Chapter 14 - Things Revealed
Angelsflame265 - I'm glad I made your day! Hopefully this chapter will make your day again, and the next and the next. ;-)
Melilot - You're quite welcome. I knew you'd spaz on me if I didn't tell you. And yes, that is very ironic. At least Merry didn't rape Meridol. . .though, you can't rape the willing, so. . .lol
She-elf12345 - Hey, thanks! I'll keep writing as long as everyone keeps reading!
PrincessEvenstar - hey! Yeah, Frodo does miss her. He kind of regrets leaving, too. But, hey, it's for the good of Middle Earth, right? And yes, poor Meridol. No one should ever have to go through that. :-(
Warnings: AU, mushy stuff
Disclaimer: I don't own LotR. I wish I didn't have to keep reiterating it.
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Pippin glanced briefly over at Lexi, who was sitting beneath a tree, her arms wrapped around her legs. She was staring at the ground, obviously deep in thought, as she did not seem to take notice when he walked over and sat beside her. He sat for a moment, hoping she would say something, but when she didn't, he finally sighed and turned to look at her.
"Lexi?"
She jumped slightly, and turned to face him. "Yes, Pip?"
"Why didn't you go with Frodo? Did you never find him?"
Lexi hesitated. She didn't know whether to tell Pippin what Frodo had told her or not. "I. . .no, I saw him, but he. . .I just. . ." She faltered, looking away.
"Lexi?" Her eyes went back to him. "You can tell me. I'll tell you now that I did see him, all three of us did, and he was leaving. I tried to make him stay, but then the Uruk-hai appeared and we had to do something to help him. So we distracted them and. . .I got so mad because Frodo was leaving you without even saying good-bye to you. After all, shouldn't he? If he truly loves you, shouldn't he have said good-bye or asked you to go with him?"
Lexi shook her head. "It's better that he didn't. I think he was trying to protect me. . .all of us. It's far too dangerous for us to go into Mordor, Pippin, you know that. He was doing what he felt was best for all of us."
Pippin stood, pacing slightly. "So. . .did you speak with him?"
Lexi nodded. "I tried to make him stay, just like you did."
"What did he say?"
"He said. . .lots of things. That he had to do it alone, that I had to go and find you because it was where I belonged. . .Pippin, he said. . ." She stopped again. He looked down at her curiously, before kneeling in front of her. She seemed almost frightened of him, the way she gazed at him. He tilted his head to the side slightly.
"Lex? What is it? What did Frodo tell you?"
She sighed, looking down at her hands. "He told me. . .that. . .he told me that you loved me." Her eyes met his. He stared a moment, before standing quickly and turning to walk away. Lexi jumped to her feet. "Is it true? Was Frodo right, Pip? Because if it is, then tell me, and I won't feel like I do, because I'll know that Frodo wasn't damning himself by forcing me to let him leave! Please, just tell me."
He had stopped when she had started to talk and now just stood, rooted to the spot. He didn't want to look at her or speak to her. How humiliating! But how dare Frodo! Anger welled up inside Pippin and he turned to yell something fierce at her, but immediately stopped when he saw the look on her face. She looked scared and desperate, almost as if her life depended on his answer. Pippin's anger faded to sorrow and he walked quickly to her, pulling her into an embrace.
Lexi was caught off-guard by this, but returned the hug, a wave of emotions suddenly pouring out of her. For the longest time, before either of them could remember, they had been best friends. Lexi had always been there when Pippin had needed someone to talk to, and vice versa. But since their quest had begun that day in the Shire, Lexi felt like they had grown apart. She had so badly wanted their old bond to return, and now it finally was. She was so overwhelmed by all of it that she began to cry. Pippin pulled away, looking down at her.
"Lexi? What's the matter?"
"Nothing," she said, holding back any further sobs. "I just. . .I missed you, Pippin. We grew apart, you and I. I suppose it is best that I followed you. . .I wouldn't want to lose you. But you have to understand, I do not want to lose Frodo either. That is why you must tell me if what he said was true."
