A/N: The timeline is getting a bit muddled. Of course, Frodo doesn't leave the Shire until September, and doesn't get to Rivendell until October. So the timeline will be a bit different because this is mostly movie verse. I will attempt to keep the same amount of time it takes the Fellowship to get to, for example, Lorien.

The Journey Alone: Chapter 13

May 23, 3002 (T.A.) 1402 (S.R.)

Pearl's POV

"When will Frodo be better?" I asked. Just then, I felt Frodo's hand move.

"Frodo?" I asked, turning to him hopefully.

"Where am I?" Frodo asked.

"You are in Rivendell, and it is ten o'clock in the morning, if you wanted to know," Gandalf replied. I was too shocked to speak.

"Gandalf?"

"Yes, it is Gandalf. And Pearl, who has been very anxious to see you awake," Gandalf said. "She and Sam have hardly left your side." Frodo looked at me and smiled. I hugged him, even though Gandalf was right there. Then Sam burst in.

"Mr. Frodo! You're awake! Oh, we've been so worried about you!" he said, taking Frodo's other hand.

"And we owe much to Lord Elrond," Gandalf said, as the elf lord himself came up from somewhere behind Gandalf and surveyed the scene thoughtfully.

"Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Baggins," he said. Frodo smiled. "How is the shoulder?"

"Much better. It does not seem so cold or numb as before, and it does not hurt me," he replied.

"Good. Tomorrow, I think, you will be able to get up for at least part of the day. For now, though, stay in bed," he said. Frodo nodded, delighted at the thought of being able to get up so soon.

For the rest of the day, I sat by Frodo, leaned against his pillow and read to him, or answered his questions about what happened, or told jokes. Eventually, he fell asleep, but I stayed with him anyway. Finally, I fell asleep beside him.

o0o

Frodo's POV

I woke up the next day to find Pearl asleep on my shoulder. I tried not to move too much, so she could keep sleeping, but I observed her thoughtfully from my spot on the bed. She looked much more peaceful when she was asleep, and less sad. Pearl had had hardly any time to grieve for the loss of our child, and much of the time had been spent worrying over me and our mission to bring the Ring to Rivendell and Bree. I hoped that both of us would find rest and healing in Rivendell before our return to the Shire. Little did I know what I would pledge to do in the coming hours.

Pearl started moving next to me, so I knew that she would be waking up soon. She opened her eyes and turned her head to look at me.

"Hello Frodo," she said, laying her head on my chest. I kissed her hair. It was nice to not be fleeing from Black Riders for once. I was just enjoying time with my wife, which I had not gotten a lot of time to do previously. She turned her head and kissed me on the lips. And one thing led to another…

o0o

That afternoon, Merry, Pippin, Sam, Frodo, and I were enjoying the views from a balcony, when Frodo turned around and gasped. I followed his gaze and gasped as well. I was Bilbo, sitting on a bench with a book in his hand. He looked considerably older than when I had last seen him, which was a shock because he always seemed so young for his age. Frodo rushed forward and practically launched himself at Bilbo. Soon, he waved me over.

"Bilbo, this is my wife, Pearl," Frodo said, putting his arm around me.

"Not Pearl Took, is it? I remember you being sweet on Frodo since you were a lass!" he said, hugging me and kissing me on the cheek. I blushed, remembering how shamelessly I followed Frodo around. "When did you get married?" he asked.

"Last October," Frodo responded.

"Last October! You could've told me, Frodo! I would've stayed for the wedding, you know," he said, sounding disappointed.

"I'm sorry, Bilbo. We only got engaged the night of the Party," Frodo said.

"It's alright. But when am I going to get some young lads and lasses to call great nieces and nephews?" Bilbo asked, not knowing about the child that died. Pearl immediately cast her eyes down.

"Bilbo, we had a child that died. His name was…," I said, before I choked on tears. Pearl was sobbing at that point, and Bilbo wrapped his arms around both of us.

"I'm so sorry. I had no idea," Bilbo said. Pearl continued to sob.

o0o

Later at the council, Pearl sat on one side of me and Gandalf sat on the other. WE finally learned the full story of what happened to Gandalf, that Strider was really called Aragorn and was the heir of Isildur, as well as the nature of the Ring. Gimli tried to get rid of the Ring with his axe, but of course, the Ring could not be destroyed that way. As the axe hit the Ring and broke the axe into a million pieces, I felt a shock go through my entire body, and I cried out briefly in pain. Gandalf looked at me in concern. I put a hand on my head, and Pearl put her hand on my arm. I looked back tentatively at the Ring. I watched in horror as Boromir described Mordor.

