Merry and Pippin charged towards the gate together, always together, they rejoiced when they were reunited. But now they were fighting for their lives and for the lives of their friends. Merry being the older cousin had sworn to look out for Pippin. They were more like brothers than cousins. When Merry and the Riders of Rohan reached the fields of Pelannor, Merry almost wept at the sight of the city before him, knowing Pippin was trapped there. He knew in his heart that Pippin was alive, for how much longer he had no clue, for all he knew Pippin was lying mortally wounded, but alive. Merry trusted his heart which told him Pippin was alive.
Merry was over joyed when Pippin found him on the Pelennor fields. He was even happier to see Pippin was not harmed, but when he was lying in the Houses of Healing. He looked up to Pippin's eyes and that was when Merry saw Pippin had been hurt. Not physically, but emotionally from the terrible sights he had seen. Sights, Merry had no idea how much they would affect his brother. Pippin had taken care of Merry, so well, that Merry was able to come to the Black Gate with the others. Because there was no way he would stay behind and let Pippin fight alone. The first and only time Merry had stayed behind was when Pippin was 8 and he was 16. Pippin was taking a long time picking apples and Merry had a sudden jolt of fear run through him, and he knew Pippin needed him. He had run from the Smails, where he was staying with his parents. He ran to the orchard, and he saw Pippin hanging onto the bridge trying not to fall into the river. Before Merry got near the river Pippin had lost his grip and fell into the cold river. Merry had taken a shivering Pippin home; poor Pippin had a chill for two weeks. Merry had refused to leave Pippin's side and cared for his young cousin. When Pippin had awoken he looked up at Merry and said,
"Thank you for saving me Merry; you're the best brother ever". Before Merry could reply Pippin had fallen back asleep. Merry had smiled down at Pippin and said,
"You'll never be alone again Pippin, little brother".
Merry had already broken the promise when Gandalf had taken Pippin away. Merry looked around the battlefield hoping Pippin was helping look after the wounded, and not being counted as one of the wounded. Merry had spoken to Gimli who said he would keep a look out for Pippin. Merry was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard.
"Master Merry!"
"Did you find him Gimli?"
"Yes! I'm going for Aragorn, master Pippin is over there. Hurry to his side Merry!" Merry didn't need to be told twice, he ran to where Gimli said Pippin was. He stopped and crouched by Pippin's side.
"Oh Pip, oh dear Pippin! I should have been by your side!" He could hardly hear Pippin breathing, and his knee was bent awkwardly as was his right arm. Merry ripped some of his shirt off and pressed it on a cut on Pippin's head. "Please dear Pippin, please wake up you can't leave me and let me be the only hobbit to return to the shire" pleaded Merry. Merry then looked around for the first time and saw Pippin was still clutching his sword that was stuck into a troll.
"Wow Pip! You killed a troll!" Merry exclaimed, he was very proud of Pippin, but then realized the troll must have fallen on top of Pippin and Merry flinched at the thought of it. He stared at the troll, anger swelling inside him; his Pippin was hurt because of this troll. Before his thoughts could wander onto what would have happened if he had been with Pippin. He looked down to see Pippin slowly opening his eyes.
"Pippin?"
"Merry?" whispered Pippin, his eyes still focusing on Merry.
"Yes Pip, it's me, looks like it's my turn to look after you now"
"You always look after me Merry; it must get tiring for you"
Merry looked down at Pippin shocked, "no Pip, it never gets tiring for me, I do it because your my cousin, who is more like a brother to me". Pippin was about to reply when he slightly moved it caused him to cry out in pain.
"I know it hurts Pippin, Aragorn is on his way" Pippin tried to nod, but ended up grimacing in pain. Merry carefully stroked Pippin's curls like he used to do when they were younger and Pippin had hurt himself or was ill. Suddenly Pippin's breathing became more ragged and he began to cough harshly.
"Merry..." coughed Pippin worriedly and when he removed his hand from his mouth, his palm was spattered with blood.
"Merry!" panicked Pippin, which only made him cough more.
"Easy Pip easy!" said Merry, trying very hard to keep himself calm when inside all he felt like doing was to stand up and scream for Aragorn to hurry. To Merry's relief Aragorn arrived, he looked down at Pippin. He murmured some Elvish words and Pippin closed his eyes, if it wasn't for the slight rise of Pippin's chest when he breathed Merry would have thought Aragorn had killed him. Once Pippin was settled Aragorn picked him and walked away. Merry got up and followed as quickly as his legs would carry him.
Merry followed Aragorn into a healing tent and watched as Aragorn set to work on the young hobbit. After a few minutes Aragorn turned to Merry and said,
"Pippin has a dislocated wrist and elbow, both on the same arm and his knee is only sprained"
"What about him coughing blood Aragorn?" asked Merry worriedly looking at Pippin's pale face lying on the pillow of the cot,
"He cracked a few ribs and one of them pierced his lung, I have put him into a healing sleep and once I have given him an herb medicine while he sleeps the rib will heal". Merry nodded as he walked over to Pippin and held his hand, as Aragorn poured the medicine down Pippin's throat. Aragorn left and returned carrying another cot and placed it against Pippin's cot.
"I thought you might want this while Pippin sleeps" Merry smiled at Aragorn as he climbed up onto the cot and lay on his side as he watched his precious cousin sleep. Aragorn had told him Pippin was likely to sleep for two or three days, during these days Merry retold adventures of his and Pippin's childhoods to his sleeping cousin and anyone else who came to check on Pippin.