Pippin sighed, hesitating, then slowly nodded. Lexi, though surprised, kept her composure. She rested her head on his chest, releasing a slow breath. Then, Pippin placed a hand under her chin, lifting her head until her eyes met his.
"Why did you follow me?"
"Pippin, that is a silly question!"
"It is not, now answer it."
"I think you know the answer."
"I answered yours!"
"Yes, but I did not know the answer to mine!"
"So is the case with mine!"
Lexi set her jaw, giving him a cross look. "Peregrin Took, you are the silliest hobbit I've met in all my life."
He rolled his eyes. "Would you please just give me an answer, in spite of whether I know it or not?"
"All right then. I followed you because of what Frodo told me. He said that I belonged with you and that I had to find you, so I did. Are you happy now?"
Pip frowned. "Then. . .it was not because you loved me also?"
This took Lexi completely by surprise. Her jaw nearly dropped. "Pippin! How could you ever think such a thing? You have been the best friend I've ever had in all my life. How could I not love you?"
"Not like that, Lex, not like you would love your brother."
"I don't have a brother."
"You know what I mean!"
She grinned. "I know, I'm sorry." She was silent a moment. "Pippin. . .love is a very. . .strong word. It is the kind of word that one would not use unless one really meant it. I do not know if I do or not. Things have gotten. . .quite mixed up, you see."
"Do you love Frodo?"
"Yes, of course, but - "
"Is that the kind of love that you have to really mean or the kind that you would use in the sense of a brother?"
She paused, really thinking about what he said. "Pippin. . .what sort of love do you mean when you say that you love me? Do you love me as if I were your sister?"
He did not answer, looking down at her intently. She returned the gaze, awaiting his reply, when suddenly he lowered his head and caught her mouth with his. Startled by this, Lexi almost pulled away, but he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist and held her there. She gave in, returning the kiss and unexpectedly, she became dizzy when the kiss deepened.
"I love you," Pippin said as they parted, and Lexi knew what he meant.
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A/N: Uh oh. Dilemma, eh? For Lexi I mean. Who now does she choose? Frodo or Pippin? dun Dun DUN! Please review!
Angelsflame265 - I'm glad I made your day! Hopefully this chapter will make your day again, and the next and the next. ;-)
Melilot - You're quite welcome. I knew you'd spaz on me if I didn't tell you. And yes, that is very ironic. At least Merry didn't rape Meridol. . .though, you can't rape the willing, so. . .lol
She-elf12345 - Hey, thanks! I'll keep writing as long as everyone keeps reading!
PrincessEvenstar - hey! Yeah, Frodo does miss her. He kind of regrets leaving, too. But, hey, it's for the good of Middle Earth, right? And yes, poor Meridol. No one should ever have to go through that. :-(
Warnings: AU, mushy stuff
Disclaimer: I don't own LotR. I wish I didn't have to keep reiterating it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pippin glanced briefly over at Lexi, who was sitting beneath a tree, her arms wrapped around her legs. She was staring at the ground, obviously deep in thought, as she did not seem to take notice when he walked over and sat beside her. He sat for a moment, hoping she would say something, but when she didn't, he finally sighed and turned to look at her.
"Lexi?"
She jumped slightly, and turned to face him. "Yes, Pip?"
"Why didn't you go with Frodo? Did you never find him?"
Lexi hesitated. She didn't know whether to tell Pippin what Frodo had told her or not. "I. . .no, I saw him, but he. . .I just. . ." She faltered, looking away.
"Lexi?" Her eyes went back to him. "You can tell me. I'll tell you now that I did see him, all three of us did, and he was leaving. I tried to make him stay, but then the Uruk-hai appeared and we had to do something to help him. So we distracted them and. . .I got so mad because Frodo was leaving you without even saying good-bye to you. After all, shouldn't he? If he truly loves you, shouldn't he have said good-bye or asked you to go with him?"
Lexi shook her head. "It's better that he didn't. I think he was trying to protect me. . .all of us. It's far too dangerous for us to go into Mordor, Pippin, you know that. He was doing what he felt was best for all of us."
Pippin stood, pacing slightly. "So. . .did you speak with him?"
