Broken (sequel to Caught)

Too Close for Comfort

Legolas awoke suddenly, and he could not pinpoint why. His mind was muddled and it took his nerves a while to warm up enough to feel the prickling wetness in the back of his throat.

It built up, and he gathered up his strength before using the meager energy, the most he could muster at the moment, to force some of it from his mouth. It dripped down his chin and landed on the white sheets and on his bare chest. Red blossomed on the sheets where it had dropped, and his eyes widened.

The blood continued to climb up his throat, and his eyes began to search frantically around the room. No one was there. The blood began to seep out of his mouth out of its own accord, and he tried to cough, but it only came out as a weak sputter.

He was running out of air! He felt the warm liquid oozing from his nose as well, and it began to run onto the sheets, coloring them crimson. The space in front of him turned blurry, and he vaguely realized that he was drowning in his own blood. If he had been sitting up, he could have coughed it up, but when he was lying down, it was deadly.

'Come on, come on!' he thought, and he tried once more to gather up his strength. He slowly pushed upward, trying to get himself into a sitting position, but his shaking arm couldn't hold him. As the world turned white, he finally let down his barriers and called for his father through their bond.

'ADA!'

Thranduil burst into a run at Legolas's frantic cry in his mind. Darean, who had been holding his hand, was forced to speed up as well, but he had a hard time keeping up with the Elvenking's long strides. Allenda, still in his arms, giggled as they picked up speed.

They burst into the room and Thranduil gasped, putting Allenda down and quickly rushing over to his son. Blood, not dripping as it had before because of previous injuries, was gushing out of Legolas's nose and mouth, and his face was pale as moonlight.

"ELROND!" Thranduil yelled, and the healer was there in seconds.

"Oh, Valar, Legolas..." Elrond said, standing still in shock for a moment before going into healer mode.

"Sit him up! Quickly! Elladan, Elrohir, Glorfindel! Get in here!" he yelled the last words into the corridor, calling for his sons and Glorfindel.

He ran over to the two blondes, helping to lift Legolas up and praying that he was still alive.

O:o:O

Legolas's vision had cleared slightly, but he was still surrounded by white. Where was he? He looked around. There! What was that?

He ran toward it, and it grew clearer. It was a huge building, and a large, tall figure with a dark cloak stood by the door. His face was grim and he had raven black hair that fell around him. But it was not him that took Legolas's attention.

She, oh Valar, she was standing there, looking around as if trying to find him. Their eyes met, and her face lit up, her green eyes filling with a bittersweet happiness. She and her baby were to be reunited again, but his appearing here meant that he had gone through something terrible and not come out alive.

"Nana..." he gasped, and there was a moment's pause as they stared at each other until his feet began to hurtle toward her. She spread her arms, and he ran to her, and he was about to fall into her embrace when he was jerked backward.

As his physical body took a large, shuddering breath, Legolas's spirit was thrown back into it, straight from the gate to Mandos. His eyes were wide and he looked at Thranduil, who was hovering above him and looking panicked. Elladan and Elrohir stepped away, sighing in relief. Elrond and Glorfindel watched as the Elvenking's face relaxed slowly as he saw that Legolas was alive, and he smiled slightly at his son.

"Thank the Valar," he said, and he took Legolas's hand.

"So....scared...thought going to...die..." Legolas whispered, and Thranduil stroked a stray golden hair back behind his son's ear.

"Shhh, Legolas, it's alright. You aren't going to die, ion-nin."

"...saw..." Legolas gasped, and Thranduil looked at him with confusion and curiosity shining his eyes.

"What did you see, Legolas?"

"Nana...and Mandos...they were waiting...for me," Legolas said, and he closed his eyes. Elrond, knowing that he could better examine Legolas while he was asleep, let him doze off, leaning against the pillows at his back.

"What happened?" Elrond said, and Elrohir looked his twin and they shared a knowing look before turning to their father.

"His wound was infected when we met with him, but I cleaned it up and it was mostly cleared up by the time we arrived. It must have taken his weakness as a chance to manifest again."

Thranduil's eyes pooled with grief-filled tears, which he stubbornly blinked away.

"Thranduil, what's wrong?" said Elrond, concerned by the unusual show of emotion. Thranduil held Legolas's hand up to his face and pressed his lips together, desperately trying to keep in his tears.

"He's...he's my i—elfling, Elrond, and he came close enough to death to see Mandos..." Thranduil said, and Elrond noted that he had changed from ion to elfling when he looked at Legolas, and he looked down at the young elf.

In sleep all lines of exhaustion and pain and strength had faded from Legolas's face, leaving him looking innocent and pitifully young. His closed eyelids hid the strength and resolve that usually shone in his eyes, and for the first time in a very long time he saw Legolas for what he truly was: an elfling forced to grow up far too fast.

"He's even younger than your Arwen," Thranduil said, and he ran his fingers slowly through Legolas's hair, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes.

"And this might have happened before. He may have seen Mandos in the past. I wouldn't know; he doesn't speak to me of these things."

He opened his eyes again, and they were hard and calm as he finally gathered his emotions and pushed them away. He turned to Elrond.

"Please help him, Elrond. He's my elfling still, no matter how much he denies it."