My Merry, My Saviour. Part Three.

Night and day became explicitly alike. Pippin could not tell one from the other. The thick blanket of death was upon him, feeding through him, tearing his limbs, ripping through his body, weakening him, destroying him. Another swirling entanglement of colours and clouded visions burned into his mind's eye. Pictures of distorted faces, images of horrid moments and terrifying emotion built up inside him and he could not escape it. His stomach felt as though it was a knot being tightened and tightened so much it made him jolt upward in pain. He felt like a huge weight was compressing him, overweighing up, taking him deeper and deeper and further and further away from everything he knew and loved.

"The operation is over. He'll recover in a few hours or so." A nurse told them.

Merry sat forward.

"He made it through?" He questioned.

The nurse nodded.

"The drugs he took had an increasingly bad effect on him. His stomach went into a spasm making it impossible for him to breath or anything. Its all fine now, Merry, Sir, he'll be just fine."

Merry looked over to Paladin who was crying with such wholesome relief.

"I'll send word to my parents. They'll be here as soon as they can," Merry assured.

Paladin nodded and then followed the nurse to where Pippin slept.

Pippin felt peaceful. Horrid images in his mind had diminished. He felt better. So much so he that he no longer felt numb. He felt he could move. Felt he could just get up and carry on. Suddenly, his eyes fluttered open. Bright green eyes stared back-his father was watching over him.

"Da-" Pippin whispered.

Paladin nodded, gripping his son's hand.

"I'm here, lad, everything's alright, I'm here."

"I stayed," Pippin mumbled.

He frowned as a considerable amount of pain injected through him with the smallest movement. Merry was followed shortly by his parents and the Brandybuck ran to Pippin's side.

"Oh Pip, you're awake!" He cried softly.

Merry cradled Pippin as best he could and sobbed in such happiness that his cousin and friend had made it.

"What happened to me, Merry?" Pippin asked in a small voice.

Paladin looked up anxiously. Merry opened his mouth and went to speak, but Paladin stopped him.

"You were sick. You were very depressed and it made you sick. You're alright now, though son, everything's alright now." Paladin responded gently.

Pippin looked over to his father and then back to Merry who had quickly dried his eyes. A few moments passed, but Paladin excused himself and went with Saradoc and Esmeralda in order to speak of Pippin's recovery-and what should be done from now on. After a few moments passed, Pippin looked up to Merry.

"The drugs. The drugs didn't take me," he whispered.

Merry swallowed hard and nodded.

"I know. Do you know how lucky you are?" He asked.

Pippin nodded, but Merry could see the Took was very ashamed of what he'd done.

"Does everyone hate me?" He asked. "Do you?"

Merry frowned and shook his head.

"Of course not. No one can stay angry at you, Pip, you're a Took!" Merry's words did not humour Pippin in the slightest.

"No, Pippin. I don't hate you. No one hates you. We love you Pippin-and we would never want to lose you. Those last few hours have be critical. We didn't think you'd come back."

Merry's voice quivered towards the end of his sentence and he felt himself about to cry again.

"I don't deserve your tears, Merry. I don't deserve anything. I was so very stupid. Even I can't believe what I did." Pippin muttered.

Merry tenderly brushed away Pippin's curls. He ran a hand along Pippin's left cheek and smiled gently.

"Yes, Pippin. You do. And yes, you were stupid, but you pulled through and that is what matters more than anything else in the whole of Middle Earth. Imagine if Paladin had lost his only son? He's already lost a wife and a daughter-I don't think he'd cope losing you, to." Merry said very sensitively.

Merry took his hand away and stood up. Bright green eyes, tousled chestnut curls, and a worn, yet mischievous grin smiled up at him.

"I heard all those things you said, Merry." Pippin said.

Merry smiled wearily.

"I hoped it would help you-you know, keep you going."

Pippin nodded.

"It did. Merry, if you hadn't have stayed. I you hadn't have spoken to me-" Pippin stopped himself.

Merry quickly sat back down and rested his hand upon Pippin's.

"Shh, it's alright, Pippin. You're here. You're not going anywhere-and neither am I. Pippin I'll always be here." Merry said so gently.

Pippin nodded and gave out a tired sigh. He allowed Merry to tuck him in tight and Merry promised to watch over Pippin.

"Merry?"

"Yes?"

Pippin words were pressing, but they were crystal clear.

"You'll always be my saviour."

Those were Pippin's last words before sleep took him into a peaceful world where he felt safe and protected, knowing that his Merry -his saviour- would always be there.
END.