A/N: Hello, hello! Here is some more of everyone's favorite elf and ranger! Again, nothing is mine, and reviews are always helpful…

Ch. 3

After sitting in contentment for a few hours, Aragorn knew it was time to wake the others and continue on what was probably their last day of travel in the mines of Moria. He allowed himself another minute with Legolas, appreciating the warmth of the elf's body where it lay against him, before smiling to himself and placing a gentle kiss on the smooth skin of Legolas' forehead. It was more than he ever thought the two would share, yet Aragorn knew it would never be enough. He needed to control his impulses before they got him in trouble. Still, the man was unable to stop his hand from brushing a stray lock of hair away from his companion's face. He roused the elf slowly, calling his name softly until Legolas' eyes came back into focus and he pulled away from Aragorn, missing the man's look of disappointment only because he shyly turned his head away. Legolas had awoken once in the few hours they had slept together. It took him a moment to remember why he was so close to the ranger, and somehow Legolas was not disturbed at all by what had happened. True, he felt weak for crying so easily, but not once did Aragorn judge him, and for that Legolas was eternally grateful. Then, to awake to the feeling of being held by someone warm and strong, was enough to bring Legolas back to his state of reverie without ever thinking of his surroundings. This time, however, Legolas knew that Aragorn was awake and watching him. He could not let his feelings show through, lest the man notice and be lost to him forever.

Aragorn decided not to say anything about the elf's sudden coldness toward him. Instead, he went about waking the others and preparing them for the last leg of their journey. Legolas took a few moments to calm himself after Aragorn left the spot they had slept in. He was unnerved by how quickly the darkness took hold of him with the absence of the man. Everything he had felt before returned, only now it seemed stronger than ever, as if the black was a living thing; clawing at him, covering his body and choking out his light. Legolas wanted nothing more than to go back to the warm embrace of the ranger, but he knew Aragorn had been hurt by his rudeness, and rightly so. 'Fool,' Legolas thought, 'must you always push away those who seek to help you?'

Little did the elf know that Aragorn's thoughts mirrored his own, and continued to fill the ranger's mind as the Fellowship sent off for their last day in Moria, a fact that Merry and Pippin frequently reminded them of. Everyone, with the exception of the Elf and Man, seemed reasonably cheerful as they traveled; the dark mines had worn them all down, and none would miss them when they were gone. Even Gimli was eager to be out of the place, for though he found comfort in the deep places of Middle Earth, this mine had gone from a second home to a family tomb. Many of the skeletons they had passed in the dark belonged to his kin, and perhaps Balin himself. 'Yes,' Gimli thought, 'I will be glad to leave this place of misery and death, for the cold here chills more than my body, but my very spirit.' He was so distracted by thoughts of his cousin and the dwarf bones laying on the stone floors that he walked directly into Legolas, who had stopped short in front of him.

"Oof! Blast it Elf! A little warning wouldn't go amiss, we can't all have the grace and swift reflexes of your kind! What is the point of-" Gimli's tirade was cut short when he realized that it wasn't Legolas alone who had stopped, but the entire Fellowship. Before the group was, apparently, a massive stone wall. The only break in the endless rock was a small crevice directly in front of Gandalf, who was examining its entrance closely.

"It will be a tight fit for some, but this is the only tunnel to the other side, and it is a secure passage. Follow closely, and keep my light in your vision at all times," Gandalf commanded before bending nearly double and entering the tight space. The hobbits followed easily behind him, having no trouble entering the crevice. Boromir had a difficult time, being a fairly brawny man, and not marking flexibility amongst his talents. Gimli needed to assist the Gondorian with his shield, which became caught on the rock outside the entrance, effectively trapping the man from moving in either direction. The dwarf followed the newly freed man, chuckling at the human's ungainliness underground.

Legolas had heard Gandalf's words to follow closely, yet all he could see was the tiny dark hole and the roar of tightly compacted air and suffocating darkness. There was nothing he could do; his mind was unable to command his legs to move, or to do anything else. The elf simply stood at the mouth of the tunnel, staring at the dark and forcing his lungs and heart to continue their duties. After what he thought was months and years, he felt something unexpected: a hand holding his. It was a hand he had seen slay a thousand orcs, climb a hundred trees, and calm frantic horses, as well as a few elves. Legolas could feel the strength in Aragorn's hand; rough from fighting yet mysteriously soft and warm. It gave him an anchor, something to pull him back from the endless void that sought to claim his mind. Legolas felt the ranger move forward, still holding tightly to his hand so that the elf was forced to take a step or lose contact with the man. He took that step, then another and another until the wall loomed directly in front of his deathly pale face. At this point the elf found he could not continue forward, his eyes seeking Aragorn's for help. The man was crouched down, still holding Legolas' slender hand in his own and waiting patiently for the immortal to follow him.

"I cannot," Legolas whispered, knowing the request in Aragorn's eyes. For a moment it seemed the ranger had not heard him, for he made no sound and stayed perfectly still.

