The Hazel Thicket

Finally! I waited for the opportunity for a one-shot with Frodo, May, and Sam! Hope y'all enjoy and Merry Christmas!

"Ah, my first winter here!" Frodo said, peeking out his bedroom window. "Well…living here, that is…officially."

Frodo was now 22 years old and living with his older cousin, Bilbo Baggins. The Old Baggins had finally decided to take Frodo in as his heir. Everyone back in Buckland and congratulated him, saying he was lucky to be the one to inherit Bag End. They all seemed glad it would never be those Sackville-Bagginses. But that wasn't what made Frodo excited. He was happy to spend time with Bilbo, whom he just referred to as Uncle. He was also excited to be permanently living next to some of his childhood friends; Hamson and Halfred Gamgee. The two brothers were closer to Frodo's age.

He loved seeing the Gamgee family. They had something special what Frodo felt like he lacked. Even though Frodo was surrounded by various cousins, he never had any siblings of his own. The Gamgee's somehow gave him that closer, family feel, than any of his real kin had been able to give. The Gamgee's seemed to love, accept, and even look up to him.

Despite all the positives of moving into Bag End, he did miss Buckland. He missed all his cousins- especially the Brandybucks. Merry, only seven-years old, seemed to take the news harder than anyone else in Buckland.

Frodo continued to watch the snow fall as he thought about these things. Early, first thing in the morning is when he did all his thinking. The tween suddenly felt antsy and eager to get out and walk around in the snow. He hurriedly got dressed and made breakfast for him and Bilbo. The older hobbit slowly walked into the kitchen, still wearing his robe over his night-shirt and sleeping-hat.

"Oh…Frodo…you're awake early…and making breakfast." He said.

Frodo quickly served Bilbo his plate of pancakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon. As Frodo sat to join in, he hurriedly gobbled down his breakfast.

"Slow down, my lad!" Bilbo nearly chuckled. "You'll choke. What's the hurry?"

"Sorry, Uncle," Frodo nodded, wiping his face with a napkin. "I'm just excited about the snow. I'm hoping to go out today."

"No wonder I'm aching all over." Bilbo grumbled. "Well, if you do go out today, do bundle up. I don't want you to catch your death."

"Of course," Frodo said as he finished his food. He washed the dishes before grabbing his coat and his cloak. Bilbo handed him a knitted hat and scarf and insisted he wear them. Once Frodo was warm and bundled up, he stepped outside. He breathed in the cold air, and then breathed out to watch as the strange smoke left his mouth. He was about to skip down towards the main road when he heard a voice, scolding behind him.

"Mr. Frodo! Do watch out!"

Frodo turned to see a young hobbitess running up to him. At first, when Frodo had come back to Bag End, he didn't recognize her…this couldn't be May Gamgee, the forth child of Hamfast and Belle! The time before he had seen her, she was much shorter…and her countenance was different… but now, she looked much more mature, and had grown in height. How old was she again? Fourteen?

"You nearly stepped on it!" May snapped, running towards him, stopping next to a hazel-thicket, growing nearby the door. It was planted right where Frodo would've walked.

"Oh, I'm sorry May!" Frodo took a step away from the bush. "I didn't realize this was so important to you."

"Of course it is!" May replied. She knelt down next to the thicket and peered into the branches. "Sometimes, birds nest in here…they do it every spring. I just make sure nothing happens to the empty nests while the birds travel elsewhere…that way, none of them have to rebuild their nests. Sometimes, Sam watches for them too."

"Very thoughtful of you, May." Frodo said gently.

"Thank you." May smiled at him. "I never let Halfred near it."

"Why not?" Frodo asked.

"Come," May gestured Frodo to follow her to the garden. The two made their way through the snow, until May stopped at a small mount. She knelt down and brushed away the snow to reveal a small, humble stump. "Just last summer, Old Gaffer asked Halfred to prune the raspberry bush…only a little…but Halfred must've misunderstood him, or forgot, or ignored him…he cut the bush down until it was no more than this pathetic stump… Old Gaffer was so upset, he knelt by the bush and began to cry…he worked hard to raise that bush. And I cried because I was upset there wouldn't be any raspberries for the rest of the summer. They're my second- favorite berry… at least he didn't touch the strawberry bushes…then I'd really be mad!"

"Those are your first-favorite." Frodo guessed.

"Exactly!" May said. "Sam and I are always the first to be eating the strawberries with cream! You should join us next summer! We'll save you some strawberries."

"Sounds like a good plan." Frodo said.

"Mr. Frodo!" Two faunts were running up to him and May. Frodo recognized Samwise, and Marigold Gamgee. Sam was now ten years old, and Marigold was 6. It was Sam who had called out to Frodo.

"Hello friends!" Frodo cheered, waving at the new-comers.

"Have any birds nested in the thicket yet, May?" Sam asked.

"Not yet. It's too early." May replied.

"You keep an eye on them too?" Frodo asked.

"Yes, well…May does more than me." Sam replied.

"It seems you three do a lot of things together." Frodo observed.

"Yes," May said. "And now we have you too! Mother said to make sure you feel included…well…she was mostly talking to our big brothers- sense they're your age. But we figured we could let you play with us too."

"Oh, that's right!" Sam's eyes brightened. "I almost forgot. Mother wanted me to come and ask if you and Mr. Frodo wanted some hot chocolate. She just put a kettle on."

"I would love some." Frodo replied.

"Come!" Marigold took his hand. "It's the best hot chocolate ever!"

Frodo found himself being dragged by the three faunts into the Gamgee's home. As they welcomed him into the warm smial, he thought about what it would be like living his life in Bag End now. He would have Bilbo yes, but now that he also had the Gamgee's…it would seem Bag End would feel like home after all.