Hey everyone! This is yet another repost of this chapter, as ff isn't always showing it...just like it did with chapter 21! (grrr!) For the people who don't know this...when you see an updated story but can't see the new chapter, simply change the chapter number in the url to the new one. Like my story, for instance...chap 22 wasn't showing in the list, so when you click on 21 and that chap pops up, simply change the 21 to 22 and hit enter; 22 will then show up. Thank God there's a way, lol!

Aragorn paced, worriedly. It was mid-morning, and he kept looking at Legolas as his friend slept; so deeply that it concerned the human.

Of course, the wheezing sounds coming from the elf only heightened his worry.

Aragorn knelt by his friend, feeling his forehead and finding it thankfully fever-free. He was unsure if he should wake him or not; Legolas needed the rest very badly, to hasten his recovery. The elf really was not yet fit for travel.

Sighing, Aragorn listened to his friend's troubled breathing, studying his face. It was a painful sight to see the elf sleeping with his eyes closed, and Aragorn was horrified to realize that he was becoming accustomed to it.

Legolas' head was slightly facing the left, towards Aragorn, and his mouth was open slightly, as if breathing through his nose wasn't adequate.

Crossing to the fire, Aragorn removed the pot of warmed juniper oil and held it before his friend's face. He hoped that it would ease the elf's breathing while he slept, but the strong smell woke the elf.

Legolas started coughing before even opening his eyes, and Aragorn grasped his arm lest his friend slide off the pack that he was leaning against.

"Be calm, Legolas, just breathe."

The elf's eyes remained closed as he continued to cough, but he opened them when his lungs' spasms began to ease.

Aragorn watched his friend, concerned at the dazed look in his eyes. He impatiently waited for the elf to get his breathing under control. "Are you all right?" he asked.

Legolas looked at him, nodding as he brought his right hand up to wipe water from his eyes brought on by the harsh coughing.

Aragorn sat the pot of juniper oil in his friend's lap and grabbed the elf's hand before Legolas could lower it. Pulling it towards himself, he pushed up the sleeve to check the status of the drug-induced rash.

Legolas studied it along with his friend. "It has not changed."

Aragorn shook his head, lowering the arm and checking the other. "No. Apparently it will not until you have finished taking the drug."

"When will that be?" Legolas asked.

Aragorn sighed. "I cannot be sure. If you were at home in bed where you belong, you would recover faster and therefore stop taking the drug sooner."

Legolas nodded, lowering his eyes.

Aragorn could see that his friend appeared upset over something. "What is it, mellon-nin?"

Legolas sighed. "My father likely found your letter by now."

Aragorn said nothing, imagining the king's reaction…and his father's. "There is nothing that we can do about it, Legolas. You left without him in order to possibly save his life."

"I know," Legolas whispered. "But he has gone through so much these past few months…watching me get closer and closer to death."

"You are not going to die, Legolas!"

"But he cannot be sure of that!" said the elf, looking up at his friend. "He will sit in my room worrying…thinking that he has seen me for the last time."

Aragorn wrapped an arm around his friend's shoulders, hearing the hidden meaning in Legolas' words; the elf feared that they would not be able to obtain the blackstalk, and that he had seen Thranduil for the last time. "We will find the plant," he said. "We shall rid this world of Raenwe and you will return to Rivendell back to your normal health."

Legolas looked at his friend, slightly surprised at the amount of venom in the human's voice when he spoke their enemy's name.

Aragorn inwardly kicked himself. Legolas had enough on his mind without having to worry that he would get himself killed.

"Estel," said Legolas, with a sigh. "At this moment, I am slowly dying. If we cannot get the blackstalk, do not bother risking your life for me, for it will then not be worth it."

Aragorn said nothing, knowing that his reply would only further upset his friend. "We will be on our way as soon as you have eaten," he told him, reaching for his pack and the pot of tea.

Legolas obediently ate as Aragorn packed up the campsite. He looked at Legolas just as the elf started to stand, and he frowned when his friend suddenly took his weight off his left arm, pushing himself up with only his right.

"Your shoulder still bothers you?" Aragorn asked, walking towards him.

Legolas reluctantly nodded, knowing that it would be ridiculous to lie.

Aragorn gently put his hands on his friend's shoulder, gently probing it. "It may be that something was torn," he said. "It is not healing because you use your arm despite it."

Legolas said nothing, trying not to wince.

Aragorn went around behind his friend, still feeling for the damage.

Legolas unwillingly gasped when the human touched an especially sore spot.

"Forgive me," said the human. He gently probed the area, but found nothing. "My father is correct; the damage is too deep within to properly feel."

Legolas nodded, saying nothing.

Letting go of his friend, Aragorn looked at the bow that was strapped to his friend's back. "You haven't fired a single arrow since this situation started, have you?"

Legolas shook his head. "We were so busy looking through books every day…and then I was ill…" He paused, turning to face his friend. "I fear trying," he said, ashamed at the admittance. "With my arm this way, I fear that I have lost my skill."

Aragorn shook his head. "I will never believe that, mellon-nin. You are the best archer in all of Middle Earth; you can get past this."

Legolas smiled slightly.

"Though," said Aragorn. "It is not good for your shoulder to fire arrows, if something within truly is torn. You should keep it completely immobile. However, if we approach danger, you need to be sufficiently armed…"

Legolas knew that Aragorn was telling him to fire one to see how his arm fared. He reached for his bow, and took it in his left hand.

"It's a good thing that it wasn't your right shoulder," said Aragorn.

