Happy Summer to all my fellow LOTR fans and readers! This is a tad bit out of season, but perhaps it will cool you off a little! :)

I am sorry for the delay. RL is still being difficult, and I cannot manage time for my passions, it seems. I am writing on it along, and I am hopeful that I can finish this one soon. Thank you for not giving up on me, and thank you for all your support! Your reviews and comments mean the world to me and keep me inspired in the difficult times. I hope you are all having a wonderful summer!

It was indeed a long and lonely day, and the night was even worse as fever took a firm hold of both injured elves with a grip that refused to loosen. Elladan managed to break Elrohir's fever halfway through the treacherous night with what herbs he still had and by applying cold snow to his brother's face and hands, but Legolas still remained sickened despite his best efforts. In the throes of despair, Elrohir finally sleeping peacefully—a deep sleep of healing—the fire crackling steadily, and a blanket stretched across the mouth of the little cave to keep the heat in as much as possible despite the still-blowing wind and icy snow flurries outside, Elladan finally walked over to the other corner of the small cave where he had laid the little tree. Grabbing it up, he took it over to the delirious elfling, dropping to his knees beside him and untucking the blanket enough to push the little tree in between Legolas' arms, wrapping them around the thin branches, then pulling the blanket back and tucking it carefully around Legolas' thin, trembling shoulders. He watched the pale face quietly for a moment, whispering a prayer.

Seeing no change, he sighed, glanced over once more at the still-peaceful Elrohir, then pulled back the blanket again enough for him to slip in beside Legolas. He pulled the blanket carefully back over the both of them, then wrapped his arms around the young elfling, turning him to face into his chest as he carefully avoided the prickly pine needles. He placed his chin on top of Legolas' soft, blonde hair, closing his eyes and planting a kiss gently on the top of his head as he pulled him tightly into an embrace. "See, elfling?" he whispered with sadness in his voice. "I have forgiven you. I even gave you your stupid tree back. You must wake up now, and see that I have forgiven you…saes… Legolas… little brother…"

Elladan held the young elf that way for a long time, attempting to send more healing energy into him and giving him what warmth he could. Legolas continued to shiver in an ominous silence, and Elladan looked once more over at his twin, wishing he could communicate with him to see what they should do. Legolas needed help swiftly, and he greatly feared it wouldn't be swift enough. He was surprised to see serious grey eyes filled with pain staring back at him.

"Elrohir!" Elladan exclaimed, though he remained carefully unmoving so as not to jar the ill elfling in his arms. "How do you feel, brother?"

Elrohir grimaced after a moment. "Very sore, and a little confused… I remember falling…I remember the elfling lying on me, then you coming over and treating me…but how did you find me?"

Elladan frowned at his twin's lapse in memory. "I did not… Legolas did."

"What?" cried Elrohir. "Why did you allow him to go out in this storm? That was the entire point of me going back for the tree!"

Elladan's frown grew to a scowl. "I did not "allow" him! We were worried about YOU, and the elfling snuck out in the middle of the night while I was sleeping! I had to track HIM down, and HE had already found YOU!"

Elrohir's mouth dropped open. He looked at the elfling in Elladan's arms in shock and awe. "But how could he possibly have found me in such a storm? "I" could hardly see or find anything. It was difficult for me to find the cave and the tree again, and Legolas is but a little elfling—an ill one at that."

Elladan copied his twin's gaze, staring down at the child in his arms, his frown turning to a begrudging look of admiration. "I honestly do not know. I was concerned that I would have to find the both of you in two different places. It was a relief to find you both together."

Elrohir looked a little dazed. "Well, that is good then…" He closed his eyes for some moments, until Elladan thought he had fallen back asleep. He opened them again, and a sheepish look spread over his fair face. "I remember…I remember now…We already had this discussion. You were going to lecture the poor elfling for finding me, even though he likely kept me from freezing to death and saved my life…" There was a slight note of accusation in his still-weak voice, and it was Elladan's turn to look sheepish.

