A note to the reviewers (who have been very kind and patient):

Ancalima: blushes Aww..... Thanks, Ana. huggles you You're making me blush - you're a great writer, as well.

Frodo-lovers: Aww.... don't worry about making mistakes. It's always nice to learn a new language. I've tried multiple times to learn Spanish (and failed miserably). I wouldn't mind learning French, but it would probably end up with the same results as Spanish. I think it's great that you know more than one language!

FrodoBaggins87: Thanks for letting me know. It's nice always to know that my story is being read. :)

Hobbit-Luvr: Thanks. I had hoped to be writing more often after that last update, but, er..... blushes. It's something about this story.....maybe I fell I won't meet expectations or something. I have certainly realized there are more people reading it than I thought. All I can do is my best, though, right?

Kaewi: Ah, yes. Thank you very much for giving me that little nudge. I am so excited to write this chapter. Not sure why. Maybe because I haven't written for a while. shrugs Or maybe because..... ahem ..... well, hopefully you'll see. I hope it's as good as I want it to be. :)

lovethosehobbits: Thank you for your encouragement. Expect more sweetness in the future.

Maddy Lake Deep: Wooo!! Your wonderful words make me so excited to continue with the story!! Remember I told you there was a very, very, extremely small clue in the last chapter as to what would happen now? Well, now you shall see..... grins evilly Our poor little Frodo. Lol

Olivia: LOL. I knew you hadn't lost interest - I was just teasing. sticks tongue out at you

tiggivon: You're from FH? Okay, well now I feel bad about leaving. Honestly, though, I didn't have the time to read all the stories. But..... HUGS Thank you sooooo much for all the great compliments!!! It all really means a lot to me! :)

A/N: I won't make any promises this time. I am updating now (again, many thanks to you, Kaewi for the little push), but I won't say when I will be updating again. Hopefully, it won't be a long time. I feel so bad, because thinking about it all in perspective...... the first chapter was posted on January 1st, 2003, and I am only now getting to the 10th chapter. It honestly doesn't seem like it's been that long. But it has been. And after the response I got from the last chapter (people letting me know they were reading; people asking me to update; people telling me it's okay to take my time, but they still like the story......), I apologize to everyone for taking such a long time with this story. And I apologize even more to everyone who has been enjoying this from the very first chapter (over a year and a half).

You are all wonderful!! Thank you bunches!! After being asked to write another chapter soon, I began thinking more about it and what would happen. I had, of course, had plans for this chapter already. I knew what I would do. Yet actually sitting down and writing it.....well, my plans weren't that specific. But now I've planned it out some more and I am really excited about writing. Let's hope my enthusiasm lasts this time, eh?

- - - - - - - - - -

Both occupants of Bag End were sound asleep when the sound of distant thunder began to roll in. Miles away, people were beginning to wake, wondering how long the storm would last, and most were in fear of another tornado.

The storm grew closer, and yet both hobbits slept on. Down Bagshot Row, a light had been lit in nearly every window; a sign those occupants were awake. Yet the windows of Bag End remained dark. Perhaps they were lucky - they had been though so much in the last couple of days.

However, not long after the storm erupted it full fury, young Frodo began to stir. The sound of the thunder....of the rain beating against the ground, which was their roof. A sudden loud crack of thunder caused him to jump.

He groaned as pain erupted throughout his body. His two fractured bones and sprained knee ached harshly from the sudden movement. Breathing heavily from surprise, he promised himself he wouldn't jerk his body like that again.

Frodo glanced at the window, remembering it was still open. Rain had begun pouring through it - he would have to shut it. But how? He wasn't allowed out of bed; even if he made an attempt, he couldn't put any weight on his knee. He considered calling for Bilbo, but no, he certainly couldn't wake Bilbo. Bilbo had already done so much in taking care of him and cheering him up.

Ah, well . . . rain wasn't really that bad. He was sure he could live with it for a little bit. A bright flash of lightning caused Frodo to look away from the window, but immediately after, he looked back in alarm. He had seen something, or someone, out there.

But if there was someone outside, someone . . . someone, perhaps, coming through the open window . . .

Frodo's thoughts became jumbled. What if that someone was dangerous? What if . . . no, this was silly. He would simply wait for another flash and see for sure.

But what if that someone came in before then? "No," Frodo told that particular thought, and he pushed it down, intent on not thinking about that.

But what if . . . "No," Frodo said to himself again. "There's nobody out there. It's just the storm . . ." Nevertheless, he felt his heart racing as he was waiting for the next flash of lightning. It didn't come. His eyes jerked toward every possible sound. Each second that ticked by, he felt himself growing more and more anxious. The flash still didn't come. His eyes wouldn't leave the window.

It came.

Frodo eyes widened and he let out a gasp of horror. There was someone there. There really was . . . it hadn't been his imagination. Someone really was standing outside his window. Frodo felt himself beginning to panic . . .

Someone was outside, in this raging storm, right outside his window . . . yet none of that frightened Frodo as much as the person's identity and the maniacal look on that someone's face.

It was Grandall.

He began to climb through the window. It was still completely dark, yet Frodo eyes never left the silhouetted form. Slowly, one step at a time, as if to inflict more fear, Grandall crept his way to the bed.

Frodo's heart was racing, and his panic was at the verge of spilling over. He no longer cared if Bilbo woke up . . .

"Bilbo," he called as loudly as he could.

Frodo heard Grandall give out an evil laugh, and his hands found his way to Frodo's neck, "Oh, no, he won't get here in time, lad."

"Bilbo . . ." Frodo choked out, his voice hoarse from Grandall's hands, tightening slowly. "Bilbo . . ."

- - - - - - - - - -

Bilbo, hearing his nephew's frightened cries, hurried to the young lad's bedroom. Lightning lit the room, as he noticed rain pouring in through the open window. However, he was not concerned about that at the moment.

"Frodo, what's wrong?" Frodo was tossing and turning in his sleep. The top of his blankets had managed to snake their way around Frodo's neck. Bilbo gently removed them and began shaking Frodo.

"Come on, Frodo, wake up," he said quietly. "It's alright, it's only a dream." He put his hand to Frodo's face, frowning at the heat radiating from his young nephew.

"Come on, Frodo, wake up," he repeated, at which the tossing and turning stopped. "It's only a dream. Wake up, now . . ." Frodo opened his eyes.

"Bilbo?" Frodo started, but then remembered his dream. He sat up straight, gasping at the pain which ignited in his chest, "Grandall . . ."

"Shhh, Frodo," Bilbo shushed him. "It's alright, Grandall is not here."

"Yes he is," Frodo went on. "Outside the window; he was . . ."

"No, Frodo," Bilbo shook his head. "It was only a bad dream." He gently helped Frodo to lay back down, got up and shut the window against the pouring rain, then returned and added, "Now why don't you try to get back to sleep."

Frodo bit his lip thoughtfully. He didn't like that idea at all; no, not one bit. His eyes stayed glued to the window which had just been shut. A flash of lightning revealed no one out there. Nothing there except the top of some plants that were swaying in the wind.

He looked at Bilbo warily. "I can't." Bilbo sighed; nightmares and storms had hardly ever frightened his nephew.

"Why don't I tell you a story then?" Bilbo suggested. "You close your eyes and try to see it in your mind, alright?" Frodo nodded, then closed his eyes, agreeing.

"Ready now?" Bilbo asked, and at Frodo's nod, he proceeded, "Alright then . . . Once upon a time . . ."

- - - - - - - - - -

To be continued . . .

A/N: I hope you liked it. I had been planning that dream for a loooooong time. ;)