A/N: Hello everyone!

Review responses:

Seregon: You are correct indeed in thinking that this is going to be a long fic! I have it all laid out in my head, too! Glad you enjoyed!

Violet Raven: As always, I know I can rely on you to pump my ego a little bit more. I hope this chapter is up to par!

Iris: Thank you much! I do intend on keeping this "clean" (Hence the title!^_^)

Random note: Pick up the Gladiator soundtrack! Its great! Certainly is keeping my tided over until the ROTK soundtrack comes out....

Simple and Clean

Chapter Two

Clean

Some years later......

"Oi! Its a bee! Its a bee!" Young Peregrin Took was not pleased with the black and yellow insect that was buzzing around his head. It was a dusty, dry summer day in the Shire and the young Took and his cousins Frodo and Merry Brandybuck had trekked all the way to the Brandywine to cool their feet (though Merry, being a Brandybuck and knowing how to swim, had jumped in all together and showed off, swimming about.) They were on their way back to Bag End, where Merry and Pippin were staying for the summer months. This time of year there was scarcely a hobbit to be found indoors.....or a honeybee to be found in the hive.

"Oi, Oi! Get it away! Get it away, Merry!" Pippin dropped his knapsack on the grassy road and began flailing his arms in an attempt to wack the mighty bee away. "Its going to sting me! Gah!"

Merry dropped his own knapsack and sighed. He brushed his still damp curls out of his eyes and attempted to get his cousin under control.

"Don't smack at it, Pippin, you'll only aggravate it. Pip! Stop it! You're going to hit me!" He grabbed Pippin about the chest, effectively pinning his arms to his sides and stopping him from flailing. The honey bee buzzed very close to Merry's face, making him squint and lean back. He leaned farther, farther, until Merry lost his balance and toppled backwards, bringing Pippin with him. Bored, the bee flew off to find a flower. Merry sat up but Pippin stayed right where he was, on Merry's legs laughing hysterically. Frodo stared at them for a moment before breaking into laughter himself.

"Well cousin, you certainly saved the day," Frodo said finally as his laughter tapered off.

"Yes!" Pippin agreed . "You scared that wasp away, I daresay."

Merry's scowl wavered then broke into a small smile. He shoved his young cousin off and stood up.

"You're most welcome, Pip. What good manners you have," Merry said sarcastically. The younger lad just giggled again and hopped to his feet.

Frodo sighed. "We'd better be getting home, if you two rascals are finished with your gallivanting," he said. "Come now, we've only half a mile or so to Hobbiton."

"We'd be better put to walk the distance if we could stop for a bite now," chirped Pippin hopefully.

"Much better put," agreed Merry with a quirky nod. He and Pippin exchanged glances the plopped themselves down on the road and began rummaging through the knapsacks.

"Alright, alright!" Frodo rushed, grabbing at his cousins' shirt collars to keep them from getting out all of their food right then and there. "You'll have your way but I don't think it would do to sit here in the middle of the road like toads. Let's move over there, under the trees."

With exaggerated sighs Frodo's cousins obliged him and they moved to set up a little picnic under the towering beech and oak trees. They'd sat and eaten for no more than a quarter of an hour when the sound of a wooden cart coming up the grassy road could be heard. At any other time the trio probably would have pain no attention to it. After all, they were fairly close to town and the traffic in the area was always consistent. However, this time was different, because whoever was driving the cart was calling Frodo's name.

"Mr. Frodo! Mr. Frodo! I can't believe I found you! Mr. Frodo? Sir! Sir!" A young, feminine voice cried. Frodo turned towards the voice. It was a young hobbit lass, plain faced and still retaining baby fat, with brown curls brought back in a haphazard ponytail. She looked quite frantic and Frodo vaguely recognized her. It was Marigold Gamgee, Samwise's sister, and it was Bilbo's cart she was attempting to drive. The pony, however, did not seem to understand that the girl wanted to stop and kept going even as Marigold shrieked for it to stop.

Frodo leapt up and rushed over to the cart, leaving a surprised Merry and Pippin behind him.

"Whoa, Kili, whoa!" Frodo snatched the pony's bridle and brought it to a stop.

"Oh, thank you sir, I couldn't stop him. I ain't strong enough, I guess. Oh, but thank heavens I found you sir. You've got to come quick sir, you've got to come. Those brutes, they've started something!" Marigold seemed close to tears. She wrung her skirt in her hands.

