Sparks Fly

Kaylee awoke in a cold sweat early in the morning, she had dreamt of him again. The silly, fool of a Took named Pippin.

She first saw him a little over a year ago, when she started bar-tending at the Green Dragon. He walked in, pulled up a seat right beside her, and asked for an ale. When she turned around, and saw whom asked, her breath caught. She expected to see the usual, old Gaffer, but instead, she saw a much younger Hobbit, with green eyes, and beautiful, curly brown hair.

He smiled shyly at her, and asked for four ales for himself, and three friends, Frodo Baggins, Merry Brandybuck, and Samwise Gamgee. Kaylee returned the smile, handed him his ales, and he was on his merry little way.

"Who was that?" she turned to her best friend, and co-worker, Rosie Cotton with a new found curiosity in her own pair of green eyes. She pointed in the direction of the four, and Rosie grinned at her .

"Peregrin Took, cute as a button, but slightly dumber than a box of rocks." Kaylee laughed lightly, and went back to work, after around ten more trips to the bar, Pippin found himself trying to flirt with the new bar-maid. Kaylee found all the talk to be innocent, and even found herself flirting a little back. But, things quickly went from good to bad, when Pippin reached out, and pinched her backside. Kaylee's face went scarlet, and before she could stop herself, her fist had made contact with his face, and Pippin was knocked backwards off his bar-stool, and onto the floor. The bar fell silent, and all eyes were either on her, or the Hobbit on the ground. The tension in the room was broken soon after ward, by Merry, who was laughing so hard over the ordeal, he had tears falling from his eyes.

"It serves you right, Pippin! It was only a matter of time before a girl kicked your dumb arse!" he got up from his seat, walked over, and helped the very drunken Hobbit to his feet, and out the door, to his home.

It went on like that for a few months. The four would come in, Pippin would get drunk, and end up on the ground. Kaylee was feeling particularly put off about it one day, and was on her way home for a quick lunch, when she saw none other than the fool himself, and Merry, running back from the direction of Farmer Maggots place. They both had handfuls of cabbages, mushrooms, and carrots, and were laughing so hard, it looked like they couldn't breathe.

"Did you see the look on ol' Maggots face?" Merry asked. Pippin nodded, and laughed so hard, he dropped all his loot. Merry helped him gather it back up, and looked up to see Kaylee staring at them. "Oi, Pip, look! It's your girlfriend!" Merry teased. Pippin looked in the direction Merry was pointing, and blushed. "Hello, Kaylee." he said sheepishly. She nodded a quick, cold nod to him, and walked past the two in at a hurried pace, back to her Hobbit hole.

After her break, she grabbed her apron from it's peg by the door, tied her hair up, and walked out the door. Pippin was waiting at her door step, holding some flowers he stole from Sam, and a shy smile.

"Hi." he said, looking at the ground. "Hello." Kaylee said in response. Neither of them spoke for a moment, and Kaylee waited patiently as Pippin gathered the courage to say whatever he was going blurt out. "I- I…. Uh, wanted to apologize for the way I've acted towards you." he said, not daring to look her in the eye.

Kaylee didn't speak, in fear he wasn't finished talking. Pippin finally looked up, in fear she wouldn't accept his apology. "Can you forgive me?" he asked, meeting her gaze for the first time. He awkwardly handed her the flowers with a shaking hand, and Kaylee nodded. "I can, and I will, young master Took." she smiled, accepted his flowers, and offered to walk him to the bar, if he wished. He shot her a shy grin, and they were off.

Since then, they had been very good friends. But lately, Kaylee had been feeling something a little stronger than friendship. Every time she thought about of him, she no longer saw the sweet, shy little Hobbit on her doorstep, but the Hobbit that first night in the bar. And every time was like the first all over again. She grinned, thinking about how shy he used to be around her. She drew back her bedroom curtains, and saw Pippin, passed out in her rose bush. She laughed lightly. "That silly fool of a Took!" she whispered, and walked outside, to help him up.

"Pippin." she whispered in his ear. "Pippin, it's morning, you need to wake up now." she nudged him lightly, but he make no sign of life. Thinking quickly, she tiptoed over to her chicken pen, and grabbed a feather. She wiggled it under his nose, and he smiled. She giggled at the sight, and Pippin opened his eyes.

"Good morning, sleepy head." she laughed. He nodded, and smiled at her. The way the sunlight hit her face this morning was beautiful. Pippin frowned, and racked his brain on how he got there the previous night. He had dirt on his face, and his clothes were a mess. Kaylee helped him off the ground, and brushed the front of him off.

"You're a mess, Pippin. What were you doing last night?" she asked turning him around, to get the back. "There was something I was going to tell you, and I came over to do it. But, you were already sleeping." he said sadly.

"Well, think for a minute, it might come back. In the mean time, lets get your face cleaned off." she said, taking him by the hand, and leading him inside. "Can you wait here for a minute?" she asked, looking in his eyes, with a look mixed of concern and amusement. Pippin nodded again, and Kaylee went off to her small bathroom, to look for a clean rag, and some soap.

Kaylee wasn't gone two minutes, and she heard a crash come from her living room. She rushed out to see if Pippin was okay, and saw him passed out on her floor, and a broken vase beside him. She sighed, and went to find her broom. She decided to get the passed out Hobbit moved first. She grabbed some cold water, and dumped on his head. Pippin's head shot up, and his hand went right in the broken glass. He screamed in pain, and Kaylee grimaced. "Pippin! Calm down." she couldn't help giggling, "it's one tiny piece of glass. Calm down, sweetie." she grabbed the Hobbit's hand, and held it in a good view of the light. "

Have you remembered what you were gonna say, last night?" she asked, trying to engage him in conversation to take his mind off his hand. "No, not yet." Pippin replied. "I'm trying my hardest, because I know it was important that I tell you." he said, gloomily.

She patted his hand , and grabbed her rag, and rubbed it down with soap. "I'm sure you'll think of it eventually." she smiled. Kaylee put a hand on his face, to hold it in place as she scrubbed the dirt off it. Pippin closed his eyes, and smiled back. "Your hand is so pretty. Did you know that?" he asked. Kaylee laughed at him, and switched sides.

"I love you, Pippin." she said when she'd calmed down enough to speak. His eyes lit up like a young child's might on Christmas morning, and he shot up off the ground. "That's it! That's what I was gonna tell you last night!" he exclaimed, jumping for joy. Kaylee looked confused, and Pippin leaned down, to look her in the eye. "Peregrin Took, what in the world are you talking about?" she asked.

And suddenly, Pippin was the same Hobbit that was waiting on her door step a year ago. His face went red, and he looked down at the ground. "I wanted to tell you that I'm in love with you, Kaylee." he admitted shyly.

Kaylee's heart leapt, and she grabbed Pippin in a hug. "You're not mad, are you?" he asked, concerned. She pulled away from him, to get a good look in his eyes. "No, silly!" she leaned in, and brushed her lips lightly against his. "I feel the same way about you." she whispered. Pippin pulled her in another hug, and kissed her forehead, Kaylee grinned, and wrapped her arms around Pippin, never wanting to let him go.