A/N: Yep, I'm aware it's been a long time, sorry! There have been tests and stuff. But now I'll try focusing on completing this fic, so hopefully you'll see new chapters up soon.

"The sun has come out, dad!" Jolly shouted in glee. Farmer Cotton looked up, reluctantly tearing himself from the all-absorbing subject of potty- training, and shielded his eyes.

"Why, that it has." He smiled at the Gamgees. "I guess we'd best be getting a move on." All three rose to their feet, brushing themselves off. Mrs. Gamgee patted Sam on the head.

"Come now, say goodbye."

"Bye!" Sam waved obligingly at the boys, now clustered around their father, as a chorus of farewells answered him. Rosie peeked out from behind Farmer Cotton and watched as the Gamgees turned to leave. As they stepped out from beneath the shop front, she eagerly gave a cry.

"Bye Sam!" The hobbit boy turned in surprise. Seeing the rosy face beaming out at him, he waved, slightly hesitant.

"Bye!"

* * *

Sam inhaled deeply, savouring the delicious fragrance wafting on the air. Leaning his elbows on the kitchen table and dangling his legs from his tall chair, his eyes noted her movements in careful detail. He watched as she hurried to the oven, squirmed in ecstasy as she removed the crusty brown cake from within and sighed involuntarily as she carefully poured the melted chocolate in tempting layers over her creation. Wiping her hands on her apron, Mrs. Gamgee winked at Sam.

"How does it look?" Her son gazed longingly at the richness before him.

"Looks yummy." he breathed. Mrs. Gamgee surveyed her handiwork in satisfaction.

"Ain't too bad. Will do for the Cottons, I'm sure, and sure will do for us!"

"Are the Cottons coming?" Sam asked, delighted.

"Sure they are. Just those boys alone are more an' a handful." Thoughts of her neat sitting room came flitting to mind, creasing her brow. She motioned towards the door.

"Run along now, Sam, the guests will be here soon. Smarten yourself up and change into a new pair of clothes, that's a dear."

Sam pliantly hopped off his chair as Mrs. Gamgee hurried to put a certain precious heirloom in the sitting room high up out of reach.

* * *

"Ding-dong!" rang the doorbell. A pause, then, "Ding-dong ding-dong ding- dong!"

"Tom, stop that!"

"Aww, mom." Mrs. Gamgee rushed to the door, calming herself mentally. :You can do this, you can do this: She threw open the door, a bright smile on her face.

"Come in, come in, everyone!" She chirped, ushering the guests in.

"Farmer and Mrs. Cotton! Could I get you anything? Perhaps a cup of tea?" The children were about to follow the adults into the sitting room, when a loud yell arrested them in their steps. Sam ran into the hallway, his hair neatly combed and his clothes crisply pressed. The boys stared wonderingly at him for a moment, before Nibs poked him curiously.

"You look so.clean. You feeling ok?" Sam nodded earnestly.

"Yup, I got ready specially!" A shadow of doubt crossed his scrubbed face. "Don't I look all right?" The boys viewed him speculatively.

"You sure you feeling ok?" Nibs repeated. Just then, a small figure wormed her way through the barricade of boys. She planted her feet firmly in front of Nibs and placed her hands on her hips.

"I think he looks just fine! You should be ashamed of yourself, Nibs Cotton. Trying to put people down just 'cause you refused to take a bathe." Rosie turned to Sam.

"Don't mind him." She leaned in confidentially. "He's been naughty." Thus enlightened, Sam nodded dumbly, taken aback by the sudden appearance and pertinent boldness of the girl.

"Anyway, happy birthday Sam!" She looked pointedly at Tom, who fearfully hurried forward.

"Oh, right! Here you go, Sam." He handed over a parcel wrapped in paper, then trotted obediently back to his place. At another low cough from their sister, the boys chimed on cue,

"Hope you like it!"

"Yes, it's from all of us." Rosie smiled. Then, "Are we playing games?"

Sam glanced from the docile boys to the waiting Rosie.

"We'll play outside...?" he asked, more than stated.

"That would be great! C'mon!" Rosie dragged Sam out by the arm. At the crook of her finger, her brothers shuffled along behind.

"Rosie?" Sam threw a questioning glance over his shoulder. The little hobbit-girl smiled malevolently.

"Oh, they did something bad and they don't want me to tell."

"Bad?"

Rosie hummed cheerily, before uttering three dreaded words.

"Peed in bed." Sam swallowed inaudibly.

"Really?"

"Really." Her round blue eyes bore into his. Sam shook his head in stunned disbelief.

"Wow." He stole a peek at the four older boys, then stared at the hobbit- girl skipping happily beside him.

:Wow:

* * *

"One, two three," Rosie twirled a ringlet around her finger thoughtfully, focusing intently upon the orange candles. "Six!"

"Five." Ventured Jolly timidly, as he looked hungrily at the twirls of sugary frosting.

"Five!" Rosie nodded at Sam affably.

"You're as big as me! Or, least I'll be big as you in." she slowly stuck one finger up, then another.

"Three months!"

"Two." Corrected Jolly.

"Two." Rosie prodded Sam.

"Aren't you going to blow out the candles?"

"I'll help you!" volunteered Jolly, before being silenced by a death glare from his little sister.

"There's an awful lot of candles." Sam watched the flickering flames, rather overwhelmed.

"Sam, boy, there's no need to be afraid," encouraged the Gaffer.

"Daddy." Sam broke off as a soft hand gripped his arm and he turned to look into a pair of understanding eyes.

"You can do it, Sam. Just try." Rosie spoke gently, coaxing him along." I was scared too, but last year I blew out my candles all by myself."

"Ok." Sam leaned forward, resolved. Rosie tightened her hold on his arm. Then, in one brave rush of air, he conquered.

"You did it!"

"Yay! Hooray!" The room erupted into noisome cheers. Rosie released her hand and shared a high-five with the triumphant Sam. As his mother began dividing the moist chocolate slabs, Sam smiled at Rosie.

"Will you be my good friend?" Rosie folded her arms, mulling over his words.

"Good friend? Like a best friend?"

"Yeah!"

Rosie nodded happily and hooked pinkies with Sam

"Ok, best friends!" (The other boys were, at the time of this pivotal exchange, eating their cake in blissful ignorance.)

"Sam, why don't you open your present?" broke in the Gaffer, bearing forth the parcel.

"Yaop een mur pwebent!" Nick mumbled through a mouth of cake. Sam methodically unwrapped the gift, revealing a paper kite covered with designs liberally and vividly painted.

"That's a house." Rosie pointed to a splotch of red paint. Sam gave the kite a quick once-over.

"It's beauuutiful." He tucked it under one arm fondly. Tom, very much gratified by his response seeing as how he directed the kite's creation, asked,

"Want to come kite-flying with us tomorrow? We'll show you how to play with it and it's good fun!" Sam looked at his mother, who smiled in confirmation.

"Yep, ok!"