Author: Frodo Baggins of Bag End (FBoBE/"Febobe")
Title: Joy From Ashes
Challenge: Crack Me Up
Rating: PG-13 (see Warnings).
Pairing/Characters: Frodo, Gandalf, Sam; brief appearances by Pippin, Merry, Legolas, Gimli; brief reference to Aragorn, surprise special character appearance in final chapter. Various OCs. Primarily a Frodo and Gandalf fic.
Warnings: Graphic medical detail. No sex, no slash, no profanity (unless you count one incidence of "bloody"). Movieverse. Also, I think this goes without saying for the Crack Me Up challenge, but - WAY AU. I mean WAY.
Summary: Following the Quest, a gravely injured Frodo is taken by Gandalf into the 21st century, where Frodo finds life-saving aid. . .and small pleasures unlooked-for.
Author's Notes: This fic is dedicated to SurgicalSteel and Riddlemaster, without whom this story would not have come together. An extra-special thank-you goes to both lovely ladies for their openness to questions, tireless answers, and general good-natured encouragement of the author. In addition, a gold star goes to SurgicalSteel for her medical beta and snarky medical dialogue work, without which this fic would not be what it is. If you like those bits, hug her. (If you like the medicine, hug both these ladies. I don't know what I'd do without them.)
CHAPTER TWENTY
"Good morning, Dr. Eckhart!"
"Well, isn't that a cheery good morning!" The doctor looked pleased as she came to Frodo's bedside. "I take it you're happier since we didn't quite interrupt your breakfast this morning?"
"Yes." Laughing, Frodo nodded. "I can't help it; I miss my meals and I get cross. Bilbo used to say he didn't want to speak with me before I'd had first breakfast."
"Your uncle and guardian."
"Yes."
She smiled. "How are you liking the change in diet - or, should I say, how is it liking you?"
"Very well, thank you." Indeed, Frodo was pleased. This morning he had had something called a grapefruit half, which had been awkward to eat but tasty, toast with butter and jam, scrambled eggs, bacon, orange juice, and milk. Delicious. And Gandalf had promised that things would be even better at home, where they could get such ingredients as oranges but where food could be prepared to his taste, as it was at home or in Rivendell.
"Let me check you out, then." She began to go through the routine, and Frodo yielded readily enough, the entire process memorized by now. He had been examined more times than he could count in the first week of his hospital stay alone, and probably more still during the second, when he was healing enough for medical students and "residents" to come poke, prod, and question him.
"Well, Mr. Baggins, you seem to be doing very well. How would you like to go home soon?"
"Really?" Frodo could hardly believe his ears.
She nodded. "We'll see how you do today, but. . .very soon, I think."
"Are you sure?"
Again the nod. "We'll switch your other antibiotic to a pill first and see how you do with that. Let us know if it upsets your stomach or anything else happens. I don't anticipate any problems."
And she was gone.
It seemed no time at all before Erica arrived, carrying a tiny cup with a small *something* in it and a cup of water.
"Time for your next antibiotic, Mr. Baggins!"
Frodo accepted the little cup, eyeing the pill dubiously. "Do I swallow this like the other medicine?"
"Unless you want me to run Dr. Eckhart down and get her to order you back on IV." She grinned mischievously.
Promptly Frodo downed the pill, accepting the cup of water to wash it down.
-to be continued-