Story Summary: Twelve-year-old Pippin Took is led into mischief by his distantly related cousin of the same age, Sancho Proudfoot. When some of their mischief culminates in a huge disaster, the Took's learn the dark secret the Proudfoot family has been keeping for generations.

Chapter Nine Summary:

Pippin runs away and straight into Sancho. A war of words and a fight ensues and Sancho makes some revealing comments. Finally, the two miscreants decide to go back and face the consequences together.

"Who Needs Enemies…"

Chapter Nine

Before he was halfway across the farmyard Pippin felt exactly as he had the day Sancho talked him into leaving his chores behind for a greater adventure. And just like that time he knew it was already too late; he'd made his choice, albeit an ill considered and hasty one, and now he would have to live with it. The youngster ran on until he thought his lungs would burst and then ran some more. He didn't know exactly why he was running. After all, the end result would eventually be the same. He'd be caught up with and soundly punished just as his father had promised. It had simply felt like the only thing he could do at the time.

The thoughts whirled about in his head as he sought out a hiding place. He remembered the little shelter that he and Merry had constructed awhile back for camping out and now he headed for it. Collapsing at last underneath the thick undercover he curled up into a tight ball sobbing as if his heart would shatter into a million pieces. He didn't realize he had any tears left but still he found more. As he cried he berated himself for his foolish choice. If only he hadn't ran away. At least the worst of it would be over with by now.

He finally calmed, and exhausted, he lay still trying to collect his thoughts and summon his courage to go back. Merry was right. He'd known that all along. And Nell had also been trying to look out for him. He'd been foolish enough to disregard their warnings and too caught up in Sancho's schemes to think clearly. Pippin sat up and rubbed his eyes. He was so confused. Sighing in disgust he slumped with his back against the foot of the tree and drew his knees up to his chin.

"Fine mess you've made for yourself this time, Peregrin Took! Now just what are you going to do?" Pippin looked up, startled at an unexpected noise. A gray squirrel sat up on her hind legs studying him from her perch above. He shifted uncomfortably and the squirrel reacted with loud scolding chatter. Pippin glared. "I dinna need you admonishing me as well!" His visitor chattered some more before darting up the tree, dropping her acorn on top of the youngster's head.

"Oww!" He rubbed at the tip of his ear where the nut had pinged him, scowling up into the tree as the little animal scurried out of sight. "Now the squirrels are throwing nuts at me. I canna win," he sighed and fell back against the tree.

"Yup, you're a sad case all right."

Pippin sucked in a breath as he leaped to his feet. Shading his eyes with his hand he peered up into the tree and snorted in disbelief. "Sancho! What are you doing up there?"

His cousin swung easily out of the tree and landed on his feet nearby. Just like a cat, he always lands upright. "I'd have thought you'd have been well on your way home by now. What happened? Was there something else you forgot to do to help me get in trouble?"

"Sheesh Pip! Who stuck a bee down your britches anyway?"

"What? You didn'a think I'm going to be angry that you helped me burn down the barn?"

"It was an accident. If that stupid goose hadn't attacked me nothing would've happened! We would have done our prank on Vinca and been well on our way to dealing with the papers too, and no one would be the wiser."

"The papers! Do you still have them?" Sancho nodded and patted the front of his shirt. "Phew," Pippin sighed, "at least there's that."

Sancho stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked his cousin up and down thoughtfully as he rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet. He chuckled at Pippin's frown.

"We shouldn'a have lit the lantern. You have to be verra careful with it around the hay."

"Well, I didn't light it. You did."

"But I wouldn'a have lit it if you hadn'a insisted on seeing the papers!"

"Well, we wouldn't have been in the barn if you hadn't wanted to play a prank on Pervinca!"

Pippin stared at his cousin dumbfounded. "The prank was your idea!"

"Because you wanted me to help you think of one! For pity's sake Pip, you're going to have to own some of this yourself."

Pippin's voice rose, "It looks like I'm already owning the lot of it because you," he jabbed Sancho hard in the chest with one finger, "ran off and left me to face my father and the rest of my family alone!"

Sancho frowned at the finger that was poking him. He batted Pippin's hand away and shoved him. Pippin stumbled but managed to keep to his feet. Pippin returned the push with a harder one. Sancho growled and pushed again, this time knocking Pippin to the ground. He stood over him glowering. "And now who's running? Surely your father didn't give you leave to be off and about whatever you like after last night. Why, I'm surprised you're still able to walk, much less run."

