AN: Sorry for the wait. Okay. Now watch out for the evil Merrrrryyyyy!!!!!!!1
Warning: AU, violence
Chapter 35
Deep down, Frodo felt that he would be much safer should he be taken by Strider, especially after hearing Merry's sharp remarks. He could see now a glint of anger flash in his cousin's eyes. His mouth went dry. He knew for sure Merry would not let what had happened between him and Ted pass unnoticed. Frodo sighed inaudibly. How could he make such a terrible mistake?

"Get your hands off Frodo. Now."

Frodo heard Piipin order the ranger again. The sword going deeper through the layers if his cloths, Strider groaned angrily. He felt upset with himself, being unable to defend Frodo and himself. Clutching Frodo with his left arm, he would not draw out his sword with his right hand, not that he couldn't. Strider didn't want Frodo to think as if he were kept hostage by him. He wouldn't want the hobbit to grow more and more distrustful toward him. It should be decided by Frodo himself with whom he wanted to go. Frodo should be able to see who was actually fair and who was definitely foul.

Strider felt his heart leap with joy when noticing Frodo's disappointed sigh, though faint, when he released the hobbit.

Frodo was, indeed, disappointed. What? Did the ranger give up on him now?

"All right," Strider raised his hands. "It's up to you now, Frodo. Do you want to go with them, or me?"

And become a burden? Frodo's big, expressive eyes dimmed. Thanks, but no thanks. What was the point if the man didn't actually want to take him?

Merry looked at Frodo, feeling smug with this little victory. He realized how hurt Frodo was now. Before the fair hobbit's very eyes, a man he initially thought was his rescuer gave up on him so easily. Strider didn't even try to bargain him over. Tears welled up in Frodo's eyes. The feeling of becoming a worthless, unwanted hobbit came back. The voice of Merry saying 'I'm the only friend you have' kept repeating in his mind.

Frodo heard someone calling him in the middle of repeated sound of Merry's sentence in his head.

"Frodo," called Merry once more. He had a dagger in his hands. Frodo frowned. What was that for?

Merry was getting impatient.

"Come on. Take it. Kill the man."

Frodo's heart sank in dread. What? Killing the man? It was true that he felt disappointed with the ranger. But killing, murdering, those words had never registered in his mind as something that he HAD to do.

He gasped when Merry shoved the knife to his hand. Disgusted, Frodo threw it away.

Merry flushed with anger but he was not completely surprised. He took the dagger from the ground calmly and waved it in front of Frodo's face.

"Why did you do that? Frodo. Frodo. Don't tell me you're still hoping someone else will care for you more than I do." He put the knife back in his cousin's grasp. "And this ranger certainly won't. He let you go, Frodo, without any doubts."

Frodo threw his glance over Strider briefly. Sadness and despair were gleaming in his eyes. Strider's jaw dropped open. So, was this how Frodo caught the meaning of his letting him free?

"Frodo!" Strider called him out. "That's not what I meant! I-" He had no chance to finish his sentence as Pippin suddenly struck his head hard with the hilt of the sword. The ranger slumped to his knees, barely conscious. But he forced himself to stay awake.

"Halfling, I never wanted to reject you or anything, but-" Once more, Pippin swung the sword to the back of Strider's head. This time blackness completely took over the ranger's world.

"Now he DEFINITELY can't take care of you, Frodo," leered Merry sadistically, glancing at wide-eyed Frodo. Merry waved his hand. "Well? Go on. Finish the job."

Frodo shook his head, still shocked by Pippin's act.

"No, no. I won't kill anyone. You can't make me!" His protest was cut short by a sword tip on his chest. He backed away, only to bump to Merry's body. Frodo breathed raggedly. He heard Merry purr in his ear.

"You still love me, don't you, cousin? Me and only me?"

Frodo nodded weakly. He eyed the sword, horrified.

"Pippin will not do anything with the weapon, Frodo. Not when I say no," added Merry. "And that all will be up to you. If you keep your resistance, I don't know what will happen."

Frodo shut his eyes. Tears streamed down his cheeks.

"All right? Now kill the ranger, or Strider, as I overheard Sam call him that."

Frodo tensed with the sound of Sam. Pippin lowered down the sword and Merry pushed Frodo forward. The ranger - Strider - had started to come to.

"It's easy, Frodo!" shouted Merry from behind. "Just aim at the chest."

Frodo lifted the dagger and, breathing rapidly, he swung it down. At the same time, Strider opened his eyes.

"Frodo, no!" the ranger screamer, a second before the knife plunged into his - upper arm. He groaned in pain. The knife went deep reaching to the bone. Strider felt his vision swim again and he fainted once more.

Frodo trembled heavily. He noticed how the blood ran down Strider's limb to the ground. Stunned, he still couldn't believe he had been the cause of that. Frodo barely heard Merry approach him.

That cousin of Frodo spoke in a low voice, angrily.

"I told you in the chest, Frodo, not in the arm!"

Frodo cried out when his calves were struck with what felt like a big piece of log. He went down to his knees. The strike was quickly followed by another, this time on his back.

"Aargh!!!"

He couldn't breath for a moment and black spots danced in his eyes. The next blow on his stomach toppled him over.

"You MADE me do this, Frodo," Merry's voice sliced the air near Frodo's ear. Frodo tried to straighten up. His breaths went short.

"No! You stay in your place!" Merry kicked him on his sided, sending him back to his stomach. Frodo dazed, trying to get his breaths back. He waited nervously for the next kicking or blows but none came.

Frodo knew that these were his mistakes. He deserved all the punishments. But he also prayed that his punishments were over now. He struggled to get back to his knees, and turned to Merry and Pippin, misty-eyed.

"Please, Merry. I'm so sorry. I - miss you, Merry," said Frodo faintly.

"Bah!" spat Merry, though his eyes gleamed contentedly. He hadn't lost Frodo!

"Miss me?! How dare you say that after all that you have done! Including those with the man there." Merry's eyes lingering back to Ted, Frodo shivered violently. His lips curled.

"No, no, please," he pleaded. "It was - he was-"

But Frodo didn't know what to say and to explain, and that made him even more frightened. In the end, he could only look apprehensively at his cousin.

What came next shocked Frodo terribly. Merry backhanded him mightily, splitting his lips and sending him rolling to his side several times.

No sound came from Frodo afterwards. His small, wrecked body was almost not able to stand anything anymore. The coming blows and strikes were like a horrible, horrible dream for him. He vaguely knew then that he was lying on the edge of a slope. Never imagining Merry would go this far, Frodo shrieked when he was being kicked again and felt that he was falling down the slope. His depleted and broken form was helplessly welcomed by sharp rocks and pieces of big and small twigs. Frodo screamed loudly but then he realized that the screams were just in his mind. He had lost in the blackness since heaven knew when.
TBC