Author's Note: I don't own these people/creatures/places (etc.), so don't sue me! Anyhow, Frodo is my favorite character, and I have this nasty habit of either killing off (or NEARLY killing off) or turning my favorite character evil…(see my other stories for reference) so…I saw the animated LOTR, and this is based on that, as well as the other movies that have recently come out, and loosely on the first book. I guess that's it…oh, hey, PLEASE review! I really appreciate it! J

Chapter One: Illness

Frodo Baggins and the rest of the hobbits returned home after the long battle with the ring.

Sam married Rosa and they were now awaiting the arrival of their first child. Merry and Pippin had gone back to their normal routine (making trouble, pulling pranks, etc. etc.).

Everything seemed normal in the Shire. People whispered about the adventure Sam, Frodo, Merry, and Pippin had gone on. Kids giggled and gasped with each heroic retelling they heard. Grownups frowned and harrumphed, appalled that more hobbits had taken the path Bilbo had paved.

As the brave hobbits went on with their lives, one of them did not.

Frodo stayed inside of Bag-End, hardly coming out. He didn't talk to anyone, merely stayed in Bilbo's study, the kitchen, or his bedroom. The nub that had once been his finger ached horribly, but he felt numb. He couldn't describe his feelings, but he knew something wasn't right. Against his better judgment, he didn't talk to his friends about his strange numbness, afraid that they would mark him as finally cracked.

So inside he stayed, slowly withdrawing into himself.

~*~*~*~

"Congratulations, Sam!" cried Pippin.

They were quite merry, and had the good reason to be: Sam was celebrating the birth of his first child, a girl, whom he and Rosa had named Elanor.

"Oy, here here! She looks just like you! But don't worry, we won't love her any less…" joked Merry.

Sam smiled, but distantly. As happy the occasion was, he did not feel completely up to par. He had put a paper explaining the occasion (including date and time of the party) underneath Frodo's front door, but had received no reply. He had been positive his old friend and Master would come to such an important occasion, but he had apparently been wrong.

"Sam, don't worry about Frodo! He's probably down in Brandy Hall, and hasn't been back! I mean, no one has seen or heard from him in a long time." said Pippin, though inside he wasn't so sure.

"Yeah, Pip's probably right! Maybe…maybe he just slipped off in the night, like Bilbo!" added Merry, though he wasn't convinced either.

Sam seemed to mull this over in his head for a moment, then said, "I suppose you're right…I think I'll stop by Bag-End, just to make sure though…"

With that decided, the trio got more ale, sang more, and danced to the wee hours in the morning.

~*~*~*~

Frodo was not in Brandy Hall, nor had he received Sam's notice. He had been feeling worse and worse over the past few weeks, and had finally taken to bed.

He had changed the bandages wrapping the oozing stump, the one that had briefly worn the One Ring, faithfully ever since he had returned. Not having stopped in Rivendell on the return journey home, he was tending to his own wounds, both physical and mental.

By the time he finally took to bed, he realized that his absent finger was infected. Judging from the pain tearing through his arm in painful waves, the infection was spreading. He tried to call for help, but was too weak with infection and the fever that went hand in hand with it.

~*~*~*~

Sam, despite the protest of his wife, was heading to Bag-End. He was bordering on drunk, and had to stop occasionally to "make the world stop spinning".

He reached the front door, and began to knock. When Frodo didn't come to the door, he began to pound until his hand hurt. When there was still no reply, he used his spare key to let himself in.

He entered, and looked down at his feet. There was the note he had dropped off…but it hadn't been touched. Maybe Frodo was gone, and had been for quite some time.

Sam was willing to except this information and go home to play with his daughter, but something nagged in his mind. Standing in the doorway, he called, "Hello? Mr. Frodo? Anyone home? HELLO-O-O?"

He stood listening carefully.

~*~*~*~

Frodo, half-delirious with fever, heard the pounding, but could do nothing to answer it. When Sam's voice floated to him, he began to rasp, "Here...here…help…" But his dry throat wouldn't allow him to call above a whisper.

~*~*~*~

Sam stood for a moment, and was about to leave when a croaking met his ears.

"Here…here…help…"

"MR. FRODO?" Sam yelled again, but silence answered. He ran to Frodo's bedroom, and gasped.

Author's Note: Ha! Now you have to review! If you don't, you'll never know what shape Frodo is in, how (if) he gets cured, who comes to the rescue, et cetera! So, in other words, PLEASE REVIEW!!!