TITLE: Breakdown
AUTHOR: Sanguinary
COPYRIGHT: August 28, 2002
DISTRIBUTION: Anklebiters. Ask if you want it anywhere else.
RATING: PG 13
CATEGORY: Horror, Vampires, Slash, AU
SPOILERS: TTT and RotK
DISCLAIMER: None of J.R.R. Tolkien's characters belong to me
FEEDBACK: If you liked it, drop me a line: Sanguinary_515@hotmail.com
SUMMARY: Frodo and Sam are captured. Merry and Pippin are missing. The end has come.
AN: Finished at last! I loved writing this series but I would have liked to have gotten it writen faster. But at least I finished it with a bang. A big thank you to everyone who read and encouraged this series. Especially to Singe, who's input and Beta'ing skills did wonders to what would have been an easily forgetable series. And though this series is done, this won't be the last from me.



Sam paced back and forth in his and Frodo's makeshift prison. Since they were small enough to squeeze through the bars of the average Minas Tirith cell they had been placed inside a cage made for savage animals and locked into a dungeon. Frodo sat in the corner furthest from the cage door, his knees drawn up and his chin resting on his chest.

Hunger radiated from both vampires. Sam couldn't understand how none of the Men in the room recognized the sheer want burning inside the two Hobbits. They hadn't fed in two days and if they didn't eat soon, they would both revert to the animalistic stage that Frodo had been in less than a week ago. Already, Frodo was slipping back to the beast-state.
For Sam, he felt he was revisiting the nightmare of Mordor. He remembered the uncertainty of when food would come. The danger of light catching him unawares. The unwavering temptation of Frodo's living blood so close but so forbidden. The memories were overwhelming torture and the only thing that kept him from snapping was his constant pacing. He had quickly discovered that the cage was six paces long and would not grow longer, no matter how many times he tread back and forth.

Sam knew little of what was happening beyond those snippets he gained from eavesdropping on the conversation of two of the guards. Apparently, a trial was deciding the fate of Sam and Frodo, whether they should be spared and kept alive in the dungeons for the rest of their days or whether it would be better to kill them and get it over with. Neither solution appealed much to Sam but there wasn't a thing he could do about it. There was no word on Merry or Pippin's whereabouts. Sam could only hope that they would not be found.

He heard that one reason for the hold up was because of the lateness of Men from Ithilien. They had come to testify against Sam, bringing along with them proof that the vampires had killed Men on their journey to Mordor. Sam had killed, but only to stay alive and to keep Frodo safe. He had not known that the Man he killed and drank from had been under the rule of Faramir and was an ally. That did not seem to matter to the judges of the trial. Sam was damned for tasting the blood of another, though he had no choice in the matter. He was so sorry for the man, still. Had he only known…

Frodo was caught between awareness and the feral nature that took him when he was without food. His out-of-focus eyes tore at Sam's heart. Tired and hungry, he sat down beside Frodo, resting his body against the cold bars. Frodo looked up and collapsed against him, laying his head across Sam's lap. Sam stroked his hair. Starving and exhausted, it didn't take long for them to soothe each other into a dreamless sleep.

Sam woke to the sound of a rapid heartbeat, close against him. He opened his eyes and found himself staring down a huge dungeon rat. The beady-eyed black monster was seated on Sam's chest and appeared to be trying to eat the remains of his ragged shirt. Sam stayed perfectly still, though he felt as if his skin were about to crawl off his body. Then he snapped his hand up and grabbed the hairy vermin.

It screamed shrilly before Sam broke its neck. He felt his face changing to his beast features, his eyes turning blood red. The fangs grew with a slight pain and he brought the rat to his mouth. He was starving and, though rat blood was repulsive, he dug his fangs into its neck and drank eagerly.

He would have drained it dry, had it not been for a moan from Frodo. Sam's master stared hungrily at him, licking his pale lips. It took some effort on Sam's part in order to pull the rodent from his mouth and offer it to Frodo.

