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. (Apart from Em?ten) 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.

AshNight: Arg! No! Not the *gasp* portable Gollum! *cowers* I'll do my best, master, I'll try and save him *sticks out lower jaw and concentrates on computer screen*

Koko Kung: Hehe. Definitely what I feel like doing to FF.net a _lot_ of the time. What have I done? *sob* I don't know!

ViNguyen: Yes, you call them cliffhangers and in previous fanfics, I have used particularly nasty ones... *glares back* I'm NOT ruining you! :-)

Radia: Ack! Please don't beat me! Ah, sacrifices, I think you might like this chapter. "It fell into the hands of the most unlikely creature imaginable." Thanks for the note on Dunedan, I had trouble with that. And about the Ringwraiths, well, Tolkien never mentions anything about seeing the riders without their hoods when not wearing the Ring and I thought I might be creative. But the "invisible head", hmm... Can you let this pass, please, just this once? *puppy dog eyes*

TrueFan: Lordie. The long review. I will do my best and attempt to save Frodo but if perhaps, you are willing, ahem, to settle it with cash...n'ah, you'll see what's happening to Frodo in this chapter. The chapter below is the key to all your answers. Mwaahaha.

Shirebound: Hehe. Exactly! My first fighting chapter since the Wargs, I think...

Holly Wood: Yay! I am so pleased you liked it. I was worrying half way through that it would not work. And when this is finished, you mention me writing another fic. _Another_?!? Gees, I'm leaving after I've finished this one! Hee- no, really, do you have any requests for a story? Like, which characters to include or the setting? I have a vague storyline worked out but it might be nice to add to it

Kay: Ooh, new reviewer! Ah, I am afraid I cannot yet reveal what is happening to Frodo at present, only ch. 36 can... But I'll do what I can as long as you don't strike me, sir! *cowers*

Alatariel: All the time? Doesn't that get a bit traumatic when you keep killing main characters? But I can't really talk considering ch.35. DIE, FRODO, DIE???!! You need help! Get psychiatric help!

Skye: No, it cannot end like this, Luke...Frodo is your father...ahem, sorry, I could not resist. ;-) YES! More Imprisoned chappies. Is this what I have to do to get you to update? Bring Frodo to a near-death experience? Then again, I do that quite a lot

MagicalRachel: Hooray for tension! *reads rest of review and then jumps up from computer, wild eyed* HAPPY? She wants me to be..._happy_?! Insane child! No, I won't do it. I won't do it, do you hear me?! *throws self through window- calls from outside* Yay for the Merry and Musical fics!

TigerLily713: I'm hurrying, I'm hurrying! And yes, it is sad that things have to come to an end. I will really miss Memories of Home when it's gone!

Elbereth: All hail the cliffhanger! Hee, on second thoughts, better not. I will do my best on saving him but, er, I think you should take out some life insurance *ahem* soon. _Very_ soon

Crazytook: Ooh, pricklin' evil- glad you liked that part. But Frodo stab himself? N'ah, not my style. Hmm, do I have a style? Sadism! I hope the last couple of chapters are just as enjoyable for you. :-))

Eldalie Lavinia: Oh, boo shame, why doncha like Frodo? He's sweet enough and Elij-*ahem* I mean, Frodo has big blue eyes... OK, fair enough. Yay! No one has found out where I live yet but perhaps they will be stirred by this next chapter *uneasily hammers another nail into the boards covering the door*

Bookworm2000: ARG! Get that Gollum away from me! I'll- I'll set Daisy on him! *glances at dozy retriever at her feet who looks up at her vacantly and wags her tail* OK, maybe not. So happy you're enjoying this!

~ Dedicated to the families affected by the three helicopter crashes in the past two days.

~ Chapter Thirty-Six ~

No one would ever know how he reached Frodo before he fell. Maybe the sight of Frodo in such peril spurred his step. Perhaps some power from Valinor had given his feet wings. But nevertheless, Sam reached him.

Frodo jerked to a halt and he found himself gazing up into green-brown eyes.

"Sam," he cried, "Let me go! Don't you see? This is how it was always meant to be."

"No, Mister Frodo," his beloved gardener wept, "No, it was never meant to be like this. You were supposed to stay here, with me. I've worked it out, you see. You would have found healing here. You just didn't see it is all. You're my Mister Frodo and I won't let nothing take you away from me again!"

And Emáten saw. Truly saw. He looked round at the company who were now clustered on the hilltop, some crouching, swords half-drawn, others watching with tears and despair. Emáten realised how much they had achieved. To be separated and then to go to all that trouble to find one another again. To carry another. To be together. The history of the world so rarely followed one course. Yet these heroes had marched together through every doubt. Bonds like that should not be broken. Emáten wanted to save that. For if the Fellowship was lost, what hope was there for the world to follow?

Emáten saw the Nazgûl's fingers flex. The sword in his hand shimmered as it cut the light to ribbons. He saw Sam pull his master back up to safety, unaware that the Black Rider even existed any longer. They embraced and even as they did so, the sword rose up to severe it once more. Cleave the one friendship that was stronger than any magic or darkness.

The hilt in his palm was slick with sweat. The blade was blunted along one edge and the lettering along the bloodline was faint.

Emáten's sword dug into the black robes and lodged deep. The Nazgûl shrieked and its own weapon fell from its hands. The man felt cold shoot up his arms and he cried out in agony. He heard voices. But they seemed like only memories to him, muffled in his ears. All he could see was the Black Rider. The ice clawed through every part of him, digging its frosty claws into his heart.

The Nazgûl was killed at once. It was said that no man could kill one of the Ringwraiths. But there was no man like Emáten, they would say ever afterwards. It was the strength of his soul that destroyed the rider.

Emáten stumbled back, leaving the sword in his enemy. He collapsed onto the earth, gasping in air and trying to focus on the faces above him. But he could not stave off the darkness.

"I died for you," he breathed, hoping that the shadowy figures would hear him, "For I love you all."

Then Emáten let himself drift into the abyss.

--

For a long time, the Fellowship remained there. In the centre of their circle lay Emáten's cold still body and behind them lay the tattered black remains of the last Nazgûl. If the world had ended then, they would not have seen it. They were still too much in shock to notice anything.

The morning sky was lined with dark clouds, as if Middle-Earth itself was grieving for so great a loss. A silent procession was descending the cliffs to the Grey Havens. There it had begun and there it ended. A whole new chapter had been added to the tale. But Sam, when questioned about it, said that the Red Book would not be changed.

"People can make up they're own endings," he murmured, "It ends better there than here. Only more sacrifices. Only more pain."

Frodo did not speak at all. He was not in pain. The Ring did not twist in his mind. There was no more darkness. He had found healing in what he least expected. Not in Valinor with the elves. Not when he was free of his memories. Had the world truly allowed him peace at long last? It felt to Frodo that the world had come to a juddering halt. Emáten was gone.

"We must go south," Aragorn told them, "They will be waiting. And we cannot hide here."

"We cannot tell them of this- it is far too complicated, I am sure, for anyone else to comprehend," Gandalf replied.

"Emáten. We will tell them about Emáten," Pippin said stubbornly.

"Yes, Pip," said Merry, "Emáten will not be forgotten. The world will know about him."

"He deserves his own story. Another book," Bilbo agreed, "And we shall all write it. Eventually, someone else will read it- maybe many. But no, no one will forget Emáten."