Elladan was heading down the corridor when he heard someone coughing. The sound seemed unnaturally loud in the quiet of the house. It was two days after the Company had departed, and the household of Elrond was solemn and still.

Instead of abating, the coughing grew more violent and distressed. Elladan sped up. Turning the corner, he came upon Katie. She was leaning over, holding onto a decorative table with one hand and covering her mouth with the other while she tried to bring her respiration under control. Elladan put his hand comfortingly on her shoulder and bent over her in concern. In a moment, she managed to stop and straightened up. She showed him a small smile, her eyes streaming.

"Are you well?" Elladan asked, and she nodded, swallowing to ease her irritated throat. He stooped and picked up her shawl, which had slipped to the floor, and draped it around her shoulders.

"Thanks," she said with a sniffle.

Elladan shook his head. He was sure she had a fever, and probably chills as well. His suspicions were confirmed when she rubbed her temple.

"Headache?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"A fever can do that. Come, let's go to my sitting room. There's a warm fire there." Katie agreed meekly.

She dropped onto the sofa in Elladan's sitting room with a sigh and shut her eyes. She neither moved nor spoke for some time. Elladan observed her unobtrusively. She looked drawn. Not for the first time, he wondered what it felt like to be sick.

"Such lively conversation!" Elrohir spoke up from the doorway, and both of them looked up. "I shall never be able to get a word in edgewise!"

Elladan grinned at him, and Katie smiled wanly. Elladan saw a troubled expression flit across his brother's face.

"How are you feeling?" he asked her more seriously as he came into the room.

"Blah," Katie answered descriptively, "very blah. I hate being sick."

"I imagine so," Elrohir agreed sympathetically, sitting down beside her on the couch. There was silence again as Katie put her cheek in her hand and gazed listlessly at the fire, apparently unaware of the twins' scrutiny.

"Would you like something to eat?" Elladan offered.

"No thanks," Katie answered, "I'm not really hungry."

Another pause. "I wish we could cheer you up," Elrohir said. "Is there anything we can do for you?"

Katie chuckled, repressed a cough on the end. "I feel like a queen with you two catering to me! If I'd known everyone would be so obliging, I would've made sure I got sick earlier!"

The twins laughed, but Elladan repeated Elrohir's offer.

Katie looked thankful, if a bit overwhelmed. "Oh, I don't know!" she exclaimed, then suggested impulsively, "Read to me."

"What would you like to hear?" Elladan asked, rising and going over to his bookshelves. "Poetry?"

"Yes—but not that," she answered.

"What then?"

She looked sheepish. "Something familiar? There's a book of poetry in my backpack…"

"I will fetch it," Elladan volunteered, and slipped out into the hall.

When he returned, Katie was coughing again. She finally stopped, and gave a bit of a wheeze as she caught her breath again. "Good Lord," she exclaimed, exasperated.

"Are you alright?" Elrohir asked.

"Yeah. My chest's just really tight. Last night I felt like there were bricks on top of me, it was so hard to breathe."

"Well, we will take your mind off of your troubles for a time," Elladan said, holding up the book. "Any requests?"

Katie leaned back. "No; just pick something."

Taking a seat, Elladan passed the book to Elrohir, who flipped it open randomly. "'Crossing the Bar' by Alfred Lord Tennyson," he began.

000

Elladan and Elrohir took turns reading for quite some time that afternoon, enjoying the poetry as much as Katie did. Sometimes Katie had to explain things to them in the poems.

"Wow," she commented after giving them what she knew of the Statue of Liberty and the significance of its being called "The New Colossus". "I don't have to be in school; my brain is getting just as much exercise here as it would in college! Between the poetry and the Sindarin and history lessons, and the horseback riding… All that's needed now is for me to start teaching psychology to Erestor!"

"I saw the other book in your bag; was it your psychology textbook?" Elladan asked. Katie nodded.

"It's an interesting subject. A tough class, but interesting."

When Katie's voice got too tired from explaining poems, the twins went to the older poems which they would understand a little better. Elladan was just finishing up "A Wife of Usher's Well" when Elrohir touched his arm and silently pointed to Katie. She was asleep, her face innocent and peaceful.

Elladan and his brother shared a smile and rose silently with one accord. Elrohir picked up a throw from nearby and tucked it gently around her. She stirred and shifted like a child asleep, but didn't wake. The twins silently slipped out of the room.

"Sleep well, gwathel vuin," Elrohir murmured.

000

Elrohir headed out to the stable to do a little work with his horse. Húnvel looked up from a nearby stall as he walked in.

"Good afternoon, Húnvel Glawarion," Elrohir said cheerfully.

"Good afternoon, my lord," Húnvel replied.

They chatted for a bit, and then Húnvel asked, "How is Katie today?"

"She is feeling ill," Elrohir replied. "She is asleep at the moment."

Húnvel nodded and said no more for a minute, murmuring quietly to his horse. Finally, he looked up.

"They are very frail, are they not? Humans?" Húnvel said slowly.

Elrohir nodded gravely. "Yes, they are." He paused in his work and looked down at his hands meditatively.

"I am sorry, my lord," Húnvel said, a little embarrassed. "I did not mean that the way it sounded."

"No, do not apologize," Elrohir answered, shaking himself. "You must know, Glawarion, that I have seen many, many generations of men come and go. The death of each of my human friends saddens me, but it is something I have come to be familiar with, and to accept."

"And the choice is still before you," Húnvel said quietly.

Elrohir smiled a little at his young friend's boldness. "Yes, it is. But if I choose humanity, I will still have lived a long life—a life of the Eldar. And I may still be slain in battle, or by orcs."

