A/N Hey…. *peeks out to wave hello* long time no see, I know, but… yeah. Writers block and stuff happened (I moved, I am moving again...) and this wasn't even the story I originally was going to post next, but this is what happened. I'm sorry, I don't think it is going to be much of anything. And please, have mercy, I am very aware that this won't be up to par, and is slightly random but this where the plot bunny took me. Forgive me, again, I don't think this is very good but I was running out of time so this is what you got. but for my excuse, I wrote it in literally three days and normally I allow for a much longer editing process but that wasn't going to happen this time...

Speaking of which, I am about to head off on an adventure of my own. For 18 months. And thus, I am going on hiatus… :( Thus, this very hurried good-bye note and a promise that I will return! But seriously, you guys should know how much I love you because I wrote this when I really should have been getting ready. I have three days left till I leave and I may or may not be panicking, but hey. I got this out.

Times of Change

The one thing that Legolas and Aragorn hadn't counted on was the storm. As the rain and hail began to beat down on them they made a beeline for the nearest shelter, a series of nature-made caves that extended along the base of one of the smaller mountain cliffs that ran along the Misty Mountains.

Aragorn scouted out a cave suitable for their needs and ducked in, shaking his wet hair like a dog as Legolas busied himself attempting to find some dry sticks for what little he could find under his cloak for protection, Legolas hurried back, eager to be out of the blustering storm.

"Valor! It is pouring out there!" He burst into the cave, shaking off his hood and splattering water everywhere.

"I hadn't noticed," Aragorn replied dryly, looking up from where he was preparing dinner. Legolas tossed his wet cloak at him, smacking the much younger man in the face.

Lightening cracked outside, momentarily lighting their small shelter.

"This is only going to get worse," Legolas mused, shaking his head as he started working on a fire.

"I could have told you that an hour ago, the clouds had the warning signs written all over them." Aragorn continued to lay out food and Legolas nodded.

"See, you will do fine out there on your own." He flashed a smile at Aragorn who suddenly looked slightly pale.

"I'm not so sure about that," he muttered determinedly down at the ground. Legolas sighed, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

"It won't be permeant, you can come home anytime you want," he reassured for what seemed to be...well, he had lost count.

"I know." Aragorn didn't sound convinced and Legolas stopped what he was doing.

"The first time out on your own is always the worst. You are going to see that you know more than you think you do, and besides, you have a natural instinct for these kinds of things. You will be fine. You are ready to do this."

Aragorn still wouldn't meet his eyes. "So, how long to estimate your trip back to Mirkwood will take?"

Legolas allowed the change of topic. Pushing back from the now flickering fire he grabbed his and Aragorn's soaking wet cloaks and laid them next to the fire.

"I'm guessing…three days? If this storm doesn't let up, longer."

Aragorn nodded, handing the elf a plate of food as he moved to sit next to him.

The storm steadily began to rage all the harder, but their cave was nice and cozy. A little small for two but Legolas and Aragorn knew how to work around each other and Aragorn spent the evening sharping his collection of knives while Legolas flected his arrows. The human bedded down a little before midnight, Legolas staying up with the first watch.

TIMESOFCHANGE

A sharp boom of thunder shook the cave and Aragorn jerked awake, his breath catching in his chest. For a moment he panicked, unable to remember where he was or what had happened, but then the soft glow of the fire and the familiar shape of Legolas' pack leaning against the wall brought everything back. He slumped back with a sigh, taking a deep breath. Then he froze. Legolas's pack was leaning against the wall, but its owner was gone.

"Legolas?" he called, sitting upright again. A sharp flash of lightning illuminated the cave and sure enough, there was no Legolas. "Legolas?" Feeling uneasy, he scrambled to his feet. A knife was gripped firmly in his left hand and he edged to the opening of the cave.

The rain was thundering down in thick sheets creating an even thicker muck. Grabbing his now mostly dry cloak, he swung it over his head and stepped out right into the thick of it.

"Legolas?" he yelled again, squinting. Even the elf's ever-light footsteps were easy to see in the mud and Aragorn's heart lightened. Legolas couldn't have been gone long, maybe half an hour tops.

Following the trail of muddy footsteps, Aragorn donned his cloak properly, pulling the hood far over his face. He couldn't for the life of him understand what Legolas was doing out in the storm in the middle of the night and his curiosity, and worry, and had been peaked.

