Tomorrow Never Comes

PG-13

Summary: Attacked by a small group of orcs, Aragorn and Legolas defend themselves in what looks like an easy victory. But there will be no dawn for one person. CHARACTER DEATH. AU.

Disclaimer: Middle Earth and all it's recognizable characters and places belong to J.R.R. Tolkien. I make no profit off of this. I write this for the sole purpose of enjoyment.

A/N: Two things. First of all, I just wanted to say thank you again for all the reviews. They really make my day. :-)

Sorry about the delayed posting. I didn't have power for a few days and school keeps me busy.

Chapter Three

The blankets on his bed were tangled tightly around him as he twisted feverishly to escape the nightmare he was reliving. His head rolled back and forth on the soft pillow that was damp with sweat and tears. Aragorn had not been able to sleep peacefully for days and tonight would be no different. Tonight, he would not be spared of this reoccurring misery.

They all started out the same way, but none of them ended the same. The dreams that haunted Aragorn night after night were agonizing and unrelenting, and yet each one was slightly different from the next. They were of Legolas, and his cruel death was played over and over.

He cradled Legolas in his arms and watched horrified as the blood from the fatal wound blossomed on the elf's tunic. Everything was happening the same way it had.

Blood seeped out of one corner of the elf's mouth as he began to speak slowly. "How...could you let...this...happen?" Legolas struggled to ask, his breathing harsh and forced. The question ended with a racking cough that left him gasping for air.

Aragorn shook his head quickly, trying to defend himself. "I did not mean for it to happen. You know I didn't. I...I tried Legolas...but...but...," his voice trailed off dejectedly as he noticed that the elf did not seem to be accepting the answer. Tears fell unchecked down Aragorn's cheeks. He had not wished for this to happen. He would never wish something like this upon his friend and he would give anything to change places. How could Legolas begin to think that he had?

Aragorn was about to open his mouth to say this when he noticed Legolas' eyes. Normally warm and gentle, they were cold and unforgiving. This stare was one Aragorn was not used to seeing, or at least it had never been directed at him. Legolas' piercing gaze suggested a feeling of betrayal, and Aragorn even thought he saw a flicker of malice. It made the guilt wash over him in waves.

"Legolas, please...just hold on," Aragorn said rapidly, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling brought on by his friend's stare, but his words fell on deaf ears.

Legolas drew in his last breath. "It is...too late." And with that, whatever small light that remained in his silver-blue eyes faded and went out.

Aragorn woke with a start, his chest heaving with emotion and his heart pounding. It was still nighttime and the pale light of the moon filtered into his room, illuminating everything with a silvery glow. He slowly began to free his legs from the tangle of blankets as he tried to calm himself from the aftereffects of the nightmare. At least this time he had not awoken his brothers or father with his yells, if he had yelled at all. It took a few minutes for him to compose himself. He wiped the remaining tears away with the back of his hand and ran his fingers shakily through his damp hair.

Aragorn was exhausted from the sleepless nights, but he did not want to sleep anymore, for the images he saw were too much for his shattered heart. They were so real, and he could not bear to see his friend die again. He could not have Legolas blame him, even though he knew well and good that it was a dream, and not really Legolas. And he could not have his friend look upon him with cold, distant eyes in his last moments. It was simply too much.

