The four MElings decided not to go to the library that day. Elrohir was staying in bed, and the others didn't like to leave him. Instead, they retold the familiar tales and sung all the old songs. When Katie and Megan got back to the room, they sat quietly at their desks, doing schoolwork and listening with one ear to the things that were being sung. They only understood some of it, as the MElings were mostly speaking and singing in Elvish, but when elves sing, the feelings come through so purely that they still got a sense of what was being said.

The entire time, Elrohir lay half-asleep, his eyes closed. There were dark circles under his eyes and lines of grief on his face, like on one who has undergone a great shock or tragedy. After awhile, he rolled over with his face to the wall. Elladan stood up and leaned over him.

"Muindor-nín?"

"Just let me sleep, Brother," was all the answer he received.

When it came time for lunch, Estel and Legolas went down with the girls, but Elladan and Elrohir remained in the room. Katie promised to bring them something to eat.

"I wish I could stay in the room with them all day," Katie said regretfully as they descended the stairs to the dining hall. "But my Thursday schedule is really full. Megs and I even have an evening class tonight from six fifteen to nine! But I suppose peace and quiet are probably best for him, and my not being there won't have any effect, really." The guys nodded in agreement.

"Is one of those guys sick?" Liz asked.

"Yeah, Ron." Katie thought fast. "He's, uh… got mono."

"Oh, man," Dana said. "Did he just come down with it this morning?"

"Mm-hm."

"We'll try to be quiet and let him rest," Liz said kindly. "If it gets too loud from our room, just come down and tell us to shut up."

"Thank you," Estel said, taking her words in the spirit in which they were spoken.

000

Elladan heard Elrohir shift and roll over, so he stood from his seat on the floor and checked on his brother. When he saw Elrohir watching him, he seated himself on the edge of the bed.

"Why do you despair?" Elladan asked softly. "We will return to Middle Earth soon enough, as soon as we have accomplished all that we were sent to do here."

Elrohir shook his head. "It is not the fear of that, so much, that holds my mind captive. It is the very condition of this world."

"This world is not ours, and the people who live here seem content to see it in this condition," Elladan argued gently.

"But do you not see?" Elrohir asked, in a voice that sounded like the breaking of a noble heart. "This is a world without elves. This is what the world becomes, when it is ruled by men. Our people are fading from Middle Earth, Elladan. You know that as well as I. In a short time, things will come to a head, and then the elves will sail. And the lands will be left to men, to rule as they will. This is what Middle Earth will become! Not bad, but bereft of so much good! Will we stray long enough in Middle Earth to see the beauty our people have brought to it fade into the twilight of the elves? And will Estel's children and grandchildren, his long line of descendants, be forced to suffer a pitiless world with no light of Aman to guide it?"

"Oh, my brother," Elladan said sadly, leaning down to embrace his twin, "you have our mother's tender heart."

"But I cannot set sail as she did," Elrohir whispered, "for there is no sea here which reaches to Aman." He paused. "And I do not want to leave you," he added hopelessly.

"Nor I you, brother," Elladan answered, refusing to let him go, holding him even closer as if he feared to be parted from him. "There is surely more beauty in this world than any of us have yet discovered. A different kind of beauty from that of the elves, but a beauty nonetheless. Hold on. We shall see it shine out as brightly as Eärendil over Imladris e'er we leave this land."

000

Every idle moment in class and work that day, Katie was preoccupied with Elrohir's illness and how she could possibly help him. If a lack of the natural world was part of his problem, would being around natural beauty help? Or would it only remind him of his homesickness, and ultimately make it worse? She would have offered to play some music more to the elven taste, but Elrohir's friends were singing songs from home, which would be better than any Enya CD. Also, the things that Elrohir had read that had impressed themselves on his mind were all the bad things about society and technology. But there were wonderful things, as well. Maybe she could find him a book on medical advancements or the civil rights movement or something.

Finally, in the middle of her night class (Women in Antiquity), she hit upon a thought. Maybe she could test to see if being around nature helped Elrohir or hurt him. If a small dose of it helped, she was sure they could figure out a way to get him out into the country. But she would need Megan's help.

By the time they left night class, it was well after dark. But the night wasn't terribly chilly, so this would be the best time to try it. Also, there wouldn't be many people out and about who would be curious or concerned about Elrohir's condition. As soon as she got into the room, she dropped her bag and went straight over to Elladan. "How is he?" she asked, indicating Elrohir, who was once again asleep with his back to the room.

Elladan shook his head. "Not well, I think. Is there any way we can get him out of the city? I think it would help."

"Yes, but not until tomorrow. But I've thought of something we can do to help him now, tonight."

000

Elrohir blinked his eyes blearily. Someone was shaking him awake.