Frodo took the gift and bit into it, not waiting for his fangs to form. Sam tried not to let the image of his friend eating a dead rat disgust him but he was revolted as fleas abandoned the cooling corpse to travel down Frodo's fingers. It was easier to watch Frodo eat when he was wearing his monstrous mask. Sam could pretend that it was the beast eating. It was much harder to delude himself when faced with Frodo's plain hobbit features, covered in blood.
There was the grinding of steel against steel as the iron door to the hobbit's dungeon was opened, revealing a number of humans, all armed and deadly. Sam forced his features to turn normal again as they strode into the room. "The King wishes to see you." The leader of the men spit out with disgust.

Sam stood, pulling Frodo with him. Frodo dropped the rat, its blood had sated him somewhat and he followed docilely, only sending longing looks towards some of the men whose hearts beat a bit quicker with fear. Sam kept a hand on Frodo's shoulder, calming his friend while keeping him out of trouble as he was not old enough of a vampire to fully be able to control his beast. All that had helped Sam become so comfortable with his baser needs so quickly was the fact that if he were to lose control in Mordor, he would have killed his love, his Frodo.

The walk through the corridors brought Sam and Frodo by the storage area that Sam had left Pippin in. Sam listened but could not hear any sounds from
behind the door. He prayed that meant Pippin had found his way out and was far away from Minas Tirith, hopefully safe with Merry. Sam was still angry at Merry for forcing him to turn Pippin but Merry was a part of Sam, literally blood of his blood now. As was Pippin. A connection that was closer than friendship and as binding as family. If Sam were to hear that either had been killed, he would make sure that whoever did it would pay.
They reached the throne room. Gathered inside were many Men and Elves that both Frodo and Sam had met on their journey and reckoned to be friends. He spotted Gimli and Legolas but the other prominent Big People were a mystery to him. Two blond humans, male and female siblings Sam guessed, stared stonily at them. Beside the woman stood another man looking so much like Boromir that Sam knew he had to be Faramir, the warrior's brother. Next to Faramir was Elrond, his daughter, Arwen, beside him, both quietly watching everything.

But on all their faces was hatred and fear for the creatures that Sam and Frodo had unwillingly become. Aragorn, a grim and bleak expression on his face, was seated on his throne with Gandalf at his right hand. Gandalf looked neither approving nor disapproving of the two captives. Sam took some comfort in that.

Sam stood proudly before Aragorn. He knew that he might not leave the throne room with his heart in his chest but there was no way he would ever let himself despair. Not now when Frodo needed him more than ever.

The King stood and walked towards the Hobbits. Gimli and Legolas followed him. They towered above the two small figures but Sam refused to flinch in the shadows of the ones who had been beloved to him.

Frodo whimpered, his hand seeking Sam's for comfort. Sam grasped it and squeezed gently to reassure him. An emotion that might have been pity flashed quickly over Legolas and Gimli's features but there was no emotion on Aragorn's face. There was nothing but cold judgment.

"Frodo. Samwise." His glace swung from one face to another, "What have you become?"
Sam returned Aragorn's look, "What we had no choice in bein'."

"It was Gollum, wasn't it?" Gandalf spoke for the first time, stepping out of the crowd.

Sam nodded, "It was. He was drinking from Frodo when we traveled though the dead marshes. I tried to put a stop to it but I wasn't strong enough to fight him off and I paid the price. When I rose, I fought Gollum and Frodo killed him."

Slowly, Sam told the tale of how they had traveled though Mordor and how he had fought the hunger until he gave in to save Frodo at the base of Mount Doom. He said nothing about turning Merry or Pippin but neither denied that Merry's sickness had been caused by Frodo's hunger. As he spoke, the attitude of the crowd changed from fear and hatred to pity mixed with revulsion.

When he came to the end of it, Sam looked up at Aragorn again, "So that's the long and short of it all. There was no choice in our bein'. There was just the bein'."

Aragorn was quiet a moment, deliberating. Finally he spoke, "I understand this was not your choice. We are grateful that you destroyed the Ring, despite everything, but you must understand. You have been killing in this city and that is something that I cannot allow. Yes, so far, only animals have been harmed in the White City but you may soon turn to Men for you needs as you have done before. We cannot allow you to spread this disease. I am sorry, my old friends, but it must be this way."