He threw the covers back and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. Aragorn would not go back to sleep tonight. Morning might be a long way off, but he was more then willing to wait out the night.

~~~~~~~~

It was not hard for Elladan to find Aragorn, in his room, the next morning. It also was not difficult for him to see, judging by the dark smudges under Aragorn's eyes, that his brother had hardly slept. Aragorn said nothing to acknowledge Elladan's presence when he entered the room, he simply sat motionless in a chair by the window. Elladan walked over to where Aragorn was sitting and stood beside the chair. He remained silent for a moment, choosing his words carefully, before speaking.

"Will you come and eat breakfast, Estel?" Elladan inquired softly, as if not to startled his brother.

"I am not hungry," came Aragorn's detached response. Elladan sighed quietly and pinched the bridge of his nose. He did not know how he could have thought Aragorn might have replied differently. He had to find some way to get through to him. Taking a few steps forward, Elladan positioned himself in front of the chair and crouched down so that he was eye level with Aragorn. Aragorn turned his head downward and the two brothers locked eyes. Elladan was not surprised to see Aragorn's eyes glassy and bloodshot.

"You have barely eaten in these past few days," he began gently, "and you do not sleep. You sit in your room most of the time and we can barely get ten words out of you." Elladan paused and let the words sink in. Aragorn blinked a few times, but otherwise said nothing. Elladan's eyes searched his brother's face for any sign of change, any sign that the words he had just spoken were making an impression. Aragorn was hurting himself by secluding himself in his room, though he probably did it unknowingly. Elladan decided quickly that he would have to get right to the point because evading the issue at hand was getting him nowhere.

"We care about you, Estel. Ada, Elrohir, myself..." Elladan's voice wavered as he suddenly found out that this was going to be harder then he had originally thought. "I know that Legolas' death was hard on you. It has been hard on all of us and I can only imagine what you are going through, having actually been there. But my point is, Estel, that we do not want to see you ruin the rest of you life." Tears welled up in Elladan's eyes as he desperately tried to get through to his grieving brother. He reached up one hand and laid it gently on top of Aragorn's. "Legolas would not want you to do this to yourself. He would not want you to blame yourself. What would he think, Estel? What would he say if he saw you like this?" The tears now ran down the elf's cheeks as he waited for a response. But none came. "Please...please Estel, come back. We...we love you." Elladan did not know what else to say. If this did nothing for Aragorn, he had no other options. He waited patiently, and watched his younger brother, once again waiting for a sign of some change. Aragorn's eyes had always been the windows to his soul, and right now, Elladan could see the mix of emotions raging like a storm behind Aragorn's deep, blue eyes.

After what seemed like eternity of waiting on Elladan's part, something seemed to click inside of Aragorn. The blank look on his face from only moments ago disappeared. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out at first. Elladan's face broke into a joyful grin when he saw the old light slowly returning to Aragorn's eyes.

"Oh, Elladan," Aragorn finally choked out as he stood up and the two embraced, "I did not mean to make you all worry. It has just been so...so hard. So many nightmares." Elladan gently shushed his brother. This was a big step for Aragorn, considering the events of the past few days. But Aragorn would not be quieted. He had hardly spoken to anyone lately and there were things he had to get off his chest.

"I..I just wanted it all to go away, yet at the same time I do not want to let go of Legolas." Elladan pulled out of the hug and placed a hand on each side of Aragorn's face.

"I think you misinterpret what it means to 'let go', Estel." He smiled gently as Aragorn's brow furrowed in confusion. "To 'let go' does not simply mean to stop caring for Legolas. Though he may not be here any longer with us, you should never forget him. He was an amazing person and wonderful friend. And as you should not let go of him, you should also not let go of yourself. You have to be strong and move on."

Aragorn smiled at the comforting words, for they were some that touched him greatly. These few, yet wise words eased his troubled heart and lifted a great weight from deep inside.

But there was one more thing Aragorn had to clear his conscience of.

"Do you think he knew?" He asked tentatively, casting his eyes towards the floor.

"Knew what?" Elladan asked curiously.

Aragorn seemed a bit nervous. "Do you think he...he knew how much I cared for him?"

Elladan was slightly taken aback by Aragorn's open question. Did his brother really think that Legolas did not know? Had this been something that was upsetting Aragorn terribly?

"Look at me, Estel," Elladan said gently, but forcefully. "Legolas knew. He knew how much you cared for him and...," his voiced trailed off when Aragorn cut him off.

"But I never told him. I never sat down and told him directly. It is something I will regret for the rest of my life." He said, shaking his head slowly. "How was I to know that that would be his last day?"

"No matter what you said or did not say, Legolas knew." Though it seemed to satisfy Aragorn for the time being, Elladan knew it was an issue his brother would struggle with for many days to come. "Now," Elladan said smiling, "let us go get some breakfast. Father will be wondering what happened to you and I. And I know that you are hungrier then you let on." The two chuckled at the lighthearted jest.

Elladan draped on arm around Aragorn's shoulders and the two began to walk out of the room. Elladan's steps slowed at the doorway and he paused. Turning to face his brother once more, he said one last thing.

"Do not regret the past Estel, but grow and live for the future. There is goodness yet to come."

The End

~~~~~~~~

A/N: So my story ends. I hope you all enjoyed it. I had to put Aragorn 'at peace'. The whole "letting go" conversation was an idea I got from an old newspaper article on my grandma's fridge.

And I'm afraid Legolas is really dead. *sniff* I don't like the idea anymore then ya'll do. Sorry...It was just a random idea I got one night. Thank you all again. ~Lefty :-)