disclaimer: I don't own any recognizable characters or settings, they all belong to the Tolkien Estate. No harm is intended, I will play nicely with them and return them unharmed when I'm through. No money is being made from this story, it's for entertainment purposes only.

The song 'Baby Blue' is the property of George Strait, I am using it without permission. No harm is intended, nor am I making any money from use of these lyrics.

A/N: This songfic is one I started quite awhile ago, and just now found it again and decided to finish it up. It's definately not my best work, but it's not too bad, either.

I would deeply appreciate any constructive criticism any of you brilliant author's out there can offer, as parts of it seem awkward to me, and I couldn't quite get them right.

I realize that Gilraen was still alive at the time, but she's not mentioned, perhaps she was off wandering somewhere or something, I don't know. I tend to lean towards Cassia and Siobhan's Mellon Chronicles continuity, in that Elrond is a very loving father towards Aragorn, not some of the others who portray him as...distant, I suppose. As I'm sure you can tell, I have a deep affection for Elrond, and I LOVE Elrond angst. Anyways, tell me what you think, reviews of any kind are deeply appreciated!

Song lyrics are printed in italics.

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Aragorn padded silently down the darkened hallways of Imladris, his bare feet making only the softest whispers when the rough skin on his soles scraped across the rugs that were scattered about here and there. In fact, you would have missed his passage entirely, if it weren't for the wheeze of air trying to escape his tortured lungs.

Lightening flashed in the hallway, silhouetting his narrow frame for a moment, before the halls were again cloaked in darkness. The nineteen-year-old paused a moment, leaning against a handy column to catch his breath, then he continued on his solitary journey. Finally, he reached his destination. Glancing around, he carefully pushed the door open, and stepped inside his father's bedroom.

"Ada?" Estel spoke his father's name tentatively, wanting to awaken him, yet, oddly fearful to do so at the same time.

Elrond had heard his son's entrance and awakened immediately; his warriors reflexes were still sharp, despite much time and disuse. He noted the lad's raspy breathing and sat up in bed, his ancient heart immediately filled with concern.

"What is it my son?"

Aragorn shifted back and forth a moment feeling somewhat childish, but the fright triggered by the burning sensation in his chest every time he drew a breath kept him rooted to the spot.

"Estel?" Elrond spoke his son's name gently, filled with a sudden irrational need to hear the boy's voice.

"It hurts to breathe, Ada."

Elrond rolled out of bed and pressed a hand against the lad's bare chest. "Take a deep breath, Estel."

Estel complied and was rewarded with a violent coughing fit. Elrond reached over and handed his son a handkerchief from his dressing table beside the bed. Aragorn hacked and gasped into the fabric while his father rubbed his back in an effort to ease the coughing.

"Easy, ion nin. Just relax, it will pass." Elrond spoke in soothing tones while Estel clutched his burning chest.

"It hurts Ada!" A tear of frustration rolled down his cheek and dripped on Elrond's knee.

"I know, I know." The ancient Elf continued rubbing Aragorn's back; he could feel the fluid rolling around in the humans lungs and he winced in sympathy. It HAD to be incredibly painful, a pain Elrond as an immortal had never known.

Eventually the fit passed, and Aragorn was able to draw breath more easily. He straightened up, his hands still trembling from the ordeal. Elrond rose and wrapped a comforting arm around his son's shoulders. "Go to your room son, I will meet you there in a moment."

Aragorn nodded and turned to leave, but not before Elrond noted the slight bluish tinge around the lad's lips. Sighing he rose and pulled a robe over his bare shoulders; it wouldn't do for the Lord of Imladris to go running about the halls in nothing but his sleeping pants no matter what the circumstances. Once he was properly clad, he woke Glorfindel and one of the maids and gave them very specific instructions. They immediately set to their task while Elrond gathered the herbs he would need and headed to Aragorn's room.

He arrived to find Glorfindel and the maid already in action and Aragorn leaning against the wall gasping for air in frustration.

"Why do you think I need a bath, Ada?" Aragorn studied the tub Glorfindel was hefting into place with an expression of mild distaste.

"The steam will help clear your lungs." He turned to the maid who had stoked the fire, and was now setting buckets of water from the well next to it. "Thank you, Amariel. Glorfindel can help me from here, go back to bed."

