Woah! It's been a while hasn't it? Sorry guys I'm taking some of my GCSE's a year early and my teachers just LOVE giving out coursework and homework that covers my kitchen table! Anyway I'll try and update more often, but no promises. As always thanks for all the reviews, they mean a lot to me.

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*This is Gollum / Smeagol's evil side*

*This is Gollum / Smeagol's good side*

'Anybody else's thoughts'

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Gollum's Redemption

Sam felt his head start to spin and he struggled to focus on Smeagol's face, it looked almost the same as Gollum's not of the creatures hobbit form. In place of the deep lines of hatred that Gollum's face was covered with where patches of naivety and innocence that didn't suit Sam's feelings of the body. Smeagol's body was constantly fading in and out of visibility and a few times Sam had to look twice to see if his body was actually still there.

"Why am I here?", Sam demanded, meaning to sound harsh and in control but he was disgusted to discover his voice actually came out as little more than a nervous squeak. Smeagol cocked his head on one side and crouched down, looking at his hands with great interest.

"You do not like me Samwise", Smeagol commented simply, Sam opened his mouth to speak but could think of no reply to the comment.

"Why do you not like me Samwise?", Smeagol asked, looking closely at his hands and frowning, Sam licked his lips which had gone very dry and tried to voice his thoughts. No matter how he looked at it he couldn't justify his hatred of Smeagol, Gollum yes but Smeagol was the gentler, naive personality and he had never done anything to Sam.

"It doesn't matter", Smeagol said suddenly, getting up from his awkward crouched position, "You cannot stay here forever, Frodo, Pippin and Merry will be worried about you, but don't think it is over Sam, it is only just beginning".

"What do you mean?", Sam called, sitting up suddenly and finding himself back in reality with Frodo, Merry and Pippin all crouching beside him with troubled and worried looks covering their little hobbit faces. Gollum was stood to the side, looking slightly out of it but mostly his normal self.

"What does who mean Sam?", Frodo asked, helping Sam sit up, "Are you all right? You just collapsed". Sam found his head was still spinning and he groaned in pain.

"I'm fine Mister Frodo, I don't suppose I got much sleep last night and it all caught up with me", Sam lied, after all he couldn't turn around and tell the others that he had been talking to Gollum's 'good' personality in a void could he? They would think he was mad, either that or trying to get sympathy to back up his hatred of Gollum. Frodo frowned in disbelief and helped Sam to his feet, his eyes still glistening with concern.

"Shouldn't you sit down for a wee bit", Pippin asked as Sam stumbled precariously forward, trying to regain the use of his legs again.

"No, no, no", Sam protested, "I told you, I'm fine. Let's keep going before one of those blasted wraiths catches up with us or we meet an Orc". As he said this he raised his eyes and they met with Gollum's.

*You cannot escape your thoughts Sam*, a voice invaded his head and made him cringe with pain, he gritted his teeth and struggled against the urge to cry out in agony.

'I don't intend on escaping my thoughts, why are you in my head?', Sam thought angrily to himself, hoping it was someway for him to communicate with Smeagol. He couldn't understand why he and that creature were sharing thoughts, should it not be Frodo and Smeagol? After all, both were under the influence of the ring.

"Well if you're up to it then I say we get moving", Merry said, hoping to make the atmosphere less icy, "Smeagol...lead the way". With a last meaningful glance at Sam, Smeagol scampered forward and over the rocks, heading towards the top of the rocky outcrop they had been climbing for the last day or so but still hadn't reached the summit of.

'Why is he in my head', Sam mused thoughtfully, trying to understand the entire situation and go over it in his head, 'First everyone wants to give Smeagol a chance and he's been acting almost normal for the past few days, then he has that nightmare, I argue with Frodo and now I can hear Smeagol's thoughts'

*And I can hear yours Samwise*, a voice suddenly commented from the back of Sam's mind and pushing his thoughts into pandemonium. Again Sam gritted his teeth, this time the pain was pulsating through his head like a numbing drill that wanted to purge him off all thoughts except the ones Smeagol put into his head.

*No Samwise that isn't true, you must think as well, I simply push you mind in directions to seek the answers*, Smeagol whispered.

'How can you know the answers? What are you talking about?', Sam demanded, almost becoming distressed in his need to discover what was going on in his head and why.

*If I told you that it would spoil the the game wouldn't it Samwise?*, Smeagol asked.

'This isn't a game!', Sam cursed angrily in his head, and following that there was silence...cold and unforgiving silence...

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I'm not convinced this chapter runs very smoothly and I'm not very happy with the way I've put it together so I'm sorry, I'll edit it and repost it if necessary.