Further Up Further In

By Robin Gurl

Chapter 8

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Ok, here is the 8th chapter. Does it really sound that rushed?!?! I need to know. I hope it doesn't. And I know it's simplistic..*sighs * I'm only 16 and this was my first M/P..I have a better one up now called Promises. Read that one.

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Pippin felt Erem stop, "What's wrong..?" He was feeling worse then had been. Maybe it was because he was moving.

"They have closed the doors." Erem sighed. "Come, we must now go find a safe spot."

"What's wrong Erem?" Jusif exclaimed.

"Elrond closed the doors. We are locked out."

"He can not survive out here." Jusif hissed silently. "He is already fading."

"How do you know?"

"I linked our Life Forces together so I'd know how he was doing. He is fading slowly."

"Hey Little One, what is your name!?!"

"Pippin.."

"Alright Pippin, how are you feeling?!!?" Erem asked softly. He was amazed at how young this hobbit looked. He must really be a child among his species.

Jusif looked around his eyes searching for somewhere for them to stay for the night. "I know where we can stay. The old storm shelter. Come."

"They closed that one down Jusif 1000 years ago."

"Do we have a choice?" The elf called.

"No. We don't.." Erem followed Jusif slowly.

"Erem.are we going to die?"

"No little one. We aren't."

"I want Merry.." Strider had gathered Merry up in his arms not allowing the hobbit to stay at the door. Merry was still sobbing for his lover. Strider felt tears well up in his eyes. "It's going to be alright. Pippin is going to be fine. He's strong."

Merry didn't answer and continued to cry. He wanted Pippin, to see that he was safe and know that he would always be safe.

Gandalf sighed and put a hand to Frodo's forehead, "He seems to know one of them is not safe."

"How do you know that?" Elrond looked up.

"He has stirred in his sleep. Frodo knows Pippin's not here." Gandalf was about ready to go out there and find them. "It's alright Frodo."

"Pippin..." Frodo moaned in his sleep.

Sam held back his tears. It hurt him to see his friends this way. They had an inner circle that no one could enter not even Mr. Bilbo. It had formed when they were younger. They had all decided to protect Pippin. Now one was missing from that circle and everyone knew it and felt it. It was like a void in space. "Please be alright Mr. Took."

Merry stopped crying abruptly his eyes glazed over as he remembered the first time Frodo, Sam, and He had found Pippin.


"You little brat."

Merry looked to the house, he stopped telling Sam, and Frodo how sweet and totally cool Pippin was. "Oh no."

"What's wrong Merry?"

"Pip's Dad is home.."

"And?"

Another scream was heard. "Oh God.." Merry broke out into a sprint. A very confused Sam and Frodo followed.

"Uncle Paladin stop it!!" Merry shouted. He ran over to Pippin and pulled him into his arms. The younger hobbit sobbed in his shoulder.

"What is going on?" Sam exclaimed.

"Let him go you little brat." Paladin moved to pull Pippin from Merry but Frodo and Sam pulled him back.

"Get him out of here Merry."

"Go Mr. Merry.."

Merry took one glance at his friends then gathered Pippin up in his arms and ran. He didn't stop running until he was far away from Pippin's house.

Frodo and Sam had caught up with him a few minutes later. Both of them were supporting a few bruises. "Is he alive?"

"Barely.Pip?" Merry exclaimed, "Answer me..come on!!!"

Pippin opened his eyes slowly, smiling when he saw it was his cousin, "Merry.."

"Yeh Pip, it's me.What happened?" Merry asked.

"I..I don't know.Da came in and just started hitting me." Pippin said softly. "I hurt everywhere.."

"It's alright Pippin, I'm here. So is Sam and Frodo.we won't let him near you anymore."

"No..No one believes me any more..I tried to tell them what Da does to me but they always laugh and say I'm dreaming it." Pippin clung on to Merry tightly.

"We believe you, we really do."



"MERRY!!" Strider shouted shaking the hobbit. He had been trying to get the hobbit to respond and Merry wasn't.

Merry was jolted out of the horrible memory when someone shook him. "What?!?"

"You scared me."

Pippin was put down out side for a moment while the two elves pulled the doors opened. This reminded him so much of when his friends were trying to keep him from his Da.



"Hurry run. The barn is open. We can hide until it's safe." Sam called. "Hang in there Pip." Merry kissed his cousins curls softly as they ran through the rain.

They had just saved Pippin again from his father. Pippin was bruised and bleeding every where. The youngest hobbit was half conscious, he wasn't to sure what was going on. He just knew that Merry, Sam, and Frodo were with him.

Once inside the barn Merry handed Pippin over to Frodo and then helped Sam close the doors.

Frodo cradled Pippin like he was a baby. "Sh..it's alright, you're safe now.."

"I'm sorry..I'm sorry.." Pippin kept sobbing out.

"There's no need to be sorry. You did nothing wrong. It was your father." Sam said soothingly.



"No little one, you mustn't fall asleep." Jusif said, wrapping his cloak around the sick hobbit. "Erem, he's gotten worse."

"Merry..Frodo..Sam.." Pippin sobbed into Jusif's shoulder.

"Lay him down. I can do a bit of healing."

Jusif looked up in surprise, "You can?"

"Yes, I have learned a little from Lord Elrond." Erem put his hand on Pippin's forehead.

Pippin felt a weird warm feeling flow through his body. It felt good, and warm. He felt better after it left. "Hm...feels good."

Erem fell back tired, "But I can only do a little at a time. We must keep him warm so he won't relapse. Then I will do some more in a few hours."

End Chapter 8

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Hehe..four pages.^_^ That's a lot. Oh I forgot to mention..if anyone is interested in Archiving this story, please feel free. Just email me to tell me where it is. REVIEW

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