"Wait a moment, Marigold, what happened?" Frodo asked, trying to maintain a clam composure, although horrible thoughts of what could have happened flooded his mind. Marigold slapped her hand to her mouth and blushed.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Baggins. I started talkin' without explainin'. Its that Ted, sir, that Ted Sandyman and his gang of tomfools. I had to go to the Cottons' to get some flour for the baking (you know the Cottons, don't you sir?) and I had to walk because our pony slipped a shoe. And I had to go alone because Hal and Daisy had chores to do and May has horrible allergies this time of year, and Da is visiting our ma's brothers, and of course Sam was at work in your lovely gardens.......So I was walkin', sir, but I didn't get there; no sir, not even close. I suppose I wasn't payin' much attention, 'cause I didn't realize that Ted was followin' me for a while."

Marigold paused for a moment. Tired of sitting on the ground, Merry and Pippin had made their way over behind Frodo, who was still waiting for the girl to continue.

"Don't mind us. Please." Merry said after Marigold had stared at him and Pippin for a solid amount of time.

Marigold blushed again and started stammering. "Beggin pardon, sirs. But as I was saying Ted was following me. I tried ignoring them like Daisy told me to do, but 'twas no good. They started throwing things at me, little pebbles, this and that. And they were saying things too, mean things. I won't repeat a-one of them; not right coming from a lady's mouth. But I didn't want to cause trouble so I turned and ran back the way I'd come. I thought if I'd went home they'd let me be, sir."

"But they did not?" asked Frodo, attempting to get the girl to move the story along.

Marigold shook her head. "That's right sir, they didn't. So I thought if I went up to Bag End, sir....." She halted and bit her lower lip, a habit it seemed all Gamgee's shared.

"Go on," urged Frodo. "You went to Bag End because you know how people shy away from it."

"Well, yes, sir, meaning no disrespect. And it worked like I expected. They didn't go up to the hill but they stayed on the road and yelled things about......about my ma!" At that Marigold burst into tears. She covered her face with her hands and sobbed "Mr. Baggins, my ma never hurt a soul. She never did nothing wrong. They were just saying those things because Hal gave Ted a rather nasty black eye. And he deserved it!"

Unsure of what to do, Frodo awkwardly patted the girl on the shoulder. Merry and Pippin exchanged looks and shifted uncomfortably. Suddenly Marigold flung her arms out angrily.

"That's not the worst of it, Mr. Baggins," She growled, tears still streaking her cheeks. "Sam, he was out back tending the gardens as usual, and he heard them. He heard them and when I was just about to knock on Mr. Bilbo's door he came back there, angry something awful."

Frodo felt his stomach lurch and the color drain from his face. Misinterpreting Frodo's expression, Marigold said frantically "Please don't grudge him sir! He wasn't thinkin'! He was just awfully upset, and you know how sensitive he is.....He wouldn't a' shirked he duties otherwise!"

Frodo shook his head quickly. "No, Mari, that is not what I'm concerned about. Please, continue."

Marigold swallowed then went on. "At first he just told them to leave. Wasn't yelling or nothing. But they wouldn't go. They just kept standing there, leanin' on the fence with these mean smiles. So Sam got even angrier and he yelled at them to get or they'd have it. That's when the said it, Mr. Baggins. That's when they called him THAT NAME"

Merry and Pippin looked at each other again, curious as to what 'that name' could be. They both knew Sam reasonably well, due to his job at Bag End, but they knew little more about him than he was the gardener, very shy, and friends with Frodo. Frodo, on the other hand, dismissed the detail. He knew there had to be more to the story if it had gotten Marigold this upset.

"One of them boys threw a stone at us." Marigold's voice broke as she spoke. "It missed, but Sam had had too much already. Don't misunderstand, sir, he didn't throw the first punch; Ted did. Sam wasn't expectin' it and it caught him in the face.....and it all happened so quickly after that! Sam hit Ted back, and you know his strength, sir. Hardly knows he's so strong. Anyhows, he knocked three teeth from that Sandyman's mouth."

Merry tried not to smile, but this amused him. He'd had trouble with Ted himself. Ted Sandyman did not like Bucklanders.

"Then they all ganged up on him, Ted was so mad. It didn't last long I guess, but it felt like forever. It was Mr. Bilbo what broke up the fight. I'm guessin' he heard all the racket. He told that Sandyman to be of and I'd be lyin' if I said they didn't leave in a hurry.

"But Sam was bleedin' something fierce. Mr. Bilbo brought him inside and he was so embarrassed....and worried that he's gonna lose his job. He's not going to lose his job, is he sir? They were the ones that started it, not Sam, he'd never!"

