Disclaimer: Frodo Baggins is not mine, but Elijah Wood is. He just doesn't
know it yet.
Sam stepped inside from the chilly air. Autumn was coming quickly this year, too quickly. Sam hung his coat on the rack by the door. He smiled. It was Rose's baking day. Sam breathed in deep. "Mmm..." He made his way to the kitchen to greet his lovely wife, passing Frodo's study on the way.
And what he saw there broke his stout heart.
Frodo was sitting with his arm upon the desk. His head was buried in the crook of his elbow.
He was crying.
Sam's eyes welled over. He buried his round face in his hands and fell upon his knees in the doorway of the study with a thud. This made Frodo look up and see Sam.
"Sam? Sam, my lad, come to me," he said softly. Sam got up, wiped his sleeve across his eyes, and walked over to Frodo. Sam did not know what to say, but seeing his master so upset, he burst into tears again. Frodo took one of Sam's hands and held it between both of his own.
"Master? What is it, sir?" said Sam. "You can tell your Sam anything."
"My Sam," said Frodo slowly, saying the words to himself. "My Sam. Indeed, my dearest friend, you are right. I can tell you anything. My Sam..." he trailed off. Sam waited for Frodo to say something patiently.
A few minutes past, and Frodo finally said, "It's just that... I don't..." He sought the chain about his neck with his four-fingered hand; the one with the white gem given to him by Queen Evenstar. "I. I do not feel quite right here anymore, Sam." He looked up at Sam's face for the first time. His eyes were bloodshot, his face pale and tear-stained, his expression weary. "No one understands."
"Come, master. You need rest," Sam said. Frodo was right, not even Sam understood at the time that Frodo would have to eventually leave Middle- earth. Frodo did not argue with Sam as he helped his master out of his chair.
Sam led Frodo to his bedroom, and turned the sheets down. Frodo curled up in his bed and said, "Don't leave me here, my Sam." "Of course not, Master. Sleep well." Sam bent down and kissed Frodo's forehead. Frodo was asleep before Sam finished speaking.
Sam went to sit in the rocking chair by Frodo's window. He looked at Frodo's sleeping form for some time. After a few hours, Rosie found Sam in Frodo's chair asleep with a worried yet peaceful look on his face. She smiled softly and went to bed.
Sam stepped inside from the chilly air. Autumn was coming quickly this year, too quickly. Sam hung his coat on the rack by the door. He smiled. It was Rose's baking day. Sam breathed in deep. "Mmm..." He made his way to the kitchen to greet his lovely wife, passing Frodo's study on the way.
And what he saw there broke his stout heart.
Frodo was sitting with his arm upon the desk. His head was buried in the crook of his elbow.
He was crying.
Sam's eyes welled over. He buried his round face in his hands and fell upon his knees in the doorway of the study with a thud. This made Frodo look up and see Sam.
"Sam? Sam, my lad, come to me," he said softly. Sam got up, wiped his sleeve across his eyes, and walked over to Frodo. Sam did not know what to say, but seeing his master so upset, he burst into tears again. Frodo took one of Sam's hands and held it between both of his own.
"Master? What is it, sir?" said Sam. "You can tell your Sam anything."
"My Sam," said Frodo slowly, saying the words to himself. "My Sam. Indeed, my dearest friend, you are right. I can tell you anything. My Sam..." he trailed off. Sam waited for Frodo to say something patiently.
A few minutes past, and Frodo finally said, "It's just that... I don't..." He sought the chain about his neck with his four-fingered hand; the one with the white gem given to him by Queen Evenstar. "I. I do not feel quite right here anymore, Sam." He looked up at Sam's face for the first time. His eyes were bloodshot, his face pale and tear-stained, his expression weary. "No one understands."
"Come, master. You need rest," Sam said. Frodo was right, not even Sam understood at the time that Frodo would have to eventually leave Middle- earth. Frodo did not argue with Sam as he helped his master out of his chair.
Sam led Frodo to his bedroom, and turned the sheets down. Frodo curled up in his bed and said, "Don't leave me here, my Sam." "Of course not, Master. Sleep well." Sam bent down and kissed Frodo's forehead. Frodo was asleep before Sam finished speaking.
Sam went to sit in the rocking chair by Frodo's window. He looked at Frodo's sleeping form for some time. After a few hours, Rosie found Sam in Frodo's chair asleep with a worried yet peaceful look on his face. She smiled softly and went to bed.