He was rounding a bend when caught sight of the elf. If he hadn't been looking for him, he would never have seen him and would have walked right past. As it was, he had to do a double-take to realize that the rock wasn't in fact, a rock.

"Hey," he said softly, dropping down next to the elf. Legolas turned to him, his own cloak pulled low over his face.

"I wondered if you would be joining me." His lips curled upwards, but his eyes were hard, wary of something.

"What's going on?" Aragorn asked in a whisper. Legolas mutely poked his head over his top of the rock and Aragorn followed suit, squinting through rain in an intent to see what the elf was looking at.

"You're going to have to tell me," he said lowly after a minute, slightly embarrassed.

"Oh, sorry. I forget," Legolas said just as softly, lowering back to the ground.

"Start at why I woke to you gone, would you?" Aragorn pressed, giving the elf a pointed look. Legolas shrugged, looking apologetic.

"Sorry." He sighed, lightly running a hand across his bow which was held close to his body. "There is nothing like the music of a storm, but this time, something was off. It just didn't feel right. So I decided to investigate and well, you looked comfortable and I didn't see a need in getting you wet yet again."

"Well, that worked well," Aragorn snorted, huddling further into the warmth of his cloak. Legolas rolled his eyes, swatting his shoulder lightly.

"Anyway, the music of the storm felt… wrong, and not in a good way, like something was tinting it. I followed it, and low and behold…orcs, about a half a mile down the mountain." Aragorn groaned and Legolas held up a hand. "Wait, it gets worse. There is a human down there."

"A prisoner?" Aragorn already had a hand on his sword, ready to come in swinging in an instant. Idiotic, heroic, human….

"Legolas nodded grimly and Aragorn's eyes went hard.

"Well… they certainly aren't going to see this coming. It would be crazy to attack someone in the midst of a storm this bad." Aragorn was smiling grimly now and as if in agreement with his words, thunder boomed approvingly. Legolas' smirked.

"Well, I don't think this storm is going anytime soon, it would be a shame to forego should an opportunity."

TIMESOFCHANGE

It took them an additional hour to travel to the orcs encampment and plan out their attack. The small group of orcs, what looked like a group of loners, were nestled down in a cave much like Legolas and Aragorn had been and the light of the fire was like a star through the dark of the storm.

"How did the captive look?" Aragorn whispered as an afterthought, switching his sword from hand to hand. Legolas shook his head.

"He was in the back cave, but they were messing with him, I think. That is at least what they looked like they were doing and I mean…orcs don't exactly flock to people because they want to give them flowers." Legolas slipped three arrows free and moved further up past Aragorn to a better angle. He experimentally pulled an arrow back, sighting down it. He moved a step back, still looking down the arrow. Aragorn took his original spot, squinting through the rain an attempt to see anything besides the dim flicker of fire.

"Valor…" he snorted, wiping water quickly from his eyes and blinking back down. Legolas glanced over at him.

"Just because I can see better than you does not make you weak," he chastised gently. Aragorn didn't respond, and he glanced heavenward, making a mental note to speak to the man about this later.

"Can you see him now?"

Legolas shook his head. "Believe it or not, I can't see a lot of what is happening. I was lucky to spot that they even had a human. It was pure luck for him."

"Alright. Well, I am going to move in closer. Try not to hit the poor man with your arrows!" He grinned smartly back at his friend, trying to wipe away all remains of jealousy from off his face.

"I don't miss, human. And if I did, it would be because your ugly mug got in the way." He pointed an arrowing threatening and Aragorn stuck out his tongue, before picking his way carefully over rain-slick rocks.

Once he was able to see the orc on guard duty, he went still. Three minutes passed…and then five. It was nearing ten when the loudest clap of thunder yet shook them all followed almost immediately by the blinding flash of lightning.

The orc was dead by the time he could see again, an arrow buried deep in its eye socket. The other didn't even notice that was the worst mistake of their short lives. Sneaking closer, he could see some of the other large mass of orcs on their backs, fast asleep. Nevermind, that was their worst mistake.

The fire crackled lowly and Aragorn edged further in. Water dripped gently from his clothes and onto the dirt. He glanced over the heads of the orcs, holding his sword at the ready. The captive, a short, rugged-looking man was looking at him, eyes bright. Aragorn raised a finger to his lips, and the man nodded once, frowning. He was laying on his side, as far away from the orcs as he could get.

It was an odd placement for a prisoner, but Aragorn had already established that these orcs were not overly smart.

