Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings.

Warnings: Angst, fluff

Mindless Babble: Yes, I'm mixing movie titles.

The fair-haired being nearly fell off the small couch that sat next to one of the windows. Someone had called his name. The voice had been raspy but strangely familiar.

"Aragorn?" Disbelief caused the elf's voice to break.

Clear, silver eyes watch him, worriedly. The human had turned his head but made no other movements. Legolas, on the other hand, had gotten over the initial shock and picked himself off the floor. He had also drawn a small knife from his boot and held ready. Anger now colored his features.

"What are you?" he growled.

Aragorn heard the malice in his friend's voice and blinked in surprise. He rolled onto his side. "Mellon-nin?"

"Do not call me that!" Legolas snarled. "My friend is dead!"

Aragorn tried to stand. "No… I live. Gandalf…"

Whatever he was going to say was lost as the man fell, realizing too late that his legs could not support him. He heard the sound of metal hitting the stone floor and suddenly strong arms wrapped around him, slowing his descent. The world swam before his eyes and Aragorn feared he would black out before he was given a chance to explain.

"How can this be? You were so cold only moments ago!" Legolas held the human close as if he feared the human would disappear into a grief induced nightmare.

"Gandalf." Aragorn looked up into pools of blue and almost laughed at his friend's confusion. "I asked him to do the one thing I could not have asked of you or my family. He agreed, or so I thought."

"Mithrandir gave you poison?" The pain of betrayal fought for dominance with the anger that rose in the elf's heart.

"Apparently, not a lethal one," Aragorn replied through clenched teeth.

"Actually, it was quite lethal," a deep voice interrupted from the doorway. Aragorn felt the protective arms of the elf tighten around him as Gandalf stepped into the room. Legolas was glaring at the wizard so fiercely that the older man missed the dark look he was receiving from the younger one.

"How could you?" Legolas snarled.

"He had to," Aragorn said. "Although I had thought death was a little more permanent."

"But why?" Strider could see the confusion, anger and betrayal cross his friend's face.

"The Ringwraith had marked me and the nine of them were following me. If Gandalf had not done what he did, I would have led them here."

"They now believe that you are dead, Aragorn, and are returning to Minas Morgul," the Istari said, stepping towards the pair. He knelt next to them and reached out to touch the man's face. Aragorn pulled away and Legolas covered his friend's head with his arms. Neither missed the sorrow that appeared in the clear blue eyes of the wizard.

"Stay away from me, ihûg mellon!" Aragorn ignored the hurt that crossed the other man's face and continued. "I trusted you and you betrayed me!"

"I am truly sorry but you still have too much left to do in this world…"

"How dare you?" the man hissed. "How dare you use my destiny to harm my family?"

"What do you mean, Strider?" Legolas asked, completely confused. "He gave you back to us even after what you asked him to do."

"He gave you a taste of what it will be like when I truly die." Aragorn turned his attention back to Gandalf. "They would have mourned me and moved on. Now they will be forced to live through it again!"

Aragorn lunged at the old man, not actually knowing what he planed to do. It didn't really matter. His weakened body betrayed Aragorn, suddenly going limp. With his eyes going glassy, he slumped back into the arms of the elf.

Legolas looked up from his friend's pale face to look into the elderly features of the man that had killed his best friend. "He spoke the truth in that you have hurt us, but I understand why. I am thankful that I will still have time with him before we are parted forever."

Gandalf tore his attention from Aragorn and smiled sadly. "Perhaps, then, someday he will also understand and maybe even forgive me. Now I think we should get him back to his room."

Legolas returned the grin and gathered his friend and gently lifted Aragorn from the cold floor. The smile disappeared as a thought struck him.

"We need to tell his family."

The heavens had finally broken open, the pattering of the rain calming the torrent of emotions that had been raging in the house of Elrond for most of the day. It was early evening now. The twins had fallen asleep on Elrohir's bed; the sorrow wearing them down. Elrond sat in his favorite chair in his own bedroom drifting into the world of dreams, a place where there was no pain of loss.

Legolas paused in the doorway of the bedroom, sigh as he realized he would have to wake the brothers. Steeling his nerves, he walked over to the bed and sat on the edge. He reached out and touched each of their shoulders, softly calling to them. They woke and tried to rub the sleep from their bloodshot eyes.

