Author's Note: Aw, wow, thanks everyone for the really positive reviews! I
was really nervous posting this, but the reviews have helped a lot! I'm
glad you have enjoyed it so far. I promise to hurry and finish it ( I have
a habit of leaving stories half-written on my pc) BTW, this chapter could
probably be better... LOL. Sorry! Please R&R
(I love Pippin...()
BTW I just realised that I had been writing Tookborough instead of
Tuckborough, oops.
I obviously do not own Tolkien or any of the characters save Malta, Rob, Jac and Aunt Flo.
Chapter Two:
By the time Frodo could make out the lights of the Took's hole, Pippin was resting limply against him once more, and Frodo himself was starting to panic again. He spurred Malta to hurry the last few hundred yards, before letting go his firm grip on the reins, and straightening.
As Malta slowed, an old hobbit who Frodo did not recognize hurried to them, taking the pony's reins.
"Inside, lad, quickly. The fire is stoked and waiting." Frodo gratefully slid to the ground and lifted Pippin down into his arms, leaving Malta in the care of the stranger. He had no time to question him: he wanted to get his cousin warm.
He scrambled up the slippery front steps as Malta began towards the stables, and reached for the door handle, but it flew open as he did so. Eglantine and Pearl were right there, pulling him inside and trying to hug Pippin at the same time.
Paladin's sudden presence bought a little more order to the situation, but not much. He ordered Pervinca and Pimpernel to run out and gather clean, warm towels and clothes from the washing room out the back, just as Merry reappeared, running to his cousins in relief.
"Frodo, Frodo! You're here. Is he alright? What took you so-"
"Merry, lad, would you do me a favour and gather some more wood from outside to throw on the fire?" cut in Paladin hastily, gently guiding Frodo towards the fire. Merry paused, before nodding and disappearing outside once more.
Paladin gently pulled Pippin out of Frodo's arms, and knelt by the fireplace, but Frodo refused to be moved away by Eglantine. He squatted at Paladin's side, and helped to strip his cousin of his soaking, cold clothes. Pippin jerked awake presently, but he still seemed more than half asleep, as Paladin spoke softly to him. Frodo didn't catch any of what was said, but Pippin smiled faintly after a moment.
Pearl came to kneel besides them, bearing a pile of thick, warm clothes and blankets. Frodo smiled briefly at her, starting to relax. Out in the fields, he had felt rather helpless and alone: he hadn't known what to do when Pippin had passed out again. But here with Paladin, and even Pearl, he knew his cousin was no longer in immediate danger. Pearl put a hand on his shoulder, as she looked down at her brother glumly.
Frodo held him upright as Paladin redressed him in thick, warm clothes, and draped a blanket around him. The Thain then lifted his son gently, and placed him in Frodo's lap: in a chair by the fire. At once Pippin sank back against him, coughing weakly. Paladin crouched before him, reaching up to feel his forehead.
"Thank you, Frodo, for bringing him home safely."
"Oh really, what did you expect me to do, Uncle?" said Frodo, trying to sound lighthearted. He was still furious at himself for being so late. "Leave him there to become a snow-hobbit?"
Pearl gave a soft laugh, but Frodo had not expected anyone to be in particularly good humor. He suddenly noticed that Merry had reappeared: he was tossing more logs on the fire.
"Thank you." Repeated Paladin firmly. "Do you mind holding him for a while, while I heat up something to eat?" Frodo shook his head quickly, and adjusted the blankets around his cousin.
"I'll send for Rob," said Eglantine, pulling on her warm woolen coat. "And Bilbo shall be here soon, so no doubt he can help."
"Who is Rob, Uncle?" asked Merry, from where he stood uncertainly by the window.
"The healer, Merry." Said Pearl distractedly. "He'll double check that Pippin is alright."
"Who was that other hobbit?" asked Frodo suddenly, frowning.
"Who?" said Paladin at length, plucking Pippin's wet clothes from the floor.
"The... the fellow waiting outside... who took Malta to the stables."
"That must have been Jac, da." Put in Pearl, still crouching at Frodo's side. She raised her eyes as he glanced at her questioningly. "Jac dropped by to talk to da about his goats. Some had gone missing, and he thought they may have ended up on our land. When Merry rushed in, Jac waited outside for you. He's probably gone off home, by now."