Frodo interrupted before she could go on any further. "I know he wouldn't, Marigold. You do not have to worry about that. But was Sam alright?"

Merry and Pippin could see that their older cousin was trying to remain calm but was more distressed than he seemed. This surprised them a little bit. They had not yet realized that Frodo and Sam were more than just servant and master.

In response to Frodo's inquiry, Marigold nodded. "For the most part, he's whole and awake. But he's till fightin' mad. I wish he would calm down, but I'm more worried that Sandyman will come back....Mr. Bilbo was worried too, so he took me aside and whispered to me to go find you. Made me take his own cart, he did, though I was frightfully worried I'd harm it...."

She continued speaking but Frodo retreated into himself. He felt extremely angry at Sandyman and the lot, but he also felt guilt. It seemed that Sam's bullying had only grown worse after he started working for the Bagginses. Frodo knew that there were nasty rumors circulating around Hobbiton, rumors of the odd Frodo Baggins and his apparent "fondness for the younger lads." Nobody dared say anything to Frodo or Bilbo's face, of course, but Frodo was not deaf and the villagers were hardly quiet.

Pippin's voice shocked Frodo back to reality. ".....don't you think Frodo?"

Frodo blinked and shook himself. "Sorry, Pip, what was that?"

"I said, 'We should return quick, don't you think?'"

Frodo stared at him for a second then started and said "Oh yes, definitely, right away. Goodness knows what those brutes will do next."

Marigold clapped her hands together and wiped at her tear stained cheeks. "I knew you'd come! I just knew it!"

Merry nudged Pippin and whispered in his ear "Should we tell her that we were on our way home anyway?" Pippin just shrugged.

In the meantime Marigold had sat back down and taken up the reigns. Kili snorted impatiently.

"Er, perhaps it would be best if I drove us home?" Frodo suggested, hopping up to the driver's seat beside Marigold who blushed, nodded, and handed him the reigns.

"In back you two," Frodo said to his cousins with a backwards jerk of his thumb. Pippin, who did not enjoy being jostled in the back of a cart, opened his mouth to protest, but Frodo stopped him with a stubborn look. Grumbling, Merry hoisted himself into the back of the cart then helped Pippin in. Once both had settled down Frodo flicked the reigns and turned Kili back in the direction of Hobbiton. As they wagon made its way down the path, Merry remembered his manners.

"Frodo, you haven't introduced us properly!" Merry exclaimed. "How very rude...."

"I'm sorry, Merry," Frodo replied, throwing a glance over his shoulder at the Brandybuck. "other things have pressed my mind."

"Indeed," Merry said with a cheeky smirk. Frodo chose to ignore the comment and said nothing.

"Well, if our dear cousin will not do us the honor we shall just have to do it ourselves." said Pippin with a click of his tounge. "My name is Peregrin, Peregrin Took, though most everyone calls me Pippin."

"And I," Merry said proudly. "Am Meriadoc Brandybuck, or Merry unless I'm in trouble."

"Which is often," Frodo muttered under his breath. Merry chose to ignore the comment.

Marigold looked at the two lads in the back and said shyly "I'm Marigold Gamgee. Its a right honor to meet you both." Then she blushed pink and said no more.

They rode a while in silence. Pippin fidgeted and coughed loudly to gain someone, anyone's attention. All he succeeded in getting was an amused look from Merry. Sighing, Pippin settled against the wooden wall and got an apple out of his knapsack. Then he watched the scenery go by and bit into the fruit, chewing loudly. Frodo shot him a 'look' over his shoulder. Pippin swallowed and grinned sheepishly.

Before too long, they'd reached the edge of Hobbiton. Pippin had finished his apple and had started on another. Merry had begun to lightly doze. Frodo's face was still lined with suppressed worry.

After what seemed an eternity, the cart finally turned onto Bagshot Row. As they passed Number Three, Frodo asked Marigold if she'd like to be dropped off at home. She nodded and said a bit fearfully. "I'd best wait for Da to get home. No doubt he'll be wantin' to know what's goin' on...."

Frodo pulled the cart to a halt and Marigold hopped off.

"Don't worry, Marigold. Sam won't be in any trouble," Frodo reassured. Marigold's face relaxed a little bit.

"Bless you sir. Sam said you was awfully kind." With that she turned and hurried into the hobbit hole. Frodo got the cart going again and Merry jerked wake at the sudden motion.

"Sakes, Estella!" He cried, disoriented. He looked around, realized where he was, and blushed furiously. Pippin cracked up and tossed his apple core at his cousin.

"Merry has got a guilty conscience!" Pippin cried.

