Disclaimer: ::Looks around:: Um. Nope. Don't own em. I can barely afford to pay my credit card bills. LOL. I may have to get rid of my enhanced stats. ::screams:: Wish I owned em.....

Hai Took-Yay for Sam!! That flashback was actually part of a chapter that I was too lazy to finish. Pippin will never change cause he's PIPPIN! He'll get along with them. I think....nine or ten. I don't really remember. It was tooo long ago.

Xena-Poor Pippin and Merry. I make hobbits sick a lot, I just realized. And one of my readers commented I have a lot of parties. Well, I do. LOL. B-days are fun to write. Pippin is cute. :-P A for Sam's speaking, most of the language except for almost all of the flashback, was done by Ianar. She took what I had originally written and changed it to Sam speak and still managed to keep the meaning!!!! Frodo's coming! Yippee!!!

LOTR Board Comments-

Curse you and your cliffhangers! Can't wait!-Evermind (::giggles evily:: Mwhahahahahaha!!!)

::sits wide eyed waiting:: That was great, I don't like the two sister much though. Who is it?? I'm dying to know. Is it Gandalf?-Belladonna Took (And....you'll have to see. Although by now, you already know!)

TWO DAYS...he was stuck in his room for two days??? Gee, his da is hard on him don't you think! Especially since the sister can be such brats!- agape4rivendell (Haha...yes, I do think. That's why I changed it. :-P author's purgative.)

Thanks again to Ianer for the "Sam" help, the little he speaks here..LOL..

Chapter Six-Birthday Greetings

Pippin sat sully in a chair in his father's study. Paladin sat in the chair across from him. "Now, son, your mother tells me you were causing trouble in the kitchen today..."

"No, Father..."

"Pippin, do not interrupt," Paladin said in a stern voice he rarely used with his son.

Pippin nodded and leaned back in the chair.

"As your mother and sisters tell me, you were bothering Pearl and Pervinca while they were trying to make your cake. We've talked about this, Pippin. You know how those two are about you hanging about. Now, why were you there? I want to hear your side of things before I dole out punishments."

Pippin sighed. "I just wanted to help! I wanted to see my cake before everyone else. I thought maybe if I helped then Pearl and Pervinca would like me. I just wanted to help, Father. Vinca told me to put the bowl down and I should've, but why wouldn't they let me help?"

Paladin frowned at the tears that were forming in his son's eyes. "I don't know, son, but they don't like you hanging about. That doesn't mean they don't like you. You are their brother and they love you."

"No, they don't. They are always so mean to me. They never want me around and they never have a nice word to say to me."

"Pippin, I will talk to them about that later. You say that Pervinca told you to put the bowl down?"

"Yes. And...and Pearl told me to leave, but I didn't."

Paladin patted his son's knee as the boy wiped his tears. "No, you didn't. You should've though. You know that when your mother and I aren't around, your sisters are in charge. You should've listened to Pearl. You're to stay in your room for the rest of the night and inside the Smial until your party in two days."

"But, Father, I didn't mean it! I really didn't!"

Paladin held up a hand. "I understand that, but the fact of the matter is, you should've listened to Pearl. I'm very disappointed you didn't."

Pippin hung his head. He hadn't meant to disappoint his father. "I'm sorry, Father."

Paladin gathered the boy into his lap and hugged him close. "I don't want to be mean, Pippin, but I think the more you do what you sisters tell you and the more you stay out of their hair, the better things will be, alright?"

"I guess so. Father, will you make them be nice to me?" He looked up at his dear father. He wanted so much to be loved by his older sisters. He hated how they treated him. "When they are mean to me, it makes me feel like I'm not even real. Like I don't even exist in their world. I want to though. I...I love them."

Paladin kissed his son's head. "I will most definitely talk to them. I don't like how they treat you any better then you do."

"You talk to them all the time, Father. It doesn't seem to do any good, I'm sorry to say."

"No, it doesn't but maybe if I talk to them and tell them you promise to stay out of their hair and do as they say, they'll be nicer to you."

Pippin looked up at his father. "You think so? I hope so."

"Me too." He kissed his son's head.

Pippin suddenly remembered Frodo's letter. "Oh, Father! Frodo wrote. He's coming to the party. I invited Sam, too. You don't mind, do you?"

"Now why would I mind? That Sam Gamgee is a good lad. His father is doing a fine job raising him. I'm glad you've made friends with him."

Pippin crawled out of his father's lap. "Me too. I just wish he wouldn't call me Mr. Pippin."

Paladin smiled. "Yes, but he was raised to be a proper lad and proper lads address their superiors correctly."

"I'm not superior to Sam. He's ten years older then me! I don't want to be superior to anyone. I don't like titles."

"Neither do I, Pippin-lad," Paladin said with a chuckle. Maybe together we can break him of that habit. Even if it takes years."

Pippin nodded. "Do I have to go to my room now, Father?"

"Yes, yes you do. Your mother will bring your dinner around. Off you go." Paladin stood up and led his son to the door.

"Good night, Father."

"Good night, son."

