Chapter 7

~Impatient Hobbits and Long-Awaited Laughs~

            It was a pleasant day in the Elven city of Caras Galadhon and all but two members of the visiting Fellowship were visibly overcome with worry and anxiety. They were worrying once again about dear Frodo, and what was happening back in the glen where he and Legolas were talking. The two had been there for just hours, as far as Pippin was concerned, and he was getting impatient.

            "Can't I just go have a peek, Strider?" He begged Aragorn, who in turn had lost count of exactly how many times the little one had asked the question. He inwardly rolled his eyes in amusement: no matter how intense the situation, this young hobbit could somehow lighten it just by being close by. Aragorn prepared himself to withstand yet another onslaught from the Irrepressible Peregrin.

            "No." Aragorn said with finality. "We are going to give Legolas space. I have a feeling our Elf can get through to him, and you, young Pippin, are not going to ruin his chance." He gave the hobbit-lad a stern look and the only reward for his firmness was a glower and crossed arms. Then Peregrin changed tactics.

            "Aragorn," He said, looking up into the tall Man's face. Instead of glowering, his enormous green eyes were mournful, and his bow-shaped lips trembled. "What if something's wrong? Can't I go to my cousin? He needs me. If something happens... I just..." Pippin paused to emphasize his words with a small sniffle. "Please?" His eyes filled with tears and held the Ranger's like a steel trap.

            "Pippin..." Aragorn began, trying to free himself from those eyes. "I suppose you-" He was cut off by sudden, joyful laughter. The six who had been impatiently waiting swung around, startled, at the sound. Their eyes widened and more than one jaw dropped.

It was Frodo. Frodo was laughing.

"Aragorn, you let him talk to long. My young cousin was about to win you over." Frodo winked at the surprised Ranger. "We've lost you to him, I'm afraid."

"It was the eyes that did it." Legolas said, attempting to suppress his own mirth. He failed miserably and he and Frodo erupted into gales of delighted laughter. The other members of the Fellowship one-by-one pulled themselves out of their shock and joined in. Within seconds their merriment filled the glen and the three hobbits rushed to their beloved Frodo. Pippin did not slow down to hug him but threw himself into his older cousin's arms and succeeded in knocking him to the soft ground. Merry, too, threw himself down to smother his cousin with pure hobbit affection. Even Sam gave in and before anyone could say "Took," Frodo had been buried under hobbit limbs and feet and curls.

As the laughter died down, Boromir and Aragorn and Gimli managed to forcibly pull the hobbits off of the Ringbearer and hug him themselves.

Frodo had returned.

That evening Pippin approached Frodo somewhat timidly. The elder cousin looked on him with amusement, but with great fondness and love. Pippin stood off to one side for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts.

"Frodo?" he finally began, sitting down beside him.

"Yes, Pip?"

"Can I ask you a question?" Pippin said. "Just a little one," he added quickly. Frodo smiled and nodded. Pippin's green eyes locked with Frodo's blue ones. "Why-well... um-why were you... so... un-Frodo-like?" He asked carefully. Frodo sobered.

"It doesn't matter, Pippin, dear. I'm Frodo-like now. It doesn't matter." Frodo said quietly. He didn't want to burden his cousin with what had really been troubling him.

Pippin looked somewhat hurt and looked down. Frodo suddenly remembered how Boromir said Pippin himself had felt after Gandalf had fallen, how the little one had taken the responsibility and guilt upon himself.

"Pip, I believed that Gandalf's death was my fault. I felt guilty because I thought that I had sent him to his death." Frodo said solemnly. Pippin's head snapped up and his eyes went wide, but he said nothing. "Peregrin, you must understand something. As the Ringbearer I have a... special responsibility to this Fellowship, just as Aragorn does and Gandalf did. I believed I had failed the Fellowship, and Gandalf."

A tear ran down Pippin's face and Frodo felt tears in his eyes as well. He let them fall. "But it's alright now, Pip. I realize that it wasn't my fault, and I'm alright."

Frodo pulled his cousin into a hug and Pippin snuggled in gratefully, glad to have his Frodo back.

~The End~