*Legolas lays "sleeping" on the couch, his eyes open, yet rolled back into his head**Mithfalas throws a blanket over him* Damn wine-o...so, that's not too long between updates, is it? Anyway, not nearly so long as the last time. I'm kind of disappointed with that last one; the chapter AND the amount of time it took to write it. I've been reading over it and there are some parts that I'm so disappointed with. It seems to have cost me reviewers as well. *pout* *Mithfalas lays a comforting hand on her shoulder* Hopefully this one will be a lot better. *Sauron laughs maniacally in the background*

The Eye of Sauron: Ha-ha, your story sux! You screwed all of Arda!

Force Of Hobbit: *freaks out at the sight of the Great Eye in her living room*

Mithfalas: Blow off, dickless!

The Eye of Sauron: *starts getting flustered*

Random orc: It is true, my Lord, you don't- *he is engulfed in flame*

Mithfalas: *throws bucket of Clear Eyes on Dickless*

Dickless: I'll be back! *dissapears in a puff of smoke*

Force Of Hobbit: *looks at the gross pile of orc ashes on her carpet* Ewww...

To my faithful reviewers:

LegolasLover2004: Balrog? Bob the Balrog? The same Bob the Balrog that plays poker with me and my buddies on Friday nights? He'd never attack me! He owes me money! Thanx a lot. I made a new summary for the story...does it suck?

elfmage: *your sympathies are taken into account* Thanx! I'm always looking for a brilliant chapter, but I haven't seen any around here lately...*Bob whips her for being a smart-ass* OW! Damn Balrog...

Beguile: Wow, 2 reviews! I feel X-tra special! So we're gonna play it like that, eh? Well, I believe that you will crap yourself in finding out that my crack team of Istari's have found a way to turn perfectly normal beings into Dwarves! *Gimli isn't sure whether or not to be insulted* Top that! Nasty trees you say? I don't think Legolas would like you talking like that...*looks over to where Legolas is passed out on the couch* Or maybe he'll just lie there sleeping off his hangover...

Starlit Hope: The Fellowship is at a loss without him, so it would be a shame to kill Legolas off...but then again, that would make for one interesting plot twist *evil grin*

Mellaithwen-ElvenMaiden: Aww, don't cry...wait, that was the desired effect...YES! *reads second two lines your last review* Uhh, those utterly confused me...come again? Being as it is New Years Eve, *hands you a glass of champagne; takes a swig straight from the bottle* I'd offer you wine, but...*looks at empty bottle by Legolas' head* HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Barbara Kennedy: Optimism is always the key! Unless you're writing angst...that would just be stupid *looks around nervously*

Here we go!

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Problems Along the Way

Chapter 10

I Found It

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~*~*~

The dull roar had grown steadily louder. A chill wind blew, and the familiar smell was carried up to Pippin's nose.

"Here again," Pippin said to aloud to himself. he looked around himself, but once more, could only see the faint light up ahead. He squinted, and it seemed to him that the light now had a blue-ish tint to it.

"Must be getting closer," Pippin said, his Tookish curiosity flaring up, "I've got to find out what that is!"

He set his dream course for the third time and started off towards the light once more. He was determined to find out what had taken over his usually pipe-weed filled dreams, and his sheer will carried him on. He began to notice, after a while, that the ground that he was walking on wasn't so solid anymore. It shifted when he stepped on it, but it wasn't mud. He looked at his fury toes and was surprised to them sticking out of a pale white sand.

Now that he noticed it, it was everywhere. All around him, fine, pale sand covered the ground.

//Odd...// he thought, and continued on. The light looked bigger than it did before, and it grew as Pippin drew nearer. He began to run. It was difficult with the sand under-foot, and soon he was breathing heavily.

The wind grew fiercer, and the rumbling to a roar. Pippin's sandy-blonde locks stuck in bunches to his forehead and face. The light was much bigger, and Pippin could see that he was almost there. More than that, he could feel it. He felt so closed in with the darkness, but as if his spirit was about to explode form the sheer anticipation of finally reaching the end.

The light was just a few strides away, and he covered it in no time. it was so bright, he couldn't bare to look straight at it. He reached out an inquisitive hand towards the eerie blue glow. Everything went in slow motion after that.

It was as if the light had exploded, only it grew stronger instead of weaker as it spread out. The immense force of it sent Pippin sprawling back, but he never felt the impact or saw the sand. The light engulfed all, and nothing but the blue flare could be seen all around.

