TO ARLEEN: This chapter is for you!

*&*

Sméagol sat between Kathy and Patrick on the couch, staring at the television. Now, he had seen Kathy watching television, and he swore that when she did so there were moving pictures in it… but now it was just a stupid black box. Why? Was it spoilt? Did it spoil it? And (very important question here) could it be eaten? Was it tasty? He was definitely hungry, but Kathy had forgotten all about lunch, or dinner, or whatever it was they were supposed to be eating right now.

"Well, I suppose that there's nothing much we can do, except hope that she finds a way back soon," Kathy said sighing.

"Yeah. I guess so. I hope she's safe. Anyway… is there any food around here? I'm starving," Patrick said.

For once, Sméagol agreed with the guy. He began walking towards the kitchen.

"No!" Kathy stood up. "I am the only person who will do the cooking around here."

Darn. Sméagol had hoped that he could get out of eating cooked food. He really did miss raw food, no matter what Kathy said about him having to change his ways. Changing his ways was all well and good, but did he have to eat cooked food all the time?

*&*

Patrick watched as TWG came back to take his place on the couch. Kathy was already clanging about in the kitchen. He sighed. He and Kathy would never get back together. In fact, this was just a truce until Nat got back. Suddenly he wished that Nat would not get back; then he would not have to face the fireworks. He picked up the remote and switched on the television.

"Whatssss that, precious?" TWG asked, staring curiously at the remote.

"It's called a remote, and if you touch it, you'd be killed instantly," Patrick said, making sure that he looked serious. The last thing he needed was to have TWG playing with the remote while he was watching TV.

TWG stared at the remote, and then poked it suddenly. Nothing happened, and he laughed his maniacal little laugh. "Stupid Man liesss," he said, picking up the remote and pressing about three buttons at once. Then he proceeded to change the channel every five seconds. "This is nice, very nice, yes indeed." He cackled.

Great. Just great. TWG had discovered the remote control. This was the end of the world.

*&*

The three of them sat at the kitchen table, and Kathy was eating calmly and watching the other two. Sméagol was staring incredulously at his plate, and Patrick was staring at Sméagol as if expecting a surprise attack at any moment.

"What's this?" Sméagol asked, pointing at the lump on his plate.

"Potatoes. Mashed potatoes," Kathy explained. "They're good for you, and tasty as well."

"Taters." Sméagol shook his head. "Fat hobbit likesss tatersss. But he did not like Sméagol very much, poor poor Sméagol."

"We like you fine here," Kathy said.

Patrick snorted. "Speak for yourself," he said softly, but shut up when Kathy shot him a look.

"Eat your potatoes, Sméagol. Trust me, it's good." Kathy stuck a spoonful of mashed potatoes in her mouth to prove her point. "See? I'm eating it too."

Sméagol still looked wary, but he (with the clumsy use of his spoon) managed to get some potatoes in his mouth. His eyes widened when he realised that they were actually tasty lil' buggers, potatoes were, and Kathy could not help laughing at that comical sight.

*&*

Kathy lay awake that night, thinking about how things had changed. The first time she had met Sméagol, she had been frightened of him, and shocked and really didn't like him all that much. Now, she saw him as a child, her child. And thought that he was cute, and really quite a good guy. It wasn't his fault, what had happened in Middle Earth. It could have happened to anyone. The Ring could do that to people, all sorts of people.

And now Nat was gone, gallivanting somewhere in Middle Earth and having a good time, Kathy hoped. She blocked out the thought of her friend roasting in Mount Doom. Nat was going to be just fine.

Sméagol came into her room and curled into a ball at the foot of her bed, and she smiled in the dark.