Disclaimer: I don't own Middle-Earth and the characters in it, they all belong to J. R. R Tolkine. Though I wouldn't have anything against it, if I owned Aragorn, Faramir or Legolas.

A/N: Finally, after six years, I have done it, finished the next chapter. The self isolation has done miracles

There might be mistakse, I am sorry, english is still my second language and currently I do not have a beta.

„I want every man and strong lad able to bear arms to be ready for battle by nightfall." Théoden walked among the refugees and looked at Gamling. His trusted warrior only nodded and left. For a second Faramir thought that he saw sadness in the king's eye, but then it was gone.

With terminated walk, Théoden stepped outside of the gate and looked up to the wall. "We will cover the causeway and the gate from above. No army has ever breached the Deeping wall, or set foot inside the Hornburg!"

Gimli snorted and looked at the king. "This is no rabble of mindless Orcs. These are Uruk-hai. Their armour is thick and their shields broad."

Théoden turned to him. "I have fought many wars, master Dwarf. I know how to defend my own keep."

Faramir pushed his nails into balms, to keep himself back – diplomacy, diplomacy – that was the mantra in his head. Aragorn patted Gimli on the shoulder and went after the king.

Faramir followed his friends and the king but stayed farther away so not to do anything foolish.

They reached atop of the gate Théoden looked to the wilderness. "They will break upon this fortress like water on rock. Saruman's hordes will pillage and burn. We've seen it before. Crops can be renowned, homes rebuilt. Within these walls we will outlast them."

Aragorn stepped to him. "They do not come to destroy Rohan's crops or villages. They come to destroy its people, down to the last child."

At that Théoden turned and grabbed Aragorn shirt, Faramir had use all his willpower to not to intervene, it was Aragorn's battle – right now at least.

"What would you have me do? Look at my men. Their courage hangs by a thread. If this is to be our end, then I would have them make such an end as to be worthy of remembrance."

"Send out riders, my lord. You must call for aid." Aragon advised quietly.

"And who will come? Elves? Dwarves? We are not so lucky in our friends as you. The old alliances are dead."

"Gondor will answer." Aragorn said confidently, Faramir caught his eyes over the king's shoulder and nodded.

"Gondor?! Where was Gondor when the Westfold fell?! Where was Gondor when our enemies closed in around us?! Where was Gon–? No, my Lord Aragorn, we are alone." Théoden turned to leave and came face to face with Faramir, from the look on his face he had forgotten, that he had one gondorian in midst of his army.

Faramir wanted to seem smug, but it was not that moment. He looked right into Théoden's eyes. "Alone?" He felt his eyebrow rise. "Alright, if you want to do things this way, then where was Rohan when Osgiliath fell? Where was Rohan when Ithilien was drowned by swarm of Mordor orcs? Where was Rohan when Haradrim started to cross the border of Gondor, for their way to Mordor? In those questions you will have the answer for your own. Right now, I am questioning my own involvement, in this war, in this upcoming battle. I know that Gondor has not been great friend to you, but you must admit Rohan has not been greatest friend to Gondor either. So, I find myself in the crossroads, asking do I stand with my friends or leave and let your bitterness grow against my homelands." Faramir looked once more at Théoden and turned around and left them standing there. He did not see Théoden's surprised face or fear of his leaving on his friends faces.

He went along the wall, his head hurt, his shoulder hurt, he had had enough of the king who could only see as far as his nose.

He felt like he was back in Minas Tirith where everything he said or did was thrown back into his face. How did he always end up serving men who did not listen, didn't see and didn't understand? Morgoth be damned, Théoden did not even listen to Aragorn.

Sound of water brought him back from his thoughts; he had walked along the wall and reached the place on where the river ran under the wall. He sighted and sat on the wall, looking towards the wastelands. He could hear hush and bustle from the keep, he looked back. The men preparing for battle, the woman heading to the caves, to the safety. He thought he could see his friends making their way to the armoury, he may have been wrong. He hoped that Aragorn was seeing to his wounds, Aragorn was a healer, but he tended to forget his own injuries. His friends, his brothers how he could abandon them, leave them in this doom.

