Disclaimer: I don't own nor claim to own LotR. Say it with me: TOLKIEN.

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Piper's eyes flickered open. She was lying on a bed in a room full of books. Perhaps it had all been a bad dream? Sitting up, she scanned the room and, realizing it was not her own, was pained to also realize that everything had really happened. Her hand went to her neck, where she ran her finger along a thin line going across her throat. With a sigh, she lowered her hand and wondered what had happened to Orin. It pained her to think that some harm could have befallen him after she left with Merry.

The door opened slowly, and a head of light brown curls poked in. Pippin, upon seeing his sister, rushed to her in joy and threw his arms around her neck. She laughed, returning the embrace. After a moment, he pulled back, sitting down on the bed before her, a bright grin on his face.

"I'm so glad you're awake," he said. "I have so much to tell you."

"First, Pippin, why did you not come with Merry to Tillen's?" Piper questioned.

"I was going to Michel Delving," Pippin explained.

"Alone?" Piper cried. "Why, that's a week's journey, at most! How did you get there and back so quickly? And why were you going in the first place?"

Pippin laughed. "So many questions, dear sister! Well, first of all, Merry, Frodo and I were going to go to Michel Delving to find out all we could about Tillen. If we found something that could possibly convict him, we were going to use it. If not, at least we could find out where he lived and talk him into telling us where you were. But, then, Tillen appeared here, at Bag End, and Frodo attacked him. The Guards arrested him for assaulting Tillen, and since Frodo had a knife on him, the charges were that much worse. He's in the jails now."

"What?!"

"I was sent to Michel Delving alone, while Merry and Bilbo stayed here to try and free Frodo and you. Merry went to see Frodo, who sent him to speak with Rosie Cotton about your kidnapper. Luckily, Rosie knew his name from the description, and when Merry heard the last name Proudfoot, he asked where this Hobbit lived. Rosie gave him the directions, and he found himself talking with Tillen. After he got you here, I arrived. You've been asleep for a good three or four days, Piper. Now we have to find out a way to rescue Frodo, before he is sentenced to exile. . .or worse.

"However, I needed not go all the way to Michel Delving, for I found the information I sought before I even got there. I was in a tavern in Waymeet, and I overheard a group of young fellows about Tillen's age talking about Tillen's Coming of Age party. Apparently, he had been quite forward with one of the lasses and she had gotten very upset. He then followed her home and she was never quite the same after that night. According to what I heard, this happened with several other girls, as well. I don't think you're the only one he's attacked, Piper."

Piper was silent a moment. "Pippin. . .I'm in danger. Tillen is going to try to find me, and he knows I'll be here. I don't know what to do. We can't use this information against him, not without evidence. Not to mention that no one will care anyway, since neither of us have Come of Age."

"Would they believe Bilbo?" Pippin asked.

"Maybe. . ." Piper said. "But, we still need proof. And we need to help Frodo."

* * *

That night, Pippin led Piper down to the jails, where he caused a distraction by stealing one of the guard's set of keys and running off down the Road, causing all of the guards to run after him. While this was going on, Piper slipped in unnoticed and found her way to where Frodo was being held.

"Frodo!" she whispered into the dark cell. "Frodo! It's me, Piper!"

His pale, thin face appeared out of the shadows as he hurried to the bars of the cell. "Piper! How. . .how did you escape?"

"That's not important," Piper said. "We have to get you out of here. Something terrible could happen to you."

Frodo smiled wearily, taking both of her hands in his. "Don't worry about me, Piper. I'll be fine. Trust me."

"I want to," she replied softly. "But. . .I'm in danger, Frodo. Tillen will be after me, and without you, I feel like I'm never safe. You told me before that as long as you were with me, no one could hurt me. And I have been hurt. . .I have."

"You don't need me," Frodo said. "I know you can find the courage to do this on your own."

* * *

Piper walked idly down the deserted Road, going over in her mind what Frodo had said, and what had happened so far. She knew it wasn't safe to be out at night by herself, but at the moment it was the least of her worries. Pippin was still off distracting the Guards, and it had completely slipped her mind to go and find him.