"I do not!" exclaimed Merry. He leapt at his younger cousin, tackling him and causing the entire cart to lurch. Frodo sighed. He loved his cousins dearly but it often seemed that they took absolutely nothing seriously. Then again, Frodo had to remember that they were younger than he, by many years. Frodo was almost of age, in a few months...

His thoughts suddenly halted violently along with the cart as they reached the dirt road before Bag End. Frodo's eyes widened at the sight of blood spattered in the dirt. "Sam..." he breathed, then leapt off the cart, up the path, and threw the door of Bag End.

Merry eased off Pippin and stared after Frodo.

"Pip, I think this is more serious than we thought...." Merry said quietly.

Pippin frowned, confused. "We'd better put the cart away..."

******

"Bilbo! Sam!" Frodo cried as he ran through the kitchen, looking every which way for his uncle and gardener. He took a corner a little too hard, caught his foot in a rug, and crashed to his side with a loud thud. Frodo silently swore and stood back up, ignoring the throbbing in his elbow and knee.

"Bilbo!" He called again, limping down the hallway. Bilbo stepped out from one of the guest rooms and gave his nephew a relieved look.

"Ah, so Marigold found you, I see. Clever girl. I take it that she told you everything?" Bilbo stated.

Frodo nodded. "Yes. Where is-"

"Is that Mr. Frodo?" Sam's voice came from the room. He sounded a little panicky. Frodo gave his uncle and inquiring look.

"He's embarrassed, lad," Bilbo explained. "He thinks that you will be disappointed in him somehow. Though I'm guessing you are the only one he really wants to see now. "

Before Bilbo had barely finished his sentence Frodo had past him and stood in the doorway, looking in.

Sam sat on the edge of the bed, little no longer. He was full grown now, and the years of working hard in the outdoors had made him one of the largest lads in Hobbiton. At the moment, however, he did not look his age. His right eye was already a lovely shade of purple and swelling quickly. His lower lip was swollen as well. There was a scratch across his left cheek and his right hand was wrapped in a tight bandage. Daisy Gamgee had wet a washcloth in a basin of water nearby and was dabbing her brother's eye none to gently; the boy was flinching with every stroke.

Sam looked towards the door when he heard Frodo enter. The faintest of smiles graced his lips for a second, but then it was replaced by shame and sadness. Daisy grabbed his chin and forced Sam to look at her. Sam blushed furiously.

"Of all the messes you've gotten into, Samwise Gamgee, this one takes it. Da's going to have your hide....hold still, lest I poke you in the eye." May snapped.

Sam winced and said through his gritted teeth. "Hullo, Mr. Frodo."

"Hello, Sam," Frodo answered with a slight smile.

"Don't you mind him sir, he's sorry for what he's done. Say what you will to him, he knows he deserves it," Daisy said, concentrating on rewetting the washcloth.

"He's nothing to be sorry for," Frodo said softly.

"But I do sir!" Sam cried, knocking his sister's approaching hand away and standing up. "I could 'a made a big mess of things, ruined your reputation or somethin' like that!"

"Daisy my dear!" Bilbo called suddenly from the doorway. "Could I have your help with something?"

"Of course, sir!" Daisy responded. She laid the washcloth over the side of the basin and glared daggers at her younger brother.

"You. Sit!" She commanded. Sam hesitated, then gave in and sat down. "Don't. You. Move. Until I get back." Then with a swish and rustle of her skirts she swept out the door. Bilbo gave Frodo a mysterious wink before following her. Then Frodo and Sam were alone in the room.

After a moment of uncomfortable silence Frodo shifted and began "Sam-"

"No, sir" Sam uncharacteristically interrupted. "It was wrong what I did and I knows it. I shoulda never lost my temper like I did."

Frodo sighed internally. Sam was very humble but he was also very stubborn. At the moment, though, Frodo was just relieved to see that he was alright, for the most part.

"Sam, goodness knows it was not your fault. I know of Ted Sandyman all too well. My cousin Merry has had worse confrontations with him, though I daresay Merry's temper is far shorter than yours," Frodo mused.

Sam did not answer. Shameful tears were stinging his eyes and he felt something warm streak down his cheek. Absently he put his hand to his cheek to wipe the tears away. It came back red. The scratch from his face had reopened.

Frodo noticed this, and he also notice that apparently the burly gardener was a little squeamish. The poor lad looked pale and nauseated.

