Hello guys, I think this chapter would give you quite a shill for anyone who thought I'm dead. Well, some readers called me back once in a while. (And so I'm here, returning from dead, mwhahahahha....) I deeply apologise for 7 months you wait for this chapter. I guess my study pulled all my concentration to them much, that I didn't feel like writing at all until today (that was after I sent my last assignment. Now I have nothing much to do except preparing for final exam). I will graduate next month and hope that it would give me more free time for writing. This is not my promise, just the expectation. For now, please enjoy reading it.

Thanks for any reviews you kindly gave me.

Note: No beta. All mistakes are mine.

Chapter 5: Recovering and Fearing

It liked the time had turned back for Legolas as he watched the small form on the bed. He still remembered clearly of the thunderstorm night in Rivendell 7 years ago. The small boy flushed feverishly and asked for his diseased parents. The different in this time was Frodo was sicker and more restless; the boy often spoke in his delirious about spider and him. Only Legolas' gentle hands and soothing voice could calm him down.

Today was the fourth and Legolas felt more frustrated when each day passed and Frodo's condition still not approved much. The most disturbing thing was his inability to help Frodo. Never once in his life, Legolas would feel useless so much like this. It seemed all he could do was hold Frodo's hand and spoke gently to him. If he could...no....he really should have listened to Elrond about the useful of healing skill a long time ago. However, his immortal, ignorant, and arrogant made him thought of himself as 'untouchable', forgot completely about the fact that he also could die in battle or heartbreak, and that his friends might need his help one day. The next time he saw Elrond, he would ask the elf lord to tutor him the art of healing.

"...w..."

It was almost inaudible but his sharp ears caught it quite well. Legolas turned his attention back to the bed and almost shouted with relief and joy as he saw Frodo slowly opened his eyes. The blue orbs dulled for a moment before fixed at his face.

"...wh..." Frodo tried to speak something to him but had to stop with the rough coughs that shook his body all over.

"Shh...don't speak." Legolas said and slid his arm around Frodo's thin shoulders to help the boy up. His other free hand raised the glass of water to Frodo's lips. Frodo drank it down greedily in one gulp, then rested his head on the crook of Legolas' shoulder as the world around him started spinning.

"What happened?" Frodo asked; winced a bit at his coarsen voice.

"You had high fever, Frodo. Everyone was so worried, especially Esmeralda and me," Legolas said; his fingers caressed the soft cheek gently before fluffed the pillow and put it at Frodo's back, then carefully leaned the hobbit backward to the supported pillow.

"You are cleverly choose the time to wake up. Esmeralda just left me some mushroom soup a few minutes ago. I think you will make good use of it."

"I...I don't know, Legolas. I don't feel like eating." Frodo told; the things around him swirled a bit and he was too tired, too tired to do anything. He closed his eyes, wanted to get a bit more sleep. If he looked at Legolas now, he would see the horror in the elf's face.

'I don't fee like eating'?

For other kind, it might be such a simple state. But for hobbits, it was very Very VERY SERIOUS problem, especially the said hobbit who had nothing much in his stomach for three days and a half.

"You need to get some nourishment in your body, Frodo. If you don't eat, you will weaker and sicker. Just a few mouthfuls and I will let you sleep."

Frodo opened his eyes with defeat. "All right."

"Good," Legolas beamed. He picked the mushroom soup from the bedside table and started feeding Frodo despite the hobbit's protest that he can eat himself.

Before he knew, the bowl was empty as well as a few toast Legolas kept feeding him. It seemed he really was hungrier than he thought.

"Well, you want some more toast, jams, or anything else," Legolas asked as he glanced at the empty tray. No food was left but he knew he could get something in the kitchen. Esmeralda surely will be too happy to know her favorite nephew finally woke up and demanded more food. Actually, he doubted she would throw a small party for him.

"No, thank you. I'm really full," Frodo smiled sleepily at the elf, "I think I will get a bit more sleep."

"All right, I will tell your aunt Esmeralda that you are awoken. Rest well, my little one," Legolas tucked the blanket up to Frodo's chin before he kissed the boy's forehead and left the room.

----

Frodo watched the view outside window longingly. Almost a week had passed since he gained his consciousness. In fact, he should have walked around by now. However, his recovery was a bit harder than usual. The second day of his resting, his stomach upset over some food he ate. It made him threw up for almost an hour until nothing left in his stomach as well as all the energy he had. His already weak health collapsed immediately. He was ordered to be in bed and had someone watched over 24 hours. Frodo protested a bit but not much after he found that he did not have energy to even lift the spoon to feed himself.

All these time, Legolas usually sat with him which Frodo felt grateful inward. The elf always had some interesting story to tell him. Within a week Frodo felt like he knew Legolas' family almost thoroughly as if he was a part of the Mirkwood Royal family. Lorin also spent his time with him, and embarrassed Legolas by told Frodo some of his brother's childhood tales.