"I am glad you remember, muindor. I was beginning to worry that your brain had frozen as well… No, I did not lecture him. He has not been awake for me to do so, but I do not think I can bear to be stern with him now, after him being so desperately ill, and after his courage in looking for my beloved twin." He smiled winsomely at Elrohir, hoping his twin would forget his earlier harsh mannerism toward the little elfling.

Elrohir looked at his twin with amusement. "Think you I shall forget so easily how sad you made him? My brain was not that frozen! You shall have a great deal of making up to do to the little one when he is well, and I shall certainly remind you!"

Elladan looked shamefaced. "And I will contrive to do so… I should have held my temper, especially with him so ill. I knew he was just worried about you." He looked down at the elfling in his arms sadly. "Poor penneth. All he wanted to do was spend Yule with his Ada, and take his stupid tree with him…"

Something sharp dug suddenly into his side, and he yelped, pulling the covers back and looking down to see one of the little tree's needles sticking firmly through his tunic and partway into his flesh. "Now how did that happen?" he mused ruefully, pulling the needle out of his tunic and rubbing the sore spot on his stomach. He looked with raised eyebrow at Legolas, but he was obviously still unconscious, face pale, and breaths raspy. He looked over at Elrohir to see a twinkle of laughter in his twin's grey eyes. "I am glad you find this so amusing, brother! Hopefully your return to laughter at your poor brother's expense means you are swiftly recovering your health!"

Elrohir chuckled. "Never make fun of a tree that a wood elf has awakened! Let that be a lesson to you, Dan!"

"Ha!" Elladan scoffed. "I merely moved the wrong way. There is no way a tiny, little, st…" He stopped abruptly, peering down at the peaceful little tree suspiciously. "Stupendously sweet little tree would ever dare to harm a tree-loving elf… Shut up, Ro!"

Elrohir was laughing so hard he began to gasp in pain. It took him a moment but he was able to gain control and sit still, his eyes still twinkling madly and an arm over his aching ribs.

Elladan glared at him. "Must you undo all my healing work? Remember that we still must get the elfling home!"

Elrohir abruptly stilled, a frown replacing his laughter as he looked over at the too-still elfling. "Dare we risk more exposure to the cold?" he asked tentatively.

"Dare we not?" Elladan countered. "He needs medicines we do not have. And he needs to be indoors in a nice, warm bed. We do not dare linger for long. Perhaps one night, enough that you can recover your strength. But then we must try it again."

"We lost much ground," Elrohir rued. "At least a couple of hours of travel has been lost because you had to backtrack to me."

"It cannot be helped," Elladan said gently. "I am just relieved we have you, and that you are relatively whole. In a storm such as this, anything could have happened, to any of us."

Elrohir nodded somberly, relaxing back against his blanket, a look of exhaustion and pain spreading upon his face. "Sleep now, muindor. I will watch over us," Elladan coaxed, laying back himself beside the elfling in his arms and beginning to sing a soft elven lullaby. It was not long before he heard the steady breathing of his brother and knew he had drifted back into a healing sleep. He smiled, looking over to make sure the fire was still going strongly, before closing his own eyes and allowing the darkness to overtake his thoughts for a while.

Elladan was abruptly awoken by the elfling still ensconced in his arms coughing harshly. Half asleep and feeling chilled, Elladan patted the young elf on the back gently, trying to calm his coughs. When Legolas only seemed to cough harder, and in fact appeared to be beginning to choke from lack of air, the haze in Elladan's head immediately cleared and he sat up, pulling Legolas with him. He turned the young elf to face him, placing his head on his shoulder as he rocked him back and forth anxiously, patting his back the entire time as he drifted into an immediate healing trance. The elder elf could vaguely hear Elrohir calling out to him as he muttered the healing prayers over the young elfling, but he could not be interrupted at this point and did not pause.

Eventually, Legolas' coughs slowed, and he lay with the side of his head against Elladan's shoulder, gasping for breath. Elladan's eyes cleared and he sat still, rubbing soothing circles over the thin back. "Hush now, it is over," he whispered. "I have you."