Frowning Frodo strode over to the wash basin. Sam looked up blearily as his master dunked the wash cloth into the basin, then wrung it out. Turning to his young companion Frodo said, "Here now, it looks as if you are bleeding again." Then he knelt and gently wiped the offending streak and tears away. Sam flinched slightly at the feel of the cool water, halted his tears, and averted his eyes.

"Its probably going to swell," mused Frodo. Sam shrugged. Frodo could have sworn that the little hint of a smile was back.

"Nothin' time won't heal, Mr. Frodo," Sam replied.

"I suppose you're right." Frodo shifted and carefully bathed his companion's black eye. "As Gandalf says 'Time heals all wounds.""

"Will Gandalf be coming to Mr. Bilbo's birthday party sir?" Sam asked tentatively, plucking at his dirty shirt.

Frodo smiled, relieved that the subject had been shifted to something more pleasant. "You would have to ask Bilbo about that." He smirked. "But I would not be surprised if we had an amazing display of fireworks before of after Bilbo's inevitable speech."

Sam sighed. "I should like to see that."

"What, Bilbo's speech or the fireworks?" Frodo laughed.

"The fireworks! Not but I'm sure that Mr. Bilbo's speech will be facinatin'."

"You're coming aren't you?" Frodo asked. The side of his hand grazed Samwise's cheek, in an accidental caress. Sam glanced at Frodo but then quickly looked away.

"You mean I could, sir?"

Frodo laughed and rewet the cloth. "Of course you can. It is my party too. I intend to make sure that your entire family is invited if they wish to come. We are friend's aren't we?"

As Frodo rung out the cloth, a slow smile broke onto Sam's face, as if the idea of Frodo being his friend had just occurred to him. "'Course we are Mr. Frodo." Then a sudden wave of dizziness seized him and he swayed slightly. Frodo noticed and quickly caught his friend by the shoulders.

"Steady there, lad." His face contorted into anger. "It looks as if that blow did more than just blacken your eye."

"No Mr. Frodo, I'm alright. Just a little woozy. Mr. Bilbo gave me a bit o' ale to take the edge off the pain."

Frodo's face relaxed into a grin. "Did he now? Well that cut of yours is still bleeding a bit at any rate."

Again he wiped away the blood, but this time Samwise did not avert his eyes. Frodo's blue crystalline eyes met Sam's warm chestnut ones. Frodo froze, his hand still in midair. All was quiet for a moment; so quiet that it seemed to the two that they could hear their hearts beating almost in slow unison. To Sam it was as if he could see the depths of the universe in those eyes. There was something about them that enchanted him, that drew him in and made him want to learn more.

And Frodo.....Frodo felt something then, something he had never felt before except in smaller doses. For a second it swelled within him, brighter than a thousand suns and hotter than any dragon's fire....

Then Pippin's voice was calling his name. Frodo reactively looked towards the door, breaking the eye contact. The fire died back down to a low glow.

Pippin called his name again. "Hoy, Frodo! Miss Daisy's making us a tart! Come have some of the extra batter before Merry eats it all!"

Frodo sighed and looked back at Sam, who was blushing and fiddling with the bandage on his hand. The spell had been broken....but not forgotten.

"Shall we go join them?" Frodo asked tentatively. "We should get Daisy to put a bandage on that cut before it breaks open again."

Sam put his hand to a cheek and felt the raised mark. "Oh....yes, I suppose that'd do. " As Sam followed his master out to the kitchen, he couldn't help but feel a bit muddled. For a moment, looking into Frodo's star-filled eyes, everything had seemed so pure and clear. He'd almost forgotten the horrible things that Ted Sandyman had said...

Sam sighed out loud as they entered the kitchen where Daisy was putting something in the wood-burning oven and Merry and Pippin were busy fighting over a bowl. Sam saw Frodo chuckle at the sight. It had seemed so clear, but the moment had passed, leaving only confusion. Sam supposed life wasn't as simple as it had felt....

Don't get me wrong, I love you

But does that mean I have to meet your father?

When we are older you'll understand

What I meant when I said no,

I don't think life is quite that simple....

TBC

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A/N: End chapter two! If things seem a bit unclear here don't worry, it was done on purpose. Everything will come together in future chapters. Any thoughts on Marigold? Should I have her in here again? Suggestions always welcome!

Next chapter: The party!! Its Bilbo's infamous 111th birthday and Frodo's coming of age. Rosie misunderstands something, Ted Sandyman has decided to give a rather nasty surprise to a certain hobbit, Merry and Pippin have eaten the birthday cake! (Okay, not really....but maybe....) Then, when Bilbo leaves Frodo is all alone....and he begins to take a closer look at his "boring little life."