Lexi nodded. "I tried to make him stay, just like you did."
"What did he say?"
"He said. . .lots of things. That he had to do it alone, that I had to go and find you because it was where I belonged. . .Pippin, he said. . ." She stopped again. He looked down at her curiously, before kneeling in front of her. She seemed almost frightened of him, the way she gazed at him. He tilted his head to the side slightly.
"Lex? What is it? What did Frodo tell you?"
She sighed, looking down at her hands. "He told me. . .that. . .he told me that you loved me." Her eyes met his. He stared a moment, before standing quickly and turning to walk away. Lexi jumped to her feet. "Is it true? Was Frodo right, Pip? Because if it is, then tell me, and I won't feel like I do, because I'll know that Frodo wasn't damning himself by forcing me to let him leave! Please, just tell me."
He had stopped when she had started to talk and now just stood, rooted to the spot. He didn't want to look at her or speak to her. How humiliating! But how dare Frodo! Anger welled up inside Pippin and he turned to yell something fierce at her, but immediately stopped when he saw the look on her face. She looked scared and desperate, almost as if her life depended on his answer. Pippin's anger faded to sorrow and he walked quickly to her, pulling her into an embrace.
Lexi was caught off-guard by this, but returned the hug, a wave of emotions suddenly pouring out of her. For the longest time, before either of them could remember, they had been best friends. Lexi had always been there when Pippin had needed someone to talk to, and vice versa. But since their quest had begun that day in the Shire, Lexi felt like they had grown apart. She had so badly wanted their old bond to return, and now it finally was. She was so overwhelmed by all of it that she began to cry. Pippin pulled away, looking down at her.
"Lexi? What's the matter?"
"Nothing," she said, holding back any further sobs. "I just. . .I missed you, Pippin. We grew apart, you and I. I suppose it is best that I followed you. . .I wouldn't want to lose you. But you have to understand, I do not want to lose Frodo either. That is why you must tell me if what he said was true."
Pippin sighed, hesitating, then slowly nodded. Lexi, though surprised, kept her composure. She rested her head on his chest, releasing a slow breath. Then, Pippin placed a hand under her chin, lifting her head until her eyes met his.
"Why did you follow me?"
"Pippin, that is a silly question!"
"It is not, now answer it."
"I think you know the answer."
"I answered yours!"
"Yes, but I did not know the answer to mine!"
"So is the case with mine!"
Lexi set her jaw, giving him a cross look. "Peregrin Took, you are the silliest hobbit I've met in all my life."
He rolled his eyes. "Would you please just give me an answer, in spite of whether I know it or not?"
"All right then. I followed you because of what Frodo told me. He said that I belonged with you and that I had to find you, so I did. Are you happy now?"
Pip frowned. "Then. . .it was not because you loved me also?"
This took Lexi completely by surprise. Her jaw nearly dropped. "Pippin! How could you ever think such a thing? You have been the best friend I've ever had in all my life. How could I not love you?"
"Not like that, Lex, not like you would love your brother."
"I don't have a brother."
"You know what I mean!"
She grinned. "I know, I'm sorry." She was silent a moment. "Pippin. . .love is a very. . .strong word. It is the kind of word that one would not use unless one really meant it. I do not know if I do or not. Things have gotten. . .quite mixed up, you see."
"Do you love Frodo?"
"Yes, of course, but - "
"Is that the kind of love that you have to really mean or the kind that you would use in the sense of a brother?"
She paused, really thinking about what he said. "Pippin. . .what sort of love do you mean when you say that you love me? Do you love me as if I were your sister?"
He did not answer, looking down at her intently. She returned the gaze, awaiting his reply, when suddenly he lowered his head and caught her mouth with his. Startled by this, Lexi almost pulled away, but he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist and held her there. She gave in, returning the kiss and unexpectedly, she became dizzy when the kiss deepened.
"I love you," Pippin said as they parted, and Lexi knew what he meant.
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A/N: Uh oh. Dilemma, eh? For Lexi I mean. Who now does she choose? Frodo or Pippin? dun Dun DUN! Please review!
