Inside they walked, their arms around each other, supporting and being supported. Their eyes scanned the room as one.

Gandalf, crouching beside Frodo, who sat in the floor. Legolas, staring at his soiled, blood-rusted clothes from near Pippin's bed. Sam, sitting on the floor with Merry, who was weeping bitterly against Sam's shoulder.

Aragorn's eyes widened with horror.

"What has happened?" He cried, about to shove Boromir away so he could rush over, but he held himself back.

Gandalf straightened up, his eyes hard.

Legolas raised his gaze cooly.

Frodo, Sam, and Merry looked up with wide eyes.

"Aragorn!" Frodo cried, speaking for the first time in what felt like days. He scrambled to his feet and ran over to Aragorn, his legs weak and his body trembling from lack of use. He threw himself into Aragorn's chest, wrapping his arms around him desperately, forcing Aragorn to let go of Boromir.

"I knew it was a mistake," Frodo sighed. "I knew you didn't kill her!"

Sam stared at Frodo and Aragorn uncertainly, not wanting to ruin Frodo's happy-high, but also not wanting that no-good Strider fellow to cause any more trouble.

Boromir steadied himself by standing still, balancing his weight with his arms. He saw Pippin's body on the bed, and he took at step towards it.

"You're both... They're both back?" Merry asked heatedly, jerking his head to glare at Gandalf. He stood up and gave Aragorn and Boromir the most hateful look he could muster. "Why are they back, Gandalf?" Merry wanted to know. "Aragorn murdered someone, and Boromir..." He scowled, remembering earlier when Boromir had saved him from Faramir, but didn't even try to find Gandalf.

"I will explain it to you later, Merry, but now-"

"Stop treating me like a child, Gandalf!" Merry snapped.

"Then stop acting like one, you little fool, and direct your questions to those from whom you want answers!" Gandalf retorted impatiently.

Merry narrowed his eyes and turned to Boromir, who was now just four feet away from him.

"What has happened?" Aragorn asked again, lifting his hand off of Frodo's head.

Frodo released Aragorn slowly, like a child not wanting to say goodbye to its parents. He looked up at Aragorn's face, but Aragorn was staring around the room for an answer.

Merry's angry eyes softened without his consent, filling with tears and overflowing a moment later. He blinked and looked down, taking a slow breath through his mouth to calm his sudden shakiness.

Boromir, watching Merry become emotional, felt warm tears fill his own eyes.

"He fell through a window," Merry whispered. "I couldn't get Gandalf back in time."

"I'm sorry," Boromir said quietly, stepping forward despite his pains and placing his hand on Merry's shoulder.

Involuntarily, Merry let out a sob of distress and instantly needed comfort. He fell against Boromir, hugging him with trembling arms.

Hugging him back, Boromir closed his eyes. He kissed the top of Merry's head. "I'm so sorry," he said.

Legolas felt a bit uncomfortable. Too much testosterone rubbing together, raising too many memories in his mind's eye. He looked around and realized someone was missing.

"Where is Gimli?" He asked suddenly.

Nobody really cared at the moment, but a missing person is still a missing person. The Fellowship looked around the room with their eyes, hardly turning their heads, and saw he was indeed not there.

"Maybe he went to relieve himself," Sam suggested. "Or find some animal to eat off of."

"He'll show up," Aragorn dismissed.

They gathered wordlessly around Pippin's bed.

"We should tell King Theoden, and have a proper funeral," Legolas said after a few quiet seconds.

Merry hesitated. "He would have wanted to be buried in the Shire, I think..."

"You know that cannot be done," Gandalf chided.

Feeling lonely as they stood staring at the dead body, Boromir reached over and found Aragorn's hand, taking it in his without realizing what he was doing. He felt Aragorn's tight, worn hand, the thickness and slight hairiness of his fingers, the grit of his uncleanliness. It was comforting and familiar. He felt warm and safe, until... It struck him what he was doing, and he quickly looked up and caught Aragorn's eye.

Aragorn looked surprised, and even a bit offended.

Boromir withdrew his hand and averted his eyes to the floor, blushing beneath his facial hair. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced around, but no one else seemed to have noticed what he had just done. His stomach wrenched with unease. Sure, holding hands isn't a bad thing, but it sure can be dangerous.

A guard walked in the room. "Gandalf," he called. "The King wishes to speak with The Fellowship." He was about to say more, but he broke off, seeing that everyone was huddled around a bed. "Did the little one pass on?" The guard asked softly.

"I'm afraid so," Gandalf said wearily.

"My apologies," the guard bowed his head. "But King Theoden needs to speak with you all right away. Two children arrived here not ten minutes ago, claiming Dunlendings had raided their village not far from here, and they are headed this way."

"Dunlendings?" Samwise asked.

"Wild Men from Dunland," Legolas replied.

"Let us hasten to him," Gandalf said quickly, swirling cloak and staff as he spun and marched after the guard.

Legolas followed Gandalf, and Frodo and Sam followed after. Merry didn't want to leave Pippin, standing as if shell-shocked by his bed.

"Come, Merry," Aragorn said in a soothing voice. "Let him rest. We will return to him shortly."

Merry looked at Aragorn miserably, then hung his head and trotted after Frodo and Sam.

Aragorn held out his arm to Boromir, who, despite still being embarassed, gratefully took it and they followed after the others.