Disclaimer: In this story, I do not own the characters created by J.R.R Tolkien.  I wish I did but I don't.

Summary:

A friendship where you would lay your life down for your friends, is the type of friendship that Sam, Merry, and Pippin have with Frodo.  A friendship such as this doesn't start just anywhere. This pre-LotR story shows how friendship and sacrifice go hand.  This story takes place five years after Bilbo's departure from the Shire. note: h/c, angst, no slash.

Aemillia Rose-

As you have probably gathered, things are starting to get progressively worse for are hobbits.  So hang in there and get prepared for some angst!  Yes I do like leaving my readers in suspense.  I think I do as a means of revenge on all the authors who have done that to me when I have read their stories.  It also is a great way to keep readers interested and to keep myself wanting to write.

MBradford-

I will probably be able to type up the next few chapters in a week or so.  Sadly I have no time to work on my story during the week, so most of my updates will be on the weekends. :::shakes fists at school and cross country:::  I am definitely working on bringing up the drama and character relationships in this story.  It will make what I am planning to do work so much better.

Moonybabe-

Welcome. I am honored that you put me on my favorites and I am glad you like this story.  It really helps me write when I know that people like and care about my story.  With that said, enjoy chapter 10!

Celalcien/Book Worm-

Welcome. I completely relate to you with staying up late reading fan fiction. I have wasted far too much sleep on reading several of my favorite stories.

Ch.10

The Storm Has Come

"Pippin!" Frodo yelled as he entered Bag End.

"Frodo, over here!  Pippin said in return.

         Frodo ran over to Merry and Pippin.  "How is he doing?" Frodo said while smoothing the hair from Merry's brow.

"He is not doing well.  He is delirious. I have finally gotten him somewhat calmed down.  Where is the healer?

"The healer wasn't there so her assistant, Ms. Chubb, and I brought a cart so that we can get Merry to another healer.  Ms. Chubb said that the other healer is about 10 miles from here.  She is outside preparing the cart for Merry.  We need to carry him out to the cart now.

Outside of Bag End

As Ms. Chubb was preparing the cart for Merry, she noticed the growing crowd of onlookers.  She continued without pause knowing all too well about hobbit curiosity.

Inside of Bag End

Pippin and Frodo started to lift Merry from the couch by putting an arm each underneath his shoulders.  Once Merry felt his body being lifted from the confines of the couch he began to fight his cousins.

"It is all right, Merry.  Pippin and I are taking you to a healer.  Frodo's soothing words did nothing to calm Merry's delirium Ð induced panic.  Once they got outside Merry began to fight harder.  The onlookers gasped and whispered at the sight of the thrashing hobbit.  After a few more seconds, the onlookers no longer worried about being discrete.  The volume of the crowd grew and grew as the crowd itself grew and grew.

Merry's thrashing calmed for mere seconds, before he began to thrash violently.  Merry managed to wrench one arm free from Pippin's grip.  In all the chaos, Merry's arm swung freely and blind-sighted Frodo with his elbow.  This caught Frodo off guard and he fell backwards, catching the side of his head on the stone pathway.  Loud screams and gasps emerged from the crowd.

"Frodo!" Pippin yelled as Frodo lay not moving on the pathway with blood flowing freely from his temple.  Pippin couldn't go help Frodo, because Merry was thrashing much too violently.  Ms. Chubb ran to help Pippin control Merry.

"We must sedate him!  Yelled Ms. Chubb as she just barely dodged Merry's flailing arms.

"What about Frodo?  Said Pippin as he managed to pin down one of Merry's arm.

"We will help Master Baggins, after we sedate your other cousin.

Bag Shot Row

"What in heaven's name is going on outside?" Said an exasperated Bell Gamgee.

The Gaffer took his pipe out from his mouth and said, "Samwise go see what is goin' on out there.

"Yes, sir.  Sam said.  He got up from his chair and walked outside.  He spotted two tweenage lasses walking up the road in the direction of all the commotion.

"Mirabella, where are we going?" Said one of the tweenage lasses.

"Tolman Cotton told me that there was some brawl up at Bag End." The mention of Bag End caused Sam to listen closer and follow the lasses up the road.  "He also said that someone got hurt pretty bad.

"Who got hurt?" Asked the lass.

"He didn't know, but that is what we are going to find out.  Informed Mirabella.

The mention of someone getting hurt made Sam steps quicken and his heart flutter in dread.  When he got closer to Bag End he was stopped by a huge crowd.  He could barely see anything, so he listened instead to what the hobbits were saying.

"Ponto can you see anything?" Said Perry Bracegirdle.

Ponto turned to his friend and said, "No, there are too many hobbits.  I saw about twenty hobbits walk by me when I was sitting in my garden, so I followed them to find out what was going on.  Do you know what happened?

Perry turned to Ponto, "Earlier Merimas Boffin told me that Frodo Baggins had an affair with his cousin's wife.  When his cousin found out he marched up to Bag End and knocked on the door, and when Mr. Baggins opened the door his cousin punched him in the face.

ÔNow this is just gettin' absurd,' Thought Sam.  ÔI need to find Mr. Frodo.

Sam went over to the entrance of the back garden of Bag End.  He slowly snuck around Bag End trying not to let anyone see him.  His Gaffer would never forgive him if Bag End's gardens were trampled upon.  When he got to the front of Bag End he stopped in shock.  He first saw Merry lying in a cart on the road.  Sam's breath was caught in his throat, as noticed Merry wasn't moving.  He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Merry was breathing and only in a deep sleep.  His eyes continued scanning the scene in front of him.  Next Sam saw a hobbit lady and Pippin stooping over an unmoving hobbit figure.  Sam felt his heart stop as he got close enough to see the figure.  It was Frodo.

"Pippin what happened?" Sam said not even caring about social castes or what was proper.

"There is no time to explain," Interjected Ms. Chubb, "We must get him and Master Brandybuck to a healer immediately.

They lifted Frodo.  Sam gasped as he saw warm sticky blood matted in his master's hair, which partially hid the gash on his head.

"Sam he will be ok, Ms. Chubb says that he just has a bad gash and minor concussion.  Pippin said in a sympathetic tone.

Pippin's assurance convinced Sam, but it did not convince himself.  The words Merry spoke in his delirium recycled themselves in Pippin's mind. Something isn't right Pip.  A storm is brewing. Those words had finally sunk in and realization had begun to hit.  The storm had come and it was picking up momentum.

TBC