Frodo forced himself to continue moving, his eyes fixated on the next step above him. Some inner reserve provided the strength to go on, blindly following Gollum as he moved swiftly up the rocks. Sam followed closely behind him, cautiously moving upwards, his face carefully averted from the sheer drop below. Frodo turned back to look at him, reassured by his presence. Sam would always be there for him. He reached up for the next ledge, his fingers tightly gripping the stone, and he began to step upwards. He placed one foot on the step and as he pulled the other, his foot slipped.

"Careful master! Careful!" Gollum's voice reached his ears, but he could scarcely make out the words.

No!

A voice cried out within him, whether it was his mind or the Ring he could not be sure, but he grasped the rock and held on, barely keeping his grip as he pulled himself back up. A low hiss of breath caught his ear, and he turned once again to Sam, who returned a quiet sigh of relief. He turned back to see Gollum looking down at him from a ledge just above them, crouching at the brink.

"Very far to fall." He murmured, staring past them with pale eyes. "Very dangerous on the stairs..."

Frodo felt suddenly weary, unable to force himself any farther. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself, his mind clouding with exhaustion. He willed himself to move his hand, and clutched the ledge, falling forward against the stairs.

"Come, master." Gollum called to him, and he pulled himself upwards. The Ring swung on its chain, falling out from under his shirt, revealed in the flickering light from the mountain. He shuddered, hearing again the dark voices which whispered to him in the deep of night, calling him, promising him all that he desired, if only he would take It for himself. Gollum's eyes brightened suddenly, gleaming with an unnatural light.

"Come to Sméagol!" His finger moved across, towards Frodo, whispers sounding in his ears. Frodo was dimly aware of what was going on, struggling to get up, gasping for breath.

Sam heaved himself up, mentally coaching himself onward. Nearly there, Samwise. Don't give up on yourself now. As he paused behind Frodo, he saw Gollum, his long fingers nearly touching the Ring. Frodo was leaning against the rock, his breath coming in shallow gasps. It's got him. Sam thought, and whether he meant the Ring or Gollum he wasn't sure.

"Mister Frodo!" he called out, and Gollum lunged forward, as though awakening form a dream. "Get back, you! Don't touch him!" Sam shouted, and drew his sword with his free hand. Gollum frowned, and then turned back to Frodo. Sam's heartbeats thudded in his ears as Gollum reached forward...

Frodo felt Gollum's fingers close on his arm, and relief spread through his body as he relaxed against the welcome aid. Gollum pulled him up, and he collapsed, his entire body trembling as his eyes fluttered in an effort to retain consciousness. He breathed heavily, the voice of the Ring echoing in his ears. Vaguely, he realized that he was clasping the Ring, Gollum's voice ringing faintly above him.

"Why does he hates poor Sméagol?! What has Sméagol ever done to him?!" Gollum sneered at Sam, who sheathed his sword, his face twisted in a mask of loathing and suspicion. He watched as Gollum scrambled to Frodo's side, and his heart ached with pain. You should be there, Samwise, that ain't his place. Calling him master. He's a villain...

Frodo could hardly catch his breath, his eyes burning with tears as he tried to fight the call of the Ring. No. One word, over and over in his mind, a single thread that he clung to, straining against the growing will that promised rest for his weary soul.

"Master..."

Frodo heard Gollum's voice from a distance, and he listened to it, clinging to consciousness. The once cold voice was now gentle, and he felt the faint touch of fingers on his arm.

"Master carries a heavy burden...Sméagol knows...Heavy, heavy burden..." Gollum's voice was soft, and Frodo turned reddened eyes to look at him, burning with exhaustion and tears. He could feel the weight of the Ring dragging him down, and he heard Gollum's words with relief. Yes... heavy. Gollum. He has borne it, he knows...Frodo thought wearily. A sound came from behind them, and Gollum looked swiftly at Sam's figure rising over the edge. "Fat one cannot know." He whispered, laying himself down beside Frodo, his pale eyes searching. "Let Sméagol look after master." He looked again at Sam. "He wants It. He needs It, Sméagol sees it in his eyes!"

Frodo, who had barely heard Gollum before, heard his last words with a rush of fury. No! It's mine! My own! He cannot take It! His grip tightened on the Ring, and he stared back at Gollum with suspicion in his eyes. It's true...he thought as he stared at him. Why else would he have offered to come along...Frodo closed his eyes, another voice stirring within himself. Because he cares for you. Sam has never been anything but your friend, before you had the Ring...

Gollum saw the doubt in Frodo eyes and hissed quietly. "Very soon he will ask you for It! You will see!"

Confusion clouded Frodo's mind, and he looked away. He's wrong, Sam's my friend. He would never try to take It...his breathing quickened as the Ring whispered to his tormented soul. Do you think he does not also desire it? Would he allow it to fall into the fire? No!

"The fat one will take It from you!" Gollum whispered furtively. Frodo whirled around, his grip on the Ring tightening protectively. He searched Sam's face, and the concern he saw there twisted into hunger, his gentle eyes glaring as they locked on the one thing he sought to preserve. He wants It...Frodo drew back in hatred and revulsion from the figure struggling to climb up beside them. Gollum had been right, since the beginning. It was not Sam-it had never been Sam who was his friend, only Gollum. It was Sam who wanted it, who hungered for it and called to him from the darkness of sleep. His eyes, red from exhaustion and suffering widened as the whispers resounded in his ears.

It was him...