Frodo nodded and rested his chin on Pippin's curls. His cousin was still trembling, and breathing shallowly. He tightened his arms about him, clenching his fists. "Will he be alright... Uncle? I don't know how long... how long he waited out there..." Paladin looked over wearily, gazing down at his pale son. He shrugged regretfully, fingering the wet clothes in his arms.
"I hope so, Frodo. Probably, with rest, and warming up." The Thain sighed, and walked tiredly towards the hall.
"Oh, Uncle?" Paladin paused, not turning. "Could I stay with him tonight? I feel terrible, and I don't think I could sleep even in another room. Not tonight." Paladin laughed softly, smiling.
"It's not your fault, lad. Peregrin has always been stubborn. I'm sure he knew he should have come home, but was too intent on seeing you and Merry. Don't worry. But yes, you should stay with him tonight."
When her father left, Pearl also stood, watching Frodo with her brother briefly. "I will go and gather blankets from upstairs, for you and Merry. Thank you, Frodo. No, don't interrupt. You did what any would have done, but I am still grateful, and so is da. And you too, Merry. I'll wager you didn't want to leave him, but thank you: for listening to Frodo for once. Good night." She smiled. Merry scowled slightly as she disappeared around the corner, but he came to sit at Frodo's feet, looking up at his young cousin apprehensively.
"Do you think he'll be alright, Frodo?" Frodo nodded, offering a small smile.
"Yes."
"Really?"
"Pippin gets sick a lot, Merry, but he never takes long to recover. I think he will be fine. Truly. And Pearl was right, you know. I know you didn't want to go alone, but it was brave of you." Merry winced.
"Frodo, I am not a child any more." Frodo shrugged.
"Let's see... you are 18 years old... I am 32, Merry. Guess what:" He smiled sweetly. "You're still a child to me."
Merry glared at him, but at length shrugged his shoulders, and turned to lean against the chair, legs stretched out before the fire.
"So what does that make Pippin?"
"Er... Pippin. He's a child too."
"What a remarkable observation."
"Oh, shut up Merry."
Merry yawned, and Frodo found himself doing the same. "This isn't how I pictured spending the night here." Muttered Merry sleepily.
"Nor me."
I obviously do not own Tolkien or any of the characters save Malta, Rob, Jac and Aunt Flo.
Chapter Two:
By the time Frodo could make out the lights of the Took's hole, Pippin was resting limply against him once more, and Frodo himself was starting to panic again. He spurred Malta to hurry the last few hundred yards, before letting go his firm grip on the reins, and straightening.
As Malta slowed, an old hobbit who Frodo did not recognize hurried to them, taking the pony's reins.
"Inside, lad, quickly. The fire is stoked and waiting." Frodo gratefully slid to the ground and lifted Pippin down into his arms, leaving Malta in the care of the stranger. He had no time to question him: he wanted to get his cousin warm.
He scrambled up the slippery front steps as Malta began towards the stables, and reached for the door handle, but it flew open as he did so. Eglantine and Pearl were right there, pulling him inside and trying to hug Pippin at the same time.
Paladin's sudden presence bought a little more order to the situation, but not much. He ordered Pervinca and Pimpernel to run out and gather clean, warm towels and clothes from the washing room out the back, just as Merry reappeared, running to his cousins in relief.
"Frodo, Frodo! You're here. Is he alright? What took you so-"
"Merry, lad, would you do me a favour and gather some more wood from outside to throw on the fire?" cut in Paladin hastily, gently guiding Frodo towards the fire. Merry paused, before nodding and disappearing outside once more.
Paladin gently pulled Pippin out of Frodo's arms, and knelt by the fireplace, but Frodo refused to be moved away by Eglantine. He squatted at Paladin's side, and helped to strip his cousin of his soaking, cold clothes. Pippin jerked awake presently, but he still seemed more than half asleep, as Paladin spoke softly to him. Frodo didn't catch any of what was said, but Pippin smiled faintly after a moment.
