She had been tending the kids all day, yet fear was growing in the back of her mind. She didnt know what she was fearing, but it was something big, she knew something bad was going to happen.

Last night she woke up in a cold sweat. She had dreamed about the Northern Waste again. She was born there, but during the revolt of Valiror, she had fled. The revolt leaders had pretty much destroyed her country, and were killing everyone in sight. She had watched her mother, father, and baby sister Emerald murdered by the revoltists. The memories were still fresh when she had seeked sanctuary in the Shire as a 14 year old, and when she was 29, met Frodo at Bilbo's Farewell Party. When she was 46 (and very much in love with him) he had gone away to destroy the One Ring. After he had come back, and 3 years of layover time, they were married in 1423. Peregrin was born that same year, and Galadrielle and Alexandriae were born in 1424.

But as Frodo held her in his arms, trying to calm her, she forgot all her troubles for a minute, and thought about Frodo, and how lucky she was to have him. She wondered if this is how she was going to spend the rest of her life, and if so, she was damn lucky.

'Frodo...I have been having nightmares about The Northern Waste-lands again. Its almost like I want to go back there again, but I know that if I do, I will never leave, partly because I'll get killed or the memory of my parents will come back and something inside of me wont let me leave. What shall I ever do Frodo?' Lily whispered to her husband.

'I do not know Lily. All that I do know is that if you leave, I will be heartbroken. I love you very much and I would hate to lose you. You know that, I know that, the kids know that. So, for my sake, please dont leave us.'

And that was that. If Frodo told her not to go, it was as good as tying her to a doorpost; she wasnt going anywhere. He had something on her; if he said she couldnt do it, she woudnt.

But as she thought about it, what would she do if Frodo left her? She would most likely have heart failure; thats how much she loved him. And it wasnt just her who loved Frodo; Pip, Gala and Alexiae loved him to. Gala, especially, for she was Daddy's little girl. She loved hearing stories of her namesake, the White Lady of Lorien, Galadriel. Alexandriae was like her mother, she loved to sing, and Frodo always had the right songs for her, like

A! Elbereth Gilthoniel!

silivren penna miriel

o menel aglar elenath

Gilthoniel, A! Elbereth!

We still remember, we who dwell

In this far land beneath the trees

The starlight on the Western Seas.

And Peregrin just loved him because that was his father. What a perfect family this was, she thought to herself. Why Frodo would ever think of leaving or her leaving was absurd. But she knew that Frodo had illnesses, bad ones, that would attack him on March 13th and October 6th, and they hurt him very much. During those times, she sent the kids to Rosie and Sam Gamgee and locked herself in his bedroom, and tended to his every need. He had been almost persuaded by Gandalf and Galadriel to go to the west with them, and he said no, simply because he had a family to raise and that was that. But Lily still worried.

Earlier that day, Gala had persuaded Frodo to tell her and Alexiae another story about Galadriel, for that was their favorite topic. And he did, telling his usual story, recounting the time they came into the forest of Lothlorien, and his visions in the mirror, jokingly saying ' I remember now seeing 2 hobbit-maids, they looked just like you; they were truly beautiful. And I remember the Lady Galadriel saying that I was to be blessed with them...' And, always, they giggled and said, 'Thats not true father, you didnt see us.' And he always said, 'Is that so? Well I am still surely blessed with two beautiful hobbit-maids, and blessed with a handsome hobbit-lad, and a gorgeous wife.' Lily would usually smile at herself.

But today was different. Even thought it was only the 10th of March, Frodo had that faraway look in his eyes as he recounted the story. It almost has seemed as if he was tired of telling stories. Lily had started to wonder what was happening to Frodo, if he was getting to old. He was indeed 65, but that wasnt old for a hobbit. She was getting very worried, for Frodo's sake.

That night, after she had put Peregrin, Galadrielle and Alexandriae to bed, Frodo said to her, 'Lilith, we need to talk.' Whenever he called by Lilith - a name she greatly detested - it meant that something was greatly wrong.

'Sure Frodo, what is it?' Lily said with a touch of worriedness in her voice.

