Author's Note: I'm so sorry this update took so long! I blame the fact
that I'm taking 3 AP classes next year, and therefore have a ton of summer
homework. But I finally finished this chapter, even if it is from a
different POV than I had planned it to be. It's hard to write from
Gandalf's perspective! So I gave up and made this the Pippin chapter.
Hehe. I'm not sure how much I like it, but I'm just so glad to have it
done!
Out of curiosity, is anyone willing to be a beta reader for the next few chapters? None of my friends seem willing to edit my stories for me. *shrugs*
Oh and I hope the next chapter will write itself sooner. It's from Merry's POV, and since he's my favorite character it should be fun. Hehe.
QTPie-2488: Thank you sooo much for the email! It really made me get to work on this chapter! *points* This is the one you should thank, she's the one who got me writing this chappie! *grins*
Citrine: Hehe! Thanks for compliments, they were coherent enough for me. ;-)
Xena: Thank! I have to admit, the Legolas chapter has grown on me, and I don't hate it as much as I did when I first wrote it. And here's a Pippin chapter for you! *grins*
MoroTheWolfGod: Hehe, you're welcome! I'm glad my Legolas chapter met your expectations.
Midgette: *gulps* Yes, ma'am, I'll reconnect the Fellowship as soon as possible. not before I get a few more chapters in, though! *evil grin*
ShireElf: Well, of course they were going to end up together! Hehe. Thanks!
buttered-onions: Oh, I hate it when that happens. I usually make my friend email me the fic I'm trying to read whenever my computer won't let me read it, cause I go crazy otherwise. Hehe. Thanks a bunch!
Tialys: Hehe, muchas gracias! (I'm trying to vary my "thank you"s. Spanish good for you? ;-) )
Lady Jaina: I plan on having Sam/Frodo angst, but for all I know that could change. I keep changing my mind with this story! Heh. But thanks for reviewing yet again! Hehe.
Chapter Five: Pippin
Pippin followed Gandalf across the cave, trotting a bit to keep up with the much taller wizard. He couldn't help glancing up at the rock ceiling every few seconds - What was holding those rocks up? Who was to say they wouldn't suddenly start falling again? He shivered involuntarily. He trusted Gandalf, but when his life depended entirely on something he couldn't see or touch, he couldn't help feeling a bit anxious.
"Now, Pippin," Gandalf said. Pippin forced his attention away from the boulders and focused on the wizard, who was settling himself down upon the floor and leaning against a rock wall. "See if you can remember where the others were when the cave-in began. They might have moved, but it seems wisest to begin looking where we last saw them."
Pippin nodded and obediently began looking about the cavern. In the back of his head, he knew that Gandalf did not really need his help; he could remember where the others had been just as easily as Pippin could. He suddenly realized that this was an attempt on Gandalf's part to make him feel needed, and to get his mind off the possible fates of his cousins and friends. If that was so, then Pippin welcomed this gesture of kindness, for every time he thought of the others he felt sick to his stomach.
He glanced around him, feeling too jumpy to sit down next to Gandalf. Frodo, Sam, and Merry had not been far from where he and Boromir had been, so it made sense to look for them near the boulder that he had found Boromir behind. Legolas had been near the center. But wait, he had gone over to speak to Gimli. Pippin shut his eyes, trying to picture the scene in his head. Gimli had been across the cave from where he had been sitting.
He opened his eyes and looked at Gandalf. "Frodo, Sam, and Merry should be over near where Boromir and Aragorn are," he told him. "And Legolas and Gimli should be somewhere behind this wall here."
Gandalf nodded, already scanning the cave. "Thank you, Pippin," he said distractedly, beginning to rise. "Why don't we go help Aragorn and Boromir?"
Pippin followed him, even though he doubted he could do anything to help when it came to moving rocks that were bigger than he was. Aragorn and Boromir turned to face them as they approached.
"Pippin thinks Frodo, Samwise, and Meriadoc were somewhere near this spot when the cave in occurred," Gandalf said. "It would be best if we looked for them first. I believe Gimli and Legolas are together, and Gimli, as a dwarf, should know what to do in this situation."
Aragorn nodded in agreement. "This spot is as good as any to dig," he said, motioning to the wall behind them. "The walls seem to be equally thick all the way around." He turned and sized up the wall. "Be careful moving the stones. I know Gandalf did his best to hold them up, but there could still be some loose ones." He knelt and set to work trying to move one of the rocks."
