Go look at the other:

On with the story.

Elardion gave a shout and took Legolas into his arms. Using his knowledge as a healer he immediately called for someone to fetch Lord Elrond as he carried his baby brother into the healing wing. Once there he laid him on one of the beds and stripped Legolas of his tunic and leggings before examining his vulnerable brother.

He found exactly what he had been afraid of. He began to frantically search the shelves in the healing room for bandages and anti venom that should help to neutralise the spiders poison.

Seeing Lord Elrond enter Elardion gave a huge sigh of relief. Elrond had been his tutor for many years in the arts of healing and it felt good to have his old mentor helping him. He knew all too well that he would need all the help he could get to save his brother.

Elrond checked the Elfling over and the pair spoke quietly. "He needs the antidote now, any longer and he will be out of our range of healing." Elrond confirmed Elardion's suspicions.

"We do not have an antidote that has been used on an Elfling before. It has not been needed; it could do more good than harm." Elardion's voice was frantic, they had never needed to devise an antidote for an Elfling, and Legolas was the first to have been bitten.

Elrond pursed his lips, uncertain as to how to continue. If he treated Legolas he could die, but if he did not treat him he would die. "Elardion, we have no choice, if we use the antidote we at least give him a chance." Elardion nodded his agreement and together they administered the antidote. Once done, they gently laid the Elfling back down on the bed. Elardion gently changed his brother into a nightshirt before placing a sheet over the unconscious Elfling to keep him warm.

Eventually, after hours of intensive healing, Elrond opened the door to reveal many anxious faces waiting outside for news of Legolas' condition. Lomion and the twins sat in a huddle on the floor, gaining comfort from each other. Thranduil stood protectively over his sons and had his hands placed on Lomion and Nolvo's heads. Sitting on hard chairs were Mithrandir and Arwen, both were leaning backwards slightly in their chairs. Both had their eyes closed.

Lastly, Elladan, Elrohir and Estel were sat in a position very similar to that of their friends, except Elladan and Elrohir sat either side of Estel and they were in a line.

They all looked up as they realised that Elrond was standing in the doorway. "How is he? Will he live?" Thranduil asked anxious to know of his son.

Elrond smiled and indicated that they could come in. "See for your self."

They all rushed in to see Legolas sitting half up in bed with Elardion holding him close and telling him a story.

Legolas was half asleep and had his thumb in his mouth. Thranduil let out an exclamation of "Legolas" and was beside his baby in seconds. Legolas clung onto his Ada, knowing the comforting smell and rubbed his head against the King's chin.

Elardion gently let Legolas go so that the others could also hug the Baby Leaf.

"Apparently the antidote works extremely fast on Elfling's." Elrond announced after receiving a look of extreme gratitude from Thranduil. "It may be because of their body mass is lower."

"Legolas, why were you in the woods?" Estel ventured softly. Legolas looked fearfully up at his family, both blood and by choice, he then whispered something softly.

It was so quiet that not even the Elves could hear. At a look from his father he repeated. "Playing hide and seek."

Thranduil frowned. "Who were you playing with, Leafie? Who took you into the woods?"

"Drowlin was taking me to see different coloured bunnies. He said he knew new ones and I wanted to see. Then he hides and I could not find him." Legolas' eyes grew wide with fear. "He still out there?"

Estel looked furious and stormed out of the room, followed closely by Thranduil.

Legolas looked at his brother's scared that he had done something wrong again. "No, Legolas, you have done nothing wrong, I promise you." Lomion assured his brother.

Back in the hall, Estel and Thranduil were marching down the hall way at such a pace they may as well have been running. Neither knew what they were going to do, they just knew they had to do something. Elves jumped out of the way, shocked by the twin looks of thunder on the faces of two people who generally avoided or ignored each other. For once they were united in their love for Legolas.

Finally they arrived at a door with two guards on either side. Dismissing the guards, they both burst through the door to reveal Drowlin sitting on his bed, calmly reading.

Before he could move Thranduil and Estel had him cornered and Thranduil began to shout.

"How dare you! How dare you do that after I gave you a second chance! I can not even stand to look at you right know, Drowlin. I have absolutely no idea what you have against Legolas, but for the first time in my life I want to hit one of my sons. But I can not, you are my son and I can not touch you."

"I can!" Estel's fist connected once with Drowlin's jaw and then with his nose. "If you ever hurt Legolas again I will kill you. I will promise you that."

Both turned and left the room, leaving Drowlin sitting on the floor with blood dripping from his split lip and broken nose a stunned expression on his face.

Legolas still had his thumb in his mouth as he once more listened as Elardion told him a story. He could see all of his family around him apart from his Ada and Estel.

He heard the door to the healing wing open and close, but Legolas did not have the energy to look up and see who it was. But when he felt a soft hand caress his cheek and felt a soft kiss on his forehead he knew it was his Ada, He mumbled a soft "Ada."