Today Esmeralda assigned herself to watch Frodo. She knitted a pillowcase while Frodo tried to read an elven book Legolas gave him. It was the elfing book and had simple vocabularies. Still Frodo found himself struggled to understand many words. He had guessed the meaning of those words and understood the story by far. However, this page he was reading had too many new words that even guessing method could not help. If only Legolas stayed here, he would not have this problem of it.

Speaking of Legolas, Frodo suddenly realized he rarely saw the elf in the last three days while he saw more of Lorin, Esmeralda and some of his older cousins.

"Aunt Esmeralda," Frodo tried to get her attention. She stopped her knitting and smiled a little at him.

"Yes, dear?"

"I didn't see Legolas much lately? Is he busying with something? Because if he is, I don't want to bother him by taking care of me."

"I heard he's spending sometimes with Mrs. Haltho and some children. He seems to very fond of them as the children to him. And for the trouble, I think he's quite fond of you and don't see you as some burden at all. So don't trouble your mind with such a doubting. How about getting some rest? You look tired, and you're reading that book for hours now." Esmeralda got off of her seat and fluffed Frodo's pillow before pushed him down while speaking non-stop.

"I don't know what you see in that book. I don't object to the knowledge but I still doubt the book could be useful to you in the future. Yet, I don't want to judge you. The important thing for one person might not be important to the other person as well as the books are important to you but not to me. Well, whatever it is, as long as you are happy, I'm happy, and that's enough. Now be a good boy and get some sleep, will you?"

"All right, auntie," Frodo placed a bookmark on the page he was reading before closed it, then put it on the bedside table. He moved a little to find the comfortable place. His thought occupied on his aunt's words 'He seems to fond of them as the children to him'. As hard as Frodo tried, he could not refuse that he was jealous, and that realization made him felt guilty. He should not have jealous the other, right? He tried to tell himself that they were just friends, nothing more than that; he hoped.

----

Frodo turned his head a bit to the left side. The medicine in his system clouded his mind and hesitated to let him out of its clutch. Yet that was not problem, something or someone insisted him to come back to reality. And Frodo finally gave in.

"Wakie wakie, Frodo wake up!"

He blinked owlishly to anyone who disturbed his rest. There, his favorite cousins, Cunee and Velarious; Cunee stood nearby while Velarious bounced a bit on the bed, did not care that her skirt might rise up.

"Hello, cousins."

"You finally awake," Velarious grinned.

"How could I not when you jumped up and down on my bed," Frodo grinned back. "So what's up, cousins? I don't think you woke me up for just a bit chitchat."

"Oh, but that's it. We just want to talk with you," Cunee said; he looked rather nervous and seemed to unsure that he wanted to be in his room. "We...er...want to ask you about something."

"What is it?" Frodo asked; curious at Cunee's action.

"I met Legolas and Lorin yesterday when I was seeking the mushroom in the forest. And then they helped me looking for it. We talked a lot..."

"Oh! Stop it, Cunee!" Velarious piped up. "If you talk like that, you will never get to the point."

"What's the point?"

"Well, we talked with the elves and we like them. So we would like to do something for them, let's say food. Since we don't know the elves as much as we know, we want to ask your advice which kind of food the elves like."

"Legolas and Lorin have been with you while I sick?" Frodo asked; his heart sped a bit at what might be the answer.

"Yes, especially Lorin. You are very good luck, Frodo, to have become friends with them. You know, many children tried to be their favorite hobbit."

"Velarious, Cunee, why don't you go have dinner? I think the kitchen will finish cooking soon," Frodo told them.

"You're right, Frodo. Hope you'll get better soon." Cunee said before pulled Velarious off Frodo's bed.

Frodo sighed heavily as the door closed and he was finally left alone. The news he heard from his cousins made him jealous those children who had good time with the elves. No, with Legolas, actually. Meanwhile, it gave him quite a scare. What if...what if Legolas liked the other children more than him? What if Legolas did not interested in him anymore?

The more Frodo thought, the more he wanted to cry. After his parents passed away, Frodo was afraid to not be loved. He knew many of his relative such as Aunt Esmeralda and Uncle Bilbo loved him. But Frodo was not their child by blood; he was just a relative. When Aunt Esmeralda had her own son or daughter or when Uncle Bilbo decided to settle his own family, the outsider such as Frodo would lose its important. That means the love they gave him would lessen as well. It was the scariest for Frodo.

This fear also included Legolas as his special person. He knew it was selfish of him to want Legolas to like him alone, love him even. But he could not help it. He loved the elf and wanted his love in return. However, now Legolas had many hobbit children to compare to him. He was really afraid that Legolas will find him boring, clumsy, and etc. that the elf will love him less and replaced him with other kids.

'Please, don't let it be the case.' Frodo prayed with all his heart.

To be continued...