Then the big debate over who should take the Ring to Mordor started.

"Have you heard nothing of what Lord Elrond just said?" Legolas asked angrily, because Boromir was scoffing at the "folly" of going to Mordor to destroy the Ring. "The Ring must be destroyed!"

"And I suppose you think you're the one to do it!?" Gimli said, his dwarvish pride showing.

"And if we fail, what then? What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?" Boromir continued.

"I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an elf!" Gimli said, standing up. This deeply offended the other elves, reigniting the dwarvish and elvish rivalry, which everyone had forgotten the origin of. The dwarves said it was the fault of the elves, and the elves said it was the fault of the dwarves. Soon, everyone was on their feet arguing with each other. Gandalf shook his head.

I stared at the Ring, imagining my life without it with fear and relief. Fear, because I could not bear the thought of not taking it with me for some reason, and with relief because It had caused so much upheaval and angst in my life. And then I thought how much Sauron would like to see everyone, who were supposed to be working together, fighting over an old feud and who should be the Ringbearer. Finally, I stood up.

"I will take it!" I said, trying to be heard over the pandemonium. I looked backat Pearl, who nodded to me with tears in her eyes. "I will take it!" I said again. This time everyone heard me. Gandalf closed his eyes in fear for me and turned toward me.

"I will take the Ring to Mordor, though…," I hesitated, "I do not know the way."

"I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins," Gandalf said. He put his hand on my shoulder, and I looked at him gratefully. "As long as it is yours to bear." Aragorn got up out of his chair.

"If by my life, or death, I can protect you, I will," he said as he knelt down. "You have my sword."

And so it went on, with each member of the Fellowship pledging their weapon to protect me. It was a bit intimidating, having all these great lords pledge to protect me even though they didn't know me. At the same time, it was nice to know that I wouldn't have to go alone. Once Legolas and Gimli had joined, Pearl piped up.

"What about me? I want to go with Frodo too! He is my husband, after all," she said.

"Hey!" a familiar voice shouted. "Mr. Frodo's not going anywhere without me!" Sam ran up from behind some plants and joined us. I smiled at him. Trust Sam to appear at just the right moment.

"No indeed, for it is hardly possible to separate you, even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not," Elrond said.

"Hey! We're coming too!" Merry said, running with Pippin from behind two pillars. Elrond looked exasperated, amazed, and impressed all at the same moment. "You'll have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us!" Merry said confidently. I looked at my cousins, surprised that they had been watching without anyone knowing, and that they had the bravery to join me on a quest that would most likely kill me.

"Anyway, you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission… quest…. Thing," Pippin said. Gandalf shook his head at Elrond as if to say "no."

"Well that rules you out, Pip," Merry said, folding his arms. I rolled my eyes at the two of them.

"And so it is, the nine members of the Fellowship of the Ring," Elrond said. At first, I thought Elrond had just miscounted, because there were ten of us. But Pearl spoke up.

"But Lord Elrond… there are ten of us," she said.

"Indeed, Mistress Pearl. But I do not think it wise that you should come on this mission. I foresee something that will prevent you from going on a long journey," Elrond said. Pearl looked confused. "But I do have another mission for you in mind that would help Frodo. It is almost as dangerous, but I think that you will be able to handle it," he said. "I will speak of it to you later." He turned back to the Fellowship.

"Nine companions," he said.

"Right. So… where are we going?" Pippin said.

o0o

After the Council concluded, Pearl and I met Elrond in his study.

"What is the quest you are sending me on?" she asked, getting right to the point.

"I wish to send you on a journey to Lothlorien, to inform the Lord and Lady there of the Fellowship's formation, as they will most likely pass through there on their way to Mount Doom," Elrond said.

"But how do I get there?" Pearl asked.

"I would not send you alone. I intend to send my daughter Arwen and the elf lord Glorfindel with you, both of whom have been to Lorien many times," Elrond explained.

"Why do you need me to do this of all people?" Pearl asked.

"A fair question, Mistress Pearl. But I think that you will be of value on this quest, and I foresee that there is another purpose for you to go to Lorien," Elrond said mysteriously.

"Will Pearl be in any danger, Lord Elrond?" I asked him, concerned that Pearl would encounter the Black Riders or worse.

"She will be, Master Baggins. So do all who step outside their doors, as your Uncle Bilbo says. And so he discovered, on all his journeys. She will not be any more danger then you will, and she will be in the company of some of the greatest warrior elves of all time, so I wouldn't worry overmuch for her. I would be more worried for your own quest," Elrond explained.

"When do I start?" Pearl asked.

"In one week," Elrond said.

o0o