He looked back to the wastelands, in few hours a great army of Uruk-hai will descend upon it, the fate of Rohan will be decided.

"Lord Faramir!" he could hear the footstep from afar, he knew that Lady Eowyn was approaching.

He sighted; he did not have the energy to talk to the beautiful maiden. "Lady Eowyn, what can I do for you?"

"I heard what happened, I came to apologize for my uncle he is sometime…" she was lost at words.

"Short sighted?"

"Yes, short sighted, I am sorry if he offended you."

"There is no need, I have served one other ruler who did not see beyond his nose, I am already used to it." He turned back to the wasteland again. Back to the place where it all will begin – the war for the Middle-Earth.

The maiden came and stood at his sides: "What will you do, my Lord?"

"Looking at the future." He knew that Eowyn did not ask what he was doing now, but in the future, but he himself did not know the answer yet.

"You have the sight?" There was wonderment in the woman's voice,

"Yes, the gift or the curse of House of Hurin. I have had since my birth." Faramir did not want to talk about it, he turned to Eowyn. "Why are you here, my Lady, you did not come here to apologize. What is it that you wish from me?"

She looked at him, it seemed like he tried to find words, but they were not coming, then she took a deep breath and found her courage

"You are right, I did not come here to apologize, but ask your permission in the upcoming battle to stand beside you, to fight beside you? Please grant me this on wish. I do not want to be locked in the caves with women and children. I want to join the fight; I want to be part of it." She was begging, and she knew it.

Faramir looked at her. "Why are you asking this from me, Lady of Rohan. In moments ago, I was ready to leave."

"You were ready to leave, to abandon your brothers?" Eowyn asked in astonishment.

"Yes, but it was thought in anger." Barren lands caught his attention again, he could see from the distance the Uruk-Hai army, it was nearing, the end of Rohan or Saruman's power. "I would grant you your wish, but it is not mine to grant it. You are the shieldmaiden of Rohan. I would be honoured to fight beside you, but that cannot be. You are the third in the line of the throne, what if something happens to Theoden? What if Gandalf cannot find Eomer? Who will then lead the people of Rohan, nor Aragorn, nor me, but you, they will look up to you! Their princess, their shield maiden, their protector. I know it is hard to come to the terms of that future, that cage. But if you always live in the fear of that, you will never conquer it. I believe you will be a powerful queen as I believe you are smart and beautiful shield maiden. I cannot grant you your wish because I would like you to live. This night might be the death to us all, if we survive it, it will be a miracle."

"You want me to live?" there was wonderment in Eowyns voice.

"Of course, I want you to live, I would give my life for yours."

"You are talking like you are ready to die."

"Every warrior is read to die. This night we will lose many souls."

"You have seen it?"

"I have seen many things. But the patterns are still changing. Some are not yet weaved. Every decision that will be made at this night will somehow change the future. This battle will be bloody, the end and the outcome has not yet weaved."

Eowyn moved her hand just she would like to place it on Faramirs shoulder, but then she hesitated and finally bulled it back. "You do not need to worry lord Faramir. Aragorn will always be beside you; he will never leave you behind, neither will Legolas and Gimli, there is always hope. But now I say farewell to you, Faramir. Even though you did not grant me my wish, you listened to me and understood. I thank you for it."

Faramir rose and bowed. "You are most welcome and farewell, Lady Eowyn. I hope I will see you again."

"You will Lord Faramir, you will." With that the shield maiden turned and left. Faramir looked after her, sighted and turned to the waist lands where the hoard was coming for them.

Suddenly like rare light from the sky Eowyn's words came back to him, "Aragorn will never leave you behind." It could not be that simple, or could it? The sentence had a double meaning, how had he not seen it before. Hope never leaves you behind. Elves called Aragorn Estel – Hope.

He almost laughed out loud, how could he be so foolish. There was no running it was never an option. Aragorn would never leave him behind, he would never leave Faramir, Legolas and Gimli behind.

