Chapter 12 "The Surprise"

Sandy could not shake these unusual feelings and senses she was getting still, Frodo all of a sudden leaned up a bit, looking around, he could see everything, he was getting his vision back after so long. "My vision...its back!" Frodo said. "Thats wonderful, im so glad!" Sandy said hugging him. She got up from the bed and looked at the window, the warmth of the sun hit her face and she took a breathe of fresh air and she could hear the soft singing of the Elves far off in a distance. "Its so beautiful here, I never expected it to be so beautiful, I was always afraid to come here, afraid that it would be the opposite of being beautiful, you know?" Sandy said. "I know, I always thought that too, Gandalf though filled my mind with beautiful descriptions of this place, and those descriptions were right, though Ive seen my fair share of beautiful places along with my journey, but this place beats them all" Frodo said smiling.

Frodo sighed again and got up walking over to Sandy and put his arm around her. "So Sandy, tell me of where you lived?" Frodo asked. "Well I lived in a place called Erolina, it was another place where hobbits could live, I know most of the hobbits lived in the Shire, but there is some who ventured there to live, a quiet place it is, full of greenery and peace" Sandy said. "That sounds really nice, so have you lived there all your life?" Frodo asked. "Yes, although my parents were shirefolk, they were born in the Shire, and before they had me, they moved to Erolina and that was where I was born, and lived all my life" Sandy said. "Your parents were shirefolk?! Thats amazing!" Frodo said. "It is, they always told me, the shire was such a lovely place, not sure of why they wanted to move, but they did, but they always keep the shire close to their hearts" Sandy said. "It is such a lovely place" Frodo said sighing again. "So tell me about your life Frodo, where you lived" Sandy asked. "Well I lived in the Shire before coming here, I was adopted by Bilbo, hes been taking care of me all my life" Frodo said. "Ohh gracious! you were adopted? what about your parents?" Sandy asked. Frodo made this look that maybe he did not want to talk about it, but Sandy was curious so he took a breathe and told her the story of his parents.

"Well, my parents had drowned back in the day, Bilbo came back to the Shire after his adventure and he had the Ring at the time, he then adopted me to inherit Bag End. Me and Bilbo are cousins, he takes good care of me, and makes sure im safe, I couldn't ask for a better cousin than Bilbo" Frodo said, a tear fell from his eyes, talking about of what happened to his parents hurt him deep in the heart, as if he just wanted to forget what happened to them and think happy thoughts and the good times. "Oh I am so sorry to hear that Frodo, I know that must of been hard for you" Sandy said hugging him. "It was, I miss them so, I miss the Shire, I wish my life would be the way it was before I ever got the Ring" Frodo said starting to cry. "Its okay Frodo, Its okay" Sandy said holding him tight. "I'm glad that I have you Sandy, I am so glad" Frodo said. "As I am glad to have you too" Sandy said.

All of a sudden Gandalf walked in with a big smile on his face and spoke "Its good to see you are well Frodo, and I see your sight is back." "It has, I am much better now, why Gandalf, why such a long grin?" Frodo asked. "No reason..." Gandalf said smiling much more. "Gandalf, your up to something, I know you are, as long as ive known you, I have grown to reconize that smile, a smile to show that your up to something" Frodo said. "Oh gracious me, can not a wizard smile that your feeling better, is there some sort of rule to say I cannot smile?" Gandalf asked laughing a bit. "I suppose not, but you are up to something, I can sense it" Frodo said laughing and looked over at Sandy who as well is smiling. "Sandy, do you know something I do not?" Frodo asked. "Noo, No, of course not, I know nothing of what your talking about" Sandy said trying to keep a straight face now. "Now you are both acting odd, come on what is it?" Frodo asked. "It's nothing Frodo..." Sandy said starting to laugh a bit. "Very well, Ill just tickle it out of you!" Frodo said tackling Sandy to the bed and tickling her. "Ohh! Frodo! ah! Thats not fair! Hahahahaha" Sandy said. "Fair? How about the fact that you and Gandalf are keeping some sort of secret, that is what is not fair!" Frodo said laughing. "hahahahaa, but whats not right is that you must try to tickle it out of me, which isnt going to help because it wont work!" Sandy said in between laughs. "Oh yeah??" Frodo said tickling her much harder and more. "hahahahaha alright alright, you win you win, Gandalf why dont you give Frodo the good news, before I die of heart failure from laughing so hard" Sandy said. "Aha! So there is something!" Frodo said and he stopped tickling her. "Yes, there is something, do not worry for it tis good news" Gandalf said. "What...what is it Gandalf?" Frodo asked.

"Well Frodo, lets just say, a ship is awaiting us to sail back to Middle Earth and to the Shire for a short visitation" Gandalf said smiling. Frodo jumped up from his bed in excitement of what Gandalf was saying and spoke "Are you kidding me Gandalf??!" Frodo asked. "I am not kidding, I have thought of this for a while, and so I had come to decide to take you back to Middle Earth and to the Shire, to visit everyone, this including Merry, Pippin and Sam" Gandalf said. "Oh my! I am so happy! I hoped for a day that we went back to Middle Earth and to the Shire for visitation, and bless the day has come, although I had just arrived, a visitation to the Shire is a definate of what I need, do not get me wrong, I love it here and I am happy, but I have wanted to do a visitation back to the Shire" Frodo said jumping around. "Oh Gandalf, how did you ever make such a decision, isnt it againt a rule to leave the Undying Lands?" Frodo asked. "It is indeed, but never under estimate the work of a wizard, I talked to the valor and they said it was okay for one time to leave to go to Middle Earth and the Shire for a visitation, however, this is the only time, the next time, we are unable to return" Gandalf said. "Thats wonderful Gandalf!" Frodo said hugging him. "I knew of this plan for a time Frodo, I debated on whether to tell you yet or not, but I wanted to wait for Gandalf to bear you the breaking good news" Sandy said. "You knew all along, you sneak" Frodo said hugging her tight. "This is SO exciting! I must tell Elrond, Bilbo and Galadrial!" Frodo said. "They know already Frodo, we all knew" Gandalf said. "Your all a bunch of sneaks!!" Frodo said.

"Frodo, another bearing of good news, I am coming with you!" Sandy said. "Blessed is the day! I am so happy for you to come with me, you get to come to the Shire, meet Sam, Merry and Pippin and everyone else of the Shire!" Frodo said hugging her tight. "What about Elrond, Galadrial and Bilbo, are they coming along? Frodo asked. "No, they've decided to stay here Frodo" Gandalf said. "Oh pity, I wanted them to come along" Frodo said. "Well they thought this should be a time for you, no worries, you will see them upon our return" Gandalf said. "I can't wait, to be in the greendragon once again, the taste of ale, the lights on the party tree, brandywine river, I can't wait for it all, and most importantly...I am glad you are coming with me Sandy" Frodo said grabbing her hand. "Awww, I am glad to be coming with you too, to meet your friends, see what the Shire looks like, to experience everything by your side" Sandy said holding unto Frodo's hand tight.

"I assume once everyone in the Shire hears of your return Frodo, their will be some sort of returning party involved" Gandalf said. "Oh yes, a returning party, I am sure of that, knowing them! And what a party wouldnt be without your fantastic fireworks Gandalf" Frodo said. "Indeed" Gandalf said. "So what are we waiting for..lets go!" Frodo said.

Frodo, Sandy and Gandalf heading to the shores to the boat that was awaiting them, followed by Elrond, Galadrial and Bilbo behind them to wish them a safe trip and a very fond farewell till their return.