A/N: Oh my GOD, it's really hard to write and listen to Jason Mraz ::drool:: at the same time...especially when you can't help but sing along with the CD at the top of your lungs...::massages brain::

Who needs shelter from the sun...

OH, GOD, MAKE IT STOP!! I MEAN...NOOOO LEAVE IT ON!!!

I'll just go now, shall I? ::slinks away::

::comes back and snatches the CD, then slinks away again:: Hey, cool, he's talking to a chicken....

Chapter Six: Explanations

Sam stared at the figure with the disheveled hair and wrinkled clothes, curled into a ball in the chair across from his master. Except for Rose (who was at the moment visiting her father), he was not accustomed to seeing women in the house, least of all young ones. The prospect of a strange girl in his house had him frightened for two reasons: firstly, Frodo, as generous as he was, was not one to aid strangers without a valid reason, and a reason, at that, that would have been made known to Sam; secondly, this girl's eyes were boring into him with a gentle ferocity he had almost forgotten was possible in a person. Neither of these reasons for fear, however, were going to answer the question of why Frodo was sitting in the kitchen with her, which was really what had surprised him when he'd ambled in.

Frodo, on the other hand, could see that Emily was not going to speak any time soon, and so took charge of settling Sam's confusion.

"This is Emily, Sam. She's going to be staying here for a while."

Emily, who had until now remained silent, preoccupied with her knee, jumped so quickly she nearly fell off the chair. "I am?" Last night's discussion with Frodo had not included any mention of how long she would be staying. It had been on Frodo's mind, but after two cups of tea Emily had started to fall asleep at the table and the idea had been neglected.

Frodo winked at her, giving her a look that plainly said, "Duh," and turned back to Sam, who was looking back and forth between himself and Emily, clearly confused. "Oh, come on, Sam...haven't you seen a girl before?" Frodo grinned at him, amused. "Here...go on and make us all breakfast; then we'll sort things out and I'll tell you why there's one in the kitchen," he laughed.

Breakfast was very enjoyable, and though Sam's cooking was remarkably good, with an abundance of eggs and sausages, Emily only picked at her food. After several minutes of urging her to eat and failing, Frodo finally gave up, figuring that she would eat if she was hungry, and held himself to his promise to explain everything. Hoping he could provoke Emily explaining herself as well, he addressed her more often than Sam, telling Sam simply that he'd found her in a tree the night before, wearing only a towel, and he was not about to let her freeze to death.

Sam looked good-naturedly across at Emily and asked, gently, but still obviously surprised, "You were naked?"

Emily blushed. "I came out of the shower."

"Didn't you have any clothes?"

"No." Frodo could sense Emily becoming rather uncomfortable with the fact that she'd been found without clothing, and she had good reason to be. Trying to prevent Sam from embarrassing her even more, he steered the conversation towards where he'd left off with her before breakfast.

"She knows, Sam."

"Knows what?"

"Everything." Frodo looked at Emily for verification, and she nodded. "About this," he said, indicating the Red Book.

Sam looked startled. "But...it's not finished yet!"

"I know, Sam. But she knows. We were discussing it when you came in. Apparently there is a book that mentions this one." Frodo nodded at Emily as if to tell her he was not going to tell her story for her, and she looked at Sam, resigned to telling her story again. She told Sam what she had already told Frodo about Lord of the Rings, then about the franchise of films and action figures, which neither of them understood. She concluded with a nervous "The weird thing is, they looked exactly like you."

By now, both Frodo and Sam were thoroughly spooked.

It was Frodo, once again, who broke the silence. "Then-- you knew who Samwise was, I trust?"

Emily looked slightly apologetic. "I did, yeah." She looked at Sam and grinned. "You're everything I thought you were."

Sam didn't quite know how to take that. Frodo nudged him. "It's a compliment, Sam."

"Oh."

Emily giggled.

As Emily and the two Hobbits cleared the table later, their conversation turned to the subject of getting Emily some other clothes. Sam suggested going down to Bagshot Row and "borrowing" something of his sisters'.

"I'm sure the Gaffer kept some of May and Daisy's old clothes from when they was teens. I don't think they'll mind givin' 'em away too much. You're right about that size, I think," he told Emily. Frodo agreed.

Frodo went to see Sam out the door, and Emily, not surprisingly, followed. "You coming?" he asked her.

"No, thanks." Frodo waved Sam off and shut the door. "He'll be a while; the Gaffer always finds something for him to do at the house." He chuckled. "I suppose you'll be pleased to change out of my old rags, eh?"

Emily looked down at the old clothes of Frodo's she was wearing and noticed for the first time that there was a ragged rip near the left sleeve, with a faint brown stain that looked like it could once have been blood. Frodo must have worn this when he had been stabbed. There was another hole slightly under the collar. Shelob? Her heart was pounding again. Frodo's voice cut into her thoughts.

"...settled, I'll find an extra comb for you..." He walked away through the hall and left her standing by the door. So that was it, she was staying. She shook her head and looked up at the ceiling, fighting the urge to pinch herself. She hoped her stay would be indefinite.

Ok, people, this chapter took me 6 HOURS! ::astonished mumbles:: Yes, yes, I know...I'm a slow thinker...that was two complete Jason Mraz's, plus an IM, plus having to give my mom the computer for five minutes...and THEN, those cute things I used as dividers ran away somewhere and I had to find something new ( it took me ten minutes before I realized the quickeditor has a page break button) ::cries:: so much torture to my precious eyes! But for once, I have the next chapter completely planned out already! And because I feel generous tonight, I'll give you a heads up on what it involves :-D

Two words: SNOWBALL FIGHT

That's all for now, folks! Damn, I'm incredibly, incredibly evil.

New chapter very soon! Before Wednesday, I hope, which is when HIGHSCHOOL (nooooooo!!!!) starts, and then I have to crunch for time on weekends, if I'm even allowed on the computer at all, which right now isn't likely.

Anyway, much love to all, I will be back soon!