The next time he awoke Aragorn held his hand. More precisely, he wrapped his broken wrist up. He lay in the grass, in the shadow of a tree, and a strange new warmth surrounded him. When the man saw the blue eyes flutter open he smiled gently, trying to hide his fear behind a smile.

Legolas blinked a few times before looked up to see the man. He smiled relieved and Legolas immediately felt safer. Aragorn was here.

He weakly tilted his head and looked around himself. Aragorn had built a small camp and it was probably the middle of the night. He could see the stars.

Aragorn had a warm fire going and the elf welcomed the warmth with every cell in his body. The tunic was gone and his chest was bare. He felt a bandage around his stomach and chest, wrapped tightly enough so he almost couldn't breathe. He also had a bandage around his arm, wrapped around his elbow. He also had his cloak around his neck and wrapped around his shoulders for warmth.

As a sharp pain spread through his stomach and arm at the same time he gasped and moved his head to face the man. Aragorn sighed sadly as he saw the hand twitch violently in surprise.

"I'm sorry Legolas, I try to do it as painless as I can."

Legolas nodded, but stopped as another lightning strike of pain shot through his spine. He cried out and lay his head back down facing his friend, making his hair cover his sight. He took a deep breath and let the smell of the grass comfort him. He breathed ragged and he clenched his jaw. It hurt. Valar it hurt.

He felt a hand gently press on his forehead before it drew the hair back from his face, clearing his view.

Aragorn did not know why he decided to touch Legolas like this. He was about to pull his hand back when he got a pained smile. He tried to smile assuming before the blue eyes closed again.

"Thank you." Said Legolas gratefully and looked at man again, a pained but still joking smile on his lips.
"For every time you save my life."

Aragorn smiled and leaned down on his elbows. He replaced his hand on the elf's forehead for comfort, stroking his brow gently with his thumb.

"And thank you for every time you save mine." He spoke slowly, knowing Legolas struggled to catch it.

If he was honest to himself, he felt a bit guilty. If he had just not forced Legolas to go to the caves he wouldn't be injured at all.

Legolas looked at him with narrowed eyes.
"Are you alright?" He would like to say more but his weakness wouldn't allow him.

"I'm fine." The man said a bit too quickly and leaned up to finish wrapping the elf's wrist up.

Aragorn gently lowered his friend's hand back to rest on his stomach and smiled gently, masking his true fear not to worry Legolas.
"lanta kaima Mellon nin. (Sleep my friend)

Legolas did not complain as his acing body practically screamed for some rest. He let his eyes close and finally felt at peace. He was almost sure Aragorn has drugged him in his sleep, but he was grateful for it.

Aragorn stared into the fire, his friend sleeping beside him. He almost felt guilty for drugging his friend but he knew he would appreciate it. Then he wouldn't feel the pain as much, and maybe he would even have a peaceful dream as he slept.

He had just changed the bandage again and he knew they would soon run out of supplies. They needed more supplies but they were in the middle of the forest, a few weeks travel or more from nearest city or village what he knew.

He sighed and drew his knees up, rubbing his palms over his face. He felt the slight pain from his leg again and looked down. He has scratched it pretty bad. He never told Legolas he got injured as he threw himself to the floor. He didn't have the time or heart to tell him, he didn't needed him to worry.

He bit his lip as his hoses scraped against raw skin and sighed. He unbuttoned his cloak and tied it around his leg tightly as it was the only fabric left he could offer. It stopped the bleeding, but he knew it would get infected without treatment, so would Legolas wounds. There was one way to prevent that temporary. It wasn't pleasant but necessary.

"Aragorn..." Legolas suddenly whispered and raised a hand to wipe his own hot forehead. It hurt too much and he felt like a child, but he couldn't help it.

Aragorn crawled over and lay his hand above Legolas to show he never left. He felt so helpless, and felt tears come to his eyes.

"I'm here Legolas. I never left you."

Legolas moaned softly and squeezed his eyes shut. He hated the weakness he was showing but it hurt too much for him to really care anymore. He felt every heartbeat pulsate through the wound, and with every heartbeat he lost more blood.

He smiled a little when Aragorn took his hands in his own and kissed his knuckles gently, but the frown never left his face.

