A/N: This edition of the song is the version I learned as a young child. I understand that there are quite a few different adaptations sung around the globe, so I apologize for any confusion.

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Ring around the Rosies…

Sam smiled as he and Rosie were pronounced husband and wife. Three Rosies could be seen smiling in front of him, due to the tears of joy that blurred his sight, but Sam unerringly slid a slender silver ring onto the real Rosie's ring finger and felt another one merging with his own ring finger in return. It was finally done; his dream had come true.

Sam and Rosie met then in a tender kiss as those who had come to celebrate the wedding cheered and clapped. When they pulled away, beaming, both their cheeks were damp with silver tears.

…a pocket full of posies…

Sam chuckled at the sight of his Rosie picking flowers further out in the garden, her stomach round with their second child and little golden Elanor trotting after her mother. Both lasses' arms were filled to the brim with picked flowers, from posies, daisies, and violets to morning glories, snapdragons, and roses. Rosie picked a few more posies and tucked them carefully into her apron pocket, then called Elanor to her and turned back towards Bag End. Sam hurried back inside to fill various vessels with water; it would take most of their vases to hold all of those flowers!

…ashes, ashes…

Sam drew a gnarled hand across his damp eyes, then glanced at the small wooden box that held all that remained of his Rosie. She was only ashes now. Sam almost wished that he was ashes with her, cold and unknowing, far beyond the pain and death of the world. Images of his Rosie, dancing with ribbons in her curly hair, heavy with child, sleeping in her favorite armchair, cooking breakfast, with white hair and deep crows' feet and a smile like the sunrise… all of that was gone now.

Sam lay down on the bed, curled up, and cried.

…we all fall down.

When Sam fell asleep on that last starry night in Valinor, he didn't wake up. Or rather, he did- but not so the grieving elves that found him could see.

Sam turned, and saw many bright figures smiling at him: Frodo, Rosie, Merry, Pippin, his parents, his siblings... Sam gasped, and then he ran to them. All of his aches and pains had vanished; he felt wonderful, as if he were a tweenager again. A moment passed while Sam wondered who to embrace first, but his family and friends surrounded him all at once, talking and laughing joyfully.

"Welcome home!"