Hmm...after the Frodo one I wanted to know how Merry and Pip took the loss of Sam.

Pippin opened his eye, blinking at the warm sunlight. He looked around the white room, feeling achy and tired. He was bandaged, and could feel them under his shirt.

"PIP!"

He felt his cousins arms encircle him, and he rest against the warm chest. "You smell like second breakfast." Pippin said smiling, eyes closed. Merry's warm laughter filled the room, and Merry looked back at him, tears dripping down his face. "Oh dear Pip..." Merry pulled away looking him in the eye, tears in his own.

"This place, has been sad, and lonely without the sound of your voice." Pippin smiled. "I feel so tired Merry, the cold weariness has not left me..." Merry looked at him concerned. "Should I call for someone, you are terribly pale!" Merry's voice was filled with panic. " 'Tis not that bad, but I do not think my legs will obey and take steps. Even for food."

Merry laughed again, and propped Pippin up by pillows, and brought over some food. Merry smiled, as Pippin's eyes grew bright. "Ah...second breakfast!" Merry let him eat the sugary cake, and Pippin ate with joy. "Where are we?" He asked his mouth full.

"Ithilien. Everyone is fine, we were only waiting for you and Frodo to awake. Looks like you woke first. Though you are a lazy hobbit, and I thought you would sleep until the end of your time..." Pippin glared at him, sticking out his tongue.

Merry laughed again, laying with his arms around his cousin. "You scared me. I was afraid I'd lose my baby cousin, and my best friend." "As much as you'd like you can't get rid of me. we fit together like mushrooms and lunch!"

"When your hungry food is all you can think of!"

Both hobbits were giggling, their mirth filling the room.

Once calmed down, Pippin asked, "What of Sam? Has he awoken? Or...is he still claimed by madness?" Merry shook his head, "I do not know. Gandalf went to see him not too long ago."

Pippin looked at his kin, "Does...does he still cry out?" Merry nodded. Last I saw of him, he was screaming. It's funny that he should cry out, Pippin! Don't ruin Mr. Frodo's garden! I guess," Merry smiled, "that he was thinking of you." Pippin smiled.

"When he wakes, we best bother him! For all the worry he's caused, he needs a good teasing!" Both Hobbits laughed, trying to think of the right torment for the young Gardner.

"Blessed be!" They turned seeing Gimli. "Your awake Master Pippin! Ah, ladies! If you two hadwoken late, I was going to knock you on your small heads until you did!" Gimli smiled, and came over, patting both of the hobbits on their heads.

"Master dwarf you would do no such thing, for I'd grab you by that fine beard of yours and tie you on the tallest tree, your short legs dangling!" Gimli snorted, as Legolas pat his head.

Legolas let out the biggest grin, and you could easily forget he was a prince. He scooped Pippin up, a large smile on his face. "Ah Pippin! Without you, marry has been a sorry sight to see!" Legolas hugged him, and plopped him down, Merry taking him back in his arms.

"Nice to know so many care for me!" Pippin beamed smugly. "Of course Pippin." Pippin looked to the door seeing Aragorn. The new King strode over to him, a large smile on his face. "You had me scared you foolish hobbit." Aragorn smiled, "Not to mention Merry was so still, and silent without you. We were afraid we'd lose the both of you!"

The group began to talk, the other fellowship pulling up chairs smiling at each other and engaging on a conversation. The door was abruptly opened, and Gandalf came in, "There you are Ara-" He stopped looking at Pippin.

He smiled, a renewed and relieved look spreading across his wise face. He strode over catching Pippin's face. "You fool of a took..." He said so kindly, that something in Pippin broke and he wrapped his arms around him. He clung tightly to the wizard's white robes, so as not to let Gandalf disappear.

Gandalf pulled him up in his arms, Pippin's arms now attaching to his neck. "Now, now Pippin. No need to shed a tear. Your back, and I...I am glad."

"Oh Gandalf! I'm sorry!"

Gandalf frowned, "What are you sorry for little one?"

"I almost gave up."

The others were looking at Pippin now. "I almost let the darkness carry me away. It was so cold, and I was in this horrible pain. I nearly gave up Gandalf."

The room had gone silent, and Gandalf smiled softly. "But you didn't you stubborn Took. You didn't." The others smiled, and Pippin released Gandalf, wiping his eyes.

"Gandalf where is Samwise? Is he doing well? I want to know of his health!" Merry said eagerly. "Yes, where is Sam! he deserves a good prank or two for the fright he gave me!" Pippin said nodding his head.

Gandalf frowned, and set Pippin down. "Later Halflings...Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, come with me." The three bid their farewells, and went on their way.

Merry and Pippin shrugged and ate their food, and after about an hour or so, Pippin sighed, "I'm bored." "Me too Pip...Say! I know! Lets go find Sam ourselves! He can't be too far!" Merry smiled, looking more youthful than ever.

Pippin nodded, and eased out of bed, and swayed as if the ground was the sea. Merry steadied his kin, and hand in hand they wandered the halls of Ithilien. There steps echoed, and Pippin clung tightly too Merry, more than it was necessary.

"Something seems amiss, wouldn't you say so Pip?"

"I don't know what your talkin' about! This place is just strange, and I feel as if something is hovering much too close to me!"

Merry waved his arms around Pippin and stared matter of factly, "I don't feel anything!" The two giggled again in their merriment, and spotted an Open door. They peeked in and saw none other then there Dear Sam.

