Gandalf has turned off all light, and it's dark now, so dark that I have to grope my way forward. Somewhere just in front of me I can hear Pippin's staggering steps and quiet breathing. He is trying, really trying his best to stay quiet as we press forward, but I know that it is most likely he just wants to turn around and run back out the other way, watcher or no.
I nearly walk straight into him when he stops. "Merry?" I can barely make out the quivering word.
I find the searching hand at my side and grasp it tightly. "It's ok Pip. Go on." Sam is muttering something in my neck and I give Pippin a careful push to make him continue.
His hand doesn't let go of mine as we continue. I can feel how he is shivering, and I wish I could just stop and hold him tight and creep in somewhere to hide. I wish Elrond hadn't let him come; he would be safely home in the Shire by now. With me, of course, because if they hadn't let him go I wouldn't have gone either. I do love Pippin more than Frodo. And anyway, Frodo has Sam.
We stop again. I take the opportunity to slip an arm around Pippin, and he presses his quivering body to mine. I know how scared Pippin is of the dark, and the smell of death in this place is enough to shake anyone.
"Let's rest for a while." Aragorn's voice seep through the darkness. I sit down before anyone else has the time to answer and pull Pippin to me, trying my best to calm him.
"I'm hungry, Merry." His warm breath tickles my neck and I pull him a little tighter. I search my pockets but all I find is an apple. My very last apple. I give it to him and he munches away quietly.
I sit there, listening to Pippin's munching and the inaudible murmurs of the others talking, thinking about the Shire, and my family, and all our friends there. And I think about Bree, and Rivendell, and everything that has happened. And even as I think of Weathertop and the time when Frodo had been stabbed and we all thought he wouldn't make it, I feel that the worst is yet to come.
Pippin has finished the apple and is cuddling closer to me. He shudders slightly and I wonder what he is thinking about.
"Won't you kiss me, Merry?" The whispered request is sudden, and suddenly his face is so close to me. I don't have time to think before his lips are on my own.
He tastes sweet, like apple, and like himself. The kiss is short, barely more than a touching of warm lips, and tentative. He pulls away a little, and his small hand touches my cheek momentarily.
"Now, Merry," he says, his voice quivering a little. "If we die in this place, then at least I got to kiss you before the end." He stops and even though I can't see him I know he is blushing. "I'm sorry, Merry; I know it's not right but… I love you, Merry." He starts to move away from me, but a catch hold of his arm and pull him back.
"And I love you too, Pip." I confess, at last, and kiss him deeply.
Now at least, if we die in this place, we will go together; and we will be loved.
THE END
I nearly walk straight into him when he stops. "Merry?" I can barely make out the quivering word.
I find the searching hand at my side and grasp it tightly. "It's ok Pip. Go on." Sam is muttering something in my neck and I give Pippin a careful push to make him continue.
His hand doesn't let go of mine as we continue. I can feel how he is shivering, and I wish I could just stop and hold him tight and creep in somewhere to hide. I wish Elrond hadn't let him come; he would be safely home in the Shire by now. With me, of course, because if they hadn't let him go I wouldn't have gone either. I do love Pippin more than Frodo. And anyway, Frodo has Sam.
We stop again. I take the opportunity to slip an arm around Pippin, and he presses his quivering body to mine. I know how scared Pippin is of the dark, and the smell of death in this place is enough to shake anyone.
"Let's rest for a while." Aragorn's voice seep through the darkness. I sit down before anyone else has the time to answer and pull Pippin to me, trying my best to calm him.
"I'm hungry, Merry." His warm breath tickles my neck and I pull him a little tighter. I search my pockets but all I find is an apple. My very last apple. I give it to him and he munches away quietly.
I sit there, listening to Pippin's munching and the inaudible murmurs of the others talking, thinking about the Shire, and my family, and all our friends there. And I think about Bree, and Rivendell, and everything that has happened. And even as I think of Weathertop and the time when Frodo had been stabbed and we all thought he wouldn't make it, I feel that the worst is yet to come.
Pippin has finished the apple and is cuddling closer to me. He shudders slightly and I wonder what he is thinking about.
"Won't you kiss me, Merry?" The whispered request is sudden, and suddenly his face is so close to me. I don't have time to think before his lips are on my own.
He tastes sweet, like apple, and like himself. The kiss is short, barely more than a touching of warm lips, and tentative. He pulls away a little, and his small hand touches my cheek momentarily.
"Now, Merry," he says, his voice quivering a little. "If we die in this place, then at least I got to kiss you before the end." He stops and even though I can't see him I know he is blushing. "I'm sorry, Merry; I know it's not right but… I love you, Merry." He starts to move away from me, but a catch hold of his arm and pull him back.
"And I love you too, Pip." I confess, at last, and kiss him deeply.
Now at least, if we die in this place, we will go together; and we will be loved.
THE END