Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

A/N: Thanks to Atlantisgirl12, Muse10, StarLight9, Nosterineth, Blackfyre94, and everyone else that is reading this story for your reviews and dedication. I am so sorry it has not been updated but school became really hectic really fast (that's what I get for taking 6 classes in a semester). I am coming to an end with it, and I do see the possibility of a sequel. Please Enjoy!

"Is he still asleep?" Elrond asked the eldest twin as he entered the tent.

Aragorn had spent the last few days rocking back and forth, unresponsive to the world around him. It broke the elf lord's heart to see him that way, dark bags under his eyes and sweat beading his forehead. He could see his friend's tragic situation was slowly killing the man, and for once he was at a loss as to how to help him. He was a healer for the love of Elbereth! He should know how to help his son. Elrond was brought back to reality by a hand on his shoulder.

"He's sleeping peacefully in what seems like a lifetime. That tea of yours is stronger than you think. At least his mind can rest. I would hate to have to tell him…" Elladan trailed off.

So much had happened in the last few days that it was overwhelming. Informing Aragorn would be the final straw breaking what little control he still maintained. Thankful for small blessings, Elrond nodded to his son. He did not need to know…not yet.

"I pray he sleeps through the rest of the day. Though it does not make up for the rest he has lost, it will be better than nothing. We need to return to Rivendell soon. Legolas…Legolas needs more help than I can give him here. Perhaps there, we will be able to find the answers we seek. Maybe there, both can find peace."

Elladan nodded and returned to his brother's side, stroking his cheek with the back of his hand. Aragorn's skin was pale against the elf's hand, serving as a reminder of how distraught he been for the past week…and how ill he was becoming. Maybe a person could really die of a broken heart. Banishing such thoughts, he started to hum softly, filling up the tent with the sweet melody. It was a lullaby that he had often sung to Aragorn as a child when he awoke with nightmares. Elrond observed the two from a distance and smiled at his sons as he left the tent.

Elladan barely noticed his father's departure, his mind too focused on his little brother sleeping in front of him. Every once in while, the man would mumble something under his breath and then turn onto his side away from whatever dream disturbed his slumber. Elladan failed to mention to his father that Aragorn's dreams were not as peaceful as he led him to believe. Every once in a while, a few stray tears would fall down the worn face and onto the elfin hand that rested there. The elf had taken to humming softly because of the calming effect it seemed to have on his brother. If only he knew…it would break his already broken heart. Looking at him made Elladan silently wish that all would be well once they returned home.

It had been three days since Aragorn was drugged by Elrond. Everyone had heard an inhuman scream coming from his tent, one that would haunt their dreams for eternity. Seeing his following unresponsive condition, there was no choice but to put him to sleep to escape his misery. Meanwhile, the blond elf had fallen into a coma not a day's time ago and his condition steadily worsened. Elrond was doing everything in his power to heal him but it seemed that his wounds were beyond even his skill. Many a time was the elf lord so worn out that he all but collapsed into Elrohir's arms, who had taken to remaining at his father's side to keep him from pushing himself beyond his limits. Elladan bowed his head sadly feeling that the frayed tethers holding his family together were gradually unraveling until their lives were broken apart completely. Quiet tears ran down his face feeling all at once the loss of control as his family spiraled into despair.

Elladan was pulled out of his musings by a rough hand that caressed his cheek, wiping away the wetness that clung there. He looked down to find Aragorn staring at him, his eyes full of understanding and sorrow.

"Estel," Elladan whispered hoarsely, "I didn't know you were awake. You should be resting. There was enough in that tea to put an ox to sleep for a week." The attempt at humor never reached his eyes and the mood never lightened. Instead, Aragorn just stared at him blankly.

"Do you remember what happened?" The elf prompted. The man nodded and dropped his hand to his side. "I-I'm sorry…I don't know what to—"

"How's Legolas?" Aragorn croaked, cutting his brother off. It seemed as though he was trying to forget his last moments of consciousness. The torments from the dream with Legolas were still burning in his mind; he didn't want to let his friend go.

"He's…still with us." The response was barely a whisper, but the man understood. The vague answer told Aragorn that more happened while he slept than he imagined. In moments, he could no longer quell the panic as he asked for his brother to explain. "Legolas took a turn for the worst last night. He's in a coma as his body steadily weakens. Ada wants to move him back to Rivendell to better help him. He thinks maybe there we'll be able to…" Elladan could hardly find the words to say. Aragorn's anguish soon turned to anger feeling as though everyone was constantly tiptoeing around him afraid to say the wrong thing. What they didn't know was that he needed to understand.

