Heeeeeeeeeere's the new chappy! I promise this one will be longer than the previous one. :)

Chapter 4: Torture and Sickness

Faramir was jostled awake when his head started to slide from the rock he had it propped on as a 'pillow'. He winced as his shoulder wound came into contact with the ground and he sat up quickly. He looked around and saw that it was almost dark out and there were small campfires dotted around the ruined city with Orcs gathered around them. Then, he suddenly remembered: Pippin! He looked around and saw Pippin laying a few feet away on his side and he was curled up in a little ball with his arms wrapped around himself. He was shaking and his eyes were wide and he had a far-off look on his face. Faramir quickly crawled forward and gently placed a hand to Pippin's shoulder, trying not to startle him.

"Pippin?" he whispered.

Pippin did not answer, nor did he make any acknowledgement to Faramir's presence. Faramir looked at Pippin's face closer and he could tell that Pippin looked nothing short of terrified. He whimpered and Faramir could tell that he'd been crying.

"Pippin, can you hear me?" Faramir asked again, "It's me. I'm here."

Pippin slowly turned his eyes to look at Faramir.

"F-Faramir?" Pippin asked, barely audible.

"Yes, Pippin, I'm here." Faramir said, stroking Pippin's shoulder.

"I-is he gone?" Pippin asked.

"Who?" Faramir asked.

"The Orc." Pippin answered.

"Yes, he's gone." Faramir said.

Pippin let out a sigh of relief and he seemed to relax a bit. Faramir surveyed Pippin, looking for any signs of new trauma. He could see some bruising and scratches on Pippin's face and neck, but everything else seemed intact.

"Pippin, what happened?" Faramir asked.

Pippin quickly looked away, as if in shame.

"I....can't." he said, his voice trembling.

"Pippin," Faramir said, turning Pippin back around to face him, "You can tell me anything."

"No....he'll kill me." Pippin said.

"I promise, I won't let that happen. Now, tell me what happened." Faramir said.

"He...." Pippin broke off as tears started to fall, "He....r-raped me."

Faramir suddenly found himself at a loss for words.

"Wh-what?" Faramir asked when he found his voice.

"Please don't make me say it again." Pippin said.

"Oh, Pippin...." Faramir said, taking Pippin into his arms.

Pippin clung to Faramir desperately, longing for comfort. Faramir wrapped his arms around Pippin's trembling form and gently rocked him back and forth. Pippin buried his face in Faramir's shoulder and cried his eyes out. His breath came in hitching sobs and his heart pounded.

"Shhhh, shhh." Faramir gently comforted, "It's all right."

"I-It hurt, Faramir. It hurt so much." Pippin cried.

"I know." Faramir said, stroking Pippin's curly, matted hair.

Pippin coughed as his broken ribs shifted and he moaned in pain. Faramir could see the pain and suffering etched in Pippin's features and he just wished everything would stop if only for a minute so Pippin could feel no pain anymore. Pippin suddenly went into a coughing fit and he struggled to breathe.

"Easy, easy." Faramir said, rubbing Pippin's skinny back.

The hacking coughs shook Pippin's tiny frame and he shuddered. Faramir feared that if Pippin didn't get some help soon, he might die. Pippin leaned his head on Faramir's shoulder and gasped as the coughs slowly went away, his energy spent.

"H-Help me....." he said weakly.

"I wish I could." Faramir said, hugging Pippin close.

"I wish I could see them again." Pippin said.

"See who?" Faramir asked.

"My friends." Pippin said, "Frodo....Sam....Merry."

"You will one day." Faramir said.

They went on for several hours, not saying a word. Pippin slowly drifted off to sleep after a couple hours, still nestled safely in Faramir's arms. Faramir wrapped his dark blue cape around Pippin's trembling body to keep him warm from the cool night air. Pippin's breathing was becoming more and more shallow by the hour and his lips took on a slight blue tinge. Faramir felt so sorry for poor little Pippin. He had been through so much in such a short amount of time. Faramir was bound and determined to get Pippin back to Minas Tirth as soon as possible. He was going to save this innocent little Hobbit, no matter what.

Faramir had discovered early on that he was different from the other teen-age boys around him. While the other boys were off trying to impress girls by joining the army and showing off their skills, he found that he was attracted to men. He had been so confused; would he be accepted or would people despise him? He dared not tell his father, for fear of what he would do. He had discussed it with the only person he trusted: Boromir. Boromir understood him and he did not reject him like anyone else would. Boromir told him that there was no shame in feeling the way he did; everyone is different and everyone deserves love. Now that Faramir had met Pippin and got to know him, he knew what Boromir meant. The first time Faramir saw Pippin over a week ago, he knew there was something special about him. He and Pippin had spent every spare moment they had together and they laughed and talked into all hours of the night. Faramir knew that they had fallen in love rather fast, but sometimes, one just knows. He felt for Pippin like he'd never felt for anyone before. He loved him more than life itself. And for Pippin to feel the same about him was more than he could have ever hoped for. Pippin was so beautiful and sweet and kind and he was so full of life and happiness. He could cheer anyone up by just walking into the room. Faramir did not want that joy and happiness that Pippin held in life to be taken away from him at the hands of an Orc; he wanted Pippin to heal and be able to smile and laugh again.

