Hope's arms were folded over her chest as she walked and she stopped by the well where she had first appeared. She looked up to the sky and shouted angrily.

"Take me away from here! I don't know what you're trying to do to me but I can't do this anymore! Please, let me go home!" There was no answer and she closed her eyes and fell to her knees in tears.

There was a russel in the bushes behind her and she heard a shout and the sounds of a child crying. Hope hurried into the tallest patch of grass she could find and hid herself, watching closely.

"I told you to stay out of it!" shouted a woman who was now stepping into view, her daughter being dragged behind her. "Now that girl has probably told the matriarch everything. Is that what you want? Do you want me and your father exiled and you placed in an orphanage?" The little girl sobbed but did not answer. Hope gasped as she suddenly recognized them. It was Samara and her mother. The woman grabbed Samara by the shoulders fiercely and shook her.

"I've had enough of you and now I'm going to make it end." She untied her apron and tied it tightly over Samara's face and then carried her to the well. She carefully tilted her over and Samara fell in head first. Hope restrained a scream.

The mother stayed there for a moment and then suddenly slapped a hand over her mouth, looking as though she were ready to vomit.

"My daughter," she shrieked. "I just murdered my daughter!" she turned and ran away, leaving Hope to stare, slightly shocked by this new development. She ran to the well and looked in. It was deep and too dark to see.

"Samar- agh!" Something caught hold of her ankles and tipped her in, making her fall, screaming into the icy water. The surface of the water felt like cement and the wind was knocked out of her for a few moments. She looked up and heard a man's voice shouting.

"You should've minded your own business. Now you won't be telling anyone." He left and Hope screamed out in anger and then looked around for Samara. A cold hand touched her shoulder and she turned, finding Samara standing there, next to her.

"Are you all right?" asked Hope. Samara nodded. Hope wrapped her arms around her to help her keep warm and they waited for anyone to help.

"Smeagol? What's the matter with you?" asked Deagol. Smeagol sidestepped him and continued walking. "Hey, Smea, what's wrong?"

"Have you seen Hope anywhere?" he asked.

"No," muttered Deagol. "Why? Is she all right?"

"We had an argument and she stormed away. That was two hours ago. I want to see if she's okay."

"You're beginning to sound like her. But I haven't seen her. I'm sorry."

"Then help me look," said Smeagol. They left and ran around the village, asking if anyone had seen her at all. Soon there was a search sent out, but nobody found her that night. It was soon heard that Samara had gone missing as well and suspicion went around that Hope had something to do with it.

"This is my fault," muttered Smeagol to himself from inside his house. "If I hadn't angered her she wouldn't have ran."

"Don't worry," said Deagol as he sat next to him, handing him a cup of hot cocoa. "We will find her, I promise."

"She's been missing for nine hours. She could be anywhere," he said, fighting off tears. Tabby walked in with a bucket.

"Smeagol," she said handing it to him. "Please fetch some water?" Smeagol nodded and took it from her. Deagol left with him and they headed to the well.

Hope looked over at Samara's face. The freezing child was in her arms, desperately trying to keep warm. Her eyes were closed and Hope shook her gently.

"Hey," she whispered. "Wake up." Samara groaned but did not wake. Hope shook her a little harder. "Samara, wake up." She still did not wake. She was too cold. Hope clung to her closer and closed her eyes. A faint heartbeat was bearly heard but it was there. "Please," she whispered. "Don't die on me. Hold on a little longer."

There was a shuffling noise above her and she looked up to see the cover of the well being lifted off and someone looking over the edge. Hope's heart began pounding. It could easily have been Samara's father who would kill her, but she had to risk it.

"HELP!" she shouted. "Please! Get us out!" There was a long silence then much to her joy a familiar voice called down to her.

"Hope?! Is it you?"

"Smeagol!" she cried out as tears streamed down her face. "Get us out!"

"Wait a minute!" he called down to her. There was a crack and a bucket tied to a rope was quickly lowered down to them. When it was low enough she climbed onto the bucket and was pulled up, clinging on to Samara tightly.

Smeagol struggled to pull them out and Hope collapsed to the ground, Samara's body in her arms.

"Is she dead?" he asked, kneeling down to them.

"No," gasped Hope, who was on the edge of going hysterical. Smeagol helped her up and scooped Samara into his arms and they ran home.