He did not like the words he heard from the courtyard when he returned. Men were losing their hope. They were talking about the fight Aragorn and Legolas had had, they were fearing that the elf would leave like the gondorian had. He did not mind the looks of surprise on the faces of the men when he walked amongst them. When he asked where Lord Aragorn was, they pointed as one man to the armoury.

He did not know what to say when he stepped down the stairs. He had threatened to leave, and Legolas had walked away. But he did not need to say a word because he heard Legolas's voice. "We have trusted you this far. You have not led us astray. Forgive me. I was wrong to despair. "

Faramir heard Aragorn's answer, "Ú-moe edaved, Legolas."*

"We had time; I'd get this adjusted." He heard Gimlis voice and moved to see what the dwarf was talking about. He heard clatter of metal and saw Gimli in a very long chainmail. „It's a little tight across the chest."

He snorted and a second later a sword and arrow was pointed at his face. He raised his hands, knowing very well, that he would have been on the edge as well. When the weapons had been lowered, he stepped from the stairs. "To you need another brother. A foolish one, a Hurin, who cannot control his emotions, and be a little reckless with his words."

Aragon smiled, "You are always needed Faramir, no one is left behind, even if he is a foolish and emotional Hurin." He stepped and pulled Faramir into a hug.

There was suddenly a sound of a horn. They all looked up.

"It's not an orc horn," Legolas looked at Araorn, "it's man made."

"Go, see wat it's all about, Gimli and I, we will see if we find a blacksmith, who could help with, Gimlis little problem." Faramir patted Aragorns and Legolas shoulder when he passed them to help Gimli out of the chainmail.

"Why didn't you leave?" Gimli was blunt as always.

"Because, I don't run away. And I understood something."

"What was it." Faramir could not answer because, they had reached to the blacksmith and Gimli explained that he wanted. They took few steps father that they wouldn't disturb blacksmiths work.

"I understood that hope never leaves you behind." Faramir muttered, so that Gimli could hear him.

"What, I told you that before," Gimli growled, "even if we dwarves seem a grumpy bunch but we always try to think positive."

"No, you do not understand." And then Faramir told Gimli about the poem what Gandalf had bring to him from Galadriel.

"Oh, that is a strange poem. Aragorn's and Legolas' poems, I could almost understand, but yours is a riddle. But that Aragorn was Hope I could have told you sooner."

"I could have figured that out myself sooner. But I think, the thought had to come to me just here, in just that time. So, I would not despair."

"Elvish ways are strange." Gimli could only mutter. That moment his chain was ready.

Faramir stepped beside Gimli, his eyes fell on to a helmet, it looked like one of the gondorian, but without wings. There was some strange nostalgia in him. "Is this someone's?" He asked from the blacksmith.

"No, you can take it." Was the replay.

"Thank you." He had a helmet now.

They were standing on the walls waiting, the rain had started a thunder roared, in the flashes of the lightning they could see what was waiting for them.

"Let the Valar be with us." Faramir whispered.

"You could have picked a better spot." Gimli grumbled between Faramir and Legolas, only thing that could be seen over the wall was his helmet.

Aragorn neared them. Gimli raised his face, "Well, lad, whatever luck you live by, let's hope it lasts the night."

"Your friends are with you, Aragorn." Legolas said, Faramir nodded, he did not need to say anything.

"Let's hope they last the night." Gimli added.

Uruk-hai approached, Faramir felt a quiver run down his spine. A fear or anticipation, he could not place it.

The leader of Uruk-hai's lets out a yell, halting the army where they are. The valley is filled with Valar forsaken yell.

"What's happening out there?" Gimli was jumping up and down to see

Legolas smirked and asked, "Shall I describe it to you? Or would you like me to find you a box?" Gimli laughed, Faramir tried to stay stone faced but a chuckle came out. He knew if he had to die beside someone then those two were the best choice.

The leader of the Uruk army yelled and the rest of the army started pounding their spears on the ground and growling at the people in Helm's Deep. Gimli jumped again to try to see what was happening.

An arrow flew from the wall and killed Uruk-hai. "Hold!" Aragorn yelled, but it was too late. The Uruk-hai's yelled and started running towards Helm's deep.

