Krista: "I wouldn't even wish for my greatest enemy to suffer from it." Great line! May I use it?

Dark Crystal: Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to keep you from sleeping.

Aelfgifu: Thanks! I'll keep your reminders in mind.

Blue Jedi Hobbit: You bet! Please keep reading and reviewing.

Alisaundre: Mm, I don't know what to say. I'm just glad you enjoy my story. Thanks.

AndysPrincess: Yeah. I didn't know myself. I thought it would be only 6 or 7 chapters!
Warning: AU, violence
Chapter 37
Merry was amused with what he saw. It was clear that Frodo had not totally forgotten Bilbo, nor had he forgiven what the old man had done to him.

It was true that Merry had managed to implant in Frodo's mind that Bilbo mysterious disappearance in the night when the party was held was all because of him. Merry had also succeeded in making Frodo think he was unworthy for anybody, and thus, it hurt him so.

But that didn't mean that Bilbo was completely erased from the poor hobbit's mind. The memories of how Bilbo had adopted him and made him his heir were too dear. Bilbo had also been so loving and caring. And the comfort of Bag End lingered, too, everytime Bilbo was present in Frodo's mind.

Nonetheless, these just gave the once kind and gentle Cousin Merry all more fun. Of course Merry wanted Frodo to forget about everyone he ever cared for and only have Merry in his head, but the twisted hobbit would also love to send reminders once in a while. How would he do that if Frodo had been entirely torn apart?

Frodo recoiled and drew back, getting away from Merry's embrace. His heart sank in dread. Please, oh please, Eru. Don't let him read his mind. Don't let Merry know what he was thinking. Frodo knew exactly how his eyes and his face had betrayed him by showing how he was missing Bilbo very much. He couldn't have had that feeling at all, Frodo scorned himself with disgust. Just remember what Bilbo had done, abandoning him! Bilbo was nothing but a piece of memory.

But, Frodo choked. He did miss Bilbo! This cousin and also uncle of his had never done anything wrong before. And Frodo was sure that Bilbo loved him unconditionally. Bilbo had never done him any harm either.

"Frodo!" Merry yanked Frodo's hand cruelly. Frodo yelped. "What do you have in that silly brain of yours?" Merry drew his face closer to Frodo's horrified one.

Oh, Lord! He knew! Frodo tried to move backward but Merry gripped his hand tightly.

"No, no! Don't bother to tell me, dear cousin!" Merry snarled. The sneering smirk evaporated. "I know what you are thinking. You still miss him, don't you?"

Frodo whimpered as the grasp on his wrist became tighter. He shook his head frantically.

"I don't! Really!" he hopelessly denied Merry's accusation. Merry didn't buy him a bit. He glanced over Frodo's shoulders.

"Pip," he called. "Hold him still."

Frodo turned his head sharply when he felt Pippin's bony but strong hands grasped his upper arms firmly. And he quickly looked back at Merry when sensing how Merry's fingers were creeping down his right leg and stopped on his heavily swollen ankle. Frodo tugged his leg reflexively but Merry was quicker.

He squeezed the injured body part, eliciting a cry from Frodo.

"Ah, Merry!"

Merry looked at him mockingly.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Frodo. Did it hurt?" teased him. Frodo neither nodded nor shook his head. He tried hard to ignore the throbbing pain.

Amazed, Merry shook his head. What was this? Had his cousin's stubbornness returned again? Once more, he seized the swollen ankle. He kneaded it gradually from softly to relatively hard, which made Frodo gasped, and finally to extremely hard, so hard that Frodo screamed and attempted to jump up only to be held down by Pippin. Frodo panted miserably. It hurt!

"Does it hurt now?" Merry's soft voice made Frodo shudder.

"Merry, please ---"

Mercilessly, Merry poked the flesh harshly with his thumb and forefinger.

"Tell me if it is painful!!"

He squeezed again and again until Frodo broke into unending screams.

"Yes, yes, yes!" It hurts! It really hurts!"

Frodo squirmed against Pippin's grip.

"Now tell me you won't miss him! You will not miss Bilbo anymore!" Merry still continued his torment.

"No! I won't miss him anymore!" yelled the agonized Frodo.

"You still remember who your true friend is?" Merry released his grasp of the ankle and moved to Frodo's chin. Frodo was a bit relieved but now he glared at Merry in terror.

"I do," he muttered despite the grip. "It's you, Merry. You're my true friend."

"Good!"

Frodo's face was snapped to the side when Merry rudely let his chin go.

"You may release him, Pippin."

Unable to hold back his tears, Frodo reached down to his abused ankle and rubbed it softly, weeping. It had become more bluish and even more swollen. He bit his lips to restrain his sobs but failed. Eru ---

"Ah, I forgot something."

Frodo looked up in shock seeing Merry coming back to him. What? More torture?

Merry squatted in front of him and this time both of his hands went to Frodo's right leg. Frodo hadn't got any chance to say something when - SNAP!

Merry pulled Frodo's foot to a different angle with one hand, while the other held the ankle in place.

"There," Merry stood up; satisfaction was all over his face. "I've cured you, love. It has gone back to its proper place," he nodded to Frodo's ankle.

Frodo let his jaw drop open. At first he didn't feel anything. But then the searing pain came like a thunder. Nauseated feeling hit him so badly that he couldn't even scream. Blackness overcame him first.

***

Groaning weakly, Strider was awakened not only by the pricks on his right arm but also by something thundering in a distance. He lifted his body from his lying position, not daring to use too much of his wounded arm to support himself, and sat up. First he checked his limb, and his breath was caught, realizing that the dagger was still there, sticking out of his arm. Gritting his teeth, he willed himself not to cry out while tugging the knife out.

"Oh, for Valar's sake!" He breathed heavily when finally succeeding in his action. Strider's attention was then distracted by a movement not far from him. Sam was stirring. He, too, opened his eyes and tried to get up.

Sam moaned, and fell back to the ground. He was still feeling dizzy.

"Don't, Sam!" shouted Strider. "Lie still. Don't try to get up too fast."

"Strider?" asked Sam, slowly raising his body once more, rubbing the back of his head with his hand and shocked to feel blood there.

"What happened?"

Then his memory came back.

"Mr. Frodo!" Sam glanced around in panic. "Where is Mr. Frodo?"

The last thing he knew was his master lying near where Strider was standing right now, half dead. Or, was Frodo gone already? No, NO!

"Is he dead, Strider? Is he??" Sam darted to Strider and tugged at the man's cloak violently. Strider grabbed Sam at his shoulders, nearly slapping the anxious hobbit if he didn't stop his act at once.

"Sam. SAM! Pull yourself together. Frodo is not dead. At least not when I last saw him."

Sam let go of the ranger and went crumpled on the ground, sniffing audibly. He was staying there, unable to move any of his bones while listening to Strider briefly telling him what had happened, in the next couple of minutes. Sam kept silent even after Strider was finished.

"Sam?" called the man worriedly. The hobbit gazed up blearily.

"They have him again? Merry captures him again?" Sam started to weep yet again. "Poor master, I haven't even had a chance to see him awake! I miss him terribly, Strider. What a bad guard I am! I keep failing to protect him." In his mind, he could see how Frodo suffered in the hands of his own cousins.

What words of comfort could he give, Strider wondered. But then suddenly it happened again. Strider could feel again the earth shaking like there was a quake.

"Do you feel it?" he asked Sam, getting down and listening closely to the ground. Sam frowned. Feel what? He stopped crying and shook his head. No.

"Are you sure?" Strider pushed on.

"I am, Strider. What are you talking about?"
TBC