With the slightest motion from him, four soldiers stepped forward, unsheathing their blades that shone in the blazing torchlight that lit the hall. Aragorn walked back to his throne, Gimli and Legolas following him. Apparently, though Aragorn was willing to shed the blood of his friends, he was not willing to shed his own.

Sam pushed Frodo behind him, protecting his master. They were rushed from all sides and Frodo cried out sharply as the soldiers pulled him and Sam apart. Sam was slammed onto the stone floor, forcing his features out. He caught a glimpse of Frodo, thrown to the floor in front of Aragorn.

"NOOO!" Sam fought with all his strength, biting and tearing at anything he could get his fangs and hands on. The soldiers fell back, only to be replaced by others who didn't fear the vampire. Hands caught him and stretched him out immobile on the floor. Sam watched one of the Men approach, sword upraised, ready to sever his head from his body.

Sam defiantly looked up at the blade, refusing to close his eyes and wince. He would face death with more courage than he had faced life.

With a crash the soldier suddenly fell to the floor, his sword spinning out of his hand. On his back stood Pippin, his face fully transformed into the bestial red eyes and fangs of the cursed. Pippin leapt off the soldier's back and landed on the floor in front of Sam, snarling at the soldiers that still surrounded them. "Don't you dare touch him!"

Aragorn stood, waving the men to the side, and as the soldiers backed away, Pippin turned around and helped Sam to his feet. The younger Hobbit smiled, his features melting back into normality. "Are you alright?"

Sam nodded, speechless. He couldn't help but stare at the scars that were all over Pippin's neck and arms, proof of Merry's botched attempts at transforming Pippin. But Pippin seemed almost proud of them, wearing them as if they were a reward.

There was a high-pitched keening noise from Frodo, still held captive by the Men. Sam didn't stop to think about what he was doing as he walked up to the fallen soldier on the floor. The man stirred once when Sam lifted him into a sitting position but didn't dare move again. Pippin realized what Sam was doing and joined him, standing on the other side of their victim. Sam nuzzled his face into the Man's neck, his fangs just barely above the skin.

"I suggest you put Frodo down. Otherwise, we won't be the only dead things in this room." Pippin smiled, the words he spoke made even more threatening by how normal Pippin looked when the beast was contained.

Aragorn nodded to the soldiers and they set their prisoner down. Frodo immediately ran to Sam. Pippin and Sam released the Man and stood back as he scrabbled over the stone floor to rejoin his companions.

"It appears you did not tell us the whole truth, Sam." Aragorn stared coldly at Pippin.
"Why would I have told you about Pip? So you could hunt him down and kill him too?" Sam snorted, "If you believed that I would do that, you're naught but a ninny-hammer as my Gaffer would say."

Something moved beside Aragorn. Sam turned his head and saw the arrow as it flew from Legolas' bow, thrumming as it went. Sam stepped to the side and smoothly caught the arrow by the shaft. The crowd gasped as one and a sickly look of shock spread down the Elf's face. Pippin laughed as Sam handed him the arrow, "A nice shot, Legolas. But you would have been better off not making it." Legolas obviously knew nothing of the nature of Mordor-spawn, as he called them.

"I agree with you there, Pippin." Sam took the arrow back and threw it at the ceiling high above him. The arrow flew straight and stuck in the very centre of the roof.

While the hall reacted with shock, Pippin leaned against Sam. He whispered, "When I count to three, get Frodo and yourself down on the floor."

"What?"

"Don't question, just do!"

Pippin stepped around Sam, ruffling Frodo's hair as he passed him. He bowed mockingly to Aragorn. Death had not affected Pippin much. It seemed to have lightened his spirit, making him more of the old Pippin who had been a carefree boy in the Shire. "King Aragorn, I thank you for your hospitality but I believe we've worn out our welcome. So, I say farewell for both my companions and myself."

"You will not leave this castle intact." Aragorn drew his own sword.

"One." Pippin smiled coldly, his hand slipping into his pocket. "Two… three!"

