A/N: Ah, Friday... I love Fridays because I get to post. :) That always lifts my spirits.

Disclaimer: not mine.

Chapter Eight

"Could he not come in for just a few minutes? Or could you come out?" Arwen asked worriedly, leaning against the cracked door and talking through it. Aragorn, who was on the other side, sighed heavily, rubbing his temples tiredly.

"I don't want Eldarion to see Legolas, not like this," he countered, glancing behind at the figure on the bed as he did so.

The past few days had been hard on all of them, to say the least, but especially for the elf. Legolas had continued to hover between life and death for several hours which was a time Aragorn was unlikely to forget anytime soon. For a stretch after that, the king had thought they might have a chance of pulling through as Legolas began to show great improvement. Then the fever had struck. The infection introduced illness had gripped the elf ferociously and had required all of Aragorn's time and energy.

"He misses his father and can't understand why he isn't allowed to see you," Arwen pleaded with her husband. "The last time he really interacted with you, you scared him. I think he is afraid that he has done something wrong."

"Legolas is so ill, his condition could change at a moment's notice…" Aragorn reasoned, his tone desperate, "It is not that I don't want to see him, I do. I want to spend time with him, Arwen…" he trailed off, unsure of how to convey his emotions. Legolas moaned loudly in the background and the bed creaked as the prince twisted himself feverishly around.

Arwen let out a long sigh, her heart softening at the distress in her husband's voice. She knew why Aragorn was doing what he was doing, but Eldarion did not. "I warn you, though, Aragorn, that sooner or later Eldarion will come to find you. He misses you both."Aragorn nodded, before remembering that Arwen could only see a sliver of his face and replying out loud instead. Reaching through the door, he clasped her hand in farewell. After she was out of sight, he returned to his dedicated and self imposed post by Legolas' side.

'No, no…please. I-I don't want…stop!" Legolas was murmuring wildly as he writhed against the white sheets encasing his body. The elf threw himself over onto his side and his sweet slicked face caught the light of a dim candle and shone brightly, making him appear even less like a human. The hair around his head fanned out like a large halo, only adding to his extra-terrestrial appearance

"Shh, you are alright, it is just a dream," Aragorn soothed, capturing the slim hands easily and stilling their movements. The elf jerked back, fighting weakly against the man's hold and the king sighed, "Calm down, Legolas," he implored.

"No, no," Legolas moaned again in-between loud, heaving breathes that seemed to be magnified by the small room. The king leaned over the elf and began to untangle him from the sheets. He was just about to repeat his own words, when the elf's next words caught him off guard.

"No, NO! Don't…don't kill, not, Estel. Not…the, fish."

Frowning, Aragorn bent further over his friend, who shrunk back into the bed, whimpering rather like a small child.

"What do mean, fish?"" Aragorn asked clearly bemused as he gently touched Legolas' fever damp face with a wet rag. The other words where quiet normal for a fever induced hallucination, but this was the first time in his healing career that fish had been add in, "Fish? Really, mellon-nin, you don't even like them that much!"

Pressing the cold cloth against the prince's brow, he continued in the same teasing tone, "You always told me that the worst part of trading with lake-town was that once or twice a year you had to attend meetings or something and that they always served fish. Every meal. —And now you are dreaming about them!" Laughing in a forced manner, Aragorn was suddenly startled by a knock on the door.

Getting to his feet, he crossed the wooden floor and leaned up against the door.

"Who is it?" he asked wary of council men who might try and waste his time.

"Faramir," the man called form the other side.

Aragorn sighed with relief and cracked the door so that he could better talk with him. He would not let him in, not yet, sparing the man who had already seen so much horror in his life the pain of seeing Legolas in such a ghastly condition. It was for this same reason that he had denied Eldarion permission to enter and asked Arwen not too.

"Speak, please," Aragorn intoned, "Tell me why you came."