A second arrow flew past his ear with a swift swish before it slammed home in the second orc's chest. Aragorn knelt, switching his sword from his right hand to his left and twisting out a knife. The third orc was dead.

There were six orcs left, and all were sleeping deeply. This was the easiest orc hunt he had ever been on and he had a feeling that he could get used to this.

The thought came an instant too soon. The man suddenly gasped loudly, his eyes growing wide and the first orc was scrambling to his feet, letting out a loud yell. Twirling the knife Aragorn snapped it forward and straight into its chest. But the other orcs were now awake and screaming for his blood. A fourth arrow flew by the corner of his eyes. Five down, four to go.

"Get free and run! Head for the high rocks, I have a friend there who will help you," Aragorn grunted, tossing a second knife in his direction as he swung his sword at an advancing orc. "I'll cover you!"

The man nodded, his eyes still wide. Dirt and what might have been blood stained his face but his eyes shone forth underneath, hard like coal. They gave him pause and Aragorn stood staring for just a second before a grubby knife appeared in his vision and he swung his sword around as he ducked.

Keeping an eye on the man's escape, Aragorn swung around a sword and impaled his in one's chest and then swiveled around to slammed the handle into an orc's nose and then the point into its chest.

The man was half free but the remaining orc (another arrow had found its way into its mark) was focused on him but it was dead by his sword within the next few seconds.

"You alright?" Aragorn asked, breathing slightly harder than normal, but still, one of the easiest fights he had been on in a long while. He moved forward, sheathing his sword. The man looked at him, something Aragorn couldn't read in his eyes.

"Yes…yes, I think so." He looked shaken and Aragorn reached down, helping cut loose his feet. "Thank you…"

"Yeah, yeah, no problem. Just be glad my friend saw you." Aragorn smiled, his heart still thumping with the adrenaline. He helped him up, making sure he stayed steady as they made it their way through the cave. "If you don't mind me asking, how did you get mixed up with the orcs?"

The man shrugged, gripping Aragorn's arm as his raised his other to his head where blood was seeping slowly from a deep cut.

"Fair enough, we will talk about it later when you feel better."

The man nodded, still not meeting his eyes.

TIMESOFCHANGE

Legolas dropped from a tall rock to meet them, his bow swung over his shoulder.

"You alright?" he asked Aragorn, lightly touching his shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Aragorn jerked his head towards the captive who was still clinging to him.

"Good." Legolas moved to help support the man, first shrugging off his cloak to give to the man. "Our camp isn't far away, an hour or so then you can rest and heal." The man nodded slowly, shivering under the cloak.

Legolas and Aragorn shared a glance over his head and started walking.

"Well for once neither of us got hurt," Legolas said after a minute of awkward silence, grinning lightly at the trend that Elrond and Thranduil had been rather quick to point out.

"Night's still young." Aragorn grinned back.

"Nah, it's it will be daylight in about an hour or two. I think we might just make it." Legolas smiled again. The man they had saved remained silent and Aragorn glanced at him in concern.

"We had better get him back," he said quietly in elvish and Legolas nodded once shifting him to get a better grip.

"So, how did you fall into orcs?" Aragorn asked again, trying to keep the man aware and taking. He shrugged.

"Attacked my home…" he mumbled after a minute. "My village…"

Aragorn and Legolas shared another look.

"I'm sorry. That is becoming an all too common story of late." Legolas said at last. "I'm from Mirkwood and I can understand a little of what that is like."

"Mirkwood?" the man sounded surprised and glanced up for the first time at Legolas. "You're an elf!"

Aragorn frowned at the tone, but Legolas only nodded.

"What village did you say you were from? I am sure that I can get Mirkwood or Lake-town to assist the survivors."

"Uh…." Both Legolas and Aragorn frowned. Something was clearly wrong and they ground to a halt.

"Please don't lie to us. We just saved your life," Aragorn said stiffly, still irked over the man's tone when referring to Legolas. "You don't' have to tell us, but don't lie."

"Fine," the man snapped, coughing and lowering his gaze once more.

"What is your name?" Aragorn tried again a few minutes later. The man remained moodily silent and Legolas shook his head, shrugging once, and then they all went silent.

Moving up the mountain in the sheeting, blinding, rain was harder than going to down and as they moved up a particularly hard stretch everything went wrong.

Aragorn slipped, falling hard and almost bringing the other two down with him, though Legolas managed to keep themselves steady.

