It was getting dark and cold. Merry arrived at the farm. He walked through the field of corn until he found Farmer Maggots house. He got closer to the windows so he could look for Lara inside. He didn't see anyone just a couple of farmer maggots dogs. He went to the next window and just saw Farmer Maggot sleeping in his bed. As Merry kept looking for her, he heard a 'snap' from a twig or a branch. He turned around but fell over. He was breathing hard. It was someone but he couldn't make out who.

"What are you doing here?" the girlish voice whispered. Merry felt relieved that it was just Lara. Lara helped him up.

"What am I doing here? What are YOU doing out here? shouldn't you be inside." Merry asked her.

"I don't sleep in there. Come here follow me" She whispered to him. She grabbed his arm and took him around to the back of the house. Behind the house was a little shed. She pointed at the shed. "Thats where I sleep. But anyway, What are you doing here?" she asked again.

"Well I brought yo---" He started off but Lara cut him off.

"shhhh! wait........" Lara heard someone or something coming towards them. All of a sudden she heard something growling and she knew it wasn't her stomache.

" Merry get in the shed!" she yelled and kept pushing him to make sure he got in. As soon as he got in, Farmer Maggots dogs came charging towards the shed barking. " Get away you dumb dogs!!" She yelled. Merry heard Lara struggling trying to get the dogs away.

"Let me help you!!" Merry told her. He started opening the door. As soon as the door started opening the dogs were about to get in.

"NO!!" Lara yelled "CLOSE THE DOOR!" She tried grabbing the dog and tried pulling it back but that wasn't really smart. She let out a scream of pain. The dog had bitten her on her arm. She was so angry and tired and the dogs were still trying to get Merry. There was a shovel laying on the ground. "You Stupid DOG!!She grabbed it and swung the shovel as hard as she could at one of the dog's face. The dog let out a yelp and ran back to the house and the other followed.

"Lara are you okay ?" Merry asked still sitting in the shed. He was going to get out to help her but she didn't let him. Farmer Maggot came out carrying his pocket knife.

"Whats going on out here Lara!?!" He yelled at her. She tried covering the bite.

"I was just throwing something out and the dogs came." she lied.

"Well I hope you learned your lesson! You better have that bite cleaned up by tommorow!" he scolded her. He then went back inside the house. Lara started walking to her shed. She opened the door. Merry saw her arm and hand full of blood. There was a bucket of water and a rag in the corner of the shed. he grabbed it and started helping Lara. As he was helping her, she was about to cry but she stopped herself. Merry looked at her.

"Pippin was right. Why don't you live with your parents? It would be a lot better than here." He started telling her. She looked up at him

"I would if they were alive." she explained.

"I'm sorry. Its just..... why did you choose to live here?" He asked.

"The last time I seen my parents was when I was seven years old. Well.... that was what I was told." SHe sighed and started to explain. "I woke up in an orphanage and the nurse told me that they had found me knock out in the forest. I had hitten my head on a rock and they were wondering how I got in the forest for that to happen. They told me my parents were killed." Lara was starting to cry. "They told me I lost my memory. I don't even remember my last name. I dont remember how my parents look. It's like I've never had a family. I got tired living in an orphanage. I lived there for about eight years. When I turned Fifteen I ran away and ended up here. I've been living here for three years. I'll never have a family and I'll never be happy." She kept crying. Merry watched her cry but finished wrapping her hand.

"There I'm done." Merry told her. Her head was down and she started hugging her knees. Her stomeache growled again. "OH! that reminds me!" He reached into his pockets and took out the bread roll and apples. "I brought these for you." he told her, handing her the food. Lara looked up and stared at the food.

"Why did you bring me these?" she asked before she was going to take the food.

"I felt bad that Pippin and I cost you your supper. Here take them you need to eat." He explained. She wiped her eyes and took the food. Merry watched her eat. Lara looked up at him and smiled. He smiled back.

"Thank you very much." she told him. Merry was getting ready to leave. "Will I see you again tommorow? It's kind of nice to have someone to talk to." she explained.

"Well do you still want to go with Pippin to Bilbo's Birthday celebration?" He asked her. She gave him a worried look.

"I want to go with him but I can't leave this farm. How will I get there?" she asked. "I also have nothing to wear." Merry laughed.

"I'll bring you something to wear tommorow. Pip and I will come pick you up tommorow night at this time. Farmer Maggot will be asleep at this time tommorow. He wont even know your gone" He explained. Lara smiled

"Okay. I guess I'll see you tommorow night." she said excited. Merry was putting his coat on until he saw Lara starting to shiver. He saw she had nothing to keep warm with. So he took his coat and handed it to her.

"Here take it you'll need it." He told her. She took the coat and stared at him.

"Your a very kind person. Thank You." she told him.

"Well I best be going. Goodnight." he said and started walking off.

"Goodnight" she whispered. She watched as he turned around and waved........