Pearl came to kneel besides them, bearing a pile of thick, warm clothes and blankets. Frodo smiled briefly at her, starting to relax. Out in the fields, he had felt rather helpless and alone: he hadn't known what to do when Pippin had passed out again. But here with Paladin, and even Pearl, he knew his cousin was no longer in immediate danger. Pearl put a hand on his shoulder, as she looked down at her brother glumly.
Frodo held him upright as Paladin redressed him in thick, warm clothes, and draped a blanket around him. The Thain then lifted his son gently, and placed him in Frodo's lap: in a chair by the fire. At once Pippin sank back against him, coughing weakly. Paladin crouched before him, reaching up to feel his forehead.
"Thank you, Frodo, for bringing him home safely."
"Oh really, what did you expect me to do, Uncle?" said Frodo, trying to sound lighthearted. He was still furious at himself for being so late. "Leave him there to become a snow-hobbit?"
Pearl gave a soft laugh, but Frodo had not expected anyone to be in particularly good humor. He suddenly noticed that Merry had reappeared: he was tossing more logs on the fire.
"Thank you." Repeated Paladin firmly. "Do you mind holding him for a while, while I heat up something to eat?" Frodo shook his head quickly, and adjusted the blankets around his cousin.
"I'll send for Rob," said Eglantine, pulling on her warm woolen coat. "And Bilbo shall be here soon, so no doubt he can help."
"Who is Rob, Uncle?" asked Merry, from where he stood uncertainly by the window.
"The healer, Merry." Said Pearl distractedly. "He'll double check that Pippin is alright."
"Who was that other hobbit?" asked Frodo suddenly, frowning.
"Who?" said Paladin at length, plucking Pippin's wet clothes from the floor.
"The... the fellow waiting outside... who took Malta to the stables."
"That must have been Jac, da." Put in Pearl, still crouching at Frodo's side. She raised her eyes as he glanced at her questioningly. "Jac dropped by to talk to da about his goats. Some had gone missing, and he thought they may have ended up on our land. When Merry rushed in, Jac waited outside for you. He's probably gone off home, by now."
Frodo nodded and rested his chin on Pippin's curls. His cousin was still trembling, and breathing shallowly. He tightened his arms about him, clenching his fists. "Will he be alright... Uncle? I don't know how long... how long he waited out there..." Paladin looked over wearily, gazing down at his pale son. He shrugged regretfully, fingering the wet clothes in his arms.
"I hope so, Frodo. Probably, with rest, and warming up." The Thain sighed, and walked tiredly towards the hall.
"Oh, Uncle?" Paladin paused, not turning. "Could I stay with him tonight? I feel terrible, and I don't think I could sleep even in another room. Not tonight." Paladin laughed softly, smiling.
"It's not your fault, lad. Peregrin has always been stubborn. I'm sure he knew he should have come home, but was too intent on seeing you and Merry. Don't worry. But yes, you should stay with him tonight."
When her father left, Pearl also stood, watching Frodo with her brother briefly. "I will go and gather blankets from upstairs, for you and Merry. Thank you, Frodo. No, don't interrupt. You did what any would have done, but I am still grateful, and so is da. And you too, Merry. I'll wager you didn't want to leave him, but thank you: for listening to Frodo for once. Good night." She smiled. Merry scowled slightly as she disappeared around the corner, but he came to sit at Frodo's feet, looking up at his young cousin apprehensively.
"Do you think he'll be alright, Frodo?" Frodo nodded, offering a small smile.
"Yes."
"Really?"
"Pippin gets sick a lot, Merry, but he never takes long to recover. I think he will be fine. Truly. And Pearl was right, you know. I know you didn't want to go alone, but it was brave of you." Merry winced.
"Frodo, I am not a child any more." Frodo shrugged.
"Let's see... you are 18 years old... I am 32, Merry. Guess what:" He smiled sweetly. "You're still a child to me."
Merry glared at him, but at length shrugged his shoulders, and turned to lean against the chair, legs stretched out before the fire.
"So what does that make Pippin?"
"Er... Pippin. He's a child too."
"What a remarkable observation."
"Oh, shut up Merry."
Merry yawned, and Frodo found himself doing the same. "This isn't how I pictured spending the night here." Muttered Merry sleepily.
"Nor me."