Author's note: Thank you all for reviewing and enjoying "Fragile Choices." I've decided that this will be the last chapter. Because this story had taken a different turn, I plan to continue the next chapters as a sequel. Again, I appreciate your wonderful feedback and hopefully you'll like the sequel as well!

Disclaimer: Shucks, wish Tolkien's characters were mine but they're not. At least I own Tansy.

Rating: PG

The troubled hobbit didn't go inside. He pressed his forehead against the door. Hot tears burned and demanded to be released, but he strained them back, clenching his eyes shut.

He missed Bilbo dearly and recalled what his uncle had told him.

Frodo, don't be too hasty with your decision to marry.

Don't be too hasty...

"No," he whispered. "I made the right decision, I--,"

Frodo lightly touched the door with the tips of his fingers.

"Tansy..."



Chapter Ten: I won't be long




Very slowly, Frodo opened the door. Across the room he saw Tansy sitting on the bed. Her back facing him. The freckled skin of her neck exposed, unable to hide behind curls that were pinned up and secured by a vine of red roses.

He eased toward her, knowing she was frightened. And when he reached the side of the bed where Tansy sat, he cautiously joined beside his wife. Her head bowed a little. Fear evident in her eyes that refused to look at Frodo. Instead, she preferred the tiles to gaze upon.

"Tansy," whispered Frodo.

"It's the ring," said Tansy. She bit her bottom lip to stop herself from trembling. "I know, because when I held it in my hand I—I felt--," Tansy faltered again and swallowed hard. "There's something 'evil' about that ring, Frodo."

"Yes," he agreed. "Gandalf explained what it is."

And when Frodo told her everything Gandalf had told him, she continued to listen, although Tansy wished she could run away from the most dreadful thing her ears had ever heard. "The ring has to be destroyed, because if Sauron finds it, he will rule all of Middle-earth. Everything that we have now will be no more, Tansy."

"What does this have to do with you?"

Tansy looked at him and now he bowed his head.

His silence provoked her heart to race. Its rhythm, pulsating madly through her veins.

"Frodo," she said, raising her shaky voice. "What does it have to do with you?"

Fear, disappointment and an overwhelming sadness weighed heavily upon Frodo. Unable to bear it all at the moment, he bolted away from his wife.

Tansy rushed after him and blocked his path toward the door.

"Tell me, Frodo...please!"

His tear soaked eyes slowly climbed to meet her alarmed gaze.

"The ring," he said, almost inaudible. "They know where it is. It's dangerous to remain here. I—must take it out of the shire."

Tansy's hands grasped onto his vest.

"I have to tell you something," she said, ignoring the dreadful news and at the same time, hoping he would change his mind.

But before she could mention anything about their child, Frodo interrupted.

"Tansy, I don't want to leave you."

Her fingers clutched tighter, gathering the velvety material of his vest into her hands.

"You said you would never let anything come between us again. You promised me, Frodo!

"I know, but—I had no idea this would happen. Please, believe me, Tansy. I don't want to leave you. And I 'don't' want to be the one to take the ring, but I must. I won't be long. I just need to get it away from the Shire."

"Why?" She tugged harder. "Why you? Why can't it be someone else?"

Frodo rested his forehead onto her shoulder. "I asked myself the same question before you came home. Why me? It isn't fair. It isn't fair that I must leave you and--,"

Bilbo's words haunted him again.

Don't be too hasty with your decision to marry.

The timing, Frodo, it isn't right.

It isn't right...

Frodo cupped Tansy's face into his hands.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Tansy." And what he said wasn't only because of what he had to do, but now Frodo regretted his uncle's warning. If he had listened, he would have spared himself and Tansy the pain that perforated deep into his heart.

"When will you go?" she asked flatly.

"I must leave tonight," his voice wavered. "I will miss you."

Frodo closed the small space between them, then his lips dipped onto hers. He shuddered at her kiss that was callous and frigid. Immediately, he jerked away from Tansy and studied her icy gaze.

