Red String
'Til We Meet Again
The rest of the party went smoothly. Merry and Pippin had appointed themselves as the guardians for Miranda and Frodo. They stayed near them, making sure that no other man or woman came up to get the two apart. Miranda found it all quiet funny, where Frodo seemed nearly annoyed with the whole ploy. The two had gotten some time by their selves before the party was over though; nearly hiding in one of the corners. When the party was over they returned to their carriage; Merry, Pippin and Miranda fell asleep on the way home, giving Frodo some quiet time to think about what had happened that night.
~*~
"It's been a month and you two are still here." Miranda sighed and rubbed her head as Merry and Pippin sat at the kitchen table. "I mean, don't you two have business back in Buckland?"
"Frodo's family, so that counts as family business." Pippin said, waving his spoon around as if it were a scepter. "We have to make sure everyone in our family is happy, right? And well, seeing how Frodo is, perhaps we'll leave in a few days." He replaced his spoon in his morning meal and took a big bite. "But then again, I do wish I knew why that Pearl was snooping around like one of those raccoons that Sam had to deal with." Pippin mentioned; Samwise looked up from his cooking in the kitchen, eyeing Pippin with a suspicious look. "No offense, Sam."
"And in other news." Merry changed the subject and looked at Miranda. "When are you leaving back for Buckland anyways?" Miranda blushed slightly. "I'm sure it won't be long before your monstrous cave trolls of family in laws you have come back."
"Well, I'll go back whenever I am called for." Miranda said. "After all, I am under orders by my Aunt to be here and look after Frodo. So I suppose that whenever my Aunt sends for me is when I returned back to Buckland…I just hope Frodo will be well when I leave." She looked down at the cup in her hands.
"Don't you worry, Ms. Miranda." Sam comforted and came over, patting her shoulder. "Mr. Frodo is the best I've seen him since we've returned from Gondor, I'm sure he'll be fine."
"Maybe it'll inspire him to come back to Buckland some more." Pippin winked at Miranda who replied with a dark blush. "Oh come off it, Miranda, we all know you two are in a secret love romance that's hidden from everyone outside Bag End!" Sam's eyebrows raised and Pippin remembered that Sam didn't know that – or at least he didn't say anything if he did. "Well, perhaps it isn't that entire secret, but I don't hear any rumors around Hobbiton about it."
"Probably because Miranda's Aunt is much respected and Frodo is too? Come on, Pip, think about it." Merry rolled his eyes, nudging his cousin with his spoon. "I mean, truly, Miranda, think about it. You two are a rather brilliant couple, and as long as you stay here in Hobbiton then you'll be fine together. Now it's the complete opposite in Buckland, especially with my in laws."
"Well it's good to know that I'm not the only one that dislikes my in laws." Miranda smiled. She took a sip of her cocoa as the door to Bag End opened. Frodo stepped inside with Rosie following them, some bags in her arms. Rosie came into the kitchen and placed the bags down on the table. Merry and Pippin looked at each other then at Rosie with their eyebrows raised in wonder. Sam also looked at her suspiciously. Frodo entered the kitchen as he took off his scarf and stood behind Miranda, kissing her hair. She smiled at him and offered him a drink of her cocoa, which he accepted.
"What's this, some kind of banquet?!" Pippin exclaimed as he pulled food out of the bags. "My good! Merry look, it's at all of it!"
"It is for the rest of the month, you've two have eaten us out of pantry and hole!" Rosie said, shaking her finger at the two. "I am surprised that Brandyhall can supply food for everyone, especially since both of you are living there!" Sam laughed softly and began to put the food away. Merry and Pippin looked at each other then snuck out of the room to hide from the wrathful Rosie. Miranda giggled and moved over on the bench as Frodo sat beside her wordlessly.
Frodo placed down the cup and looked at Miranda. She smiled and he returned a small one, taking one of her hands in his. Miranda tilted her head and he kisses her softly, uncaring if Sam or Rosie where there to see. Miranda kissed him back just as soft. Rosie smiled at the two, clapping her hands together. Miranda and Frodo looked over at her beaming face and smiled weakly. There was a knock at the door and Sam went to answer.