Then, releasing a heavy sigh, Aragorn straightened up until the two were facing one another. He was shorter, but not by much, and Legolas found that he was unable to break eye contact with the man. After several long moments of this, Aragorn sighed again and, taking the elf's other hand in his, he asked, "Do you trust me Legolas?"

Without a moment's thought, Legolas nodded, "Yes."

"Then close your eyes, and follow me," the man said softly, but with enough authority that Legolas allowed his lids to close. He felt Aragorn move once again, crouching down to fit into the tunnel. This time, Legolas was able to follow suit, focusing solely on the feel of their hands, warm and strong, feeling oddly natural together. He continued to move through the fissure at Aragorn's direction, finding it relatively easy to move over the rough path with Aragorn to steady him where necessary. It was not long, however, before Legolas began to feel the closeness of the rock, just above his head and mere inches away on either side of his body. It was not yet unbearable, and he continued to follow Aragorn's lead, listening to his voice as a source of comfort. Then even that lost its power.

"Legolas, do not open your eyes or allow yourself to panic in any way, but I need to let go of your hands to get a better idea of the path ahead. Do not move, I will be back in a moment."

Before Legolas could say anything to protest, the contact was gone and the only sound was Aragorn's footsteps shuffling away. The elf tried to quiet his beating heart and still his shaking limbs, but he no longer controlled either. Aragorn had only been gone for a few seconds, but Legolas could not stand the feeling of helplessness that overtook him; he opened his eyes. For a moment, it seemed that the elf could not control even this part of his body, but then he realized that his eyes were, in fact, open. The darkness was just so thick and so deep that there was no difference. Soon, however, Legolas could make out the outline of the rock, and the shape of his feet upon the stone path. But he could not see Aragorn and all that lay ahead of him was darkness. Taking a few steps forward, Legolas realized that the darkness was unlike that of the space around him, but solid. Feeling forward with his hands, the elf came into contact with rock, blocking the tunnel and increasing his fear tenfold. Then, Aragorn's head appeared not a foot above the ground, causing Legolas to jump and crack his head on the rock above.

"Legolas!" Aragorn cried, crawling out of the crevice and examining the dazed elf, "why did you open your eyes? I said I would come back!"

"I could not stand helpless in the dark, Aragorn. I needed to know what made you sound so worried," Legolas replied, wincing as the man examined his tender head.

Aragorn understood this only too well; no warrior would be able to stand idly by like a child, and he should have known Legolas would be no different.

"I am sorry, my friend, I should not have left you. But I must be honest, we have a problem. The tunnel has collapsed in part, leaving only a very tight space to the other side. We can get through, but we must crawl. It is but a short stretch, and the tunnel widens on the other side," on hearing no response from the elf, Aragorn continued, "Legolas? I will be right in front of you. Nothing will go wrong mellon nin, I promise." (my friend)

"No," Legolas said, more to himself than to Aragorn, "no, there must be another way. You go ahead, Aragorn, and tell the others I will find another path through the mines. I cannot… the walls already press upon me, there is hardly any air… no, I will find another way." The elf made to turn and make his way back to the entrance of the crevice before Aragorn took hold of his arm, pulling him back.

"Don't be a fool Legolas! You will become lost in this place, and even if you do find another path, it will be days before you reach the other side! It would drive you mad, assuming you don't die, and I cannot allow either to happen to you. You will follow me through this place, or I will follow you back through those wretched mines. Personally, I find the former more appealing, but it is your choice."

"Aragorn, this is not the time to jest. You will not follow me back."

"Then we go forward. Come, Legolas, it is not far to the outside."

Instead of answering, Legolas attempted to wretch free of the man's grasp. But the combination of being apart from light and fresh air for so long, as well as his lack of sleep and overwhelming anxiety, had taken a toll on the elf's strength. He struggled for a short time before collapsing to the stone floor, fear and frustration making him tremble. He struggled to breathe, the claustrophobia of the place finally affecting his body. Aragorn was at his side in an instant, rubbing the elf's back and encouraging the gasping immortal to take deep breaths. It was some time before this was possible, and even then Legolas shook like a leaf. Aragorn's heart broke at the sight; the elf was one of the strongest beings he knew. No member of the fair race would be able to endure this darkness, and Legolas was connected to the forest on a far deeper level than most of his kind. He held the archer close to him, humming a soothing tune in an attempt to calm him. It seemed to work, for it was not long after that Legolas sat up, a look of determination mingling with the fear and anxiety in his gaze.

"Ready?" Aragorn asked, unwilling to push the elf into something. If he panicked in the tight space, there would be nothing Aragorn could do to help.

Legolas nodded slightly, forcing the tremor out of his voice long enough to say, "I trust you, Aragorn."

The man's heart soared at the words, though he knew they were meant in friendship. He didn't bother keeping the grin from his face, for he knew the darkness would help his secret in this matter.

"Then let us not tarry any longer. I will go first, but stay close behind me, it is not far to the other side," Aragorn said with as much hope as he could put in his voice.