Sam grabbed Frodo and yanked him to the ground as Pippin pulled a small red ball out of his pocket and threw it into a nearby torch. Sam instantly recognized it as one of Gandalf's fireworks. He clamped one hand over Frodo's eyes and shut tight his own. He felt Pippin drop down beside him, burrowing his head into his back as a flash of light blinded the room. Screams echoed from all corners as the Big People panicked. Sam pulled Frodo and Pippin to their feet and they ran as fast as they could, leaving the throne room behind and shooting into the corridor.

They ran though the twisting halls and the pounding of boots followed them. Slipping into an empty room they waiting in desperate silence as the shouts of Men sounded through the corridor. Sam and Pippin pressed Frodo between them, shielding him from any threat that may appear.

When the noise died down, the Hobbits cautiously emerged into the hall. Before they could flee to a safer stop, Aragorn, evidently following a passageway only he knew of, appeared and blocked their path to their absolute shock. In his hand he held Anduril, "I cannot allow you to leave."

Sam pushed Frodo out of the Aragorn's reach and met Pippin's eyes. Pippin smiled, the blue of his eyes melting into blood red as his beast emerged. Sam's face changed as well, matching Pippin's visage. They turned as one, ready to do whatever was needed to keep Frodo safe. "Come on then, Longshanks!" Sam snarled, "Let's have at it!"

Aragorn's face turned furious and he raised his sword to strike. Then Sam leapt back as Aragorn was suddenly thrown forward by the weight of a Hobbit striking him in the back of his knees. As he fell, he revealed Merry, grinning most unpleasantly.

Sam saw his chance and grasped Aragorn's sword arm in his tiny hands. He pushed on the elbow joint, listening to it strain under the force of his unnatural strength and then snap as it broke. Aragorn opened his mouth to howl in pain but Pippin was there quicker than any mortal eye could follow, pushing the Man's jaw shut and sinking his teeth into the neck with one smooth motion.

The scent of fresh blood overwhelmed the starving Sam and he brought his teeth down on the other side of Aragorn's neck. Pippin growled at Sam, more welcoming than angry and wound his free hand into Sam's hair.

Frodo appeared behind the kneeling King, finding room for his own teeth at the crook of the shoulder. Sam's free hands found their way to the Hobbits on either side of him, one sliding over Pippin's back and the other tangling into Frodo's hair. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Merry joining them, his head resting against Pippin's and his fangs buried into the soft flesh of the other shoulder.

They drank deeply until their cheeks turned bright pink and their dead forms seemed to throb with life. Sam could feel Aragorn weakening but he didn't care. He wanted nothing more than to destroy the callous man and all his causes but, surprisingly enough, it was Merry who pulled back and pushed the others away. "Can't kill him."

"What are you doing?" Pippin stared at Merry in surprise.

"We kill him, we'll never get out of here. We let him live and they'll lose time trying to decide whether he's one of us or not. And…besides…its murder. Animals are one thing but Aragorn…he was our friend once…"

"Merry, that's the first rational thing you've said since I turned you." Sam gasped. And the first merciful, he thought, relief flooding his soul. Merry, his friend, was still with them. Sam turned to Pippin, who was looking back at Merry, smiling. "He's right. We need to hide him somewhere."

"I know just the place." Pippin's cocky grin was all Sam needed to see to know that everything would work out.

Sam and Pippin hid Aragorn's unconscious body in the empty storage room where Pippin had risen not two days ago. Frodo watched quietly from where he leaned against the wall. Merry paced anxiously, glancing to Pippin every so often to make sure he was where he should be.

As Frodo's hunger had been sated, his sanity had returned to him and his eyes shone bright with intelligence. Sam idly wondered why they were so different as vampires. Pippin was himself, as was Sam. But Frodo and Merry were completely changed, their entire personalities dependant on the nature of the beast inside.

"Can we go now?" Merry was agitated and glanced up and down the corridor, "They're still looking for us!"

"But where will we go?" Frodo rose to his feet, "We can't stay in the White City but there's no where else we can escape to before daylight."