Pippin's nerves sprang to life with fire, and lava pumped in his veins, but cold gripped so tightly at his heart that he couldn't breath. He had never known such pain, such immense loneliness and dispair. It was like he died, but was shocked back to life by some unknown force, and he was feeling everything for the first time.

Pippin forced his burning green eyes open. He had to see what it was! His head flung back violently.

~*~*~

Merry yelled Pippin's name at the top of his lungs, and struggled along with Frodo as both fought valiantly against the strength of Boromir's arms that were holding them from their little cousin.

Sam sat astonished on the dirt where he had rolled when Pippin's anguished cries awoke the rest of the Fellowship. It came out of nowhere; Pippin had started screaming so suddenly that Gimli still clutched his axe in white-knuckled fists. Aragorn was struggling to hold down Pippin's violently convulsing body as he cried out his inner torment, and Gandalf chanted something in a strange language over him.

Merry struggled harder against Boromir's iron grip. Whatever it was Gandalf was doing, it didn't seem to be working, and Merry couldn't bear to see Pippin in so much pain. He would apologize to Boromir later, Pippin needed him now! With all of his strength, Merry stamped down on Boromir's bootless, unsuspecting foot, and with an "oomph!" of pain, the man of Gondor loosened his grip.

Merry made a mad dash over to where Pippin, Aragorn and Gandalf were all on the ground. He ploughed into Aragorn, who fell on his backside and startled Gandalf from his chanting.

"Meriadoc Brandybuck! What has gotten into your head?!" Were Gandalf's cries, but they fell on deaf ears. Merry was sitting on top of Pippin to hold him down, and he held the young Took's violently shaking face in his hands.

"Pippin! Pippin, stop! Wake up! Snap out of it! Pippin, wake up! Come back Pippin! Pippin!"

Pippin's pale body went totally limp. The silence that followed was suffocating. Merry rolled off his cousin, but still held his face in his hands.

"Pippin..." he said in almost a whisper, "Pip?" There was unmistakable fear in his voice. He rubbed Pippin's soft curls absent-mindedly with one hand while the other remained on Pippin's face. Suddenly Pippin gasped, and took in air the way one who was drowning would after resurfacing. His eyes shot open and darted all around before finally meeting Merry's glistening blue ones.

"Merry?" he said in a small, quavering voice. Gandalf knelt down by Pippin's side and took one of his hands.

"Look at me, Peregrin Took," he said in a steady, soothing voice. Slowly, oh so slowly, Pippin's eyes met Gandalf's. The rest of the Fellowship seemed to close in about them.

"Gandalf..." he tried, but Gandalf took control.

"What happened?" Gandalf asked, never breaking eye contact.

Pippin's jaw shook as he spoke, and the words were weak at first.

"I found it," he said shaking, "I found it and I almost saw what was making it."

"Making what?" Aragorn asked leaning over the little hobbit. Pippin was absolutely dripping in sweat, and all color had gone from his face. It was odd the way Merry's hand contrasted with Pippin's pale flesh.

Pippin was suddenly still, and there was more conviction in his voice when he spoke. He locked eyes with Aragorn.

"The light. I've been trying to get to it for so long, and I finally did."

The rest of the Fellowship exchanged wary glances with each other over Pippin's head.

Frodo sat behind Pippin and propped him up as Sam gave him some water. Merry was holding tightly onto his hand. Boromir, Aragorn, Gandalf and Gimli scooted somewhat farther away from the hobbits.

"What does this mean Mithrandir?" Boromir spoke first.

"I do not yet know," Gandalf said, casting his gaze in the hobbits direction, "It could be nothing, only a fit young Peregrin has gone in from adjusting to-- to changes in his...surroundings."

They all knew what Gandalf meant, though he tip-toed around actually saying it.

"--or, it could be something else." He said meeting Aragorn's questioning gaze, "We shall have to wait and see."

They all looked over to where the hobbits where fussing over Pippin. They seemed to be calming down and returning to normal, but it wasn't quite right. There was something disquieting about that way Aragorn could not bare to hold Pippin's gaze for more than a moment, but Pippin didn't seem able to break his gaze on Aragorn.

//This does not bode well,// Gandalf thought, surveying the scene, //not well at all.//

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Good? Bad? Talk to me! Stick with me, Legolas gets chapter 11:)