"Maybe we'll be able to what, Elladan? Heal him? Watch him sail? Say goodbye?" His voice broke. Aragorn swallowed hard and continued. "I know why we're returning to Rivendell. He'll be more comfortable there when he…when he…" The word just could not be said aloud. He closed his eyes to hold the tears at bay as Elladan massaged his shoulder. Aragorn shrugged the touch of comfort as he tried to rise from the ground. A strong and steady hand held him in place.

"No, Estel, you are too weak. You should not even be awake. Please, go back to sleep. By the time you awaken again, we will be home. There we'll be able to…figure this out," Elladan finished. The man begrudgingly stopped struggling as he realized the truth in his brother's words. He was not strong enough to overpower him, not now. His weary body needed to recuperate; his thoughts needed to be silenced. As he lay back against the pillows, he whispered softly to himself.

"I don't know how much more I can take." Though he meant the words to be unheard, Elladan easily picked up each syllable.

"You will take as much as Illuvitar can set upon your shoulders. There is a strength in you, I know. Legolas knows this, too. And I know you would never do anything to disappoint your friend's faith in you."

"But what if the burden is too much to bear?"

"Then, Ada, Elrohir, and I will share some of the weight. We are a family. No one should be alone in their pain."

Aragorn nodded slightly in response his eyes staring up at the ceiling of the tent. The words held little comfort for him because they only meant that his family noticed his suffering and that he was close to his breaking point. He vowed to himself that they would never have to shoulder his guilt. No. He could not bear to allow them to take up his grief. It was his to suffer. One sacrifice was enough. He didn't think he could see another person tormented because of him. His grim thoughts were drowned out by the soft hum of his brother, who stroked his hair from his forehead. Soon, Aragorn quickly succumbed to sleep hoping against hope that when he awoke in Rivendell everything would be as it once was.

The first thing Aragorn noticed as he returned to consciousness was the light. He opened his tired eyes and stared into the glorious morning sun that streamed though his open window. He was back in his bedroom in Rivendell. He vaguely remembered leaving the camp, being placed in Elladan's arms as he was situated in front of him on his horse. The journey was a blur after that as he was only semi-conscious once or twice during the ride.

The warmth of the sun brought a bit of life back into his weary body. The soft mattress beneath him felt like heaven compared to the makeshift bed he had been sleeping on for the past several days. Home, he thought. Everything seemed perfect at that moment, like nothing in the world could possibly be wrong. Even the memories of Legolas' conditions seemed nothing more than a nightmare. For a moment, he really believed that everything was as it should be, and that coming home was a sign of better days. Never before had the man returned to Rivendell after a long absence and not had his hope restored. So many hunting trips with his brothers and Legolas ended with disastrous consequences. Then they would return home to Elrond's care, and everything and everyone would be well again. Rivendell was a safe haven, a harbor for hope. On a morning like this, Aragorn couldn't help but smile.

Slowly, he rose from the bed, fighting every instinct to just curl back up beneath the covers and go back to sleep. He grabbed the bed post and stood up on shaky legs. He was still weak, but with each movement, his strength seemed to return. Aragorn walked out onto the balcony first, taking in the beautiful sight of morning. It reminded him of happy times when life was simple. The birds chirped happily in the trees. The thundering of a distant waterfall was like music to his ears as he felt the rush of exuberance course through his veins. This was home. This was happiness. Here, he was safe.

Aragorn bowed his head and tried to take it all in, savoring each moment, each sound, until he heard the creak of his bedroom door open. He didn't turn around to ask who it was because in truth he did not care to know. He wanted to remain here, at peace, for as long as he could. A tug at his heart told him that the tranquility was ending. Reality quickly entered the equation and no longer did the world seem as beautiful as he believed. The guest behind him spoke, shattering his perfect world.

"Estel, ion nin, I am glad to see you awake." Elrond's voice did little to convey the joy of which he spoke. In fact, he sounded sad, sadder than Aragorn ever remembered. Not wanting to dance around the subject any longer, he decided to get right to the point.

