Both Kinds of News
A/N: This chapter takes place about 20 or so years after chapter one. Wow, you guys had to wait sooooooo long to find out what happens next. :D *laughs at own bad joke* Enjoy. ^^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"My my, Frodo-love. You're up early today." Esmerelda Brandybuck, Frodo's favorite aunt and known to everyone as Esme, sat down next to her nephew at the long table in the center of the dining room at Brandy Hall. Frodo was gobbling up his breakfast at what would be an alarming rate for anyone but a Hobbit. He looked up at her and grinned, and Esme smiled back at him. The poor lad had an extremely difficult time adjusting to life after his parents' drowning. An already shy boy, he became even more introverted in the months following the death; but as the years passed he had begun to heal. However, Esme knew the hurt was always there.
She sighed to herself as she watched Frodo eat. She loved him like a son, and everyone in the Hall cared about him deeply, but she had her own little Merry to look after. The other families who lived in Brandy Hall all had their own children to look after, as well. She tried to give Frodo all the attention she could, but she knew he needed someone to care for him, and him alone. She also knew he hurt often about this, but there was nothing she could think of to do. Turning her attention to her nephew, she noticed he was waving a fork excitedly, and laughed.
"Auntie Esme, Bilbo is coming today! He's going to take me to Bag End, and he says he has some important news for me!" He said brightly, beaming at Esme with excitement in his blue eyes.
"That's wonderful, Frodo. I'm sure you two will have a lovely time." Esme smiled warmly, but inside she was surprised. Lately, as everyone had become busy preparing for little Merry's birthday, Frodo had become more and more withdrawn. His love for the lad was evident, but Esme could tell he was feeling left out, even more lost in the hustle and bustle of Brandy Hall than ever.
"When is he arriving, dear? I've missed him, it will be good to see that silly old Baggins again," Esme laughed. She loved Bilbo very much, and being a Brandybuck, his oddities didn't bother her at all.
After finishing what little was left of his meal, Frodo responded.
"He's coming..." he began, but was cut off when he was swept up into a hug from behind. Bilbo's hug, to be precise.
"Bilbo!" Frodo exclaimed, returning the hug and snuggling into the old Hobbit's arms. "I've missed you so much Uncle," he whispered.
"I've missed you too, lad," Bilbo responded, ruffling the boy's dark locks. Frodo giggled, and sat back down, on Bilbo's lap.
"What about me?" Esme stood up, a playful grin on her lips. "Aren't I deserving of a hug too?"
Bilbo chuckled heartily. "Of course, dear, I could never forget the incomparable Esmerelda Brandybuck!" She leaned over and was rewarded with a kiss on the cheek.
"As much as I'd love to stay Esme, Frodo and I have an important day ahead of us, isn't that right lad?" Frodo nodded, and slid down from Bilbo's lap, feet hitting the highly polished wooden floor. He teetered, and fell backwards into Esme's arms.
"Frodo, you must be more careful, you clumsy lad!" She said mock sternly, helping him up.
"I'm sorry Auntie Esme," he murmured. Almost automatically, Esme regretted her words. Frodo was a very sensitive lad, and often took intended humorous remarks the wrong way.
"Oh, I was only kidding, Frodo-love. Please don't be upset." She squeezed his arm, and he smiled.
"Well," Bilbo interrupted, "I'm so sorry, Esme my dear, but Frodo and I must be going. We have some very important business to take care of!" Esme gave him a quizzical look as they said their goodbyes and walked out of the dining hall.
"I wonder what that old Baggins is up to now..." she wondered aloud, as noise of Hobbits eating and talking continued all around her.
***********************************************
Frodo and Bilbo were in the cart on their way to Bag End. Bilbo offered no hints about his big announcement, regardless of Frodo's constant good- natured pestering. Later, sitting down for elevensies, he hadn't yet divulged, and Frodo was growing impatient.
"So," said Frodo, contentedly munching on an apple. "You said you had something to tell me, Uncle Bilbo?" Frodo gave him a sly look.
"Why yes, lad. I do have some news for you." Bilbo surprised Frodo by speaking in a serious tone, his expression unreadable.
"What--What kind of news, Uncle Bilbo? Good news...Or bad news?" Frodo was now nervous. Bilbo had said his announcement was important, but what if he meant that in a bad way? Was that why he had put off telling Frodo all day?
"Well, both kinds of news, actually. Which would you like to hear first?" Bilbo cut Frodo another slice of brown bread, and buttered it for him. "The good, I should think," Frodo responded.
"All right, Frodo," Bilbo began slowly, "you would say we get along well, don't we?" Frodo nodded, confused. "And," he continued, "you enjoy visiting me here at Bag End, don't you?" Frodo was not sure why Bilbo was asking him these questions, but he tried to answer the best he could.