Now the pain deepened and his heart ached miserably as he walked away from her. Before leaving, he stopped short of the door.

"Tansy," he whispered solemnly, keeping his back toward her. "I don't want to leave like this."

Frodo cringed at the silence that stung the atmosphere around them. When she didn't answer him, he decided to try again.

"What is it you wanted to tell me?"

Tansy could not turn to face him. She shivered. A tear slithered down from the corner of her eye. Her lips were numb and stubborn to move but she mustered the strength to open them.

"Nothing. Nothing...important...Frodo."

"Tansy--,"

"Go! Just go."

When the door creaked opened and shut behind her, Tansy shivered uncontrollably. She threw her hand against her mouth, muffling the cries bursting to be free.

He'll come back.

Seconds ticked by...

Frodo?

And now they had become agonizing minutes.

Silence.

"Frodo!" cried Tansy.

She spun around, yanked the door open and sped down the hall.

Gandalf stood by the front door where he looked out, as if he was keeping a careful eye on someone.

"He's gone, hasn't he?"

Her cries startled Gandalf whose eyes, graced with wisdom, fell sorrowfully onto Tansy.

"Yes, he's gone...along with Sam."

Tansy barged past Gandalf and out of the hobbit-hole. Although night had drawn near, twilight enabled her to see two hobbits walking away from the gate and down the lane.

"Mr. Frodo," said Sam, carrying his gear of pots, pans and other stuff for the journey. "You know we can't go back. We have to do this."

"I know, Sam."

Suddenly...

"Frodo!"

His name shrieked into his ears. The gentle hobbit froze and could go no further.

Sam peered behind his shoulder and glimpsed Tansy stumbling toward them. He looked at Frodo again and instead of the usual cheerful glow on his master's face, it pained him to see the agony of what Frodo was going through at that moment.

Sam frowned. "Mr. Frodo."

Frodo spun on his heels and before he could run to his wife, Tansy had already collided into his arms.

"No," she sobbed. She caught a glimpse of the ring hanging on a silver chain around his neck and then her arms entwined themselves around him. "Don't leave me, please, Frodo, no!"

Frodo squeezed her close to him. He plunged his face onto her shoulder. Hot tears streamed and burned down his cheeks. Then he brushed his nose along her neck, breathing in the scent of strawberries he wanted to remember.

"I love you," said Tansy in choking sobs. "Don't you forget."

"I won't"

Frodo grasped her face in his hands and this time when he kissed her, she returned it with one so ardent and begging for him to stay, he trembled. Torn between wanting to be with her and leaving for the task appointed to him, the best thing to do was to leave quickly.

Frodo broke away from her, but before he left, he held onto the tips of her fingers.

"I love you, too."

He rushed over to Sam and they continued down the lane.

"Frodo!" He heard her scream behind him.

Sam swung his comforting arm around Frodo, snuggling him close as they walked.

"Sam," cried Frodo.

"Keep going," His gardener encouraged, though he wanted to cry himself at Tansy being left behind, and Rosie, he thought of her. But he had to be strong for Frodo.

Tansy watched them until they disappeared around the curve of the lane.

"Tansy..." A deep voice called behind her.

Gingerly, she turned toward Gandalf, shaking and her face marred by sticky trails of many tears.

"Gandalf!" she said, falling into his arms. Shrieking sobs spilled from her lips.

Not far from his quaint hobbit-hole he wondered if he would ever see again, Frodo could still hear Tansy's cries that caused him to stumble, but he continued on and on into the darkness.

Tansy shuffled back into the hobbit-hole. Gandalf trailing behind her. She turned to look up at him while more tears dampened her face.

"Why? Gandalf?"

He sighed deeply. "When Bilbo found that ring, I believe it was meant for Frodo to also have it, not to use, but to take it away from here. That time hadn't come when you met Frodo. But now it has. It's not easy to understand and we even question it. I know this isn't easy for you either, Tansy. He'll come back."

