A/N: Ok, back to Frodo and the Hobbits. Sorry if that chapter was boring. Oh, and this chapter might be rather short.

~~

The Hobbits trudged on long into the night. Pippin had many-a-time started to doze and nearly fell over (Merry always caught him). It was far passed mid-night when they could travel no further. Everyone fell asleep quickly besides Frodo, who only dozed slightly and Shrell, who wasn't sleeping at all.

Frodo awoke from one of his dozing dreams. He wasn't very tired. There was a soft humming coming from a tree close by. Frodo stood up and walked over to it. Shrell was on one of the lower limbs humming a song she once played on her flute.

"You have a very pretty voice" he said, once she finished. She jumped a little then looked down at him.

"You can't be serious" she said with a laugh.

"I've never been more." Frodo again fond himself looking in Shrell's eyes. He tried to look away but it was no use. They were both caught in each other's gaze. Shrell suddenly laughed.

"Huh?" Frodo asked, perplexed.

"I don't know. Doesn't this feel strangely familiar?" She answered.

"Almost like the day we first met.." Frodo mused.

"Yes. It seems like that was so long ago." Shrell gazed up at the stars. "The moon is bright tonight."

Frodo saw the sparkle of the stars and the moon reflect in her eyes. She turned and gazed at him again.

"Can you see them from down there?" she asked.

"No."

"Give me your hand." She stood up on the branch and offered him her hand. Frodo took it, slowly. He put his foot on the branch and pulled himself up. Shell was knocked off balance and nearly tumbled off the limb. Frodo wrapped one of his arms around her back and saved her from falling just in time. He was staring down at her unable to break eye contact. Shrell swallowed and fell silent. Her cheeks looked rather pink.

"Scholigrafa, I do believe your blushing" Frodo said slyly. Shrell took a deep breath.

"That was graceful of me" she said sarcastically. Frodo pulled her up. They were now inches apart. "So, can you see the stars now?" Shrell asked nervously. Frodo gazed up into the night sky. It was beautiful.

"Let's get a closer look" Shrell said, grabbing the branch above her. She swung herself up and then climbed tree limbs higher. Frodo followed her. When he climbed up to her she was sitting down on a rather large limb. Frodo sat down next to her. "Ever tried to count them?" she asked wistfully.

"I suppose. I never got close to finishing" Frodo answered with a laugh. "Shrell, I'm very sorry about your flute. You seem to miss it very much" Frodo said looking down at her.

"I guess I do. It feels weird not to be able to play it" she said, looking up at him.

"That Uruk-Hai paid quite dearly, though" Frodo chuckled.

"Of course!" Shrell said proudly in a manly voice. Frodo laughed.

They spent hours just gazing up at the stars and talking till they both began to nod. Their eyes began to get heavy and, more often than not, yawed.

"I think it about time we get some rest" Shrell said, standing up. Frodo nodded and stood up. He was half asleep and ended up loosing his balance and slipping off the branch. He was sure he was going to fall when he felt an arm around his back. Shrell was looking down at him. Frodo felt his cheeks flush.

"Frodo Baggins, I do believe your blushing" Shrell said in the same kind of voice he had used. Frodo found himself unable to speak. He felt himself drawing nearer to Shrell. She was drawing slowly closer to him.

At that minute there was a horrible crack. Frodo was suddenly aware that he was falling. The next thing he knew he hit the ground with a thud, Shrell right beside him. She muttered something under her breath then laughed.

"I don't find it one bit funny!" Frodo said, sitting up.

"No, I always used to fall out of trees when I was younger. It took me forever to learn to climb them. This is the first time in ages I've fallen out of one" she said, still laughing on the ground.

"I think you hit your head to hard" Frodo said, standing up and walking over to her. She was on her back laughing. He offered her a hand up which she took and pulled herself up. She had twisted her ankle when she fell out of the tree and ended up falling into Frodo's arms.

"Oh, are you alright?" he asked, holding her around the waist. She didn't answer but Frodo could hear her sighing softly. "Goodnight, Shrell"......to be continued.