A/N You guys have no idea how excited I have been for this day. I've missed posting so much that I was supper hyper today because I could post! Thank you guys so much once again for making posting and writing so amazing.

Oh, *spoiler* I promise that Legolas suffering and angst will play a part of the story!

Disclaimer: not mine, never has been and never will be.

Sit tight, hold on, and enjoy the ride! :)

The Worth of a Friend

The blood-red sun was quickly slipping through the sky, leaving a trail of darkness behind. A small village lay nested in the shadow of the Misty Mountains, its occupants making the last of the light as they bustled about or hurried home. The humans never noticed the faint trail of smoke just visible far away in the woods that stretched across the mountain

The smoke belonged to a small, merrily crackling, fire and beside the fire knelt a graceful being, carefully stirring something in a pot.

Legolas pushed back his long golden hair, glancing grimly back behind him as he did so. A huddled from lay there, misshapen from the blankets pilled high atop him. The elf turned back to what he was doing with a frown deepening his features as he ladled a thin stew into a roughly cut wooden bowl.

Moving over to the still body, Legolas settled himself down on the ground and set the bowl aside for a minute.

"Aragorn, Estel, wake up, I have some broth…Aragorn…" he called softly, gentle shaking the human awake. Aragorn stirred, a deep hacking cough instantly breaking through the silence of the evening as he did so. "Shh…" Legolas soothed, messaging a pattern on Aragorn's back, trying to stop the fear in his voice as the human's breathing wheezed in and out painfully.

Slowly, the horrible coughing faded, though much to Legolas' discouragement the wheezing did not.

"Legolas…" the man moaned, sucking in ragged gulps of air as one hand searched blindly for his friend.

"Shh, Estel." Legolas whispered, trailing his fingers against the man's brow and feeling the intense heat that seemed to be radiating off of him. "I have some broth, you must eat something."

"Not hungry." Aragorn gasped, opening his eyes and looking around with a glassy half-lidded gaze at his friend.

"You must eat something! You must regain your strength!" Legolas pleaded, gently lifting the man's head up off the ground and scooping up a spoonful of soup that he pressed against his friend's ctightly closed lips. "Please, Aragorn, for me…" he begged, trying to wheedle the spoon in.

Aragorn shook his head weakly, his face a pasty white with a slightly bush-tinge to his lips form lack of enough air.

"Aragorn—!" Legolas barked suddenly, surprising Aragorn enough to get him to open his mouth. "Good…" The prince whispered much gentler, tipping the spoon forward so that its contents slide off. The future king of men swallowed, wincing slightly as the motion hurt his sore throat.

After a long hour, Legolas managed to get Aragorn to eat almost the whole bowl, but now the man's eyes were closed and he lay in semi-awareness. Taking pity on the man, Legolas let him slip into a fitful doze. Standing, the prince rubbed his face wearily, giving a troubled sigh as his blue eyes flicked back to Aragorn.

Estel was a lot worse than he had been just that morning. His fever was climbing ever higher and his cough was only getting worse. Only a few days before the coughing had seemed so innocent and hardly worth noticing… but quickly it had escalated and Legolas knew he was in far over his head. He did his best to care for his friend, but he was no healer.

Behind him Aragorn gave a small moan and Legolas turned swiftly back to him, only to find the man twisting feebly in his blankets. The human appeared to be caught in yet another fever induced nightmare. Kneeling hurriedly next to his side, Legolas grabbed a cloth soaked in cold water and began to brush it across the heated skin.

"Shh, shh, Estel, it is just a dream." Legolas urged softly, cupping the man's face in his hand. Aragorn didn't calm, however, thrashing even harder and calling something out in elvish. "Aragorn, you're fine. It's nothing!" the elf continued in mounting desperation, running a hand through the sweat soaked hair.

"NO! NO!" Aragorn shouted, starling a bird into flight as he writhed beneath the prince's hands. "STOP! Please…"

"No one is going to harm you, you just need to calm down. I'm right here." Legolas pinned the weak man down, holding him as he fought against the elf. By time the fight left the man, he was left weaker than ever before.

Darkness by now had swallowed up the land and Legolas moved back to the fire, sitting alone while he tended to it so that they would have light. He didn't know what to do, he wasn't helping Aragorn any…he didn't have a clue about fighting the sickness and Aragorn was in no fit shape to tell him how.

Drawing his knees up to his chest, Legolas blinked back tears of fear and despair.

"Estel…you must get better. I need help, I don't know what to do." Aragorn remained unresponsive, except for a small twitching of his fingers, and Legolas swallowed thickly, laying his head on his folded arms and staring into the fire.

"I need help! If you don't get help soon…" he whispered, continuing on his one-sided conversation but broke off, his voice chocking. Taking a deep steady breath he lapsed into silence, his brow furrowed in deep thought, recalling an event that had taken place only a few days previously…

"Wait, Aragorn. Are you ordering me to stay here?!" Legolas shot at the human in disbelief, watching as the man threw a dark cloak over his shoulders and pined it shut.

"I didn't order, I asked." He said pointedly.

"You did order, but that's not the point." Legolas said stubbornly, cocking an eyebrow at the man. "Why don't you want me to go with you?"

