A.N. So, here is what was initially going to be the last part of the last chapter plus some more. Because you're all so awesome (and going to post reviews, even if they're only a smilie or something, right?).

To Whiterun

It worked. My weight and speed was able to force both the Nord and I out of the way just in time. I landed on top of him as the giant fell down, dead, only a couple of feet away.

I weakly tried to disentangle myself from the dark haired man as I catalogued the pain (some of which was new and nearly blinding but in my frazzled brain it was hard to distinguish exactly where it was coming from). I then realized that there was my second dumb move for the day (the first being run full tilt toward an angry giant) because the Nord had been wielding a sword and I hadn't even considered that plowing him over to save his life could have meant ending mine. Luckily, he wasn't still holding it, and even luckier, his instinct hadn't been to shove the blade into the unexpected flying woman that had assaulted him.

The dark Nord underneath me came to pretty quick and then realized I was trying to untangle my armor from his extra sword hanging at his side and began to help without looking at me. When he was done he got to his feet despite me still being atop him, somehow lifting us both without much issue (and without asking). He set me on my feet, and I crumpled to the ground.

"Are you ok?" asked the Nord who had dragged me from the fight as he approached.

Looking up at them I realized that the resemblance between the two was definitely more than just dark hair and muscles. They had the same hair color, same eery yellowish brown eyes, same nose and jawline. The larger one had longer hair and held a look of true concern. The other looked at me as if I were some sort of alchemy experiment before going stoic.

"Or do you prefer lying on the ground?" the Nord whose life I just saved asked and I glared at him.

"Vilkas," the second Nord addressed. "You should help her."

Vilkas rolled his eyes but obliged by leaning down and, without a word or attempting to cause less pain by not jostling me, picked me up in both arms and started walking and I gave him another glare before looking anywhere but at him. I couldn't protest as there was no way I could stand and I was fairly sure if I said something he would be perfectly happy to drag me wherever he intended to take me instead (preferably by my hair).

"That your carriage over there?" he asked as if he were bored.

"Yes."

In no time he sat me on the edge of the carriage and I grimaced but attempted to hide the pain of my broken leg before he hopped up and without warning, picked me up again and sat me on the bench before sitting on the opposite bench and refusing to look at me.

"There," he said as his friends (the blonde Nord, the large Nord, and the red-haired archer) came and climbed onto the carriage.

"Torvar, go get the horse," the woman said.

The blonde grumbled something I didn't understand which the woman seemed to have caught. "Because your idiocy nearly caused grave injury to Vilkas and was the reason Ria got hurt and the reason the giant got away from us in the first place. So go, fetch the horse, and feel lucky and honored to be doing so for the Companions."

"Right, I am honored to be fetching the horse, Aela," Torvar said grumpily to the woman before jumping down and slightly in the process.

Aela rolled her eyes, looking much the same as Vilkas had moments before making me wonder how long they had known each other.

"I am Aela of the companions," the woman said.

"Everlee," I replied in kind.

"What you did out there was very brave," Aela continued. "I have to thank you for intervening when you did. We had been fighting that giant but when one of our comrades was injured he got away. It was very lucky for you to be where you were."

"Funny, it didn't feel lucky at all," I said and laughed, then tried to hide the pain as my ribs protested.

"How bad are the injuries?" the last unnamed Nord said. Then, as if reading my mind, he said, "And I'm Farkas, Vilkas's brother."

"Broken ribs, I think. My knee, that's broken, maybe other hip as well. And then bruising of course, but that will be fine," I said and shrugged.

"That's what happens when a novice tries to battle a giant," Vilkas said when I was done.

I turned a very cold look his way and was ready to rip into him, but Aela beat me to speaking, "Vilkas. She saved your life at the risk of hers didn't she?"

"Only after I saved hers," he replied, seemingly irritated that someone as insignificant as I could save his life.

"After we put her cart in danger and then saved your life while already injured," Aela said.