"Hold on, Pippin. Hold on." Faramir whispered.

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Faramir felt burning hot next to him. It was so hot that it was making him sweat. He opened his eyes and immediately shut them because of the bright sunlight. Once his eyes were adjusted to the new morning light, he opened them once again and looked next to him. He saw what was making him hot; it was Pippin! Pippin's face was even paler than before and he was sweating terribly. The area around both his eyes was red and his lips were a purple-blue color.

"Pippin!" Faramir gasped.

Pippin moaned and opened his eyes, squinting from the sunlight.

"Faramir....I don't feel so good." he moaned.

"Where do you hurt?" Faramir asked, placing a hand to Pippin's forehead.

Pippin didn't have time to answer before a wave of nausea hit him.

"I think I'm going to be sick." he said, turning his head to the side.

Faramir had just enough time to lean Pippin forward before he retched and threw up violently. Pippin cried out as his sore throat burned and his stomach felt awful. He gasped for air and almost collapsed, but Faramir held him up.

"Easy, just breathe through the pain." Faramir said, rubbing Pippin's hot back gently, "Does your stomach hurt?"

"N-no." Pippin weakly said.

That was odd; why was Pippin throwing up and his stomach didn't even hurt? Faramir leaned back and cradled the fevered Hobbit gently in his arms. Pippin was burning hot, but he shivered like he was freezing. Faramir didn't know whether to wrap Pippin back in his cape or to remove some of his heavy armor to cool him off. The answer to his question was answered quickly when Pippin pulled the cape tightly around him, trying to 'warm' himself.

"I'm so hungry." Pippin said.

Faramir was not surprised; Pippin hadn't eaten anything in almost two days. He was not doubt very thirsty, too. Suddenly, a loud cry of pain choed through the air. Faramir and Pippin looked up and saw another soldier, stripped of his armor and tied to a post. There was an Orc standing in front of him with a large, black knife and was slowly making long, deep cuts in the man's abdomen, sides, and chest. Each time the knife met the man's skin, he would cry out in pain, blood flowing from his wounds; it was a gruesome sight to behold.

"Don't look, Pippin." Faramir said covering Pippin's eyes.

Pippin leaned his head on Faramir's chest and found slight comfort in hearing his soft heartbeat.

"Is that going to happen to us?" Pippin asked, "There aren't many soldiers left."

"I promise I'll protect you no matter what." Faramir said, stroking Pippin's head.

After a while, the screams died down and the very weak soldier was carried off and dumped somewhere. When the two Orcs returned from dumping the body, they approached Faramir and Pippin with evil grins on their faces. Faramir tightened his grip on Pippin, determined to protect him.

"Give us the Halfling." one Orc said.

"You'll have to kill me first." Faramir said.

"Oh, I assure you, that can be arranged." the other Orc said, stepping forward and gripping Pippin by his injured shoulder.

Pippin cried out in pain as he was dragged out of Faramir's lap. Faramir lunged forward and tackled the Orc that held Pippin. The Orc fell to the ground with a thud and he let go of Pippin. Within seconds, Faramir and the Orc were locked in a fight, kicking and punching one another. Pippin was suddenly lifted off the ground by a strong pair of rough arms, then he remembered: there had been a second Orc!

"Faramir! Help me! Please! FARAMIR!" Pippin cried, stuggling in the Orc's grip.

Faramir did not have time to react before he felt a sharp pain in his head and he slipped into darkness.

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Pippin was dragged over to a small camp where several other Orcs were gathered around a small fire. There was a tall, wooden post in the ground and there were bloodstains on it. Without even realizing it, in Pippin's struggles to get away, he brought his fist back and hit the Orc that held him square on the nose, making it bleed.

"You'll pay dearly for that, you will!" the Orc growled, throwing Pippin against a stone wall.

Pippin cried out as he came into contact with the wall and slumped to the ground. He looked up and saw the Orc approaching him. Fear gripped him like a vice and he seemed to be frozen on the spot. Flashes of the other Orc raping him were running through his mind and he felt paralyzed. The Orc gripped him by the throat and lifted him off the ground, slamming him against the wall. The Orc tightened his grip around Pippin's neck and jeered as Pippin writhed and gasped for precious air. Pippin felt his lungs burn as he tried to breathe against the Orc's iron-like grip, but to no avail. The last thing he remembered before darkness claimed him was another Orc approaching them with a white-hot sword clutched in his hands....

A/N: See, told you I would make it longer. And, I added in more details, just like you wanted and I explained Pippin and Faramir's relationship. Weeeee!