Elrond smiled kindly at the maid, feeling somewhat guilty for awakening her. She curtsied and left with a weary smile for the wheezing mortal sitting on the floor.

"Come on Estel, let's get you out of those clothes."

Aragorn considered arguing but decided it wasn't really worth it and stepped out of his sleeping pants.

Glorfindel dumped several buckets of steaming water into the tub followed by two of icy cold water from the well. Aragorn climbed in with no arguments and settled into the tub with a sigh of relief.

Elrond could see the steam beginning to work on the human's tortured lungs almost immediately, and he cast in a few herbs to help the process along. Placing a rolled up towel behind Aragorn's head, he thanked Glorfindel softly and sent his yawning advisor back to bed.

"Feel better soon, Estel. You have fencing lessons to attend," Glorfindel chuckled as he closed the door behind him.

Aragorn looked over at his father who was puttering about the room. "Thank you, Ada."

Elrond looked up, and smiled at his son. "That is what I'm here for, Estel."

Outside thunder crashed around them but inside there was a sense of sanctuary. Candles were flickering and the fire crackled merrily bringing a sense of cheer to the stormy night.

Aragorn sighed, his lanky frame relaxing as the combination of steam, warm water and sweet smelling herbs eased the congestion in his lungs. Elrond settled on a stool beside the tub and softly hummed a lullaby he had sung all his children to sleep with when they were small. He found himself oddly nostalgic for those times tonight.

Aragorn listened in silence for a while then turned his head to Elrond. "Ada, tell me about her."

"Who?" Elrond stopped humming and furrowed his brow as he tried to divine what his adopted son was talking about.

"Your wife Elladan and Elrohir's mother. You never really talk about her."

Elrond didn't respond for a moment, giving Aragorn serious second thoughts about his query. "Ada, if it hurts you, you don't have too. I was just curious."

Elrond shook his head, "No. It doesn't hurt, not like it used to. I would be delighted to tell you of Celebrian." He smiled wistfully, "I remember the first time I met her, I was injured rather badly in one of the last skirmishes after the Last Alliance. Glorfindel carried me back here, to Imladris. I remember awakening in my own bed to look into a pair of the bluest eyes I had ever seen..."

She looked so much like a lady

But she was so much like a child

Elrond groaned and cracked open one eye experimentally. He bit back a yelp as bright light assailed his aching head and snapped it shut again.

"Are you awake again? Perhaps you will stay with us this time, hmm?"

The smoky feminine voice caught his attention, he had never before heard it yet this maiden sounded somehow familier. He decided to risk opening his eyes again, and was rewarded with a vision of loveliness.

"Ah, good morning Lord Elrond." She smiled, and Elrond felt his heart thump against his breastbone inexplicably. He raised a hand and rubbed it over his chest, thinking perhaps there was some kind of injury there that caused it. Of course there wasn't. In fact, it appeared that his chest was the only area that had not sustained some kind of injury.

The maiden laid a cool rag on his forehead and helped him to sit up in bed. "Are you hungry?"

Elrond nodded mutely, finding himself utterly unable to speak. She produced a bowl of broth and held a spoonful to his parched lips. "I'm Celebrian, by the way. My mother Galadriel, asked me to watch over you while she and Ada got some rest."

A devil when she held me close

An angel when she smiled

His smoky eyes never left hers as she fed him the broth slowly.

As his mental faculties slowly returned (their absense could possibly be attributed to the head injury he had sustained, but Elrond forever claimed it was her beauty that rendered him speechless that morn), Elrond began to see bits of his good friends Galadriel and Celeborn in her features.

Her hair, at first appearing to be silver like her father, actually had golden highlights in it, and curled wildly about her slender frame. Elrond almost had to physically restrain himself to keep from running a hand through the thick, silky mass.

She had her mother's eyes; sapphire in color, with all the gentle wisdom Galadriel seemed to have been born with. But she had her father's smile, large and generous, making those eyes crinkle at the corners and sparkle like stars. Her pale skin was like ivory, smooth and flawless, and it looked as soft as a newborn babe.

All in all, she was a vision of dewy perfection to his war-weary eyes; it took all his strength not to wrap his arms around her and just bury his face in that sweet smelling hair.

