Okay, so... I'm sitting here, after watching William Houng's music video and may I say, "SCARRED FOR FRIGGIN LIFE?" Okay a bit of an overstatement, but ya kno! Okay enough, just read!

Disclaimer: Just like William Houng, I don't deserve to own it.

Chapter Fourteen: A Change of Heart

"J-J-Jericho?" Merry stammered pulling himself out of her grasp.

"Yes Merry-kins?" she answered pouting.

"Are you feeling well? M-Maybe you should lay down, or just uh..."

"Are you saying you don't like me?" she asked her face full of sorrow.

"No! No! Definitely not that!"

"You think I'm fat!" she moaned falling to the ground. He quickly came to her side.

"No, Jericho, darling, I think you are absolutely beautiful and I love you more than you could even imagine!" he cooed. She looked at the ground her eyes shining. He didn't need her to look at him to know that she had heard.

"You love me?" she asked turning her face towards the sky.

"Of course, since the moment I laid eyes upon you," he smiled at her and wished more than anything that she could see his face.

"It doesn't seem to make sense," she exclaimed.

"What?"

"I mean, you-you- love me?"

"Well, why is that so amazing?"

"Well, I'm not supposed to be here, you aren't supposed to love me, this is all some crazy whacked up dream and I'll wake up soon!"

"Jericho you aren't making sense!"

"I've told you before, I'm really a Big Person, I'm not supposed to be a hobbit, and you aren't supposed to love me!"

"Jericho, you can't really think that you're-"

"I know what I am Merry!" she exclaimed. He paused and looked at her. She had turned toward his voice and her gaze was fixed at his forehead. She was being very indignant about this.

"Jericho, you were found on the outskirts of Hobbiton," he said slowly.

"I know that Merry!" she interrupted.

"Let me finish! When I first saw you, you were passed out in the back of a wagon. You had bandages over your eyes that were soaked in blood. I took one look at you and gasped."

"Why?"

"Because you reminded me of someone," he sighed.

"You're grandmother?" Merry paused. He was going to tell her. He had to, if he didn't who knew what could happen. His stomach was churning and twisting itself into knots of all sizes.

"Yes," he finally answered reluctantly, "The point is, even if you were a Big Person, and I'm not saying you weren't, the chances of you ever becoming one again are very unlikely. And besides, how would you feel about me then?"

"You should ask yourself the same question, Meriadoc," she replied coldly her eyes closed in frustration.

()

Merry led her back to the others and helped her to her pallet. She lay there for what seemed like hours fuming over what Merry had said. She couldn't believe that he didn't believe her! He, of all hobbits, should have understood, should have known! She felt hot tears sting her cheeks as she drifted off into another fitful dream.

()

Strider was still awake as the first lights of dawn seeped through the trees. He had not slept at all that night, instead he had reflected over what the female halfling had said. Amon Sul was a very dangerous venture, but it was most likely the way Gandalf would be taking.

"Ellesar?" a voice behind him squeaked. He turned quickly to see the lass herself. She was standing behind him a small wooden block in her outstretched palm.

"How did you-"?

"Not important, may I sit?" He looked at her suspiciously and nodded. She sat down next to him and pointed the block his direction.

"It allows me to see," she explained. He grunted pretending not to be intrigued.

"I want to speak with you, about the healing powers of the elvish," she explained.

"What do you wish do know?"

"Can they reverse a spell or a hex of some sort?" she asked quickly.

"I don't know, what kind of spell has been placed upon you?"

"I don't know it's... this hobbit thing. I know you don't believe me and I'm not asking you to, I just want to know if they'd be able to help me," she replied.

"Lord Elrond is a very powerful elf, I doubt there is anything he cannot do." She smiled and moved her block so that it faced behind her.

"This means much to me, Aragorn," she whispered, "I may not like you much, but you'll do alright." She got up and went back to her pallet. The Ranger stared at her back for a moment not knowing what to do or say. He just breathed.

()

Merry looked up at the summit of Weathertop. It seemed to stretch out into the clouds, but then he'd never seen the mountains.

"I can't believe you're letting them leave me here!" Jericho exclaimed crossing her arms.

"Jericho, it may be best. Strider says the way is rocky and we must have haste," he explained placing a hand on her cheek.

"Yeah, whatever," she mumbled pulling away. He looked at her, her dark expression angled at his feet. Her soft eyes narrowed in hate. He sighed with worry and turned and followed Frodo and Strider up the mountain.

"Merry?" asked Frodo from in front of him after a moment, "Are things all right between you and Jericho?"

"I thought they were," he answered, "But now I'm not sure. I don't know what happened. We had a fight 3 days before, and she's been different ever since."

"Have you told her about Sandy?" Frodo asked.

"Well no."

"Well then it's only going to get worse," he explained, "You see, when you hide something from women they tend to find out sooner or later and that only makes the situation worse. I would tell her."

"But I've tried! When we fought I was going to tell her, but she kept insisting that she was really a Big Person!"

"Do you believe her?" asked Strider suddenly.

"Why would I? It's absolutely ludicrous, it's not possible!"

