Sorry it took so long! I was busy with school, writing another fanfiction (Lothiriel got a category on fanfiction, so I had to celebrate by working on another story), and working on other writings. I also was a little confused as to where this story was going to go because I've never finished a story before. Well, I think only one more chapter, plus the epilogue. YOU CANNOT FORGET TO READ THE EPILOGUE! IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT CHAPTER IN THIS WHOLE PIECE! IT IS MORE THAN A NORMAL EPILOGUE!

Anyway, this is just sort of a set up for the last chapter. I THINK that the next chapter is the last! Besides the epilogue. Not that anyone cares, well, rivendellwriter and Darhee might but no one else seems to have gotten this far yet (sniff, sniff, hint, hint.) Sorry. I'm trying not to be hard on you guys, but it is hard.

Rivendellwriter: Hmmm, picture, LIKE! LIKE! Thank you for being such a faithful reviewer when all others have failed (Pout).

Darhee: Thank you, Thank you! You inspired me to keep writing when I got your review this morning! Thank you! I agree, Natalie is one of my favorite characters. I've started writing just a short little companion piece about Natalie, but unfortunately there won't be much else in the one. When I post it though, the little companion will be called "My Immortal." Most likely a one shot. I'm glad you liked the Palantir because honestly, I was NOT anticipating that!

All my other reviewers: Don't Turn Away from me!

Enjoy!

Chapter Twenty

"Aragorn?" "What has happened?" "Are you all right?" "Aragorn!"

He heard people calling to him, but he was unable to make sense of the words.

The first clear thought that floated to the surface of his brain came about fifteen minutes later.

Where's Arwen? He wondered suddenly.

He tried to raise his head and look around, but he couldn't see anything. So instead he groaned and lay it back down. The horrors that he had seen just ere he passed out suddenly flashed through his mind again, this time, Arwen's face was suspended for such a long time, that he passed out again with it in his mind.

"Aragorn?"

Sometime later, a voice floated into his mind.

"Aragorn!"

he recognized the voice, but he failed to recognize what it meant.

"Boromir? Where are you?" he whispered to the darkness.

Then he was suddenly laying on the ground again, looking around. The place he was now looked very different from the Tower of Ecthelion. It was white, with flowing light pouring from the numerous windows. It was a great hall, rather than a lonely tower. There were so many people there. People whom he did not recognize. They were all walking in one direction.

All except the people standing in front of him. There stood Boromir, Denethor, multiple friends whom he had lost, and his parents.

"Mo...Mother?" he asked, afraid that he had been mistaken. No, he couldn't mistake his mother, Gilraen. His father was a different issue. Arathorn had died when Aragorn was two, thus he did not know his father well. But Gilraen stood beside him happily and looked upon her son with love.

"Aragorn! You are finally here. Come! We cannot be separated again! Come!" Aragorn rose to follow, and was surprised that he had the strength to stand. But then he hesitated, he realized how this worked. He was dead. Or on the verge of death. He still rested in between life and death, but if he followed these people, then he would die. This was a choice between continuing to fight for his life, or giving up and dying.

And who wouldn't choose death? There his parents were, right in front of him. He could not leave them now. He almost stepped forth, but then he thought again. Arwen. She was sobbing. He caused that sobbing. He saw a child, his son, a child that would never exist. He saw Sauron's Eye. He had fought so hard against that Eye, yet would it now so easily defeat him? Never! Never!

Aragorn looked back at his mother with tears in his eyes. He could barely stand to do this, yet he knew it must be done.

"Aimee, we will have time later. I cannot follow you now for my time has not yet come. I will journey with you once my work is done in Middle Earth. I have a wife now, well, a fiancee, Aimee, and I am the king of Gondor. So much rests on me; I cannot fail them. Namarie eva si, Aimee."

Tears fell down Gilraen's cheeks as she murmmered, "You have done well, son mine. I will see you soon enough. Go, Aragorn, go. Namarie eva si, ionnin."

Arathorn nodded his approval of his son's choice silently, and Boromir shook his head.

"Always like you, my friend. You always thought so much. Good luck. And, please tell Faramir that I love him and I miss him. I'm waiting for him!"

Aragorn nodded, and then turned to Denethor. The steward appeared to almost say something, but then silenced himself. So Aragorn spoke in his stead.

"I know not why you are here, my friend, but I do not wish you to tell me. I will learn soon enough if this was vision or reality. Good luck, milord."

Denethor merely bowed his head in consent.

Aragorn nodded, took a deep breath, and then turned away.

The next thing he knew he was laying on a long hard bed. Again, light was streaming in, but this time it was gold, rather than white.

"Arwen?" He mumbled. He wanted to see his betrothed so badly that he could barely think of anything else.

"Estel?"