"I am here to report on the Dirhéal search," Faramir replied in a hushed tone, causing Aragorn to lean in closer and open the door a little wider, "We still have been unable to locate him, someone has tipped him off. I would beat my right arm that it was that second man who we still have been unable to identify."

"If I had any doubts before now that it really was him, they have certainly been erased," The king replied softly, rubbing a hand across his bread, the barest hint of deep anger in his voice. "If he was innocent, then he would have come forward. I would have given him a fair trial and he knows that."

"The men are searching throughout all of Minis Tirith and the lands round about. We also have citizens aware that Dirhéal is not to be sheltered, and that if they see him they are to get help," Faramir finished, giving the king a helpless look.

"Thank you," Aragorn said earnestly. Thinking that their conversation was at an end, he began to slide the door close, but stopped when Faramir spoke once more.

"How is Legolas?"

Aragorn closed his eyes and leaned further on the door.

"He…he is doing better than he was when I carried him out of the dungeon, but that is not hard to bypass. His condition continues to change with a flip of a coin, but we should know, one way or the other, within a few days."

A heavy sigh was heard from the other side of the door and then Faramir's footsteps could be heard retracing their way down the hall. Aragorn also sighed, which he seemed to be doing a lot of lately, and the hurried back to Legolas' side.

NOFINERFRIENDS

The candles where still burning bright late into the night in the private healing room where Legolas was positioned. His fever had finally broken, much to Aragorn's relief. Leaving a cool cloth on his friend's still slightly hot brow, Aragorn merely sat for a minute, reflecting with worried lines creasing his tired face.

His fever may have broken, but did he have the strength to go on? He was still so weak…the single question bothered Aragorn deeply and, more to shake the thoughts off than anything, he began to fill a basin with fresh, warm water.

Still the thoughts of what could still happen to Legolas chased their way around Aragorn's mind and he forcefully ducked the white cloth in, determined not to give heed to them, and hummed softly to chase them away. As the king washed the sweat that caked Legolas' body off, he began to sing softly under his breath. The song was one of his favorites, and one that he heard many, many times in the Hall of Fire. He vaguely remembered Elrond or the twins singing it to him when he must have been very small. Maybe that was why he always turned to it for comfort.

As he wiped the cloth down Legolas' arm, however, the elf stirred feebly and gave a low moan before twisting his head towards the sound of Aragorn's voice. Encouraged by the reaction, the man let the words flow freely from his lips, his voice louder now that he knew the elf was listening. Reaching out, he briefly touched his friend's face before going back to washing him down. During the middle of the second verse, Legolas stirred again, his face scrunching up as the pain hit him and another pitiful whimper escaped him. His breathing rate increased dramatically and Aragorn broke the song off in concern.

"Legolas, do not fight it, come back to the light," he said loudly, clasping on Legolas' hand in his and rubbing it gently with his thumb. Legolas gasped raggedly and his hand twitched in Aragorn's, as though he wanted to grasp the human's back but lacked the strength.

"That's it, Legolas," the king encouraged gleefully, almost giddy with excitement, as he pushed the damp golden locks back from the prince's face and flatting them against the white pillow. Giving the loudest moan yet, the elf's eyelids flickered and Aragorn smiled readily down, "Thank the Valar!" he exclaimed as the elf's eyes blinked open.

"Aragorn…" Legolas rasped, confusion lining his voice as he blinked sluggishly up at the blurred figure leaning over him.

"Of course, who else?" Aragorn asked cheerfully as he reached up and gently laid a hand up against the elf's still hot cheek. This was a great improvement from last time Legolas had awoken.

"Am I dreaming?" the lord of Ithilien inquired, his gaze traveling blankly around the room but not taking any of it in.

"No, no. This is not a dream," the king soothed easily, his smile dropping a little.

Legolas shook his head shortly, his eyes darkening, "I…I must be dreaming." He insisted in an even hoarser tone. He began to cough harshly and the king hurried to slide an arm under his shoulders, easing him up into raised position and placing another pillow under his head. He pressed the rim of a mug against his friend's cracked lips, tipping it back.