'It is about my illnesses. It has been 13 years...yes I know - Frodo said, seeing the look on Lily's face - but they are not getting any better. In fact, they are getting worse. I have talked to Gandalf and Galadriel, and they want me to go overseas to the West. And I have decided to do so.' Frodo finished with sadness in his voice.

Lily felt like she had been smacked in the face. This was her husband, the one who, last night, had told her not to go to her homelands, because it would hurt him and the kids. She felt betrayed and hurt and lied to.

'Frodo,' she started with confusion written all over her face, 'didnt just last night you tell me that I going to the Northern Waste would hurt you? What do you think this is going to do to me? Did you ever think that maybe we are married, and we are supposed to make decisions together? Oh Frodo, please...oh my god.' Lily was confused and rather upset.

'Lily, I figured that if I brought this up, you would say no immediately and I would get more and more hurt...'

'Is that all you can think of? Yourself? What about me, and the kids, and the town...Frodo, you should have said something sooner. Do you know how this is going to affect me?...I just dont know what to say.' Lily finished, ready to break into tears.

'Well okay. I will see you again...maybe again...'

'Wait a second...your leaving right now? Without saying goodbye to the kids or anything? Are you crazy? I wont let you...' Lily yelled at Frodo.

'I must leave as soon as possible. I can't say goodbye to Gala and Alexiae and Pip, they are going to make me stay. I cant leave them if I go to say goodbye. But I can say goodbye to you, can't I?' Frodo sighed.

Frodo walked to Lily, and embraced her. She looked at him, and tears silently rolled down her cheeks. He wiped them away, and then kissed her.  Lily felt as if her world was coming to an end, that nothing mattered anymore. After he was done, she could see that he was crying to. She hugged him, and then they cried together. She finally made her last plea...

'Frodo, please don't leave! You have 3 kids to raise, you cant just leave them; its just not right. I dont want them to go through life not knowing who their father is or was. Frodo, I love you, and the kids love you and the whole town loves you. You can't leave, please don't leave...'

Frodo looked at her sadly. 'I'm sorry Lily. My illnesses, they hurt me so. I cant go on living like this, it's killing me. I must leave. Dont you want me to be better, to live without pain?'

'Yes, but I dont want you to leave. Please Frodo, I beg of you, for the sake of Peregrin and Galadrielle and Alexandriae, please dont leave...'

Frodo made a move towards the door; Lily slammed it shut.

'NO FRODO! I WONT LET YOU LEAVE!' She screamed.

Frodo brushed her request aside. 'Goodbye Lilith, until we meet again...Adieu, and keep this holy kiss... I love you...'* He kissed her again, and then opened the door, and walked out of Bag End.

Lily put her back against the door, and slid all the way down. She crumpled into a ball, and exploded with tears. After a few minutes, she heard someone running up the stairs to Bag End. She opened the door, and saw that it was her best friend, Rose Gamgee.

Rose looked at her weirdly. 'What...happened?... I heard screaming.... and I got worried... and I ran...all...the way here...' Rose panted out of breath.

'He's...gone.' Lily sobbed.

'Who's gone dear?'

'Frodo...he said that his illnesses were hurting him, and that he had to go overseas to the West to cure it. Oh and I begged him to stay, but...but he wouldnt!' Lily cried.

'Oh sweetie, oh Lily, I am so sorry.' Tears welled up in Rose's eyes. 'I wish, oh how I wish there was something I could do. But I can't...I can't...' Rose bursed into tears, and held Lily's head for most of the night.

The next morning, when Lily woke up, she found herself at the door of Bag End. At first, she didnt remember what happened, and wondered what the hell she was doing there, and why Rose was asleep next to her. But suddenly it dawned on her, and she became extremely upset. She ran to the kid's bedrooms, and found them there, awake, playing games.

Lily heaved a sigh, and called her children forward. 'Pippin, Gala, and Alexiae, I have some bad news. Your father Frodo' -she choked up- 'has left to go overseas. I do not know if we will ever seen him again.'

The children looked at her with misty eyes. Lily could only say ' I'm sorry.' She started to cry again, and this time, her kids cried with her, even though they found it strange that a grown up was crying...

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* - "Adieu, and keep this holy kiss..." William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, Act 1, scene 5.