She always held it deep inside

But somehow I always knew

She’d go away when the grass turned green

And the sky turned baby blue

As the days passed, Celebrian spent most of her spare time tending the Lord of Imladris' wounds. Though it was her unusual beauty that had first caught his eye it was her unique spirit that captured his heart.

Gentle as a dove, but wild as a sparrow; she was untameable and seemingly unattainable to him. When he finally found the courage to confess his love, he was astounded and humbled to learn that she felt the same way about him.

Baby blue

Was the color of her eyes

Baby blue

Like the colorado skies

Like a breath of spring she came and left

And I still don’t know why

So, here’s to you and whoever

Holds my baby blue tonight

"Oh Estel," Elrond laughed, "I was positively smitten, and she knew it all along! I'll tell you a secret; females will always know more about us than we do about them."

Aragorn laughed lightly, careful to avoid another coughing fit. "Tell me more, Ada. What was it like being married? Do you miss it? If you knew what would happen, would you have married her anyways?"

Elrond chuckled, and raised his hands in surrender. "Peace, Estel! I will tell you all you want to know! As for if I would do it again, in a heartbeat Estel, in a heartbeat. She alone was worth the heartache later on, and she gave me three beautiful children, as well!"

The Elf Lord sighed sadly, "Someday soon, I will be able to tell her that in person." He turned his suddenly shining eyes to his adopted son, "Part of me cannot wait for that moment, Estel."

She brought color to my life

That my eyes have never touched

Elrond stood fidgeting beside Glorfindel, who was acting as his father on this fine spring afternoon.

"Easy mellon nin, it won't be much longer now." Glorfindel grinned impishly at his dearest friend. "Soon you will have given up your freedom forever!"

"I'm getting married, not selling myself into slavery, Glorfindel!" Elrond glared at the Gondolin Elf fiercely, who shrugged it off with an endearing grin.

"Well don't look now, because here comes the slave-driver!"

Elrond turned his head and found himself suddenly unable to draw breath.

Clad in a gown of silvery-white with flowers woven in her hair and sewn into her dress, Celebrian was a vision of Elven beauty that would dance through Elrond's dreams for the rest of his life.

She smiled nervously as her father placed her hand in Elrond's own slightly clammy palm. Clutching one another's hands tightly, they took that fateful step toward eternity together.

When she taught me how to care

I’ve never cared so much

"Elrond! Slow down, do you think it is easy for me to walk in this condition?" Celebrian leaned against a handy tree trying to catch her breath, her swollen abdomen heaving up and down as she gasped for air.

Elrond turned, and smiled. "I apologize, meleth nin! I forget sometimes that you are not as fleet as you once were. Why don't we stop and have lunch here, and I will show you where the new mallorn trees were planted later, alright?"

She smiled in return and sank awkwardly to the ground. "Thank you, I do want to see where Glorfindel planted those saplings my father sent over when he heard about the baby, but I appreciate a moment to rest, too! Your firstborn will not keep still for a moment; it is as though there were two infants in there!" She rested a hand on her belly a moment while Elrond set out the light lunch he had packed.

"Perhaps there are," He chuckled. "After all I am a twin, and my mother had brothers who were twins as well!"

She gave him a dark look, "Do not joke. You are not the one who will have to give birth!"

Elrond laughed out loud and wrapped his arms affectionately around her. "I will hold your hand the entire time Cel, no matter how many elflings you give birth to!"

She laughed despite herself and nestled her head in his shoulder, "You make it sound as though I am going to give birth to a litter!"

"Well, as much as your belly has grown these last months..." Elrond trailed off when she glared at him, "I'm only joking! You know you are the most beautiful thing in the world to me, and always will be. No matter what."

I try not to think of her

But I fall asleep and do

And go away where the grass turns green

And the sky is baby blue

Elrond snapped back to the present day, and quickly realized that Estel had dozed off in the tub.

Chuckling, he gently woke the lad and helped him into dry clothes, then propped him up in bed so he could breathe more easily.

Aragorn immediately slipped back into sleep and Elrond prepared to sit vigil beside his son's bed.

Curled up under a comforter in one of the armchair scattered about the human's room, the ancient Elf soon drifted off, and found himself dreaming of the day when he could return to his long-lost love's arms once again.

Baby blue

Was the color of her eyes

Baby blue

Like the colorado skies

Like a breath of spring she came and left

And I still don’t know why

So, here’s to you and whoever

Holds my baby blue tonight