A/N: For probably most of the rest of the story, we're gonna be about ten years forward, when Frodo is about 22, which would put Piper at around 19. Also, there'll be another OC introduced here who is 33, just Coming of Age. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Do you recognize it? Good, that means it's Tolkien's.

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The sun peeked its head out over the Eastern horizon, trickling down the land until it reached the large tree in the center of the grove. Sunlight began to stream through the spindly branches, creeping down them until it softly touched the faces of the sleeping Hobbits. Piper sat with her head resting on Frodo's shoulder. Frodo sat with his arm around her shoulders. As the sunlight touched his face, his eyes flickered open and he looked around sleepily. Seeing Piper still sleeping, he nudged her gently.

"Piper. . .wake up. . ." She opened her eyes slowly, blinking a few times before smiling and stretching. Frodo smiled as well, brushing a strand of her golden blonde hair out of her eyes.

"Good morning," she said softly, turning to face him.

"Good morning to you, too. Sleep well?"

"Of course." Piper smiled. She looked at him a moment, then turned her head to look out at the Shire. Even from her far-off spot on the tree, she could hear the sounds of Hobbits waking up to start another day. With a sigh, she looked back at Frodo.

"Frodo. . .we are friends, right?" she asked, a bit timidly.

"The best of friends," Frodo replied. "Why?"

Piper smiled. "Just wondering. One always tends to wonder these sorts of things at some point in time."

"I suppose." Frodo leaned back against the tree, a far away look in his eyes. Piper was about to say something else, when a call rang out down the road.

"Piper! Piperiona Took! Where in the Shire are you?!"

"Oh, no, it's my mother." Piper stood and quickly got out of the tree. Frodo followed, stopping her.

"What's your hurry?" he asked. "She won't be angry with you, will she?"

"She might," Piper said. "I have to go start a new job today and I promised her I would get up early to get ready. I completely forgot, and if she found me with you-"

"What does that matter?" Frodo questioned suspiciously.

"What?"

"If she found you with me, what would it matter?"

Piper didn't respond, simply gave him a sorrowful look. "Frodo, really, I have to go. I will see you tonight." With that, she broke free from his grip and hurried off.

* * *

Piper was now working for a Hobbit named Tillen Proudfoot. He had recently Come of Age and had hired Piper as sort of a maid to come and clean his home for him while he settled in. As soon as she had arrived, however, Piper noticed something rather odd about this Hobbit. He tended to follow her around the house and watch her very closely. She tried to put it out of mind, thinking that he was most likely just making sure she did a good job.

She made her rounds about the entire Hobbit Hole, making sure to clean everything thoroughly so that she wouldn't get fired. By the time afternoon had settled in, she had finished nearly everything. She was now in the living room, polishing an end table. Hearing a footstep behind her, she turned around. Tillen was standing a few feet away.

"Oh, Mr. Proudfoot, you startled me," Piper said, smiling.

"I'm sorry," Tillen said, a grin appearing on his face. Piper thought it strange, but tried not to think much of it. She turned and began to work again. A few moments later, she felt air on her neck. Turning again, she jumped, as Tillen was standing right behind her. She backed away a few steps.

"What are you doing?" she asked, a bit nervous now.

"I was watching you, making sure you were doing a good job," Tillen told her, in a tone that plainly showed he was lying.

"Mr. Proudfoot, I would appreciate it if you would kindly leave me alone so I can do my work," Piper said firmly. He nodded, and she returned to her work. Just a few moments later, she felt his arms slide around her waist. He then kissed her neck, then her shoulder. She turned quickly, pushing him away.

"What are you doing?!" she cried. He took a step closer to her.

"You are a very beautiful young Hobbit, Piper," he said softly. "As a bachelor myself, I only thought that perhaps you and I-"

"Mr. Proudfoot, I am flattered, really I am," Piper interrupted. "But I am merely here to clean your home. Nothing else. Now, would you kindly let me finish so that I may go home? I have other chores to attend to."

"Piper. . ."

"I would prefer it if you call me Miss Took, Mr. Proudfoot."

"All right, then, Miss Took, I don't think you are understanding what I am saying. This way I feel, it's what makes me do what I am doing. Perhaps if you got to know me, you would feel the same way."

"Perhaps if you let me do my work, I could leave and come back tomorrow to discuss this."

"I'd rather discuss this now."

"Stay away from me, Mr. Proudfoot."

"It's Tillen." Tillen took another step towards her and grabbed her wrist, pulling her towards him. Piper tried to wrench herself free, but couldn't. She swung her foot and kicked him hard in the shin. Cursing loudly, he let go of her and she ran off into the kitchen. He followed quickly, picking up a knife off of the table as he passed.

Piper stopped before running down the hallway, pressing up against a wall. "Mr. Proudfoot. . .please, don't do this."

Tillen grinned evilly and came at her. She shot off up the hallway, but he was too fast and he grabbed her around the waist, holding the dagger to her throat. She stopped, tears forming in her eyes.

"Please. . .Tillen, stop it," she begged. He laughed softly, pulling her up the hallway. He threw her into a room and entered, shutting the door behind him.

* * *

There came a knock on the front door. Tillen heard it, cursing under his breath. He got up from the bed and left the room, putting his shirt on as he went. The door swung shut, but missed, a crack still open. Piper quickly got up and buttoned up her shirt, crossing to the door. She listened intently and heard Tillen's voice. Then, she heard the other person: her mother. Sighing with relief, she hurried out of the room.

"Piper, dear, there you are," Eglantine said, smiling. She turned to Tillen. "I hope she didn't cause any problems for you, Mr. Proudfoot."

"No," Tillen replied, grinning. He had yet to take his eyes off of Piper. "No problems at all."

