Author: Izzy G.

Posted by: Evanescence147 (Me)

Please enjoy, and if you don't like this couple dont read it!
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"Oh how wonderful it feels to be home again!"

Frodo stared at the gate to the Shire. So many years he had been away, and now he was getting old, even for a hobbit. So much had happened since the very first time he had left these gates and made the adventure of a lifetime. It seemed he was a different hobbit, and he was- much older, much wiser, and much more sorrowful. How he wished more than anything he could go back to the beginning, and live his life without the ring. But you cannot go back to the past. The only thing you can do is make the best of the present, and look forward to the future. Frodo knew that. He had learned much. Though he felt old, the Shire gave him a happy feeling within.

"Where are my friends? Where are my beloved, faithful friends I had left behind so long ago? Where are Merry and Pippin? Where is Samwise Gamgee? Where is my Sam?"

With trembling fingers, Frodo opened the gate. Its aged, creaking hinges gave off a noise that was similar to Frodo's state of mind; weary, losing hope. He took a step inside and was suddenly overtaken by memories. He hobbled a few paces to the side of the gate and sat down and wept for what seemed like an eternity. He didn't move until he heard a small voice.

"The Shire hero! He has returned!"

Frodo was surrounded by the voices of small children. He recognized none but one beautiful shining face of a child (or now a young woman) called Elanor, the eldest child belonging to Sam and his wife, Rosie. She grinned coyly at him, than ran off into the distance, no doubt running to her other siblings to tell them the news of the Shire hero. Frodo heaved himself off the ground. Though he was now very thin, he only felt heavier each day. He walked a few steps and felt he could take it. He stood up straight and, with a dignified huff, he walked into his hometown.

Several faces appeared shrieking salutations and praise, but Frodo looked for only three faces. He wandered through the crowd, and finally lost all hope of ever finding his friends. He sighed and kept walking for quite some time. Somehow he found himself dallying to his old hobbit hole in Bag End, and was immersed once more in memories. He stood in the silence for a time, when suddenly he heard a faint clipping sound. One that was all too familiar to him. Frodo warily stepped around the side of the hole, trying not to fill up with false hope, but then he saw him.

"S-Sam?" his voice quavered.

Sam Gamgee stood up slowly. He too was much older than Frodo had remembered. But his face filled with youth again when he saw his old, dear friend Frodo Baggins. His mind went back to many eternities ago when he was just Frodo's humble gardener. How they had traveled to Mordor together and faced many hardships. How painful it had been to send Frodo away on the ship to the west so long ago. Sam had grown to love Frodo, and his love for him grew like the seed from Galadriel he had planted in the Party Field. He abruptly dropped his pruning sheers.

"Master Frodo! I thought you was on the great white ship!"

"I was Sam. But I have returned after so many years. I have fulfilled all that I can fulfill. But our friendship has broken off, Sam. I do not wish for it to fall away entirely.

"'Course not Master Frodo. You're here now, and that's all that matters."

They held each other in a tight embrace and a warm feeling spread throughout the both of them. Time was of no importance at the moment. Time could wait.

"Why were you pruning Bilbo's old hedges, Sam?"

"Well, Master Frodo, I suppose it was because they reminded me of you."

A grin cracked across his rye face and they both started laughing for no apparent reason. They laughed and laughed until they fell to the ground in tears, holding tightly to each other, their whinnies turning into hysterical sobs of remorse and pain, but also new hope and gladness.

"Sam, where are Merry and Pippin?"

"Why, we're right here. Did you think we'd miss this opportunity to come have a smoke to celebrate the return of our old friend?"

Merry and Pippin had age laden upon their glowing faces, but they were still the beautiful, playful children they had once been. Frodo exploded with laughter again and the friends gave hardy embraces and pats on the back.

"Wait till we tell the rest of the Shire their hero has returned!" cried Merry.

"We've been waiting so long for you, we thought our old skins were gonna wear out before you returned!" laughed Pippin. And with that, they took off at a run.

Frodo and Sam were alone, but it was more of an awkward feeling than before. Frodo had longed to see Sam, tell him something important, but now that he was here, he couldn't bring himself to say it.

"So, how is Elanor? And the others?" he inquired casually.

"Oh, she's getting' older, bloomin' like a flower, she is. Growin' up to be a beautiful and lively girl, as I knew she would! Almost thirty now. Bless her! The others are fine as well, sproutin' like weeds, they are."

"Ah, they grew so quickly!"

"Aye, Master Frodo. Grow quickly they did."

"They seem so old, but I feel also that it has been ages since I've seen you."

"Well, it has."

"And how is Rosie?"

There was an uncomfortable pause.

"Rosie… s-she's fine, thanks. Yes, just fine…"

"And you still love her, Sam?"

Frodo gazed longingly at Sam. Sam looked at Frodo esoterically.

"Yes, Mr. Frodo. I still love her very much…"

"Ah. Well, I am happy for you Sam. Happy that you have found a good life-"

"But not in the way that I love you."

At that moment they gazed into each other's eyes and understood everything. Then they both started talking at once.

"I should have said nothing-"

"You didn't have to say a thing-"

"About Rosie-"

"Nothing about her"

"What shall we do?"

"I don't know…"

There was silence between them.

"Well, I'm going now."

"Where to, Sam?"

Sam swooped gently down a half inch to Frodo's face and bestowed a light kiss upon his soft, half parted lips.

"To tell Rosie how I really feel. About her, and about you."

With that, Sam left Frodo, heading off into the swiftly falling darkness. Yet he felt as if a great candle within him had been illuminated. With a small smile, he turned and opened the front door of Bilbo's hole. Crowded with old books, and dusty as it had ever been, the old hole at the end of Bag End was in terrible condition on the inside. Nonetheless, Frodo felt at home at last. He lit a fire in the hearth, lie down beside it, and fell asleep.

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