Fingon sat outside the room the healers had Maedhros in. He sat leaning against the wall, he let out a long breath. He was tried. He looked at his clothes that were still slightly splattered with blood. He sighed, ignoring it and looked at the ceiling. He sat forward and looked down the hall as he heard running footsteps. Maglor came over panting slightly as he came to a stop outside the healer’s wing.

“Nelyo...how...how is he?” He asked in between breaths.

“I am sorry,” Fingon replied as he stood up. “From what I saw, he was not doing well. Yet, the healers are doing everything they can.”

Maglor turned and reached for the door but Fingon stopped him by grabbing his arm. “Please. Wait.” He said. “The healers need time to work on helping him. We must be patient.”

Maglor opened his mouth but closed it. Fingon sat back down and Maglor joined him. Another few hours passed and then the door opened and the head healer stepped out. The two elves jumped up instantly, Maglor was the first to speak. In a rushed voice, he asked, “How is he?”

“Not good my lord,” The healer replied. “His wounds are great. I can not list them all now but he is going to require much rest.”

“Is he awake?” Fingon asked.

“No. He woke up slightly as we were cleaning wounds. He seemed rather frightened as if he was stuck in a nightmare. So he wouldn't injure himself any further we had to sedate him.” She answered folding her hands a bit.

“Sedated?” Maglor asked.

The healer nodded and said, “Yes. I assume that he thought he was still with the enemy,”

Maglor nodded with his face going a ghostly white, Fingon just turned to the healer and asked, “When will he wake up?”

“In a few hours,” She replied. “One more thing my lord, he called your name a few times. So, it may be best if you come inside to sit with him.”

Fingon nodded and gast a glance at Maglor who was doing his best to calm himself down. After a few moments, Maglor looked up at her and asked, “Can I come in too?”

“I am sorry my Lord,” She said. “Yet, the fewer visitors and less action he has the better. After he wakes up you can come to see him.”

Maglor nodded and looked down. He looked upset and worried about his brother. Fingon placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him a gentle nod. Maglor waited aginst the wall as Fingon walked into the room. Maglor frowned as he stayed there he looked up as the door closed.

~~~

Fingon looked around as the healers were cleaning up, the room was covered in bloody clothes and bandages. He saw the healers moving water-filled bowls that were tainted with blood away as well. He looked to the large bed Maedhros was on. He was fast asleep and Fingon froze a bit as he saw his friend. He was half-covered by a blanket and the rest of him was covered by a new shirt that was a bit oversized. Yet, the rest of him that he could see was covered in bandages. His right arm was wrapped all around his hand. His left arm was in a sling around his neck, he saw that the stub was freshly bandaged. Half of his face was wrapped in bandages as well, he could not see what other bandages but he could tell he was covered in them. His face was contorted slightly in pain and discomfort. 

“Oh. Nelyo,” He said softly as he walked over. “What’s wrong with him?”

“Several severe wounds. He has a few broken ribs and his right shoulder is dislocated. His foot is broken and will take a while to heal. His whole body is covered in wounds, bruises, and scratches.” The healer said. “As well as we think he possibly has a few different poisons in his body...unfortunately we do not know what and it will take a bit to figure out. As well as we did have to drug him a bit for both his pain and the fact that when he woke up, he got very frightened...he was close to injuring himself more so...we had to drug him.” The healer said.

“He was drugged?” Fingon asked.

She nodded and said, “Yes, we hope when he wakes up he’ll be calmed down. It may have been the drug that made him frightened.”

Fingon nodded and looked back at his cousin. He frowned a bit as he sat down beside Maedhros’s bed, he looked at him with concern. He put a hand on his friend’s uninjured shoulder, yet, once he put his hand on his shoulder Maedhros winced in his sleep. He pulled away unconsciously in his sleep moaning softly. Fingon pulled his hand back and Maedhros calmed a bit. He frowned as he watched him, his heart ached for him. He did not look like his strong friend, he looked weak and scared. Even with his clothes and the blanket he could tell Maedhros was too thin. He also knew it from when he went to go rescue him, his body was too thin. It was obvious that the healers did not know everything that was wrong with him.

“He’s bleeding again!” Fingon said suddenly he looked down seeing the blood-stained blanket. The head healer rushed over calling someone over to help. They moved up his shirt and grabbed some fresh clothes along with fresh bandages. Maedhros moaned and shifted uncomfortable moaning in his sleep. He seemed to be very uncomfortable as the healers worked. Fingon frowned as he looked away from Maedhros to the healers. He covered his mouth as he saw Maedhros’s wound, the skin on his side was torn up. He saw a mess of flesh. It was mashed and torn up as the blood poured out of the wound. The healers worked to patch the wound up and Fingon covered his mouth. He felt bad that he did not see the extent of his wound. Once the blood was cleaned away and was stopped, they put some salve as well and bandaged the wound. Fingon looked back at Maedhros and frowned. He was still moaning softly, he shifted and moaned some more. The healers finished and moved away and Maedhros settled down after they moved away. His body still seemed to be tense as he slept and Fingon just settled back and looked at the blankets. They would have to change them later when Maedhros woke up.

~~~
Maedhros groaned softly and his eyes fluttered open. He blinked and was slightly confused as to why he was laying down. He was in Thangorodrim wasn’t he? Yet, where was he? He blinked slightly as he let his right hand rub against the soft blanket. It was so soft and comfortable. He rubbed his hand along the blanket. Yet, he stiffened as he felt someone else by the bed. His eyes shifted around a bit as he looked around. His eyes fell on the person who sat beside the bed he was in, he looked at them and stiffened. He blinked though as he looked at them. “Finno?” He asked softly his voice just above a whisper.

