Her words struck him like a thousand knives stabbing at his heart. "I am sorry, but you're losing him Paladin. He's fighting a raging war against death, and well... he's losing. There isn't much hope. When he was born prematurely, he lost a lot of immune strength. Even a boy his age in perfect health has a small chance of surviving." Her words were lost on him, everything seemed to be in a haze Pippin? Dying? No! She must be lying! But she never lies! She must be! Her next words brought him back to life "But, there is always that small possibility of him getting better again."
"He's a tough lad, he'll pull through!" He said, more to comfort himself than to answer her statement.
"At the moment I can't seem to get him warm enough, his body shivers constantly even though his temperature has shot up to well over a hundred. His lungs are filled with water from when he fell in the pond, but I fear that if I try to get it out of him, he will choke, since he is still unconscious, so his breathing is very hard and stressed." Paladin looked over at his son. He looked so innocent lying there beneath the masses of blankets. Eyes closed, mouth slightly opened, breathing deeply... "I fear he also may have broken a few ribs when he fell through, it looks as though he fell into the side of the gap before slipping into the water. Again, making his breathing even more difficult. He must be so hungry at the moment though, he hasn't eaten since two days ago when you last saw him. I can't feed him anything except tea, so if he wakes up, he will need some food right away..."
"If he wakes up? If?"
"Well, yes if I can get him to wake up..."
"He will wake up! Don't say he won't wake up!" Tears now splashing down his face he got up out of the chair, kissed his son on the forehead, and ran out of the room. I have to tell Tina, it will break her heart, but I have to! He ran towards his bedroom door, and slowly turned the handle, this wasn't going to be a happy meeting...
Merry sat quietly crying in the shadows of Pippins room. Unknown to anyone, he had still been there when Healer Proudfoot had told Paladin what was wrong with Pippin. Pippin, please don't die! I couldn't go on if you had died! This is all my fault! If only I had told Pippin that it wasn't smart to go looking for the stupid frogs... He sat sobbing for a while, thinking about what he was going to do I won't leave his side. I can't let him go through this alone! I have to help him! He stood up, and walked slowly over to his cousin lying quietly on the bed.
"Ppppip? He said still sobbing, "I am here Pippin, please get better, I couldn't go on without you!" He opened up the covers and slid his body in next to Pippins. "Don't die Pip! Think about your mum and dad, and your sisters, and.... Me. I know it sounds selfish, but I need you here Pippin! Please get better, we all need you!" His kissed his cousin's forehead and shuddered as he felt how hot it was. He started to sing to his cousin, Pippin's favorite lullaby when he was a baby, but eventually he started to dose off himself...