Pippin's POV:

"Gandalf...?" I whispered. Gandalf ignored me, and instead released his hold on Merry's hood. Gandalf's staff made an echoing click throughout the cave's walls as he slowly walked towards the sound. "Umm... Gimli?" I whispered again, glancing up at the Dwarf who had not yet let go.

"Oh, sorry laddie," he mumbled and releases me. And of course being as curious as I am, I found myself following Gandalf's footsteps; then I heard more footsteps behind me following my own.

I stood slightly behind Gandalf, I didn't care if Radagast was "free" now; he still kidnapped, and hurt, Merry and I.

"Gandalf..." a harsh, rasp voice leaked silently out of the bound figure as his eyes opened to see Gandalf towering over him. The two wizards smiled at each other, an old familiar smile and an old familiar look in their eyes to match. I felt a ruffle of fabric as a figure brushed against me. I jumped, looking up to see Legolas staring sternly at the wizard on the cave floor. I almost let out a squeak as I jumped again, from Merry jumping beside me! I let out a small hmph and straightened up, rubbing the goosebumps on my arms.

"Sorry, did I scare you Merry?" Boromir chuckled quietly from beside Merry.

"Pip jumped too!" Merry quickly shot back, earning a punch in the arm from me. Boromir simply shook his head and laughed softly again; then turned his attention back to Radagast.

"Aragorn, untie his bindings," Gandalf ordered the ranger as he motioned to Radagast. Aragorn nodded and knelt down to free the wizard.

"Wait..." Boromir put up his hand in front of him, "How can we be sure he is safe?" The Gondorian's eyes never left Radagast as he said this.

"Trust me, Boromir," Gandalf laid a hand on Boromir's shoulder. "I know he is free of Saruman. I felt it when I got rid of that traitor inside his mind before," Slowly and hesitantly Boromir nodded, meeting Gandalf's kind gaze. But as Aragorn freed Radagast, Boromir watched the wizard cautiously; his hand resting on the hilt of his sheathed sword.

"Aahhh," Radagast let out a sigh as he rose and stretched is long arms. Then turning to look at Merry and I he said, "Halflings, I deeply apologize for any harm I may have caused you. I do not remember all of my actions controlled by Saruman; but enough to know he was not kind to you." I wasn't sure how to respond, staring into Radagast's eyes I saw honesty and sorrow, but...

"You, or Saruman rather, hurt Pippin; used magic to torture his mind!" Merry burst, grasping my hand protectively.

"Merry!" I exclaimed, shooting him an accusing look.

"No no, your friend is right. Saruman controlled me to hurt him, but hurt he was none the less. Please, I know I cannot erase that painful memory, but I can offer you a gift along with my condolences," Radagast offered, and held his hands out; palms facing us as if showing he was not dangerous and truly felt terrible.

"A gift?" (It is a gift! XD sorry inside joke. continue on with the story...) Merry and I said in unison.

"Anything?" Merry inquired, raising one eyebrow. Radagast nodded, causing a wicked, mischievous grin out of Merry and I. When I glanced sideways at him, I could tell it was one of those moments when we were thinking the exact same thing.

"Oh no..." A voice came from the left of the cave; Frodo. He has known us long enough to understand exactly the glint in our eyes, the kind that usually gets us into trouble. "They are both thinking of something, a same something, that will not end up well for any of us," he stated a-matter-of-factly.

"Nevermind him," I said, even though I knew full well that he was right.

"So what was it that you wanted?" Not Radagast, but Legolas, asked.

Merry and I exchanged one more look before replying in unison: "Pipeweed?" Gimli let out a sigh and facepalmed, whilst Legolas looked shocked, Aragorn and Boromir amused, Frodo like he knew this would happen, Gandalf like a mix between Frodo and Gimli's expressions, and Radagast simply laughed.

"I can see why you spent so much time in the Shire, Gandalf, Halflings truly are a lively folk! A nice change for an old wizard. Pipeweed, then? Alright, I believe I actually do have some on me." He reached into his long draping robes to pull out a sack very similar to Gandalf's, except Radagast's was made of earthy green-brown tones.

"You might not want to give them the whole bag," Sam, who had just woken up, warned from beside Frodo. Merry and I both shot them a 'NOT HELPING!' look.

"Maybe you're right," Radagast started.

"He is right," Gandalf cut in. Merry and I sighed loudly, throwing our heads back in drama.

Radagast chucklesdat Gandalf's blunt statement before continuing. "But I did offer them whatever they wanted, so..." He held out the bag towards us.

Merry's POV:

"Yes!" Pippin and I high fived before thanking Radagast and taking the small sack. I could have sworn that I briefly caught a jealous glint in Gimli's eyes; I might have considered maybe sharing some with him but since he stopped our fun before, I just smirked at him.

"You must be hungry Radagast, food and water will be in order," Gandalf said, changing the subject.

"It would be much appreciated," Radagast admited.

"Can I have some too?" Pippin piped up. Gandalf gave him a stern look before walking off to get some food for Radagast.

"Auh," Pippin huffed and walked over to the cave wall, sitting down and leaning against the stone; soon joined by me.

"Hungry?" Legolas asked after about five minutes of Sam and Frodo talking, Gandalf and Radagast talking, Boromir and Aragorn talking, Gimli making the occasional comment to the Elf, and us sitting down bored out of our minds. Pippin and I nodded frantically, a Hobbit is never not hungry! The blonde Elf smiled and pulled out a wafer of a bread-pastry like food, split it in two, and handed each of us a piece.

"Lembas," Legolas clarified when Pippin and I looked at the food in confusion. "One bite is enough to fill a grown man; it should satisfy your stomachs." I took a bite out of the Elvish bread and my expression turned from one of hesitation to one of shock and awe. The tiny wafer was so good!

"Lembas?" Pippin was wearing the same expression as me as he said this. "How come I have never heard of it before now?"

"An Elvish waybread, it wouldn't be common in the Shire," Legolas answered, lightly laughing at our fascination with the Elvish bread. Shrugging, I took another bite out of the lembas.

"Pippin!" I exclaimed as I look over to see that after I had only taken two bites, Pippin had already finished his.

"What? I said I was hungry."

"You always say you're hungry."