Disclaimer, I wish I owned them, if I did I could get money from this, but as I don't I have to keep working my day job.


I was listening to Mr. Frodo read my favorite story in that book. The one about an elf who wanted to go to the Shire to see the hobbits. She found them, and every year after that came to see them in the spring because she liked them so much. The first time Master Bilbo read that story to me, when I was just a wee thing sitting on his lap, I ran to the window when he finished, hoping to see that lady elf. I did that every year in the spring, until my dad explained to me that I was old enough to know that it was just a made up story, she wasn't real. I remember running up to Bag End in tears because I wanted her to be real so badly, knocking on the door and rushing in when Mr. Frodo opened it. I pushed past him and threw myself into Master Bilbo's arms, sobbing uncontrollably. He asked me what was wrong, and I told him what my dad had said and asked him flat out if she was real. He took me by the hand and led me to a painting that I had never paid very close attention to. Then he lifted me up, "Do you see that shadow in the background, Samwise?" I nodded, sniffing, "I have always imagined that that was her. I don't think she's real, at least not in the way that you thought she was, but I think that she is real in your imagination, you can pretend that she's real, and that's almost as good as her being so. In fact, it's better, because you can see her any time you want to. You know that elves are real, but that was just a made up story. One day, you just may see a real elf, Samwise, then you can see if you imagined her right."

That was good enough for me, though I still find myself going to the window every spring and looking semi-hopefully out of it, as if I will see her if I just keep looking.

I sighed, without thinking about it. "What's wrong?"

Mr. Frodo's voice made me jump, I had almost forgotten that he was there. "Nothing's wrong, Mr. Frodo, I was just thinking about the first time I heard that story, when your uncle read it to me. I was so enchanted by it. I think I'd like to see elves, myself, someday, you know what I mean? It would be the best thing I can think of. Wouldn't you like to see them, Sir? I mean, I think they would be wonderful. I wonder what they would think of us, though. We aren't that interesting to other folks, if you take my meaning. We… I'm sorry, Master Frodo, I shouldn't be talking so. I might be boring you."

He laughed, "Nonsense, Sam, it's good to hear you talk, although I think you could be hurting your throat. You still sound hoarse. But after not hearing you talk for so long, I missed it. It's frightening, seeing my best friend like that. Especially when I'm so used to him talking." He smiled at me and ruffled my hair.

I laughed, my Gaffer always said I talked too much. Mr. Frodo was still speaking, "Do you think you can try to sleep? You need all the rest that you can get, or you will never recover."

I nodded, "Now that you mention it, I am a little tired. Will I never stop sleeping?"

That was not the kind of question that I thought needed an answer, but he gave me one just the same, "Yes, Sam, you will stop sleeping. But not just yet. Your poor body has been working hard to fight this off. That's why you're tired." He pulled the blankets over me, "Now rest, I'll be here when you wake up."

I obediently closed my eyes and allowed my body to relax. I thought of pleasant experiences and better times.

I woke up a few hours later, to see Pippin sitting very lightly on the foot of my bed. He was reading a book, quiet for once. "Hello, Mr. Took. What brings you in here?"

He heaved a little sigh, "Frodo and Merry said I'd help better if I came in here and watched over you. I had a small mishap in the kitchen. I knocked over the canister of flour and then spilled water on top of it. It was a mess. Merry sat me down and gave me a lecture about being more careful. He should talk, anyway. He was the one who broke my mother's favorite vase the last time he was at our place. Well, then Frodo told him that, because it was an accident, he shouldn't be so hard on me, and that I should go and see if I could help you in any way."

He looked so self-reproachful that I felt sorry for him. I patted the place closer to me, when he sat down, I rubbed his back. "It hasn't been easy for any of you, has it?" He shook his head. "Well, I know Mr. Merry and he never stays mad at you for any length of time, does he?" Another shake of the head, "So don't read too much into his reprimand. How about I tell you a short story?" He nodded happily. I started telling the one about the lady elf. I know that one so well I can tell it without reading, which is why I chose it. My head still hurt a bit, but I was feeling much better.

I was just finishing up when Mr. Frodo came into my room, "Ah, Sam, you're awake. Good, I made you some tea and I thought made you would like to try to take some soup. Merry made some cream of mushroom with chicken in it."

I closed my eyes at the thought of eating that. Even though I was recovering, I didn't think I could stomach something so heavy just yet. I looked up at him and saw that he was smiling, "I understand, Sam. I'll tell Merry that it's nothing personal, and bring you back something lighter."

He brought me some toast with a bit of jam on it, an apple, a small piece of baked chicken and my tea. As he set it down, he studied my face, "Don't worry, you don't have to eat it all. Just make an effort."

I nodded, but as I was doing so, the smell of the food hit me and I found myself actually feeling hungry, something I hadn't really felt for awhile. Mr. Frodo laughed as I dug into my food, finished it, then asked for a bit more. When I was done with that, I settled down against my pillows, quite comfortable and a little sleepy again.

