Before I begin, I want to give a HUGE thanks to my Beta, pingnova, for introducing me to the crazy world of fanfiction! Without her, none of this could ever be possible :)

Disclaimer: This story is merely based off of the fantastic work from the brilliant J.R. who owns the characters, settings, and the imagination that brought Middle Earth to life.

Prologue- Uncovering Memories

Merry reached for yet another wooden box to pack Frodo's books in. Frodo, Sam, Pippin, and he were in the study in Crickhollow packing up all of Frodo's belongings to bring home to Bag End. Merry, by this point, had gone through two large crates on this bookshelf alone and now needed a third one to finish the job.

"Really Pippin, why did we unpack all these books in the first place? We knew Frodo wasn't staying!" Merry exclaimed.

"Don't put the blame on me you foolish Brandybuck!" Pippin cried from his spot on the floor. "That was all your's and Fatty's doing! I was in Hobbiton with Frodo and Sam while you drove the last cart-load here." he said indignantly.

"Well if you hadn't been so late in getting here I wouldn't have had time to do it!" Merry countered, shooting Pippin a playful look.

"It's not my fault cousin Frodo had put on so many pounds he couldn't walk any faster than Sam after too many ales at the Green Dragon!"

"Hey!" Frodo and Sam said in unison. There was no offense meant or taken, however, and they all laughed heartedly, something they hadn't done in a long while.

"But, really Frodo," Merry said after the laughter subsided, "why do you have so many books? Have you even read all them?"

"Not all, but most of them anyway. I'm sure Bilbo has read them each at least twice though!" Frodo replied, a smile blooming on his face. "He used to sit in that very armchair with his feet up on the footstool, smoking his pipe. I'd leave in the morning on a walk or errand or something, and, by the end of the day, there'd be a stack of books piled up at his side!"

"Well no wonder he moved to Rivendell then- for better reading material! Honestly Frodo! How can either of you find," Merry picked a novel off the shelf, "A Hobbit's Guide to Vegetable Choosing the least bit interesting?"

"Ha! That was a present from Lobelia." Frodo explained, "She came over for supper one night and we served her tomatoes that were 'too ripe' for her taste and the mushroom soup 'lacked flavour'!" Frodo quoted in a high-pitched, uptight female voice. The hobbits laughed once again and applauded his remarkably close impecanation.

"Well that I believe! She and Bilbo always had a way of insulting each other when possible, even through gift-giving!" Merry said, closing the trunk lid and dusting his hands off.

"Well, bless my stars! Lookee here, ! Do you remember this?"

"What have you got there, Sam?" Frodo asked. Everyone gathered around Sam as he held out an old tattered book to Frodo. It was slim with a worn leather cover and disheveled pages poking out of it from every which way. Frodo's face lit up in recognition.

"Oh my! I remember this indeed, Sam!" he said, taking it carefully and running his fingers slowly over the cover.

"What is it?" Pippin asked, bursting with curiosity. Frodo grinned.

"Hobbit Memories!" he read. "It's a book Sam and I wrote together about my moving to Bag End with other stories that happened afterwards!"

Merry took the book and fanned out the pages.

"Why, this is no diary, it's a novel! Just look at all these words!"

"That's how we intended it. We spent countless hours and rainy days pouring over this! You know, only Bilbo knew we were writing it, but we gathered bits and details from nearly everyone we wrote about, just to get the whole story! Ha! Sam, you and I wanted this book as detailed as possible!"

"That we did, sir! We thought we'd be famous adventurers someday, and everyone would want to know as much as they could about life in Bag End and what we did and felt!

"Oh come on then! Read us a chapter!" Pippin pleaded, his eagerness never faltering. "We can finish the packing later, please?" Frodo pretended to consider the request thoroughly, knowing that it would irritate his impatient cousin. He tapped his foot against the floorboards and rested a finger over his lips. Seeing that Pippin was indeed bouncing up and down with anticipation, Frodo gave up the act and laughed.

"Alright, alright! Come, sit on the sofa you three! Since I will read, I'll take the armchair."

"Hurray!" Pippin shouted, leaping across the floor and diving on the couch cushion. After a moment, everyone settled. "Ok, comfy now?" Three curly heads nodded excitedly. "Good! Now remember, Sam and I were very honest in here, so no teasing!" Frodo warned, eyeing Pippin who had put on his most innocent face, complete with large round eyes.

"I would never do anything like that, dear cousin Frodo." he defended in a (well-perfected) sweet tone. "Only Brandybucks could be so cruel!" Merry gave Pippin a swat in the back of the head for that one.

"Hey, don't make poor Sam sit between you two! Now," Frodo cleared his throat, "Chapter One, Samwise the Brave."