A/N After receiving several suggestions on how I could improve my one shot A Bond Unbroken, I decided to take the advice and went back to rewrite the story completely. It is still the same storyline but hopefully much better. I hope you all enjoy the changes I made and thank you to all my readers who were kind enough to encourage me not to give up.

A HUGE thank you goes out to quarterhorseranch, Charming Ever After, Sergei, Swedish Fish, Heart Eyes, Jesus' girl 4ever, Raider-K, EluredandElurin and MistressOfImladris for leaving those awesome reviews. Thank you so much!

The evening had fallen, and nothing could be heard for miles around except for the sound of buoyant laughing in the near distance. The laughter, in fact, belonged to Elladan and Elrohir, the twin sons of Lord Elrond and Lady Celebrían. Fair in looks and young as spring they were also fierce as a mighty tempest when provoked.

The two were on their way back from one of their patrols. They had been gone for several weeks and were happy to be going home finally.

"Oh, dear brother, if you could have seen the look on your face. One would think you had never seen a squirrel before," Elrohir laughed clapping his brother on the shoulder playfully.

Elladan rolled his eyes. He knew his brother would never let him live this down. He only hoped Elrohir did not tell anyone else about this incident or he could never show his face in public again. During one night, the two were camping near some woods when Elladan heard a twig snap behind him. Wanting to make sure it was not a stray Orc or a wild beast, Elladan and Elrohir went to examine the source of the disturbance. As Elladan leaned in closer to have a look a rather large squirrel leaped out at his face causing the elder twin to let out a rather girlish scream. "Ai, Elrohir, you are not going to let this go, are you?" he asked with a heavy sigh.

"Not on your life, muindor nín!" Elrohir chuckled. Then as an afterthought, he smirked at his brother. "Do not worry, your fear of squirrels is safe with me."

"I am not afraid of squirrels!" Elladan cried exasperatedly.

"Sure, you are not," Elrohir said as he ducked avoiding a hit to the back of his head by his brother.

As the two were bantering back and forth, they failed to realize a group of Orcs up ahead and were caught off guard. Barely missing a stray arrow from one of the Orcs, the twins quickly pulled themselves together and swung into action.

"I thought we had rid this area of all Orcs!" Elrohir growled shooting the one who shot at them seconds before.

"It would seem we missed some," his brother answered back running his sword through a nearby Orc while throwing his dagger at the head of another one.

As they continued fighting, Elladan failed to move out of the way before one Orc sliced his forearm. Crying out in angered pain, Elladan kicked his assailant in the gut. Elrohir who heard his brother's scream reached him just as the Orc recovered and was getting ready to deliver the fatal blow. Failing to see the other Elf, the creature brought down his sword to kill his current opponent when out of nowhere, Elrohir brought his weapon down cleaving the Orc in two.

Elladan breathed a sigh of relief, and within minutes, they wiped out the small group of Orcs. After they had rested for a few seconds, Elrohir turned to his brother and noticed him cradling his injured arm. Growing concerned, he stepped closer and held out his hand. "Elladan, let me look at your arm." He knew it was common for Orcs to lace their weapons with poison and he was afraid this was one of those times.

Elladan would typically have put up a fight, but he also knew his little brother would look at his arm even if he had to sit on him to do so. "It is not too bad, just a small cut. See?" Holding out his arm, he let Elrohir examine it.

For many long minutes, Elrohir poked and prodded the slice on Elladan's arm much to the annoyance of his brother, until he was satisfied with what he saw. Fortunately, it was not deep enough to warrant stitches, and it did not appear to be poisoned. Sighing in relief, he took a piece of cloth and added some numbing solution to it before he wrapped his brother's arm. "I think you are going to live. It is only a small cut, and it does not appear tainted."

"I am so glad you have a gift for the obvious, Elrohir," Elladan grumbled. "Now let us leave before we run into any more trouble."

Smirking, Elrohir bowed. "As you wish."

The two packed up their belongings. If they left now, they would more than likely make it home in a week—two at the most. Remounting their horses, the two hurriedly departed. For the first few days, everything seemed to be fine except for the occasional twinge of pain radiating from Elladan's arm. Despite Elrohir asking to look at it or offering pain meds, Elladan insisted it was all right. "It is only tender Elrohir; you do not need to worry."

Elrohir was not so sure about it, but he knew how stubborn his brother could be, and if it became too much, he would be able to feel it through their bond. However, several days later, Elladan started to feel sick. "Elladan, what is it?" Elrohir asked as he observed his brother.

"I am not sure; I feel as if I am going to be ill." Holding his stomach, Elladan quickly dismounted his horse and ran to the side of a tree. A few seconds later, he bent over and began retching.

Elrohir dismounted his horse. Rushing over to his brother he sat him on the ground. Feeling the heat radiating from Elladan's forehead, he frowned disapprovingly. "Tell me, is anything else bothering you? Cramps, chills?" he asked taking his twin's arm in his hand and began unbinding the cloth.

"I feel cold, my arm hurts terribly, and I feel like I have insects crawling all over my body," he chattered no longer able to control his body.

As Elrohir examined the wound again, he was shocked to discover black lines leading away from the cut, and it had become infected. Immediately, Elrohir ran back to his horse and grabbed his healing bag and rushed back over to his brother who was lying on his side in a fetal position. Elrohir knew he would have to lance the wound to drain the pus before he could try and stop the toxin from spreading.

