Author's note – there is a direct quote from the book in here, so credit to Tolkien.

Also - I apologize for the HUGE gap between chapters. On the plus side, I won NaNoWriMo. (and I am almost finished with the last two or so chapters of this!)

Thank you for reading. You are all amazing!

Time passed and summer faded into autumn. Elros and Elrond grew to be little experts on the fortress, and didn't get lost again. Maglor continued to teach them and work on the Nolandante, and Maedhros watched from afar and tried not to become more attached.

Despite attempting to convince everyone otherwise, Maglor was delighted to see that Maedhros seemed to be getting better, less withdrawn. The brothers spent much time together, particularly after the twins were in bed.

They would sit and talk well into the night, occasionally Maglor would play his harp. Sometimes, they would just sit in silence.

What would become the most important of those nights, began in almost utter silence. The only noise was Maglor's quiet humming, and the rustle of pages as Maedhros read.

Maedhros stood, stretched, and crossed the room to look out the window at the stars, something he found oddly comforting.

"Maglor come quickly!" he called.

Maglor hurried to his brother's side and his eyes widened when he saw, floating in the night sky, a new star unlike any other. The oath rose in his chest, urging him to grow wings and fly after it.

"Surely that is a Silmaril that now shines in the west?" Maedhros asked.

Maglor argued against the oath, fighting back with cold logic. "If it truly be the Silmaril which we saw cast into the sea that rises again by the power of the Valar, then let us be glad; for its glory is now seen by many, and yet is secure from all evil." The feeling in his chest died, and he slumped in relief against his brother.

Maedhros said, "The Silmaril is truly lost to us now."

Maglor said nothing, and Maedhros poured them each a glass of wine in the silence.

Maglor could not decide if the wine was to celebrate, mourn, or drown the memories.

Maglor nodded. "We can no longer keep up the pretense that they are our hostages, what shall we do now?" Not that we ever bothered with that pretense, not to ourselves, merely to the wretched oath and the boys occasionally.

"They should leave," Maedhros said.

Maglor's eyes narrowed. For a moment it seemed he would disagree with his brother. "When?"

"The sooner the happier I shall be," Maedhros replied.

Maglor nodded and sipped from his wine.

Maedhros looked at his brother, still drinking his wine numbly. "What do you wish to say?"

"They could stay," he offered.

"They are worthless hostages," Maedhros said.

Maedhros took several breaths, remembering the feeling in Sirion when he was certain the oath would force his hand. "We have always known this." Perhaps Maglor is correct, perhaps it can leave me alone when there is not battle fever in my veins.

"They have no family. We are their kin." Maglor posed his suggestion carefully, speaking slowly so his words could sink in.

Maedhros glared at him, "They are descendants of our half-uncle; distant relations even to him."

"But they are family."

"You care far too much," Maedhros grumbled. "You are obsessed with children."

"I was never gifted any of my own; my brothers and cousins are grown and dead. I want – I need – something to love." Maglor swallowed. "I believe they have even begun to care for me, a little. Elrond opened to me, and Elros has started to. Have you seen what they have brought me from their 'adventures'?" I know why you brought them brother, you wanted me to have this, a second chance at love. You must have known the Ambarussa were dead by then, and you remembered little Elured and Elurin.

"A dead rat."

"Among other things!"

"Maglor it is not kind to keep them here," Maedhros argued.

"Is it kinder to send them to people they do not know? To send them on a journey they may not survive? To tear them from the second home – house – they have known?"

Maedhros swallowed. "Maglor, I fear what the oath will force us to do."

"It has no reason to affect the children. It has never hurt our people."

"I would have killed those boys if I had not taken them hostage!"

"The oath was awake, feeding off the battle. It is like a parasite, do not give it something to feed on," Maglor begged his brother. "Now it is dormant. There is no reason it will not stay that way."

Maedhros nodded.

"They can remain hostages though, if that is needed. Not for the Silmaril, but for our safety. Gil Galad has few men to spare, but he would never consider an attack whilst we have them." This is ridiculous logic but please, for the love of anything and everything, take the bait!

Finally Maedhros agreed, "They can stay if it pleases you. Promise me though, if the oath becomes a problem-"

"Then they will leave."

