A wonderful smell met Pippin's nose as he slowly opened his eyes the next morning. Bacon, eggs, toast, and a hot cup of tea, his favorite breakfast, was sitting on the nightstand next to his bed.

"How are you feeling?" a concerned voice said. Pippin looked over and saw Merry sitting in the overstuffed chair next to the fire. He looked like he hadn't slept in days.

"I've been better." He replied, his head was throbbing, his breathing labored, nose was running, and it felt like his ribs were on fire. He groaned, trying to sit up. Merry immediately jumped up and ran over, helping prop him up on some pillows. "You're not looking to great yourself you know."

"Yeh well, looking after a sick Took is no small task." Merry smiled feebly, "You're not mad at me, are you?"

"Mad?" Pippin thought for a minute, his brain was sort of fuzzy thanks to the headache, then the memory of last night surfaced. "Why didn't you come get me when I yelled? Didn't you hear me?" He asked angrily. I yelled for Merry as though my life depended on it, and he ignored me! He let Frodo dunk me in that ice water until I went numb! He ignored me when I needed him! Just like in my dream… A horrified look came over Pippin's face as he recalled the dream he had before he had woken up for the first time after coming home.

"Oh Pippin! I did hear your! It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do, but Frodo made me promise I wouldn't take you out until your fever went down. It broke my heart to see you like that!" Merry gave him a huge hug "I'm so sorry, please forgive me!"

"No Merry forgive me!!" Pippin sobbed into his shoulder It's just like that dream, I made him mad, he is going to leave me! He is going to leave, but then that…that thing, it'll get me, and he…he…he won't save me! "Please Merry, don't go! Oh please don't go! I'll do anything!" Pippin clung to Merry and refused to let go.

"Pippin, what are you talking about, I'm not going anywhere!" Merry hugged his cousin, thoroughly confused. What is he talking about? I'm not leaving him! Why should I forgive him, he didn't do anything, it is me that should be apologizing!

"Please…please merry… don…don't go!" Pippin cried between sobs.

"Shhh Pip, it's ok, I'm not going anywhere! Shhh! You're alright."

"Promise you won't leave me!" Pippin sobbed

"I swear I won't leave you." Merry made small soothing circles on Pippin's back with his hand, like he used to do when Pippin was little. Pippin eventually stopped sobbing, but still clung to Merry. "What's wrong Pip, why did you think I would leave you?"

"In…in my dream I was sick, and you…you left, you were mad at me. But then this….thing came and you weren't there to save me…it was scary Merry, don't leave!" Pippin stumbled over his words, pulling away from Merry just a little bit so he could look him in the eyes, his own were red and puffy.

"Oh Pippin, it's alright I won't leave you, and it was only a dream! It's ok! That thing will never get you while I'm here, don't worry!" That explains the weird yelling "Merry no!" that one night then.

"You'll save me from the…thing then?"

"Of course! Never fear!" Merry leapt off the bed and grabbed a walking stick from the corner, wielding it around like a sword "If anything so much as breathes on you, I will smite him!" He lunged at an invisible monster, Pippin laughing at his antics.

"What is going on in here?" Paladin came into Pippin's room to find Merry fighting an invisible demon, and Pippin sitting in his bed yelling "Get him Merry, get him!" "Pippin, you need to rest!" Merry stopped prancing about, throwing the stick back in the corner, and pretending like nothing had happened.

"Well, you see I was just saving Pippin from the evil Smaug!" Merry sat down on the end of Pippin's bed, acting as though he was the hero of some great battle.

"I see! Well, if Smaug is gone, then Pippin you need sleep."

"Yes sir!" Merry saluted as Paladin left the room."

"Well, now that the evil thing is gone, can you sleep?" Merry tucked Pippin in, kissing his blonde curls.

"Yes, thank you brave hobbit! Goodnight Merry, I love you!"

"Love you too pip!" Merry got himself comfy in the armchair "And if anything else comes to get you, I'll be right here, ok?"

"Ok, night!"