She shuffled along, deep in thought, not really paying attention to what was around her. The moonlight filled the cold air around her, lighting the path before her feet. As she walked, another shadow joined hers. . .and then another. . .and a third. A last shadow appeared and Piper finally took notice. She paused, the other shadows stopping with hers. After a moment of hesitation, she began to walk again, the shadows following. She sped up. . .so did they. Finally, she spun around, facing a group of four young male Hobbits, about Tillen's age.

"C-Can I help you?" she stammered, trying not to get frightened.

"Yes, I believe you can," one of the Hobbits replied, all of them taking a step closer to her. She said nothing, gasping when she felt a pair of hands grasping her arms to her sides. One of the four had gone behind her. The group surrounded her, the one who had spoken bringing a cloth to her mouth. Before he could do anything more, she stomped on the foot of the Hobbit holding her, then pushed the one before her roughly out of the way, darting off down the street.

The four Hobbits tore after her. She knew that the nearest town was Bywater, but who would help her there? Then it dawned on her. . .Tillen lived in Bywater. . .Orin lived with Tillen. . . A weight seemed to be lifted off of her, and she ran faster than she had ever run in her entire life. The town of Bywater came into view, and soon so did the large pool in that town, called Bywater Pool. She remembered that Tillen lived somewhere nearby there.

As she ran past the pool, something suddenly ran into her, pulling her into the pool. She was silent and still a moment as the group of Hobbits ran past, then a hand gripped her wrist. In a sudden realization that someone was with her, she began struggling to get away.

"Piper! Piper!" the Hobbit cried, fighting until he had a hold of both her wrists, forcing her to face him. She stopped, searching the face for a moment, letting it focus in her mind, before smiling and throwing a grateful hug around him. It was Orin.

"Oh, I'm so glad that you aren't hurt!" she said, hugging him tighter.

He cringed, pulling her off gently. "Ah, well, I wouldn't say that. But I'm not badly hurt, and gladly neither are you. Pray, what were you running from?"

"A group of Hobbits approached me on my way to Bag End," Piper explained, not confiding in him her real fear that they had some connection to Tillen. "But, it isn't of importance. Tell me, what happened after I left Tillen's home? How did you escape?"

"Well, after you left, it was a good few minutes before either of us realized," Orin began. "Once we did, we both made a rush for the door, and I managed to get out first. Tillen tried to prevent me from leaving the house, and in the process my arm got slammed in the front door, but I pushed the door open and hurried out. By the time my eyes adjusted to the dark, Tillen was gone. I went to look for him, and have been searching for him for a few days now. My initial fear was that he went to Bag End for you, but when I went, I saw no sort of disturbance, so I took my search elsewhere. It led me all the way to Stock before I gave up, and I have just returned when I saw you running through the town. Forgive me for startling you, I merely let my excitement get the best of me. Where were you coming from?"

"The jails by the River Brandywine," said Piper. "Frodo is being held there for attacking Tillen. I know not when he will be sentenced, but I hope to find a way to save him from whatever cruel fate awaits him."

"How do you plan to do that?"

"Perhaps if I could prove what Tillen did to me, then Frodo would have had a good reason to have attacked Tillen, and maybe he will be released."

Orin was silent a moment. "You. . .you care about him?"

"Well, he is my best friend, Orin, of course I care about him," Piper replied, a bit awkwardly.

"No. . .no, I mean, you. . .LOVE him, don't you?" Orin looked up at her, awaiting her answer.

She knew not what to say. It was difficult to tell him the truth, especially when she did not exactly know the asnwer herself. "I. . .don't know, Orin," she said finally.

He nodded. "I know you do. I can tell." He sighed. "Well, Piper, I also know that I love you, and because I do, I shall help you to rescue Frodo. Because it's important to you."

Piper smiled. "Thank you, Orin."

With that, he pulled her up and they started off towards Bag End, passing through Hobbiton, and onto Bilbo's lawn. The front door swung open, Pippin and Merry hurrying out.

"Piper! There you are, I was getting worried!" Pippin cried. "Where did you go?"

"Just. . .for a walk," Piper said. She turned to Orin. "Thank you for your help."

"Anytime," Orin replied, shrugging. "I'll come by again tomorrow."

Piper smiled, giving him a farewell hug, when a shout rang out over the yard. "TRAITOR!!"