The next morning was colder than any so far that year. Maglor watched as the boys rolled and played on the floor. It had been snowing hard for three days, the first snow of the year, and Maglor hadn't let the boys out in it. "When the snow stops and we can see the sky again," he had promised. Until then he took them to the great hall to play every day. He sat by the large fire and watched them roll and horseplay.

Today they grew tired of their games and scrambled to him, sprawling out on the rug on either side of him. Elrond laid his head on his leg.

"Are you chilled?" he asked.

Both shook their heads. Elros moved closer and placed his head on Maglor's other leg.

Maglor smiled and patted both boy's heads. "Are you having a nice day?"

They both nodded, completely in tune with one another.

"We had a question," Elros prompted.

Maglor kept stroking their silky hair. "Yes? What about dear ones?"

Elrond spoke this time, "Are you our Ada?"

"What?" he asked in surprise.

"Are you our Ada?" Elrond repeated.

"Why?"

"Nana said an Ada is someone who loves you very much," Elros explained.

"Who takes care of you," Elrond added.

"And holds you."

"And kisses you."

"And tells stories."

Elrond summed up, "And our Ada is gone, Nana said so, so we don't have one anymore. Does that mean that you are our Ada now?"

I wish I were sweet ones, I was I were. But alas, I am not. "No. I am not your Ada, he is gone I am afraid." Although, it is best this way. A son of Elwing as a better chance in this world than a son of Maglor.

"Where?"

Maglor didn't know, but he suspected that it had something to do with the Silmaril that was now a star. He asked, "Do you remember the Silmaril?"

"Yes."

"Tonight I will show you the new star in the sky," Maglor began.

"I told you!" Elrond said happily, lifting his head to grin at his twin. "I told you there was something different!"

"Shut up!" Elros snapped, attempting to shove his brother.

"Stop," Maglor caught them in his arms and drew them to his chest. "Elros apologize to Elrond."

"I'm sorry," he whined.

"Good, may I continue now?"

"Yes please."

Maglor shifted and held the boys in his lap, considering the best way to go about explaining this. "I believe that your father is with the Silmaril, somehow."

"Really?"

"Is he a star?"

Maglor decided that, if it made them happy, then they could believe whatever they liked for now. "Yes."

Elros smiled and seemed content with that, but Elrond had more questions. "How did Ada get the Silmaril?"

"Nana took it to him," Elros replied. "As a bird."

"Why?" Elrond asked. "Why didn't she stay with us?" He looked up at Maglor. "You must know," he said, "you know everything."

Maglor might not know everything, but he did know why Elwing had jumped. He said, "All I know is that she was protecting the Silmaril."

The boys were content with that, and stayed in Maglor's arms, dozing, until supper. Maglor made certain that they got to Maedhros, then fled to his room and locked himself in.

Maedhros was surprised to be given the boys and abandoned. He regarded them suspiciously. "What did you do?"

"Nothing," Elros said.

"Maglor told us stories then we fell asleep."

Something must have happened whilst they slept, but it will have to wait. Maedhros led the two into the dining room and helped them into their chairs. "What did you learn today?"

"A rick may tick." Elrond replied.

"What?" Maedhros asked.

Elros glared at his brother. "Arithmetic, stupid," he said.

"That's what I said," Elrond replied. "A rick may tic."

"No! Tell him, Maedhros!"

Maedhros, who had been biting back laughter, turned his steely gaze on Elros. "Be kind to your brother, just because he cannot pronounce Arithmetic does not make him stupid or foolish. You owe him an apology."

"Sorry Elrond."

Elrond smiled warmly. "That's okay, if I say something wrong please help me."

Maedhros smiled at them both. "Good boys, now how about eating our supper now?"

They ate in silence, Maglor was the one who usually kept the conversation going. After they finished Maedhros led the boys upstairs to their room. "Good night," he said, pulling the blankets around them.

"Where's Maglor?" Elrond asked, sitting up and knocking the covers back.

"Maybe he's mad," Elros offered, sitting up as well. "Because you asked if-"

"You wanted to know too," Elrond reminded him.

Elros accused, "But you said we should ask. I didn't agree but-"

"Enough. Elros control your temper. Elrond I am certain you did not upset him. Sometimes Maglor just needs time alone, perhaps this was one of those times. I will check in on him and ensure that he is alright." Maedhros pushed them both under the covers again. As he left he paused in the doorway and warned, "Elros, if you continue to be rude to your brother I will wash your mouth out with soap."