When he was asleep once more Aragorn rose and walked over to the horse, grabbing his water skin before heavily sitting down beside his friend again. The normally proud and joyful elf was now laying on the floor of the forest, dying, and it broke the man's heart.

Oh how he wished he could have told Legolas about his feelings sooner, in that way he would've known. Now he might not get another chance.

He angrily wiped away the tears that was forming in his eyes and looked at his friend again.

He took his jacket off, then his soft cotton skirt. He put the jacket on in haste not to get cold, but without buttoning it. In a another situation this could have been hot, but this was life or death. He roughly ripped the cotton skirt to pieces and drained one of them in the water from his water skin. He did not squeeze the overflowing water out as he kneeled by his friend with the dripping cloth.

Mumbling a quiet apology he carefully tied up the bandage before pressing the dripping cloth against the bare wound. As soon as it connected to the raw flesh the elf's eyes shot open and he screamed out in surprise and pain. Aragorn closed his eyes and pressed harder, telling himself it needed to be done. He just wished he could shut his ears off.

"Tampa! Seas!" (Stop! Please!)

"Take this." Aragorn whispered gently and gave another piece of the skirt to Legolas to bite into.

Legolas rose a shaky hand to take and bite into the fabric so he wouldn't grit his teeth. He did not know what was happening, just that it hurt. He squeezed his eyes shut so hard he was afraid he might never see again.

As Aragorn saw the pure agony on Legolas face he grabbed his unharmed hand with the one that didn't held the cloth, squeezing hard. The naturally warm palm connected with the elf's naturally cold one, warming it up. The man tangled their fingers together and felt the elf squeeze it hard. He held the cloth against the wound with his other one, pressing more gently this time. He squeezed the water out of the fabric so the wound could clean itself a bit less painfully.

At the warm hand that held his Legolas felt calmer, and immediately relaxed. It still hurt though and a broken whimper left his now cracked and bleeding lips.

"Legolas." Aragorn whispered and the elf slowly opened his eyes to look at the man, the blue eyes clouded in pain.

"Tanya awra." (That hurt) Legolas whispered and closed his eyes again, worn out by the pain. He had not meant to sound rude, but the pain made the worst of him.

"Amin hiraetha, Lle ume quel" (I'm sorry, you did well) Said Aragorn sadly and tossed the fabric away. It landed in the grass by the fire.

The elvish seemed to have some kind if soothing effect on the elf as he smiled weakly.
"Hannon le" (Thank you.) He whispered and closed his acing eyes again, quickly falling back to unconsciousness.

Aragorn sighed sadly and reached for another bandage to realise he didn't have anymore. Cursing he took the last part of the ripped shirt they never used. He tied it around his friend's now bare arm, as it wouldn't fit around his waist.

Unfortunately it only went one way around and did not do much to stop the bleeding, so Aragorn took his cloak off of his injured leg as well. He bound the thick fabric around the elf's arm, satisfied as it didn't bled through. Legolas gave a low whimper in his sleep as the man tied the cloak, wrinkles of pain on his face. Aragorn frowned, concerned. The only wrinkles he wanted to see on the elf's face was when he laughed.

He gently unbuttoned Legolas own cloak and gently lifted his back from the ground to grab it. Legolas squeezed his eyes in pain and grabbed Aragorn forearm tightly.

Aragorn gently lay Legolas back down and wrapped the cloak around the shaking form, gently tucking him in. He smiled sadly and gave the now sleeping elf's forehead a soft kiss.

Aragorn did not know how or when he fell asleep. He awoke to someone breathing loudly, and rapid. He sat up straight and closed his eyes as colours played before his eyes. A sharp headache had formed under the night and he rubbed his eyes.

He heard a groan and realised Legolas trashed in his sleep. He quickly sat up on his knees and gasped as his wound scraped against the ground. He bit his lip and slowly crawled over to put his hands on his friend's shoulders, holding him down. He knew the wound would only get worse if he trashed around.

"Legolas..wake up!" He said and gently shook his shoulders.
"Legolas."

The elf's eyes shot open, but he didn't see anything. His eyes were unfocused as he desperately tried to focus them. The pain made them darker, not as happily blue as they once were.