Black mass of Uruk-hai was moving towards the wall, Faramir took his bow and fired and fired, he had never been that fast. He did not know, if he or missed, his arrow vanished into the sea of other arrows. Many Uruk-hai fell, but they were still coming.

"That how it all ends," the battlefield disappeared, there was fire, there was coldness, there was darkness. "Do you not see that that's the way, the word you know ends. First, we will destroy Rohan, then Gondor and then we go to north and take Arnor. This is how it all ends Faramir son of Denethor, Helms Deep will fall, that is inevitable. And white tower is next."

No, was only think that Faramir could think, Helms deep will not fall. He could only think that when there was white flash and the vision was lost.

He was standing on the wall again, battle was looming around him, it had been only seconds, the light that had ended the vision, gave him hope.

"Ladders?" He heard Aragorn's yell.

"Good!" Gimli yelled.

"Swords!" Comes Aragorn's command. Faramir pulled Larsian from it scabbard. The Uruks were quick, before Larsian was naked they were already over the wall. He could block a blow from a Uruk in a nick of a time otherwise would have had is head cut off. Uruk yelled and raised his sword again, with a swift move he pushed Larsian into the Uruks body and killed him.

Gimli killed another one next to him, counting to himself, "One, two!" then he turned to Legolas, "Legolas! Two already!"

Legolas looked over his shoulder, „I'm on seventeen!"

Gimi growled and then yelled "I'll have no pointy-ear outscoring me!" and he hacked on.

Legolas only smiled and shot two Uruk-Hai who were coming over the wall, "Nineteen!"

Faramir hold down his smile listening his friend's antics, same time trying to stay alive, ducking, slashing, and killing as many as he could. Suddenly he felt a mighty blow on his back and fell. He had not been hit with anything sharp that he knew, or otherwise he would be dead. His back hurt, he turned his head and saw a Uruk-Hai, who had raised his sword and ready to strike him, he was dead, he knew that. Larsian had fallen far and he could not do anything.

He was ready, he accepted death.

But something happened, the sword did not fell, but the Uruk-hai yelled, the sword fell from his hand and he fell towards Faramir. He knew that if he did not move, he will be crushed. He turned fast. By some miracle he could get out of the way, he grabbed his sword and gave the Uruk-Hai finishing blow.

Faramir gathered himself and turned where the blow into the knees of Uruk-hai that had taken him down, Aragorn stood there. There was paus in the battle, the first wave of Uruk-Hai had ended the next one was starting soon.

"Thank you." Faramir could not say anything more.

"Always." Aragon answered and walked where king Theoden stood, he passed Gimli and Legolas and batted them on the shoulders.

Faramir stepped beside the elf and the dwarf, "twenty-five," Gimli muttered to him.

There was the elf hearing, "twenty-eight." Legolas muttered back. Faramir shake his head, only those two.

But the paus did not last long, the second wave was moving. Arrows started flying, Faramir wanted to grab his bow and shoot as well, but his bow had broken when the Uruk-hai had bushed him. And he did not have the time to find a replacement. The volley of arrow did not stop the next wave, the ladders were up against the wall again, and the enemy was climbing. Those ladders were larger than the ones before, they could not push them down anymore. So Faramir waited, when the first hand of Uruk-hai he hit it with a sword, there was a horrific yell and Uruk-hai disappeared, Faramir looked down, the next Uruk-hai, had not reached the top, so he guessed, that the one he had hit fell down with a surprise. Faramir knew the next one would not be that easy.

And so, it was that the next one, seen what had happened to his companion, was smarter, before Faramir could hit his hand the beast had put both his hands on the wall and pushed himself over it.

Faramir was ready, when the Uruk-hai attacked him, he blocked the blow. But the tremble what went through his body. His shoulder and leg reminded him, that they were wounded, and his back had gotten hurt when the Uruk-hai had pushed him over.

Faramir stood his ground, the Uruk-hai raised his sword to give another blow, Faramir was quicker. He thrust his sword under the armpit, and then he cut the Uruk-hai's throat.

