Maedhros had his eyes closed thinking about many things as he lay there and rested. His mind mostly was on finding his brother and nothing more. He looked up as the tent flap moved to one side and Fingon came in and sat down beside him. 

"How are you doing?" He asked. 

"Not too bad," Maedhros replied.

"Good to hear," Fingon replied. Maedhros looked at him and noticed how worn out Fingon looked. 

"You should sleep, you look tired," Maedhros said. "You look worn out," 

"Oh. I have just been helping out with some of the wounded," Fingon said waving his hand. "I will be fine." 

Maedhros frowned and said, "You are hiding something. What's wrong?" 

Fingon lightly chuckled and said, "I am but I am fine." 

Maedhros frowned with concern and said, "If something is wrong-" 

"Nothing is wrong, Maitimo," He said. 

"I know something is," Maedhros said concerned. The only times Fingon ever called him Maitimo was when he was upset or worried. 

Fingon looked at him and sighed. "You know me too well, in truth I have not slept well since I have been worried about you." 

"Me?" Maedhros asked. 

"Yes. You." Fingon said. "I know you are doing better emotionally but there is only so much you can do by yourself. I know you do not want to work on it right now since your main goal is to find your brother. Yet, so much has happened we have not had a full chance to really talk. I was hoping that I could help you sort things out a bit before we found him since what good will you be to him if you break down?" 

"I am not going to break down," Maedhros replied stubbornly. 

"Perhaps, but you may afterword. I know the way you deal with things is by pushing things off and I do know you faced a lot of stuff and admitted things. Yet, you still blame yourself for a lot and you are not going to get anywhere if you do not admit or face it." Fingon said.

Maedhros looked away and a part of him hating how well Fingon knew him. He closed his eyes and said in a low voice, "Fingon. Just go. Please leave me alone." 

"Right now I am not going to, not until we talk about what you are going through. I am sorry but you keep pushing it off. You will be no good to your brother if you can't take care of yourself." Fingon said. 

"Fingon. Just go away!" Maedhros snapped. 

Fingon looked at him and sighed, "Fine. I am sorry I brought it up but I am worried about you. Half out travels you were silent, which is how you were right after I rescued you from Angband. You were just quiet and blamed yourself for so much. I can't see you fall into that pit again, that's why I am worried. Now, please take rest up." 

Maedhros's eyes shot open and looked at him. Yet, he already left him to sleep. Maedhros lay there and closed his eyes. It hurt he just sent him away like that. Yet, why couldn't he just tell him what he was going through?

Since I am scared, he answered himself. I am scared to face these demons and I do not want to drag my only friend with me. 

He closed his eyes and once more an old memory came to life in his mind. 

~~~

Fingon knocked on the door and gently opened it. "Nelyo?" He asked softly. He heard no reply and came into the darkened room. He walked over to the curtains and pulled them open a bit just letting in a drop of moonlight. He then turned and found Maedhros on the bed, half curled up on it and trembling slightly.

"Nelyo," Fingon said moving over to his side. "Come on. Sit up,"

Maedhros made no reply to listen to the other elf. Fingon sighed and moved Maedhros into a sitting position. His hair was still a tangled mess, the bandages covered a part of his face, his eyes were held barley any light, and were cast down. There was more bandages around the fresh stump of his hand and over the rest of him. He wore loose clothes that were soft but they were scrunched up in man different places. Fingon ignored all of this though and moved blanket so it was laying over him.

"There, you should be more comfortable like this. Also, this way you do not reopen any wounds. Perhaps a bit later when you are feeling up to it we can fix your hair. You look like a bird's nest in it," Fingon sighed lightly. He looked at Maedhros's face but barely saw a reaction.

"My father wants to visit you later," He continued. "I mean if you are okay with that."

Maedhros still gave his friend no reply so he just stood up and said, "You seem tired. I'll let you rest some more and I will visit it to you later."

Yet, as he stood up and began to leave he felt a weak grasp at the edge of his tunic. He stooped and turned to look at Maedhros. "Stay. Please." Was Maedhros's weak reply.

"Of course," Fingon said and sat beside him. Maedhros lowered his hand and was silent for many moments. He then looked at Fingon a bit and asked softly, "Why? Why didn't you kill me?"

Fingon was taken aback by the question but collected himself and said, "Nelyo. I could not kill my best friend, that thought would never cross my mind."

"The pain...everything I did," he breathed looking at his hand in horror and pain. "You should have just killed me and rid the world of the demons that are in my head."

"Listen. No matter what happens, no matter what you say or what you do, I can make this promise to you. I am your friend. I will never abandon you and I will always help you. You are my friend and if are in pain then I am. If you cry, I will cry. If you fall then I am jumping after you." Fingon said.

"Y-you promise?" Maedhros asked. "You can't make an oath. What if-"

"I made a promise in no one's name, so there is no need to worry. Yet, if I had to I will. Since you have to face it Nelyo, you are stuck with me forever." Fingon said cutting him off by raising hid hand.

Maedhros's head dropped to Fingon's shoulder and in a quiet voice. He said, "Hanta-l, Finno."

"Of course," Fingon said hugging Maedhros gently."Now. You should really get some rest. You do need it," Fingon said. He helped Maedhros lay down in a comfortable position. He pulled the blanket over him more and stood up. "There. Sleep well, ninya nildo." He said as he moved to a chair as to make sure Maedhros and no nightmares and was alright.