With a cry Pippin scrambled to his feet and lunged at Sancho knocking him down, and together they rolled about in the grass. Pippin snatched a handful of thick hair and yanked. Sancho yelped.

"You want to fight dirty?" Sancho bit him on the forearm drawing blood. Pippin howled with pain and retaliated by bringing his knee up underneath Sancho and thumping it ferociously into his groin. Sancho wailed in distress and tumbled off his cousin, where he lay huddled with his hands between his legs. Pippin scrambled to his feet and advanced on him knowing he had to take every advantage he could get because of their difference in size. He had no doubt that when truly angered Sancho could pound him into the ground.

"Look who's talking about fighting dirty!" Pippin spat and was about to tackle him when Sancho grabbed for his ankles spilling him on his back. They rolled around frantically again, each attempting to get the upper hand. Sancho made a fist and bloodied Pippin's nose. Pippin literally saw stars for a moment before he drew back his hand and slapped Sancho hard across the face then kicked him. Pippin was astonished to see he had left a pinkish handprint on his cousin's cheek.

"Why you little-" Sancho leaped up and was about to body slam him when he tripped over a protruding tree root and went flying. His head connected with the trunk of the tree and he lay stunned.

Pippin sat with a thump and spit blood from his mouth where a tooth had cut the inside of his cheek. Dizzy and thoroughly disgusted he muttered, "Who are you calling little?" before he fell back onto the grass panting.

Sancho groaned and struggled to sit up pressing one hand to his temple and the other to his groin. To Pippin's surprise, Sancho didn't attempt to come after him again. He simply glared in his direction while they both nursed their wounds.

"We may as well stop walloping the stuffing out of each other. That's going to soon be our fathers' pleasure."

Pippin couldn't help snorting at that. "What, the only lad in the whole of the Shire who never, ever gets in trouble is suddenly afraid he's going to get a thrashing? That'll be the day!"

"Oh, what do you know about it anyway? At least your parents care whether or not you come home at night."

Pippin frowned. "What?"

"You think you know so much, Peregrin Took!"

"What are you talking about?"

Sancho slumped against the tree. "Never mind," he muttered. He folded his arms across his chest and pointedly ignored Pippin, choosing to study the makeshift shelter of branches and leaves.

"Sancho? What did you mean about my parents? Everyone's parents worry about them getting home before dark." His cousin didn't speak but a frown was starting to replace the dark scowl he had worn earlier. The two of them sat in silence, Pippin puzzled, Sancho eyeing the ground in distaste as if something nasty was creeping along towards him. Thoroughly perplexed, Pippin tried again.

"Sancho-"

"Shut it Pip. I don't want to talk about it."

"How come?"

Sancho rolled his eyes to the sky. "Sheesh, you never give up, do you? What part of 'I don't want to talk about it' aren't you getting, lad?"

The scowl returned to Pippin's face. "Fine then. See if I care."

"Good."

Never one to be quiet for long Pippin started muttering underneath his breath. Sancho rolled his eyes. "What is it now?"

"Nothing. I dinna want to talk about it."

"Fine, see if I care then."

"You dinna care, that's clear to me!"

"What? What are you going on about now?"

"I have to go back and face Da, that's what!" Pippin's reply was almost a shout.

"I'm not deaf Peregrin!"

"Dinna call me that!"

"Why not? It's your name isn't it?"

"Shut up Sancho."

"Who are you telling to shut up?"

"You! You said you weren'a deaf!"

Sancho sighed. "You're talking in circles and it's making me dizzy." Pippin fell back onto the grass and stared at the sky. Neither of them spoke for a long time. "Uncle Pad is going to thrash the daylights out of you, isn't he?" Sancho's voice was uncharacteristically quiet.

Pippin moaned and threw an arm across his face. "Do you have to ask? I've never done anything this dreadful before. I'm not entirely sure what he's going to do to me. I'm only sure that whatever it is, I willn'a like it."

"Oh, come Pip, he's not going to kill you!"

"Killing me would probably be preferable to what he is going to do. At least it would be over with quickly. I have a feeling that what I'm going to get is going to be reminding me of what I did weeks from now."

Sancho chuckled. "Well, days maybe." He nudged him with his foot. "Aww, come on, Pip. You'll be able to sit again. . .someday. Maybe even before Yule if you're fortunate."

Pippin shot to a sitting position. "This isn'a amusing to me, Sancho! And it isn'a fair, you should be getting a thrashing too!"

"Who says I won't be?" Sancho shot back.

"Since when? I'm the one who always winds up getting punished and you seem to think it's all a great jest."

