A/N: Wow, this is a long chapter! Sorry 'bout that, the next one will be shorter. I'm so glad you guys like my story so far! I'll do my best not to let anyone down. And of course, if anyone has any ideas for future chapters, feel free to review and tell me! (*^_^*) Hope you enjoy this chapter as well! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own LOTR, nor its characters.

Chapter 4: Beginning of the Journey

Within the next few hours, they had collected everything they were going to need on their journey. Sam ended up carrying most of the stuff like the pots, pans, and food. He was also fully informed on everything that was going on and the severity of the situation he and Frodo were both now in. He felt a large amount of sympathy for Frodo as he was being told of everything; such a kind and innocent person being forced to carry and protect such great evil from getting in to the wrong hands. Sam made a silent promise to help in every way possible.

"Don't you leave him, Samwise Gamgee." Sam remembers Gandalf telling him when Frodo was out of hearing range. As if the thought to do so had ever once crossed Sam's mind. He would gladly follow Frodo to the darkest corners of Middle-earth and back if that needed to be done. Especially since Sam had a gut feeling he was going to have to prove that eventually, but he didn't tell Frodo about his somber suspicions.

It was early in the morning by the time they started setting out towards the border of the Shire. Gandalf waited until they were all away from people who could hear them and deep into a forest before speaking to them.

"Be careful, both of you," Gandalf warned. "The enemy has many spies in his service: birds, beasts." He stopped and turned to Frodo. "Is it safe?" Frodo responded by putting his hand over the pocket he kept the Ring in. Gandalf kneeled down so he could lower his voice, but still kept it loud enough so Sam could hear him. "Never put it on… for the agents of the Dark Lord will be drawn to its power. Always remember, Frodo, the Ring is trying to get back to its master. It wants to be found." He then patted Frodo's shoulder, got on his horse and took off quickly, leaving Sam and Frodo alone to continue on their journey.

Once Gandalf was gone, they heard loud and strange animal sounds which immediately startled Frodo (as he remembered Gandalf's warning about spies); Sam could easily tell, so he walked a few steps closer to Frodo to remind him he was there to look after him. When Frodo calmed down a little, he took a deep breath and started walking, Sam making sure he was only a couple of steps behind. Most of their walk was made in silence until they came to an area that looked quite familiar to Sam.

"This is it," Sam commented, looking around.

"This is what?" Frodo asked.

"If I take one more step… it will be the farthest away from home I've ever been."

Frodo walked back towards Sam a little and gave a comforting smile. "Come on, Sam." Sam hesitated, but eventually walked so he was standing right next to his friend. Frodo put an arm on Sam's back to reassure him that there was nothing to worry about. "Remember what Bilbo used to say: It's a dangerous business, Frodo. Going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet … there's no knowing where you might be swept off to."

When they both felt that had walked long enough for the day, they found a place where they could camp out for the night. Sam volunteered to cook dinner for them both that night, much to Frodo's delight since Sam knew more about cooking than he did. To help, Frodo got a good fire going that Sam could heat up the pan with and while Sam cooked, Frodo sat on a slanted tree and smoked some of his pipe-weed to relax. Sam decided to smoke some of his own pipe-weed while he cooked since the smell was too intoxicating to resist.

After a few minutes, Frodo heard something that caught his attention. "Sam," Frodo got his attention. Sam looked up and Frodo and snapped his head around the other way when he heard the same sound. It was singing. "Wood-elves," Frodo smiled and said, and they both got up to find the source of the beautiful singing. When they did, they hid behind a fallen tree to watch the elves.

"They're going to the harbor beyond the White Towers." Frodo pointed out quietly. "To the Grey Havens."

"They're leaving Middle-earth."

"Never to return."

"I don't know why… it makes me sad."

They headed back to their camp a while later and finished eating. When they got out their bedding, Sam tried put his close to Frodo's, but not too close, as he didn't want to be so bold. Although he was more comfortable than he expected, Sam still could not find sleep that night. "Everywhere I lie there's a dirty great root sticking into my back." Sam complained, even though it didn't bother him that much. The thing that bothered him the most was that there was still a campfire and a good portion of their stuff separating him and Frodo.

"Just shut your eyes… and imagine your back in your own bed," Sam looked over at Frodo as he spoke sleepily. "With a soft mattress and a lovely feather pillow." Sam tried to follow his advice and closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep, but it had no effect. "It's not working, Mr. Frodo. I'm never going to be able to sleep out here."

Frodo, with a small hint of humor or amusement in his voice said back, "Me neither, Sam."

Sam picked a piece of leftover food and starting eating since he was starting to give up on sleep. By the time he was done with it though, he started to hear quiet snoring. Frodo was asleep, so Sam decided to try once more to do the same. He leaned back and closed his eyes and tried to envision the same things Frodo had told him to do before; still no effect. After a couple of minutes of conjuring up things to get him to relax, the thought entered his mind of instead of being in the spot he was now, he was next to Frodo with his arm draped over him, holding him close, at least close enough that he would be able to inhale and breathe in his scent. With that thought in his mind he was able to fall asleep in no time at all.

Even though he was the last to fall asleep, Sam was the first to wake up in the morning since he was startled by a nightmare. He had dreamt that he had lost Frodo and he got hurt because Sam wasn't there to protect him. Sam had forgotten most of the little details, but the fear still remained in him. He got up quickly and walked over to Frodo who was still sleeping peacefully. He kneeled down in front of Frodo and was immediately comforted by the fact that he was perfectly alright.