"Do you really believe that it is not possible, Meriadoc?" the ranger asked yet again stopping and turning to him.

"Well I guess so, I mean, she's a hobbit... isn't she?" Merry for some reason wasn't so sure. He turned and looked behind him down at Jericho who was sitting next to a small Pippin who seemed to be talking to her.

"Think for a moment Merry," Aragorn said walking again, "Think of all the subtle things. She's about your height, not usual for a hobbit lass, her hair is not as curly, her face is less apt to smile, and her feet are significantly smaller." Merry let his words sink in before he spoke.

"Well, we still can't be sure that she is actually a Big Person, and besides wouldn't she be longing to turn back?"

()

Strider took a deep breath. He didn't know if he should tell Merry of his conversation with Jericho. He wondered if it would make the hobbit realize that Jericho was not a real hobbit as he now understood.

"Do you know for sure what she is thinking, Merry?" he asked as they climbed higher.

"No, but she would have told me," he answered. Strider sighed; did he not realize that when a woman is mad she tends not to talk to you anymore?

"If she is mad at you do you believe she would express her feelings toward you?" he questioned. Merry didn't answer he could tell that his question had made the hobbit very mad. Maybe Strider only noticed the subtle differences because he was a Big Person himself. The ranger tried to let the conversation die as they continued to the top of Amon Sul, but now he couldn't help but remember Jericho's mad warning about this place.

()

"Look at these footprints!" Pippin exclaimed.

"Wouldn't that be nice if I could?" Jericho asked sarcastically.

"Why don't you just use that block that Tom gave you?" Sam inquired.

"It's something that should not be used idly, Mr. Gamgee," she snapped, "You should know that!"

"Jericho what has gotten into you?" Pippin asked. Jericho placed her hands on top of her eyes.

"It's the combination of my period, my love life, and my insanity."

"Love life? Is something going on between you and Merry?" Sam asked his voice thick with concern.

"Yeah, he... says that he loves me, but I know that there's something more behind it. I can't find out what because he's not in it for sex or anything like that."

"What's sex?" asked Pippin.

"I'll tell you when you're older," Sam said not missing a beat.

"I can't understand it. I can't find a way to fit myself into this story, His Story!" she exclaimed plopping onto the ground in frustration.

"Well, if you were meant to be a part of it you should be able to find your place easily," Pippin explained sitting down next to her.

"Then maybe I'm not meant to be in his life," she said softly.

"I wouldn't go that far," Sam said.

"I would, he doesn't believe me!" she exclaimed, "If he loves me he should also trust me when I tell him who I am!"

"Who do you think you are?" Pippin asked softly. Jericho looked up and could hear the kindness in Pippin's voice.

"I'm a girl, not a hobbit, who knows more than she should. And I'm blind. I love to play music, and sing," she said slowly, "I love to read. My best friend is someone who I've known since I was 5, and I...I love Merry." She stopped talking and broke into tears. She felt two hands on her back.

"Hey don't cry, it's not something to be sad about," Sam soothed.

"You don't understand," she sobbed, "You don't know what it's like to know that you don't belong."

"But you do!" Pippin said happily. His child-like optimism made Jericho cry even more.

"What I mean is you fit in because you're just like us. You're a hobbit and we'll always accept you as one." Jericho stopped abruptly.

"Does this mean you believe me?" she asked looking toward him.

"Of course, it's obvious you aren't really one of us," Pippin explained.

"What are you talking about?" asked Sam.

"Look at her Sam, she's as tall as Merry, her hair is wavy, not curly, she talks funny, and her feet are very small."

"Is it that noticeable?" she asked laughing.

"You know what?" Sam mused, "You're right! Why didn't I see it before?"

"You were too busy looking at her eyes, and how much she looks like Sandy."

"Sandy? I've heard that name before," Jericho said wiping her eyes.

"Sandy was an old friend of ours," Pippin explained.

"Friend?" asked Sam mockingly, "I'd say more than that for Meriadoc."

"What do you mean?" Jericho asked.

"The bloke was in love with her head over heels. She was his world!" Sam explained.

"Well where is she? Why is he cavorting with me when he has this Sandy chick?" Jericho scoffed.

"She died," Pippin, said softly, "It was a hard thing for all of us. She fell into a gully and landed on these huge thorns. Two of them stabbed out her eyes, they looked so much like yours. She lived about a week days after the accident. Actually she died just a week or so before we left for Rivendell." Jericho sat there for a long while not saying anything. Sam or Pippin could have screamed in her ear and she would have heard nothing. She held her tears back. She would not cry, it was impossible for her to. In fact she only came to one conclusion before Merry, Frodo, and Strider came back. She had to become herself again. Even if it killed her, she would change back to her human form, and forget that Merry had ever loved her.

No words, just a request. I really feel like there is something missing here. If you can please tell me what I could do to make this any better? I just feel like there is a missing element and I can't find it. Tell me the one thing you think could make this perfect. I know that's impossible, but ya know, tell me anyways. Okay thanks! Luvs and Hugz-DB:D