Here's one more! Thanks to Fool of a Took, Prince Tyler Briefs, and Natta for your great reviews! Now back to work...
Chapter Seven: A Late Night Chat
After supper, Merry was back in his room lying in his bed with his hand wrapped behind his head as if studying the ceiling. There was a knock on the door, and before he could respond it opened up. Pippin stuck his head inside, "Are you all right?"
Merry looked at his cousin, "Am I all right?--what do you mean?"
"Didn't Papa swat you?" Pippin came over and sat on Merry's bed.
"No." Merry went back to studying the ceiling.
"He didn't?"
"No."
Merry's pluck just went up several notches in his young cousin's eyes. Then Pippin couldn't take the suspense any longer. "So tell me about it!"
"What's to tell about it?" Merry blinked at the ceiling, "It's all over with; I must stay in bed all day tomorrow and possibly the next. End of story."
Pippin was shocked, "You have to stay in bed tomorrow? All day?"
"Yes."
"Was that your punishment?"
"What?"
"I said, was that your punishment?", Pippin laughed, thinking Merry was trying to play around his questions.
"Yes!", Merry snapped.
Pippin watched as his friend studied the ceiling. "Is this one of those times where you don't want me around?"
"Don't be ridiculous! I'm in thought, is all."
"Can I ask what you were thinking about?" Pippin ventured.
Merry let out a long breath, "My father." He continued to gaze up aimlessly; looking for nothing. "I can't get his words out of my head."
"What words?"
"Just certain things he said...", Merry trailed off. "I don't know if I should trust him--or his words."
Pippin knew his friend's heart was torn and wanted to help him in any way possible, so he decided to aid in asking a few questions. "Do you want them out of your head?", he said.
Merry looked at his young cousin on the bed next to him, "I don't know", was all he said.
"Do you know how you feel about your father?"
This query startled Merry more than anything he could have asked himself. "Pippin!" He said, "Where do you get these questions from?"
Pippin merely fixed his (somewhat) innocent green eyes on his cousin; listening for an answer.
Merry sighed and returned his gaze back to the ceiling. "That's the hardest answer I have yet to come up with.", he replied. "Uncle Paladin--your dad--he's always patting me on the shoulder, and he makes nothing out of hugging me." Merry paused. "He's my most favorite and beloved uncle, Pip! I can't count the times I've wished he were my dad as well...but I can't help asking myself if I will ever have anything like that with my own father."
"There's no reason why you can't! Don't match what you and my Papa have to what you and your own father could have--or will have in the days to come!", Pippin answered. "That isn't fair to Uncle Saradoc!"
There was moment of silence as Merry thought on Pippin's point of view. He knew his young friend was correct; he then gazed at him and smiled, "What have you done to my cousin? I could've sworn I had an eight-year-old on my heels a minute ago!"
"He's safe in my pocket!" Pippin laughed.
Merry smiled, then grew serious again; "But do you suppose my own father is worth giving a second chance to?"
Without hesitation Pippin replied, "Yes!" Then he elaborated, "Merry, I will be the second hobbit in the Shire to admit he's been an ass to you; yet when you and I are asses to each other, do we not take that in stride and work through all that?"
"Yes, but that's what friends do, Pippin!" Merry said. "My dad is not my friend; he's my father! How do I work through that?"
Pippin hesitated this time, weighing his answer before he gave it. "Well....if he's not your father....then he could be your friend."
Merry cocked an eye and raised his infamous eyebrows, "How so?"
Now it was Pippin's turn to gaze at the ceiling, "Has he not missed everything a lad likes to do with his father?"
Still watching Pippin, "Yes, but what does that have to do with him as my.....friend?" The word had a strange flavor on Merry's tongue.
Pippin sighed, "It seems to me that even though he's your father in title, it would be hard for him to be more than a friend to you...because he's not earned the title, if you get my meaning."
"So, what you're saying is that even though he's my father in name, he's not earned anything more than to be....a friend, as you say. Did I get that right?"
Pippin nodded, "Yes, and what's more--and you won't like what I'm about to say, but here goes! You should allow your father every chance to try and be your friend--because that's the only way he can ever get to know you now; you've already grown up and did all the things we lads like to do when we're little. You can't ever go back and do it all over again." Not sure if he conveyed his thoughts clearly, "Did that make sense?"
Merry was now ever so grateful he spoke to his friend. "Perfect sense, Pip! But now what happens?"
This time Pippin sat up on his elbows to address his cousin, "For one, you really must try to be pleasant towards him!"
Merry rolled his eyes remembering how he spoke to his father while at Bag End, "He deserved it, Pip."
"Perhaps," Pippin said, "but that was before he was swayed of how much of your life he's missed, and will never see again! Hopefully he now knows better!"