He thought about waking him up, but he decided to let him sleep a little while longer since he was very exhausted the night before (he also looked too adorable in his sleep to disturb, Sam thought, as it looked like he was enjoying a peaceful dream). For a second though, it looked as if Frodo's eyes opened a tiny bit and then closed, but Sam brushed it off as his imagination. So instead he just smiled warmly at him, got up and gathered his bedding together and got another fire going to cook breakfast first. When he just about finished cooking their meal, he heard Frodo stir in his bed as he started to wake up.

"Good morning, Mr. Frodo," Sam called to him and got a small plate to put Frodo's breakfast on. Frodo saw the food and smiled in gratitude.

"Good morning, Sam," Frodo replied, sleepily. Frodo got up slowly and walked over to sit down next to Sam and began eating. "How long have you been awake?" He asked as Sam got his own food in silence.

"I reckon about half an hour." Sam replied thoughtfully.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" Frodo asked with a slightly devious expression, as if he suspected something.

"I just… thought I'd let you sleep a little longer. You seemed pretty tired last night." Frodo nodded. "Why do you ask?"He was now curious about Frodo's expression.

Frodo shrugged. "I just thought you were planning on waking me up while you were next to me earlier. I thought that's why you were staring at me for so long." Frodo laughed and continued eating. Sam would've said something to defend himself, if he hadn't just bitten his cheek.

As they walked, they eventually made it into a cornfield that stretched far above their heads, making it difficult to see. It took a while, but they finally cut through most of it and made it onto a path that led through the center of it. But something seemed wrong to Sam as he looked around: they were separated. Sam looked around, but saw no sign of his friend.

"Mr. Frodo?" Sam called out. Worried, he began running down the pathway. Oh no, don't tell me… "Frodo? Frodo!" But finally he saw Frodo walking towards him from the other direction and a wave of relief washed over Sam. "I thought I'd lost you."

"What are you talking about?" Frodo asked.

"It's just something Gandalf said."

"What did he say?"

"Don't you lose him, Samwise Gamgee. And I don't mean to."

"Sam, we're still in the Shire. What could possibly happen?"

Before either of them had time to conjure up an answer, they were both knocked down in an instant by Merry and Pippin coming out of the cornfield.

"Frodo," Pippin said as he realized who it was he trampled. "Merry, it's Frodo Baggins."

"Hello, Frodo." Merry said as he helped Sam up.

Sam quickly rushed over to Frodo, "Get off him!" He yelled at Pippen and yanked him off of Frodo and threw him to the side so he could help his friend get up. "Come on, Frodo."

"What's the meaning of this?" Frodo asked Merry and Pippin as they started to gather the vegetables they dropped and handed them to Sam.

"You've been into Farmer Maggot's crop!" Sam yelled. They all turned their heads as they heard Farmer Maggot yelling and coming towards them.

Merry quickly grabbed Frodo and led him through the cornfield and Sam dropped the vegetables and started running a short distance behind them.

"I don't know why he's so upset," Merry yelled. "It's only a couple of carrots."

"And some cabbages," Pippin added. "And those three bags of potatoes we lifted last week. And then the mushrooms the week before."

"Yes, Pippin. My point is… he's clearly overreacting. Run!" They stopped in an instant when they reached the edge of a steep hill, but Sam didn't notice as he had turned around for a second and ran into them, causing them all to come crashing down.

When they hit the ground they landed uncomfortably on top of one another. Both Merry and Pippin said something of little importance to Sam since he was already upset by them.

"Trust a Brandybuck and a Took!" Sam said frustrated as they all tried to get up.

"What?" Merry said back. "That was just a detour. A short cut."

"Short cut to what?"

"Mushrooms!" As Pippin said that, everyone except Frodo rushed over to collect the mushrooms in a bag, admiring each one they picked.

After a few moments Frodo spoke, "I think we should get off the road." Though no one heard him the first time and Frodo kept staring down the road. "Get off the road! Quick!" This time everyone hurriedly hopped off the road and hid under a tree trunk.

"Be quiet," Sam told Merry and Pippin as they were looking through the bag of mushrooms noisily. They all became silent and Merry and Pippin seemed slightly confused when they heard the sound of a horse near them. But unlike his cousins, Frodo was frightened.

Everyone stayed silent as they heard something above them dismount their horse and lowered his head towards them. Fear was building as they heard something that sounded like sniffing, as if someone were looking something. Frodo looked up and saw through an open space in the roots and saw a dark rider wearing a black cloak. He quickly snapped his head back and without thinking clearly, Frodo closed his eyes and slowly took the Ring out of his pocket and was about to put it on. The thought came to Frodo that he would be safe from this horrific demon above him if he put it on and vanished. Sam looked over and caught this just in time and he reached over and grabbed Frodo's arm, snapping him back into full consciousness. Frodo then remembered Gandalf's warning about putting on the Ring. Then, Merry threw the bag of mushrooms a far distance away distracting the Black Rider and giving them the chance to escape. Merry and Pippin got up and ran without waiting another second. Then Sam helped Frodo up to run as well.

When they were far enough away that they could stop for a second, Merry accidentally tripped and slid to the ground, causing everyone to come to a stop. "What was that?" Merry asked. Frodo stopped running and looked down at his hand where the one Ring lay.