"Legolas?" Elladan looked at the blond elf, confused. "What is it, Mellon?'

"There is something I need to tell you, but you must let me finish before either of you does anything."

The brother's looked at Legolas worriedly. "Of course. You have our word."

The Nordhir elf nodded gratefully to Elrohir. "The will be difficult for you to hear. The Nazgûl did not stop hunting Aragorn after we drove them off. They were preparing to enter Rivendell when…he died. Gandalf helped him."

"What?" Elladan jumped to his feet. "Mithrandir killed our brother?"

Legolas stopped him. "Aragorn asked him to."

The shock took Elladan's breath from him and he collapsed back onto the bed. "Estel wanted to die?"

Legolas felt his heart break. "Yes. He meant to say goodbye to the two of you and never come back. But you were the reason he fought his way out of Minas Morgul. He had to see the both of you one last time.

"He wanted to leave the day after he awoke but did not have the strength to do so." Legolas continued. "He could feel the Black Riders getting closer and he feared for your safety. He asked Mithrandir for the help he knew he could never ask of us."

He paused letting the information sink in. He knew the twins were hurting because just telling them was killing him. "Gandalf provided that aid but with a catch." Two pairs of dark eyes suddenly focused on Legolas. "Estel is alive."

"That is not funny, Legolas." Elladan glare at the one he thought was a friend.

"You will note that I am not laughing. Mithrandir used a potion that caused Aragorn's soul to flee his body for a time. Sauron now believes the last in the line of kings is dead and we are proof of that. The depth of our sorrow was very much real and we did nothing to hide it."

The long silence that followed was finally broken by Elrohir's soft voice. "How is our little brother?"

Legolas smiled. "He is better. Grumpy, but then Aragorn was never really a morning person."

The twins laughed. "Especially not after being injured!"

"And there is more good news," Legolas said after the laughter died down. The twins looked at him expectantly and he continued. "His sight has returned. Mithrandir said the blindness was caused by the two poisons that were in his body. They were purged when he 'died'."

"Can we see him?" asked Elladan, after the shock faded.

"In a few minutes. We must wait for Mithrandir to give the news to your father."

Elrohir smirked. "For once, I am glad I am not a wizard!"

"Elrond?"

The dark haired elf jerked awaked, not even realizing he had dozed off. His dreams had seemed so real. He reached up and touched his face, surprised to find it wet from tears. Perhaps the dreams had been a little too real.

"I am sorry, Gandalf," Elrond said, trying to compose himself.

"You were dreaming." It was a statement of fact that the wizard spoke, not a question.

Elrond stood and turned away from his friend. "Yes. I was dreaming of Aragorn. He was alive and well, being crowned king."

"That may yet be the future you see," Gandalf said softly.

The elf lord whipped around and glower at the man. "Aragorn is dead! How can that possibly be the future?"

Gandalf stared at the elf, realization dawning on him. "And you think that is your fault?"

"How could it not be?" Elrond sighed in frustration. "I was the one who drove him away; it was I who said those horrid things to him. I even forbade him from seeing the one he loves most."

"Arwen is a grown elf who will decide her own fate."

Elrond smiled bitterly at that and turned back towards the small fireplace the chair had been facing. "Yes she is and will. But I was still the one who inflicted the first cut into his heart. Even if he were still alive, I truly doubt he could or even would forgive me for that."

"I can forgive you, Ada," a quiet and weak voice said from the bedroom doorway. Gandalf moved aside in mild astonishment, revealing a pale Estel leaning against the doorframe. "If you can ever forgive me."

Elrond slowly turned around, wanting to believe but not daring to hope. His eyes lit on the human and hope gave way to joyful shock. He quickly crossed the room and enveloped his adopted son in a warm embrace.

Just walking the few steps to his father's room had wearied him and Elrond felt Estel go limp. The elf gently lowered them both to the floor. When the three young elves reached the bedroom, they found the lord of Rivendell holding the pale human in much the same way he had when Aragorn had died. Only this time, it was tears of joy that ran down the elf's cheek.

"Welcome home, Estel."

"It's good to be back," Aragorn mumbled, before letting sleep take him.

Namárië!