"E-Elrohir…" Legolas said weakly against Elladan's tunic, and the elder elf knew he was worried about his twin. He turned sideways so that Legolas could see Elrohir, looking himself to ensure his twin was well.

Elrohir was half-sitting up near the fire, though it appeared he had not had enough strength to rise any further than that, and Elladan's heart sank. Not wishing to alarm the ill child in his embrace, he managed to keep his worry out of his voice. "See? Elrohir is right here. He is safe, as are you. We are going to be fine, penneth."

Legolas smiled weakly, giving Elladan a little pat on the back as though consoling him over his lack of understanding. The worried-looking Elrohir managed a smile and a wave to the young elfling, and Legolas waved back. Then the young elf turned his head into Elladan's neck with a weary sigh, closing his eyes and clutching at a thick strand of Elladan's hair, as though wanting to ensure he did not lose connection with the elder elf.

Elladan rubbed circles on the thin back until he could hear the soft, steady breathing that indicated the elfling had fallen back asleep. He then turned to his brother, who was watching with an expression that could only be called terrified. "What should we do, Ro?" Elladan asked anxiously, feeling in this instance as though he were the younger brother. The overwhelming responsibility for both of these dear hearts' survival was beginning to take its toll on the also exhausted young warrior.

Elrohir raised an eyebrow in disbelief that his strong brother was asking him what to do. "You need to rest, Dan," he said gently. "You cannot keep on like this."

"We have no time to rest!" Elladan hissed. "Legolas is not going to make it, Elrohir, if we do not get him help soon."

Elrohir sighed wearily, brushing a hand over his pale face before looking sorrowfully at his brother. "It is nearly day, and the wind has died a little. I think we should go ahead and risk it, brother."

"You are too weak yet," Elladan said softly, his eyes anguished.

"I will make it!" Elrohir said firmly. "I cannot rest here in any case. It is too cold and uncomfortable, and I am too worried about the elfling." He held out a hand towards his twin in a pleading manner. "What choice do we really have, Dan?" he asked softly.

Elladan bit his lip, looking from his brother down to the young elf in his arms before nodding slowly. "You are right. It is the only choice we can make. Let us go, then, before our courage falters." With that, he gently set the young elf down on the cloaks and hastily threw what little supplies were lying around back into their packs. He hesitated a moment when he came to Elrohir's pack, then began to pull it over his shoulder. Elrohir grabbed his leg from where he was sitting. "Nay!" he said adamantly. "You cannot carry the burdens of three, the elfling and tree, and help me as well. It is not possible."

Elladan sighed, handing the pack to Elrohir without a word. There was no point in wasting precious energy arguing with his brother. He knew from experience it did little good at any rate. He moved to grab Elrohir's weapons—meekly handing them over when his brother glared at him. He then shouldered his own pack and weapons, along with Legolas' smaller belongings, then gathered up the elfling, cloaks, tree and all, carefully into his arms.

He walked back over to help Elrohir rise, but his brother had already pushed to his feet, swaying shakily and his face several shades paler than previously. Elladan kicked dirt over the small fire, enclosing them into darkness except for the dim light shining through the small cave entrance. Snatching the blanket away that had been covering the entrance, he shoved it hurriedly into his pack. He then stepped up beside his brother, offering him the crook of his elbow to grab ahold of. Elrohir smiled weakly at him, pulling his own cloak around himself and his hood well over his hair and ears, then doing the same to his brother and lastly to the elfling, tucking the cloaks so firmly around the younger being's face that Elladan was not sure Legolas would be able to breathe. Only then did he take hold of Elladan's arm and gestured grandly toward the entrance. "Lead on, servant," he said in a grandiose voice, and Elladan rolled his eyes but grinned appreciatively at his brother's attempts at high spirits.

Then they plunged out together into the bitter cold of the dawning morning, the snow still swirling angrily around in the air, but luckily at a lighter rate than it had been the night before.

TBC-Hopefully soon!