Paladin closed the door behind his only son. He sat in a chair by the fire and sighed. "My dear children."

Pippin sat on his bed, reading through the book Bilbo had given him at his party last year. It had been the 'big party' and Pippin had been in attendance when his cousin had disappeared. He would miss Bilbo this year when Frodo had his party.

His head went up at the sound of a soft knock on his door. "Come in."

Tine peeked her head in. "Hello, son. I've brought your dinner."

He laid the book to the side. "Thank you."

Tine sat next to him on the bed as he attacked his dinner. She watched her little lad closely. She couldn't see why her two daughters had to constantly treat their dear brother like a stranger. He had a kind heart and just wanted their love.

"Mother?" His soft voice broke her from her thoughts.

"Sorry, love, I was just thinking." She kissed her son's head. "I'll be back to get your dishes in a bit."

Pippin nodded. "Mother, I'm sorry I cause so much trouble."

"It's not all your fault, Pippin love. I know how those two treat you sometimes. Don't worry. They'll see your value someday."

"Mother, did I really ruin my cake? I will have one, won't I?"
"Yes, love. You'll have a cake. I wouldn't let you go without now would I?" She brushed a stray lock of hair off his head. "Finish your dinner now." She kissed him again and left the room.

Pippin sighed and leaned back in his bed. His family had been happy and at peace until he came. He knew his parents loved him, but he couldn't help, and think of how much better things would be for his sisters if he wasn't there. For a moment, he considered running away right then and there but then he remembered Nel. She loved him and wasn't afraid to tell him so. "I'll stay for you, Nelly," he said as he finished his dinner. "Besides, I'm having a party in a few days."

Two days later, Pippin fidgeted as his father tried to dress him. "Hold still, son. Come on now."

"I'm sorry, Father. I'm just excited."

Paladin chuckled. "The way you're acting, you'd think you'd never had a party before."

"This is the first party you're letting me greet my guests alone. I guess that's why I'm excited and nervous."

Paladin ruffled his son's wayward curls. "Well, I think you're as ready as can be. Come on now. Your guests will be arriving soon."

Pippin ran out of the room and outside. It was a nice day so the party was going to be held just outside their hobbit hole. He bounced from foot to foot, looking up the lane for the first cart carrying his guests to arrive. He glanced at the table he had set up with his gifts. He hoped everyone liked what he'd given them. As he was just a lad, he didn't have much, but he poured a lot of thought into each one.

The first cart came up the lane. Pippin recognized his cousin at once. "Mother, Frodo's here! With Sam!"

The cart came to a stop and Sam and Frodo both got out.

"Frodo! I'm so glad you could come." Pippin ran right into Frodo's outstretched arms.

"Me too, Pippin-lad."

After hugging his cousin, he pulled away and greeted Sam. "You as well, Sam."

"It's my pleasure, Mr. Pippin."

"Your gifts are over on the table, and you're to take yours, Sam. I heard how you wouldn't take one at Merry's party."

Sam blushed as he and Frodo went over to the table to claim their presents.

Pippin spent much of the next hour greeting his guests. He wasn't exactly proper about everything but they indulged the twelve-year-old.

Soon, everyone had arrived and Pippin was wandering through the crowd talking to his guests. Many of them commented on how much he had grown since he saw them last. He responded politely to these comments, even from those who had seen him only a few weeks before. He was quite sure he hadn't grown too much in such a short period. Regi and Ferdi overheard a few of these comments and joked that Pippin had surely gotten shorter.

About halfway through the party, Pippin began to really miss his favorite cousin. He picked at the cake his mother and Nel had made for him the night before.

"Pippin?"

He turned to see Frodo standing behind him. "Hello, Frodo. Enjoying the party? Did you like your gift? Finding enough food to fill you?"

"Pippin, you can drop the act," Frodo said with a chuckle and a wave of his hand. "You've done well. Now what's bothering you?" He sat down next to his young cousin.

"I just wish Merry was here."

Frodo put his arm around Pippin and pulled him close. "I know you do. I wish he was here too. Poor lad is all cooped up in Brandy Hall. I'm sure he feels worse than you do though, being sick and all."

"I know how that feels."

Frodo put his head on top of Pippin's. "I know you do. I'm sure he's thinking of you. I don't doubt he'll come and visit you sometime soon. Then think, you'll have him all to yourself."

Pippin smiled. "Yes, I will but it won't be the same. I only turn twelve once you know?"

"Yes, twelve is such an important year."
"Almost as important as thirty-three." Pippin nudged Frodo slightly.

"Oh, really?" The attack came too quickly to be stopped. Frodo started tickling Pippin. "Are you saying you're more important then me?"

Pippin giggled loudly. Many of the older hobbits looked over and smiled at the two before turning back to their own conversations.

"No...no...please...stop..."

Frodo released him. "So, who's more important?"

Pippin gasped for breath. "You, alright?" He laughed and hugged Frodo. "I know your coin means you'll always be there, but I rather like the real you more."

"Pippin, you have one more guest to greet," called Tine.

Pippin lifted his head off of Frodo's chest. He smiled broadly at his new guest as he ran over to greet him.