"He's no better is he?" The words came out more of a statement than a question. Elrond was silent unsure of how to respond when Aragorn interrupted, the quiet being the most definitive answer. "That's what I thought. Should I say goodbye now or take him to the Grey Havens and give him a big send off."

The words were more bitter and distasteful than Aragorn meant but he could not hold the anger in much longer. He had spent too many days in the pits of despair. Now that his tears had run dry and his self-pity forgotten, the man decided to accept reality. Legolas was broken beyond repair; he accepted that. The only question remaining was whether Legolas would die now or live in peace in Valinor. Elrond was speechless at his son's behavior. The man saw this and continued to speak.

"I haven't lost my mind, Ada. I just understand everything now. There's nothing left for us to do. We've given him everything we had and he's still no closer to healing than the day we found him. It's time to let this go. I have to let him go. I can't keep hanging onto this shred of hope that everything will be well when I know it won't. It hurts more to watch him suffer and live in the world of not knowing, than it is to accept that he will pass and find peace in a better world. It—" Aragorn's rant was quickly cut off by a sting on his cheek. Elrond had slapped him, his eyes full of disappointment and accusation.

"How could you say that, Aragorn?" The elf yelled angrily. He rarely spoke his birth name unless he felt the situation was beyond control. "Your friend is lying at death's door because he sacrificed his wellbeing for yours and this is how you repay him?"

"I didn't ask for any of this. I'd rather it be me than him."

"Stop sounding so selfish," Elrond yelled. "This was his gift to you. He wanted you to live to see this world turn for the better. He wanted you to have a future that he couldn't. He made a choice and that was to save you. How can you give up on him so quickly? Has your heart really been scarred that much that you cannot feel love and compassion?"

His words hung in the air, each syllable cutting into Aragorn like a knife. He needed to hear those words. He needed to be pulled out of his guilt ridden stupor long enough to see the truth. But his mind and heart were battling for control. The former wanted to rationalize everything and accept the loss, while the latter wanted to hope forever. But his heart had weakened greatly and there was no strength left in it to care.

"Maybe it has, ada," Aragorn said, though it came out more as a whisper. "I can't do this anymore. I- I can't seem to feel anything beyond this overwhelming despair when I try to hold onto that glimmer of hope that all will be well again. The only thing I have left is the knowledge that Legolas will most likely die. Or better yet, leave this earth. As heartless and unfeeling as that sounds, it's the only thing I have left. I can't watch him suffer anymore. It's been so long since we've had any hope and I just can't keep it going. There's nothing left to hold onto."

His final words struck a cord. Realization graced his features and it seemed that he found the answer he needed. He couldn't stay here anymore. He would never survive it. Aragorn needed time alone to clear his head. Without Legolas he was lost and the chances of him coming back to him, whole and unchanged, were gone. He couldn't stay around to say goodbye, he would never survive it and Elrond knew it because his eyes became filled with understanding and a loud sigh escaped his lips.

"Where will you go?" He asked suddenly breaking the silence.

"I don't know, Ada, but I can't stay here. I can't help him anymore. If I stay you will lose more than one son." Elrond could not deny the truth in his words, but he could not help but try to talk Aragorn out of his plans.

"I can't agree with your decision, Estel, and you know that. You should be here with him until…until his fate is decided. He can still awaken." He hated to use that against him, but Aragorn needed to know that there was a chance, no matter how slim. Seeing the lack of response, Elrond continued. "Your brothers will never let you leave if you tell them. I suggest you depart quietly. I will try to keep everyone together in your wake." Grateful for his father's understanding, Aragorn walked up to the elf lord and hugged him.

"I'm sorry, Ada. I am so sorry. Tell everyone I will miss them. Tell Legolas…Tell him…Tell him I love him and that I'm going to find a way to repay him someday. I just can't right now." Elrond nodded solemnly as the two broke apart. Aragorn quickly gathered his things and left the room, the elf lord still standing there silent and unmoving.

"I'm still losing more than one son," Elrond whispered to the emptiness as he left to check on Legolas.

Please Review; ) Tell me what you think. Aragorn may seem a bit bipolar at the moment but I think he's been tortured enough, so much so, that he has come to the point where he just can't handle it anymore. I think the next chapter may be the end and it will be more of Aragorn saying a final goodbye to Legolas before he leaves (who is still alive by the way) explaining his actions more. We'll see. I also see a possible sequel coming out of this...hmmm....