Gabrielle was ready to go. It would be a little bit less than a week's journey from Rivendell to the Shire. She could not wait to see her beloved friends again. But before she left she had to ask a certain hobbit a very important question.

She found him where she usually did, sitting on a bench writing intently in leather-bound book. Although today, he was asleep over the aforementioned book.

"Bilbo!" she cried. "I need your help!"

Bilbo jumped. "Well, don't just stand there, what is it?"

Gabrielle collapsed in the bench next to him, suddenly feeling embarrassed With a blush she confessed, "I've fallen in love with your nephew."

Bilbo, though obviously amused, tried to hide it. "And what does Frodo think about this?"

"I don't know. I haven't told him," she said. "I'm afraid he won't tell me how he feels about it even if I did."

Bilbo continued to try to hide his amusement. "That's one thing I found out about Frodo. He won't tell anyone anything until he's ready."

Gabrielle nodded understandingly. "Okay. So, last time I was in the Shire, after four years of knowing each other, he finally smiled at me without blushing for once. And also we had a nap together under a tree one time. Are those good signs?"

Bilbo took a second to consider. "They might be."

She smiled with new hope. "That's good. What should I do now?"

"Proceed with caution."

"Yes, sir. Sound advice." She fidgeted with excitement. But suddenly, she realized she didn't have too long before the time came when the Elves of Rivendell would leave for the Undying Lands, probably taking Frodo with them. She frowned and looked at Bilbo suspiciously. "Why do you think this is funny?"

Bilbo answered honestly, "I've had this talk with young hobbits before."

Gabrielle smirked. "I am not a hobbit."

The Shire was lovely in autumn. It was always lovely.

Hitching her bag up her back slightly, she walked towards Bag End, leading her horse behind her. She finally made it, and wrapped the horse's reins around the gate post. Excited, she jumped over the aforementioned gate and knocked on the front door.

Immediately, there was frantic scrambling and banging from inside, before the door burst open and Elanor came running out, knocking Gabrielle over.

She laughed, "Hello, darling!" Then she stood up and brushed her red dress off as Sam came to the door, looking frazzled.

"Hello, Sam!" Gabrielle said cheerily, giving him a hug.

Pippin peeped from behind Sam. "Gabrielle! You're here!"

"Yep!" she answered, hugging him.

"Come in," Sam said, stepping aside and letting her duck in. He led her to the guest room, where she left her bag.

"Do you know where Frodo happens to be?" Gabrielle asked, excited to see him.

"Mr. Frodo's outside, escaping from the noise. We've been trying to do some cleaning before your arrival," Sam answered.

Gabrielle nodded. "I'll come help you in a minute."

Sam smiled understandingly. "No need. Stay with him as long as you like."

Embarrassed, Gabrielle blushed, but took the offer and ran out to the back of the house, and called Frodo's name.

Frodo was sitting in the tree, and nearly fell out, he was so startled. "Yes?" He saw her. "Oh. Hello, Gabrielle."

"Don't fall out of the tree, now," Gabrielle laughed. "I'm not sure I could catch you." She climbed the tree and sat on the branch beside him. Spreading her arms out melodramatically, she said longingly, "I missed the Shire."

"I suppose you did."

Gabrielle smiled at the beautiful surroundings and leaned her back against the tree trunk. "I missed you, too," she said, turning to Frodo, making him chuckle. "What's so funny?" she smiled.

"You are."

"Don't make fun, I was being serious."

Frodo hid his smile. "Never mind."

"I can see you smiling, Frodo Baggins!"

Frodo grinned.

"What did I do that was so amusing?"

"You, being dramatic," Frodo admitted. "You remind me of Pippin sometimes."

"Oh." After a moment of consideration, Gabrielle decided that was a compliment. "I can understand why. Do you consider that a good or a bad thing?"

Frodo answered, "Usually good, but it depends."

Gabrielle laughed. "Oh, really?" She was quite amused, and swung her legs as she thought. "I think all of us have that little spark of Pippin inside of us. Pippin himself just got an overdose. And some people blow on that little spark of Pippin Intuition more than others. Some just choose to ignore it."

Frodo blinked. "Did you just make that up?"

Gabrielle shrugged. "I don't know. I might have heard something of the like somewhere. But I did make up 'Pippin Intuition,'" grinning, she added, "Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"

"It does," Frodo smiled.

Smiling back, Gabrielle replied, "I'll have to tell that to him."

It was at that moment that Pippin peeked over the bushes. "Tell me what, now?"

Gabrielle rolled her eyes, and Frodo, indignant, cried, "Pip! What have I told you about eavesdropping?"

It was at that moment that, attempting to climb down, Gabrielle slipped and fell right on top of the eavesdropping Hobbit.

Pippin let out a muffled squeak as she quickly got off of him, not wanting to squish him.

"Pippin!" she said frantically. "Are you alright, darling?

Pippin jumped up almost immediately. "Yes."

Gabrielle couldn't help rolling her eyes again, and Frodo began to laugh.

"It's not funny," Pippin glared at the other hobbit, hurt.

Gabrielle began to brush the dust off of Pippin's clothing.

As Frodo climbed down the tree (considerably more gracefully than his human friend had), Gabrielle leaned in closer to Pippin and whispered, "Pippin, please. There isn't much time. You have to understand."

Pippin just gave her a confused look.

She sighed and pushed a curl out of his face. "Just behave yourself, Pip."

He agreed promptly, which led Gabrielle to believe he didn't mean it whatsoever. "Alright."