"Come on, Ro," Elladan said gently. "Get up."

"What's going on?" Elrohir asked. He winced at hearing the rasp in his own voice.

"We're going for a little walk," Elladan said, helping his brother up. "Some fresh air will do you good."

They took him down the elevator and outside the building and began the trek through the parking lots. Elladan walked with his arm around his twin's waist, supporting him. Elrohir felt terrible. Everything around him faded out—he heard the murmur of the others talking around him, but couldn't bring himself to concentrate on what they were saying. His mind was blearily focused on the sight of his feet traversing the asphalt. He was so terribly weary. Once he tripped, and felt Estel catch his arm and support him on the other side. The asphalt gave way to concrete, and Elrohir was aware of a familiar scent.

"Elrohir," Elladan said quietly, breaking his trance. "Look."

Elrohir raised his head. They were in a long, high-ceilinged building with stalls on either side—a stable.

A slow smile spread across the weary elf's face. Megan opened a stall and Estel helped his brother in. In a few minutes, Elrohir stood on his own, talking and laughing quietly to the horse. A little color had returned to his face.

Elladan turned to Katie. His eyes shone as he smiled at her. "Thank you," he said quietly.

000

Unfortunately, the cure was only temporary. By the time they returned to the room, Elrohir was looking ill again. Elladan made sure he got back to bed alright, then rejoined the others in a quiet corner of the lounge. They hadn't wanted to disturb Elrohir's sleep, and the hall was too public. Everyone had pulled up chairs around a table away from the other students at the TV.

"I've got a test in my eight o'clock class tomorrow morning," Megan was saying, "but I'm free after that."

Katie nodded, and smiled up at Elladan as he pulled up a chair for himself. "Megan has offered to put us all up at her place for the weekend," she told him. "Her family lives out in the country—it's a really beautiful place. It may help."

"That would be wonderful. Thank you, Megan," Elladan said gratefully.

Megan waved off his thanks. "No problem. I do have to call my parents and ask, but I'm sure they won't mind. My dad and Ben and Esther are going to be out of town, so it'll just be my mom and Josiah and Mercy. We've got a second house next to our own where my dad's office is. You guys can sleep there, in the upstairs bedrooms. Kate and I can sleep in my room. That way my parents won't get upset, and you guys won't have to put up with my siblings all day!"

"It sounds perfect," Katie said, satisfied.

000

Megan called and got permission from her mom to bring some friends home for the weekend. They all went to bed early that night. Legolas and Estel moved to the mattress on the floor so that the twins could sleep in the other bed. Elladan crawled into bed next to his brother and put his arm around the sleeping twin. Katie turned away and got into bed herself. She was still very worried about Elrohir, but at least now she didn't feel quite as guilty about it. She had helped to organize a cure for him. She only hoped it would work.

TBC

AN: It's great when I get to do extended dialogue between elves. I just love how they talk. :)

Oh, by the way, I've added a page to my website with photos of locations and people described in this fic, as a sort of visual companion. :) The link is on my profile; let me know what you think!

werewolflemming: I'm not sure I'd say something when wrong in the world between the lotr time and ours—it had already happened. Thanks!

Arlindor: Yes, the college has plenty of pianos, but unfortunately, neither Katie nor her friends plays one, and obviously the elves don't. :)

Ravens Destiny: Well, I'm glad to see I'm building up a committed fanbase:)

Chibi Chingo: Your wish is my command! Actually, I would like to point out that all four of our MElings are very definitely alive by the time of the War of the Ring, so I can't actually kill any of them anyway! But there are fates worse than death… Hee hee…

EresseElrondiel: I was never all that wild about any of Shakespeare's work until I saw some really good live performances of his plays. But yeah, I'm majoring in Eng secondary edu, so is anyone surprised:)

Hermione at Heart: Oh, man, I am SO EXCITED about the two hour season finale of Lost tomorrow night! And it is a tradition among my friends at college to get together and watch it on Meg's TV every week. We've got this whole "I am the queen" thing going on with it too… Good times.

Madd Hatter: Don't you just hate when your computer goes nuts?

Darkened Dreams: Yes, he would!

Erasuithiel: Awww! I'm honored! Actually, Tolkein never really said what happened to the twins in the end… I started reading the Silmarillion once, but I never finished it. Too hard to keep everybody straight. I need to try it again now that I've picked up some more on the history from other sources. My next lotr reading project is the Debate of Finrod and Andreth in Morgoth's Ring: the Later Silmarillion (as soon as the book comes in from the library). Glad you enjoyed the fic!

Thanks also to Laer4572 and fk306!

Each and every review makes the sun shine brighter in the sky for a poor, humble fanfiction writer… lol