A/N—Thanks to all who reviewed. Special thanks to MarigoldG for inspiring
the title.
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As the hobbits made their way back towards the smial and Bilbo, Clover kept up a nonstop stream of chatter. Her intent was to keep Frodo from worrying overmuch, but the effect was more annoying than anything. She was explaining the air-purifying, spirit-lifting virtues of common kingsfoil and decrying the Gamgees for dismissing it as a weed when Frodo decided he'd had enough. The one thing he wanted to hear was the only subject Clover hadn't touched on in her prattling. He stopped so abruptly that Clover continued on for several steps before realizing her cousin was no longer beside her. She turned to face him.
Frodo had regained much of his composure, but the effort cost him. He was paler than usual, even for him. Nervousness was written all over his face. He glared at Clover, hands on his hips. His fierce expression didn't fool her, though. She's known Frodo Baggins her whole life, and could tell when he was hiding fear. "What, Frodo?" she asked, somewhat more harshly than necessary. She, too, feared for Bilbo.
"Clover, what is wrong with Bilbo?" Frodo asked bluntly.
The hobbit lass was taken aback. Bluntness was not a quality she associated with Frodo Baggins. She hemmed and hawed for several minutes, not entirely certain how to explain the situation. Frodo grew more fearful the longer Clover stalled. Finally his patience snapped and he snarled at his cousin. "Tell me! I need to know!"
"Frodo……." Clover started. She could tell she wasn't going to get away with merely bringing him back to the smial and letting the adults explain what was going on. She took a deep breath, screwed up her courage and finally said "Doctor Bolger thinks it's consumption."
Frodo rocked back on his heels, stricken. Consumption was always fatal in hobbits. Always. The shock cost Frodo his balance, and he fell hard onto the ground, landing on his bum. He began to shake, then cry. "But he was fine when I left this morning!"
Clover ran to her cousin. She knelt beside him, wrapped her arms around him and rocked him back and forth like a child. "Shhh, Frodo, it's not so bad…"she began to say.
"Not so bad???" Frodo interrupted, astonished she could say such a thing. Clover's mother was the apothecary, she KNEW what consumption did to hobbits. Especially hobbits of Bilbo's age.
The lass let go of Frodo, stung by his tone. She stood up and tried very hard to remember that Frodo had just had a terrible shock, so she must be patient with him. "I say it's not so bad, because Mother doesn't agree with Doctor Bolger. She says whatever is wrong with Bilbo came on far too quickly to be consumption. You said yourself, he was fine when you left this morning, right?"
Frodo nodded miserably. He wanted very much to believe Clover, but still…..consumption……
Clover's heart went out to Frodo. He had a way of getting on her nerves faster than any hobbit in the Shire, her own family included, but she never could stay angry at him for long. Especially when he was suffering as he was now. She knelt down beside him and hugged him quickly. "It will be all right, I promise. Mother will make things better, she always does. Now, come. We simply must get to Bag End."
Frodo nodded again. He got himself back under control and stood. "I'm better now. The sooner we get to Bilbo, the better. I need to see him for myself."
"Talking to Mother might do you some good, as well. She really doesn't think it's consumption, you know," Clover pointed out.
"I'd trust Aunt Citrine's opinion over Doctor Bolger's any day," Frodo replied.
Clover laughed. Many hobbits felt that way about their physicians, though none of them ever let poor Doctor Bolger in on it. It wasn't that he was a bad physician, just that he tended to diagnose the same five illnesses, no matter the symptoms. His bedside manner left much to be desired, as well. So hobbits called Doctor Bolger, then followed Citrine Proudfoot's advice anyway.
The walk back to Bag End was not long, but it felt that way. The hobbits walked in silence now, for Clover felt Frodo needed quiet for his thoughts. Keeping her mouth shut was difficult indeed, but nothing compared to what Frodo must be going through.
For his part, Frodo kept quiet because he was talking himself out of fearing the worst. He kept repeating silently "Aunt Citrine says it's not consumption. Aunt Citrine says it's not consumption." He hoped if he told himself that enough, he would begin to believe it. Still, the sooner he got to Bilbo and saw for himself, the better.
