Disclaimer: LotR and its characters belong to people that are not me.
Last Ring-Bearer by shrinni
Epilogue
Rosie watched in dread from her habitual seat by the front window as Peregrin and Meriadoc talked urgently in low voices with her father.
Maybe he was just delayed, she thought, just a day or two behind.
The conference ended, and all three Hobbits turned to leave. Meriadoc and her father exited, and Peregrin was about to follow when he seemed to notice her for the first time. He walked towards her, a burden that had been temporarily pushed away settling on his shoulders.
Rosie turned her face away from him. She closed her eyes and tried to think only of the sun warming her cheeks and shoulders. "What happened?" she asked softly, her voice cracking slightly.
"He saved Middle-earth." said Peregrin, his voice extremely rusty.
Rosie felt wetness on her cheeks, cool tracks on warm skin. Somehow she smiled, in a sickly way, trying to imagine her lovable gardener saving the world. "He saved Middle-earth? I can hardly believe it."
Rosie heard him take a chair near hers. "He did," Peregrin said. She could hear him crying. "We… we weren't there. We got separated. But the Lady – lady Galadriel I mean – she saw it in her mirror."
Rosie didn't wonder how someone could see things in a mirror, it wasn't important. Cool tears ran down her sun-warmed face and dripped from her chin. "What did she see?" Rosie whispered.
"They were destroying an evil thing, a thing that was going to break the whole world. Then… Frodo was killed." Peregrin stopped and sniffed. "Sam took the thing and carried it all alone. He died destroying it."
"He would do something like that," mumbled Rosie, "my Samwise the Brave." She put her head in her hands and began to weep.
My Sam, my gentle Sam. I waited for you. I was so sure you would come back.
Peregrin reached out and drew her to him, holding her close until her sobbing had subsided to watery sniffles.
Rosie opened her eyes and noticed absently that there was now a large damp patch on Peregrin's fine coat. She drew back from him slowly and reached for a handkerchief.
Peregrin stood. "I have to go; there are things I have to do."
Rosie nodded with a watery smile. "You have to save the world too, right Peregrin?"
He smiled. "The world had Sam and Frodo to save it, but I think Merry and I can just about manage the Shire." He paused. "I'm Pippin to my friends." he said softly.
"Then go save the Shire, Pippin."
Pippin reached into his pocket and drew out a small wooden box. He handed it to Rosie. "The Lady gave this to Sam. You should have it." He turned and walked out the front door.
Rosie looked at the box, ran her fingers over the raised 'G' carved on the lid.
For 'Gamgee,' she thought, and opened the lid.
After Meriadoc slew the Man named Sharky and his cringing servant, and the ruffians had all been run off, Rosie went to see Sam's father. She found him rolling his wheelbarrow along, inspecting the places where the trees had been cut down.
"Hello there Rosie," he called when he saw her. "Just look at all this; it will take me ages to fix it all."
"I know," said Rosie, "I'd like to help." She drew Sam's box out of her pocket and offered it to Mr. Gamgee.
Fin
Some last notes: First to apologize for the long delay in finishing the epilogue. Finals, sickness, laziness, whatever. Apologies.
Second: thanks to everyone who reviewed, you're all my heroes.