Vilkas seemed to think about replying to that, but then folded his arms over his chest and resolved to say nothing. It reminded me of Brynjolf crossing his arms over his chest and it struck me just how different the same action could come off and be done by such different men. Brynjolf had done it casually, at ease, almost tauntingly at times. Vilkas, on the other hand, looked only slightly less childish than Jared had when he'd done the same thing.

"We have healers in Whiterun, at the temple," Farkas said. "I can make sure you get there."

I smiled at his earnestness and was about to reply in thanks when Vilkas decided now was the time to open his trap, "Aren't you a Breton…at least part Breton?"

"Yes," I said, irritated and not knowing where his train of thought could be.

"Then why don't you just heal yourself? Aren't you supposed to be the magic type?" Vilkas continued.

I narrowed my eyes at him thinking of what I'd like him to do (mainly fall on his own sword). "Not all Bretons do magic and if you were paying attention during the battle, you would have seen it's not exactly my specialty. I can do basic healing but not for injuries of this magnitude. Even if I could, the effort of doing so might drain me before I could finish and then I would likely be passed out and only partially healed."

Vilkas shrugged as if he could care less and said, "It was just a question."

"Well, it looks like your traveling companions are approaching, rather quickly," Aela said looking behind me. "After you see to your injuries you should think of making your way to Jorrvaskr, we could use people like you."

Then she rose at the same time it clicked that she was one of the Companions, the exact ones Jared was looking for. However, before I could say something else to her, Jared was scrambling up into the carriage as the driver took his seat and Aela and Vilkas exited, meeting up with Torvar. I was about to ask Farkas what he was doing but then recalled that he was going to make sure I found my way to a healer and I smiled at him, finding myself warmed by his actions. Then Jared stood in front of me and hesitated before giving me a quick hug (causing me to gasp from the pain) and then taking a seat beside me as the carriage took off.

"So you're ok," Jared said. "Arnbjorn wouldn't let me help. Old man's stronger than he looks."

At this, the carriage driver Arnbjorn grunted and muttered something under his breath and I got the jist that he wasn't fond of being called an old man.

"You could have died, Jared. Giants aren't the easy creatures to fight with, ask my ribs," I said.

"Your ribs?" he asked confused.

"Nevermind," I said, deciding not to worry him. Then I looked at Farkas. "Farkas, this is Jared. Jared, Farkas. Farkas is a Companion."

Jared's eyes widened and then he stared at Farkas, who didn't seem to take much notice of the boy's strange expression.

Finally Jared said, "Like the Companions?"

"Yes, unless there are others, but I doubt that," Farkas said and I wasn't sure if he was joking.

"So, you must know my grandmother right?" Jared asked.

Farkas looked genuinely confused and said, "I don't think any of the woman are old enough to be your grandmother though Aela gets awfully touchy when you ask about her age."

"Her name is Dalia," Jared said.

"Oh," Farkas said, and realization dawned on his face.

"She's dead isn't she?" Jared asked. "That's probably why she didn't come for me sooner. I guess this entire trip was for nothing."

Everything got silent, and I knew Jared was trying his hardest not to cry, especially with the bulky Companion sitting with us. He looked down at his lap and I wanted to comfort him but I knew he wouldn't appreciate that either at this moment.

"I never knew my grandmother. Aela did though," Farkas said, and I thought this was a really strange piece of information.

"Aela knew your grandmother?" I asked. "And you didn't?"

Now it was Farkas's turn to look confused and then he worked through it. "No Aela knew her grandmother, Dalia."

At this Jared looked up abruptly. "Dalia? Aela is a Companion and her grandmother was Dalia. The same Dalia?"

Farkas smiled, "Yes."

"That would make her my…um…" Jared said.

"Cousin," I said, deducing that Aela probably wasn't in the right age range to be an unknown sibling.

"So I have a cousin? Then there is a point to this trip. Good, to Whiterun then," Jared said, as if there had ever been plans to turn back made verbally.

"To Whiterun," I agreed as the carriage stopped outside the stables.

A.N. It's been a rough week so your wonderful reviews would be most welcome.