More A/N: Very astute, French Pony! Actually, I just didn't write the watchman in because I figured him to be elsewhere on Paladin's farm (it's huge!). Even hobbits can't be in two places at once! And this was the thing behind the Raidings; the three hobbits didn't bring any provisions with them, and the Woodhall/Elf provisions didn't last long, either--not with a teenage Pippin around! So, what did they do? "From the East Farthing and making his way west..." You have only one guess who "he" was (more plural--as in they!)... By the way, there are more chapters, and my back has been killing me the past few days, so I may skip a day for a post....Thanks to French Pony and HobbitLoverLady for all your great reviews and feedback!

Chapter Nine - Get It Over With

Pippin had not shown up at the tomato vines as Merry anticipated. He decided to ease his growing apprehension and go back to the carrot patch to have a look. He had a very bad feeling about this. Sure enough, as he came up to where he last saw Pippin, he noticed the field was empty. He couldn't have gone back already!, though Merry was secretly hoping that was exactly what happened. It was too quiet and he didn't like the sound of it. Then he heard the slap of pony reins and then bridle clinking together. A cart not much bigger than the one Frodo started out with on their journey rolled by. In the back was the figure of a small hobbit. He focused in the dark. No! Merry got to his feet and ran after the cart.

Pippin caught sight of his cousin running in the shadows. He looked up at the Shirrifs; neither seemed to be paying him any mind. He looked back out towards Merry and shook his head vigorously. The Second Shirrif noticed the motion out of the corner of his eye and turned around, "What are ye shakin' yer head for?" The Shirrif peered into the darkness, but Merry caught his movement and stayed in the shadows, costing him the lead behind the cart. He did see Pippin shake his head--what did that mean? Go back? Don't follow? What? Merry decided to take the signal exactly how Pippin intended it: "Don't follow!"

Merry ran as fast as his burning lungs would allow back to his older cousin. "Frodo!" He gasped, "Frodo! They got him!"

The knot in Frodo's stomach tightened at seeing his cousin running up--without their young charge following behind. "What happened?"

Merry went into where he followed and what he saw. "It's all my fault, Frodo! I should have stayed with him!" He sat miserably on the ground.

"No Merry, this is really my fault." Frodo sat down next to him. "I'm the adult hobbit who should be minding my younger cousins." He slowly shook his head. "I've never been very good at it, have I? I should have put my foot down with Pippin and said no more raiding."

Merry was anxious. "What are we going to do now? I'll be lucky if Uncle Paladin still calls me his nephew!"

Frodo looked up at the moon rising above the treetops. He figured midnight had to be near. "Let's follow him to the Smials; we will have to catch up to him there."

The two hobbits gathered up all the packs and tied them together, then laid them tied across the pony's back. Then they led the pony up to the whitewashed fence and used it to climb onto the pony, planning to ride in this fashion all the way to Great Smials.

As they road to the Smials, Merry's mind was preparing for the meeting with his uncle; none of his speeches or alibis ended nicely. What was his uncle thinking? How did it feel to have your son brought home by the Shirrifs? Still a couple miles away from Tuckborough, Merry was lost in his own thoughts and then was brought back to the present when he felt Frodo steer the pony off the little road just outside of the town. "What's the matter?"

"Shhh--I hear something coming this way from around the corner." Frodo replied, taking the pony into the shadows of the trees.

Sure enough, soon the sound of a pony's canter came up from out of the darkness. Merry's eyes blurred for a moment in his weariness as a dark figure rode up from around the bend in the road. Rubbing his eyes, he heard Frodo identify the rider.

"Pervinca Took!" Frodo cried. "What in the Shire, Lass, are you doing riding alone in the dark--and at this hour?"

Pervinca was sort of an unofficial member of Merry and Pippin's irrepressible band of friends. While she didn't fancy tramping about the Shire, she did aid in their cover ups, packed her brother's provisions, and Merry's too, if he was staying at Great Smials, and stitched up the rips and tears in their clothing so as not to risk being caught by the parents. When Pippin arrived home escorted by the Shirrifs, and no cousins in sight, Pervinca knew something went wrong somewhere. Pippin was never in this kind of trouble before, and now she was concerned over her cousins.

Not noticing the hobbits until she heard Frodo, she stopped her pony and turned around. "Looking for you!" She said as she rode up. Frodo and Merry looked at each other. "Are you aware of Pippin?" She looked from one cousin to the other. "I thought as much. Father is incensed right now; don't even think to talk to him tonight."

"How is Pippin?" Merry ventured.

"He's confined to his room. No visitors, messages, or letters because he won't talk."

"That's what we're riding to the Smials for; to talk." Said Merry.

"As I said, Merry, not tonight! Here," She handed Merry a small sack, "I'm guessing you're both probably hungry. I'll leave the trap door unlocked--the one next to the cellar. Merry knows the way."

Merry took the sack she offered, "Thank you."

Pervinca dropped her gaze, "I...I've got to get back; mother thinks I'm out in the stables grooming Sprinkles, here." She patted her pony.

"Wait!", Merry called after her, "Pervinca, if you get the chance to talk to Pippin, tell him we haven't abandoned him. Please?"

With a grim smile, the girl nodded. "I will." She turned her pony and galloped back towards Great Smials.

Merry and Frodo found the trap door unlocked just as Pervinca said. It was one of the many little doors that were used around the Smials as access doors for the storage rooms. It creaked loudly as Merry unlatched it and swung it open inside. Depending on which tunnel the trap door was accessing, it might open up to the floor of the tunnel, or as this one did, open up near the ceiling. Merry led the way, jumping down inside the tunnel. Once Frodo was safe inside, Merry took the burning candle out of the wall sconce and led the way down the hall.

"I'm glad you know your way around here!" Frodo whispered, looking around the dusty old tunnel.

"When you live more than half of your life with the Tooks, then you begin to think like one!" Merry smirked. He turned right at the corner and counted three doors, and on the fourth he stopped and opened the door. "I have my own room in the main tunnel, but I think I will wait until we meet with Uncle Paladin first." Merry led the way inside the room. It was filled with unwanted furniture; couches, chairs, tables, and desks. Merry headed for the couch in the center. "This one's mine!" He said as he hopped onto it.

"Is that your couch?" Asked Frodo.

"Yes it is. That's why I'm claiming it."

"Sweet dreams!" Frodo smiled as he took one of the other dusty couches and fell asleep at once.

Merry lay awake tossing and turning for some time; he was restlessly thinking about his uncle and his best friend. Before he realized it, morning had arrived. The only real way Merry knew it was morning was that the servants' quarters were in the next tunnel over, and he heard all the hustle and bustle that normally occurred during this time of the day.

Frodo awoke when he heard a knock at the door. Merry got up to answer it. He heard faint talking and whispers, then the door closing. "Who was that?" Frodo asked.

"She brought us breakfast." Merry laid the tray on a nearby table.

"Who?"

"Pervinca|!"

Frodo got up and padded over to the table. He felt very hungry; he breathed in the aroma of flat cakes and bacon. "She is a sweet lass, isn't she?"

Merry was busy wiping off the table with an old rag that he found elsewhere in the room. He then sat down and prepared his own tea, letting Frodo satiate his appetite. Before long, Frodo set down his fork. "I'm too worried to eat."

"Me, too."

"Do you think Paladin would be in his office by now?" Asked Frodo.

"Not yet; give him another hour or so. Though, I daresay he'd probably see us directly if he knew we were here."

"No, no," Frodo said nervously, "I wouldn't want to disturb his time with his family."

The more Merry thought about it, the more he wanted to be done with it. "I, for one, would like to get this waiting over with. Come with me!"