"There you are Sam! Sound asleep! You pain, have you forgotten us, and have been laying about in bed? That is our job you know!" Merry said in fake anger. "Yes! How dare you try to replace us Samwise! We'll have to tell Frodo to deal with you!" The two waited for Sam to wake from there noisy chatter.

But Sam lay still, his eyes closed, and lips cracked. His hair was tousled and hung over his face. The silence felt deafening, and encircled the young Took's within it's grasp.

Taking tentative steps, the two approached. "Your so dirty Sam..." Merry said looking at the his dirty face. There were open wounds, and scratches, that did not seem to mend.

"He is sleeping harder that I did...his wounds look so painful...Sam? Sam...wake up now Sam! 'Tis a new day, and you should wake with us! Lets go into the garden Sam! I bet they have loads, of beautiful things you would wish to see, and your strength will grow as quick as the flowers on a warm day!" Pippin said standing fully next to Sam.

Merry spotted a bowl with a rag in it. He picked it up, and smiled. It was still warm. He rung the access water, and smiled at Sam. "Here we go, Sam! I'll tidy you up just a bit, so that when you wake you don't blush from your appearance. Your always so timid Sam!"

Merry placed the rag on his friend's brow, and scrubbed the ashen face. "This gray soot has blanketed you so well, it looks as if you've died!" Merry said with a frown. He continued to wash his face, and found the ashen color would not leave Sam's face.

"Merry, Pippin!" The two turned to see the rest of the fellowship, beside Frodo, and they looked at the with large eyes. "Gandalf, Sam is so dirty! He won't wake!" Pippin said with an angry tone. "Is he playing a prank?"

Gandalf came over to them and sat down, pulling them with him. Merry and Pippin looked around. Legolas and Gimli were sniffing and tears stained their face. Aragorn had turned his head away, his shoulders looking rather weighed down.

"Listen carefully, do not let your minds wander. If you trail off even for a moment, I'm afraid you may not understand..." Merry and Pippin looked at Gandalf, eyes filled with confusion.

"Sam has passed from this world. His time has ended."

Pippin shook his head, "What do...what do you mean?"

"He's taking a trip, Pip! That's what he means!" Merry said pale.

"No...No lads." Gimli said stepping forward, holding both their shoulders. "Master Samwise has gone to a realm where he can never be hurt again. Where his bravery will be written on the stars of the night, his story painted on the clouds, and every flower shall sing of his strength."

Merry shook his head, and Pippin wheezed, "No...You are lying! This is a cruel prank! A very cruel tease!"

Legolas and Aragorn dropped down by there sides. "My people will have songs about him. They will sing of this lovely innocent creature, that was swallowed by the darkness, and came back out, only to lay down and die to save his friend." Legolas touched their cheeks. "What loyalty he did have."

"In our books, Sam will be praised just as highly, as he would be in those songs." Aragorn told them, and on his face they saw tears. "No..NO!" Merry cried, pulling back, taking Pippin with him.

"You jest! And it is not funny or nice!" Pippin cried, tears dripping down his flushed cheeks.

"Merry, Pip-"

"LIARS!"

The two sprinted off running blindly away from their friends, and the others could not find them.

"We must find them." Gandalf said eyes looking sad. We cannot let them sink into despair, they have already had to suffer so greatly, how fragile they are now is hard to say, but I don't want any more dead loved ones."

The group nodded taking off in each direction.

~~~~~~~~2 hours later~~~~~~~~

The group met up, all looking worn. "Anything?" Gandalf asked, looking alarmed, the missing hobbits weighing heavily on his old heart. "Nothing. Neither hide nor hair of them!" Legolas said hopelessly.

"Poor lads...They have none Sam since birth...why do the heavens mock us." Gimli spat bitterly. "Have they not suffered enough, have *we* not suffered enough...Why has fate pressed it's cold hand over Sam and taken him away?"

"Away where Frodo cannot follow..." Aragorn said head bowed. Gandalf was reminded of the promise he made Sam keep, and his eyes closed with the pain. The loss of someone so dear, so precious and innocent, weighed heavily in the air.

The group looked up and heard talking from Sam's room, and slowly made their way over to the room. "Sa...Sam?" Legolas asked catching his breath. "Legolas...no...do not think such things....he is gone..." Gandalf said casting his eyes upon the thing of beauty.

They opened the door to Sam's room and discovered a sight beyond words.

Merry and Pippin where placing flowers all over the room. Flowers on Sam's bed. the dresser, the chairs, the floor, and every vase. They were talking, sobs in their small shaking voices.

"We weren't sure what flowers you favored, since you seemed to love them all, so we chose every kind of flower we could find."

"You would love their gardens Sam, they are so beautiful, but nothing compared to what you do with Frodo's."

"Sam your a hero! I guess we all are, but I bet every lad and lass will think of you. Every wee hobbit, who ever had a best friend will think of you, and treasure you story more than anything."

"Yes, they'll mourn, every child, every hobbit, every creature will mourn for you Sam! Everyone. Your such a kind fellow."

"Merry...Pippin." Aragorn finally spoke. The two tears stained faces turned around.



Gandalf smiled, tears he would not shed in anyone's company filling his eyes.

"I believe Master Samwise would love his room. He'd be marveled and struck dumb by the sheer beauty and love you two have shone.

yay...i'm doing one more chapter and i'm done