Daniel's Thoughts

Last Chapter

"Well, that doesn't make sense to me, but then, you are very small. Perhaps you are right. South it is then. Hold on little Shirelings. I always like going south. Somehow, it feels like going downhill."

"Are you mad? We'll be caught!"

"No, we won't. Not this time."

Chapter 6

"You know you have a devious mind young Took." Daniel said as they all surveyed the damage that the Ents had done, while standing waist deep in water for the Hobbits and thigh deep for Daniel.

"Yes, it drove everyone at home mad and Gandalf." Pippin replied happily.

Merry looked up at one of the balconies where Saruman was also surveying the damage.

"He doesn't look too happy, does he?"

"Not too happy at all, Merry."

"Still, I suppose the view would be quite nice form up there."

"Oh yes, it's a quality establishment. I hear the staff are very good."

Daniel tried not to laugh as Merry used his hand to try and measure their height and his attempt to hide it when Pippin looked at him.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing. The world's back to normal, that's all."

"No it isn't. I'm starving."

"Good luck trying to find something decent around here, probably only dead rats and mouldy bread."

Daniel waited a moment to see if the Hobbits would notice the food that was floating past them.

Pippin was the first to notice, he picked up an apple that went past and strangely looked up before smiling looking behind him to find more apples floating out of a building behind them.

Pippin followed the apples collecting them in his arms. Daniel laughed when the Hobbits dropped them all in favour of a chicken that he found. Merry looked to see what he was laughing at and saw the food also. Pippin meanwhile had found a basket full of apples and had placed the chicken on top as he entered the shed still piling food into the basket.

"Saruman's storeroom!" Merry said.

"I don't believe it." Pippin said his eyes on two barrels on one of the shelves both mark 'South Farthing'.

"It can't be."

"It is." Pippin said opening one of the barrels.

"Longbottom Leaf." Merry said smelling the leaf, "The finest pipe-weed in South Farthing."

"It's perfect," Pippin said handing a barrel to Merry before grabbing the other for himself, "One barrel each. Unless, you want some," Pippin said remembering that Daniel was there as well.

"Oh no, I don't smoke."

"Do you think we should share it with Treebeard?" Pippin asked.

"Share it? No. No. Dead plant and all that, don't think he'd understand, could be a distant relative." Merry said.

"I get it. Don't be hasty." Pippin said tapping his nose.

Merry pulled out his pipe, "Exactly. Bar-hrum."

"Do you mean to tell me that the entire time you were with the Uruk-Hai, you managed to keep your pipes with you?" Daniel asked in disbelief.

"Of course, you never know when you might need it," Merry said as he stuffed the pipe with the weed and lite it with some flint which was also on the shelf.

"Well at least let he get some food before you start filling this place with smoke, I'm light-headed enough without you two choking off all the oxygen in the room," Daniel said as he waded through the water to the shelves, he grabbed some of the fruit and salted meat before moving back to the door.

"It not our fault that you managed to get hit on the head by a rock," Pippin said.

"Pippin, you throw the rock, I'm lucky I'm not unconscious." Daniel retorted.

"Well you shouldn't have moved."

Daniel rolled his eyes and left the room, his headache was bad enough without having an argument with the loud Halfling about whose fault said headache was.

"Ah young Daniel," Treebeard said as Daniel exited the storeroom, "where are young masters Merry and Pippin?"

"In there, eating and smoking probably getting drunk as well I saw some wine in there too."

"Well I was wondering if you three would sit at the entrance of Isengard and tell me if anyone comes past."

"Sure, I'll go tell the Hobbits and we'll go over there now."

"Thank you." Treebeard said before moving off to where the other Ents were congregating.

"Come on you two," Daniel said sticking his head through the doorway again, "Treebeard wants us to watch the entrance," as he had suspected the hobbits were already into the ale that had been sitting on the side, "and you shouldn't drink on a empty stomach, let's grab some food and we'll eat at the gate."

"Yes mother," Pippin said, but he did as Daniel said and grabbed some food and ale, after stuffing a generous amount of the pipe-weed into his pocket.

Daniel shook his head at them in disgust before picking up some more of the food and led the Hobbits to the gate.

After having a good meal the Hobbits went straight back to their pipes and drink.

Daniel shook his head at them again, "Well please be quiet, I for one would like to catch up on some sleep." The Hobbits mumbled replies around their pipes as Daniel curled up next to the crumbling stone wall and pulled his tattered SGC standard issue jacket around him.

Now that he was out of danger he thought back to when he was taken, he wondered if the rest of SG-1 had gotten away alive, he wondered if the arrow that he had seen enter Teal'c had pieced the Jaffa's heart or missed.

When they saw the Orcs approach they had attacked Teal'c first seeing him as the stronger of the two. Teal'c had moved to protect Daniel who had taken longer to notice the danger, he had moved in front the archaeologist and shot back at the orcs with his staff weapon but there were too many and they had quickly taken him down before grabbing Daniel and leaving. The last thing Daniel had seen before he was knock unconscious was Teal'c lying still on one of the walls he had been translating, he didn't know if his friend had been breathing or not.

"Here," Merry said breaking through Daniel's depressed line of thought. The Hobbit tossed down his and Pippin's cloaks, "They're not exactly your size but they will help a bit."

