Forgotten Roads
by Ani Ledger





[Chapter Four]

After breakfast, I went out for a walk. It was a pretty quiet morning, and I was happy, I was away from my parents and staying with my favorite cousin... and then there was Pippin... If it wasn't a perfect day, I didn't know what was.

I walked up the hill towards Merry's house, and Pippin came running out. Come on, he said, taking me by surprise. He grabbed my hand and lead me far enough away from the house to talk without being heard.

What's going on? I asked, out of breath. Pippin and I certainly ran a lot.

Guess what?

I asked, getting a little bit annoyed. I didn't know what, that's why I asked in the first place.

I think Merry likes your cousin, he said, and I laughed.

You think so too? I asked. Well, I know so... I heard a knock on the door last night, and Lily got up to answer it. I looked out the window and saw Merry waiting out there for her.

Pippin grinned. Merry wouldn't tell me where he'd been. I sort of figured it out, though... I wonder why he wouldn't tell me.

Oh... well, maybe he was just... maybe he didn't want to say anything. Maybe... I thought for a minute, and said with a smile, Maybe no one's supposed to know.

Pippin shrugged. Maybe. Let's go for a walk, he suggested. I nodded and followed him into town.

I wasn't as nervous today as I'd been the evening before. He showed me around town, and even though he didn't technically live there, it seemed like he knew everyone. He introduced me to people, and would give me a description of them once they were out of earshot: She thinks I'm terrible or He helped me and Merry get some of Farmer Maggot's mushrooms once.

Lily called me in for luncheon after a while. She asked if Pippin wanted to stay, since Merry was already there anyway. Pippin and I exchanged a look when we saw Merry at the table, and we smiled but didn't say a word.

After luncheon, Pippin and I went back outside and walked down to the river. He took me up to the side of a tall grassy hill above the river. I sat down in the grass, and he laid back. propping himself up on his elbows. I come up here a lot, just to sit... I like to watch the river.

I nodded. It's pretty. There aren't any rivers near where I live, but I like this one. She sighed. You know, I've only been here for the past day and a half, but already this feels like home.



I nodded again. I don't think I ever want to leave. I looked up at the sky and closed my eyes, enjoying the summer sun on my face.

This is home to me, too, Pippin said. I mean... my parents don't live here either, but I'd rather stay here with Merry than stay there.

I don't always get along with my parents, I said. Not that most tweenagers always get along with their parents. Maybe it was all in my head, but mine seemed especially bad. My brothers and sisters are all better than me in some way, and like I said... it always seems like they forget about me. I looked down and sighed. I didn't want to talk about my parents right now.

I smiled, remembering Lily's story earlier. Lily told me about something last night... did you know that we've met before? I asked him, smiling.

Pippin shook his head, looking confused. When? I don't remember.

I don't remember it either. Lily told me that I visited here when I was about five, and you were here too. You were ten then, and she said I followed you around the whole time I was here. She said it drove you crazy.

Pippin laughed, and sat up. Kind of like you are now.

I paused, not knowing what to say. Was I annoying him? He laughed again. I was joking.

I blushed. I knew that.

He grinned.

---

She really was driving me crazy.

Not like she had when we were younger. I didn't say so, because the memory was old and forgotten, but I did remember meeting Diamond when she was five years old. She followed me everywhere, and, being a curious child, asked me endless amounts of questions. I was ten years old then--twice her age, and not interested in playing with someone so much younger than me. But she insisted on following me and cried incessantly when I told her to go away.

I remembered that day clearly, after she mentioned it.

But now... Diamond was driving me crazy in an entirely new way. In a way I'd never imagined she could. She was so sweet, and calm, and beautiful, and incredibly nonchalant. She didn't know how beautiful she was.

I was transfixed by every little thing. Her hair blowing in the breeze, the way her eyelids fluttered when she laughed at what I was saying, and how when she was happy, you could tell, because her voice seemed to sing.

Diamond said, and I shook my head as if she had brought me out of a trance. Are you all right?

