Chapter 1

"I suppose we should be settling down then, eh Pip?"

"I like it here in Crickhollow."

"But you know we can't stay together forever, Pippin."

"But I dinna want to live without you."

"Lasses don't like to share a household. They need something to look after you know. Makes them feel important."

"Then we should never get married."

Merry was silent and he took a long puff upon his pipe. They sat in the front garden at their house in Crickhollow. It had been a year since their return from the Journey, and the flowers Sam had planted in the gardens here when they first moved in were in full bloom.

Merry blew out a thoughtful smoke ring and surveyed Pippin's face carefully.

"Did you not fancy that lass from the Northfarthing? What was her name?"

Pippin choked on his pipe for a moment. "Diamond! Merry. Surely, not Diamond!" Pippin said this in dismay and Merry frowned.

"Diamond was her name, yes, and Pippin I seem to recall you more than fancied her." Merry raised an eyebrow, recalling the time he happened upon Pippin and Diamond near the Great Willow. He had stumbled into the grove by accident, but went wholly unnoticed by the pair. Diamond was pressed against the tree trunk, as Pippin stood, kissing her neck, her chin, his hand beginning to creep up her skirts…

Merry recalled Diamond's giggles and Pippin's sighs mixed in, and wondered what had happened to the couple, for they had seemed young and in-love in the summer sunshine of a few years past.

"Fancied her?" Pippin said this quietly. "Why… Why Merry that was before the Journey. Before… before I became too ugly for a lass."

"Pippin?" It was Merry's turn for questions; Merry had always considered Pippin to be quite attractive for a lad: and in Merry's eyes, the Journey had only helped to mature his child-like features in a most pleasant manner.

"Pippin… What?" Merry said again.

"The scars Merry!" Pippin cried in dismay. "The scars all over, I cannae let a lass see them, she would be horrified! She'd ne'er wish to look upon me again!" Merry was about to scold Pippin for his foolishness, and force him to go and speak with that poor lass Diamond before another hobbit snatched her away from him, but there were tears in Pippin's eyes and Merry didn't know what to say.

"Hoy, Pippin." Merry crooned softly, he scooted over on the bench and opened his arms: like a young lad Pippin threw himself into Merry's awaiting embrace and sobbed against his shoulder.

Merry forgot sometimes, that Pippin was still Pippin. Not of Age yet, still nearly a child by Shire reckoning. Everyone treated Pip differently now, now that he was a hero of the Shire and so much taller, but Merry knew that little Peregrin was still in there, and recognizing this fact, he held his young cousin, letting him cry.

Merry stroked Pippin's curls, he felt along his ear, and winced when he found the ribbon of an old scar. Merry had them too; he focused his attention but for a moment upon his own forehead and remembered the thin scar hidden there by his curls.

Merry wished then, to go back. For Pippin to be in love with Diamond, back when nothing else mattered but each other, and perhaps food on Pippin's part. Merry also wished for his own lass. His bonnie Estella, for she often tagged around with Pippin's lass Diamond. The two of them seemed near inseparable.

Merry hadn't spoken to her, not since he heard rumours that she was courting a certain Alberein Proudfoot. He hoped she was happy. Merry knew that things were different now, even in the Shire, after the Troubles, when the peaceful land had been occupied by wild men and orcs.

"Merry?" Merry had been so lost in his own thoughts he hadn't heard Pippin cease crying.

"Merry what are you thinking of?" Pippin asked quietly.

Everything. Merry thought. He was thinking of how things had changed, how Pippin and he had changed, he was thinking of Diamond, but mostly he was thinking of Estella.

"Nothing, lad. Don't worry a moment more about it." Merry patted Pippin's fair head.

"Now, you know, I think that we should have some lunch, and see about finding your Diamond, because I should like to know if she would feel the same way you do. I bet she is a right good upset with you for stoppin' your speaking with her Peregrin Took! You've probably broken the poor lass's heart!" Merry laughed and Pippin offered a small smile for Merry's efforts.

"Can we have cherry pie?" Pippin asked quietly.

Merry looked down at his cousin: he was so much like a young lad in his manner and speech right now; it nearly broke Merry's heart in two.

"Aye, Pip. Anythin' you want. You can have it." Pippin grinned up at Merry.

"Thanks." He said, his cheeky tone and rosy cheeks returning. "For there is but one slice left, and I dinna think there is enough for you and I to share." Merry shook his head in exasperation. Truly, he didn't like cherry pie, not as much as Pippin anyway, and he just wanted the younger hobbit to be happy.