"Aragorn?" He whispered softly. The last thing he saw was his friend, and he hoped he was still there.

"Yes Legolas it's me." Aragorn said softly and pushed a strand of hair from his face. He accidentally touched the elf's skin and froze. He had a bad fever.
He fought to control his breathing as he took Legolas hand and stroked his knuckles.

"Legolas, I'll be right back alright? I need to get some water."

Legolas closed his eyes, hoping in vain to get some more sleep but the pain wouldn't let him. Through the fevered daze he hoped Aragorn would hurry back. He needed him more than he cared to admit.

Aragorn took the piece of his shirt he had used to clean the wound before and ran to the lake, dipping it in the cold water.
He gently cleaned his own wound through the hole in his pants, and hissed at the pain. He needed this cloth himself, but he keep telling himself Legolas needed it more. This was just a scratch wound, Legolas was stabbed by an elvish dagger which was designed to create as much damage as they could.

He ran back, and when he sat down his leg shook uncontrollably in pain. He pushed it away, thinking Legolas needed the aid more than him. Wiping his sweaty forehead he lay the cloth on Legolas forehead. The elf jumped in surprise and Aragorn took his hand again.

Legolas slowly opened his eyes to look at his friend. His eyes were clouded in fever but he could see it was Aragorn, and he smiled.

"Why?" He said in a raspy voice and the corners of his mouth twisted in a small smile.

"Why what?" Aragorn said, trying to get the elf not to talk too much.

"Why is it...that every time we take a trip together..we almost die?" Legolas panted as the pain made him body shake uncontrollably.

Aragorn laughed softly and stroked Legolas knuckles with his thumb.
"We are careless."

Legolas smiled and closed his acing eyes, his smile slowly fading.

Aragorn took the cloth and began to clean the elf's face off of mud and blood, something that shouldn't be seen on the flawless elf's face.

"Sleep Legolas, I'm not leaving."

Legolas nodded and stopped fighting against the rest his body so desperately needed.

Aragorn rose with some difficulty and went to the lake once more to wet the cloth. He hissed at the pain as he kneeled down and bit his lip hard, then he returned to the fire.

He grabbed the kettle, the mug and a few tea leaves from the saddle bag and kneeled down on one leg beside the fire with a relived sigh. He poured water from the water skin into it and put it on the fire.

He sat down heavily and lay the wet cloth on Legolas forehead, watching the water drops drip down his face.

He held the tea leaves in his hand, patiently waiting for the water to boil. He wanted to make tea for his friend to make him drink something. It would be soft enough for his throat and he wouldn't become dehydrated. Elrond had taught him that when he was younger.

When the water began to boil he placed the kettle in the grass and added the tea leaves. He took the kettle and twirled it around a little before he poured up some in the mug.

"Legolas." He said softly and gently cupped the elf's cheek to get him to wake. The now dark blue eyes slowly opened and tried to focus on the man.

"Please drink this." Aragorn whispered and gently placed a hand under Legolas neck to lift his head. Legolas bit his lip and let the man lift his head to place in his lap.

He felt a mug being placed by his lips and opened them by reflex to take a sip. The warm tea immediately made him feel warmer and he relaxed a little more. He felt a hand gently caress his cheek when he drank and he almost smiled at the touch.

Aragorn gently caressed his cheek as he drank, smiling a little. The elf's skin was so soft, if he only could touch more... He shook his head and continued to tip the cup.

'He is dying, stop thinking like that." He told himself and felt a lump in his throat began to form. He hadn't really had any time to actually think this through, but Legolas was dying. He just hoped his skills as a healer was enough to keep him alive as they did not have any other help.

After about half an hour, and with much patience from Aragorn's side, Legolas finally finished the mug and went back to sleep.

He was laid down in the grass again, and Aragorn rose from the ground.
Then he heard something. It sounded like heavy footsteps and he felt himself tense up immediately. He slowly looked behind his shoulder in fear, but saw nothing but trees. He turned around once more and looked at Legolas. If more trolls were coming they were helpless. He clenched his fists tightly as he pressed his eyes closed in fear.