For not the first time, Legolas wished he could be seen.

He wished he could be felt.

He wished he could be heard.

If not to reassure himself that he wasn't just a wraith now, to comfort the lonely frost spirit that was born from the lake.

The first time he had seen the frost spirit, Jack was human. Legolas had witnessed the brave actions of the brother. He had felt anticipation and suspense build in him when Jack had calmed his sister and when he turned the jumping to safety a game. He had felt his heart- if it even still existed, he mused- jump when he witnessed Jack tugging his sister from the cracks to the thick ice near he edge of the lake. He had felt relief so strong, he felt real again, when he saw them laughing from the relief.

And he felt his heart stop when the ice popped, and Jack fell through.

That night, Legolas had stood near the edge of the lake, crying ghostly tears that never left a mark on the ground, when he saw the moon.

I've never seen it that bright, Legolas had thought his mouth hanging open.

His awe had increased when he saw the moonbeams focus on the lake.

And his heart nearly sang with joy when he saw them lift the drowned boy, now a spirit, from below the ice, from the lake.

Legolas felt such happiness and excitement, he had ran after the newly named Jack frost when he flew into the town.

Because he couldn't fly, Legolas was understandably slower than Jack. But he was still faster than the normal human. Being an elf before he had faded really gave him an advantage sometimes.

Which is why he was there in time to witness Jack ask where he was and then get promptly ran through.

Legolas still wasn't sure what had made grief stab at his heart more, the realization that Jack had no more memories or the fact that Jack was invisible.

Like him.

Like all the elves after the Valar had left to their realm and their magic faded.

Jack had flown back to the lake after that, with the snow coming down, like it responded to his grief, Legolas mused.

He found Jack in the middle of the lake, crying into his arms, curled around his staff.

Another stab at his heart, No one should have to go through that, Legolas had thought. So with his mind set, and his Jaw clamped with determination, Legolas walked across the surface to the lake to where Jack was sitting.

Are you alright? He had asked.

Jack didn't respond. His sobs filled with soft whimpers that Legolas couldn't hear from Jack's cloak and arms muffling them.

Legolas had crouched down next to Jack, reaching around Jack to hug him, saying, "It's okay, don't worry, I'm here…"

Only to have his arms faze through Jack like smoke.

Like what happened with Jack and the living humans.

Like what had happened to him, every damn day since he had felt the Valar's magic fade and felt himself become a wraith.

It only worsened when Jack suddenly lurched up and screamed at the moon, WHY?! WHY CAN'T THEY SEE ME?! WHY AM I HERE?! Unaware of the wraith beside him who he just phased through like air.

Now, almost 300 years later, Legolas thought the same thing he had thought every single time he tried to comfort Jack and was phased through and unheard. The same thing Jack thought every single time he was phased through.

Why, why can't he see me?

Legolas wondered, again not for the first time, if the Valar were punishing him for something. Were they punishing him for bringing Gimli over to Valinor? Why were they tormenting him so much now? Wasn't Gimli's death and the fact he never got to see his siblings or his father since before he had left Middle Earth enough punishment?

Legolas had long since stopped asking them to be seen. He had even begged the Man in the Moon- He was obviously real, Legolas had seen the Sandman, and the rest of the spirits, and he had also seen him bring Jack back to life, if that wasn't proof, then Legolas officially went mad from desperation and loneliness- for a long while.

Now he just sent prayers to them to let Jack be seen.

Because if he helped Jack be seen, then he was good, right? No need to have both of them suffer, right?

Because Legolas could live with being a wraith forever, if at least Jack didn't have to be walked through.

Guess what?

I apparently like to torture my favorite characters deep down. Don't worry it'll get better for them both.

Now some explanations behind this: I read a fic where Legolas was a mage slayer and the reason he was in our modern world was because Valinor faded and became our 'New World' essentially. Elves had to integrate in our society. I liked that idea of the continent of Valinor becoming the Americas. It's a fascinating idea you have to admit.

Also I found this picture: art/The-Time-Of-Spells-410444263 (THAT'S ON DEVIANTART BY THE WAY)

Basically all the elves that didn't go to Valinor after the War of the Ring eventually faded into wraiths is the idea I got from there. Only instead of having the wraiths like the spirits in ROTG, I made them the equivalent of spirits to everyone. Animals and plants can see and sense them, but spirits and humans can't under most conditions. They're sort of like ghosts.

Also I'll say this: The Man in the Moon knows about Legolas and the other faded- wraith elves. You'll get more on his actions and plans towards them later.