The smile faded off Aragorn's face, replaced by a serious look.. "Legolas, the people in t his village do not respond…well…to different people"

"You mean beings, different beings." Legolas said with an impatient wave of his hand.

"No, not necessarily —"Aragorn corrected. "Trust me, this town practically runs stranger, or anyone who could be called different, out of town. Rangers have had trouble there before; I dread to think of what they would do to any elf. I'm only going in because we are in desperate need of supplies"

Legolas nodded, unhappy understanding reflected on his face. "Have fun then." He said sarcastically, leaning back against a large rock and making himself comfortable sense it was obvious that he would be left behind. They didn't need to make trouble in town, it wasn't worth it. "I'll just be here relaxing!" he called in parting.

The prince just managed to catch the large pinecone that came sailing towards his face.

"Don't make yourself to comfortable!" Aragorn grouched, coughing slightly, "I want a good meal when I get back, since you have some much time on your hands" With that, he pulled the hood of his cloak over his head, hiding his face from view, and began to walk away.

"Estel, be careful." Legolas called out, giving Aragorn a serious look as he straightened form his inclined position."

"I'll be fine!" Aragorn called back, holding off a cough as he strided into the forest…

Legolas sighed at the memory. Aragorn had made it back in one piece, though he had re-stressed the fact that some of the villagers where being worse than ever. Along with the news came the deep, nerve wracking cough which had lead to where they were now.

"If you get any worse, Aragorn," Legolas began his voice dead serious. "I'm taking you into the village, because they will be able to help you so much better than I ever could. And I don't care what you might have to say about it even if you where feeling up talking!" He finished defiantly knowing that Aragorn certainly wouldn't like what he had just said.

As if sensing the elven prince's words, the ranger stirred, weakly coughing before going still once more. Legolas frowned, laying his hand firmly against his friend's brow to check his temperature for what seemed to be the thousandth time. Nothing had changed.

"It's up to you wither I go or not." Legolas whispered, lowering his voice so much that even he almost couldn't hear it. "Just get better…"

But Aragorn didn't get any better. He steadily declined to where Legolas was to the point of panic…it was then that the elf knew it was time to act.

Throwing a cloak over his shoulder Legolas half haphazardly pinned it, making sure that the hood covered his features from view. It wasn't a very good disguise, but it would have to work for the time being. Aragorn thrashed behind him, tearing at the ground with his fingers nails as a wailing sound was ripped from his throat.

"Aragorn, Estel, "Legolas called, bending down and forcefully dragging the man up next to him more effort than it normally would have taken."Listen, you've got to come with me." His voice was lanced with the abnormal presence of fear.

Drawing the human's arm over his shoulder, the elf wrapped his arm firmly around his waist and began the trip down the mountain side, leaving most of their belongings behind in the currently messy camp. "Come on, it is not that far and then you can get some proper help." Legolas grunted, now fighting against the only half conscious man.

At the sound of Legolas' voice, the ranger quieted a little. "Legolas…" he murmured, sagging against his friend. His breathing was heavy and labored, making the elf glance down at him with worry, realizing with sudden clarity that he had waited too long and that Aragorn's life could be the price.

The two started off, staggering through the trees. Aragorn's feet dragged beneath him and his head rolled limply on his shoulders, making Legolas feel ill. The night was reaching its darkest point and the going was hazardous, and the man almost fell many times as he over balanced away from the elf. Legolas never failed to catch him.

The trees reached out to them, blocking their path and snagging their clothes as they loomed forth unexpectedly though the dark. Legolas pushed past, not caring for the scratches that this caused as he struggled to keep Aragorn on his feet. Rocks jumped up in front of their feet and threatened to send them sprawling down the slopped hills.

The large, rushing, and treacherous river almost proved to be their undoing as Aragorn, who was currently physically with the elf, balked at the sight of the cold, frothing water and refused to take another step.

At this point, Legolas simply hoisted the man over his shoulder and waded the river that way, swearing every time the strong water almost knocked him over. From there he followed the river, knowing that the town would also be by the water front.

Finally, though, they began to pass signs of civilization. The trees were thinner, with scattered stumps amongst their midst. A steep hill sloped upwards to his left, ending in a sudden cliff with a large lake glistening below it, reflecting the light of the stars. A rough breeze stirred the air around them, cutting at their exposed skin with a chill that to Legolas' great relief made Aragorn stir.

"Legolas…" the man moaned for what seemed the thousandth time to the elf, and he gently lowered his friend back to his feet, ducking under his arm before he could fall and taking the blunt of the weight.

"I'm right here. Just hang on." Legolas replied once more, having said the words so often that they slipped easily form his tongue without him having to think about a response. He began to walk them forward again, half dragging, half caring Aragorn, and shushed the man again when he moaned.

Pushing past a large tree, Legolas was greeted the very welcomed sight of a village, its small buildings illuminated by a few pinpricks of light that must have been fires set for the watchmen…they had made it!

TBC...

Well, what did you guys think? Those poor two, they really are in for an adventure this time! *cackles derangedly* Oh, and arn't you proud of me, there was no cliffie! :)

As always, feel free to tell me anything!