"Thanks," Daniel smiled up at them before pulling the cloaks over him and resting his head on his elbow, falling into an exhorted slumber.

"Well how were we to know that he had a concussion?"

"He has obviously had a blow to the head you should have kept him awake."

"We're not healers we didn't know it would affect him that much and the poor man hasn't slept in weeks…"

"Do you Hobbits ever shut up?" Daniel said opening his eyes to glare at the people who were arguing above him.

"My friend I have spent years with many Hobbits and the only time they are quiet is when they are asleep or eating."

Daniel turned his head slightly to see who was speaking. Sitting on a fallen log a few metres away was an old man dressed completely in white and cradling something wrapped in his cloak. Next to his were two other younger men, both with dirty blonde hair.

"How do you feel?"

Daniel turned back to the people crouching over him. Both the Hobbits were on one side of him while on his other side was a middle aged man with shoulder length brown hair; he was the one who had spoken.

"Much better then I have in quite awhile after that sleep. But then I probably should have known better then to sleep with a concussion. Sorry if I worried you." Daniel replied as he sat up and leant back against the wall he had gone to sleep next to.

"You knew you had a concussion?" Pippin asked.

Daniel snorted softly, "after having them as often as I do you learn how to tell if you have one or not. I'm Daniel by the way, Daniel Jackson." He said to the man in front of him.

"I am Aragorn, Son of Aragorn, that is Gandalf the White," he said pointing to the old man, "on his left is King Théoden of Rohan, and Éomer, son of Éomund." Aragorn then pointed to the other side of the clearing where there was a blonde male and a dwarf. "The elf is Legolas Thranduilion and the dwarf is Gimli, son of Gloin."

Daniel tilted his head in greeting but winced as pain flooded his senses at the small movement. He brought his hand up automatically to hold his head and noticed that it had been re-bandaged properly while he slept.

"I took the liberty of treating your wounds while you slept." Aragorn told him, seeing his confusion.

"Thank you."

"So how did you met up with Merry and Pippin?"

"I was looking at some ruins with my team and a group of Orcs came and took me. I was with them for about a month before they met up with the Uruk-Hai who had Merry and Pippin."

"My men and I didn't see you when we attacked the Uruk-Hai," Éomer said.

"But you didn't see the Hobbits either." Gimli pointed out.

"You were in the group of men who attacked the Uruk-Hai?"

Eomer nodded.

"Then I thank you, you saved me from becoming the nights meal."

"Well you being with the Orcs so long helps explain many of your injuries," Aragorn said, breaking the uncomfortable silence that had settled over the group, "except for this one." Aragorn pointed to Daniel's hand which he now had sitting in his lap. "How did you manage to get glass in your hand?"

"Well I usually have glasses to help me see but the Orcs took them from me, and when they gave them back they stood on my hand. I think I got most of the glass out but I wasn't sure." Daniel explained.

"I've removed all the glass and sown it shut but you won't be able to use it for awhile."

"Thanks."

"Your welcome, but now I believe that we need to return to Edoras," Aragorn said, "you're welcome to join us if you wish."

"I have no where else to go so if you don't mind."

"It is settled then." Théoden said standing and moving over to a group of horses which were tied to a nearby tree.

Aragorn stood as well then held a hand out to Daniel and pulled him up too. His ankle however had other plans and refused to hold his weight so he toppled over into Aragorn who pulled Daniel's arm over his shoulder to support him.

"Sorry," Daniel said blushing slightly at his weakness.

"Don't worry I think after a month with a group of Orcs you have reason to be injured," Aragorn said.

"Not to mention Hobbits throwing rocks at the back of my head," Daniel said glaring at Pippin who along with Merry had gone back to their food after Gandalf's comment about them being unable to be quiet.

"I didn't mean to, you moved." Pippin insisted from his perch on one of the horses.

"Not that much, it still would have hit me one way or another."

"Alright enough of that, we need to be going." Gandalf said as he climbed up behind Pippin.

"Gimli you come with me, it will be easier on the horses if Daniel goes with Legolas." The dwarf nodded, grumbling something about how he would prefer to walk.

Aragorn helped Daniel up onto one of the horse then went over to his own where Gimli was waiting for him.

The horse Daniel was on had no saddle so it was easy for him to move backwards so that Legolas had enough room to climb on in front of him.

"I think I should warn you that I've never ridden a horse before," Daniel said.

"Do not worry, just hold on tight and do not fall, I will do the rest." The elf said, his voice soft and almost musical but strong.

Legolas turned Arod and pushed him into a canter to catch up with the others who had already started up the forest path. Daniel panicked slightly and through his arms around the elf's waist, causing the elf to laugh.

Reviews

Psicat – That was my first thought but Eowyn marries Faramir in the end of both movie and book and I think they are too good a couple plus Daniel has almost become a king/prince too many times already.

Marblez – problem in Helms deep has already happened but I might put him in the other two battles, if you doesn't get injured again before that as Daniel always does.

JennMel – did you see Star wars yet, I've seen it twice loved it.

Xandria & CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur – an elf? Maybe.

lilaith – I love LOTR/SG fics too but there aren't enough of them. So I took it into my own hands.