Summary: Songfic to Hold Back the River by James Bay watch?v=mqiH0ZSkM9I . The Fellowship sets out for their journey. Rated T by Caitie (Arwen & Legolas)

December 25-26, 3018

Arwen watched Legolas pack his bag from the bed, his usually straight back was bent from sadness. He stopped for a moment, the weight of the decision he had made earlier that day crushing him. Legolas stood up, straightening his back to stand tall and proud, but once he saw Arwen watching him, the heartache in her eyes, he shoulders fell again and he dropped back to the bed. Arwen crawled to the end of the bed and wrapped her arms around Legolas from behind. One of his hands came up to hold both of hers.

On the other side of the room the twins slept peacefully, Legolas could just make out their small faces through the gaps in their cribs. They were two years old now, what would happen if he wasn't able to come back to them? They were still young, they wouldn't remember him. The thought made his eyes water.

"Why did I volunteer?" he said so quietly that Arwen almost didn't hear him. "I have a family, why did I do this?"

Arwen's arms tightened around him. "Because it's who you are, you've always been the hero, Legolas. We're still going to be here when you come back."

"But what if I don't come back?"

Arwen's arms loosened and she shifted so that she sat beside her husband, her arms still looped around his neck. "You're going to come back," she said quietly, kissing his cheek. "Legolas. He turned his face towards her. "You're going to come back to us."

"But…"

"No!" Arwen interrupted him. "You can't talk like that, Legolas. You're going to come back me, I'm not giving you choice."

Legolas smiled a little, if anyone could convince death to go away it would be Arwen. One of his hands came up to rest on her cheek, his thumb brushing against her soft skin. He pulled her closer to kiss her lips and got lost in the taste of her.

..::..

Aragorn threw his few belongings into his pack and absentmindedly watched the fire crackle in the fireplace. His mind was far away from this place though and so was his heart. The events of the day had happened in a blur, he couldn't even remember volunteering to go to Mordor but a piece of him told him to pack. All he could think of was her. She left him, without even saying goodbye. He should be surprised, but he wasn't, he couldn't be, not after everything that had happened. That didn't make it any easier for him though. It still hurt him.

He stopped packing and looked out the window to see the moonlight shining brightly down on the world below. Where was she? He wondered. Aragorn didn't doubt that Eowyn was safe, she was more than capable of protecting herself. He thought about praying but they never heard or helped him before, why would they now? His father and mother were dead, his daughter had gone to join them. The only family he had left was Eowyn and she had abandoned him now too.

That's why he volunteered he realized. He had nothing left so it only made sense to say yes. His thoughts turned to Legolas. Why had he said yes? He had a wife and children, he couldn't leave them, but he was.

Aragorn turned back to the fire, his sword belt rested on a chair in front of the fireplace. He pulled the blade from its sheath and watched the fires reflection dance across the metal, lost in thought.

..::..

Arwen lay in bed wide awake, her head rested on Legolas' bare chest, listening to each beat as if the next might never come. She didn't want to let him go, if she did she might not ever get him back. She closed her eyes tightly, abandoning such thoughts. He will come back, she knew it, this would not be the last time she held him.

Instead Arwen thought about time. She had heard a saying once, that time and tide wait for no man. Time was a river, she had realized that when her mother left her, but now she felt that more than she had ever felt it before. No matter how hard you tried you could not stop time, nor can you stop a river from traveling it course. But right now, at this moment, Arwen tried her hardest as she watched the sun start its slow journey into the sky.

Legolas stirred beneath her and she felt his hand come up to stroke her back. She turned her head upwards to look at him. "You're already awake," Legolas said groggily. Arwen nodded against his chest. "How long have you been awake?"

"I don't know," Arwen whispered. She sat up and looked into Legolas' eyes, they were so blue that Arwen often got lost in their depths. "I have something for you." Standing up from the bed Arwen slipped her robe on, tying it loosely around her waist. She walked over to her vanity and opened one of the drawers, pulling out a wooden box before climbing back into bed.

Legolas sat up straight as his wife came to rest next to him. "What's that?" he asked, having never seen the box before.

"My mother gave this to me before she left for the Undying Lands. She said it would keep me safe and now I want you to have it, to keep you safe." Arwen opened the lid on the wooden box to reveal a silver necklace with white diamonds.

Legolas had seen Celebrian wearing the necklace once before. "Arwen, I can't take this."

"Yes, you can." She lifted the necklace from the box and opened the clasp. Leaning forward she put the necklace on him and fastened it behind his neck. "As long as you wear this I will be protecting you." She rested her hand on his cheek and Legolas covered it with one of his own, relishing in the touch of his wife.

..::..

The sun hid behind a thin layer of clouds as the Fellowship stood waiting at the gates of Rivendell. Elrond spoke his parting words to them but Legolas didn't hear any of it. His mind was occupied with Arwen. He memorized everything about her; her soft grey-blue eyes, her porcelain skin, and the curves of her body in the purple dress she wore.

Aragorn's hand came to rest on his shoulder forcing him back to reality. "It's time," he said.

Legolas looked back at Arwen, her eyes were sad as she took one hesitant step towards him. He closed the space between them and held her tightly in his arms, kissing the top of her head. He looked at his children, Arwen's brothers were both holding a child. He walked up to them and kissed the top Alida and Leonid's heads before returning to stand beside Aragorn.

Frodo started towards the gate, the Fellowship following behind him slowly. Legolas was the last the in the line and right as he stepped foot through the gate he took one last look at Arwen. He saw the tears start to trail down her face and his heart broke as he turned away from her.