Title: Keep It Secret

Author: Adalanta

Email: adalanta14@yahoo.com

Rating: PG

Characters: Merry, Pippin

Categories: Drama, Angst

Summary: After the battle of the Black Gate, Merry begins to notice that Pippin is acting strangely and is determined to find out what is wrong with him. But secrets are kept for a reason…and oaths are not easily broken. Movie verse. NO SLASH.

Disclaimer: Merry and Pippin are Tolkien's.

Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who reviewed the first chapter! Hope you like this one just as much. I love to hear what my readers think, so please take a second and leave a review. Thanks!

Keep It Secret

Chapter Two: At the Wizard's Tent

Merry walked up to Gandalf's tent and had just raised his hand to enter when he heard voices coming from inside. He stopped, not wanting to interrupt Gandalf if he was meeting with someone else. It's probably Aragorn, he thought, although he could not identify the other speaker's voice for it was too soft, almost as if it were muffled. Merry heard Gandalf's low, cultured voice reply softly and then the sound of footsteps coming towards the tent's entrance. Not wanting to be knocked over again by one of the Big Folk (his backside was still a bit sore from the last time) and not wanting to appear as if he'd been eavesdropping, the Halfling dashed around the corner of the tent and waited quietly for Gandalf's visitor to leave. His curiosity, however, soon got the best of him, and he peeked around the beige canvas to see who had been meeting with the White Wizard… and his mouth dropped wide open.

It was Pippin.

He ducked back around the corner, mouth still agape. Why, what is Pippin doing here? he asked himself, nearly repeating the question aloud. Carefully leaning back around the corner, he took a second, closer look at the two people standing just a short distance away.

Pippin was standing next to Gandalf, who had his hand on the young hobbit's slender, black-clad shoulder. The Wizard's face was grave, his piercing blue eyes filled with concern as he looked down at the smaller being. "Are you sure you wish to return to your tent, Pippin?" came the gentle words. "I do not think you should be leaving just yet. You can stay here for a while, if you wish."

"No. No, I'm fine, Gandalf. Thank you." Despite their meaning, the words sounded weak and strained to Merry, his stomach clenching with worry. The Brandybuck longed to see his cousin's face, but due to the angle in which they were standing, it was quite impossible. What he could see did nothing to reassure him, though. Pippin's shoulders were slumped, and he appeared slightly unsteady on his feet. That fact was confirmed only a second later when he turned to go and staggered, nearly falling against the side of the tent! Gandalf reached out quickly and grasped the small body before he hit the ground, letting the Took lean against him for a few seconds to recover his balance.

Merry blanched as he got a good look at Pippin's face and just barely managed to keep himself from running to his cousin's side. The narrow, elf-like face was pale white and drawn, looking eerily like it had back in the Houses of Healing, and, as Merry examined it closer, he noticed that there were tear streaks, as well. Pippin's eyes were closed as he leaned heavily against Gandalf but made no attempt to hold onto the white clothes and cloak. The older hobbit's heart felt near to breaking at seeing his young cousin so sick and not being able to go to him.

"If this is your definition of 'fine,' then I would hate to see what you deem as 'unwell," Gandalf said wryly, a small smile appearing amongst the concern that clouded his face. Kneeling down behind the unsteady body, he whispered a few words into his left ear. Merry watched, amazed, as Pippin seemed to sigh with relief and visibly straighten.

"Now, I should not have done that, but I know that you want nothing more than to return to your own tent and rest," the Istari emphasized the last word heavily. "You have pushed yourself too hard, Peregrin Took. I know that Hobbits are hearty folk but that does not mean you are impervious to harm. If you had only done as I asked…" Gandalf's voice trailed off as Pippin finally opened his eyes and turned to face him, looking him straight in the eye now that the Wizard was on his level.

"You know I couldn't do that, Gandalf," he said reproachfully, sounding weary.

