Chapter 4-Fear by the river
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or places featured in this story.
Author's notes: For anyone that wanted it, here is the next chapter. I'm not being deliberately nasty to the twins, in many ways it's probably worse for their parents. I'm really sorry about this chapter. It's a bit shorter than the other ones as well.
Responses to reviews:
Yay! People reviewed my story! (Grins happily)
LloydIrvingisMine: Thanks for the review, and thanks for telling me what ROFLOL means. As per your request, here is the update.
Slina: Thank you!
Jamesofme: Thanks, and I'll try not to leave it on a cliffhanger again, but I couldn't help it that time.
A.Nuevil: Thanks! The paperwork may gain more significance later on…(I'm silly too)
Haldir's heart and soul: OK, I wasn't nice; I'm not really being very nice in this chapter either, sorry…
Glorfindel watched in horror as Elladan sank under the water, and barely paused before jumping in after him. He grabbed the unconscious elfling and hauled him out onto the bank, where he lay ominously still.
"Is he OK?" Elrohir whispered, clutching at Celebrían's skirt in fear. Celebrían didn't answer, she didn't know. Elladan looked so pale he seemed almost…She didn't want to think.
"He isn't breathing," Elrond muttered, trying desperately not to lose his calm, because he knew it wouldn't help his son. Every moment he spent panicking only put the elfling's life in further danger. Elladan's lips were beginning to look slightly blue, and his face was almost as pale as white marble. Elrond tilted Elladan's head back and pinched his nose firmly before breathing into his mouth. Elladan's chest rose and then fell again, but he still wasn't breathing.
"What's happening?" Elrohir was watching his brother in horror, barely even breathing himself. "Is he…is he going to be OK?"
"He's going to be fine," Celebrían replied, as much to reassure herself as her son. Seeing Elladan like this, so helpless, his life resting in the balance, tore painfully at her heart. She couldn't lose her son like this, so soon. He couldn't leave, not now; he was too young.
Again and again Elrond continued to breathe into Elladan's mouth, his fear and worry increasing with every passing second when it seemed to be having no effect. "Please Elladan," he thought desperately, "Please…"
Glorfindel was knelt next to Elrond, and had taken up the task of monitoring Elladan's vital signs. In one moment, what was already a terrible situation took a turn for the worse. "Elrond," he said, trying to keep the panic out of his voice, "I can't find his pulse anymore, his heart has stopped."
"Help me," Elrond said, and Glorfindel placed his hands over Elladan's chest. He pushed down on the elfling's chest firmly, and then repeated this action fourteen more times. Then Elrond went back to breathing into his son's mouth.
"Nana…" Elrohir was crying "Nana he's leaving…" he clutched at her dress in desperation. He could feel in his heart that his brother was moving further and further away from him and he didn't know what to do. Celebrían wrapped her arms around him, tears trickling down her cheeks as well. They could only pray that Elladan would be saved.
"It isn't working," Glorfindel muttered, and Elrond glared at him.
"It has to," he replied, "It has to work." He leant forward again, and exhaled into Elladan's mouth, even though it was becoming less and less likely that Elladan would survive. He could barely believe it therefore, when Elladan gasped and started coughing up water.
"Elladan," Elrond whispered, and once the elfling had finished coughing he blearily opened his eyes to look at his father.
"Ada?" He croaked weakly, bringing tears to Elrond's eyes.
"Yes, I'm here," he assured, brushing the wet hair out of Elladan's eyes.
"He's OK!" Elrohir said happily, "He's come back,"
Celebrían smiled shakily and hugged him, keeping her eyes fixed on where Elladan lay.
"We should head back," Glorfindel stated, shivering slightly, and pulling his cloak around himself to keep warm.
"Agreed." Elrond replied, while wrapping his own cloak around Elladan and lifting his son into his arms. He didn't want to say in front of Celebrían and his sons, but he was quite worried about Elladan's head injury, which could still prove to be serious. However happy he was that Elladan was still alive, he knew the young elf wasn't out of the woods yet.
The walk back to Imladris didn't take long, and Elrond, as well as carrying Elladan, kept talking to him to make sure he didn't fall asleep.
Celebrían and Elrohir walked in silence, watching Elladan. Elrohir gripped Celebrían's hand tightly, trying not to think about those terrible moments when it seemed that his brother was leaving him.
The elves inside the house fell silent when they saw Lord Elrond walk in, his son cradled in his arms. Both Glorfindel and Elladan were dripping wet, and Glorfindel at least was appreciative of the warmth the house offered.
Glorfindel headed to his rooms to get changed and warm up before he became an icicle. Elrond headed to the healing wards with Elladan, and Celebrían and Elrohir followed.
A couple of hours later, Elladan was sleeping peacefully, with a bandage wrapped around his head. Thankfully, his head injury had been relatively minor, and all he would need was plenty of rest so he could recover quickly.
Still, it was all too clear to Elrond how close he had been to losing Elladan. He sat in a chair near the bed, next to Celebrían, crying.
"He's fine now," Celebrían reached over and took his hand. "You and Glorfindel saved his life,"
Elrond shook his head, "it could easily have been very different," he said quietly. "His soul was leaving his body. I could feel it."
"You cannot dwell on that so much," Celebrían replied, "he is safe now, and that is all that matters. If you dwell on what could have happened, it will tear you apart."
"I know," Elrond turned to her, "But still, I cannot forget how close we were to losing our son."
"I feel the same way," Celebrían murmured, wrapping her arms around him.
Elrohir, meanwhile, was in his room, trying to make sense out of what had happened. His brother had been there, then suddenly, he was moving away, and there was a blank space where he should have been. Elrohir remembered feeling hollow, as if his life was empty. It was terrible.
Then something happened and he could feel his brother again, safely back where he belonged, right in Elrohir's heart.
The preparations for the feast continued, though they were all much more subdued. Everyone in Imladris knew Elladan, and however annoying he and his brother were; they were dearly loved by most if not all.
Glorfindel was sitting in the hall of fire, thinking. Erestor knew he was there, but decided wisely not to bother him.
The day ended on a sombre note. Only the paperwork was unaffected by what had happened.
Author's notes: Do you know, the reason I was writing this fanfic in the first place was because I had an idea for one chapter about Elladan, Elrohir and Legolas, and I went off at a tangent. Ah well, that's usual for me. I still haven't written that chapter, but it may appear later in this story. So, what do you think? Is it OK? Should I continue or not? Please review and tell me. I apologise for inaccurate medical details. The next chapter (if I post it) will probably be happier. Constructive criticism gratefully accepted.