brother's harsh words and inexcusable actions.

.....................................................

Later that evening, Elladan and Elrohir sat alone in Elladan's room. Elrond and Glorfindel had been in to check on him and declared that he would be perfectly fine, after a few more days' rest.

Elladan was eating his evening meal, swallowing slowly and keeping his breathing even. He finished and they sat in silence for several moments, before Elrohir spoke.

"So are you ever going to apologise?" he said, fairly out of the blue.

"Excuse me?" replied Elladan, looking incredulous.

"To father, you know, for running off when he told you not to, nearly getting your self killed, and so on," said Elrohir.

"I don't think I have to apologise to anyone, I was the one who nearly drowned...I only did myself any harm."

"What? Hasn't it crossed your mind that we just might have been worried about you?"

"Father didn't seem to be that worried," said Elladan, sounding not a little bitter.

"How in middle earth would you know? You weren't here! You were unconscious for three days!" Elrohir almost shouted.

"Keep your voice down! I'm sorry, ok, I didn't mean to worry you," he sighed.

"Have you spoken to father at all since you came round?" Elrohir asked, ignoring the apology.

"I haven't had the chance, he's only been in to check I'm alive, and Glorfindel's always hanging around, he's hardly spoken to me," Elladan sounded a little disappointed, "I don't like him acting so cold, I'd rather he shouted at me."

His voice was hurt, but Elrohir couldn't help feeling that he deserved worse, after what he had put them through. Despite this, Elrohir did feel a little sympathetic. He was, after all, his brother.

...........................................

A week later, Elladan was up and about, seemingly fine. He was practicing archery and riding around Rivendell once again. But he had still not confronted Lord Elrond.

They seemed to be, subconsciously or otherwise, avoiding each other.

However, one crisp and breezy afternoon, Elrond called his son to his study.

Elladan knocked cautiously and softly on the door. His confidence, or arrogance as some would call it, had been somewhat shaken by recent events. He was quieter, more reserved.

"I'm turning into my brother," he thought, as he knocked.

"Come in," called the voice of Elrond from behind the door.

Elladan opened the door.

Elrond gestured for him to sit down.

Elladan did so.

Elrond cleared his throat.

"I believe there are something's which need to be sorted out between us, Elladan," he began.

Elladan nodded, "Yes, sir."

"Your behaviour over the past few weeks has been appalling. You have shamed me and this family."

Elladan felt his temper rising. Maybe he wasn't so alike to his brother as he thought.

"I do not know what you hoped to achieve by your escapade, but all you have done is prove that you are not responsible enough to be independent. You are too stubborn to see it, but you are not yet ready to go out into the world alone. You're still a child."

His voice was soft, but it made Elladan even more furious. How dare he be so calm about this? He was treating it as if it wasn't a big deal, as if it didn't even matter! Well it did matter, his freedom was at stake. And he certainly was not going to give it up without a fight.