Then he hears Aragron's yell: "Togo hon dad, Legolas!"**

Faramir turned where Aragorn was pointing, the Uruks were carrying something. And after them came a big Uruk-hai, maybe it was a troll, with a blazing torch, that Uruk was what Aragorn wanted Legolas to take down. Arrows hit the beast, but they did not have any effect. When the Uruk was two meters from the drain he jumped. Second, two and then happened, something that Faramir had never heard or seen. There was a crash and a flash of flame and smoke. The waters of the Deeping-stream poured out hissing and foaming: they were choked no longer; a gaping hole was blasted in the wall. A host of dark shapes poured in. Wall under Faramir shake and he lost his balance and fell. Thankfully, the fall was short, the ground back of the wall was high, but he fell badly, hitting his head. Faramir cursed, what a luck he was having, first his shoulder and leg, then his back and now his head, he thanked the Valar, that he had found his helmet, otherwise his head would have been split into two.

"Faramir, Gimli, get out of there!" Aragorn yell. Gimli how had Gimli gotten there, he had been on the other side off the wall, when it had grumbled. Then Faramir shook, his head, wrong move, it hurt. Knowing Gimli, he had come running and jumping into the horde. Faramir shook his head, again, to get the fog out, it hurt, but the battle was on and he needed to get Gimli.

Frist when he was up, he met growling Uruk-hai, who seemed as surprised as him. Faramir reacted first using an ungentlemanly move and hitting the Uruk between his legs. His opponent growled again, only this time from pain, he fell to his knees. Faramir took his dagger and thrusted it into his enemy's ear, Uruk died at the spot. Faramir took his dagger and straitened he needed to find Gimli. Before he could do anything, he saw Aragorn dragging Gimli with himself. "Come, Faramir, into the keep!" He yelled and then looked around, "Legolas!" Faramir could only sigh, of course Legolas would follow both Gimli and him. Thankfully, Legolas was already on his way to the keeps gate. Faramir followed them, hoping that no Uruk was find its way to him, he was not as suicidal as the elf and the dwarf.

He made it into the keep losing Aragorn and Gimli from his sight, so he climbed after Legolas on to the wall, the Uruk-hai kept climbing, attacking. On the causeway before the main gate there was troop of them, who tried to break the gate. He killed the Uruk, who attacked him and then his gaze fell on the causeway, what he saw made him blink Gimli jumped from a base of a little tower onto to causeway and Aragorn followed him. Gimli could not make that jump, so he had to be tossed, that was a thought to hold onto.

They made a clear job on the causeway, but they needed to get back into the keep otherwise they would die. But Faramir had no way to help them, then he saw Legolas with a rope, and he hurried to help the elf. They managed to pull Gimli and Aragorn up onto the wall.

"Are you two mad?" Faramir could only ask.

"If you like that way, then yes." Aragorn laughed.

"There were Uruk-hai there, I now have thirty-five." Gimli chuckled and followed Aragorn.

Was he, Faramir only one who was normal in this group? Then he considered and found no he was not normal, but not suicidal as the other ones.

But Aragorn's and Gimli's mission were in vain, the Uruk-hai broke down the gate.

"The castle is breached. Retreat!" Theoden yelled.

"Hurry! Inside. Get them inside!" Aragorn called, Faramir followed him. When he reached inside the castle, he collapsed on the first chair, Legolas and the soldiers started to barricade the door. Aragorn stepped next to him, "are you all right?"

"My shoulder, leg and head are hurting, but I need a little rest, as soon as I am needed, I am ready to fight."

"I can not help you now, but when it is all over, I do what I can."

"If we will survive it."

"We will, have a little hope." Aragorn smiled and went to help Legolas.

Faramir closed his eyes, little rest. HE knew he should not, but something was calling him.

Boromir looked the ring, he was angry, tempted, he reached for the ring and suddenly there was fear, he turned and walked away. Next thing Boromir looked after Sam and Frodo.

Faramir opened his eyes and gasped. "Faramir what is it?" Aragorn turned to him.