"Sorry."

"Sleep well."

"Goodnight," they chorused.

He closed the door, but was too preoccupied to lock it as he usually did. Even if they had stopped attempting to run away, it simply was not safe or practical to have them roaming about the fortress at night.

Maedhros stopped at Maglor's door and knocked. When there wasn't a reply he tried to open it. Any doubts he had as to whether or not Maglor was in vanished when the door didn't budge. Maglor rarely locked his door, but never when he wasn't there. "Maglor, please, you know you worry me." Open this door or I swear I will break it down.

Finally he heard shifting and creaking. Then footsteps and the door opened. A very depressed Maglor allowed him in, but closed the door tightly behind him. "Kano what is wrong?" He reached to place his hand on his brother's shoulder.

"Nothing," Maglor replied. He shied from his brother's touch.

"Did the twins upset you?"

"No."

"Our oath?"

"No."

"Then what?" He gently caught his brother's head and forced him to face him. "Tell me Kano."

"They asked about Elwing." He turned and practically fled to his bed, wrapping himself in the blankets. It was obvious that was where he had been though dinner, the sheets were untucked long before he pulled them around himself.

Maedhros followed and sat on the bed by the trembling lump. "What about Elwing?"

"I shoved, I think I did, I don't remember, I may not have. I know I cornered her." His words tumbled from his mouth and Maedhros' eyes widened.

"Maglor, she is alive-"

"But she could have died!"

"But she did not. She is no doubt with her husband, was he not looking for Valinor? Where ever she may be she is better off than we are."

"But she could have died!"

"What makes her different that anyone else you have kill?" Maedhros demanded. He knew his words were harsh, but he needed his brother to understand. "Is it because of the twins? Because you have grown to care for her sons? She knowingly stood between us and our Oath."

Maglor looked up at him. "I never wanted to kill anyone! There is perhaps only one person whose death I do not regret and that is Uldor."

You are far too dramatic, brother. Maedhros patted his brother's shoulder. "What is done is done, we cannot change the past."

"I wish I could."

"You cannot."

"Then I wish that I had died, instead of father. Or that I had stayed with mother. Perhaps I wish I had not been born."

"I, for one, am glad you were born. And selfishly I am glad you did not die or remain behind. Is that alright?"

"Yes."

Maedhros waited for a moment, until he was certain that Maglor was as calm as he was going to be. "Are you going to tell the twins?"

"I must," he replied, with the same tone he used when referring to what he did for their oath.

"What are you going to tell them?"

"The truth. That I am very, very sorry. That I wish it could have been different. That it is completely right for them to hate me. That they may hit me if it makes them feel better. That whatever they decide I shall still cherish and love them."

"Very noble," Maedhros said. "Do you not think them too young for such burden?"

"No. No, they deserve to know the truth before I steal anymore love from them."

"You cannot force them to love you, they do it freely. They-"

"They called me Ada today."

Maedhros went tense. "What?"

"They wanted to know if I was their new Ada," Maglor repeated grimly. "I am not, and I regret wishing that it were so."

"Why?" Maedhros asked. "Why can you not be their new Ada? Theirs is gone Maglor, and refusing them will not bring him back. You can wish they were yours if you like, because like I have said, you cannot change the past."

"I cannot wish to be their Ada because I took theirs from them."

"Did you? Earendil left them long before we attacked the city. True, now he cannot return to them, but we do not know if he could have before our attack or not. Perhaps he still can, though I honestly doubt it."

Maglor bit his lip. "Perhaps you are right."

"Kano," Maedhros said with a smile, "I am your big brother, I'm always right." It was a phrase he hadn't used in years, not since he had been wrong about his parley with Morgoth. Maglor tried not to remember him, saddling his horse and saying those words before riding to his doom. Instead he focused on the bright side, that his brother had once again used one of his favorite expressions.

"Of course. I will talk with them in the morning."

Maedhros stood. "Will you be alright alone tonight?"

Maglor nodded absent mindedly. "Sleep well."

"Same to you."

Maglor watched as his brother left, watched the door swing shut, before he crawled back into his bed and pulled the blankets around him.

A few minutes after he fell asleep he thought he heard something in the hall, but convinced himself it was his imagination.