A/N: I don't own anything on here except for a copy of LOTR, a copy of the book I've mentioned in the quote, and the poor abused computer I'm typing this up on. This is just a short, one chapter thing.
He Always Knew That"We have not lost him (Tolkien), nor he us. Those who really knew him and understood him saw that at his funeral. Because as the small group of people who had been invited to the gravesite were leaving, some of them, just some, said they heard a sound in the bushes in front of the trees…"-From: J.R.R. Tolkien: The Man Who Created The Lord Of The Rings, by Michael Coren.
He breathed. Not physically, perhaps, but spiritually now. The battle was over, finally over. He could join his beloved Edith now. At last, Beren and Luthien would live happily ever after.
He glanced out at his family. The world would have come, he was sure, if they could have. They loved him, loved the legend of both man and story. He had given them what he could. It was up to the rest of the world now.
He jumped slightly as the bushes beside him moved. "Be quiet, you almost gave us away. Be quiet!" That voice…he knew it so well…could it possibly be…?
He walked over, quiet as an elf, and parted the bushes. The hobbits tumbled backwards with a gasp. He stood staring at them. Frodo straightened himself first.
"Mr. Tolkien, I'm pleased to finally meet you." The hobbit stuck out a hand and he shook it, feeling numb. The rest were starting to come closer. Elves, dwarves, wizards… He knew them all. He had talked with them, eaten with them, and shared an arduous journey with them. And now it was worth it.
"John," The hobbit spoke his first name. "Now that you're here our hearts can rest knowing that you'll be with us. But…" Frodo paused; this seemed to be a difficult subject for him. "But are you ready to let them go?"
He looked back toward his family. No, he wasn't ready yet. He had to stay, stay and watch over them. His frantic eyes clashed with calm ones.
"John, in their hearts-in your heart-you'll always be with them forever. The world will never forget you. Just like the world can never forget us." He relaxed and turned back to his family. Yes, he reasoned, they would be together, forever.
But that didn't mean that the separation wasn't going to be painful.
Tears began to slide down his face. "Namarie…" He swallowed the lump in his throat and turned back. There was no going back now. They would meet again.
As he followed his legend he smiled. Frodo was right, he had not lost them nor they him. His story would never end.
He had always known that.