Disclaimer: AU Story. My third large LOTR fic. I can't stop! None of the characters or settings are mine. They all belong to Tolkien. I wish I were related to Tolkien, don't you? It would be so cool! Oh, and the plot here is derived from my own imagination. Hope you enjoy.

Lil*bee: I'm sorry, O loyal one, I will work extra hard! Ummm- how am I doing it? I am getting depressed at school and inspired at home...I guess

Holly Wood: Hehe- another Frodo angst fan. The best, huh? The Lórien part is just my little addition of the "fading" part. It mentions in the book that after the destruction of the Ring, Lórien and all things made with the elven rings will fade. Depressing. Pleased you're enjoying this!

Shirebound: Hmm, I hope I won't have to do much Bombadil and Goldberry. It is very hard. Never say that anyone does avalanches better than you! No! No, it isn't true! Oh, and people will eventually meet up. Aragorn's heading north. Legolas and Gimli are...well, buried. Frodo, Sam and Ematen are heading south. Merry and Pippin were heading west but this could change

MagicalRachel: YAY! You updated Sam fic. That was just so sweet- loved it. More hobbitses to come, my love. It's your birthday present...precioussss...

Radia: I'm sorry! Forgive me for my updates! I know, I am going to bawl my eyes out at the end of that third movie. Because after that I have nothing to live for except LOTR merchandise! Bombadil is very scary. In the Reviewer Spoof (I'm not trying to advertise here) he is the Dark Lord and tortures hobbits with songs and Enid Blyton-style amounts of food! Thank you for adding me to your favourites!

Crazytook: Hope I don't give you a heart attack- all your reviews are beginning to start with Yikes! Well now, Sam has a whole journey's worth of opportunities to tell Frodo who he is. But it depends. What will Ematen do?

Koko Kung: Have a great time in Quebec! I am envious. *envies* I hope I can get this up in time!

TrueFan: Whoa more long review. You filled up a whole review page?! That's insane. I've read Bored of the Rings too and Bombadil is just the best. Ah, the big reunion will come soon. It's actually coming in bitesize pieces...

FrodoFan: More is coming! I hope you enjoy this as much as Lost in Moria and Trials of Lórien

~ Chapter Eighteen ~

Emáten tethered their packs to his horse and then gripped the reigns.

"Ready?" he asked. Frodo turned.

"Yes. Let us be on our way."

Sam quickly managed to "gain rights" to the horse. Almost at once, they made friends and neither would leave the other for whatever reason. That was just Sam's way.

They departed from the inn stables where Emáten's steed had been tended and they made their way towards the road leading out of the Shire. Small white saplings lined the pathway and beyond spread the newly grown harvest. It looked so very...big to Frodo. Bigger than anything else he remembered. As if the whole world were spread out before him in a great blanket of golden threads.

"This is the Shire?" he said, his voice barely a whisper, "All of it?"

"Best view around," his friend confirmed with a grin. Frodo gazed round him in awe. The frozen grass flowing over the indentations of hobbit holes and in the distance, a dim stretch of forest. Far behind, the sea gently called to him and for a moment, he guessed he could hear the waves once more. Then he shook himself. Birdsong filled the air only as richly as can be read of in stories. And though leaves scattered the pathway and snow laid heavy upon both branch and fern, it was a wondrous sight to behold.

"Clouds on the horizon- coming from the east," Emáten observed. The hobbits looked and sure enough, dark ominous clouds were rolling towards them from the direction of the forest.

"Seems Buckland's in for a nasty spot of weather," Sam said, "We'd be best steerin' clear from there."

"Alright then, come on. Straight south," Frodo replied. The three companions walked down into the shadow of the embankments and set out along a trail amid the crops. Emáten fell back with Sam and gave him a knowing look.

"Sam," he whispered, "You do not have to go...I mean, your lady wife and your children, they need you."

"Mister Frodo needs me too," Sam snapped back. Then he realised how this had come out and blushed. "Sorry, Emáten. But you have to understand that my master doesn't remember a soul next to me and Rosie. He needs me now. To look after him. That's the way it's always been with him and me." He looked fondly up at his friend striding ahead. So many memories. So many good times. "It must be so strange for him. Always on the verge of knowing everything but only able to piece it together bit by bit...It's alright; Rosie knows that Mister Frodo will need me along now. No offence, Emáten but, don't you understand that too?"

Emáten looked down.

"I...I always knew I did. I was brought up learning that Frodo had sacrificed everything for the quest. And that you had been the driving force all the way. Sam... I've always understood."

--

Tom bowed low to the hobbits, doffing his tall hat.

"Here I'll leave you," he said, "You're full of food and gladness and I need give you more. But, my little hobbit friends, before I go back to my Goldberry, I leave you with advice: Head south-west and there you'll find a gift from the sea. Farewell now, little friends!"

"Goodbye, Tom!" Merry and Pippin called. The odd figure pranced away, singing the different line of a song with each step. They could not suppress their laughter as he tumbled away back into the trees of the Old Forest. When the world seemed to drift back into place, Merry turned and said,

"I wonder why he wanted us to go south."

"A gift!" his companion cried, "From the sea, he said. What else could that be?"

"What?"

"Frodo, of course! Come on, we spent too much time getting lost and not enough time getting excited! Come on, hurry, hurry!"

Pippin wheeled away down the road and Merry had to sprint to try and keep up. They ran down the roads when they suddenly came to a halt. The road was under a carpet of snow. Drifts walled them in on either side. It was covered over with sparkling dew and was completely flawless- stretching out for miles and miles around. Pristinely white. The hobbits set out on their long journey out across the ominous wilderness, sinking up to their waists in the fresh fall.

"And we were so dry at Tom Bombadil's," Pippin muttered sourly.

"And warm," Merry replied.

"A nice fire to warm our feet by with so much light and warmth and heat..."

"Be quiet, Pippin! You're making my toes freeze!"

"Sorry."

~

Short and simple! Hope the Mez and Pipz part was pleasing...