Thranduil was surprised; he had thought that Legolas was asleep. Legolas could not stop the hot tears from running down his face. "Ada, is Drowlin gone like Nana? I do not want Drowlin to go, I love him."

All in the room were surprised at the reaction from Legolas. Elrond smiled knowing that Legolas had one of the largest hearts known to Elves. He shared his heart and his love without asking anything in return.

"Ada, can I have Growly?" Legolas asked in between his sobs. As soon as the request had left his mouth Alcarnor was out of the door and running towards the Elfling's chamber to retrieve the desired toy.

The next morning the entire group slept in late, having stayed up extremely late trying to console the almost hysterical Elfling. In the end they had left Thranduil and Lomion to the task and gone to their own chambers to rest.

Elrond knocked quietly on the door to the healing wing. He needed to see Legolas. The sight that greeted him was so endearing. Legolas, Thranduil and Lomion were all lying on the bed asleep. Legolas was sandwiched between his two protectors.

He did not have the heart to wake the sleeping family and pulled a blanket over the three, smoothed Legolas' hair away from his face and replaced Growly into his arms from where he had fallen on the floor.

Several days later, Legolas was back in his chamber, the bandages on his leg and shoulder from the spiders bite had been removed.

He sat on his bed. Everyone had gone away again and he had no idea where they were. He had been told to stay in his room until someone came to get him. But Legolas was an Elfling and there is only so long any one can stay in their room when all they want is to be outside.

Finally after Legolas had waited for what seemed to be like hours there was a knock on the door, followed by Estel looking into the room. He smiled as Legolas attached himself limpet like around his neck.

"Hello, little Leaf, do you want to go and visit the bunnies?"

Legolas suddenly jumped back, shaking his head. "NO! I paint. I paint for Ada."

Estel realised instantly that Legolas thought they were going into the woods again. "Legolas, shall we go and visit the rabbits in the courtyard? Not the ones in the woods."

Legolas nodded slowly, looking anxious. "Promise that we only go into the courtyard?" At Estel's nod they left the room hand in hand.

The family was gathered in the study. The room that only a little while ago had been filled with love and light. Know they were here discussing a dark topic.

Looking up straight into the eyes of Elrond Thranduil announced. "It was Drowlin."

Elardion moved over to stand by his father chair and laid a hand on his fathers arm, offering comfort. "Why is he acting this way, Ada? I do not know how to act towards him. He is still my brother and I love him, but at the same time I hate him for hurting our Leaf."

Outside in the yard, Legolas would not leave Estel's side. He clung tightly onto the older mans hand and every time he looked in the direction of the woods he shivered violently. It was not until a small spider climbed over his hand and Legolas screamed in fear and begged to be taken inside to his Ada, did Estel realise his young friend was going to need a lot of help to return to the wonderful Elfling who was so kind, caring and brave again.

But just at that moment in a guarded room high inside the palace an Elf was already making plans for the future. The fact that there was now two Elves stationed below his window as well as at his door only added one more item to the list he was making in his mind. A list that he promised he would act on. He did not know how the Brat had survived the forest and the spiders, but that did not matter. He would get his own back not only on the Brat but the Adan that had dared raise his fist to him….

Tbc.

You have no idea how hard I tried to make this the least bit fluffy and I failed. I am sorry but at least I finnaly managed to break Drowlins nose. Go me.

Kitty : Yep there will be plenty of interaction between Leafie and Estel. We are setting up the background to another story and it needs to show how much Legolas and Estel love each other as friends.

Leeanne: Okay here the sons are. Lomion is the oldest at about the mortal equivalent of 21. Elardion is next at 19 then the twins as 17 and then Drowlin as a very evil 13 year old and finally Legolas at around 5. And yes windows are evil.

If you or anyone else want a more in-depth look at the brothers send me your email address and I can send you the character development we have. It will not spoil the plot and may make things easier to understand.

Triptych : Drowlin is the different one and he always has been but no they aryl family. In Happily Ever After it is uncovered as to why Drowlin is like he is.

Pointy-eared-elfs: Yep if your looking for someone to blame then blame the windows. It is obviously a fault of the woodland elves. I think you actually know my story better than I do o forgot about the other window incident.

Stephanie: Thanks for calling Legolas Leafie it is so much sweeter than Legolas. And yes we will look after him I promise no killing Legolas.

bradleigh: it's a first ,Meisalliam did not write a fluff chapter. Although there is the possibility that Growly could be getting girlfriend. A random idea I came up with.

randomramblings Evil Drowlin is correct.

Thanks to everyone for reviewing and please continue to do so as it really brightens our day. Keep reading and MCross has a good next chapter.

Love

Meisalliam, Shell, Growly and Leafie