Aragorn's Moment

In Fellowship of the Ring, we read:
“Their farewells had been said in the great hall by the fire, and they were only waiting now for Gandalf, ... Bilbo huddled in a cloak stood silent on the doorstep beside Frodo. Aragorn sat with his head bowed to his knees; only Elrond knew fully what this hour meant to him.”

What did Tolkien mean by that line? What did that hour, that moment mean to Aragorn? What was going through his head? What did Elrond know that no other did?

This vignette is my interpretation of the moment.

I first posted this story to the HASA story archive and later submitted to and won the 2007 MEFA Award. Much of that award was a result of my beta-extraordinaire Thundera Tiger. She was vital to this story even being written, not to mention its quality. She is priceless!