Sorry for the major delay but College has taken away all of my time!

Well this was the first ending I had made though the italic part is actually part of the last chapter. I just wanted to pick it up there so you guys knew where you were. I had this already made when I thought of the other ending, but since this one was already done and I liked it too I decided to ask if you liked the idea of an alternate ending. Well I am very happy how things have turned out. I hope you like this one as well.

As I wrote this chapter I remember I was listening to "Immen duath caeda" I like listening to music as I write for it helps me concentrate and puts me in the mood. I also like to read with music for the same reasons so if you too like to do that, I suggest that song at least for the first half of the chapter :)

Chapter fourteen: Alternate ending.

Chapter fourteen: alternate ending

"Elladan?" she called in a voice that was stronger than Elladan expected with her current state.

He looked at her with wide eyes for a moment. "Yes?"

"Elladan, there is no easy way to do this for either of us. I must go soon, I have no choice. I do not wish to die, but I do not fear it as I thought I would. But I hate the thought of leaving you out here alone and wounded. It is what burdens me more at this dark hour. And I know that it is not easy for you to see me go. I wish I did not have to, but go I must. But remember that we will see each other again someday." She was silent for a moment while she thought her next words. "Elladan, I know that pain of the heart causes elves to fade or to have to leave Arda to avoid that fate," she sighed. "I cannot ask you to promise me that you will not allow yourself to fade, for it would be insensible of my part, but I do ask you to please try not to. I am not the only one who loves you. Think of your father and Elrohir and Arwen. They love you and I am sure they are desperate to see you back alive and healthy. Your Adar lost his wife and your brother and sister lost their mother. What will happen if they lose you know when the other wound has not yet healed? You need to think of them. I will be waiting for you to sail someday when Imladris does not need you anymore and when you and your family can come along, and that will not be soon, but follow your heart and know that I am within your heart at all times. Le mellin Elladan." (I love you)

Elladan's eyes were bright with tears at hearing her speak such beautiful words in his own tongue.

Fiona chuckled. "I told you I knew a little bit of elvish, and I am glad I knew this one."

Elladan smiled and kissed her lips softly. "I promise I will do my best to do as you ask."

Fiona nodded for that is all she needed to hear. She laid her head against his chest and for a while they were silent.

After a while Elladan felt Fiona struggling to breathe. He could not help to gasp and whimper as he looked at Fiona in her last agony. She looked into his eyes and everything was spoken. Elladan could feel her holding on and he knew she did it for him.

"Go," he told her lovingly and with all honesty. "I will find you someday."

Fiona was able to smile. "I am glad to have you with me Elladan. Here at the end of all things," she would have chuckled knowing whom she was quoting, but now she had not the strength.

Fiona sighed and looked up to Elladan with tired eyes.

"Can you sing to me Elladan?" she asked with a voice that would have melted ice and frozen fire for the tenderness and purity in it were overflowing.

"Alright," he said, biting his lower lip to keep from crying.

Elladan started to think of a song to sing, yet an elf cannot sing a song of happiness if they are in a time of darkness for the heart. Elladan tried to force a more happy song to his lips, but it would not come out. Finally he had to settle with one that was in level with their situation, for it was the only thing that he could pass through his lips.

Immen dúath caeda

Sui tollech tami gwannathatach omen

Lû ah alagos gwinnatha bain

Boe naer gwannathach, annant uich ben-estel
An uich gwennen na ringyrn e-mbar han
Uich gwennen na'wanath a na dhín.

((Shadows lie between us
As you came, so you shall leave from us.
Time and storm shall scatter all things.
Sorrowing you must go, and yet you are not without hope
For you are not bound to the circles of this world.
You are not bound to loss and to silence.))

Fiona breathed in deeply before her eyes closed and her breathing slowed, yet it was still constant. Elladan pressed her against himself to keep her warm. A tear fell down his cheek and he had to swallow hard to keep himself from sobbing. He ardently prayed to the Valar for a miracle to happen. Almost an hour had gone by and Fiona's breathing became weaker by the minute. Elladan kept his hand right above her heart. He needed to feel her heartbeat for him to be calm. He kept his eyes closed tightly as he murmured pleads and prayers to the Valar. Suddenly his eyes snapped open and he gasped loudly. He could no longer feel her heartbeat. His head spun and he needed to put a hand on the ground to steady himself. As soon as he was back on balance he pressed his ear on her chest trying to find a pulse. For an agonizingly long moment he could feel nothing and desperate tears streamed down his face. Finally he recognized a pulse. It was so weak that even his trained ears had to take a strain to hear it.

