Credit for this idea goes to MariEvenstar! Thanks for the wonderful idea, I hope it's how you wanted it to go. The story is that Tauriel goes after Legolas after healing Kili, and I carried it onto bofta (couldn't resist :3 I had so many ideas in my head that I just had to include some of them into this one shot) I hope you all like it. Let me know if it feels a bit off. I feel like my writing style has changed and I think that Tauriel and Legolas seem out of character, please tell me if they are because I do write these stories to please all of you, and if you're not enjoying it then please tell me and I'll try and adjust my writing!

I apologise for any grammatical errors, missing words and spelling mistakes – all elvish translations will be at the end of the story.

Healing Kili with the athelas had taken a toll on Tauriel. Healing wasn't something she specialised in, but she knew the bare minimum, with the right herbs that is. The dwarf now lay on the table, dozing in and out of consciousness but he would live, which is what was important. Tauriel thought she would get a moment's rest before she could leave... She was wrong, a strong wind had come in and was shaking the house around. The dragon! They must have awoken the dragon in the mountain, she looked around at the children's panicked faces. Tauriel did what was right and got them in all in a boat and told the dwarves to get them to safety, but she could not follow them. Much to Kili's disappointment.

"My path lies elsewhere. I cannot follow you Kili I'm sorry. Truly." Those were the last words said between them before Tauriel turned and started running in the direction she had last seen Legolas going in.

If her prince was still in Laketown, her priority was to get him to safety, get him away from this place before it burned. There was bodies of slain orcs but no sign of Legolas, Tauriel assumed that he must have left in pursuit of the orc pack so she grabbed one of the guards' horses and spurred it into a gallop out of Laketown. She had to find Legolas. You cannot hunt thirty orcs on your own, his words made her smile again now, she would not let him go alone just as he did not let her. While Legolas was capable of looking after himself, taking on thirty orcs was no easy task for a lone hunter. She slowed her horse to a steady trot as she tried to track both the orcs' movement and Legolas'. The horse whinnied and snorted, probably at the smell of wargs and orcs, it was jumpier than the horses Tauriel was used to, but she managed to calm it down enough to keep following the tracks. As she was riding, the horse again whinnied but this time it suddenly bucked, jumped, threw her off and ran, Tauriel muttered a curse under her breath 'no matter. I can track by foot.' The only problem being that it would take longer by foot, but elves had enough stamina to run for days before tiring and if that's what it would take to find Legolas then that's what Tauriel would do.

So she ran, and ran as fast as her legs could carry her, occasionally stopping to check that she was on the right track before continuing on. Tauriel lost count after the first few miles, she would run as far the tracks went, so when they suddenly came to an end so did she. Tauriel searched and searched for more tracks, something. Anything! But there was nothing... She had lost her prince. If Thranduil was unforgiving before he would certainly show no mercy now if she turned up at his doors without his son. His son. My prince. Legolas. She had failed him, she was meant to keep him safe and failed to do the simplest task. If something happened to him she would never forgive herself. It was her fault that he was out here, he came after her to stop her, to help her and in a time where he needed her to have his his back she was not there.

The hairs on the back of her neck raised when she felt someone's presence lingering. In an instant she drew her bow and nocked two arrows, which were released into the head of a charging warg. The first dropped dead and an arrow to the eye took care of the second, she started to run in the direction from whence they came in hopes that it would get her somewhere.

Tauriel stopped suddenly, drew her daggers and turned towards the person that had been following her, since they had not made a move she would. "Tolo n'e!" She called out, daring the stranger to face her.

The stranger came out of the shadows, his silvery blond hair coming into light. "I yield," he teased, holding his hands out to show that he was not armed.

"Legolas..." Tauriel put her daggers away and ran up to him, pausing at about a breath away from him thinking about whether it would be too informal to embrace him before realising that she lost him and so she pulled him into a tight embrace, "nin nowe wanwa lle," her voice came out as a whisper, purely out of the shock and surprise of seeing him.

Legolas gave a small smiled and hugged her back, "I am not lost. I am right here with you mellon," he murmured softly. "I picked up your tracks back where the wargs charged you. What are you doing this far from Laketown?" He asked, slightly puzzled by it all. Once Legolas knew where Bolg was headed he doubled back to get Tauriel from Laketown, and the last place he expected her to be was...well...here.

"I was trying to track you down but your tracks stopped about half a mile back. I am sorry to have not gone with you hir nin." When she looked up at him it was the first time that she could see him clearly, there was blood coming from his nose and lip... She had never seen Legolas bleed, so it must have been a bad fight. This only fuelled her guilt at not being there with him. "The dragon... The dwarves woke the dragon, I went to find you to get you away from there. It was heading towards Laketown last I saw," she hoped that the Kili and the children had managed to get away in time.

