Chapter 13 - Reunions in Fangorn

Melilot - Yes, I know JRD does the voice of Treebeard. *girlish squee* Alright, enough of that. I hope you enjoy this chapter, it should have some Meridol/Merry stuff.

Butterfly - Funny you should ask about Frodo. This chapter'll start with a little segment with Frodo and Sam, who followed Frodo just like in the movie. And you're welcome, though I'm not really sure what I did. Enjoy!

Angelsflame265 - Here's another chapter to add to your collection! ;-) Hope you like it!

PrincessEvenstar - Thanks for your review! Here's an update in exchange for it.

CassieOwls - You like this as much as LotR? Wow. . .I feel very honored. Honestly, I do. And yes, I love TTT so much!

Warnings: AU, mushy stuff

Disclaimer: I don't own LotR or any of the characters. Well, I do own Meridol and Lexi, but no one otherwise.

Frodo dropped to the ground as Sam opened his pack to look for food. Taking a quick drink, Frodo looked back the way they had come from, sighing. Sam looked up.

"Mr. Frodo? Are you all right?"

"Did I make the right choice, Sam? Should I have left?"

Sam was silent a moment. "I reckon so, Mr. Frodo. Mordor isn't the kind of place that you would want them to go to. To be quite frank, it isn't the kind of place that either of us should go to either, but you're the only one who can do it, and I wasn't about to let you go alone."

"But. . .did I make the right choice?"

"About what, Mr. Frodo?"

Frodo didn't respond. He knew about what, but he didn't think Sam would understand. Frodo looked back towards Amon Hen. Sam moved over beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"About Miss Lexi?" Frodo looked at him, surprised. Sam chuckled. "Y'think I didn't notice, Mr. Frodo? I saw how you looked at her. You loved her, didn't you?"

Frodo nodded. "I suppose I did. But so did Pip, and I know that she loves him back." He sighed. "There's nothing I can do about it, Sam."

Sam smiled slightly. "It was mighty noble of you to give her up, Frodo. I think that you did do the right thing."

Frodo smiled as well. "Thank you, Sam."

* * *

"Merry!" Meridol rushed out of the trees, catching the two male hobbits by surprise and knocking Merry over in a tight embrace. Lexi followed, not as enthusiastically. The two girls had been pursuing Merry and Pippin since the giant, walking, talking tree, had picked them up.

"Lexi? Meridol?" Pippin said, a confused yet surprised look on his face. "How did you-?"

"Meridol, we thought we lost you when we escaped from the Orcs," Merry huffed, standing up with Meridol still wrapped around him.

"No, I saw her run into the woods and I pulled her off to the side," Lexi explained. "It's a good thing I did, too, or that tree might have gotten her as well! Speaking of which. . .what was that thing?"

"Don't worry, Lex, it was just Treebeard," Pippin told her. She gave him a quizzical look.

"He's an Ent," Merry clarified. "A shepherd of the forest. Like the trees in the Old Forest."

"So basically, he's a walking, talking tree?" Lexi asked.

"No, no, no," Merry said. "He's not a tree. He's an Ent, as I've told you."

Lexi nodded, though not fully understanding this, and turned to Pippin. She was about to say something, when she stopped and looked at him for a moment. "You look taller. Are you standing on something?"

"No," was his reply. "Are you?"

"If I were standing on something, Pip, wouldn't I be the one who was taller?"

"Yes." There was a pause. "So perhaps you're standing in a hole."

"Perhaps."

Meridol suddenly lifted her head. "Merry, you seem taller as well. Lexi and I can't both be standing in a hole, can we?"

"It could be a large hole," Pippin pointed out.

"But look," Meridol said, pointing to the ground. "Do you see a hole?"

"No," both Merry and Pippin said in unison.

"Then we can't be standing in anything, hole or otherwise. I think you two have simply grown taller."

Pip turned to Merry. "Haven't we always been taller than them?"

"Not by much, Pip."

Pippin's expression turned to a disgruntled one as he sat himself down to figure out this puzzle.

* * *

It was much later in the day, and Meridol and Merry had left Lexi and Pippin alone for a while. Merry had told her that he wanted to talk about something. Lexi knew what that something was, but she didn't say anything as they left.

Fangorn Forest, as this place was called, was much different from the Old Forest or any of the woods the hobbits had seen before. It was denser, darker even in daylight, and the air was more still and quiet. The trees were always creaking, as if talking to one another, and it made both of the hobbits uneasy. But they pushed this fear aside for the time being as they settled beneath one large oak tree. An awkward silence passed between them as they sat. Finally, Merry turned to her.

"I'm very sorry," he said. She looked to him in surprise.

"For what, Merry?"

"I didn't. . .I couldn't protect you from those Orcs. I wanted to, I didn't want that to happen to you."

Meridol averted her eyes from him. "Yes, I know. . .but it did happen Merry and there's nothing we can do about it. There's nothing we can do about anything. I told you this whole quest was a waste of time. We belong at home, and what happened to me only proves that further."

"We can't give up now," said Merry. "I know you're afraid, Meridol, so am I, but-"

She jumped up. "Don't tell me you're afraid, Merry! You don't know what fear is until you're surrounded by Orcs and there's nothing you can do but sit there and. . .and. . ." Meridol fell back to the ground, shoulders shaking as she cried. Merry put his arms around her comfortingly.

"I know. . .I know. . .I'm sorry," he consoled quietly. "But Meridol, this is why we have to stay and fight. We have to do what we can to help Frodo. After what those Orcs did to you when you're just an innocent bystander. . .can you imagine what they would do to the bearer of the Ring of Power?"

"I was so scared," Meridol sobbed into his shoulder. "I thought they were going to kill me. But then. . .they. . ."

"It's alright, Meridol," he said. "You don't have to talk about it. You'll be fine from now on, I promise. I'll protect you."

She lifted her head and looked him in the eyes for a moment before leaning in and kissing him soundly on the mouth. He seemed a bit taken aback at first, but soon kissed her back, wrapping his arms tightly and protectively around her waist. She pulled away and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Merry. . .we'll be alright, won't we?" she asked. "We'll go back to the Shire someday, and Frodo will destroy the Ring, and everything will go back to the way it was before all of this happened. Right?"

"I hope so," he replied. "I hope so."

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A/N: I'm baaaack! Lol, ok, that wasn't a very productive chapter, but hey, it wasn't bad. Please review, per favor!