Legolas sat in stunned silence in one of the halls of Helms Deep, the shadows gently hiding his form. No one truly saw the elven prince and no one saw the fear and guilt that ran through his eyes and body. Legolas hid his face in his hands, covered in blood not only of the enemy, but of the several elves whom he tried to save.

"I have failed," he muttered as he curled up tightly. He gently pulled his knees close to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, searching with tear-laden eyes into the hall and into the destruction he had failed to stop. He saw with his elven eyes, and heard with his elven ears the quiet movements and whispers of nurses, healers and men. He saw several young boys whose lives were still ahead of them, lying in bed, limbs or lives lost. Shaking, he tried to fight back the tears and sobs that welled in his throat and eyes.

"Legolas." The prince ignored the concerned voice of Haldir and simply pulled himself closer into the shadows. Haldir knelt down in front of the Silvan elf and frowned worriedly.

"Leave me alone," Legolas whispered, his voice hallow and laced with guilt and pain. Haldir lifted up Legolas' head gently and looked into his eyes.

"What is wrong, Legolas? Why is a prince of Mirkwood staying in a dark corner away from the celebrations?" Legolas could no longer fight back the tears and they fell across his soiled skin.

"Because I am the reason these men died. I failed to protect Helms Deep! I am no hero, I am the reason that Helms Deep was almost lost." Haldir frowned and shook his head.

"No, no Legolas; you are wrong. You did not fail to protect Helms Deep, and the men within. You did not fail." Legolas pulled away from the captain from Loth-Loríen and quickly got up and left. "I want to be alone!" he called back harshly; more so than he meant. Haldir frowned staring at the retreating form of the elven prince.

"He's been like that since the end of the battle," a rough voice said from behind Haldir. The Loth-Loríen elf turned and saw the short, stout form of the dwarf. Gimli no longer had his helmet, shirt mail or gauntlets on, but simple clothes for the celebration.

"I take it you've tried talking to him?" Haldir looked at the dwarf and read his eyes; he saw the attraction that the dwarf had for the Mirkwood elf.

"Aye, though he thinks of me only as a friend." Haldir saw in the eyes of the dwarf the fear signifying Legolas Gimli had not yet told him. Haldir frowned and swallowed hard.

"You love him, do you not?" Gimli jumped and looked up at the tall golden haired elf. He nodded and frowned.

"I'm afraid to tell him," Gimli admitted quietly sighing.

"He is in need of a friend, Gimli son of Gloín. Perhaps more, if time permits. Do not hesitate to assist him. He trusts you more than his own kind. I do not deny that I, too, love him; but you are the one he trusts." Perhaps he said too much, yet Haldir had to tell the dwarf some of what had transpired before the battle.

Before the battle had begun, Haldir saw Legolas and spoke of things to come. Haldir had admitted quietly that he loved the other, but knew that his heart lay elsewhere. Legolas was surprised but did not deny that his love was with another. The prince asked Haldir to look elsewhere and to let their friendship still be strong. Haldir agreed and asked who the prince had found that had taken his heart.

'The dwarf, Gimli. Though he sees me only as a friend.' The words of the prince echoed in Haldir's head.

"Go to him, Gimli, before the time is too late." With that, Haldir left the dwarf to his musings, his chest lighter with the knowledge that Legolas' love was returned, yet heavier with worry.

Gimli watched as Haldir left and felt a slight bit of jealousy rise in his heart, but something in the way Haldir had said 'the one he trusts' hinted to more. Gimli shook it from his head as hopeless nonsense and chased after Legolas.

---

Legolas collapsed in a bed chamber and sobbed into the fresh sheets and pillows. He knew not who this room was for, but in his heart he did not care; the man or boy was most likely dead because of his failure. He tossed off his boots, cape, quiver and knives and laid in the bed shivering with tears and with cold. It was odd. At the age of over 2000 years, it was the first time he ever felt truly cold and mortal. Legolas curled up tightly on the bed, his back to the door and all the world and continued to silently blame himself for the destruction of Helms Deep. He sobbed and ignored, or perhaps didn't hear the door to the room being gently opened and closed.

"Legolas," called Gimli; his voice was soft and worried. Legolas ignored him and curled up tighter, shaking trying to control his chills and sobs. He heard Gimli's steps as he came closer to the bed, and felt the pressure on the mattress as he sat down.

"Legolas, speak to me my friend." Legolas sobbed and covered his ears trying to fight the screams that echoed in his head from the battle.