"I'll be all alone."

"You won't be alone," Gandalf gave her a reassuring smile and added, "You have friends here."

He leaned over her. Tansy could clearly see fear and a deep concern in the old wizard's eyes.

"But for now, you're not safe. There are those who will be looking for the ring—nine riders who serve Sauron. They know it's a Baggins who has it. Come, I'll take you to Bywater."

Tansy rode with Gandalf in the wagon as it galloped in full speed to the Cottons' farm. There was something different about that night, as if she could smell the foul stench of evil lurking in the air. And Tansy shuddered. When they arrived, a bewildered Farmer Cotton met them at the door.

"Gandalf? What's going on?" he wondered, watching Tansy who hopped down from wagon.

"Keep her safe here," warned Gandalf. "You will be visited by black riders. They will ask for Baggins. You tell them nothing."

Before Farmer Cotton can ask any more questions, Gandalf sped away in the wagon that thundered down the lane.

Tansy was back inside the guestroom where she once stayed. She paced around. Her arms clenched tightly against her chest.

"Tansy!" Rosie called.

She spun around to see Rosie rushing toward her.

"What has happened? Where's Mr. Frodo?"

Tansy stopped pacing and faced her. "He—he's gone. Sam went off with him."

"Gone? Gone where?"

Tansy did not answer. Instead, she solemnly shook her head.

"And who are these...black riders? What do they want with you and Mr. Frodo?"

Suddenly a blood curdling wail, a sound like nothing they had ever heard shrieked into their ears.

Terrified, Rosie stumbled backward against the dresser.

A loud, thumping knock on the door startled the two lasses who were already scared out of their wits.

"Don't leave this room!" Father Cotton hollered outside the door. "Put out the light!"

Rosie obeyed her father and swiftly, she blew out the flame inside the glass lantern. The room was plunged into an abysmal darkness.

"Rosie?" Tansy whimpered, clutching onto Rosie's arm.

They peeked outside the window and their eyes widened at the horror of two riders on horses. Both cloaked in black like the darkness that had imprisoned Rosie and Tansy. There was another deafening cry that frightened the lasses into the corner of the room. They huddled together and shuddered at the sound of two knocks, massive, menacing and thrashing against the front door.

"Who—who are you?" They heard Farmer Cotton utter nervously.

Then came a dreadful hissing...

"Baggins!"

"No Baggins here. No Baggins here I tell ya!"

And when the riders left, wailing as they rode off, Tansy buried herself into the cradle of Rosie's arms.

It had been a week since the Black Riders' horrendous visit to Bywater. And when it all seemed safe, Tansy had gone back to Bag End. She froze at the white gate. Standing outside the window and peering inside were Lobeila and Otho.

Tansy breezed through the gate that swung shut behind her, then she scurried up the steps.

"What do you want?" she asked sternly, which was not at all usual for her.

Lobeila and Otho whirled around at her ill-mannered way of speaking to them.

"Mrs. Baggins," said Lobeila with much sarcasm. "We thought you abandoned the place, so we're here to see how it can be taken care of."

Tansy brushed past them and unlocked the door.

"It's already taken care of," she reminded them in a harsh, raspy tone.

Once the door was open, Lobeila and Otho barged rudely into the parlor. "What?" said Tansy, offended at their intrusion. "What do you want?"

"We've already told you what we're here for, right, Otho?"

He nodded. "Bag End is suppose to be ours!"

Tansy huffed. Here she was, still terrified after what happened with the Black Riders. Frodo is gone, not knowing if he would ever come back. And now she had to contend with Lobeila again, something she desperately didn't need right now.

"Bag End belongs to Frodo. He inherited it from Mr. Baggins."

Lobeila perched her hands into the sides of her stout hips.