"Uncle Pad is going to tell my parents all about what happened and then I'm going to be in for it. Or are you too stupid to realise that?"

"So what if he tells them? He's done that before and you still didn'a get in trouble. Remember the piglets?"

Sancho rolled his eyes in disgust. "My father isn't going to look at this the same way. Let's see, pinching a piggy as opposed to helping burn down my uncle's barn. Hmmm. Do you see a difference here?"

Pippin's eyes narrowed. "Are you saying your father isn'a going to laugh this off? Like he has everything else you've done? I've wound up getting a strapping every time while you walked away laughing at me."

"You really don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh yes I do! I'm talking about you thinking it's verra humorous whenever I get in trouble and you get away with doing the same thing I did!"

"Well, will it make you happy to know I'm going to get the snot beaten out of me for this?"

"Yes!" Pippin fell back on the grass again. "No," he groaned. "Oh, I dinna know. I'm so bloody confused right now."

Sancho tugged at the grass and tossed acorns about while Pippin covered his eyes with his arm once more, thinking hard about everything that had been said. Finally he hoisted himself up on his elbows. "What did you mean about getting the snot beaten out of you, anyway?"

Sancho snorted and looked away, his face colouring. "Exactly what I said."

Pippin sat up and studied his cousin's expression. "Do you mean you're going to get a strapping? Or are you just exaggerating a wee bit like you've a habit of doing?"

"Sheesh Pip. Would you like to come home with me and see for yourself? I meant just what you think I meant! Why don't you believe me?" Sancho leaped to his feet and climbed up to the lowest branch that jutted out of the oak tree. He sat swinging his feet back and forth in annoyance.

Pippin thought this over, not entirely certain how he felt about his cousin's revelation, nor did he know how he wanted to feel about it. One thing he was sure about though. It was time to get this mess put behind him. He climbed slowly to his feet, resigned to at last doing what he should have done weeks ago. He hated it when Merry was not only right, but also as right as he was this time. If only he'd listened sooner.

"What are you doing?"

Pippin started walking away. He spoke over his shoulder. "I'm going home. I have to get this over with, I canna take it any more. Maybe I can throw myself on the ground and beg for mercy. Either way, I have to end it."

Sancho blew out a breath and then scrambled down from his perch and followed. Pippin watched as Sancho passed him, his mouth dropping open. "Where are you going?"

"You really are daft, you know that?"

"What?" Pippin ran to catch up.

"I'm going back with you. Might as well get it over with like you said."

"Sancho, if you come home with me Da is going to tan your hide too! I know he will!"

"It doesn't matter. I guess I have it coming."

Pippin shook his head wondering if he'd heard correctly. "Do you mean you're actually going to face up to something with me?"

"Sheesh, you're such an innocent, Pip." Sancho strode on ahead.

"What? What is that supposed to mean?" Pippin trotted after him.

Merry waited outside the stable and swung easily onto his pony as soon as his uncle and the others were ready.

"You folks," Paladin spoke to several of his neighbors as he pointed north across the great meadow, "go that way please and if you two, Tomias and Tanta, will go that way-" Paladin indicated the rise of the hill leading down to the pond, "that will leave the path to Whitwell for Milo and his sons. Merry?"

"Yes sir?"

"You may accompany me and Uncle Teo, and we'll take the path towards the woods. Let's find this rascal before he gets his fool self into even more trouble."

Several of them chuckled at that but Merry knew it wasn't funny. His uncle was deadly serious about finding Pip before he did something else and Merry knew he was right. Having Pippin in this state of mind was not a good thing and there was no telling where he might've got him self off to by now or what he might be thinking. As for Sancho…the little scoundrel was probably all the way to Hobbiton by now, or even further.

"So, what do you think about these paper's of Uncle Saradoc's? Remember you were about to tell me something when you set the barn afire," Pippin said. He was doing his best to keep up with Sancho's longer strides and he was running out of breath. "Slow down, will you? I mean, you're not that eager to get a whippin' are you?"

Sancho tossed a disgusted look over his shoulder and stopped, causing Pippin to run into him. "Let's get something straight here. I'm going to own up with you, but I am not going to take all the blame for setting the barn on fire. We've been through this already."

"All right! We set the barn on fire together. Now, about the papers," Pippin put out his hand, "give them back to me."

"Fine." Sancho pulled the rumpled packet out of his shirt and shoved it at him.

"A bit worse for the wear I see," Pippin snorted.