"Please Valar, give her strength," Elladan prayed out loud.

He could no longer rest. He needed to continue walking if he wanted to keep any hope of reaching Imladris in time. He knew that by foot it would be impossible, but maybe by a miracle of Ilúvatar someone of a kind heart and with a mount would find them. He swayed on his feet. He was still losing blood from the wounds on his back and abdomen but he cared not. He needed to continue moving even at the slow pace he was since he had no strength to move faster. Yet as he continued to try to force his body to move, the more he felt he would pass out any second now. Finally his strengths left him completely and he collapsed. He managed to fall on his side to avoid hurting Fiona more. He panted heavily and he fought the darkness that was threatening to take him. As he felt he would go under, a sound brought him back to consciousness. It sounded like at least a dozen pairs of feet were running very close to him and they were not being careful to hide their presence at all. Without a second thought he pushed himself up with his elbows, being careful not to make a sound as he took Fiona and hid her under the roots of the tree right behind him and covered her with several branches. He hid himself in the bush, making sure that Fiona was safely hidden behind him. Whoever was running around seemed to be spreading around for he could hear footsteps all around him and bushed and other plants were being moved around as if they were searching for something or someone hiding in them. Elladan felt his heart accelerate for these could be the orcs from Angmar searching for them. He knew that if they were found they had no chance. He had no strength to fight and from the sound of it, they were too many for him to handle even if he tried. He had no choice but to lay low and wait. Elladan lay down on his back on the ground for he no longer had the strength to hold himself up. He heard feet running straight at them. His heart raced as he realized that they had been spotted. He narrowed his eyes to see who was coming their way and grabbed a piece of wood from the floor, hoping to be able to use it to kill whoever was coming before they could signal the others their position. His heart skipped a beat and his mouth dropped when he saw who was running straight to the bush.

Elrohir spotted Elladan hiding in the bush and without even bothering to alert the others he broke into a desperate run towards his brother. He saw the immense surprise written in his twin's face but he could not stop running. Tear of joy were already falling down his cheeks.

"Elladan!" he exclaimed right before he broke through the bush.

Elladan had a stunned expression as his brother broke through the bush and lifted him up in a careful but fiery embrace.

"Brother," he said softly. "At last we have found you," he said with love dripping from his words.

Elladan got over his shock and quickly wrapped his arms around his brother with all his strength as if trying to judge if he was here in the flesh or if it was just a trick of his mind from the loss of blood. Elrohir kissed his brother's head and held him tightly.

"I thought I had lost you," he whispered with emotion.

"I thought I would never see you again in this world as well," he replied with the same emotion.

Several footsteps were heard and a second later Glorfindel broke through the bush with a mixture of horror and joy written in his face. He grabbed Elrohir by the shoulder and gently but with determination he pulled him back so he could take a better look at Elladan. He had to hold Elladan up for when Elrohir released him the other twin almost fell back for his lack of strength. Glorfindel helped him lay down again and inspected him. He placed both hands on his face and stared at him like a worried father, for he had always loved the twins as if they were his own.

"Valar Elladan! You are badly wounded!" he exclaimed.

Elladan then remembered Fiona.

"Fiona!" he exclaimed and made to get up with velocity towards where she was but Glorfindel held him by the shoulders.

"What do you think you are doing?!" he asked with a mixture of anger and worry. "Moving like that will only cause you to bleed out faster!"

"She is hurt," he said desperately. "Glorfindel she is dying. She has no time!"

"Calm down young one. Where is she?"

"Under the roots of the tree behind me," he said while trying once more to get up to get her but Glorfindel stopped him.

"No young one. You are badly hurt as well. Your wounds in you back are infected and the one in your abdomen is still bleeding. You have strained your body too much."

"I had to. She saved me," he said with his head bowed in a soft voice that made him sound like a small child, afraid and vulnerable.

"Oh child," Glorfindel whispered as he placed a hand on his cheek.

"I have her," said Elrohir as he retrieved with much caution Fiona's limp body.

Elrohir realized from the moment he saw her that she appeared to be dead. For his brother's sake he said nothing and quickly laid her on the ground and started to try to find her pulse. It took him a moment but he found the faint heartbeat.

"She is clinging to life grappling with death. Valar she is gripping to life with mighty strength!" he said as he felt her fëa being pulled away from her and her fighting it back.

Glorfindel quickly went over to examine her. His eyes widened with surprise for he too felt the internal battle that was taking place in the twilight zone of her life.

