Elrohir picked at the threads of the blanket, focusing on his hands. They looked small and thin and slender. His combed hair fell over his shoulder and brushed his cheeks, the long strands lying on the green of his robed shoulders. He cocked his head to the side and stared at his hands a little longer.

"How are you feeling, Elrohir?"

Elrohir looked up as his mother came across the brightness of the room, her feet light on the carpet, holding a tray of food. She smiled at him, beautiful and radiant in her blue dress, but Elrohir looked away.

"Elrohir?"

"The same as yesterday, naneth," Elrohir said. And the day before that. And the day before that. And the one before that, and that, and that, and that . . .

Celebrian sighed and set down the tray on her knees as she sat down on the bed. "You do not seem to be recovering much, my little ion."

"I am trying," Elrohir said quietly. But it is hard to want to live with people who believe in hurting you to discipline you and use love as their pitiful excuse.

"I know you are, Elrohir. Here, eat."

Elrohir ate the food in silence, smiling a small thank you to his mother. He new she loved him but, the trouble was, he could not feel it. And he loved her back but he would not leave bed until he had to. He was safe from the strap in bed . . . he wondered how Elladan was.

"Elladan misses you," Celebrian said. "It is not the same for him to go out on his walks and things alone."

"I miss our time together to," Elrohir said. "I miss our wrestles and games . . ."

"He does to," Celebrain said. She rose to her feet with the empty tray and gave a little wave to her son as she left the room.

Elrohir sighed as soon as she was gone. He was itching to get up. He had recovered from the emotionally wracking experiences of his trial and, though his views were the same, he saw that he had no choice but to hide his true feelings from his parents or suffer the same nightmare again. It was cowardly but he could not take another experience of Kaiale shrieking at him.

The door opened and Elladan bounced in. He jumped onto the bed and sat facing Elrohir.

"Will you leave bed soon?" Elladan asked. He leaned forward. "Are you okay?"

"I feel much better," Elrohir said. "And I want to get up."

"Come on," Elladan invited. "We can climb up onto the cliffs and play warrior like we used to! It has been too long since we ran and played, Elrohir, and I miss you! I need you to feel complete! My life is not the same with you shut up in here. Ada said you could leave bed a few days ago!"

Elrohir looked up at his twin and smiled. He missed his old life and he realized he could not stay in bed forever. He tossed back the blankets and reached for Elladan's hand. "Come, I changed in the morning. I think I could sense I would leave bed today. Let us go up to the cliffs and play warrior. I missed it, especially because I always win. Besides, I need you to."

"Yes!" Elladan cheered, punching his fists in the air. He and Elrohir ran out of the room, matching their paces, running at the same speed.

OoOoOoO

"We are relieved and happy to see you well again," Celebrain said, leaning over to pat Elrohir's hand as they sat down to dinner.

Elrohir smiled. "Yes, I . . . was happy to leave bed. Me and Elladan had a wonderful time together."

"It is good to see your smile and the color in your cheeks back," Elrond remarked. "It makes you look more like your twin!"

Elrohir grinned. "I have heard happiness is good for the skin!"

"And for relieving the pressure on the hearts of those who love you most," Celebrain said.

To this Elrohir made no reply. He picked up his fork and began to eat.

"How was your day?" Celebrian asked, looking across the table at her husband. "You were in the office with Erestor all morning, and you returned after lunch."

"There were some essential points to be settled as to the wording of some documents," Elrond replied. "Very tiring. I wish Erestor could handle these things on his own. What else am I paying him for?"

"I am sure he had your best interests in mind," Celebrian said gently.

Elrond shrugged. "Yes, he probably did."

The twins exchanged glances from across the table.

"You will go back to sleeping in your own room, Elrohir," Elrond said.

"I will be happy to be with Elladan again," Elrohir agreed. "It was lonely in the healing room and I missed all the familiar feels."

"I missed you to," Elladan added. "It was not the same not hearing your breathing at night!"

"Have you done any drawing?" Elrohir asked. "I have not been able to get my drawing pad or my pencils for a while."

"I could not draw without you looking over my shoulder and passing cutting remarks," Elladan answered with a cheeky grin. "I never thought I would miss it."

"We will go out to the cliffs and draw tomorrow," Elrohir said. "I saw a fantastic tree from my window while I was lying in bed. The trunk looks fabulously twisted."

"Be careful," Celebrian warned.

"We will," Elladan assured her. "We have been up there before many times, and I know just the tree he means."

Elrond downed his glass of water and thought with satisfaction that it was nice to have his family back on track again.

The update came a day late, I know. I was celebrating my birthday and the day ran away from me, I was having so much fun.

Thank you for your patience! Comments are appreciated.