Gandalf hurried through Helm's Deep. He appeared to be searching for someone as he walked past the crowds of people. He was slowly getting frustrated as he he couldn't find who he was looking for. He soon walked inside. Gandalf looked at Theoden, who was sitting in his chair, and Haldir, who was standing next to him. They both stopped talking and glanced over at him.

"What is the matter Gandalf?" Theoden asked him.

"Have either of you seen Aragorn?" he wondered.

The two glanced at each other before shaking their heads.

"I was talking to him earlier, after you were but then I left amost immediately afterwards. I have not seen him since then," Haldir replied.

"I have not seen him at all since the battle," Theoden told him. "Why do you ask where he is?"

"I have a few questions that I need to ask him and I cannot find him. I guess I shall try and find Gimli and ask him," Gandalf sighed.

Almost immediately, footsteps were heard near the entrance of the room. Along with the footsteps, came a gruff voice.

"You don't need to look for me any further. Now what is it that you wanted to ask?" Gimli said.

"Have you seen Aragorn lately?" Gandalf asked him.

"No, I have not. He hurried off soon after Haldir left, saying he had to quickly find someone. I don't know where he went to or who he had to find," Gimli replied.

Everyone became slightly worried since no one knew where Aragorn was. Haldir hurried out the door, with Gimli and Gandalf following behind him.

"There's only so many places he could be while we're waiting for Legolas and Nanaylia to return," Haldir mused. "Where could he have go so quickly?"

Gandalf slightly gasped. Haldir and Gimli both wondered what the matter was as they glanced at each other.

"I really don't know but something tells me we won't be seeing him for a while," the wizard quietly said.

"What do you think he did then?" Haldair wondered.

"I don't know. All we have to do is wait. When he comes back is when he comes back and then he'll tell us what we want to know. We cannot make any assumptions with the little information we have," Gandalf told them

Haldir watched Gandalf walk back inside out of the corner of his eye. Gimli stood next to him. He almost appeared ready for another battle.

"It is probably going to be a while before you head back into battle Master Dwarf. All you can do now is wait for Aragorn to return," Haldir told him.

"I can only hope," Gimli growled. "If someone should come here before of after Aragorn shows up again, I'm going to be ready for them."

Haldir smiled at the comment before heading back inside himself.

00000

Nanaylia leaned against the rock wall. She glanced towards the entrance continually. A fear was growing in the back of her mind, that something or someone was coming after them. Her stare turned towards her brother. She could tell that the gargoyle form was already starting to disappear yet many things began to worry her that she hadn't thought about before.

"What have I done by not bringing someone else with? I was so worried about his dignity that I forgot about other things, like getting food and his injuries," she quietly said.

A noise outside the cave soon caught her attention. Intently listening, she slowly climbed to her feet and started to head towards the entrance. A horse found its way through the trees, carrying a very familiar rider. Nanaylia's mouth was soon hanging open as she recognized who it was. She stepped forward, causing the rider to gasp out in surprise.

"Aragorn, what brings you out here? I thought I told all of you to stay behind at Helm's Deep," she asked him.

"I figured that you needed some help, despite what you told myself and the others. I followed your tracks until here, which is where they stopped. I had been wondering for a moment where you went from here," Aragorn replied.

He climbed off his horse and walked towards her. He could see the tears in her eyes.

"Please forgive me Aragorn. I know what it feels like and I didn't want to see him around all those men when Legolas finally emerges from Lecerne. He will be mortified once he finds out the Gimli and Theoden have already seen him as a gargoyle. I couldn't deepen his humiliation by leaving him there," she apologized.

"There is nothing to forgive. A sister's love should be taken seriously," Aragorn told her. "I've seen the two of you in action before and I wouldn't want to ever get in your way. Now where is he?"

"He's inside the cave," she replied.

Aragorn looked in the direction she came from and raised his eyebrows slightly in bewilderment. Nanaylia realized that the cave was still hidden from view. She grabbed his arm and pulled him into the cave. Once inside, he looked back outside.

"Nice. No one can see inside, but you can look out. I should have figured that out," Aragorn said.

He turned to see that Nanaylia was already at Legolas' side. He hurried up to his friend and glanced at the shoulder injury.

"These injuries should have been taken care of earlier but I do believe I understand why you had to get him out of there so quickly," Aragorn told her.

She nodded as she watched him place a hand on Legolas' shoulder. In the blink of an eye, a hand roughly grabbed Aragorn's wrist.

"Don't touch me," came a raspy voice.

The gargoyle managed to stand up, while still holding onto Aragorn's arm. He began to dig in his claws into the skin. Aragorn tried to draw his arm back once he felt the pain start but the gargoyle known as Lecerne tightly held onto him. Aragorn glanced down to see that Legolas was cutting into the skin and drawing blood.

"Legolas?" Aragorn questioned.