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As the hobbits made their way back towards the smial and Bilbo, Clover kept up a nonstop stream of chatter. Her intent was to keep Frodo from worrying overmuch, but the effect was more annoying than anything. She was explaining the air-purifying, spirit-lifting virtues of common kingsfoil and decrying the Gamgees for dismissing it as a weed when Frodo decided he'd had enough. The one thing he wanted to hear was the only subject Clover hadn't touched on in her prattling. He stopped so abruptly that Clover continued on for several steps before realizing her cousin was no longer beside her. She turned to face him.
Frodo had regained much of his composure, but the effort cost him. He was paler than usual, even for him. Nervousness was written all over his face. He glared at Clover, hands on his hips. His fierce expression didn't fool her, though. She's known Frodo Baggins her whole life, and could tell when he was hiding fear. "What, Frodo?" she asked, somewhat more harshly than necessary. She, too, feared for Bilbo.
"Clover, what is wrong with Bilbo?" Frodo asked bluntly.
The hobbit lass was taken aback. Bluntness was not a quality she associated with Frodo Baggins. She hemmed and hawed for several minutes, not entirely certain how to explain the situation. Frodo grew more fearful the longer Clover stalled. Finally his patience snapped and he snarled at his cousin. "Tell me! I need to know!"
"Frodo……." Clover started. She could tell she wasn't going to get away with merely bringing him back to the smial and letting the adults explain what was going on. She took a deep breath, screwed up her courage and finally said "Doctor Bolger thinks it's consumption."
Frodo rocked back on his heels, stricken. Consumption was always fatal in hobbits. Always. The shock cost Frodo his balance, and he fell hard onto the ground, landing on his bum. He began to shake, then cry. "But he was fine when I left this morning!"
Clover ran to her cousin. She knelt beside him, wrapped her arms around him and rocked him back and forth like a child. "Shhh, Frodo, it's not so bad…"she began to say.
"Not so bad???" Frodo interrupted, astonished she could say such a thing. Clover's mother was the apothecary, she KNEW what consumption did to hobbits. Especially hobbits of Bilbo's age.
The lass let go of Frodo, stung by his tone. She stood up and tried very hard to remember that Frodo had just had a terrible shock, so she must be patient with him. "I say it's not so bad, because Mother doesn't agree with Doctor Bolger. She says whatever is wrong with Bilbo came on far too quickly to be consumption. You said yourself, he was fine when you left this morning, right?"
Frodo nodded miserably. He wanted very much to believe Clover, but still…..consumption……
Clover's heart went out to Frodo. He had a way of getting on her nerves faster than any hobbit in the Shire, her own family included, but she never could stay angry at him for long. Especially when he was suffering as he was now. She knelt down beside him and hugged him quickly. "It will be all right, I promise. Mother will make things better, she always does. Now, come. We simply must get to Bag End."
Frodo nodded again. He got himself back under control and stood. "I'm better now. The sooner we get to Bilbo, the better. I need to see him for myself."
"Talking to Mother might do you some good, as well. She really doesn't think it's consumption, you know," Clover pointed out.
"I'd trust Aunt Citrine's opinion over Doctor Bolger's any day," Frodo replied.
Clover laughed. Many hobbits felt that way about their physicians, though none of them ever let poor Doctor Bolger in on it. It wasn't that he was a bad physician, just that he tended to diagnose the same five illnesses, no matter the symptoms. His bedside manner left much to be desired, as well. So hobbits called Doctor Bolger, then followed Citrine Proudfoot's advice anyway.
The walk back to Bag End was not long, but it felt that way. The hobbits walked in silence now, for Clover felt Frodo needed quiet for his thoughts. Keeping her mouth shut was difficult indeed, but nothing compared to what Frodo must be going through.
For his part, Frodo kept quiet because he was talking himself out of fearing the worst. He kept repeating silently "Aunt Citrine says it's not consumption. Aunt Citrine says it's not consumption." He hoped if he told himself that enough, he would begin to believe it. Still, the sooner he got to Bilbo and saw for himself, the better.