An- See this! Quick chapter! So this is after Helm's Deep rewritten. In the original we had Niori up and about to tell them she wasn't dead (she got cut in the stomach pushing Legolas out of the way, if you don't remember). Well, the chances of her being on her feet a few hours after getting her stomach sliced open? Yeah, not gonna happen. So I rewrote the end part, trying to make it a bit more practical. Enjoy and all that.

.l.l.l

The battle was over and they had won. Against all the overwhelming odds, the people of Rohan had managed to beat ten thousand Orcs. They were gathered in the main keep, discussing what to do next. Or at least Gandalf, Aragorn, Eomer and Theoden were. Carla, Jane and Gimli were wondering where the hell Niori and Legolas were. When they had first not been able to find them, there had been panic. They had searched the battlefield frantically, looking at every fallen body, searching for their two friends. They had all nearly wept in relief when neither of them had been found amongst the dead. Which lead to the question (though now less panicked) of where they were.

"They're probably having sex," Carla was blunt, "you know they are. They just went through the brush with death experience, the adrenaline's pumping, nerves are on edge…"

Jane's eyebrows went up as Carla's voice trailed off, "You sure you're talking about Niori?" she teased, knowing her friend was talking about her own battle high.

Gimli was amused by their speculation, but he wasn't as quick to dismiss his concerns. He had no problem making the same assumption, but doubted that either Niori or Legolas would go odd without saying something or letting their friends know that they were alright.

"Come on Niori," Jane voiced her thought out loud, "Where are you?"

"She's dying."

They all turned towards the voice to find Eowyn standing there. Blood stained her clothes and a look of grief was etched on her face.

"What?" Gimli was the one to ask, because none of them could believe they had heard correctly.

"Lady Niori is dying," she repeated slowly.

It took a stunned moment for any reaction.

"No!" Jane was the first one to respond, her cry shrill.

"Legolas brought her to the caverns hours ago," Eowyn explained, pity in her eyes as she watched their reactions, "she had been injured, cut deeply in the stomach. He hasn't told any what has happened, only stays silently by her side."

"Take us to her," Aragorn quickly took control of the situation because the others were falling into various stages of shock or panic.

Eowyn gave a curt nod and began to walk away at a rapid pace. They reached the entrance to the caverns in no time.

"This isn't happening," Jane was muttering to herself, "This isn't happening. Niori is fine…"

Carla had yet to say a word. There was a dazed expression on her face as she followed them.

Finally Eowyn began to slow down. They spotted Legolas first; his platinum hair stood out amongst the crowd. He was kneeling on the ground beside a prone form. As they grew closer they were able to see that the person lying there was Niori. Her face was drained of any colour, leaving her an almost translucent white. There was a thick rag wrapped tightly around her waist, and it was soaked through with blood. If it wasn't for the rise and fall of her chest, they would have assumed that she was dead. There was an old woman bent over her, and they saw her checking the wound underneath the bloodied rag.

"The bleeding's stopped," they heard her tell a numb looking Legolas, "She's still lost too much, but now…" She let the sentence trail off, not willing to make any optimistic promises.

"Legolas!" Jane's voice, high pitched from fear, seemed to break the Elf out of his daze. He turned to look at them, his eyes red and glassy from the tears he had apparently shed.

"What happened?" Gimli demanded.

Legolas got to his feet and closed the distance between him and the group. When he spoke, his voice was choked and full of emotion, "We were fighting…and she saved me. She pushed me away…took the blow. I…I brought her here. I couldn't leave her…"

As his words trailed away, Jane broke down in sobs as her knees gave out. She fell to the floor, body convulsing. Aragorn bent down beside her, putting his arms around her in an awkward embrace meant to five comfort. There were tears glistening in his own eyes. Gimli stood there in shock, unable to believe what he had just been told. Carla's face had gone from dazed to showing no emotion whatsoever. She was standing there, fists clenched at her side as her body shook. When she finally spoke, her voice was frigid.

"My cousin –my best friend- is dying because of you?"

Legolas looked stricken by her words, but then bowed his head in defeat and whispered "It's all my fault…"

Finally, with a look of rage crossing her face, Carla exploded. She slugged him, sending the Elf stumbling backwards. She went to lunge at him, but Aragorn leapt to his feet and grabbed her before she could reach Legolas.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" she screamed, struggling against Aragorn's hold to get to him, "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU! BECAUSE OF YOU SHE'S DYING! HOW COULD YOU LET HER DIE LIKE THIS! SHE LOVED YOU FOR CHRIST'S SAKE! I THOUGHT YOU LOVED HER TOO, AND YOU LET THIS HAPPEN! I'M GOING TO RIP YOUR HEART OUT!"

"I'm sorry…" Legolas whispered brokenly, looking directly into Carla's eyes so she could see his pain.

Carla's hateful words broke off as she subsided into hoarse sobs. She stopped struggling and collapsed into Aragorn's arms. She covered her face in her palms, unable to look at Legolas any longer.

"This isn't happening," Jane continued to sob behind them, shaking her head frantically, trying to deny it.

The woman who was tending Niori had barely glanced up at the screaming. All of her attention was focused on the young woman lying on the ground in front of her. Because of that fact, she was able to hear the moan that came out of her parted lips and see the fluttering of eyelids that opened to show glassy blue eyes.

"She's waking," she told the group, still not glancing at them.

Legolas was back at Niori's side instantly, while Jane and Carla took up the space on the opposite side a moment later. Niori's gaze was unfocused and half lidded from both waking up and the drugs the woman had mixed into her wound to deal with pain.

"Niori?" Legolas asked softly, taking hold of her hand.

The contact and the voice brought a bit more focus to Niori. She looked at him, still dazed and confused.

"We win?" she managed to croak out a minute later, her voice hoarse.

"We did," Legolas's voice was choked up as he brushed a lock of hair away from her face, "I would have died if not for you…you almost died for me."

"You can pay me back later," she replied with what would have normally been a leer, "And I would you know. Die for you."

"Oh Niori," he whispered as he leaned down and kissed her forehead. She smiled at that, even if it was a small one.

"You're alive!" Jane cried.

Now Niori turned her attention to the two girls, and smiled when she saw them.

"Thank God you're alive!" Jane continued, crying tears of joy this time.

"I'm fine…sorta…"

"Never do that again!" Carla snapped at her, "the minute that bandage comes off I'm kicking your ass!"

"Nice to see you too Carly- Dawn," now Niori's words were slurring a bit.

"Just...just don't do that again. You can't die on me okay?" Carla's voice was small this time, making her sound like a little girl.

"I'll try my best."

l.l.l

An- And does Niori ever succeed there; she's almost died how many times? Three or four at least. Too bad Carla never made the same promise really. Anyway, I still think we had Niori wake up a little fast, but oh well. She's a fast healer I guess. Don't forget to leave us a line! See you next part!