Legolas nodded, relieved. He'd never be able to pull back the drawstring with his right shoulder in such condition. At least his left hand merely needed to hold the bow.

Aragorn stepped back to give his friend room, and watched as Legolas selected a target.

Spotting a discolored knot on a tree, Legolas raised the bow and notched the arrow, letting it fly.

Aragorn watched as it flew, his eyebrows shooting up when it hit the knot dead center.

Legolas' mouth dropped open and he blinked. Lowering the bow, he winced at the pain, but looked at Aragorn with a sheepish smile.

Aragorn smiled back.

Legolas raised the bow again, but this time he didn't notch an arrow, simply holding the bow to see how long it took before his shoulder couldn't handle it.

Aragorn remained quiet, letting his friend concentrate. He stared at the bow, noticing when it started to shake slightly.

Legolas kept his face impassive, but Aragorn could see his skin start to pale from the pain that Legolas was causing himself.

Just when Aragorn was about to tell him to stop, the elf suddenly drew an arrow and let it fly.

The arrow flew wide from the tree and plunged into the woods.

With a grunt of pain, Legolas lowered his arm and dropped the bow, breathing heavily.

Aragorn hurried over to his friend, noting the lines of pain in his face.

"Ai," Legolas groaned, his eyes closed as he hugged his arm against his body.

"Sit," said Aragorn, pushing him towards the ground.

Legolas obeyed, and the human sat beside him, gently taking the arm in his hand.

"Where is the worst of the pain?" Aragorn asked.

"In the back," Legolas told him, eyes still closed.

Aragorn placed his hand on the back of his friend's shoulder, gently massaging it. It wouldn't help whatever was obviously torn, but it would soothe the protesting muscles that were being affected by Legolas' reduced activity of the arm.

Legolas winced, inhaling sharply. His lungs didn't appreciate the quick breath, and he started to cough.

Aragorn continued his ministrations, knowing that the coughing fit would distract Legolas from the added pain that he was causing the elf's shoulder. "Do you need the tea?"

Legolas shook his head, his coughing soon abating.

Aragorn finally stopped his action; relieved to see that Legolas' expression was more relaxed.

"Hannon le," said the elf, feeling somewhat better.

Aragorn patted his friend's good shoulder and stood, retrieving his healing bag and a waterskin. Kneeling beside his friend again, he selected a painkilling herb and handed it to him. "Chew this."

Legolas obeyed without protest, swallowing it with the water.

Aragorn took a long piece of cloth out of the bag and started to tie it around his friend's neck for use as a sling.

"I don't need that," Legolas said, trying to pull away.

"Yes you do," said Aragorn. "It needs to remain immobile in order for the damage to heal. This is not normal, Legolas, even a human would've mostly healed by now!"

Legolas gave him a sheepish look. "You mean a human that actually obeyed his healer."

Aragorn smiled. "Aye…I've noticed that even certain elves have difficulty with that."

Legolas gave him an indignant look.

Aragorn chuckled, gently placing Legolas' arm in the sling. "You've been using your arm when you shouldn't have. It was not wise to hide the severity from us, as you have only caused yourself more problems."

Legolas sighed, knowing that his words were true. "Come," he said. "We should leave before someone comes after us."

Aragon nodded, taking his friend's good arm and pulling him to his feet. Crossing to the tree, he retrieved his friend's arrows, and they mounted their horses and rode off.

"How could he do this?!" Thranduil shouted, pacing.

Elrond stood at the desk in his study, his hands flat against the wood, leaning forward with his head lowered. He was as horrified as the king, and was almost unable to prevent himself from giving voice to it. He was sure that the sudden headache currently pounding through his skull had something to do with it. Sighing, he looked again at the note sitting on his desk, at Legolas' words along the bottom. 'Forgive me ada…do not worry for me, I shall be fine.'

"I cannot believe that they left without us!" Thranduil continued. "And while Legolas is still ill!"

Elrond sighed heavily, looking up at his friend.

Their eyes met, and Thranduil's anger suddenly melted away.

Elrond watched as the king collapsed into a chair, putting his face in his hands. "What if they do not succeed?" the king said. "Was last night the last time that I shall ever see my Greenleaf?"

Elrond sighed again, straightening up and approaching his friend. "Estel will do everything in his power to protect him."

Thranduil lifted his head, looking at the healer. "Estel…" he said. "Hope. You named him well, my friend, but do you not wonder who will protect him? Legolas cannot do it while ill!" He closed his eyes. "Ai! We are not there to protect our children!"

Elrond had no need to wonder. Whether ill or not, he knew that Legolas would likewise risk his life for Aragorn, but he chose not to say it. "They are our children, but they are grown, Thranduil. When Legolas is home and he goes off on patrols, does he not always come back?"

Thranduil said nothing.

"They always come back—" Elrond continued.

"Never in one piece!" the king interrupted.

"No," Elrond agreed, with a sheepish expression. "But alive. It is their skill that helps them keep their lives when they get into these situations. I am as upset as you are, mellon-nin, and agree with you that we should've been there with them when they reach their destination, but remember that they are both very intelligent and resourceful, and excellent warriors. Legolas may be ill, but he is recovering, and Aragorn will not let him push himself too far."

"We should go after them!" Thranduil said, jumping to his feet.

"We cannot," said Elrond, grabbing his arm. "They obviously left last night. They are so far ahead of us that we would never catch up. All that we can do is travel to Mirkwood, and once there, assemble your armies to join us in a search."

Thranduil nodded, seeing the truth and wisdom in his friend's words.

"All that we can do beyond that," said Elrond, with a sigh. "Is hope and pray."