"Sam and Frodo are alive, they met Boromir, he turned from the ring, he let the hobbits go."

"They are alive? How did they meet Boromir?"

"Yes, they are, and I do not know, but he resisted the ring and let them go."

"Good." Then the sun started to peek from the eastern window.

There was battering rams' charge at the door, Theoden looked at it. "The fortress is taken. It is over."

"You said this fortress would never fall while your men defend it. They still defend it. They have died defending it." Aragorn proclaimed, then he turned to Gamling, "Is there no other way for the women and children to get out of the caves? Is there no other way?"

"There is one passage. It leads into the mountains. But they will not get far the Uruk-Hai are too many." Gamling answered.

"Tell the women and children to make for the mountain pass. And barricade the entrance!" Aragon commanded

"So much death. What can Men do against such reckless hate?" Theoden muttered.

Aragorn stepped next to him, "Ride out with me. Ride out and meet them."

"For death and glory." Theoden looked hopeful. Faramir wanted to shake him, did the king of Rohan even think.

Seemed like Aragorn wanted the same, but he said: "For Rohan. For your people."

"Yes. Yes. The horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the Deep on last time." Theoden suddenly came to his senses.

"Yes!" Gimli yelled.

"Let this be the hour when we draw swords together." Theoden placed his hand on Aragorn's shoulder.

"The sun is rising." Gimli looked at the window

"Look to my coming at first light on the fifth day…" Aragorn muttered

"At dawn, look to the east." Faramir finished for him. Gimli run up to the tower.

The Horses were brought in Faramie climber on Helden. The barricades were lifted, they took their swords from the scabbards.

"Fell deeds, awake. Now for wrath, now for ruin and a red dawn. Forth Eorlingas!" Theoden raised his sword and clapped spurs to his horse and charged, at that moment Gimli blew the horn. Everyone went after him, they cleaned the causeway and charged forward. At that moment sun peeked over the hill and a lone rider appeared.

"Gandalf." Aragron said, after that another rider appeared next to Gandalf, it was Eomer.

Faramir saw how the Uruk-hai turned towards the hill, ready to fight. And then he felt the fear what the Uruk-hai felt when Gandalf and Eomer charged down the hill and thousand of riders after them.

The Uruk-hai started fleeing, most of them the rohirrim caught and the other ones disappeared into the forest. Faramir looked again, forest, there had not been a forest before.

"I told you, that I will come." Gandalf smirked.

"Yes, you did." Aragorn agreed.

"But you did not tell that you will bring a forest." Faramir wondered.

"I did not bring it, it came itself. It is Fangorn, the Ents have business in Isengard. We have to go there." Gandalf looked at Theoden.

"And we will go, I have business in Isengard as well." Theoden nodded and went to give the orders. Faramir left Aragorn and Gandalf discussing thing and went to find his other friends. He found them at the causeway Gimli was sitting on a Uruk-hai and argued with Legolas. "Forty-three." Legolas smiled.

"He was already dead." Gimli grumbled.

"He was twitching."

"He was twitching because he's got my axe embedded in his nervous system." Gimli moved his axe and the body moved.

"Faramir?" Legolas turned to the man.

"Let us say it is a draw. I am to tired and hurting to argue, we will soon head to Isengard." Faramir sat onto the causeway.

Both his friends stopped arguing and looked at him. "Have you let Aragorn look at you?" Legolas asked.

"He is busy, I let him to it later." Faramir waved their worry away.

"I am never to busy to look my friends over, more so if they are ready to give a report to the steward." Aragorn approached with Gandalf.

He looked Faramir over, "The wounds are healing, but the bruises that you got from the fight with the vargs have given them a little setback. Your back is little bruised as well, but it will heal and your head will ach for a day at least and then it is over, no sings for concussion and Athelas will take the edge off." Aragorn took the plant from his bag and rubbed it between his fingers air filled with the sent of dewy mornings and unshadowed sun.

"We will leave soon." Gandalf said, "The last battle for Middle-Earth is waiting for us."

* There is nothing to forgive, Legolas

** Bring him down, Legolas!