NOTE: There is some reference in this part to adoption. Please do not take
offence at this and please do not regard this as something I have not
thought through. The first part of my story was purely spontaneous; this
part however is more thought-out. Regarding the adoption: I do know what
I'm talking about, so no flames, please.
Thank you.
Summers that have been.
I went to Pippin in a dart of panic.
"Pippin!" I was screaming his name and he wasn't responding.
I knelt down beside him, sobbing-knowing I should've gone with him. I should've protected him. His breathing was so small and almost unbearably restrained that I thought that would be it. His face seemed to contort slightly as I knelt there holding him in my arms. Suddenly his eyes half- opened. He opened his mouth in a wordless motion. A few more moments passed and he opened his eyes fully: that green wash of innocence intoxicating my whole body.
"Merry-" He started, in a painful whisper.
I shushed him and stroked his hair. We stayed like that for a few moments. I was grateful that my parents had decided to go out tonight. Grateful they wouldn't question anything. Pippin shifted slightly and then attempted to pull himself up. I gently guided him, gently helped him to his feet. I kept my arm tightly round his shoulders as I helped him to his room. I stripped him of his shirt and gasped in shock at the amount of wounds that plastered his seemingly small body.
"Pippin, what did they do to you?" I asked softly.
Pippin stared at me for a moment. He seemed not to want to speak of it. He remained in consideration for a few moments, and then sighed softly.
"They told me if I didn't get them more, I'd be sorry. Merry, I tried to tell them. I tried to speak, but they're all much bigger than I am. There were so many-" His voice was shrill and panicky.
I went back to stroking his hair and soothing him with words of comfort. I could see his distress. He needed help. I didn't even know how these Hobbits were, let alone how big they were or how many.
"It's alright Pippin. You won't need to do this anymore. I'm here now-I'll look after you." I promised.
I was at the age to be that of a concerned brother-figure, but never a father figure. Pippin's next outburst surprised us both.
"Adopt me." Pippin said assertively.
I frowned. I looked at him for a moment or two before slowly shaking my head.
"I can't." I answered.
"Why not? Merry Frodo was adopted." Pippin responded.
I nodded.
"I know, Pip, but that's because he lost both his parents. You've got your father. I know you don't like Elissa very much but she's there too. If it's really that bad, why don't you see if you can stay with Pearl for a bit?" I suggested.
Pippin shook his head.
"I want to be in your family. I don't want to be a Took. I don't want to live in the Smials with Paladin and Elissa. I don't want to be a Thain. I want to be here with you." He answered.
I sighed slightly. Ever since his mother had left, all I'd wanted to do was bring him here forever where I could protect him and keep him safe. Ever since his father found Elissa and spent more and more time out instead of in doing his documents or looking after Pippin, I wanted nothing more than Pippin to be one of us. It just couldn't happen. My father would not allow it. Not that he hated Pippin. He always looked to Pippin as a surrogate son, but adoption was just a step too far. Pippin had his own life. His own way mapped out. I shook my head again.
"I'm sorry." I replied.
Pippin rested his head back against the pillow and tightly closed his eyes. When he opened them again, wet tears drizzled down his cheeks. He nodded slightly. He'd seen sense and reason.
"Me too." He said rather regrettably.
Summers that have been.
I went to Pippin in a dart of panic.
"Pippin!" I was screaming his name and he wasn't responding.
I knelt down beside him, sobbing-knowing I should've gone with him. I should've protected him. His breathing was so small and almost unbearably restrained that I thought that would be it. His face seemed to contort slightly as I knelt there holding him in my arms. Suddenly his eyes half- opened. He opened his mouth in a wordless motion. A few more moments passed and he opened his eyes fully: that green wash of innocence intoxicating my whole body.
"Merry-" He started, in a painful whisper.
I shushed him and stroked his hair. We stayed like that for a few moments. I was grateful that my parents had decided to go out tonight. Grateful they wouldn't question anything. Pippin shifted slightly and then attempted to pull himself up. I gently guided him, gently helped him to his feet. I kept my arm tightly round his shoulders as I helped him to his room. I stripped him of his shirt and gasped in shock at the amount of wounds that plastered his seemingly small body.
"Pippin, what did they do to you?" I asked softly.
Pippin stared at me for a moment. He seemed not to want to speak of it. He remained in consideration for a few moments, and then sighed softly.
"They told me if I didn't get them more, I'd be sorry. Merry, I tried to tell them. I tried to speak, but they're all much bigger than I am. There were so many-" His voice was shrill and panicky.
I went back to stroking his hair and soothing him with words of comfort. I could see his distress. He needed help. I didn't even know how these Hobbits were, let alone how big they were or how many.
"It's alright Pippin. You won't need to do this anymore. I'm here now-I'll look after you." I promised.
I was at the age to be that of a concerned brother-figure, but never a father figure. Pippin's next outburst surprised us both.
"Adopt me." Pippin said assertively.
I frowned. I looked at him for a moment or two before slowly shaking my head.
"I can't." I answered.
"Why not? Merry Frodo was adopted." Pippin responded.
I nodded.
"I know, Pip, but that's because he lost both his parents. You've got your father. I know you don't like Elissa very much but she's there too. If it's really that bad, why don't you see if you can stay with Pearl for a bit?" I suggested.
Pippin shook his head.
"I want to be in your family. I don't want to be a Took. I don't want to live in the Smials with Paladin and Elissa. I don't want to be a Thain. I want to be here with you." He answered.
I sighed slightly. Ever since his mother had left, all I'd wanted to do was bring him here forever where I could protect him and keep him safe. Ever since his father found Elissa and spent more and more time out instead of in doing his documents or looking after Pippin, I wanted nothing more than Pippin to be one of us. It just couldn't happen. My father would not allow it. Not that he hated Pippin. He always looked to Pippin as a surrogate son, but adoption was just a step too far. Pippin had his own life. His own way mapped out. I shook my head again.
"I'm sorry." I replied.
Pippin rested his head back against the pillow and tightly closed his eyes. When he opened them again, wet tears drizzled down his cheeks. He nodded slightly. He'd seen sense and reason.
"Me too." He said rather regrettably.