"What did you expect? They've only been through a couple of fistfights, a mud hole, a crazy snapping goose and a fire. It's a wonder they're still in one piece."

"Well, it's a good thing they are. At least I can still give them to Da and that'll be one less offense for me to answer for."

"I've a feeling that won't make much difference, lad. You're still gonna get the blistering of your life."

"Thank you so much for bringing that back to mind. I think I was able to forget about it for about five whole seconds."

"Don't mention it."

"But, the papers? What do you think they mean?"

"Have you looked at them?"

"Yes, but I dinna understand them. They're like. . .oh, I don't know, some sort of journal or something I suppose, but I canna make sense of what it's about."

"Do you recognise the handwriting?"

Pippin shook his head. "I dinna think so." He thought hard. "Well, it looks a little like my mother's writing but I'm not certain. Why would Uncle Saradoc have them if they belong to Mum? And how come he's giving them to Da now? And what are they talking about?"

Sancho grinned and slapped him on the back. "It's a mystery, Pip! So, why don't we-"

"No!"

"You don't even know what I was going to say."

"Yes I do. And I'm already in quite enough trouble, thank you very much. I have to give them to Da."

"Of course you do. But, I was thinking what about later, after things calm down a bit. Maybe we can 'borrow' them and do some more reading? We might sort out the mystery after all."

"I'm gonna get sorted out and in a big way, so forgive me if that's all I've got room for in my head at the moment - all right?"

"Fine. Whatever."

They both spied the sight of the smouldering ruin of the barn at the same moment and halted.

"Yeesh! It looks even worse in the daylight. Oh, I am so dead."

"I think we've recognised that already." Sancho darted his eyes around, looking uneasy. "Do you think Uncle Pad has paid my parents a call yet?"

Pippin watched with interest as his friend fidgeted. It felt very odd to witness Sancho's nervousness for a change. "No, I dinna think so. There's been too much going on here and they're no doubt looking for me right now. I think they've probably already sent word to Buckland though. Merry's parents will be on their way for sure."

"How come?"

Pippin raised an eyebrow. "How come? Because we burnt the bloody barn down and Merry's in trouble for covering up for me! That's how come!"

"Oh."

"What I did harmed Merry too. And even Nell is probably in trouble because she knew some of what I've been up to, and she may even be in for a -"

"There you are! Dinna move!"

"Och!" Pippin whirled and muttered a string of his favourite curses.

Pimpernel ran towards them, her skirts flapping and hair in disarray. "Uh oh. Watch out, she's liable to be more dangerous than Pansy at the moment and she's verra angry with me."

"Really? Now that's a surprise. You sure haven't got a lot of friends at the moment."

"Aye, that's the truth."

"Peregrin Took! Just where have you been? Do you know everyone is out looking for you?" Nell descended on the youngsters and even Sancho cringed at her tone of voice. "And you, Sancho Proudfoot! I've a word or two I'd like to be sharing with you, lad, and I'll wager my da feels the same way!"

Sancho backed up a few steps and threw his hands up in defense as Nell advanced on him. "Now wait a moment Pimpernel-"

"Wait? You must be jesting! I willn'a wait for one more minute to get my hands on the both of you!" With that Nell snatched each of them by the ear and yanked them towards the house. Similar yelps of alarm came from both as they were hauled along.

"Nell! Oww, leggo my blessed ear, will ya? That hurts you know!"

"Oh, it does? I'm so sorry Pippin! Here, let me see if I can make it feel better!" Pimpernel pinched his ear all the harder eliciting a wail from her brother as she dragged the miscreants into the kitchen and plunked them each into a chair. "Now, stay there and dinna you dare move, either one of you. You hear?" Both boys nodded quickly. "Mum, I found them!" Pimpernel ran down the hallway to the sitting room to fetch her mother.

Pippin winced at his sister's shrill voice. He glanced at Sancho and saw that he had gone pale.

"Is she always like this?"

"Only when she's angry." Pippin leaned over and whispered, "I think she inherited Da's temper."

"I think you're right."

Eglantine burst into the kitchen a moment later. "Oh my," she breathed before pointing a finger at her son. "Your father and the others are out looking for you, young sir, and I dare say your da isn'a very happy a'tall. And I canna say I blame him. You've only made things worse by running away."

"I've figured that out already Mum," Pippin whined.

Eglantine's eyes narrowed. "And perhaps you'd care to have your mouth washed out with soap as well? Hmm? No? You are on awfully thin ice, young hobbit, to even entertain the notion of getting sassy with me."