“Nelyo,” Fingon said as he was aroused from his sleep. He looked at Maedhros with a soft smile. His cousin looked back at him with a confused expression before he froze. “Wait...no...no.” He muttered moving away a bit.

“Nelyo?” Fingon asked with concern. “What’s wrong?”

“A-a-are you...are real-l?” Maedhros mumbled.

“What? Of course,” He replied gently. “It’s me,”

Maedhros looked at him with distrust and concern. Fingon frowned a bit and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Maedhros looked away and shut his eyes tightly. Fingon knelt by the bed, he looked at him and asked gently, “do you want me to prove it?”

Maedhros stopped and looked over, he gave a tiny nod and Fingon smiled softly. “When I was little, I called you Mayo since I could not pronounce your name. Your brothers thought it was funny, Uncle Feanor always yelled at my father when I did.” He said. Maedhros smiled slightly and swallowed a bit. “Finno,” He said softly. “Your-r you-u.” He mumbled softly.

“Of course I am me,” Fingon said gently he reached out and Maedhros yelped slightly. He jerked his arm out and slapped his arm away. Yet, he yelled in pain and fell back his hand grabbed his shoulders. He froze though as he looked down at his right arm. He could barely move his right arm and his hand...was gone. He sat there frozen as Fingon moved over, “Meadhros?” He asked.

His cousin didn’t reply though. He looked at his hand and then at Maedhros. He gently reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. Maedhros looked up freezing as he looked at Fingon, he pulled his shoulder back. “Please…” He said softly. “I-don’t...don’t.”

“I am sorry but please know I won’t hurt you,” Fingon said gently. Fingon then looked at Maedhros’s arm which hung limply at his side. “Yet, I am trying to help you. At least let me help you get your arm back into the sling.

Maedhros shook his head and closed his eyes. He fumbled over his words incoherently as he spoke, he swallowed and shook his head. He looked down and closed his eyes and sniffed a bit. Fingon frowned and said, “Please. Let me help you.”

Maedhros shook his head and slowly moved his arm back into the sling. He winced in pain as he did so, his face contorted in pain. “It….it really hurts,” He mumbled.

“I am really sorry,” Fingon said. “Do you want me to get a healer? They can give some medican-”

“No!” Maedhros blurted out. He then paled a bit and shook his head. “Please no,” He said quietly looking down. “No…”

Fingon frowned and said, “Okay. Do you want to get some sleep?”

Maedhros shook his head and slowly moved back to lean against the pillows. He was quiet for some time and softly, “It’s soft…”

“What?” Fingon asked.

“It's soft...the pillows...and blankets.” He said running his figured along the bed.

Fingon chuckled a little and said, “Good. If you get cold I can grab you more blankets.”

Maedhros became quiet as he lay there, he looked at Fingon and asked, “C-”C-can I...hav-ee one...to...hold?”

Maedhros seemed slightly embarrassed and worried by asking this. Fingon just smiled and said, ”Of course you can.” With that he stood up and grabbed a plush blanket from a stack of them that was by the closet door. He walked over and gently laid it on his left side. Maedhros reached out and wrapped his arm around it. He pressed his face into the blanket a bit and a very small smile came to his face.

“Oh. Nelyo,” Fingon said standing up. Causing the injured elf to jerk slightly to the side, he looked over at Fingon who said, “Maglor may still be outside waiting for you to wake up. Do you want me to go get him?”

Maedhros’s smile faded and was replaced with a look of concern. He shook his head gently saying, “no.” Fingon frowned a it and asked, “Do you want anyone to visit you?”

The grip on the blanket tightened a bit as he lay there. He shook his head a little bit, “no...no.” He mumbled.

Fingon nodded and stood up. “Okay. I can go then if you want some alone time,” He offered.

Maedhros shook his head and Fingon felt an ache in his heart. His cousin looked so confused laying there. It seemed he didn’t want anyone to visit him but also he did not want to be left alone. Maedhros frowned deeply and tried to go through the thoughts in his head but he couldn’t. He winced and slowly moved his hand up to hold his head. He mumbled softly saying nothing coherent. Fingon just bent down by Maedhros and gently asked, “How about this, I will stay with you for a bit and if anyone wants to visit you they’ll see me first. Then I ask you if you want visitors?”

Maedhros looked at him and nodded a bit after a few moments of thinking about it. He then moved the chair closer and sat down. Maedhros said nothing as he settled back and judging by his face it seemed he wasn’t thinking that much as well. Fingon however was lost in thought, he was concerned for Maedhros. His strong, brave cousin looked horrible. His wounds were just one part of the issue as time moved on Fingon saw that it wasn’t just external. His mind was fragile as well, Fingon was not sure how fragile but chances were it were high. Fingon just sighed and sat back. He’ll talk to the healers when Maedhros falls back asleep.

“Maedhros?” Fingon asked 30 minutes passed of sitting there with nothing happening. He saw his cousin wince slightly and look over.

“Are you tried? I know you arrested earlier but you still seem exhausted, do you want to sleep a bit?” He offered.

Maedhros looked puzzled. “I-i...can?” He asked softly.

Fingon hid his reaction and said, “Of course you can,”

Maedhros nodded and shifted some sinking deeper under the blankets. After a few moments he fell asleep and Fingon stood up. He reached to pull the blankets up but stopped not wanting to startel Maedhros. Yet, as he was asleep now Fingon stood up and quietly left the room to speak to the healers.