He opened the door and then closed it a moment later, holding a letter in his hand. He came into the kitchen and held it out to Miranda. Miranda looked at him oddly and took the letter, flipping it over to see that it was addressed to her from Buckland. She opened the seal quickly and grabbed the letter, reading over it. Frodo waited along with the others and he saw a long frown develop on her face. He looked at her question as Miranda turned to him.
"Aunt Lilly wants me back." She said softly. Sam frowned and looked at Rosie, who had the same look. Both turned to see Frodo looking at Mira, his face unreadable where as his eyes held a slight shock and a sadness. Miranda saw the sadness and put her letter down, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. Frodo wrapped his arms around her and laid his head against hers, holding onto her. Sam looked down, the two were holding each other as if she were asked to go to war or help with a stricken plague. He had never been able to guess that the two were so connected, tied together already. Once again it seemed to Sam that they both shared the same pain in that instant moment, and both could feel each other's pain.
~*~
"You are sure it is no trouble?" Miranda asked as she looked up at Merry and Pippin. Merry nodded and waited a moment to finish chewing his food.
"Of course we will take you home with us, Miranda, and we can leave tomorrow, seeing how you Aunt wants you back as soon as possible." Merry said, picking up his tea glass and sipping some of it. "It's sad though, you and Frodo were becoming really close….seems like you forgot about the promise you made me and went on a head with it, huh?"
"Promise….?" Miranda asked thinking, and then it came to her. "Well, I suppose…it just, felt natural." Merry and Pippin stopped and looked at her oddly. "Being with Frodo, I mean…it's, well it is just so right feeling inside to be around him. To comfort him and help him as well, it just feels….right."
"Hmmm." Pippin thought, looking up at the ceiling. "Right huh? Prefect? Sounds like we got a couple with a red string here, Merry." He looked at his cousin who smiled and nodded broadly. "I mean, if they both feel prefect around each other, then who is to say that they aren't?"
"How do you know that's how Frodo feels?" Miranda asked.
"I know Frodo." Merry said, placing down his cup. "He doesn't just attach and let his feelings so openly out to a woman like that, Mira. He does really care about you, I'm sure you know this, but if he allows you to know parts of his quest that even Pippin and I do not know, then he must value you highly."
"Love." Pippin said. "I think that is the word you are looking for, Merry." He looked at Miranda. "He's right, about Frodo. Personally, from what I hear, I think you both were attracted to each other the first day you met, Miranda. And besides, Frodo may come and visit us over the summer and we'll make sure he stops by, promise."
Miranda looked down at her cup sadly. That summer maybe the last time she sees Frodo, for she was confident that he was sailing into the West along with his dear Uncle and the Elves. Merry, Pippin, Sam, Rosie…none of them knew, only she did. She must be special to him if he told her that, even more than she at first thought. She looked up as Frodo hands came onto her shoulders. Miranda looked up at him, smiling. He squeezed her shoulders and kissed her forehead sadly. Merry and Pippin looked at each other, knowing they had gone into something deeper than they thought they had.
~*~
"Come again, come visit us." Rosie asked as she hugged Miranda. They all stood outside Bag End, the carriage waiting to take the Bucklanders home. Miranda nodded and hugged Sam next.
"Thank you Master Gamgee for letting me stay." She smiled. Sam smiled back, knowing that she meant "thank you for letting me be close to Frodo". He patted her shoulder.
Miranda stopped in front of Frodo. He looked down at her and she looked up at him. They embraced each other tightly, and as Merry and Pippin watched them, they were reminded of the woman who let their men go to war in Rohan and Gondor. They turned away at the sight, seeing the heart break the two were showing. They did care about each other much deeper than any one of them could have even begin to imagine.
Frodo pulled her away slightly, holding her chin in his hand and moving his thumb in soft circles on her cheek. Miranda smiled sadly and hugged him again. Frodo looked at her wordlessly after their embrace then kissed her lovingly. Miranda wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him tightly and close as she returned the kiss. They slowly parted and Miranda headed down Bag End's steps and entered the carriage. The door closed and they all watched as the carriage headed its way to Buckland.
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A/N: I AM FINALLY through my writers block! I have gotten to the part that everyone is waiting for along with me! It may take about two more chapters for everyone' question about the Gray Havens to be answered, but it shall be answered! Thank you for waiting through my horrible writers block, I love you guys. Hopefully this was longer than the last chapter. ^^