"Hang on Fiona. Grapple death a little longer. You can do it child," he said as he supported her fëa by pouring into her a little from his own. Yet she was supposed to be the master of souls so what little he was able to pour into her should be enough if she knew how to use her gift.

For a second Glorfindel thought on who should ride with whom. He wanted to take Elladan to ensure him but he knew that Elrohir had a better chance to help him just by being close to him. Plus Fiona was greatly unstable and he would try to support her with his own fëa.

"Elrohir take Elladan on your horse. I will ride with Fiona."

Elrohir nodded and placed an arm around Elladan to support him. Elladan quickly swayed and Elrohir reacted by sweeping him up into his arms. Elladan gave his brother a slightly annoyed look that said 'I am not a child' but in return Elrohir smiled. Elladan did not have the strength to even try to argue so he rested his head on his brother's chest. He was exhausted and accepted the welcoming warmth of his brother's body and the comfort he offered him. It took him less than a minute to fall asleep.

Outside the bush were dozens of elves, all eager to see their Prince and the girl. They all looked at Glorfindel hoping for answers. When they saw the girl in his arms they all thought she was dead for they could not detect any signs of life. Their faces turned to sorrow and horror as they saw her almost bare back with many marks and wounds from lashings and the blood that was dripping over her entire upper body from the arrow wound. Then their faces turned to dread and more horror as they saw their Prince only half dressed with his back shredded and a wound on his abdomen.

"We must return as fast as possible. They both have little time. And pray for both of them," said Glorfindel with urgency in his voice.

Everyone quickly mounted and they set out as fast as their mounts allowed them.

oooOooo

Fiona felt the caress of the breeze on her face. She was still half asleep though she was conscious. She really just wanted to go back to sleep and she would have if she had not realized something; she felt different. She felt clean, she no longer smelled like dried blood, she no longer felt the knots she had made on her shirt under her back, but instead she felt a light material like a nightgown softly wrapping her body, but what was stranger was that she felt a very soft mattress under her. Also she realized that she could hear the sound of running water and smell fresh trees and flowers. Certainly the Ettenmoors did not sound nor smelled this way the night before. She decided to force herself awake. When her eyes opened she shot up. She closed her eyes and yelped in pain in the process for she was still wounded. She felt strong but gentle arms hold her shoulders and press her back. She obeyed and kept her eyes closed for a moment as she grimaced. She reopened her eyes and found a familiar face smiling at her. At first she smiled back, but then she narrowed her eyes and looked around. When she realized where she was, she looked back at the elf before her.

"Elrohir?" she enquired.

The elf's eyebrows shot up in surprise as a wide smile spread across his face. He turned his head to look at his father who was behind her. Fiona followed his eyes and realized that the Lord of Imladris was here.

"Can you believe that Adar? She quickly realized I was not Elladan even though she has only seen me once before and from afar!" he exclaimed amused. He then turned to look at her again. "Many of the elves of Imladris cannot yet tell us apart. How did you know I was not Elladan?"

She smiled. "You looked at me with a fraternal and brotherly smile," she stated simply.

"As opposed to Elladan who would have looked at you how?" he asked with a mischievous tone.

Fiona blushed slightly but chuckled.

"Now Elrohir, be merciful on her," said Lord Elrond as he made his way towards her and even if he was trying to sound serious, they could both hear the amusement in his voice. "She has just awakened from this dark ordeal. Give her some breath."

Elrohir chuckled and stood from the bed. Lord Elrond walked over the bed and even though his gaze was kind and tender, Fiona felt a little intimidated from gazing at this mighty Lord from her position on the bed. She was at a lost as to how react to this situation. She could not bow in her position. What could she say to him?

Lord Elrond saw the uncomfortable and confused look in her eyes and chuckled.

"Peace my child. There is no need for formalities."

Fiona simply nodded for she knew not what else to do.

"How do you feel?" he asked as he looked at her carefully.

Fiona thought for a second on how she felt. She knew better than to try to hide her pain from a master healer such as Lord Elrond so she was honest.

"My upper body hurts much."

Elrond nodded. "I expect as much. You have been under treatment for only three days, and you were unconscious for almost five. Your wound was mortal. It is a miracle that you survived. You fought death tooth and claw," he added with a hint of pride that made her blush slightly.

Fiona tried to remember what had happened. After a moment she remembered Elladan. Had he carried her this far?

"Where is Elladan? How is he?" she asked suddenly anxious and greatly worried.

"He is alright Fiona. He too is still recovering from the past events."

Fiona cringed at the memory of those events. It felt so close that it gave her shivers and made her shudder. She rubbed her arms trying to get rid of the shivers when she felt a hand over her shoulder. She looked up to see Lord Elrond looking down at her with a mixture of pain and happiness in his smile.