"Come on Pip," I heard him say, as I began to doze off, "Let's leave him be, he's well on his way."

I slept the whole night and woke up feeling pretty weak, but aside from that I felt almost back to my old self. I got up and pulled on my bath robe. I walked, unsteadily, into the living room and saw Merry sleeping on the couch, Pippin curled up in the armchair but Mr. Frodo was nowhere in sight. A voice behind me made me jump, "Sam, what in the world are you doing up?"

I turned to see him in the doorway of the kitchen, up to his armpits in soapsuds, an apron tied around his waist and his shirt all wet. "I feel much better, Mr. Frodo, thought I'd come out here and sit with you all, for a change. My room's awful dull, you see, Mr. Frodo."

He laughed, "I suppose it would be Sam. Come and talk to me while I do the dishes, alright?"

I reached for another apron, more than ready to do my part. He snatched it out of my hand. "Oh no you don't, Master Gamgee, you are still recovering, and I'll not have you getting sick again by getting chilled from water and over work. You can sit on that chair and supervise, I'm not sure where all this goes."

I sat down at the table, scared that if I didn't do as he said, he would send me back to bed. He held up a serving platter that my younger sister, Marigold, bought me one Yule. "Where does this go?"

I bit my tongue in an effort to keep from saying, "in the waste-bin." I think it's ugly, but she thought it was wonderful. I can't hurt her feelings, she's the only little sister I have. I pointed to a cupboard beside the sink, "In the back. How did it get out? I never use it."

"Pippin thought it would make a good plate, as it's so big, so he ate off of it."

"How did he find it? I kept it, um, well preserved."

Mr. Frodo laughed, "I think what you mean is you kept it well hidden." He looked at it thoughtfully, "Well, it's kind of cute, when you look at it at this angle." He held it out in front of him.

"She's my sister, Mr. Frodo. It's ugly. I keep it because it was from my sister even though it is ugly. She bought it the first time my mother said that she was old enough to go out and by presents without Mother's help. I had never seen her so proud of herself than the day she came back from the village, pulling a small handcart behind her. I couldn't guess what was in it. Then, on Yule, she gave us all these odd shaped packages and we all got platters that looked the same, but we pretended to love them."

Mr. Frodo was laughing, "Sam, it's stories like that that make me wish I had brothers and sisters. You sound as if you had so much fun growing up."

A far away look came over him. I stood up and walked over to where he was standing, "You were welcome in our house anytime, Mr. Frodo. You know that. But then, so did Master Bilbo, he rarely took us up on it unless we invited him, if you know what I mean Sir. What I mean to say is that we had to go over and ask him to come, he wouldn't just knock on our door and ask to have a visit. I couldn't live if I couldn't just walk into my parent's house anytime I felt like it."

He looked as though he was thinking about something, finally he spoke up. "You're related to them Sam. It's different when you're not family."

"I came up to Bag End when ever I felt like it. Did you or Master Bilbo resent that because I wasn't family?"

"Sam, you were… family." He broke out into a grin, "I see where you're going with this one. Very clever, fine, the next time I get the urge, I'll just come down and visit you in the middle of the night."

"I wouldn't mind, you know, Master Frodo, if you needed to talk about something that couldn't wait." I put my arm around his shoulder. I'm sure he gets lonesome up there without Master Bilbo around. He smiled at me then began putting the dishes away again.

I sat back down. I was still sick, even though I felt much better. I got tired from walking over to the sink, a walk that I would have never thought of as long before now. A teacup was set in front of me, "Here you are Sam, just relax, do you need to go back to bed?"

"No, thank you Mr. Frodo. I don't want to go back to bed, much as that's all the same to you that is, Sir? I like being out here."

He smiled, "Alright Sam, you don't need to be cooped up in that room anymore. When Merry gets up, we'll make you a bed out on the sofa, you can stay out there today, sound good?"

I nodded again and looked up to the doorway to see Pippin yawning and stretching, "Morning Frodo, morning Sam." He walked over to the sink for a glass of water then turned around again, "Sam! You're up!" He threw his arms around me and squeezed, then ran back into the living room, "Merry, get up, Sam's up, he's well again!"

"Peregrin Took! If you don't stop shaking me I swear I will clobber you!"

Frodo started laughing hard, "Merry is not a morning person. I got him up early once to open presents during Yule and he would not speak to me for the rest of the day."

I laughed too, we heard a great deal of arguing in the other room, Merry doing most of it, telling Pip over and over that he was not going to be moved. "Hey, give me that back!" We then watched in interest as Pippin ran into the kitchen, carrying what looked like a large quilt, and Merry was hot on his heels.

Merry stopped chasing his cousin long enough to grin at me, "Hello Sam, good to see you up and around again. Glad you're feeling better." Then he was off after Pip, "If you wake me up at this hour ever again, you will be taken to the trolls and I will tell them how to cook you, you little Took brat!"

Frodo sat down in a chair beside me, and we watched the fun together. I was glad that I was feeling better too. I wouldn't have missed this for anything.