When he heard his beloved reply back to him, Aragorn's eyes snapped open. Arwen sat beside him in a hard chair that looked extremely uncomfortable. She appeared to have been crying.

"Arwen, how long have I been unconscious?" Aragorn asked as he looked around the room. He was in the Houses of Healing.

"Two days," Arwen replied softly.

Aragorn thought back. Two days since he had fought Sauron for the last time. Suddenly, he remembered. Sauron! He searched his mind hard to find any trace of the dark tendrils of Sauron's consciousness. Nothing. Had he really rid the world of this evil? As far as he could sense, the answer was yes.

"Arwen, how is everyone?"

"Faramir and Eowyn are fine. Lothiriel and Eomer are fine. Natalie, Belegmir, and Beregond are fine. I'm fine...:

"Is this your definition of fine, Arwen? Then I better start worrying."

"Estel...I am a lot better than I look. I am fine."

"Denethor. How is Denethor?"

"He...When he entered his tower to find you there, and the Palantir destroyed, he sort of flew into a rage. He then went mad. I think he was sort of lost to the Palantir, and when it was destroyed, he was as well. He...he died shortly after we found you."

Aragorn nodded. He had suspected something like that had been the case.

"What is Faramir saying about all of this?"

"He isn't really reacting."

Aragorn sighed. That was bad. Faramir should have some reaction to his father's death. Surely, he was locked up in his room, reacting in some way right now.

"Everyone else? How are they handling it?"

"I don't really know. I think everyone is a little shocked about the whole episode. No one really knows how to take it," Arwen replied.

Aragorn nodded. "Understandable. It is someone surprising when someone just dies like that."

"Estel! Every time something like this happens, must you go and analyze it like you do? It is very frustrating. What are you doing it for anyway?" Arwen cried.

"Sorry my love, I did not mean to offend you. You must be quite tired. Perhaps you should rest for a little while..."

" I don't need to rest, Aragorn! I need you to say something useful!" Arwen cried, using his true name for the first time.

"I'm trying! I suggested you rest, is that not helpful? What do you want me to say?" Aragorn demanded, raising himself to a sitting position.

Arwen looked at him, and said, "Oh Estel, I'm sorry. I suppose my emotions are so high strung right now. Everyone is very stressed. I don't know why, I just sense it everywhere. I...I think something is about to happen."

(new scene)

I could hear Faramir opening his brother's door. I sighed. What does he think he is doing at this time of night?

However, I knew the answer. He was going to tell his brother his worries and troubles, just like he used to. I always had to force it out of him. He wasn't so open to me. Yet, he was more open to me than many others.

I remembered when he first found out that I was not a boy. He was shocked, yet he did not forsake me like many others did. He lost many friends trying to keep my secret. When Orcgurth found me out, everyone knew. They were furious. Over the years some had forgiven me, but not as readily as Faramir had. Even his brother was uncomfortable around me for a long time afterward.

Slipping on a robe, I moved out my door and into the room next to mine. Faramir sat on his brother's bed, looking out the window at the stars, whispering.

"It is amazing, after all this struggle with Father, and I miss him terribly. I wonder if he misses me. Does he? Does he regret it all? Boromir, could you tell him that I forgive him?" Faramir murmured.

"And Eowyn, she has been so strange lately. I don't know what is going on with her. Maybe she really does hate me. Nay, I promised her that I would not believe that. I will hold to that promise until I have proof that she hates me. I just wish...I wish I understood better."

I shook my head as I made my way over to Boromir's bed and sat down next to Faramir. I gently put my arms around him and shushed him.

"Natalie, I don't need..."

"Hush, you do need. Now, just calm down. It is okay to be mothered once and a while," I soothed.

Faramir relaxed, and I was happy. At least he would let someone be his mother for a moment. Even though I was a year younger than he, I felt comfortable knowing that he wasn't trying to like his brother at that moment. He was himself, giving in to his truest feelings rather than trying to be strong like his father wanted. This was Faramir of Gondor, Son of the Steward.

Steward. I corrected myself. Steward. Faramir was now the Steward.

"Faramir, why don't you talk to Eowyn about your break in communication? 'Twould be terrible if such a friendship were lost. And if it could have been more..."

"Natalie, that is enough of such talk from you! I'm not going to talk to her, what would I say? Oh, Eowyn, what has changed between us? Why are you suddenly so aloof?" Faramir demanded, as he sat bolt upright.

"Something to that affect, aye. Why not? It's worth a try! Besides, things like this are usually much easier when you are actually doing it than when you are planning to do it. Now, why don't you talk to her on the morrow, hm?"

Faramir considered for a moment. "All right. I'll talk to her, but I won't necessarily say anything about these matters at hand. Agreed?"

I gave him a satisfied smile, suddenly confident of the outcome of this talk. I rose and walked to the door. Just as I reached it, I turned to him and answered.

"Agreed."