"You alright?" he called down, smirking just a little bit. Aragorn rolled his eyes and held up his hand. Legolas helped the man to lean against a tree and then reached down for his friend.

The man saw his opportunity and took it, diving forward he slammed into Legolas's back, slamming him into Aragorn who was slammed back into the ground. The man rolled swiftly, apparently not nearly as hurt as he had then he had a knife in his hand and he slamming it down towards them. Legolas pushed Aragorn back down, kicking back hard. He didn't know about the knife.

The man's knife was slicing through the air just as his Legolas' boot connected with his chest and the man jerked, the knife coming down hard into Legolas' calf. The elf grunted, rolling off Aragorn and slamming back into the man, ramming him into a tree. The man swore, his head slamming back into the wood. Aragorn rolled to his feet, drawing another knife.

"Stop!" Legolas growled, shoving the man back into the tree and leaning a little to the left. "What in the name of the Valor? We helped save you!" The man snarled, baring his teeth at them and cackling.

"I wasn't lying about my family. The orcs took them and destroyed them all..." he hissed, gnashing his teeth. "I was going to destroy those orcs. Just like I destroyed all the others ones that I let 'catch' me."

"Why attack us?!" Aragorn demanded, slamming a palm against the tree. "We helped you!"

"You are just out to kill me as well! You want to take my revenge! You only want my blood!" Those eyes had gone crazy and Legolas glanced wide-eyed at Aragorn who made the same face right back at him. "I was the one who was supposed to kill them! I was! I was! I need to kill them, they took everything from me, everything! And you aren't going to lay a hand on me or my family!" He was screaming, his eyes wild.

Legolas slowly let him go, limping away as Aragorn also moved back, arms spread slightly.

"You need help," Aragorn said softly but the man only snarled at him. "We can help you."

"NO! NO YOU CAN'T! The—" The man continued to rant and both Legolas and Aragorn continued staring.

He lunged forward, grabbing Legolas by the shirt collar and yanking him close. Legolas held up his arms, clearly not wanting to attack him while he was in this state. Aragorn took a step forward, but the man did nothing more than shaking Legolas, still shouting.

"Let him go, please," Aragorn yelled as calmingly as he could manage while shouting to be heard over the rain. "We just want to help you."

The man let out a snarl, clearly insane, but he meets Aragorn's eyes, focusing on them instead of waving his knife around.

"The only way you can help me is by letting me go kill more orcs."

"Alright…Alright!" Aragorn backed up, still holding his arms up. In Legolas's own hands were up, though he could have easily grabbed one of his knives and killed or injured the man for some reason he didn't. Well, Aragorn was sure he would have done the same thing if he had been in Legolas' position.

"Listen to me, listen to me..." Aragorn was pleading now and the man froze, chest heaving. "Yes, that is right...listen to me. You are sick, you are wounded both inside and out." He edged closer, still keeping his voice calm and even. "But we can help you. I swear we are not going to hurt you. I am a healer." The man still wasn't moving.

"You need to let me go before you kill me. I need to kill orcs." The man's voice was hysterical, but he wasn't trying to kill either of them.

"Alright. Alright, but you have to let my friend-" That was apparently the wrong thing to say.

The man tightened his grip, his and Legolas' noses almost touching. They stared into each other's eyes, Legolas was still trying to be as calm as possible as he opened his mouth to say something and Aragorn winced.

Don't say anything, Legolas...he isn't going to take it from you... he silently pleaded, but it didn't do any good.

"Just hear my-" Legolas started to say before he abruptly being rammed into the ground, the man kneeling over him with a knife.

"Hey! Hey! Stop!" Aragorn shouted, jumping forward and holding out his hands. Legolas had gone strangely still and Aragorn felt his heart drop into his stomach. "Hey, look at me, we just want to help-"

"I don't need no help!" the man screamed, swinging around. Legolas still wasn't moving and Aragorn took a step forward. The next instant he was reeling back as the man's fist connected with his face. By the time he blinked the spots from his eyes, the man-shaped, fleeing into the dark of the night. Aragorn cursed and took a step in his direction before turning and dropping to his knees next to Legolas.

"Legolas?" Legolas!" The elf groaned, stirring. Aragorn gripped Legolas's shoulder, shaking him as he called his name. The elf's eyes were closed, but his face creased in pain.