"Uncle, Bag End is like a second home to me. More of a home than Brandy Hall," he finished quietly.
Bilbo knew now he was ready to make his big announcement.
"Then you had better come live here, Frodo my lad," he said, feigning a straight face, "and then we can celebrate our birthday-parties comfortably together."
"Uncle Bilbo..." Frodo wasn't quite sure what he was hearing. What Bilbo said next let it finally sink in.
"Frodo-love, if you'd agree, I would like to adopt you."
In the next few seconds Bilbo was engulfed in an almost choking embrace, quite surprising from someone as small as Frodo. Three teacups were broken, and a whole basket of apples had fallen on the floor. Bilbo didn't even notice.
"So," he whispered, "I take that as a yes?" Bilbo was surprised to see happy tears were pouring from Frodo's large blue eyes.
"Thank you Bilbo, so much." He sniffed, smiling through the tears. Bilbo, who felt like crying himself now, wiped Frodo's eyes with a pocket- handkerchief. He had no idea how lonely Frodo had been feeling at Brandy Hall, he had simply suggested something he thought would make them both happy. That much, he could see, was true.
In a few minutes, it seemed Frodo had fallen asleep in Bilbo's lap. Carefully picking up the boy, Bilbo carried him over to his favorite large chair by the fire, and tucked a blanket around his tiny frame. He was surprised by how light the tweenager was.
"Well," Bilbo thought to himself, "if he's going to live with me, we'll just have to fix that!" He was torn by his thoughts by a tiny voice.
"Uncle?" Frodo blinked, looking up at his Uncle form where he was curled up on the large chair.
"Yes, my lad?"
"What was the bad news?"
"Oh, that," Bilbo laughed. "Well, I'm afraid I'm all out of seed cake!"
Frodo smiled, relieved, closed his eyes, and went back to sleep. Bilbo gave his nephew a kiss on the forehead, and quietly left the room.
*********************************************************** Endspeak:
Well, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! ^_^
Just a note, Bilbo's line about them celebrating their birthday-parties comfortably together is from The Fellowship of the Ring. Chapter One: A Long-Expected Party, page 29, Houghton Mifflin hardcover three book set, movie edition, to be precise. ^^
Sooooooo. That's it. Be quiet when you leave, Frodo is still asleep. *Shhh* ;) And a happy Rosh Hashanah to all ya Jewish ficcers out there. Happy New Year!
A/N: This chapter takes place about 20 or so years after chapter one. Wow, you guys had to wait sooooooo long to find out what happens next. :D *laughs at own bad joke* Enjoy. ^^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"My my, Frodo-love. You're up early today." Esmerelda Brandybuck, Frodo's favorite aunt and known to everyone as Esme, sat down next to her nephew at the long table in the center of the dining room at Brandy Hall. Frodo was gobbling up his breakfast at what would be an alarming rate for anyone but a Hobbit. He looked up at her and grinned, and Esme smiled back at him. The poor lad had an extremely difficult time adjusting to life after his parents' drowning. An already shy boy, he became even more introverted in the months following the death; but as the years passed he had begun to heal. However, Esme knew the hurt was always there.
She sighed to herself as she watched Frodo eat. She loved him like a son, and everyone in the Hall cared about him deeply, but she had her own little Merry to look after. The other families who lived in Brandy Hall all had their own children to look after, as well. She tried to give Frodo all the attention she could, but she knew he needed someone to care for him, and him alone. She also knew he hurt often about this, but there was nothing she could think of to do. Turning her attention to her nephew, she noticed he was waving a fork excitedly, and laughed.
"Auntie Esme, Bilbo is coming today! He's going to take me to Bag End, and he says he has some important news for me!" He said brightly, beaming at Esme with excitement in his blue eyes.
"That's wonderful, Frodo. I'm sure you two will have a lovely time." Esme smiled warmly, but inside she was surprised. Lately, as everyone had become busy preparing for little Merry's birthday, Frodo had become more and more withdrawn. His love for the lad was evident, but Esme could tell he was feeling left out, even more lost in the hustle and bustle of Brandy Hall than ever.
"When is he arriving, dear? I've missed him, it will be good to see that silly old Baggins again," Esme laughed. She loved Bilbo very much, and being a Brandybuck, his oddities didn't bother her at all.
After finishing what little was left of his meal, Frodo responded.
"He's coming..." he began, but was cut off when he was swept up into a hug from behind. Bilbo's hug, to be precise.
"Bilbo!" Frodo exclaimed, returning the hug and snuggling into the old Hobbit's arms. "I've missed you so much Uncle," he whispered.
"I've missed you too, lad," Bilbo responded, ruffling the boy's dark locks. Frodo giggled, and sat back down, on Bilbo's lap.
