Title: All Go Tumbling Down
Author: By Robin Gurl
Part: Chapter 2
Canon: Movie
Warnings: Hurt and Comfort, Pippin Centric
Slash: No.
Author Note: This story has been beta-ed September 23, 2008.
Disclaimer: I own no one! I did borrow some lines from the movie but added my own action in! :D
Merry watched his cousin sleep for a few minutes wondering what he should say to Frodo. Something obviously was wrong, now it was just a matter of finding out what. Sam had long since gone to sleep and was now snoring away after making sure that Frodo was going to be alright. Frodo was sitting with his legs to his chest and his head on his knees. His blue eyes were dark as he stared at the dying fire.
Merry sighed shifting Pippin slightly, when he couldn't get comfortable he decided to just lay Pippin gently down on the ground. The Brandybuck stayed for a moment making sure that Pippin wasn't going to awaken and find his cousin not there then he quietly stood up and moved to sit beside Frodo. "Something is wrong, cousin?"
Frodo looked up and stared at his cousin's eyes. Merry always knew when something was wrong. He hated that part. Though, he had to admit that sometimes it was a good thing. But this time, it was not a good time for his 'gift', as one would call it. No, this time, he couldn't tell. Even though he wanted to, he couldn't. Gandalf had told him not to. "Not this time Merry."
Merry raised his eyebrows amused. So, he was right. Something was wrong with Frodo. "And why not this time, Frodo? You've told me everything before, why is now any different. You know I love and care for you the same as Pippin."
Frodo laughed, that was not all true. It was obvious that Merry cared for Pippin more than anyone in the Shire. Even in his family, Pippin was held higher. Merry tried to even it all out but try as he might, everything ended up for Pippin.
Pippin.
That was the reason that Frodo didn't want to tell Merry. If he told Merry than surely Merry would want to come. It was a natural reaction. That was the problem. If it was just Merry, then maybe it wouldn't be that bad, but it wasn't going to ever be like that. Pippin was going to always be with Merry. Frodo would hate himself forever if he allowed Pippin to come along and get hurt or worse killed.
"I'm sorry, but you can't help this time. This is something that I have to do by myself."
Merry sighed then glanced over at Sam. "Yet, you're allowing Sam to join you?"
"Yes, because you must stay here and protect Pippin. If I tell you what is going on then something bad will happen and Pippin might not ever come back home."
"You're rambling, calm down and tell me again slower." Merry took one of their canteens and handed it to Frodo.
Frodo took a long gulp and waited for a moment trying to figure out how he was going to tell enough to where Merry wouldn't want to go but at the same time not give it away. "There is an evil that has been found. Gandalf asked Sam and I to take care of it. That is all. People are being killed for just knowing where I am. I don't want you coming because then Pippin will want to come. I do not want to scar his young eyes at such an early age with death."
"He has seen a lot more things worse then death, but it hasn't stopped him. Even if he hasn't I can't protect him forever. I would surely throw myself in front of him to save his life, but I can't shield him from all evil forever. As he has grown older he has found that life isn't always a happy thing." Merry replied.
All of this was true. Merry had watched Pippin grow up from being a baby to now a tweenager almost of age. He watched Pippin take his first step, heard him say his first word, helped him make his sisters mad, and watched his heart be broken by many lasses.
"Frodo, if I could protect him, shield him from everything, then no lasses would ever break his heart, he'd never go to bed hungry, be whipped for anything or ever be left alone. But I can't do that. It's not right for me to decide what happens to Pippin. That's his choice."
Frodo sighed, his cousin was once again right, as always.
"Even if you don't tell us, we'll escort you either way." Just as Merry said that Pippin sat up rubbing his green eyes.
"Merry?"
The Brandybuck glanced over at his cousin. Pippin was beginning to panic. His cousin wasn't anywhere that he could see in his sleepy daze. "Remember what I just said." Then he stood hurrying over beside Pippin again.
Frodo watched his cousin hush the youngest quickly with a touch of his hand. Merry gently caressed Pippin's curls letting Pippin curl in his warm embrace again. This time Merry rocked slightly back and forth singing an old lullaby trying to lure Pippin back to sleep.
It worked after awhile, but on the wrong person. Frodo's eyes closed and he opened them again deciding that he needed to go to bed. He laid his bedroll out beside Sam and slid in. Sam turned over as if on instinct and reached out making sure his master was there. Once he was he gave a sleepy smile and started snoring again.
The next morning Frodo was the first to awake. His blue eyes sleepy scanned the area. Pippin had not moved the entire night. He was still curled up completely in Merry's arms. Merry had just leaned on the trunk of the tree and fallen asleep there.