"Hit a rock…" the elf mumbled at long last, rubbing the back of his head. His hand came away red and Aragorn swore, before gripping his face and turning his head to the side.

"Don't move," he demanded, trying to part Legolas' rain-soaked hair.

"Stop, Estel, stop…I'm fine." Legolas pushed Aragorn's hands away, trying to get up. Aragorn pushed him back down, a short gasp leaving his throat as he caught sight of the knife still embedded in his friend's calf.

"Hold still, you are not fine." Aragorn moved down, his gentle fingers probing around the wound.

"Yes, I am."

"No, you are not. But I don't think the knife went in too deep. Wait." He continued to probe his fingers around the wound. Legolas grimaced, but besides, that didn't show any sign of pain."

"What about the man? Where did he go?" Aragorn shook his head, shrugging.

"Alright, I'm going pull this alright, on the count of three…1,2,3" He yanked hard, Legolas gasped, cutting off a sharp curse. Blood instantly began to pour from the wound and Aragorn gripped Legolas' calf tightly. The elf took a deep breath, letting it out in-between gritted teeth. Aragorn watched him for a minute, before glancing in the direction that the man had gone. "He's gone. He left and you weren't moving and well…"

Legolas nodded once, understanding flickering across his eyes.

"I would have done the same. " He looked down at what Aragorn was doing, flinching a little as Aragorn tightened his grip. "How's it looking?"

"Don't move," Aragorn reprimanded. "I want to check your head closer as well. Don't you dare try and walk on your leg yet, by the way,"

Legolas let out a heavy sigh

"You are just like your father, young one." He smiled at Aragorn as the man tried to frown at the title. "But can we go back to the cave before you go all healer-ly on me?"

Aragorn frowned for real, but a moment later relented. It was still raining and lightning was still cracking down every few minutes. "Alright, but you have to promise to let me help you."

Legolas made a face but held out a hand to be helped up.

"Just let it bleed, we can bandage it back at the cave and that way we won't have to ruin any clothing," he suggested as Aragorn went to rip a piece of cloth from his shirt to tie around his leg. "It isn't that far and I'm not going to bleed out," he tacked on sarcastically.

Aragorn snorted. "I wouldn't put it past you just because you are you." Legolas raised an eyebrow and Aragorn chuckled softly. Standing up, he pulled Legolas to his feet as well and supporting him as he swayed.

"You alright?" Aragorn slipped his arm further around his waist, looking at him in worry.

"Fine. Just…just the change of position threw me off." Legolas offered him a quick smile, balancing lightly on one foot. Aragorn didn't look thrilled.

"You'll tell me if you need to stop, right?" he asked.

"Aragorn…I have a headache and a cut. I'll be just fine," Legolas said dryly.

"Oh, I've learned not to pay attention to anything that comes out of your mouth by now," Aragorn smiled, resisting the urge to check the elf's wounds over again. They both paused before starting off, though there were only about ten minutes left.

"Think he will be alright?" Legolas asked, twisting to look behind him. Aragorn followed suit, trying to squint through the rain.

"Can you see him?"

"No…" Legolas shrugged. "We couldn't help him, Aragorn, not really. Not unless we managed to get him to your father's."

"I know." Aragorn still looked regretful, but turned them around and starting them towards their cave, Legolas limping. "Stop putting weight on that leg." Legolas didn't look pleased, but still gripped Aragorn's shoulder hard to balance himself out.

Aragorn tightened his grip around his waist while also trying to lean back and get a better look at the wound.

"Don't worry about it," Legolas tried to insist, guessing at what the man was looking at. Blood was leaking slowly out and staining his leggings a monetary red before the rain washed it all away and Aragorn winced again.

"Come on… let's get out of this rain."

TIMESOFCHANGE

"There, that should hold for the next few hours." Aragorn sat back, wiping his hand on an unused bandage. "Now let me look at your head."

The fire in the cave was crackling merrily once again, their clothes drying in the warmth. Legolas was sat, leaning against the far wall with his pants rolled up around his knee. A bloodied rag rested in a small cup of water, but a fresh white bandage was wrapped around his calf.

"Aragorn, I am alright, I promise." All the same, he leaned forward, allowing the healer access to the back of his head. Aragorn parted the blond locks with gentle fingers, pressing gently in places. He stopped abruptly as Legolas let out a hiss.

"That tender?" he asked, pushing more hair out of the way and wincing at the dark bruise that was starting to blossom.