Húnvel shook his head disbelievingly. "I cannot imagine any orcs getting the best of either you or your brother, my lord," he said with a smile.

Elrohir grinned and repeated a line he had learned from Vivian. "Flattery will get you nowhere. Go on, finish grooming your horse!"

Húnvel laughed in response and bent back over his work. Elrohir followed suit, but paused often, thinking.

000

A week or two later, Katie was deeply occupied in the library with some work Erestor had set her. Bending carefully over the parchment, she scratched diligently with her quill—and accidentally made a blot on her writing.

Katie flung down the pen with a frustrated growl, which turned to a cough. A hand appeared suddenly over her shoulder and put the lid back on the inkpot. Katie looked up, suppressing the rest of her cough, to see Elladan smiling down at her.

"You seem a bit exasperated. Perhaps you should take a break?"

Katie agreed, leaning back in her chair as Elladan took a seat nearby. "What brings you to the library this afternoon?"

"Pleasure," Elladan replied. "I was looking for a book to read. But I think I would prefer to chat with you."

"How far do you think the Company has gotten by now?" Katie asked abruptly.

Elladan calculated in his head. "Probably to Hollin."

Katie looked down at her hands. "I know what happens if they fail, but what happens if they succeed?"

Elladan looked very seriously. "The Rings of Power are tied to the Ruling Ring. The Rings of the Elves were never touched by Sauron, and so were not corrupted. But when the Ruling Ring is destroyed, they will lose their power as well. And the Ringbearers will most likely leave these shores."

Katie looked up at him. "You mean your father's leaving?" she asked.

"Yes."

"And if he sails, Arwen will sail with him, unless Estel becomes king of both Arnor and Gondor?"

"Yes."

Katie whistled between her teeth. "Wow." She saw Elladan smiling at the expression. "What about you and Elrohir?" she asked.

"We have not yet discussed it," Elladan answered. "But as the Dunedain will remain here, we will likely remain with them for a time. They are our greatest friends; we often ride out with them against the orcs. Perhaps someday we will sail; I know not."

Katie regarded him steadily. "I think I finally get it," she said slowly. "If you don't sail, you will never see the beauty of Aman or be reunited with your parents—your mother. But if you do sail, you will never see your friends or Estel or your homeland again."

Elladan nodded silently.

"And you have to decide how you want to die, too," Katie continued slowly after a moment. "Whether you want to go to Mandos to be reborn, or leave the circles of the world. Either way, you'll be very long-lived. If you choose immortality, you might live in Middle-earth a very long time before you decide to sail."

"We might," Elladan agreed. "We would have to build our own ship, but that would be a joy. It is only if we choose mortality that we will not be allowed to reach the Undying Lands."

"I can see that it's a blessing to choose your fate, but it's also a bit of a curse, isn't it?"

"It is our Doom," Elladan replied simply.

TBC

AN: I'm sorry I took so long for the update! What with one thing and another, I only finished writing the chapter this morning at work.

theycallmemary: Sorry, it's a typo. Hurin should be Hunvel. Must fix that… Thank you for pointing it out! Nooo, not virtual ice! —cowers in fear— Do recall, she's human, and she's gotta die sometime! Yep, deleted scenes will come after next sequel. And after that I think I'll be done, although I don't want to rule out later sequels entirely… Yummy! Virtual muffin! Thanks; on Mondays all I get for breakfast are water and stale Lucky Charms. :( I hate Mondays…

Laer4572: Thanks! Unfortunately, I've been so busy this week, that I haven't been able to update either fic! Recall that I am also doing homework, participating in a school spirit week, writing a screenplay of a favorite novel, and doing about three billion other things as well… Gah. There are never enough hours in a day. I think a week should be eight days long, and the extra day should be part of the weekend. Don't you think? I shall call it Ashleyday, and it shall be my day… And there was much rejoicing! Ooookay, I think I need to go get some sleep…

Darkened Dreams: Yep, Atypical (or "walking") pneumonia. And is doing a lot of coughing, as per your request. :) Thanks!

Tara: You start school half an hour after me! No fair! —pouts— I had stats at eight this morning… Anyway, it's early January now, if you want to follow along with the timeline in the appendix to Return of the King.

The Reviewing Llama: Thanks! Yep, does sound like it, doesn't it? Lossefalme and Lossefalmiel are two forms of the same name, which means "White Wave"—that is, the name Guinevere or Jennifer. Courtesy of councilofelrond dot com!

Princess Siara: Very good! Hope you liked your presents!

IwishChan: Just for you!

ElvenRyder: Too late. I've already been devoured by so many plot bunnies, the only thing left is my overworked brain and my flying fingers.

Hermione at Heart: I'm 19; I'll be 20 in January. Thanks very much! Fanfiction has been great practice for me.

Ravens Destiny: Yesssss, Shhhhakesssspeare, Prrreccccioussss! Thanks very much for the info on pneumonia! You probably noticed I quoted your mom at one point… :)

Erasuithiel: Yeppers! Yeah, the unofficial national pot day is always April 20, since 4:20 is another term for pot, deriving from the practice of smoking it after school at about 4:20 in the afternoon. Or so I've been told…

lds-sunshinegrl: Welcome to the fic! I've enjoyed reading your reviews when they pop up in my inbox!

Thanks also to Fk306!

Big thanks to Ravens Destiny for supplying a bit more description of the experience of walking pneumonia!

Make your choice, adventurous reader:

Leave a review while you take a breather.

Or wonder, till it drives you mad,

What I would have answered if you had!