Yeah. Sorry, I said. I'd been staring at her, I realized.

She smiled and twirled a wildflower between her fingers and leaned back against the hill. There. That's what drove me so crazy: the way she could be so lovely without even trying.

On a sudden impulsive whim, I leaned in and kissed her. Her eyes opened wide for a moment and she gasped, and then she relaxed. I realized I'd leaned in a bit too far and almost lost my balance, but I managed to move closer and put my arms around her.

Diamond smiled at me and opened her eyes. Her face was just inches from mine, and I could still feel the kiss lingering on my lips. I wasn't quite expecting that, she said softly, still smiling.

I know. That's why I did it. Was it? Or was it completely impulsive? Did I do it, just to see whether she would run away this time? Oh well; either way, I'd kissed her. She didn't hate me. In fact, I thought to myself, as I was allowed another kiss, I would have to say she probably enjoyed that as much as I did.

---

If Pippin and I weren't inseperable from the moment we met, we surely weren't for the rest of the week I was in Buckland. Lily knew I liked Pippin, I'd told her my first night there, but I didn't tell her anything else. She hadn't yet told me what was going on between her and Merry, so I didn't feel obligated to tell her what was going on between me and Merry's cousin.

Pippin and I spent as much time together as we could. Not quite every waking moment, but close. The week was completely wonderful, and felt like it would never end. I never wanted it to.

---

I woke up earlier than usual. When I woke up completely, I realized that it was my seventh day in Buckland: my last full day.

I knew it would come sooner or later, but I spent the entire week wishing it would somehow not come. Tomorrow morning, my parents would arrive, and I'd be back home in Long Cleeve by suppertime.

Today was my last day to spend with Pippin. I feared that I wouldn't see him again for a long time.

After breakfast, I immediately ran up the hill to see him. Merry answered the door. You're up early, he remarked. Pippin is still asleep. I could wake him, if you'd like.

I thought for a minute. We'd stayed out late, out by the river, the night before, watching the stars come out. It was my fault for waking up so early, and for not thinking that Pippin might want to sleep in like most normal hobbits would. Let him sleep, I replied, although I was secretly disappointed. I'll come back later.

I went back to Lily's and spent the morning with her. I'd gone to visit my cousin, yet I'd hardly spent any time with her at all... which wasn't completely my fault, as she'd been with Merry a lot of the time anyway.

There was a knock on the door shortly after luncheon, and I answered it. A smiling Pippin was standing on the doorstep. Good afternoon, milady, he said with a bow, and I laughed. He offered me his hand, and I took it. We walked to the river.

We spent the day together, as we had every day. I tried to ignore the fact that I might never see him again, or at least not for a while, and I succeeded for most of the day.

Pippin and I spent the whole day together. We separated at suppertime, and I ate with Lily. I went to look for Pippin after supper. Merry told me Pippin had left after supper, and that he didn't know where he had gone. I figured he was off with you, Merry said, smiling, but I guess not.

I'm sure I'll find him, I replied, turning. Pippin couldn't have gone too far; I knew exactly where to look.

---

Diamond met me up on the hill after dark. The stars were shining, and the moon cast a glow over the hill. The river was calm, and a quiet breeze rustled the leaves on the trees.

She walked up the hill and sat down beside me. The hillside was quiet. Though it was late, there was still a lot going on in town. It was our last night together, and I wanted to spend it just with her. I left her a note saying to meet me after the moon rose, and I supposed she'd gotten it.

Did you get my note? I asked her anyway, and she shook her head.

No, but I couldn't find you, and I figured you'd be up here. She put her head on my shoulder and sighed. I don't want to leave tomorrow, Pippin.

I put my arm around her. I don't want you to leave either. She sighed again. I've had one of the greatest weeks of my life. I'm going to miss you.

I'll come back to visit whenever I can, she promised. I heard her sniffle and turned to look at her. A tear rolled down her cheek. Oh, Pippin, she said, starting to cry. I don't want to go home. She turned to me and buried her face in my shoulder. I held her while she cried, trying to hold back my own tears. I'll write to you all the time.