"A little," Legolas confessed reluctantly and Aragorn glanced heavenward with exasperation. Elves, all pride, and no sense.

"Yes, just a little, I am sure." Thankfully, the cut wasn't going to require stitches and the bruising actually didn't look too bad. There was no give so Aragorn was almost positive that besides for a killer headache, Legolas was indeed going to be fine. "Do you want painkillers?"

Legolas quickly refused and Aragorn didn't push it. He had seen the elf fight off much more painful injuries with no help and he didn't really want to push it.

The elf laughed lightly after a minute. "I guess we really can't go anywhere without getting hurt," he explained as Aragorn tipped his head in question.

"On this list of everything that we have done, I don't think that this really counts," Aragorn countered. He watched Legolas recline back against the wall, wincing lightly. Aragorn leaned forward but Legolas waved him away.

The light of dawn was just beginning to creep in through the cave and Aragorn sighed, rubbing at the back of his neck. "I think we should stay here a few more hours, get some more sleep. Besides, it is still raining."

Legolas huffed a breath. "Agreed. As much I love a good storm, traveling is a whole other thing. We only free half-insane men in storms, but traveling…" Aragorn laughed.

"Valor, I am going to miss you," he said softly after a minute.

"I as well, but it won't be forever," Legolas smiled shortly. "Besides, I might a chance to actually heal before getting reinjured."

Aragorn groaned, moving to sit down. "You prissy elf. You heal just fine, now think of the poor human."

"Dirty human," Legolas shot back, rolling his eyes. Aragorn smirked.

"You can sleep, but I may wake you up every now and then."

"I thought you said I didn't have a concussion." Legolas shifted down to he was laying on his side, trying not to yawn.

Aragorn snorted. "I said you didn't have a major concussion and plus I just like annoying you, so…" Legolas tossed a small pebble at the man, hitting him squarely in the chest with perfect aim.

"Ow"! Aragorn exclaimed, rubbing his chest.

"Oh, you earned that. Go to sleep, Estel." Both turned to lay on their sides, each grinning.

Legolas drifted in and out of sleep for the new few hours, keeping one eye on the cave opening, just in case. One could never be too sure in these hard times, Aragorn slept deeply, snoring. At about eight or nine in the morning, the rain finally began to taper off. At that point, Legolas threw another pebble at Aragorn, a little harder than before.

Aragorn grunted, jerking awake." Wha'?" he spluttered before catching sight of Legolas and glaring at him. The effect was ruined slightly as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty. The rain has stopped and it is time to be on our way."

Aragorn grunted again, flopping back down on the ground. "I think I will just sleep here for the new few days if that is alright. How are you feeling?"

"I'm pretty positive that that rock floor will stop feeling comfortable after a few more hours and I am fine, no need to fuss," Legolas replied, stiffly sitting back up. His headache had lessened somewhat but his leg was still throbbing painfully.

"I was asking, not fussing. Elladan and Elrohir, now they fuss." Aragorn sighed heavily, looking like all he wanted was to stay there forever, but forced himself to his feet, stretching. He moved back over to Legolas' side, sinking back down so he was crouched next to him. "Here, I want to check that leg again."

"…And he says that he doesn't fuss," Legolas mumbled under his breath. All the same, he extended his leg and let Aragorn gently pull the bandage and prod at the still angry-looking cut.

"Are you sure you are going to be fine getting to Mirkwood by yourself? Aragorn asked. Legolas snorted, thought his eyes were soft.

"I have fought spiders and orcs with much worse than this, I think I will be fine."

"I don't trust your definition of 'fine'," Aragorn said with a shake of his head and a smile as he re-bandaged the wound. "It looks alright, just keep it clean and don't put too much pressure on it."

They breakfasted together and cleaned the cave spotless before they started back out. Aragorn stuck annoyingly close to Legolas. The mountainside was difficult to navigate, but the only minor mishap they had was when Legolas stepped wrong off a rock and almost fell, his leg twisting under his weight.

"Woah, Woah, you alright?" Aragorn had asked after grabbing Legolas' elbow and holding him steady.

"Fine, fine. Just, it is fine, Estel." Legolas had almost immediately shrugged out his grip and they had continued on as normal, Aragorn sticking a little closer. By mid-afternoon, they came to a halt.

"So this is it?"

Legolas shrugged, a slight smile gracing his face as he turned back to face the ranger.

