A/N: Sorry this chapter is so short, but it's one of those in-between chapters, and the next few will be longer!

Frem Bolger said goodbye to his friends at the entrance to the Green Dragon inn, before going back inside. 'Come on, closing time! Everybody out!' He called, clapping his hands. His eldest son helped some of the more drunken residents of Hobbiton out of their seats, and gradually the inn began to clear.

Eventually the inn was empty apart from Frem, his wife Jecla, his son Drido, and one hobbit. He was slumped over a table in a corner, several large empty glasses around him.

'Come on mate, surely you've got a home to go to!' Frem laughed, going over to the lone hobbit. He put a hand on the hobbit's shoulder, and the hobbit began to stir. Frem suddenly found himself looking at the tear-stained face of Frodo Baggins, one of his, and his cousin Fredegar's, closest friends. 

'Frodo! What are you doing here so late? And looking so miserable?' Frem asked, sitting down by his friend.

'I can't go back, Frem, not with… her!' Frodo cried, flinging his arms around Frem's neck and dissolving into tears.

'Where? With who?'

'I… I can't tell you here…' Frodo cast a glance at Jecla and Drido.

'I don't know what's up with you, Fro, but you're coming home with me, and staying at our place until this is all sorted, all right?'

Frodo sniffed and nodded. 'Thank you.'

***

Jecla and Frem's children were all asleep, and Frem and Frodo were in Frem's living room.

'Now, Frodo, tell me what's happened.'

Frodo then launched into the story of Sam going to stay with Merry and Pippin for a while, and it being just him, Rose and Elanor at Bag End. He told Frem how Rose had managed to get him drunk, and then how she had managed to get him to bed… to her and Sam's bed!

Frem listened in silence, allowing Frodo to talk uninterrupted. 'And I just can't go back there!' Frodo ended. Tears were, by now, rolling freely down his cheeks, and his shoulders shook with the sobs.

'I knew she was no good, that girl.' Frem said when Frodo had finished talking.

'It was my fault!' Frodo said. 

'No, it wasn't, and don't even start thinking that it was. She was the one who knew what she was doing, the one who started it all. She took advantage of you, and you yourself just said that you had no idea what you were doing.'

'That's no excuse – I shouldn't have drunk so much!'

'Oh, come on Frodo, hobbits are allowed to have a little drink once in a while. That was no fault of your own.'

Frodo sniffed, and wiped the tears from his face with his shirt sleeve.

'Now, what you need now is a good sleep.' Frem said. 'We've got a spare guest room… you're welcome here for as long as you want. I'll talk to Sam when he gets back, if you want.'

Frodo's eyes suddenly widened, and a look of fear came across them. 'No… not Sam… I don't want him to know… He's been so good to me!'

'So he deserves to know the truth.' Frem reasoned. 'If he knows best, he'll leave that Rose when he finds out.'

Frodo still looked doubtful, but didn't try to oppose Frem again. He got up, and followed Frem to his guest room.