Gandalf met his gaze steadily and held it, as if searching for something. At last, he nodded. "Yes, I know. And despite my worry, I am very proud of you, Pippin, my lad." He drew the small body to him and embraced him, although Merry noticed that Pippin did not return the gesture, something he found decidedly odd as Pippin had always felt comfortable hugging Gandalf. Gandalf, however, seemed not to mind or even to notice. "Now," he said gently, pulling away and holding the hobbit at arm's length. "I think you ought to be heading back to your tent. Remember what I told you, Pippin. Make certain that you rest and take care of yourself."

"I will, Gandalf." Pippin agreed, nodding.

"Good. Now off with you."

Merry jerked back against the side of the tent, holding his breath as the other hobbit walked right past him and slowly moved down the row of tents. The intense fear and worry he'd felt watching his cousin had faded a bit, but not much, and as Pippin disappeared into the sea of tents, he came out of his hiding place and boldly marched into Gandalf's tent, intent on finding some answers to his questions.

"Gandalf," he said firmly as he stalked through the tent flaps, "What is going on?"

The tall, white clothed figure did not turn around at his arrival, keeping his back to the Halfling, and did not seem to be surprised at his abrupt appearance. He stood in front of a table that sat just beyond his cot, doing something that Merry could not see. "What do you mean?" he asked after a brief silence.

Angry and worried, the Brandybuck marched around to the other side of the table so he could look Gandalf in the face. Just as he maneuvered himself to where he could see his face, the Istari pulled a white covering over the table, obscuring the contents from the hobbit's gaze. Merry paused at that, staring intently at the covered table, and couldn't help but feel that Gandalf was hiding something from him. Looking up at the Wizard, he frowned and tried again, "What is going on?"

"Meriadoc Brandybuck, would you care to be more specific with your questions?" Gandalf answered evenly, meeting the hobbit's frown.

"There's something wrong with Pippin, isn't there?"

"Why do you say that?" asked the Wizard calmly.

"Will you please stop answering my questions with another question?!" Merry retorted angrily, having the irrational urge to stomp his foot like he used to as a little child. "You saw how Pippin was! Why won't you answer my question?"

Gandalf nodded to himself. "Ah…perhaps the question should be, how did you see him?"

Merry stepped back at the question and shrunk a bit under the clear, blue gaze, but his all consuming fear for his cousin overrode his sense of embarrassment and emboldened him to stand up straight and meet the piercing gaze. "I was beside your tent and accidentally saw him, but that doesn't matter right now, does it?" he said quickly, hurrying through his explanation. "Something is wrong with Pippin, and you know what that something is. And now I want to know."

The Istari sighed heavily, looking both weary and sad, and answered softly, "I am sorry, Merry, but I can not tell you."

"What does that mean?"

"That means that this is a matter between you and Pippin. I have already pledged to him that I would not get anyone involved, just as he has made a similar pledge to me. However," he held up his hand as Merry began to protest loudly, clearly outraged by the non-answer, "At the time that we decided upon this course of action, we did not realize that it would be such a problem nor last this long." He sat down on the cot and looked over at the hobbit, his face filled with compassion and a slight hint of guilt. "If you truly wish to know, you must ask Pippin himself. But be sure to tell him I said this: 'The decision is up to you. I release you from your oath.' He will understand what that means."

Merry shifted uneasily on his furry feet, running what he knew through his head before he spoke. "If he wants to tell me, he can. Right, Gandalf?"

"Indeed. The decision is up to him, Merry. If he is ready, then he will speak to you of this matter. If not, perhaps he will later." He sighed again. "I am sorry to have caused you such distress, Merry, but we truly thought this was the best way. I believe that you will understand, as well, once he has spoken with you."

Silence filled the tent, the air inside suddenly growing stifled. Merry turned to leave, still beside himself with worry for Pippin, but halted with one flap lifted as Gandalf spoke up behind him. "Merry, I know that you wish to speak with Pippin immediately, but I ask that you wait a few hours before you approach him…for his sake."

The hobbit smiled a bit as he twisted around. "Don't worry, Gandalf. I'll make sure he has plenty of time to rest." With that, he left the tent and went out into the sunshine, wondering what he was going to do for the next few hours to keep his mind off of his cousin…and how he was going to be able to wait that long.

TBC…