"There you go with those begging eyes of yours. Don't look so forlorn, Estel. This isn't going to be forever." He took a step back towards Aragorn, the smile dropping. "But you must go in one direction, and I the other."

Aragorn snorted, shaking his head.

"It doesn't have to be that way…." He looked up, meeting Legolas's eyes. Legolas smiled lightly like he knew exactly what was going through his friend's mind.

"Mirkwood isn't going to offer you more than it already has," he said softly, taking a step back to grip his shoulder lightly. "Neither is Rivendell. It is time to show your valor until the world, Aragorn." Aragorn didn't say anything, his eyes downcast. He shrugged, tucking his hands deeper into his pockets and Legolas sighed, gripping his shoulder a little harder.

"You are ready, Estel, You are ready, whether you think so or not, you are." Aragorn didn't say anything, and Legolas shook his shoulder lightly, smiling. "Look at what you did with that man yesterday. I was the one who messed that up, but you were calm and you had his trust, or at least what there was of it." Aragorn didn't look convinced and Legolas sighed. "Listen, there is nothing new that you are going to have to do or learn. You are already doing what needs to be done, you just have always had me or your brother with you. Just the comfort of knowing that you are not alone and that home isn't far away." Legolas shook his shoulder again, reinforcing his statement, before smiling again. "I mean, the world might not be ready for you, but..."

"They managed to survive Elladan and Elrohir so far, surely they can handle me…" Aragorn said in his best attempt at normality, smiling again as Legolas laughed.

"That's the way to view it!" He slapped Aragorn's back. "Trust me, you at least will have the sense, not to drug the minstrel in the lord's land you were visiting …you should have them tell you that particular story." He grinned, laughing softly. "Again, at least you have a little bit of common sense. "

"A little, at least."

"Ah, you don't give yourself enough credit But you can do this. You will meet new friends, new allies, so even then you won't be alone. And you can always drop by Mirkwood if you are anywhere close."

"I'm close right now." But this time Aragorn said it with a real grin, looking a little calmer and Legolas shot him a disbelieving look.

"Haha," he said, rolling his eyes. "You told your father that you were going to down north. Mirkwood isn't north and Lord Elrond will want to at least know your general area."

"I know." Aragorn took a deep breath.

"Take care. Write when or if possible, and again, if you are ever near Mirkwood..." Legolas trailed off. Aragorn nodded.

"You too take care as well. I don't want to have to come back only to hear that some spider managed to catch you and eat you."

Legolas snorted, his eyes growing wide in mock offense, and lightly punched Aragorn's shoulder.

"No spider is going to catch me. Anyone that gets close is going to find an arrow in its eye socket. "

Aragorn smiled lightly.

"Alright... You should have good weather today, I think the storm has passed. I don't know about orcs or crazy men, but try to stay away from those and please... try to stay out of trouble for a few days at least." Legolas' smile flickered ever so slightly. "Good luck, Estel. We won't be apart as long as you fear."

Aragorn nodded, blinking rapidly. This was the last person before he was all on his own, for the first time. He should feel excited, eager to fly on his own. But he wasn't. He was downright terrified that he wouldn't be able to do this, that he was going to fail, and that everyone would be disappointed in him, That he would mess up.

Legolas, seeming to read his mind, pulled in him for one last hug.

"You'll shine, just like you always have…" he whispered softly in elvish, gripping a little tighter. Aragorn was holding him so tight that he thought his ribs might crack but he allowed him this. "It won't be that long until we see each other again."

Aragorn nodded, taking a steadying breath, and then stood straight, letting go.

"Well, I will see you later then." He banished the last remains of fear from his face as he forced a smile on.

"I will see you later. Aragorn." Legolas smiled, clapping him on the shoulder. They stood there awkwardly for a minute before Legolas turned, smiled once, and left, jumping lightly off the small cliff that they had been standing on.

Aragorn watched him go until another hill caused him to disappear from view. He stood there another minute. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, and then set his jaw.

There was no longer any point in putting this off.

Squaring his shoulders, he turned and walked straight ahead.

The End

I know this probably wasn't what you guys really wanted or were looking for, but some of my anxiety bled through and this is what you got. I promise something with more angst and h/c when I get back. Just, just let me say that I dearly love each of you and I am forever thankful for any of you willing to read my stuff. You guys are amazing people and don't you dare believe anything else.

I am aware that this more than likely sucked, but understand that it was for you guys, made with love. :) I promise something better when I return!