Boromir paused before following suit. A small smile played on his face. "Legolas and Gimli are together, you say?" he asked Gandalf. When the wizard nodded, he gave a small laugh. "I'm not sure we should be worrying about the hobbits' well-being at the moment, in that case." Gandalf raised his eyebrows in response, and Boromir coughed and set to work.
Pippin tried to help, but found he was more of a nuisance than anything else. Every time he tried to move a rock, he ended up losing control of it, and one of the men had to snatch him out of the way of the rolling stone before he was crushed by it. The third time this happened, Aragorn set him down off to one side and said kindly, "I know you want to help, Pippin, but I think you are too small for this job. You can help us find the others once we get through, all right?"
Pippin nodded his agreement, feeling stupid, small, and useless, as Aragorn turned back to help the others move the rocks.
Unfortunately, now Pippin had nothing to keep him from worrying himself sick. He looked on as the others moved the huge stones, hugging his knees to his chin. One of those rocks was enough to crush him. An entire cave- in left little chance of survival. He shivered uncontrollably. What if they were. dead? What if Merry was dead? He didn't think he could bear that. Merry had always been there, always, for as long as he could remember. He felt very small and frightened, and wished fervently that Merry was there to reassure him that everything would turn out all right. But Merry wasn't there. He was on the other side of the wall, or worse. Pippin sniffed. He was not going to cry. It was bad enough that he was useless, he didn't have to be a baby about it, too.
A cry of triumph from Boromir caused Pippin to come out of his thoughts and pay attention to what was happening.
"I've gotten through to the other side!" he said, pointing to the tiny hole in the wall. "We're making progress!"
Aragorn knelt down to peer through the hole. "I see nothing," he said. "It's completely dark over there, and I don't want to call to them. It might cause another cave-in, and that is exactly what we don't want."
Pippin got to his feet. "Then hurry up!" he cried. The two men and the wizard gazed down at him. "Please?" he added meekly. "I want to find them as soon as possible."
Gandalf smiled kindly. "As do we all, Peregrin." He nodded to the men. "Let's try to get through the wall as soon as possible."
Pippin hovered on the edge of the activity as the men set back to work. Soon they would be able to get through and find the others. He just hoped his friends were all right.
Out of curiosity, is anyone willing to be a beta reader for the next few chapters? None of my friends seem willing to edit my stories for me. *shrugs*
Oh and I hope the next chapter will write itself sooner. It's from Merry's POV, and since he's my favorite character it should be fun. Hehe.
QTPie-2488: Thank you sooo much for the email! It really made me get to work on this chapter! *points* This is the one you should thank, she's the one who got me writing this chappie! *grins*
Citrine: Hehe! Thanks for compliments, they were coherent enough for me. ;-)
Xena: Thank! I have to admit, the Legolas chapter has grown on me, and I don't hate it as much as I did when I first wrote it. And here's a Pippin chapter for you! *grins*
MoroTheWolfGod: Hehe, you're welcome! I'm glad my Legolas chapter met your expectations.
Midgette: *gulps* Yes, ma'am, I'll reconnect the Fellowship as soon as possible. not before I get a few more chapters in, though! *evil grin*
ShireElf: Well, of course they were going to end up together! Hehe. Thanks!
buttered-onions: Oh, I hate it when that happens. I usually make my friend email me the fic I'm trying to read whenever my computer won't let me read it, cause I go crazy otherwise. Hehe. Thanks a bunch!
Tialys: Hehe, muchas gracias! (I'm trying to vary my "thank you"s. Spanish good for you? ;-) )
Lady Jaina: I plan on having Sam/Frodo angst, but for all I know that could change. I keep changing my mind with this story! Heh. But thanks for reviewing yet again! Hehe.
Chapter Five: Pippin
Pippin followed Gandalf across the cave, trotting a bit to keep up with the much taller wizard. He couldn't help glancing up at the rock ceiling every few seconds - What was holding those rocks up? Who was to say they wouldn't suddenly start falling again? He shivered involuntarily. He trusted Gandalf, but when his life depended entirely on something he couldn't see or touch, he couldn't help feeling a bit anxious.
