Disclaimer: They are all mine, mine, mine. Oops no, strike that, they are not mine, not mine, not mine. Sigh.

Review responses:

Karone Evertree: Blame manveri for the plot twist. Her review from chapter 4 did it. Yes our dear Atavus is turning into an orc, poor thing. In the next couple of chapters you will learn why. But for now we have to get the dear thing back to Rivendell, which might prove to be difficult.

And believe it or not I have found that a lot of people who abuse others think they have the right to. (Not from personal experience though, just an observation.)

Slayer3: Oh, oh I got to see the trailer for Kingdom of Heaven today. This piece of scrap finally let me view it. I watched both the Theatrical and the Extended version. That is going to be one awesome movie. I asked my husband to take me to see it. He got jealous and refused. I'll go by myself if I have to. Then again my sister-in-law pants for Orlando too.

manveri mirkiel: Hugs, hugs, and more hugs for Atavus. She's gonna need them in the next couple of chapters. No he is not dead, and he will not die until his time. Sorry. Oh by the way your going to need more tissue with those hugs.

You Must Come Home

Estel stepped into Legolas' room, noticing first that Elrohir, and Elladan were both asleep in chairs on each side of the bed. Then he looked to the form on the bed. He was shocked to see Legolas' eyes were open and staring forward with a far off look in them. He was also propped up on the pillows.

"Legolas." He ventured not knowing whether the elf slept or not.

The sound of his friends voice brought him out of the daze that his thoughts had thrown him into. He looked quickly to Estel. "Where is Atavus?" The last thing he remembered was hearing her say that she would trade herself for him.

Estel looked down, not able to face his friend. "I left her." His voice broke as he said the words.

The strangled noise that left the elf's throat woke the twins. They both sat up embarrassed that they had fallen asleep as they were supposed to be watching Legolas. "What do you mean you left her?"

"I had to Legolas. We did not know if you would live. She traded herself to the orc for your release. I tried to stop her, but she would not hear of it. I promised to come back for her. My brothers and I leave in a short while to go back." Estel explained.

"I'm going with you." The prince stated pushing the covers back that covered his lower body, swinging his feet to the floor. As he stood though his legs collapsed from below him. Estel and Elrohir were there immediately pulling him up and onto the bed again.

"You are going nowhere, Prince Legolas." A strong voice came from the doorway. They all looked up seeing Lord Elrond. "You have lost too much blood. You will not make it down the hall, much less to the mountains."

"I can't just stay here in this bed, imagining what that beast is doing to her. I can't." Legolas said pounding the bed with his fist in desperation. "She traded her life for mine. How can I just ignore that?"

"You will not ignore it, mellon-nin. I promise to bring her back here, so you can tell her just how reckless her actions are, just as I did." Estel said placing a comforting hand on his friends shoulder.

"You did?" Legolas asked.

"In my own words, yes." He answered smiling at the elf.

"Now you know how I feel." Legolas returned the smile.

Estel walked to the door following his brothers and father out, but paused a moment to turn back to his friend. "I always have, mellon-nin."

Lord Elrond led them into his study. He did not want Legolas to hear what he had to say. "She is no longer in the mountains."

"What?" Estel asked shocked.

"Just after daybreak I had a vision." Lord Elrond looked out his balcony door. Very few could read his emotions, but three of those who could were in the room then.

"What is it Ada?" Elrohir asked hoping that the orc wasn't taking her to Mordor. "Where has he taken her?"

"He is no longer with her, but she is in danger, anyway." The Lord answered.

"What did you see?" Estel asked needing to know.

"She was in a clearing in the woods, next to a small brook. She was lying on the forest floor curled into herself. Her hands covered her face. She kept repeating the word No, over and over again. She is losing her grip on this life. I can feel it. She is willing herself to die, and if nothing stops her that is what will happen." Lord Elrond's words were filled with the grief of a father losing a child. He knew she wasn't his child, but it would hurt him just as much as if he lost one of his own.

"Father can she fade?" Elladan asked.

"Part of her blood is that of an elf Elladan. Yes I believe she can." Elrond answered.

"We must leave now. There hasn't been enough time for her to go back to Mirkwood. She must be in Imladris." Estel said leaving the study and heading out to the stables.


Atavus had been lying on the ground for how long she new not, and did not particularly care. The latest trick of her blood had betrayed her it seemed. There was nothing left for her here. There was nowhere else in middle-earth that she could belong. She had no will left to stand and move on to Rivendell, and there was nowhere else to go. So she stayed where she was. The tears had stopped. She looked above her at the tree branches. She had always loved the trees, but she knew that even they could no longer accept her as she was.

She did not hear the horses hoof beats drawing nearer to her. But she did hear Estel's voice as he slid from his horse making his way to her. "Atavus."

She turned away from him, not wanting him to see her eyes. "Go away Estel." She cried.

He was shocked to hear those words fall from her lips. "Why? What is wrong Atavus?" He said placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Please just leave me." Her voice was so soft it was barely audible.

"I left you once before. I won't do it again mellon-nin." He said trying to pull her to him.

She pulled away from him, scrambling to her knees. She stopped moving as she reached the stream she had looked into earlier. "Don't call me that." Her voice said full of tears.

"Why wouldn't I? You are my friend. One of the best I have." Estel asked walking up behind her. He could see her reflection in the water. Her hands were covering her face again. "Is this about Legolas. He is fine. We left him at my Ada's. He wants to see you badly."

The words soothed her aching heart some, but could not change her mind. "Tell him, tell him I'm sorry I could not come back to him." She said with a hint of finality in her words.

"Tell him yourself, when we go home." He said kneeling behind her wrapping his arms around her trembling shoulders.

"I have no home, Estel." She whispered.

"Yes you do. Rivendell is your home. We are your family." He said motioning to the two elves behind him that had stayed quiet, watching the exchange. "Why are you talking like this?"

She lowered her hands. "Because I have changed Estel. I am not fit to call you family or Rivendell home any longer." She opened her eyes, her black eyes, and stared at the reflection they made in the pool in front of him.

He also looked at the reflection, noticing immediately what she meant. He slowly pulled her around in his arms. She dropped her gaze to her hands in front of her. He placed one hand below her chin, pulling it up. He stared into the blackest eyes he had ever seen. The twins behind him also saw them. A gasp escaped Elrohir's mouth. "What has happened, Atavus?" Elladan asked moving to her side, as Elrohir moved to the other. They both kneeled before her as Estel did.

"I am becoming one of them." She said as the black tears began to flow down her cheeks again. "My blood is black. I no longer heal as I did before" She said ripping the cloth from her arm again, showing them the warg bite. "I got this yesterday morning. It is infected." She had never suffered from infection before.

"Atavus I don't know why this is happening to you. But we will find out why. Ada will help you. He is so worried about you." Estel said wiping the tears from her face.

She let him caress her cheek for a moment accepting the comfort it offered. But then pulled her face from his hand. "How can I?" She asked.

"Atavus this matters not to us. You are as a sister to us, and we want you to come home." Elladan said touching her cheek as Estel had the moment before.

"Atavus if you don't come home it will break Ada's heart. He sees you as his own also. Don't do this to us. Please come home." It was Elrohir this time taking her hand in his.

"Atavus, they are right. And think of what it would do to Legolas if you don't. He will blame himself for this. Please, you must come home." Estel begged.

She looked at the three brothers. She had come to love them as if they were her own brothers also. She closed her eyes and sighed deeply. "I will come with you."