"You're right that Frodo inherited Bag End, but where is he? On one of his cracked adventures! An insult I say it is, leaving you here alone in what is not yours."

"It's ours!" Tansy seethed. "We're married or have you forgotten so soon?"

Lobeila's eyes narrowed coldly. "Where—is—he?"

"It is none of your concern!" Tansy fired back. "And Bag End is not for sale."

Surprised at Tansy's boldness, Lobeila had nothing else to say. She knew Bag End also belonged to Tansy since she was married to Frodo. Frustrated that her plan to scare Tansy didn't quite work as she hoped.

"Hmph! Come, Otho!"

About to leave, Lobeila stopped, turning to face Tansy again.

"I find it quite odd that Frodo is suddenly gone and now you own Bag End. That's what you wanted all along...his wealth!"

"Get out!" Tansy demanded.

She made sure they left, watching them march angrily down the steps. Tansy then slammed the door and slumped against it. She stayed there for a while, staring listlessly into the parlor, then Tansy crossed over to the kitchen table where she sat.

Tansy looked down, sliding her hand over her stomach that already began to swell. She remembered what Rosie asked her.

"Did you tell him about the child?"

"No, Rosie...I could not."

Tansy swallowed hard against the aching lump in her throat. She looked up and through the watery veil of her tears, she saw Frodo sitting at the table. He chatted happily with Bilbo who sat across from him. Frodo broke the conversation, turning to look at her.

"Tansy, what's wrong?"

"Come now," she thought. "You have to pull yourself together."

And then Frodo and Bilbo disappeared.

Tansy fled from the table, spending the rest of the day cleaning around the house. She cooked but hardly touched the mushroom soup. At night, there was more to clean, certain she had missed something. While Tansy made sure the den was kept meticulously clean, panic overwhelmed her. She ran out into the parlor that seemed to suddenly grow and it was no longer the quaint hobbit-hole, but some strange place, monstrous and menacing.

Reality shouting in her mind...

I'm alone. Alone.

Tansy dropped the cloth and screamed.

Help me, please!

She stumbled against the wall, frantically groping along as she staggered down what seemed like a never-ending hall. Thinking she could not breathe as her lungs begged for air.

Help me!

Tansy panted. Her face glossed with beaded sweat as she struggled toward the bedroom door. When she managed to open it, she hurried inside and slammed the door behind her.

You're safe now. It's not so big anymore.

Tansy threw herself onto the bed. Her hand clutched the left side where Frodo slept.

"Frodo," she cried. "I—can't be alone. Please, come back. Do you hear me? I can't!"

"Tansy?" shouted Frodo, startled awake from what was only a dream. A pleasant dream of happy days in Bag End, nothing like what had come upon him now.

He looked around the room of the Prancing Pony Inn. Sam, Merry and Pippin were sleeping—except Aragorn clearly seen in the lazy moonlight. He sat at the window, as if he carefully guarded the hobbits from something outside. Then Aragorn turned to look at Frodo, seeing he was very troubled.

"Who is she?" he asked softly.

Frodo rose from the pillow and held himself up on both elbows.

He didn't answer, remembering when he first met Tansy, something he had never expected...to fall in love. Jolted back to Aragorn's question, his sorrowful blue eyes slowly climbed from the floor to the Ranger.

"She's my wife."

Aragorn nodded, as if he understood Frodo's pain of leaving Tansy behind.

Gently, Frodo's head fell back onto the pillow.

Memories of Tansy assaulted him day and night...

When they danced at the Green Dragon.

Picnics in Bywater and Bag End.

The first time they kissed under the apple tree.

The wedding day.

His face turned a little to the right where he glanced at Aragorn again. Then his eyes drifted to the window—the round window of his comfy hobbit- hole? No, but instead, a window of an inn at Bree.

The song he sang to Tansy replayed itself in his mind.

There once was an inn, a merry old inn...

And for a moment, he thought he heard her laugh.

The End