Title: Despair (12/16)
Author: Niphrandl
Rating: PG13

Characters: Gandalf, Frodo, Boromir, Aragorn, Pippin, Merry, Sam, Legolas, Gimli
Summary: This story takes place after Gandalf confronts the Balrog on the Bridge of Khazad-dûm and before the fellowship reaches Lothlorien. It is told from Frodo's POV initially.
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. I make no money nor do I receive any public recognition for writing this. This is just my bit of fan fiction. Thanks Easterlily!

Despair Chapter 12

I awoke once again to screams.

My screams.

Someone was holding me down. I opened my eyes. All I could see were shadows. Someone was saying something but I could not make it out. It was like being underwater.

Drowning!

I started kicking and screaming again.

I was drowning! No. Not drowning, I can breathe. How can that be? I blinked a couple of times and tried to focus on a shadow right above me. Sam's face came into view.

"S...Sam?" I managed. My mouth felt like it was filled with cotton. I realized I was drenched from head to toe.

"What..?" I looked up at Sam.

"Mr. Strider says it was a seizure. He and Mr. Legolas went off to find some herb they say will keep it from happening again."

"Thirsty..." I said and tried to swallow.

Sam helped me sit up and held the cup while I drank; gulping the cool water down.

"Slow down Frodo or you'll make yourself sick again." He pulled the cup away.

I took a few deep breaths feeling a slight pain from my bout with the cave troll. I
looked up at Sam pleadingly. "More?" I asked.

"All right," Sam replied "But little sips this time. Take it in slowly."

He brought the cup to my lips and I sipped until the cup was empty.

He helped me lay back down. I felt weak as a newborn hobbit. I closed my eyes
and tried to sleep but found I couldn't.

It seemed as if sounds were getting louder. My head started to hurt more with the increased noise. I put my hands over my ears to try and block the noise out, but it didn't work. The noise increased until I could stand it no longer.

"STOP IT!!" I heard myself scream. Then my body went stiff and darkness swallowed me.

Sams POV.

I looked up when I heard Strider come back.

He looked at Frodo and asked, "How's he doing? Has he woke up yet?"

"Yes" I replied "he was thirsty so I gave him something to drink."

Aragorn gave me an odd look. "I wish you hadn't done that" he said. "It could cause problems....."

We heard Frodo scream. He was sitting up with his hands over his ears. He looked like he was in excruciating pain. Then he threw out his arms and collapsed back on the bedroll. His back arched up and his arms and legs jerked spasmodically.

"Another seizure". Aragorn said as he ran past me.

I was rooted to the spot.

"Legolas," Aragorn said "help me, roll him on his side."

As Legolas did that Aragorn rolled up a piece of cloth and wedged it between Frodo's teeth. "That should keep him from biting his tongue." He said.

Merry came up to me, "This one looks bad" he said, "Worse than that first one!"

"What's wrong with him Merry?" I asked. "Why is he doing that?"

"I don't know Sam. It might have something to do with that bump on the head he got."

I watched as Frodo's body jerked with each spasm, I was overcome with despair. I started to sink to my knees. Merry helped me sit down.

"He's going to die, isn't he?" I said.

"NO, he isn't going to die! Aragorn and Legolas will help him." Merry stated.

I jumped to my feet then. "He is going to die! Look, his face is turning blue!!" I
yelled. I ran at Aragorn. "Help him!" I yelled. "Do something!! He's dying!!!" Aragorn stopped me and held me at arms length. "We're doing all we can for him right now" he said. "Gimli, take Sam away from here!"

I let the dwarf lead me away. There was nothing I could do.

Frodo was dying and there was nothing I could do for him.

"He's coming out of it" I heard Legolas say.

I turned around and looked at them. Sure enough Frodo seemed to be relaxing.
He wasn't jerking anymore. He was breathing, rapidly, but he was breathing all the same! His face was starting to pink up again. Then without warning, he vomited. All that he had drunk came back up in 4 great heaves. So that is why Aragorn didn't want him to drink anything I thought to myself.

"Is he going to be ok?" I asked hopefully.

"We'll do everything we can for him Sam." Aragorn said. "But right now it's up to him. Legolas go and prepare those herbs that we found while Sam and I get Frodo cleaned up."

Legolas nodded and got up. He picked up the herbs and walked away.

"I'm sorry Mr. Strider; I didn't know giving him water would harm him." I said.

"It's all right Sam. It's just that sometimes after a seizure like that people will vomit. It can be dangerous if they are not on their sides like we had Frodo." Aragorn said carefully unbuttoning Frodo's wet shirt.

"But don't worry, you did not cause this. It would have happened regardless."

I breathed a small sigh of relief. "Will it happen again?" I asked.

"I don't know Sam" Aragorn said. "If we can get Frodo to take those herbs that Legolas and I found, it should keep this from happening again. We'll just have to wait and see."

I sat back as Aragorn finished washing Frodo up. I looked at his face. It was pale but it bore a peaceful look like he was in a deep peaceful sleep. I prayed that that was just what it was.

TBC…