disclaimer: I don't own any recognisable characters or settings, they all belong to Tolkien's Estate. This is just for fun, no harm intended, and I'm not making any money from it.

The The Story of my Life is the property of Neil Diamond, and again, no harm is intended, no profit is being made from the use of these lyrics.

A/N: This is an Arwen/Aragorn romance fic, if you don't like this kind of thing, turn back immediately. The song is by Neil Diamond, and one of my personal favorites, I suggest you listen to it if you haven't already

Special thanks to Cathy for beta'ing, this wouldn't be as beautiful as it is withour her help.

Reviews are warmly welcomed, and even requested, however, all flames will be laughed at by me and all my friends, and then deleted.

Please feel free to check out some of my other fics!

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Aragorn Elessar lay on his back, propped up on a stack of pillows so he could survey the room.

He had lived a long life, tomorrow he would be 210 years old and, in his heart, Aragon knew it was almost time for him to leave this world.

Sitting across the room were Legolas and Gimli, all that remained of the Fellowship here in Middle Earth.

Aragorn had spoken his farewells to them, and to his children as well.

They had filed in, his beautiful daughters sniffling, his son standing tall and proud, trying to hide his emotions. They had said their final farewells, each one more emotional than the last.

Aragorn's thoughts turned to those he wished were here, those who he would never see again. His brothers, Elladan and Elrohir, had sailed about 30 years ago, unable to face him aging any further. Elrond had sailed long before.

There were other farewells he had hating making, those to Faramir and Eowyn, Eomer and Lothiriel, Merry, Pippin, Gandalf, Sam, Frodo and Boromir.

All of them had passed from this world long ago, either by death or sailing.

Despite the almost tangible grief that filled the room, Aragorn was strangely at peace, he had said his goodbyes, and now Arwen was ushering everyone out of the room. It was almost dawn, almost his birthday, and he had one final farewell to make, the only one he truly dreaded.

The story of my life is very plain to read

It starts the day you came

And ends the day you leave

"Do you need anything, Aragorn?" Arwen's voice was soft, as always, but he could easily hear the grief that colored it.

"No, Undomiel. I have all I need." He covered her hand with his, all the love in the world was conveyed in that simple gesture.

Her smoky eyes closed tight for a moment, as though she were gathering her courage. "I wish we didn't have to face this, it doesn't seem fair. We should have had more time."

"I know, but Illuvitar's plan is never clear to those of us it includes, meleth nin." His once youthful face was now weathered and wrinkled, and in his grey eyes there was an ancient wisdom, the kind one usually only finds in very old elves. For a moment he reminded Arwen of her father, and she smiled at the thought.

"What's so funny?" He crooked one eyebrow in a familiar expression, one she had seen him make a hundred thousand times.

"You reminded me of Ada, for a moment." She gently brushed her hand across his cheek.

Aragorn chuckled softly, careful not to inflict another coughing fit upon himself, "I guess that means I'm getting old then?" They both shared a moment of laughter, the last moment of laughter. "Do you know, Undomiel, that if I were to write down the story of my life it would not be about kingdoms and quests. It would be about you, and our family. Of all the things I've done in my life, those are the most important."

The story of my life begins and ends with you

The names are still the same

And the story’s still the truth

A single silver tear ran down Arwen's face. "And you are the story of my life, as well. I may have lived many hundreds of years before I met you, but it feels as if my life didn't begin until you held me in your arms."

I was alone.

You found me waiting and made me your own

"Funny," he said, "I thought I wasn't born until the moment I laid eyes upon you. Whatever else I have faced in my life, it was you who gave me the courage to succeed. If the historians were honest they would credit you with rebuilding Gondor, for I do not think I would have been able to do it without the promise of your love."

I was afraid

That somehow I never could be

The man that you wanted of me

"Do you remember, Elessar, our first kiss?" Arwen's eyes misted over at the memory of that night.

"Of course I do," Aragorn answered, smiling wistfully. "You were wearing a blue gown, with little green beads on it. You looked so beautiful, and I was positively terrified!"

Arwen smiled, "I was scared, too, but you reached out, and ran your fingers through my hair, and pressed your lips to mine. Kissing you made me feel like I was flying."

Aragorn reached up a hand, and ran it through her dark silky hair, and gently tugged her head down towards his.

They shared a tender kiss, and as their lips met, a shaft of sunlight broke into the King's Chamber, rosy with the light of dawn.

You’re the story of my life, and every word is true

Each chapter sings your name

Each page begins with you

It’s the story of our times and never letting go

If I die today,

I wanted you to know

As they kissed, a hundred thousand memories flashed before his eyes. The first time he had seen her, and mistaken her for Luthien. The time he had tried to toss her in the pond, only to find himself thrown in instead. When they had met in Lorien, and she had promised to cleave to him. That last look at her as he left Rivendell with the Fellowship.Their wedding day, their wedding night. The sight of porcelain skin flushed with passion, of grey eyes dark with desire. The births of each of their children. Impromptu wrestling matches on lazy saturday mornings in bed. Dances, kisses, hugs, the sound of her laughter, the feeling of her hand in his. 

All of this flashed before his eyes, while their lips pressed together in that tender kiss. Then, his hand slipped from her hair, and the light died in his eyes.

Stay with me here

Share with me, care with me

Stay and be near

And when it began

I’d lie awake every night

Just knowing somewhere deep inside

That our affair just might write

Arwen pulled back and found his eyes empty, no longer sparkling with warmth and humor.

"Noooo...." Her heartfelt plea echoed through the chamber, but it was too late.

Aragorn Elessar had slipped away, his final breath had passed between her lips. It was as though he was passing something of himself onto her, but she knew she could not carry it.

Arwen stayed in The White City, until the day after Aragorn was laid to rest. Then she bid farewell to their children, and disappeared into the wilderness, heading for what remained of Lothlorien. As she wandered among the fading Mallorn trees, it didn't feel like coming home, as she had expected. The former realm of her grandmother, Galadriel, was empty, abandoned, as was Arwen's heart.

So, she made her way to Cerin Amroth, the place where she had promised her life to Aragorn. It was there she laid down, and gave up what remained of her tattered soul to eternity, hoping to be reunited with the one her heart used to beat for.

Like his, it would now stop beating.

The story of my life is very plain to read

It starts the day you came

It ends the day you leave

Her eyes closed, and for what seemed like an eternity, she knew nothing.

Then, Arwen Undomiel felt a tender caress upon her cheek. She opened her eyes, and there before her stood Aragorn Elessar.

He reached out a hand, and without a second thought, she placed her hand in his.

Hand in hand, they walked away.

~*~