Eglantine led Piper out of the house. Just before closing the door, Tillen called out, "See you tomorrow, Piper!" Piper's face flushed and she quickened her pace. She never wanted to return to that house ever again.

"He seems like a very nice Hobbit," Eglantine stated as the two walked towards home.

Piper looked at the ground. "I guess so. . ."

* * *

Late that night, as Piper lay in bed thinking, there came the familiar tapping outside her window. Her stomach turned, but still she rose and opened the shutters. Frodo stood outside of her window, smiling his usual smile. But, to Piper, standing before her was a ruthless, terrible Hobbit just waiting for the right moment to attack her. She took a few steps backwards.

Frodo gave her an odd look. "Are you all right?"

Piper nodded. He smiled. "Okay, then let's go."

"No," Piper said quickly. "I am not going with you." Frodo, now very concerned for her, entered the room. Piper backed away even more.

"Why not?" Frodo asked. There was no response. "Piper? What's wrong with you?"

Her hands were shaking. Frodo came close to her, and she did not move.

"Leave me alone!!" Piper shouted angrily. Frodo stared at her, bewildered.

Just as he was about to say something, Piper's father Paladin burst through the

door, a fire poker in his hands. He spotted Frodo and approached him angrily.

"What're you doin' in here with my daughter?!" Paladin yelled.

"Sir, I - " Frodo began, but Paladin didn't give him a chance to explain. He

swung harshly at Frodo's side, hitting him with amazing force. Frodo doubled

over, clutching his side. He sank to the ground in pain. Paladin went to hit

him over the head, but Frodo scrambled out of the way just in time.

Paladin released the fire poker and went after Frodo. He grabbed the back of

Frodo's shirt and threw him into the wall. Frodo lay there, recovering. Piper

sat on her bed, staring in horror, but afraid to do anything to help him.

"Sir. . .please, let me explain," Frodo gasped as Paladin drew closer. In a

split second, Paladin rammed Frodo in the stomach with his foot. Frodo

clutched his stomach, and after a moment got to his feet. Paladin came at him

again, but the young Hobbit proved too fast. Frodo was soon out the window and

running across the yard. He turned and gave Piper one last look, before

scrambling down the dirt road.

"If I ever catch you with my daughter again, Frodo Baggins," Paladin hollered

out the window, "I'll kill ya!!"

* * *

The next day at Tillen's house went almost exactly as it had before, and Piper

left feeling even more hatred and fear towards male Hobbits. Frodo didn't come

that night, or the next. In fact, an entire three weeks went by without him

returning. Looking back on that one night, Piper wished dearly that she hadn't

shouted. After a while of working at Tillen's home, she began to realize that

Frodo was not like Tillen. He would never hurt her.

So, one night, Piper decided to go to him instead. She crept quietly out the

window and made her way to Bag End. However, when she got there, she realized

that she had no idea which was his room. Going to one window, she saw Bilbo

Baggins sitting at a desk, scrawling something wildly onto a piece of

parchment. She got to her knees, but continued to watch him.

After a few moments, he stopped writing. Piper watched curiously. Suddenly,

Bilbo's eyes turned to her. A smile appeared on his face when she ducked out

of view. He went to the window and opened it, looking down at her.

"May I be of assistance to you, young miss?" Bilbo asked, his voice calm and

cheerful. She didn't respond, and didn't look up at him either. Bilbo raised

an eyebrow, his expression changing from amusement to concern. "Are you all

right?"

Piper hesitated, then shook her head. Standing, though still looking at the

ground, she said in a small voice, "I. . .er. . .I was looking for Frodo, Mr.

Baggins."

"Not here, I'm afraid," Bilbo told her, shaking his head. "Snuck out a few

hours ago. Naturally, I heard him. I hear him every night when he sneaks out

to go see that girl Hobbit he fancies so."

"Um. . .sir, that girl Hobbit. . .would be me," Piper said slowly. Bilbo

raised his eyes to her, once more amused by her. He smiled.

"Well, why didn't you say so?" he asked, laughing. "Come in, come in. We'll

wait for Frodo."

Piper smiled, warming up to the old Hobbit, and entered the house through the

window, which Bilbo again laughed at. He led her to the kitchen, where he made

them both a cup of tea and they sat, talking about many things. They talked of

their families, their friends, but most importantly, they talked of Frodo.

"It was quite a tragedy he had to go through," Bilbo said sadly. "And at such a

young age. Lucky for him, you came along that very day. It comforted him to

meet you."

"It did?" Piper questioned. "I never realized. He never told me. When I first

found out that it was he who had lost his parents, he acted as if he did not

care."

"Ah, yes, I remember," Bilbo said. "He was like that for quite a few months,

I'm afraid. Then, one day, he just broke down and cried - "

"Trying to embarrass me, are you?" came a voice from behind the two. They

turned and saw Frodo standing in the doorway, his arms folded across his chest.

When he saw who Bilbo had been talking to, his face flushed and he turned to

walk away. Piper glanced at Bilbo, then jumped up and stopped Frodo.

"Frodo, please, don't be angry," Piper pleaded.

"Don't be angry?!" Frodo exploded, turning to face her. Seeing Bilbo watching

them, he pulled her into another room and shut the door. Then, he turned on

her again. "What do you mean, 'Don't be angry'?! I have every reason to

completely hate you!"

"And I have no doubt that you should," Piper said softly. "Except. . .I was not

myself that night. I had something on my mind. Try to understand, I would

have helped you. It hurt me to see that happen to you. But. . .I just couldn't."

Frodo's expression softened a bit. Tears were forming in Piper's eyes, it was

clear that she was truly regretting what had happened. In a sudden outburst, Piper rushed forward, hugging him, sobbing into his shirt. After a moment, he hugged her back, resting his chin on her head softly, eyes closed.