~~~

Maedhros blinked after as memory faded, he smiled softly at the memory. Why didn't he remember this sooner? This promise his friend made. He shook his head and let out a long breath. He hoped Fingon could forgive him for yelling at him. 

~~~

Elrond came later that night to check on his wounds and rebandage somethings. After he was finished Maedhros looked at him and asked, "Elrond? Can you get Fingon? I need to speak to him," 

"Of course," Elrond replied. "Is everything alright?" 

"Things will be," He replied. Elrond nodded and stood up and left the tent. A few minutes later Fingon came in with a worried look. "Is everything alright?" He asked. 

Maedhros looked at him and shook his head. "I do not deserve that," He said as he sat up a bit. "I yelled at you and yet here you are ready to see if I am alright." 

"Right. I should apologize for that. I am sorry, I was just very worried about you and how you were going to be." Fingon said. "I should not have pushed you, do you forgive me?" 

"Of course and you should not apologize. I should...I am afraid to speak about it since I am afraid that you'll be reminded and learn of all the horrors I have done and it will drive you away. I am afraid to say what I have done since I know if I do that means I will have to forgive myself and I do not think I can do that." He replied. "I do know everyone has forgiven me and no one holds any grudges towards me but I do not think I can forgive myself quite yet." 

Fingon listened and said, "Well that's some good progress," 

"Thank you," He replied "Yet, before I go any more into this I have to make sure he's okay first. Since if I know that Maglor understands what I did and he holds nothing against me I will be more ready to forgive myself." 

Fingon nodded and said, "Alright but afterward and after we make sure he's okay. You and I will have some long conversations." 

"Of course," Maedhros said, "Since I am stuck with you forever," 

Fingon looked at him and smirked. "Got that right," He replied. "Now you better lay down, you need to rest and I do not think you want Elrond to yell at you."

"No. I don't," Maedhros said as he laid back down. He looked at Fingon and said, "Thank you." 

"Of course," Fingon said with a smile.  With that, he left the red-haired elf to rest before they started traveling tomorrow. 

~~~

The next day came and the five elves headed out early into the morning. Elrond checked Maedhros's bandages before he left and made sure he was fit to ride before allowing Maedhros on his horse. Yet, he was fine and well enough to ride; so their travels started up once more.

Maedhros and Fingon rode in the front, Elrond in the middle, and the twins behind them. Maedhros found himself talking easier when the twins asked him questions. Fingon just gave him a smirk to which he glared in reply. His cousin did not have to be so cheeky when it came to certain things. 

Maedhros also find the trip to the house he saw in the Palantiri to be a bit more hopeful, the talk with Fingon he found helped him greatly. He admitting a few different things but it also helped to know he will not lose his friend. 

Glossary: 
Quenya

Hanta-l - thank you

ninya nildo - my friend