They had been friends for as long as Tauriel had lived, Legolas was a much older, wiser and sterner elf but they grown used to each other's company. The way the other moved, their styles of fighting. Both were very fluid and swift in their movements, and as a result of fighting together for many years they knew how to move around and work with each other which meant that Tauriel could be focused on one aspect of the fight and she knew that Legolas would be covering her back. And vice versa.

Tauriel ran her finger across his chin, swiping the blood off. She opened her mouth to say something but Legolas cut her off.

"It's nothing. It's healing, don't fret over it," that coupled with a stern look quickly quietened Tauriel's concerns.

It was then that Tauriel realised that they were still in each others arms, and what surprised her even more was that she didn't want to leave the warmth that Legolas was giving. She looked up at him once more, forest green met sky blue. He looked down at her with a hint of a smile on his face.

"Legolas I need to tell you something, please hear me out on this." When he nodded, Tauriel continued. "...My love for Kili will always be there in a part of me. I have never come across one like him, he is different and that is why I think we are attracted to each other."

Legolas was about to stop her there. He did not want to hear about her love for the dwarf but she mimicked his earlier actions and cut him off.

"But Kili is not my first love. I have been in love with another, for longer than Kili has lived. I have been, I am in love with you Legolas. Your father knows that there is something between us, he will not allow us to be together... You are a prince and I am a Silvan elf mellon, I suppose I knew that there could never really be anything between us. If it is our King's command it cannot happen," she stepped back and out of his arms, "I'm glad you're safe."

Legolas was quiet whilst she talked and remained so after she was finished. Over time Legolas had grown protective of Tauriel, he saw her as his younger sibling. Tauriel was very fierce and hot-headed, and from time to time it needed to be controlled. Legolas took it upon himself to help her control it, which resulted in him being protective of her over time. Deep down what Legolas loved about Tauriel more than anything else was how pure and innocent she was, she strived to do good, to follow orders. He had noticed that over the years, goodness was beginning to disappear from Middle Earth, if he could protect that good in her in hope that it would spread then he would fight for it. Fight for her.

"I'll speak to my father, don't worry about him. Naw aran nín, mal ú-gân innas nín," he reassured her. "I am also glad you are safe," he took a step closer to her as she stepped back. Legolas looked down at her and tucked a strand of stray auburn hair behind her ear, he had always admired her long, fiery hair. He caressed her bright, pale face which seemed to glow in the moonlight, she seemed, you could almost say, tired. Which was not a word Legolas had ever used to describe the young elf. "You look spent, are you sure you're alright?"

Tauriel tucked her face into his hand, smiling at the warmth that emanated from it. She kissed his palm and smiled up at him, "I am fine," she said her voice coming out slightly hoarsely, "healing Kili has taken a small toll on me but I will be fine."

Legolas pulled her close to him and placed a soft kiss on her head, "I ride North, will you come with me?" He asked as he lead her to his horse.

"To where?"

"To Gundabad."

Legolas and Tauriel mounted the horse and took off towards Gundabad.

A/N: So here we continue from where Tauriel has gone to warn/try to save Kili from the orcs and her and Bolg have gone over the edge, now Legolas sees them and goes to save her...

Legolas fired his arrows at the orcs on the ice, not paying attention to his fast depleting supply. The tower which he was stood on violently shook, the culprit was a mutated troll ramming his head into it. Legolas balanced himself on the tower, as he did something caught his eye on the far side of the mountain. He saw Bolg falling over the edge, and Tauriel fall with him. He nearly flinched as he saw her hit the ground, he looked around desperate to save her from the massive orc that had got up and was making his way towards her.

Legolas jumped down onto the troll and stuck Orcrist into it, he drove it forward to ram into the tower, which soon gave way and landed where Bolg is.

The elf and the Gundabad orc fought to the death. For the longest time it seemed as if Legolas would never get the upper hand but eventually he saw an opening and cut Bolg down, burying his white knife into his skull, eliminating the monstrous orc once and for all.

"Tauriel!" Legolas called out after her, she had remained unmoving on the cliff-side during the fight. He ran to her now, turning her over so she faced him, he noted the light groan, "melleth en ie' nin."

Tauriel groaned as she was moved, her whole body ached but she looked up at Legolas, "I hurt." Was all she got out, it hurt to talk, in fact her whole mid-section hurt. She had most likely broken a few ribs during the fall.

Legolas carefully picked her up and began to carry her back down the mountain, she needed an elven healer. On the way down he encountered his father of all people, "ada I know you banished her but she needs help," he pleaded. Tauriel had remained fairly quiet in his arms apart from the occasional moan when he started down the steps.

Thranduil looked upon his son, glad to see him still alive. He had sent his elves back to the wood, he didn't want anymore elven blood spilt because of those dwarves, he had stayed to help his son. He had not shown it but he was worried when Legolas took it upon himself to help Tauriel. He looked at Legolas now in fine detail, checking for any physical injuries. Thranduil then directed his gaze to the Silvan elf in his son's arms who was looking paler and paler by the minute, he wouldn't turn her away if she needed serious aid, "come. We'll take her home and have my healers look at her." Thranduil led the two elves to a cart that he had arranged to take away the wounded.