On the second day of Pippin's sleep Merry found himself telling Gimli about the time Pippin got stuck up a tree. "Well you see Gimli Pippin has three older sisters and the youngest of his sister Pervinca had chased him to the edge of the woods that was near their home. Pippin was 8 at the time and I was 16. I was sat under an oak tree reading a book. Then the next thing I know Pippin is running towards me saying 'you haven't seen me!' and ran up the tree then Pervinca appeared and I told her that I hadn't seen Pippin she had left and..."
"What was all that about Pip?" called Merry,
"I'm not sure Merry you know what girls are like" replied Pippin from his hiding place almost halfway up the tree. Merry stood up and called "coming down Pip?" Pippin made a move to get down but suddenly stopped and shook his head.
Merry groaned and said "why not?"
"To high" sweaked Pippin.
"Well why did you go that high then?" called Merry,
"I didn't want Pervinca to see me" called Pippin matter-of-factly as if that justified him climbing almost halfway up the oak tree. Merry sighed and began climbing the tree. When he got a quarter of the way up a bird flew out of its nest making Merry jump and lose his hold on the tree, he slipped a little and gained a handful of twigs in his hair. He looked up at the sound of laughing and saw Pippin momentarily forgetting his fear of being so high up leaning back because he was laughing so hard.
"PIPPIN!" screamed Merry as Pippin tipped backwards of the branch he was sat on. Somehow Merry to this day did not know how, Pippin managed not to fall because his legs had managed to stay around the branch making him hang upside down. Pippin tilted his head and shouted "MERRY!" if Merry hadn't been so worried about Pippin falling from the tree he would have laughed at Pippin's facial expression and the fact the Pippin was hanging from the tree branch like a bat, with his arms swinging as if he was about to take off in flight.
"Pippin stop moving your arms!" called Merry, but the warning came too late, Pippin's legs lost their hold on the branch and fell, Merry managed to grab on to one of Pippin's ankles. If any hobbit happened to walk past the oak they would have doubled over with laughter at the sight in front of them. Merry was hanging onto a branch with dear life while equally holding onto Pippin's ankle with dear life, and Pippin looking up at his cousin with his arms and a leg stuck out making a star shape. Merry then lost his hold on the branch and managed to swing Pippin to a soft patch of grass and swung himself that way careful not to land on Pippin, as Pippin was swung towards the grass he yelled "MERRRRRRRRY!" before landing with a thump. As Merry landed next to Pippin he groaned and said "Pippin never put me in that situation again"
"Well it serves you both right" came a voice standing above them.
Pippin looked up and while putting on one of his famous 'innocent smiles' said "hello mum"
Eglantine just folded her arms over her chest and a head popped around Eglantine, it was Pervinca and she looked at Merry and said.
"So you hadn't seen Pippin then Merry?"
Merry just sighed "I wish I hadn't"
Pippin gaped at Merry who just gave him a stare that said 'you got us in hot water now'.
Gimli was bent over laughing with the image of the two hobbits dangling from the oak tree in his mind.
"Tell me Merry what had Pippin done to his sister" asked Gimli, who had thoroughly enjoyed the story.
"Do you know Gimli, I never found out what Pippin had done to Pervinca". Laughed Merry. The sound of Gimli and Merry laughing seemed to stir Pippin.
"That's it Pip, I've got some mushroom broth for you" said Merry who was looking down at Pippin.
Even though Pippin's eyes were still closed he murmured "mmmm mushroom broth", this set Gimli off in another bout of laughter as he went to fetch Aragorn to tell him of Pippin's awakening. Pippin slowly opened his eyes and asked "why was Gimli laughing so much?"
"Well dear Pippin I have told Gimli much about our adventures in the Shire together and he very much liked the story of us falling from the oak tree" chuckled Merry, Pippin cracked a smile at the memory. As Aragorn and Gimli returned unnoticed Pippin said to Merry "I never knew what I did to upset Pervinca so much" both hobbits (as much as Pippin could) turned to the entrance of the tent at the sound of Gimli laughing again as he excused himself. Aragorn raised his eyebrows at the departing figure of Gimli.
"I know we are celebrating our victory but I think Gimli has drunk to much ale even for him" sighed Aragorn. Pippin and Merry only laughed in response, once Aragorn had left and Merry and Pippin were left alone again. Merry settled down next to Pippin and stroked Pippin's curls making Pippin sleepy.
As Pippin began to drift off he murmured to Merry "see Merry I didn't leave you and you aren't the only hobbit returning to the Shire you have me, Frodo and Sam to come with you" and then Pippin drifted into a peaceful slumber. Merry smiled down at Pippin and kissed Pippin's forehead and whispered "and I am very thankful for it dear Pippin" and Merry to drifted to sleep.
Aragorn came to check on the hobbits before he went to his tent for a much needed sleep. His heart warmed at the sight before him. Merry was sleeping on his side facing Pippin with his good hand clasped in Pippin's good hand, Pippin slept on his back but his head was facing Merry. Aragorn placed a blanket over the two hobbits and kissed each of their brows and wished them each a good night before departing for his own tent.
Both hobbits smiled in their sleep knowing that when they woke they would wake next to their dear friend, cousin and brother never needing to contemplate the world without the other.