The gargoyle stared at him, as if studying him. The grip loosened from around Aragorn's wrist and he shook it to get the feeling back into his hand. He wiped the blood away as he stepped towards his friend.

"A-Aragorn?" came the familiar voice. "Is-is that you?"

He looked around the area and grew quite surprised at his surroundings.

"Where am I?" he asked.

"You are in the forest near Helm's Deep. Nanaylia brought you here in order to save you some humiliation," Aragorn replied.

The gargoyle turned around and slowly headed to the back of the cave. He cowered in the corner and Aragorn could tell that he was shaking all over.

"You are lying. Just leave me alone and let me die. I want to be with my sister," Lecerne said with a slight growl.

Aragorn glanced over at Nanaylia, who was giving him a look that said 'sound familiar?' all over. Aragorn sighed for it did. The two walked over to Legolas and he fell unconscious into their arms. They lowered him to the ground, onto his back. Aragorn looked over him and soon grabbed the blanket to place over him.

"Maybe you should leave while I take care of Legolas'..." Aragorn began.

Nanaylia grabbed his good wrist and gave him a slighty annoyed look.

"Aragorn, why do you think that I brought him here in the first place. I know what's going to happen to him and it's because I've already seen my brother. I know what he looks like Aragorn," Nanaylia interrupted. "You do what you have to do. I'm staying."

Aragorn sighed in defeat before attending to Legolas' injuries.

00000

Some time later, Aragorn walked up to Nanaylia, who was sitting near the entrance of the cave.

"He'll be fine. We better be watchful for infection for it may still set in," Aragorn told her.

He glanced at her and saw that she was paying no attention to him. He sat down next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. Things were silent for what seemed like an eternity. Aragorn began to bandage his wrist, deciding to remain quiet.

"I wish Elrond were here. He would know what to do," Nanaylia suddenly said.

"What? Elrond?" Aragorn questioned, feeling slightly insulted.

"Not with his injuries, I know you can take care of them. It's his gargoyle form I'm more worried about. Elrond watched over me day and night until I finally changed back into an elf. Through Lady Galadriel, he warned me of a few things that would happen but I still wish that he were here to help," she explained.

Aragorn didn't say anything as he glanced back at Legolas, who was quietly sleeping in the back of the cave.

"Now it all makes sense. Legolas seemed so different from the time we left Lothlorien until we arrived at Helm's Deep," Aragorn told her.

"Attacking friends? Seeming to change sides for no apparent reason? Times where he looked like he was in pain? Hallucinations?" Nanaylia listed off.

"Yes. Should have figured that you would know," Aragorn agreed. "There's one question I have for you."

"What is it?" she wondered.

"As I was checking Legolas, I came across this mark on his lower back. What is it?" Aragorn asked her.

"Birthmark. We both have one," she replied.

"Birthmark? Elves can have birthmarks? I never knew this let alone know that you or Legolas had one," Aragorn questioned.

"It is very rare but we can. I've always found it kind of strange that both Legolas and I had one and in the same spot even," she explained.

Aragorn narrowed his eyes at her. Nanaylia could tell that he didn't quite believe her so she turned her back towards him and lifted up the tunic she was wearing. Aragorn moved it a bit more so he could see and saw what she was talking about. He became confused.

"Nanaylia, has anyone ever told you that these marks are nearly identical in size and colour?" Araorn asked her.

"Either I never really took notice and I don't remember anyone ever telling me. They are similar?" she replied.

Aragorn nodded, watching as she turned her head to try and look at the mark on her own body. Once she did, she hurried over to her brother. Coincidentally, he was lying on his side and she stared at the mark on his back.

"What is happening? What's wrong?" Aragorn wondered.

"I never knew that they were so similar. I knew I had one from Legolas telling me and I knew he had one from actually seeing it but I never knew. I cannot explain it," she told him.

She soon sensed Legolas moving beside her. Aragorn placed a hand on the hilt of the sword in the event he needed it. Legolas slightly opened his eyes and stared at her.

"Nanaylia," he wispered. "Everything hurts so much. Why?"

"You're injured. You are also changing. The combinationis why you are hurting so much," she replied.

"Please don't leave me. I don't want to be alone," Legolas asked of her, grabbing her shoulder.

"I won't leave," she told him.

As she sat down next to him, the rustling of leaves caught her attention. She snapped her head towards the entrance of the cave, intently listening. Aragorn turn to follow her stare and saw what she was so worried about. About a dozen or so of the Uruk-hai had escaped the clutches of the Ents and were now wandering the woods, looking for anything they may find.

"They could come inside. Stay here with Legolas. I will take care of them," Aragorn told Nanaylia.

"But there's too many of them and they haven't found us yet," she protested.

"I should do something before they do find us. In here, you're at more of a disadvantage. I will lead them away from here. Remember that I'm here to help you," Aragorn replied before running out of the cave.

"Aragorn!" screamed Nanaylia.

TBC...