"Elladan, I will be right back, I need to start a fire to help keep you warm, but I will not be far." Frowning, even more, when he received no answer, he ran back to the horses and led them back to Elladan. "Keep him safe," he ordered the loyal steeds. Whinnying softly and stamping the ground with their hooves, they took to both sides to keep watch over their master.

Elrohir rushed, frantically grabbing as much dry wood as he could find before returning to his brother who he noticed had not improved. In fact, he now laid with his eyes closed and rocked back and forth whimpering. "Hold on brother; I will make you better until we can get you to father."

Piling the wood he had found, and with some kindling, he kept in his tin box, Elrohir struck some rocks together until he got a fire going. Once it was roaring, he took some water and started boiling it to make a tea in hopes it would help to bring down Elladan's fever which now was dangerously high. While the water was boiling, Elrohir took his knife and held it over the fire to sanitize it. Certain it was clean, he sat down and took his brother's arm and began to lance the wound being as gentle as he could. "I am sorry, Elladan. I am trying to be gentle," he whispered as he heard his brother whimpering in pain.

When Elrohir drained all the pus as best he could, he started packing athelas on the cut while pouring out as much of his energy into his brother as he dared. Elrohir knew if he were not careful, he would become too weak and be unable to get Elladan home in time. When he was sure Elladan seemed stable, he wrapped his arm up once more. Setting his brother's arm gently down, he took the hot water, added some herbs in it and poured it into a cup. Elrohir lifted his brother's head carefully and placed the cup to his lips slowly administering the mixture.

At first, Elladan tried to refuse the drink, and it took several attempts before Elrohir could convince him to drink it. "Muindor, you must drink this. It will help bring down the fever wracking your body." Eventually, Elladan could no longer fight and allowed his brother to feed it to him. Slowly, Elladan consumed the tea, and after nearly ten minutes, he drained the cup. Setting the empty container down, Elrohir chuckled softly at the look of disgust on his brother's face, before laying on the ground next to him. Wrapping his arms around him, Elrohir held him close like they used to do when they were younger and sang him to sleep.

For several days, Elrohir stood vigilant over his brother until he was sure he was well enough to travel. Finally, on the third day, things started looking as if they were going to be alright for Elladan's fever finally broke, and the poison stopped spreading. Feeling confident they could now travel, Elrohir mounted his horse, and they started on their way back home. For the first day, Elladan rode with his brother until Elrohir was positive his twin could ride on his own without any relapses.

Elrohir refused to take his eyes off his twin the entire time. Even though Elladan seemed to be on the mend and was even joking around, a nagging feeling pricked at the back of his neck. No longer able to tolerate Elrohir gazing at him, he threw his good arm up in exasperation. "For Elbereth's sake, would you stop staring at me like I am some prize to be won. I am fine!"

"Forgive me, Elladan. I thought you nearly dead a week ago. I just want to make certain you will not relapse."

"I know, and I am sorry I worried you so. But you can stop worrying now. Look, we are near the borders of home."

Elrohir was about to reply when Elladan suddenly doubled over, falling off his horse and began writhing in pain screaming.

"Elladan!"

Jumping off his horse, Elrohir was by his brother's side in a heartbeat. "Talk to me, where does it hurt?" Elrohir fought back his tears as he watched his twin continue screaming, his face contorting in excruciating pain and fear.

The nagging feeling Elrohir felt earlier was confirmed—something was not right. The question though was what. He knew the poison should be out of Elladan's body by now. Elrohir placed a hand on his brother's shoulder and probed his mind trying to find out what was wrong while at the same time seeking to calm him. "Brother, please tell me what is wrong. Let me help you," he said. But Elladan did not seem to hear him; instead, he seemed to become more agitated, scared and started lashing out at him.

"Stay back! Do not come any closer!" Elladan yelled, grabbing his hunting knife pointing it at Elrohir.

Elrohir froze. "Elladan, it is me Elrohir, your Ro. Don't you recognize me? Elrohir asked. What was going on that was making his brother not even recognize him? As Elrohir attempted one last time to calm his brother, Elladan rose to his knees and lunged at him driving his dagger deep into Elrohir's chest.

Elrohir gasped as he felt the cold, rugged steel drive deep into his chest. Staggering back, he looked at his brother tears streaming down his face as his life slowly drained from him. It was only as Elrohir tried speaking, Elladan's eyes cleared, and he was no longer lashing out. Elladan screamed and rushed over to his brother's side pulling the dagger out of his chest before dropping it to the ground as if it burned him. Elrohir started coughing up blood, his breaths coming in short gasps. Looking in his brother's eyes, he smiled as he grabbed hold of one of his hands and squeezed it tightly.

Elladan placed his free hand over the gaping wound and tried to stop the bleeding never taking his eyes off his brother. "Ro, please, don't die on me. Please, I am so sorry. I…" he begged his little brother still refusing to believe what was happening.

"Tis okay Dan. There is nothing to forgive. You did not know what you were doing. You must stay strong for me. Remember, even if I am not here, we will never be apart." His breaths were now slowing, and Elrohir could barely keep his eyes open.

Elladan refused to let his brother go and attempted to wrap his brother's fëa with his, but it was too late. With one final breath, Elrohir's eyes closed and his hand fell to the ground. Elladan looked at his brother with a look of complete horror on his face. What had he just done? Bending down, he shook his little brother trying desperately to wake him, hoping this was all just a nightmare. "Ro, please wake up! I'm sorry!" he cried, his voice getting louder with every word. But Elrohir would not wake up, nor would he move. He was dead.