*Revised* - I just got reminded that Sam was with Rosie Cotton, not Diamond. Oops!

Disclaimer: Narcolepsy is a great song that isn't mine, *doh*, but belongs to Third Eye Blind. The Shire, Rosie, Frodo, and Sam all belong to J.R.R. Tolkien and the Lord of the Rings.

Watch, inspired by Third Eye Blind's song Narcolepsy.


I'm on a train, but there's no one at the helm
And there's a demon in my brain
Who starts to overwhelm whelm whelm whelm whelm
And there it goes, my last chance for peace

My choice to join Frodo and the others was irrevocable. For me, instead of being home at the Shire, dancing with Rosie at parties, I'm journeying to Doom Mountain.

You lay me down, but I get no release
And I say I, I try to keep awake
I try to swim beneath
I try to keep awake
But I, I can feel this narcolepsy slide

Into another nightmare

It's hard on these freezing forest nights not to think of the Shire. Back there, I could just imagine the birthday celebrations of the Tooks, the Brandybucks, and the Gamgees. Right at home, there must be dozens of parties and present-givings I would've participated in. And maybe, I'd be able to dance more with Rosie.

And there's a demon in my head who starts to play
A nightmare tape loop of what went wrong yesterday
And I hold my breath till it's more than I can take
And I close my eyes and dream that I'm awake

Rosie, then Mr. Frodo. I have both of my priorities to my love and to my friend. Though I've already left the first, I can't leave the latter. My girl and my future children depend on Frodo's destruction of the evil Ring. And then there's the whole fate of Middle-Earth that also comes with the task.

I try to keep awake
I try to keep awake
I try to keep awake
But I, I can feel this narcolepsy slide
Into another nightmare

Crazy. Only weeks ago, I was back at the Shire, cutting the grass for my neighbors. I was tending botanicals in the garden for the Baggins. I was planting new plants in my own home's garden. I'd never have expected to be here, in the frost, watching the forest for evil creatures.

I read dead Russian authors volumes at a time
I write everything down except what's on my mind
Cause my greatest fear is that sucking sound
And then I know that I'll never get back out

So here I am, fighting my drowsiness to keep awake. Watching over my master sleep, here I am hoping silently that it never has to be disturbed tonight by any wingwraiths, orcs, or others of the malevolent kind. Still, in the case that they come, I'm here to watch for them.

And there's a bone in my hand that connects to a drink
In a crowded room where the glasses clink
And I'll buy you a beer and we'll drink it deep
Because that keeps me from falling asleep I said

Here I lay against an oak tree, thinking about the past, and the journey ahead. I'm here making sure Mr. Frodo perseveres to Doom Mountain. I'm the only other person now who's to make sure the Ring makes it into the fires of Mount Doom.

How'd you like to be alone and drowning
How'd you like to be alone and drowning
How'd you like to be alone and drowning
How'd you like to be alone and drowning

Fire. It's been days since we've been able to light one to warm up. Instead, me and Mr. Frodo have travelled by the warmth of day and the cold rest of night.

Still I find this narcolepsy slide slide
Into another nightmare

I can't rest. Not with the darkness around. It's been like this every night of our journey. I've kept awake until the partial rise of the sun. It'd be there that I'd catch a doze of a few hours.

Keep awake, keep awake, keep awake
And I can feel this narcolepsy slide

Still, I know this burden isn't a tenth of what Mr. Frodo carries. I'm only here to help. Only here to watch. And only here to keep awake.

Keep awake.


Note: Argh! Not another songfic, right? Well, I wrote this piece separate from the song, but added the lyrics for an idea of how the song inspired the fic. Comments, Reviews, and Flames welcome.