Disclaimer: I do not own the right to the original text of Lord or the Rings. That belongs to Tolkein.

A/N: Thanx to all who reviewed, though I could do with a lot more!!! Keep 'em comin in!

Chapter 2

Sam woke up with a plan fully formed in his mind. At around about midday, he left a shivering Elanor and a hyper-active Frodo in Rosie's hands to pay a visit to the Brandybuck household.

Walking through the Hobbiton and up the path that leads to Buckland, Sam noted how little folk were about lately. The fever had been here for a month or two, and it already had half the population of the Shire indoors caring for their families, or lying abed sweating with pain themselves. Things just couln't go on like this. Something had to be done.

As Merry's household came into view, Sam breathed a sigh of relief. His old friend's windows were wide open and the colourful flower-filled garden garden had not been neglected. All signs that Merry had not got the fever - yet.

Sam was welcomed jovially into the house by the Meriadoc Brandybuck who showed him straight to the living room. "Hello Sam, I was wondering when you'd show up. Pippin's here too." Sam felt a slight sense of forboding at this news, but quickly pushed it away. He couldn't very well exclude Pippin, even though the young Took was known to most by his rash mind and rather loud mouth, and Sam didn't want people to know of there intentions just yet. Still, Peregrin Took had proved himself a worthy and loyal friend in tough circumstances and therefore had a right to be included.

As Sam settled down, the young hobbit in question perked up at the sight of him. Sam noted that Pippin was looking a bit pale and was wearing quite a lot of clothing."Oh, Sam how are you?" He said this cheerfully enough though there was a very slight slur to his voice.

"I'm fine, thanks, but you aren't looking all that good yourself." There was concern showing in the older hobbit's eyes as he surveyed Pippin. Pippin laughed.

''Concerned for my well being, Sam? I'm touched.''

Sam scowled. "Of course I'm concerned you foolish Took! The fever has started to take death victims and by my reckoning you should be in bed. Not that you've ever taken my advice before. Or else you might end up like, like Elanor."

Pippin's face turned serious."As a matter of fact, I think that what I have, and what Elanor has, may be two very different things.'' When Sam looked dumbfounded, Pippin sighed. "I got the fever at the same time as Elanor, right " Sam nodded. "Well since then, she has gotten much worse but my condition hasn't gotten any worse at all."

He seemed to have nothing else to say and helped himself to a plate of cakes that Merry had previously put on the table. But Sam wasn't done. "That doesn't say anything at all. It just means that you are luckier!"

It was then that Merry, who hadn't said anything yet, spoke up. "I'm not sure Sam. My cousin Magee got the fever as well and got to Pippin's state and then she recovered. She didn't pick it up again. It has also happened to heaps of other people I know.

Sam thought this over. "Well maybe. But the fact is, heaps of people who have what Elanor has are going to die if something isn't done." Both hobbits stared at him. "Well what do you propose we do? There are no cures anywhere in the Shire..."

"Exactly! In the Shire. What about outside the Shire? What about all the places that we saw? Lothlorien, Rivendell, even Gondor? Wouldn't they have advanced medicine's for such illnesses?" Sam's comrades were now looking at him with their mouths wide open. He had never spoken much of their journey before.

"So your saying that - we should go back to all those places, all around middle earth to look for a something that can cure the fever?" Merry looked slightly sceptical. Pippin was starting to get that reckless gleam in his eye which always happened when he was about to do something extremely daring and foolish. Sam was feeling rather sheepish. Normally a reserved hobbit, he didn't often make sudden outbursts like what he had just displayed.

"Well maybe not everywhere we went. Just somewhere that might have something, anything that would help." For a minute no one said anything. Then "Well I think it's a great idea!" Pippin exclaimed suddenly. The other two looked at him. "I mean, someone has to do something and what have we got to lose?"

"I agree," Merry said. He was also starting to look a bit excited now. "I feel so useless just sitting here doing nothing when everybody's dying."

Sam felt very happy. They were going to find a cure. They were going to save Elanor! "Are you two sure about this? It's going to be very dangerous. In fact, Pippin, shouldn't you stay home? I mean, your quite sick yourself and..."

"Well if I'm sick, then I'm not likely to get any better staying around here with all these even sicker hobbits, am I?" Pippin snapped. I'd be far more useful with you and I'm not so sick that I'd slow you down." The other two couldn't talk him into staying so they just dropped it.

The three of them decided to leave the day after next as they could't afford to waste any time as Sam said. Also the two younger hobbits were known for there love of adventure and they hadn't been out of the Shire for years.

As Sam left Merry's household after saying goodbye to Merry and Pippin, he felt happier than he had done in weeks. There was a ray of sunlight on the dark horizon. Finally, things were starting to get better!