They arrive in Mirkwood and Thranduil allows Legolas to take Tauriel to his chambers for his healers to look at her. Tauriel had tucked her head into Legolas' neck and was fairly happy there considering the amount of pain she was in, so when he went to put her onto a bed she groaned in protest and held on tighter to his neck, she didn't want him to leave her.

"Tauriel, they need to look at you. It's alright, lle ier varna." He held onto her for a while, whispering sweet reassurances to her before she relented and he gently lay her on the bed and let the healers crowd over her. Legolas felt a hand on his shoulder and looked around to see his father directing him to another healer but Legolas refused, "I will see one after Tauriel."

"No. You will see one now, Tauriel will be fine. Go." Thranduil could see the conflict in his son's face so he decided to help him out, "I will stay here with her. Now go."

Legolas sighed but agreed to go and see a healer.

Thranduil waited somewhat patiently as the healers checked Tauriel. After some time they finally dispersed after spreading what looked like ointment on her ribs and bandaging it up. He slowly approached her. Tauriel seemed to be in pain from all the prodding and poking that the healers had done but she got some of her colour back in her face. "How are you feeling aiaer?"

Tauriel opened her eyes and looked up at Thranduil's silver-blue ones, they were eerily like Legolas' eyes except Thranduil's had a sharpness and coldness to them, "I feel a little better," her voice came out as a raspy whisper. She gladly took the cup of water that he handed to her, "diola lle... If it's not too bold of me to ask, why did you bring me here? You could have left me, and why did you stay now?" she asked between sips, she couldn't sit up at all so having Thranduil looming over her was scary however, Tauriel wanted to know.

Thranduil took a seat next to her, he could feel her unease at having him tower over her small form. Especially since he had been close to killing her earlier, "I could have left you to die on the mountain...But my son is in love with you and I could not bear to have him come home with a broken heart, I know that he would never have fully recovered if I had refused you. I did this for him. I am here now because I raised you Tauriel, some might find it odd for a Sindarin king to raise a Silvan elf yet I did," what Thranduil was attempting to say was that in his own way he cared for her. "Legolas was worried to leave you here alone, I told him that I would stay with you so here I am."

"Thank you," Tauriel's voice was still a little cracked but she actually meant it. Earlier she had challenged him, her king; an elf who had taken her in and cared for her from a young age. Here he was caring for her again, and Tauriel was grateful for it, because she knew that he could have killed her or turned her away as soon as the healers were done with her. She turned her head and looked past Thranduil to Legolas who was stood at the entrance, she smiled at him and called him in.

Thranduil stood, meeting Legolas in the middle of the room as he walked in, he placed a hand on Legolas' shoulder, "there is still much to be done, but you should rest. I will be in the throne room should you need me." Thranduil left without saying anything else or looking back, falling back into his cold exterior.

Legolas bowed his head to his father before moving over to Tauriel, he sat next to her and took her hand in his, "I'm sorry that I left, ada insisted. How do you feel?"

Tauriel smiled and ran her hand up his arm and shoulder, stopping at his jaw, "I ache but I'm much better. Thank you for bringing me back. How long were you stood out there for?" She lightly ran her thumb across his cheek and jaw.

"Long enough." Legolas wanted nothing more than to pull her into him and hold her for the rest of the day, purely out of joy that she was okay. They stayed in Thranduil's chambers for a few more hours until Tauriel decided she was ready to get up and move to her own room, well, Legolas' room since he insisted.

Legolas lit a fire and grabbed a blanket for them both to share, they could finally relax for some time before Legolas had to go help Thranduil deal with the aftermath of the battle. He watched as Tauriel slept, gently combing his fingers through her long hair.

Tauriel briefly woke up, looked up at him and gave him a soft kiss before tucking her head under his and falling asleep again. She knew now that they would be alright.

Aaand scene! I hope that this story has lived up to your expectations, if so what did you like about it? If not, then please tell me how I could have improved it and I will take all your reviews into consideration when I write my next chapter. I wanted a slightly different ending to the one we got and to ones I have previously written. From the last scene we had with Thranduil and Tauriel in the film I like to think that he took pity of her and let Tauriel stay in the woodland realm with him. As always I am open to any ideas you guys have, so stick them in your reviews and I will see if I can write them. Thanks again everyone! x

Tolo n'e – come out

Nin nowe wanwa lle – roughly I thought I lost you

Hir nin – my prince

Naw aran nín, mal ú-gân innas nín – he is my king but he does not control my heart

Ie' nin – look at me

lle ier varna – you are safe

Aiaer – little one (I like to think that Thranduil had a little nickname, as it were, for Tauriel when she was younger)

Diola lle – thank you

I would just like to say that as I write these chapters that I'm still learning elvish words as I go, the translations are never 100% as I draw them from the films as well as websites online, so I'm sorry for these elvish inconsistencies.