"Elladan told us everything that happened," he told her with a soft tone. "I must thank you for not yielding even if it meant Elladan and you suffering. What you did was very honorable. But I thank you more personally as a father for saving him from drowning…and for saving him from the arrow."

Fiona then blushed bright red. She did not know how to respond to something like this.

Elrond could tell how she felt and smiled.

"It is alright child. We are all thankful and just overjoyed to have you both safe here."

"How did we get here my Lord?" she asked hoping to hear that someone else had brought them instead of it being Elladan the one who carried her all the way here.

"Elrohir and Lord Glorfindel found you both not long after you passed out according to Elladan."

"I he awake?"

"He awoke yesterday, but he is still in no conditions to move."

"But try telling him that," said Elrohir with a mischievous smile. "He tried to sneak here just minutes after he had awakened. He could barely walk and he stumbled all the way as far as he was able to get. Of course noisiness is not common among elves and hearing the commotion we realized who it was and caught him before he could continue."

"I will kill him," Fiona muttered under her breath.

The other two heard her clearly and laughed.

"Maybe you can be the one to change his reckless behavior," said Elrond with a hint of hope in his voice.

"How long will it be before either of us can leave bed?"

"At least a week," said Elrond.

Fiona could not hold the flash of disappointment, longing and gloom his words caused her. Elrohir looked at his father to see if he would do something for them to see each other sooner.

"You do know that both of them will try to escape to see each other right?" he said with an impish smile. "If she dared leave her room while imprisoned to find him she will surely try the same here even more and Elladan will not fall behind with his attempts either."

Elrond looked at his son with a slightly irritated glare. Elrohir simply smiled even more and looked at Fiona who smiled with gratitude for his support.

"Alright, bring her with you, but be careful."

Elrohir nodded and with a wide smile he picked up Fiona into his arms and followed his Ada out of the room. Fiona's room was quite far from Elladan's so it was a long walk to the room. Finally Elrond stopped in front of a door.

"Be calm when you see him Fiona," said Lord Elrond in a hushed tone. "He will look bad, but he is in a good road to recovery. And I dare say that with you by his side he will be back to health much faster," he said with a gentle smile.

Fiona smiled and nodded with a slight blush.

Carefully, Lord Elrond opened the door to the room and entered. Elrohir followed him silently. There on the far back of the room was a huge bed, probably the biggest Fiona had ever seen in her life. On it she saw Elladan. His upper body was wrapped in bandages and he had his eyes closed which made her gasp silently.

"He is fine mellon nin," said Elrohir in a whisper. "The medicine we gave him is strong and makes him sleep profoundly, which makes him close his eyes."

Fiona smiled and nodded. As she approached the bed she felt her heart skip a beat. Elrohir chuckled for he could fell her pulse accelerate. They reached the side of the bed. Elrond pointed with his head towards the bed and Elrohir laid her carefully beside his brother.

Elladan felt the change of weight on his bed and opened his eyes. He was surprised when he saw his brother still helping Fiona accommodate on his bed and beside him his Adar.

Elrond saw his child awaken and smiled lovingly.

"How do you feel my child?"

Elladan looked at him still surprised but smiled.

"Much better, now that you are here," he said while directing his eyes to Fiona.

Elrond chuckled and shook his head.

"This way neither of you will try to attempt an escape to see each other. Now both of you take some rest. You need it greatly."

"Thank you my Lord, for everything." said Fiona with a smile.

"Thank you Ada," said Elladan with a very grateful smile. "And thank you brother, for bringing her to me."

"It was my pleasure dear brother."

Father and son left the room and Fiona and Elladan were left alone. Elladan carefully pulled Fiona to him. She carefully obliged but she was reluctant because of the wound on his abdomen.

"Will I not hurt you?"

Elladan smiled and placed a loving kiss on her forehead.

"Nay, you could never hurt me even if you tried," he said while he pulled her into a kiss.

Fiona ran her hands on his neck and hair, caressing him, making his sigh into the kiss. He pulled her closer and ran his fingers along her back, massaging it. For a while they kissed away all the sorrow and pain of the last few days that had felt like endless years. Elladan then broke the kiss. He looked into her brown eyes the way that always made her have to stare back until he decided to break contact, for it was not in her will to look away from those silver eyes that always stole her breath. Elladan smiled and pressed a kiss on her forehead.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," she whispered back.

Fiona pressed herself against his body. She loved the feeling of having his arms wrapped around her own body. She buried her face in his chest. It took only a few seconds for the both of them to fall asleep in peace.