Still, she was grateful for the fleeting effort and kissed his forehead. "Thank you."

Frodo made it down from the tree and walked towards them.

"Well, come on. Sam needs help cleaning the house. Maybe we can take care of Elanor and Frodo G. while he and Rosie clean."

"That'd probably help them," Pippin agreed cheerily. "Little Frodo has a genius for being in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Frodo looked at Pippin. "I think he gets that timing from his uncle."

Pippin grinned.

Gabrielle looked at him curiously.

Frodo caught her looking and explained. "He 'helped' us get ready for one of Bilbo's parties when he was about four. He kept pinching food, spilling things everywhere, breaking dishes, and he somehow ended up in the cake bowl."

"I'm sorry I missed it," Gabrielle laughed. "Come on." She skipped the few steps to the door of Bag End and opened it. "Hello?"

More banging noises came from another room.

"Spideeeeee!" came Frodo G.'s amused cry, followed by Elanor, "EEEEEEEE!"

"Calm down, you two," came Sam's voice, and a slight *thump.* Sam came to the door. "Sorry about that."

"No need to apologize," Gabrielle smiled. "Would you like Frodo, Pippin and me to get them out of your hair for a while?"

Sam looked relieved. "That'd be wonderful, Miss Gabrielle."

"Please, Sam, just call me Gabrielle." She gestured to Elanor and Frodo G. to follow her. "Come on, darlings. We're going to leave your mommy and daddy alone for a little while."

Sam flushed. "Yes, Miss, I mean, er…Gabrielle?"

Frodo G. came running to her with his arms out, squealing happily, "Spideeeeee!"

"You'll get the hang of it, Sam." She picked up Frodo G. "Don't worry, darling, your father is an expert at killing spiders." She hitched him farther up on her hip, and took Elanor's hand. "We'll bring them back in time for supper."

"Thank you, Miss…ah…"

Frodo B. chuckled and smiled proudly at his friend.

"Good-bye!" Gabrielle smiled at Sam and walked out the door, which Elanor closed.

"Where shall we go?" asked Pippin.

Gabrielle answered, "I don't know. Perhaps we should play hide and seek. She turned to the tiny hobbit on her hip. "What do you think?"

"Seeeeeeeeek!" he agreed.

"We can try," Pippin grinned.

Gabrielle put Frodo G. down, and said to the other Frodo, "Would you please take his hand? I can't bend down that low and walk."

He complied with a smile at his honorary nephew, who was attempting to skip and tripped over his own feet and fell over. Frodo laughed and pulled him up. "Easy there."

"I have never felt too tall until this moment, I can tell you that," Gabrielle noted.

Pippin looked confused, and Gabrielle explained, "As unbelievable as it may sound, I am short for a human."

"But you're huge!" Elanor said.

"And you're tiny!" Gabrielle answered, and began to tickle her.

Elanor squealed and giggled hysterically. "St-st-stop! Please?"

"As you wish!" Gabrielle said, letting her go. "Alright, hide-and-seek it is. Elanor, since you have just undergone the cruelest form of unrequited punishment, you can be It if you so desire."

"I be It," Elanor agreed, putting her hands over her eyes. She began to count. "One—"

They scattered, and Gabrielle ran off to hide in what turned out to be the rose bushes. She gasped, "Bad idea!" and wished she had known that these were rose bushes before she jumped.

Frodo B. stifled a giggle and took his namesake to hide with him inside a non-prickly bush, while Pippin hastily climbed a tree.

"—ten!" Elanor finished counting.

Gabrielle scowled at Frodo, having heard his stifled giggle, then winced at the sharp thorns poking her skin.

"Ready or not, here I come!"

Pippin subtly tossed pine needles at her from his perch, then moved out of sight.

Gabrielle looked up at Pippin with a smile of amusement, wincing as a thorn pricked her arm and a bead of blood surfaced.

Elanor looked up in the direction of the pine needles, and seeing nothing, kept looking. She stopped in front of the bushes and giggled. "Miss Gabrielle, it's a bad idea to hide in the wose bushes."

"I think I'm stuck," Gabrielle said.

"I get you out," Elanor said, gently pushing the the branches of the bush apart gently.

Gabrielle said quickly, "No no no! Get back. I don't want you to get cut." She tried to sit up, but tripped and felt the thorns scrape her. "PIPPIN! FRODO! HELP ME!" she yelled.

Frodo answered her call and came out of the bush, leaving his namesake behind. "Hold still, Gabrielle," he grinned. "I'll have you out in just a minute." He gently started disentangling her from the rose bush, and Gabrielle was able to sit up.

"I need to stand, but my legs are trapped. Will you lend me your arms for a second, please?" Gabrielle asked.

Frodo nodded, holding his hands out for her. She grabbed his wrist and was able to hoist herself out, but she tripped, falling on top of him, knocking her foreheads together. "Ouch!" Gabrielle cried, scrambling off of him, and then helping him to his feet. "I'm sorry! Are you okay? Did I hurt you? Thank you for helping me out of that bush. Now I understand the meaning of the phrase look before you leap…"

Frodo grinned and rubbed his head. "I think I'm alright."

With a happy squeal, Frodo G. tumbled out of the bush.

"I'm sorry," Gabrielle laughed guiltily, giving Frodo a quick hug.

"That's alright. I've had worse bumps."

Gabrielle blushed, and Elanor tugged her skirt. "Where is Uncle Pip?"

"Oh. Ehm…"

Before she could answer, Pippin fell out of the tree.