"Now, Pippin," Gandalf said. Pippin forced his attention away from the boulders and focused on the wizard, who was settling himself down upon the floor and leaning against a rock wall. "See if you can remember where the others were when the cave-in began. They might have moved, but it seems wisest to begin looking where we last saw them."
Pippin nodded and obediently began looking about the cavern. In the back of his head, he knew that Gandalf did not really need his help; he could remember where the others had been just as easily as Pippin could. He suddenly realized that this was an attempt on Gandalf's part to make him feel needed, and to get his mind off the possible fates of his cousins and friends. If that was so, then Pippin welcomed this gesture of kindness, for every time he thought of the others he felt sick to his stomach.
He glanced around him, feeling too jumpy to sit down next to Gandalf. Frodo, Sam, and Merry had not been far from where he and Boromir had been, so it made sense to look for them near the boulder that he had found Boromir behind. Legolas had been near the center. But wait, he had gone over to speak to Gimli. Pippin shut his eyes, trying to picture the scene in his head. Gimli had been across the cave from where he had been sitting.
He opened his eyes and looked at Gandalf. "Frodo, Sam, and Merry should be over near where Boromir and Aragorn are," he told him. "And Legolas and Gimli should be somewhere behind this wall here."
Gandalf nodded, already scanning the cave. "Thank you, Pippin," he said distractedly, beginning to rise. "Why don't we go help Aragorn and Boromir?"
Pippin followed him, even though he doubted he could do anything to help when it came to moving rocks that were bigger than he was. Aragorn and Boromir turned to face them as they approached.
"Pippin thinks Frodo, Samwise, and Meriadoc were somewhere near this spot when the cave in occurred," Gandalf said. "It would be best if we looked for them first. I believe Gimli and Legolas are together, and Gimli, as a dwarf, should know what to do in this situation."
Aragorn nodded in agreement. "This spot is as good as any to dig," he said, motioning to the wall behind them. "The walls seem to be equally thick all the way around." He turned and sized up the wall. "Be careful moving the stones. I know Gandalf did his best to hold them up, but there could still be some loose ones." He knelt and set to work trying to move one of the rocks."
Boromir paused before following suit. A small smile played on his face. "Legolas and Gimli are together, you say?" he asked Gandalf. When the wizard nodded, he gave a small laugh. "I'm not sure we should be worrying about the hobbits' well-being at the moment, in that case." Gandalf raised his eyebrows in response, and Boromir coughed and set to work.
Pippin tried to help, but found he was more of a nuisance than anything else. Every time he tried to move a rock, he ended up losing control of it, and one of the men had to snatch him out of the way of the rolling stone before he was crushed by it. The third time this happened, Aragorn set him down off to one side and said kindly, "I know you want to help, Pippin, but I think you are too small for this job. You can help us find the others once we get through, all right?"
Pippin nodded his agreement, feeling stupid, small, and useless, as Aragorn turned back to help the others move the rocks.
Unfortunately, now Pippin had nothing to keep him from worrying himself sick. He looked on as the others moved the huge stones, hugging his knees to his chin. One of those rocks was enough to crush him. An entire cave- in left little chance of survival. He shivered uncontrollably. What if they were. dead? What if Merry was dead? He didn't think he could bear that. Merry had always been there, always, for as long as he could remember. He felt very small and frightened, and wished fervently that Merry was there to reassure him that everything would turn out all right. But Merry wasn't there. He was on the other side of the wall, or worse. Pippin sniffed. He was not going to cry. It was bad enough that he was useless, he didn't have to be a baby about it, too.
A cry of triumph from Boromir caused Pippin to come out of his thoughts and pay attention to what was happening.
"I've gotten through to the other side!" he said, pointing to the tiny hole in the wall. "We're making progress!"
Aragorn knelt down to peer through the hole. "I see nothing," he said. "It's completely dark over there, and I don't want to call to them. It might cause another cave-in, and that is exactly what we don't want."
Pippin got to his feet. "Then hurry up!" he cried. The two men and the wizard gazed down at him. "Please?" he added meekly. "I want to find them as soon as possible."
Gandalf smiled kindly. "As do we all, Peregrin." He nodded to the men. "Let's try to get through the wall as soon as possible."
Pippin hovered on the edge of the activity as the men set back to work. Soon they would be able to get through and find the others. He just hoped his friends were all right.