For ten years Elladan and Fiona were together and Fiona had decided to follow elvish protocol and wait patiently for a suitable amount of time before insinuating marriage. Elladan would always chuckle when she would subtlety hint about them getting married. He knew very well that she was still used to thinking like a human and getting more inpatient as they did with time even if she had eternity on her side. Yet he too had the deep desire to marry her, so after talking to his Adar, he decided it was time to propose.

They were walking one afternoon is the gardens. Fiona was wearing a forest green dress which was Elladan's favorite color to see her wear since it looked beautiful with her dark hair and light complexion.

"…and Nereidin said she is due in less than a month. Oh would it not be wonderful to behold and hold your own child?!" she asked in her usual subtle way to refer to marriage.

Elladan smiled and laughed lightly knowing well the intentions behind her words.

"Yes, it would be indeed wonderful to hold our own children. Which reminds me I have something important to tell you," he said with his playful tone.

Fiona raised a questionable eyebrow yet within her heart had leaped with anticipation and desire that was masked with the perfection only an elf is capable of. Elladan looked at her with an impish smile, knowing that she had probably sensed an important subject from his implication and she was probably waiting eagerly for his words.

"Well?" she asked impatiently after half a minute had passed since he had last spoken and Elladan laughed heartedly.

"You really are still as impatient as mortals are," he said as held her chin in his fingers and leaned to claim her lips in a deep kiss.

Fiona was a bit flustered after that kiss.

"I do not think that even elves are happy about waiting half an hour when someone tells them that they have something important they wish to speak about," she said defensively.

"It was only half a minute," he laughed.

"Then do not say anything at all until you are ready to speak without such long pauses!"

Elladan laughed again.

"Oh my love, you truly are the life of my heart and soul."

Just as he finished speaking, Elladan stopped walking and stood before Fiona and took her hands in his. He looked at her deeply, all mischief had disappeared from his eyes. He lifted her hands to his lips, and without taking his eyes away from hers, kissed them with a profoundness and deepness that it was almost sensual. Fiona blushed lightly at such an act, for elves reserved such actions and love manifestations for after marriage. Elladan never broke his eyes from hers, but his gaze seemed to become more deep and profound by the second. It looked as if his eyes were penetrating into her heart, trying to reach something deep within that he deeply desired.

"Fiona, I love you. While we were living together in your world I felt for you something that I knew would someday become something that I would depend on. I would depend on your love to live. And up to now I have never doubted for a second that you are the one I love and wish to be with for the rest of my life."

Still looking at her, Elladan knelt and took something from his pocket. Fiona's eyes widened and her heart raced when she saw him doing this. From his pocket he brought out a small velvet box and opened it to reveal a shining silver ring.

"Fiona, would you make me the happiest elf in all of Arda and become my wife?"

Fiona trembled slightly as she extended her hand to him and took his face in her hands. She leaned and kissed his lips before she sat on her knees before him.

"Yes Elladan. I love you and it would make me the happiest woman on Earth to marry you."

Elladan placed the ring her on her index finger and pulled her into a passionate kiss.

Exactly a year to that day the weeding took place. It was a bright and glorious day for the people of Imladris. Their young Lord and the Grace bearer would soon become one. Elves from the other two realms assisted this historical event. Elladan stood at the foot of the altar with his brother by his side. Dressed in silver and blue he looked stunningly beautiful. Yet his beauty came more from the radiant smile on his face and the twinkle in his eyes that expressed the joy that his heart bore. Then his face lit up even more if possible, when he saw the beautiful elleth that had begun walking down the aisle. Her smile was as bright as a star and her eyes shone like the sun. Neither took their eyes from each other as Fiona approached the altar with a fluttery heart. Vows were exchanged and promises were made. That day their love was like a beacon for the world, for it had overcome so much pain and now it was rewarded with an eternal bond of fire that would never be extinguished. And even though there were still more trials ahead, they knew that there was nothing that could keep them apart forever and that they would always find a way back to one another.

I think you probably noticed that the wedding part was the same as the last. That is because I had used this one for that one since I really could not think of another way to portrait the wedding. Well I really hope you liked this ending as well. I know I really liked it and that is why I asked if you guys wanted an alternate ending since I really did not want to just throw away this chapter. Thanks again from the bottom of my heart to all who read and/or reviewed and I hope to see you on my next story which will come out in a while since College really gives me not time for myself and when I do have it, my mind is full of everything I still need to do or already did and my brain is scrambled and my thoughts won't organize.