"I say we head for Rohan. There's horses there, enough to feed on for years and years without being detected." Merry closed his eyes, obviously imagining a feast of horse blood.

Pippin shook his head, "We wouldn't be any safer there. The Men would hunt us down. I say we head for the Mines of Moria. We could hide in there forever."

"But there's nothing to eat." Frodo looked thoughtful, "We need places to hide from the Sun, but we need creatures to feed on. And I cannot think of any forest that would welcome us for long."

"What about…" Sam opened his mouth to speak but stopped as he was thrust into shadows by a figure blocking the torchlight from the hallway.

Gandalf towered overtop the Hobbits. Sam drew out his sword, standing in front of Frodo, Merry and Pippin, "You can do what you want with me but you'll not harm a hair of the ones I made."

"You made them all?" Gandalf seemed almost surprised by this.

"I did." Sam waved his sword towards Gandalf's kneecaps, "And I'll cut you down before I'll see them hurt."

"So you plan to cut me down, Samwise Gamgee?" Gandalf looked coldly at the Hobbit.

"Only if need be, sir. Otherwise I'd rather not kill anyone. I've had enough of death."

"As have I." Gandalf leaned his staff against the wall, sparing a glance in the direction of the storage room, and smiled at the vampires, "I had feared that all the goodness would have been lost from you but it appears not. You may not be the Hobbits that I took out of the Shire but the creatures you have become are still good and righteous. Hurry, you must go before they find you."

The cursed walking party glanced at each other with relief. "But where?" Pippin looked up at Gandalf, "They'll hunt us wherever we go."

"There's one place they'll never find you. One place where you may live happily. Return to the Shire and spend your years in peace. Aragorn would never imagine that you had actually gone home so you should be safe from him. But if I ever hear of strange creatures causing deaths in the Shire, I will come and destroy you myself."

"I promise not to let anything happen to the Shire. And that's one promise that I know I can keep."

Gandalf knelt down on the floor and gathered them into a hug, "I will miss you all."

"And we'll miss you." Pippin smiled cheekily, "And tell the rest of the Fellowship to stick their swords up their…"

"Pippin…" Sam's tone was warning but there was no disguising the smile on his face.

"Nose? And rotate them until they pierce that part of their brain that's making them forget that we saved the day. We saved them all."

Gandalf laughed, "I'll try to remember that, Master Took. Now go. Shadowfax waits in the stables. He will take you to safety." Pippin nodded, waved, and rushed down the hall with Merry and Frodo following close behind. Sam lingered a moment. "What is it, Sam?"

"I kept my promise."

"Your promise?"

"The one you made me promise when we started this journey. 'Don't you leave him, Samwise Gamgee.' And I didn't. I never left him."

"I know, Sam." Gandalf smiled sadly, "I can only wish that you had never been turned by Gollum's bite. But a wish is just that, nothing but a hope that has already faded. But keep your promises to me."

"I haven't had much good luck with the promises I've made to anyone else. But I know I can keep yours. I won't let anything harm them. And I won't let them harm anything."

"I know." Gandalf stood, looking fondly at Sam, "Now go. They're waiting for you."

"I won't forget this. Thank you, Gandalf." Sam took one more look at Gandalf before sprinting down the halls to the stables.

He was forced to hide a couple times as Men came thundering down the halls, fruitlessly searching for the Halflings. But it didn't take long for Sam to reach the stables and meet up with his childer. They were gathered around Shadowfax's stable, peering over the divider wall.

Sam opened the gate and jumped onto Shadowfax's back. The horse rolled his eyes in a panic but he didn't move, terrified of the creature on his back. Frodo was next to jump on. He slid as close as he could to Sam, wrapping his arms around Sam's waist and pressing his face into the strong back.

Pippin easily leapt astride and helped guide Merry. Sam gripped the horse's mane and hissed into its ear. Shadowfax shrieked and took off into the night, heading in the direction that all of them knew to be home.

Frodo murmured happily against Sam's back and Pippin began to sing a song that all of them knew well. Sam joined in, smiling happily for the first time since they began the quest.

"The road goes ever on and on…"

~Fin~