"What about me?" Esme stood up, a playful grin on her lips. "Aren't I deserving of a hug too?"
Bilbo chuckled heartily. "Of course, dear, I could never forget the incomparable Esmerelda Brandybuck!" She leaned over and was rewarded with a kiss on the cheek.
"As much as I'd love to stay Esme, Frodo and I have an important day ahead of us, isn't that right lad?" Frodo nodded, and slid down from Bilbo's lap, feet hitting the highly polished wooden floor. He teetered, and fell backwards into Esme's arms.
"Frodo, you must be more careful, you clumsy lad!" She said mock sternly, helping him up.
"I'm sorry Auntie Esme," he murmured. Almost automatically, Esme regretted her words. Frodo was a very sensitive lad, and often took intended humorous remarks the wrong way.
"Oh, I was only kidding, Frodo-love. Please don't be upset." She squeezed his arm, and he smiled.
"Well," Bilbo interrupted, "I'm so sorry, Esme my dear, but Frodo and I must be going. We have some very important business to take care of!" Esme gave him a quizzical look as they said their goodbyes and walked out of the dining hall.
"I wonder what that old Baggins is up to now..." she wondered aloud, as noise of Hobbits eating and talking continued all around her.
***********************************************
Frodo and Bilbo were in the cart on their way to Bag End. Bilbo offered no hints about his big announcement, regardless of Frodo's constant good- natured pestering. Later, sitting down for elevensies, he hadn't yet divulged, and Frodo was growing impatient.
"So," said Frodo, contentedly munching on an apple. "You said you had something to tell me, Uncle Bilbo?" Frodo gave him a sly look.
"Why yes, lad. I do have some news for you." Bilbo surprised Frodo by speaking in a serious tone, his expression unreadable.
"What--What kind of news, Uncle Bilbo? Good news...Or bad news?" Frodo was now nervous. Bilbo had said his announcement was important, but what if he meant that in a bad way? Was that why he had put off telling Frodo all day?
"Well, both kinds of news, actually. Which would you like to hear first?" Bilbo cut Frodo another slice of brown bread, and buttered it for him. "The good, I should think," Frodo responded.
"All right, Frodo," Bilbo began slowly, "you would say we get along well, don't we?" Frodo nodded, confused. "And," he continued, "you enjoy visiting me here at Bag End, don't you?" Frodo was not sure why Bilbo was asking him these questions, but he tried to answer the best he could.
"Uncle, Bag End is like a second home to me. More of a home than Brandy Hall," he finished quietly.
Bilbo knew now he was ready to make his big announcement.
"Then you had better come live here, Frodo my lad," he said, feigning a straight face, "and then we can celebrate our birthday-parties comfortably together."
"Uncle Bilbo..." Frodo wasn't quite sure what he was hearing. What Bilbo said next let it finally sink in.
"Frodo-love, if you'd agree, I would like to adopt you."
In the next few seconds Bilbo was engulfed in an almost choking embrace, quite surprising from someone as small as Frodo. Three teacups were broken, and a whole basket of apples had fallen on the floor. Bilbo didn't even notice.
"So," he whispered, "I take that as a yes?" Bilbo was surprised to see happy tears were pouring from Frodo's large blue eyes.
"Thank you Bilbo, so much." He sniffed, smiling through the tears. Bilbo, who felt like crying himself now, wiped Frodo's eyes with a pocket- handkerchief. He had no idea how lonely Frodo had been feeling at Brandy Hall, he had simply suggested something he thought would make them both happy. That much, he could see, was true.
In a few minutes, it seemed Frodo had fallen asleep in Bilbo's lap. Carefully picking up the boy, Bilbo carried him over to his favorite large chair by the fire, and tucked a blanket around his tiny frame. He was surprised by how light the tweenager was.
"Well," Bilbo thought to himself, "if he's going to live with me, we'll just have to fix that!" He was torn by his thoughts by a tiny voice.
"Uncle?" Frodo blinked, looking up at his Uncle form where he was curled up on the large chair.
"Yes, my lad?"
"What was the bad news?"
"Oh, that," Bilbo laughed. "Well, I'm afraid I'm all out of seed cake!"
Frodo smiled, relieved, closed his eyes, and went back to sleep. Bilbo gave his nephew a kiss on the forehead, and quietly left the room.
*********************************************************** Endspeak:
Well, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! ^_^
Just a note, Bilbo's line about them celebrating their birthday-parties comfortably together is from The Fellowship of the Ring. Chapter One: A Long-Expected Party, page 29, Houghton Mifflin hardcover three book set, movie edition, to be precise. ^^
Sooooooo. That's it. Be quiet when you leave, Frodo is still asleep. *Shhh* ;) And a happy Rosh Hashanah to all ya Jewish ficcers out there. Happy New Year!