Pippin dropped his eyes to the floor and kicked one foot against the chair leg, clearly aggravated at getting a tongue lashing in front of Sancho.

"Not one more word Peregrin, unless you are spoken to first. Do you hear me lad?" Pippin nodded. Sancho stared at the floor and wisely kept his mouth closed.

Eglantine paced the kitchen, thinking. "Nell, Pearl, is there anyone still around who can take word to your father that the boys have been found?"

"I'll go Mum," Pearl offered.

"Verra well, and thank you dear. I'd hate to have Pad and the others out chasing a wild goose for hours on end when these naughty children are sitting right here in my kitchen."

Pippin felt his face growing warm and he cast a sidelong glance at Sancho. His cousin was as red-cheeked as he was. Eglantine settled at the table next to Pimpernel and looked them over sternly. "Sancho!"

Sancho jumped at the sudden use of his name. "Yes ma'am?"

"I'd like to know just where your parents are, young sir."

"Uh. . ." Sancho darted an uncomfortable look in Pippin's direction. "I suppose they're probably at home, Aunt Tina."

"I see. And have you been out all night, lad? Because you surely dinna appear to have been home since yesterday. You're wearing the same clothes after all, and you're quite dirt smeared and generally rumpled looking."

"Well. . ." Sancho dropped his gaze to the floor.

"Answer me, young hobbit. And it had better be the truth if you know what's good for you."

Sancho swallowed hard. He couldn't help thinking that it was no wonder Pippin was so worried about upsetting his parents if this was the sort of reaction he got. "Aye," he nodded. "After, umm, you know. . .well, I didn't go home-"

"And what exactly is 'you know' lad? If you're talking about helping Pippin burn down the barn then just say so."

Sancho licked his dry lips in dismay. "Yes Aunt Tina, that's what I meant. After we started the fire I, um. . .I ran away. I didn't go home."

"And so why hasn't your father come looking for you to haul you home and paddle your backside for being out all night, hmm?"

"Well. . ." Sancho glanced away.

"Well what? Speak up my boy, and be quick about it."

Sancho turned his attention back to his aunt immediately. "I told him I was spending the night with Pippin. . .again."

Eglantine sighed. "I see. So you lied to your da? And it isn'a the first time, is it?"

"Yes ma'am, I mean, no ma'am. That is, I mean-"

"I know what you mean, lad. You've been telling a great many tall tales so you could come and go as you pleased and Olo and Sapphire are so lenient and trusting that they believed you with very little question. Isn'a that right?" Sancho nodded. "So, you've been practically living at this farm for half the summer, eh?" Another nod confirmed her suspicions.

"Sancho, you have always been welcome here but I'm going to tell you this - I haven'a appreciated some of the naughtiness you've been teaching Pippin to do and I willn'a stand for it any longer. So if you want to continue to play together you're going to have to turn over a new leaf." Eglantine reached over and clasped Sancho's chin in her hand and gently lifted it. She saw tears running down his cheeks and her expression softened a bit. "Do you understand me?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Good. And you're going to answer to your uncle for your mischief just as certainly as Pippin is. You do realise that?"

"Aye." Sancho's voice was barely above a whisper.

"And then you're going to have to face your own parents."

"I know, Aunt Tina."

"All right then. Just so we're understanding each other." Eglantine glanced at her daughter. "I hear them coming."

"Oh, you two are in so much hot water!" Pervinca skipped into the kitchen and taunted them. Eglantine frowned at her youngest daughter and pointed. "Vinca, go to your room."

"What? Why? I didn'a do anything Mum! I want to hear what's going on too."

Eglantine didn't lose her temper easily, but she had obviously reached her limit. "Now lass, or you will be joining the lads in going over your father's knee."

Pippin couldn't help but snicker a little at that. Pervinca glared at him before flouncing out of the room just as the kitchen door swung open and Paladin, Merry, and Pearl entered.

Paladin took in the scene in a glance then turned to his wife. "Tina, I take it Esmie and Saradoc aren't here yet?"

"No, they haven'a arrived yet, Pad."

Paladin nodded and leaned against the cupboard folding his arms across his chest. He favoured them each with a stern look. "Well? Peregrin? Sancho? I'd like an explanation for your actions now. I've been waiting for some time to hear it so dinna keep me in suspense any longer." Pippin and Sancho traded looks of helplessness. Just what were they going to say when there was no explanation? No acceptable one, anyway.

"I'd like to know what you boys have to say for yourselves and your actions last night. First of all, just what were you doing sneaking about in the barn so late at night? What were you up to?"