"I promise you that this is no dream!" Aragorn said firmly as helped him take a few sips of fresh water. "You are now safe." The elf gave a small shudder, and locked eyes with the human, his disbelief clear.

"Bu it is impossible. There is no possible way…" Legolas declared dully, turning his face away and into the pillow. "Dirhéal swore…" but whatever the man had told the elf, Aragorn didn't find out for Legolas trailed off, staring unseeingly at the far wall with a fearful expression on his face.

"Legolas, Dirhéal is not going to come near you ever again," Aragorn promised, reaching out and grasping both of the elf's' hand in his and squeezing them tightly as if the simple action could convene all his feelings. Legolas looked back at him, hesitation written expressively across his face. Slowly, with trepidation, he wrapped his fingers around the king's and gave him a weak smile. Aragorn smiled back, packing as much reassurance and comfort into the as he could, before leaning in and lightly touching their foreheads together. This familiar gesture more than anything seemed to calm and convince the elf that he really was safe. Legolas slowly allowed his tense muscles to relax and leaned further into the fluffy pillows, letting their softness cushion his aching body.

"But…" he began to protest again, his heart thumping as he looked around the room. Aragorn shook his head, shhing him gently as he placed a finger against his lips.

"Get some more sleep, you have a long ways to go before you can even consider getting out of bed," he stated, leaning back again and giving the elf more room. Legolas' hand shot out, wrapping his fingers feebly around Aragorn's wrist.

"Don't leave me," he whispered imploring, his dark blue eyes silently telling the man that he was scared. Scared that he really was dreaming, and that everything would fade back to the dark, wet, and cold cell that had been his own personal torment for the last month.

"I won't leave," Aragorn said in quiet understanding, reaching out and taking the elf's hand once more. Legolas gripped it as hard as he could manage and heaved a shuddering breath, allowing his heavy eyelids to slip close. The man next to him began to hum again and it wasn't long before Legolas drifted back to sleep.

Slowly easing his hand out of Legolas' he winced as the elf started and moved quickly to calm him back down before he could awaken. A smile he couldn't contain began to inch across his face and he leaned back in his chair, resisting the urge to laugh. Legolas had awoken, and knew who he was. They were the past the worst.

NOFINERFRIENDS

A week had passed since Legolas' rescue, and Madoc and Dirhéal had managed to remain at large despite the large man hunt out for the former. The duo had hidden out in one of the old, run down inns that didn't ask question instead of fleeing town like most sensible people would. But sense never did play a part of Dirheal's plans.

He was determined to kill the elf, and Madoc wanted his money. For as far as they were concerned, Aragorn had had his week to give them the money. The fact that Legolas was no longer their prisoner did little to hinder their planning, deciding to simply work around that small obstacle. And the best part was that Aragorn would never dare think that they will dare launch an attack in one of the most fortified areas of the Minis Tirith.

TBC...

Oh... I beat you guys say that one coming! ;)

Review Replies:

Elven Princess: Haha, I am sure that he will as well. Well...at least by the end of the story he will be. :) Well, this chapter didn't stop with the cliffies... I don't think I will ever be able to stop with the cliffies. It is like ingrained in me. Thanks!

Nameless: Reunions are the best!I love writing them, of course. :) Is wrong that a tiny part of my soul is happy that I am able to make you cry? No, there is nothing wrong with me whatsoever. :) Thanks!

feuilleblanche: No, thank you! Once a week, maybe more, you never now. Sometimes I am generous, you can look for an update. I am very happy that you are enjoying it this much, though!

Bridge Sutcliffe: Haha, you have fallen prey to my cliffies. :) And I just threw another one right at ya. And the next chapter isn't going to be any better. Ah, well. Cliffies are amazing, at least to the writer. Thanks so much!