AN: thoughts r italicized.

"Dead?"

Lan's eyes seemed almost cold. "Yes."

"H-how? When?"

"Aragorn, a lot has happened during those 30 years since we've seen each other. The first five years after the fire, before we went our separate ways, I couldn't stop thinking about what happened that night; wondering if they really would try and do something. But after we went our separate ways and nothing had happened, I began to relax. One day, when I was returning from a mission to meet my brother, I-I found his body. He was stabbed-through the heart, and left by the side of the road. He still had his money, and nothing was missing. But I found a white azalea-

)The smell of fresh cut azaleas filled the house as Aragorn and Lan sat at the table at the inn. The table wasn't fancy, but it was adorned with a flower vase with a white azalea. In fact, azaleas were just about everywhere. The innkeeper, noticing the guests seeing all the azaleas commented, "My wife loves azaleas. She has her own bushes outside in the garden. That's all she'll ever plant. You'll find the stuff everywhere." (

-and a note written in blood-his blood- that said 'justice is served'.

"The rangers took his body and buried it. They couldn't find out who killed him because there weren't leads. But I knew who it was: the azalea and note confirmed my suspicion: it was the Delaney brothers. I knew that because the day I found him, that was the day exactly ten years ago when the parents perished in the fire. Ever since then, I disappeared from the rangers, not wanting them to get dragged into the situation. I spent the next fifteen years looking for you, and have spent the rest watching you from a distance, making sure you were safe from them."

They fell into a silence. No one knew what to say. Finally, Gandalf spoke "Let us turn in for the night, we will need out strength for tomorrow." With that, the others turned in.

As Lan started heading for a place to sleep, away little ways away from the others but still in the protective circle, Aragorn stopped her. "Do-do they know about Arwen?" Aragorn's face was filled with worry; he no longer appeared to be a young strong warrior, but an old, worn man.

Lan turned and faced him. "No, they do not." They were far enough away from the others by the campfire, so no one would hear their conversation.

Aragorn saw the tears that slipped down from her eyes. He brushed them away with his hand. "I'm sorry about your brother. I-I should have been there. I should have been there!" Aragorn felt tears welling up in his own eyes; he clenched his fist in anger. This was all his fault; he could have stopped them, his mind screamed to him.

Lan had been around the ranger long enough and knew him well enough to know what he was thinking.

"Look at me Aragorn," Lan commanded. She took his face in her hands and made him look at her; both had tears streaming down their cheeks. "Don't blame yourself for this. Megiltura would never have wanted you to live this way. If you want to do something for him, stay alive. We HAVE to beat them, and we will." Her voice was full of confidence as she tired to comfort her grieving companion.

Still seeing the doubt in his eyes, she continued. "If you were there, you would have been killed. And we can't have that happen. You are meant to live for so much more, Aragorn. He wouldn't want you to beat yourself up about this. Just survive, and fulfill your destiny. That is all he would want you to do." Lan's voice cracked. She embraced Aragorn in a hug, as he sobbed into her shoulder for the loss of his friend-no she thought closer than that. We were all closer than that. -brother.

Not wanting to, Lan found herself reliving her deep grief. The loss of her brother shattered her heart; they were twins, and closer than close. She couldn't live without him. In fact, the only reason she hadn't died from a broken heart was that she had to protect Aragorn.

Squeezing her arms around him tighter, she thought no matter what, I have to protect Aragorn at all costs. I will NOT let them take him.

Unbeknownst to them, Legolas had seen and heard everything. His heart ached at the sadness and grief of his friend. Although he still didn't trust Lan, he couldn't help but feel the ache of her sadness and pain too. Legolas knew this was going to be a hard journey.

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AN: Clearing this up because it's kind of confusing. After the fire incident, Aragorn, Lan, and Megiltura (sword master-elvish) stayed with each other as a group for five years. Then they went their separate ways. Five years later, Lan finds her brother dead. She spends fifteen years looking for Aragorn, (remember, Aragorn is a skilled ranger and is hard to track and they haven't seen each other for ten years or had any contact). She then spends ten years following him around in the shadows, watching. Keeping him from the Delaney brothers' harm. Background info: this is the first appearance of one of them near Aragorn.

REPLIES:

Arwen Greenleaf: Lol. Ya. Well, this chapter explains their relationship a lot better. Thanks for reviewing!

Gemini969: Glad you like it so far! I hope you like this chapter.

Thanks for the reviews; I'll start working on the next chapter.