So will I.

---

We sat up on the hill for a long time in silence. After a while I laid down in the grass and stared up at the night sky.

It's beautiful, isn't it?

It is, Pippin agreed, laying down next to me. It's like... diamonds, he added. Whenever I look at the stars, I'll think of you.

I started crying all over again. I rolled over toward him, and he put his arms around me. I rested my forehead against his and said with a laugh, Leave it to you, Peregrin Took, to say the most cliché thing and make it into the most beautiful thing anyone has ever told me. Pippin grinned and kissed me. We didn't move for a few minutes, enjoying what could be our last perfect moment like that. I was worried that my parents wouldn't let me come back and visit as often as I'd like--especially not if they found out about Pippin. I knew they wouldn't approve. They didn't approve of most of the things I did, and as I've said, I thought myself to be one of the more responsible and well-behaved tweens.

I put my worries behind me once more and focused on what was happening right now. Because right now, Pippin was trailing little kisses down my neck, and I was smiling, and completely happy.

I knew it was crazy, and completely absurd, but I knew then that I was in love with Peregrin Took.

---

Diamond and I stayed up on the hill for a long time. Neither of us cared if Merry or Lily wondered where we were. We both intended on enjoying our last few hours together.

Diamond fell asleep in my arms after a while. I was getting awfully tired too, but rather than wake her up, I carefully picked her up and carried her back to town.

When I got to Lily's, Merry was just leaving. I told him I'd be in in a few minutes. Diamond woke up, looking slightly confused. I said, smiling at her. I didn't want to wake you up, so I carried you back here.

She smiled, and I put her down. Thank you, Pippin, she whispered. I kissed her one last time, and at that very moment, the door opened. Lily was standing there, looking somewhat surprised, and very amused. Diamond turned bright red, but didn't jump away from me, much to my relief.

I'm sorry, Lily said, grinning. I was just on my way out to find you. I had no idea-- she looked from Diamond, to me, and then back to Diamond --that you were... back already. Lily giggled, and said, Sorry to interrupt, and closed the door.

Diamond laughed a little, embarassed. She always has to show up at the most inconvenient times, she said quietly.

I smiled at her. Yes, she does. But now, I said, pulling Diamond closer again. Now I intend on giving you a proper good-night kiss. I kissed her goodnight one last time, not wanting to let her go. But I knew that I had to. I knew that no matter what--whether I stood her and kissed her good-night all night long, or whether I said good-night (and good-bye), her parents would still come for her in the morning, and she would still have to leave me.

She gave me one last look before I let her go inside. She smiled at me, a huge, genuine smile that I knew she really meant. Thank you, Pip, she whispered again. I... I love you. She turned and headed for the door.

I called after her, and she turned. I love you too.

With that, I turned and headed up the hill to Merry's. I was afraid that if I looked back even once, I wouldn't be able to stop myself from running back to Lily's and finding a way for Diamond to convince her parents to never take her back to Long Cleeve.

[End of Part One]


[A/N: Finally! Something happened!! How joyful. I was afraid of this chapter. I wrote the Pippin-and-Diamond-on-the-hill scene a few days before I actually gave it a place in the story, but it ended up weaving in almost perfectly. I didn't want to throw the L-word in right away, since they've only known each other for a week, but... it's not like this is a doomed romance here. You all know where this is going... ::wink:: Or at least you might. If you don't, oh well. Heee. Just read. I have the end written, and it's full of sappy sentimental romantic goodness... lots will happen between then and now, though. So pleeeeeease keep reading!

The next chapter.. the actual chapter five chapter.. isn't started yet. I have the idea in my head, and I know pretty much what's going to happen.. I just need to work some of the kinks out of it. So, the next section will consist of my lengthy rambly author's notes. You can skip over them if you like, or you can read them and make fun of my obsession with accuracy and detail. This is only the first part of my notes, and I'll probably post more when it need arises ::giggles::]