"Make it stop...please Gimli make it stop...!" Gimli watched as tears ran down the elf's face. Gimli gently wrapped his arms around the shaking elf, trying hard to sooth him and Legolas turned in his grip and clung sobbing into his thick beard.

"I've failed. I've failed Aragorn, the men, myself, everyone! I am the reason that those men and boys died!" Gimli frowned and looked at the extremely pale form in his arms. Gently cleaning a cheek with his finger he was shocked at how cold the skin was, and how old the elf looked. Gimli frowned and stroked the deep golden brown hair.

"You have not failed me; and no one could have known what evil Saruman was planning. Please, Legolas do not blame yourself." Legolas looked up at Gimli and sobbed again clinging. The tears that clung to his cheeks were reflected in Gimli's worried stare, glazed with tears of his own. Legolas' heart paused looking at the side of Gimli he never truly saw. He knew from the moment Gimli asked the Lady Galadriel for a hair that he loved the dwarf; for his charm worked on his own heart as well as the Lady of Light's. Legolas thought back to the battle and how Gimli was almost lost. He shook again and curled his arms around the thick trunk.

"You almost died because of my failure, Gimli," Legolas looked up and gently brushed the bandage that wrapped around his secret love's head.

"But it was because of you that I did not. Please Legolas, listen to yourself. You are making no sense, no one blames you. Mellon, do not let these doubts destroy the light heartedness and courage you have. Out of all the elves I've met in our travels, you have captured my heart." Gimli admitted quietly holding the elf's head to his breast. The shock of a dwarf speaking in elvish was quickly quenched by the shock of a dwarf admitting his love. Legolas pulled away, his eyes dry of tears and opened wide in shock. His mind raced thinking of the words that his dear friend had spoken.

"Captured your heart...? Gimli...what are you saying...?" Legolas' heart was racing and he shook more. His eyes were wide and he felt terrified and pulled away. Gimli frowned and let him.

"Now is not the time for such confessions of the heart, Legolas. You are ill and I am taking advantage of you." Gimli swallowed hard and rubbed the back of his neck, hurt and ashamed at his actions.

"No, you are not taking advantage of me. You're trying to help me, my dear friend. Tell me what you mean by your words. Please, tell me." Legolas swallowed his fears and grabbed the dwarf's hands and held them in his own; looking deep within his eyes. Gimli had always been slightly afraid of the depths of Legolas' gray eyes, yet he felt comforted at the same time. He squeezed the elf's hands gently and felt courage rise within him.

"I don't know when I began to see you in this new light," Gimli began slowly. "Perhaps in Loth-Loríen, but I have since seen you not only as an elf from Mirkwood, but a great warrior, and a face that seems to be only fair and full of joy for all things. Your eyes, though I admit they scare me still, are so deep and loving.

"I know that they must see me as only a dirty dwarf, a creature of the earth who is not fair in any sense of the word, but my eyes see you as a beautiful creature, a beautiful elf, and beauty is what all dwarves love. You have a different beauty from the Lord Elrond in Rivendell, the Lady Galadriel in Loth-Loríen, and even a different beauty from Haldir, though you look so alike you could be mistaken for brothers.

"You have captured my heart, Legolas son of Thranduil, prince of Mirkwood. You have cast a spell upon my heart, though I know you do not know it. I love you, every part of you; and it scares me that you are like this." Legolas was taken aback by the dwarf's poetic heart, but not by his confession of love. Legolas felt his heart lighten and he took the dwarf into his arms and held him close to his chest.

"You have the heart of a poet, Gimli son of Gloín. You do not know what your words have done to me. I have been afraid of telling you for fear that you would rebuke me for 'elvish nonsense'; as that seems to be your favorite term for me. Know that I too have fallen in love. Even if it is with a dirty creature of the earth who is fairer than he dares say of himself." Gimli almost laughed at his dear friend but he simply held him close in comfort.

"Then perhaps now you will believe me that you do not carry the weight of the dead upon you. Know that those who love you will be here to help you; even when you have a stiffer neck than my own father at times. I will always be here for you, elf," Gimli said with a smile. Legolas smiled at Gimli's term of endearment and nodded, his heart still burdened with guilt, but lighter with the fact that he was safe in the arms of his love.

"And I shall always be here for you Aulë's child. This quest, I dare say, had two missions when it left Rivendell, though one was hidden from us until this very day. The Valar knew that, rather than anyone else, only you and I could bring our kindreds together," Legolas whispered quietly. Gimli nodded and kept his gentle hold on the elf feeling the warmth return to his flesh and gently gave him a kiss upon his forehead. Legolas smiled and pulled Gimli into his lap, returning the kiss with equal fondness and tenderness.