Frodo's sudden outburst and the deafening silence that followed could not restrain Pippin much longer from rushing to the scene. He seized Frodo's curled up form from behind and drowned it with tears. But all of those were lost to Frodo. Pippin sobbed even harder.
Gandalf slid closer and gently drew the youngest hobbit away from Frodo. Frodo had withdrawn deep into himself again. The wizard feared any more surprise or pressure from outside would lead him into an incurable state. At first Pippin would not budge, his arms tightening even more around Frodo and his folded legs.
"Pippin," coaxed Gandalf. "There will be time later when Frodo will need your embrace. But it is not now. He is not even aware of your presence now."
Pippin's head snapped up, watery eyes locking at Gandalf's. He could see that but he refused to understand. Wordlessly, Pippin pressed his cheek against Frodo's bony back, drinking in the now familiar smell of crushed athelas. It was definitely more pleasant and soothing compared to the nauseating stench of sweat mixed with blood in that cursed room in Bree. Pippin did not think he would ever forget that. No, Gandalf was mistaken. Frodo needed him right now even if he did not know it. Frodo's condition would get much worse if he was left alone now.
Gandalf sighed. Tooks could be as stubborn as Bagginses sometimes, and so he nodded to a pair of guards by the door to get Merry instead. They had learned of Merry's vicious conduct. What they needed to do next was to question him further and see if they had to punish him.
Aragorn and Bilbo sent glances to each other and then to Elrond and Gandalf. Could they stay or…?
"Frodo shall need time for himself. The lad must be exhausted," Gandalf's voice was hollow. He knelt before the insensible hobbit. Gandalf gazed at Frodo's sunken and lifeless eyes. They made him reminisce over the once vibrant and spirited ones as they had shone over Gandalf's words, "My dear Frodo. Hobbits really are amazing creatures! You can learn all that there is to know about their ways in a month, and yet after a hundred years, they can still surprise you."
If only he never left Frodo alone with Sam in their perilous journey.
If only…
"Pippin and I shall watch over him. Frodo might want to sleep now."
Aragorn, Bilbo, and Elrond got the underlying message, though it was hard for Bilbo to permit it. After all, he was the boy's uncle. Yet he could understand why Gandalf decided it would be best. He would not be doing anything that was worthy of healing, apart from just being there. Nodding silently, the hobbit, man, and elf started to leave, clicking the door closed behind them.
In silence, Gandalf gathered both Frodo and Pippin in his arms and brought them back to the bed. Pippin was stuck to his cousin like a leech and Gandalf had to push him away gently while the wizard laid Frodo down. Even then Pippin immediately resumed his embrace as he rested himself next to Frodo. Pippin felt how Frodo was lightly shaking, and he burrowed closer.
"No worries, cousin. Your Pip is here," whispered Pippin, his eyes slowly He, too, was exhausted. Gandalf seated himself in an armchair next to the bed, observing how Frodo's lids did not stir a bit, as if he was still wide awake.
Vacant. Dead.
And neither Frodo nor the other two heeded a pair of eyes watching forlornly from a corner behind the hearth.
Sam's.
# --- # --- #
There were countless things Sam had wanted to do ever since Pippin opened his mouth and recounted many horrifying tales. Ever since Frodo himself had responded to Elrond's prodding. Some of those things included dashing toward him and drawing him into his arms, prying him away from all the abomination Frodo had endured and the horror he was made to relive it again. Sam had heard Gandalf and Elrond say that revelation was a way to heal. Heal? Was that healing when Frodo suddenly screamed at Merry, shouting out words that showed his insanity? Was that healing when he had begun to go silent again, building walls all around him? Was that healing when…
"Sam," called Gandalf quietly, shocking the gardener. His head jerked to Gandalf's direction, to the sight of him leaning forward in his chair. Sam's eyes were red with tears as was his nose as a result of crying.
"Come."
Sam stared at Gandalf, full of reservations and distrust.
"I won't."
"Why, Samwise?" Gandalf said patiently. "Why hiding yourself in a dark corner while you can try to give comfort to your master here."
Sam's eyes faltered to Frodo's still open ones.
"I can't."
"Why?" asked Gandalf once more. "Sure you can. You can try like Pippin here."
"I can't comfort him."
"Samwise…"
"He's lost."
Gandalf's face was retorted.
"That is not true."
"You're lying!" With that, a sob erupted from Sam and he ran. He ran toward Frodo and grasped and shook his master's body violently. The thin figure rocked in earnest.
"You're lying! You said I could comfort him. You said he'd known I'm here. You said you'd CURE him! None of them happens. None of them – that I can do…"
Sam broke into wracked sobs and he let his tears trail down, soaking Frodo's face for he let his face rest on the ice-cold skin.
Gandalf was silenced. He wanted to tell Sam that it was his intention to have all these hopeful things to occur. Gandalf covered his face with both of his hands. Despair was threatening to engulf him.
# --- # --- #
"You should not let him defeat you again."
Silence. Rocked. Back and forth.
"You should not let him tell you anything he wants you to believe."
Silence. Rocked back and forth.
A movement and now he was in someone's arm. And now he was lying on his side in the bed. And now someone was wrapping an arm around him.
"You should not bend down before him."
Silence. His fingers sneaked up, closing on the Ring on his chest, unknown to the one hugging him.
"You should listen to yourself."
"Quiet," he hissed silently. "I'm not going to listen to YOU."
"I said, you should listen to YOURSELF."
"Silence! Go away! Go!"
"You will regret it if I return to him."
"Who asks you to come back?" mocked Frodo voicelessly.
A roar deafened Frodo, who in return chuckled quietly.
"HE IS LYING TO YOU!"
"No, not anymore," Frodo huffed in deep gratitude. A thin smile appeared on his face, visible enough for anyone in the room including Gandalf and Sam, had they not been too busy with themselves.
"He told me that what he had forced me to believe was all wrong. I know that. I can feel it. I'm not as helpless as you think. I know that Sam is here with me now, and so is Gandalf and Bilbo and Ted and all who care for me. I've heard Pippin's attestation and I believe him. One thing never changes, though. It's my parents. They've really gone, even though it was not because of me. I heard Bilbo say that and I believe him. Merry is not lying to me anymore."
Silence.
A deep breath of relief and a softened gaze of the widened eyes.
Then –
"You are right. They are all no lies – including the torments upon you and his dispossessing ME from your hand."
TBC
AN: Great thanks for aelfgifu for betaing this, and for you who are still here.
Especially to…
CleopatraVII: My old friend! Thanks for still reading it. I'm trying hard to keep writing. Many things come in between.
Yahiko: Every review is important to me. It's like the oxygen I breathe. Thank you.
heartofahobbit: Your questions are one of the things that keep the story going and for me to keep writing! I will try my best to answer them.
Skye12: I wish my Frodo will not be as bad as your Frodo. Thanks for your review. Oh, you have many more stories coming up, Kal!
endymion2: My beloved. Have to admit it's a bit difficult to write with many characters in one place. Hope I have sorted it out.
FrodoBaggins87: It's not going to be long, I promise! Oh, FB87, have I reviewed your latest chap of your fic? Hope I have! Or I haven't? Oh, my poor old brain!
Trust No One: Is this quite soon enough – the update? Maybe not. LOL. Sorry. But thanks again for reviewing. Btw, this afternoon I'm watching Troy. So, I can read your fics then!