"Mr. Frodo, is everything alright?"
It was Sam. Frodo turned slowly and gave Sam a tired smile. "Yes, Sam. I just," Frodo sighed, "Don't know how I'm going to tell Merry not to follow us."
"Not to follow us? Mr. Frodo, I don't understand." Sam shook off his blanket then stood and sat beside Frodo.
"Merry knows Sam, Merry knows that something is not right. Something he said last night, he's right," Frodo sighed. "Pippin has to decide for himself."
"Decide for himself?"
Then Frodo sat and told everything. He explained everything then out of breath he leaned against his rolled bed.
"Mr. Frodo, as much as I agree with you, I don't think you can stop them. They have their own right to follow us." Sam hadn't wanted anyone else that Frodo would feel responsible for, but as fate had it Merry and Pippin had their own right to follow them.
Frodo nodded, and hoped that in his mind that Merry would decide not to follow them. "I know Sam, I know."
:--:
Pippin awoke and sat up rubbing his eyes. He looked down sleepily and saw Merry still fast asleep against the tree trunk. "Merry?"
Merry slowly opened his eyes. His vision cleared to see his cousin sitting up and staring at him. "What's wrong, goose?"
Pippin shrugged his hands wrapping around himself. "I'm cold." He closed his eyes shivering slightly then he felt Merry pull him back down.
"You're warm, do you feel ok?"
"I feel fine Merry, I'm just cold." Pippin mumbled in Merry's vest, then he felt himself falling down in a deep sleep.
Merry sighed, he wanted to joke with his cousin and ask why Pippin always got sick when they were outside. He decided against it when he saw how Pippin felt. Merry knew his cousin was feeling worse then he let on.
"Good morning Merry. Have a good sleep?" Frodo asked pushing all depression back in his mind.
"Yes, I'd take a tree trunk to lean on any day."
"Did Pippin have a good sleep?" Frodo asked. He noticed that his younger cousin was still sleeping. "Don't you think you should wake him up?"
Merry shook his head then lightly kissed his cousin's curls. "No, he just awoke and said he wasn't feeling well."
"Oh no, is he going to be alright? If he isn't you don't have to come."
"No, I said that I would escort and I meant it. I can carry Pippin and walk with both our packs. I've done it many a times." Merry was used to carrying Pippin on his back. When Pip was a little hobbit he would always wear out before they got back to the Smials or Brandy Hall so Merry would have to carry him or risk not making it home until way after sun down.
"Well, if you're going to do it then lets get going." Sam stood not wanting Frodo to be the one who had to drag his cousins up. If anyone was going to be the bad guy might as well be him.
Merry nodded and let Frodo take Pippin for the moment while he put their packs on the front of him. "Alright Frodo, put him on." Merry felt a weight be placed on his back and a head laid on the back of his neck. "Which way?"
:--:
"We should stop here and have Luncheon. If we keep going we should be half way there by tomorrow." Frodo sat his pack down and looked to see if Merry needed any help.
Merry looked over to Frodo his eyes begging for help. He could feel Pippin's fever, it had risen over the last few hours. It scared Merry feeling his cousin's wet face curled on his shoulder. The only thing that kept him going and keep him calm was the feeling of Pippin's warm breath on his neck. His cousin hadn't done anything but sleep so far. Even when Pippin was sat down for Second Breakfast and Elvensies he still slept. It was time for Pippin to eat something.
Frodo waited for Merry to kneel then he gently gathered the Took in his arms. "Shall I wake him?"
"Yes, it would be a good idea. He needs to eat something." Merry felt relieved and stood up straight stretching. Even though his cousin weighed absolutely nothing after awhile it got heavy.
"Pippin, come on, wake up." Frodo looked over to Sam and watched his Gardner as he tried to start a fire. At first it wasn't working then a flame sat ablaze and Sam smiled content with his work.
Pippin opened his eyes feeling worse then he had been earlier. He didn't want to wake up yet, he wanted to sleep more. Maybe it he did then that sick feeling would go away. "No. Merry I want to sleep."
"You need to eat something." Merry called over.
Pippin shook his head, "Don't trust my stomach."
Merry looked to Frodo asking what he should do. Frodo nodded shifting Pippin lightly, "Have a little something then you may go back to sleep."
Pippin thought about this a moment. If he ate a little then they'd leave him alone and let him sleep. Sounded fair enough. He nodded and opened his mouth some of the stew was forced inside. Pippin ate a small share then fell back to sleep.
Frodo handed him to Merry then he to ate something. Merry rocked his cousin back and forth hoping Pippin was going to be ok.
End Chapter 2