Merry noticed his cousin had become solemn. "What's the matter, Pippin?"
Pippin shrugged, and picking at the quilt threads he said, "I was just thinking about my Papa and me."
Merry was curious, "And?"
"I've seen other hobbits my age--that have no papa." Pippin answered. "Merry--I can't think of life without mine. Does that make me....spoiled?"
"No, Pippin, it doesn't." Merry explained, "It just shows that you're still young and you need your dad."
Thinking his cousin was evading his root question, Pippin asked more directly, "But do you think I am, Merry?"
"What...spoiled?"
"Yes!" Pippin watched his cousin with wide eyes.
With all sincerity Merry said, "I think...," then he couldn't hold back grinning any longer. "I think you have another ten years before you have to worry about any of that!", he laughed. "Pippin, you're not even nine years old yet! Give yourself some time to grow up!" Then he added, "I don't see you as spoiled, but I do wonder about how....", Merry trailed off in his thoughts.
"Wonder about what?", Pippin asked.
Merry finished his thought, "I don't know...perhaps I worry over much about you having friends your own age."
"I know a few lads my age", Pippin replied, "I just choose not to spend my time with them."
"Why not?"
"Because I have you--and Frodo, and Sam, and Fredegar!"
Merry was trying to get to the heart of the matter; he felt Pippin wasn't telling everything. "What's wrong with Rory or Dody?"
After a slight pause, Pippin finally spoke, "Rory and Dody only like to play games. They don't like to talk about the Old Forest or dragons--it frightens them. They think Frodo and Bilbo are completely mad, and refuse to listen to any of Bilbo's tales." Merry nodded in understanding as his cousin continued, "I like to sit and listen to Bilbo tell about his wonderful adventures--and Smaug!" Pippin could see in his mind's eye a huge dragon soaring over Lake-Town as the townspeople tried to defend it. "I do like to play games every now and then--when I wish to be trampled by Sancho and his friends...", then Pippin added, "but I would much rather sit by the fireside with kindred spirits smoking a pipe and drinking a mug while talking about Elves and Dwarves! Though, I suppose I shouldn't make myself bothersome to you and Frodo."
"You're not bothersome, Pippin!", Merry said. "You're more than welcome to spend your time with our little group, and I know Frodo has taken a liking to you--but you didn't hear that from me!", laughed Merry. Then he added, "You're more likely to be silly, perhaps, or even a loon, but not bothersome!"
Pippin smiled, "Are you saying that my wits have left me, Merry?"
"Yes!" Merry smiled, "And speaking of loons--do you remember that song we made up at Lithe?" In spite of his growing weariness, Merry began to laugh at the mere thought of the silly poem.
Only too glad to change the subject, Pippin laughed along with his cousin, "I can still recall all the words!" He sat upon his knees on his cousin's bed and began to chant the words; Merry would join in as certain parts came to him:
"Frogs and snails
on lake and pond
meeting beneath the moon.
how do you do?
said the snail to the frog
but the frog was eaten by a loon.
my, oh my
but that was close!
said the snail as he crawled far away.
not so fast!
said the loon to the snail
as he followed right after his prey.
here I'll hide
beneath this rock
said the snail as the loon went by.
the loon did stop
and he laughed at the snail,
I will say that you did try!
(here Pippin hits the mattress with his good fist)
pound! went the beak
but the snail was gone--
gone in the blink of an eye!
the loon went mad
and he said to himself,
tonight I will have snail pie!
now I'm safe!
said the snail to himself
as he sped up the tree in haste.
the loon flew quicker
and the tree much thicker;
not a snail did he ever once taste!"
Both hobbits laughed so hard that they barely heard the knocking on the door. "Someone's knocking, Merry!", said Pippin.
Come in!", Merry's laughter trailed off.
"You lads ought to be sleeping by now! It's nearly midnight!", Paladin whispered. He was dressed in his own night shirt, yawning from ear to ear.
"I'm sorry Uncle, were we making too much noise?", asked Merry.
"Just a little. Though I much prefer be woke by laughter than by a child's cry!", Paladin sat down next to Merry. "How are you feeling?", he felt Merry's head; a little warm, but more than likely caused by his boisterous laughter.
"I'm all right, though I still have my headache. When do you suppose it will finally be gone?"
"You quickly forget, Merry--you've had a very busy day!" Then Paladin wrapped his arms around his nephew, "Goodnight, Merry!", and kissed his head.
Then Paladin got up to take Pippin to his own bed, but Pippin was already fast asleep, snuggled next to his cousin. He was going to lift Pippin, then Merry whispered to Paladin, "It's all right, Uncle! He can sleep in my bed tonight--I think I wore him out with all my questions!"
