This is my first Lord of the Rings fic…..I hope people like it alright. I'll probably be re-posting it sometime, with corrections and such.

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The carnage around Merry grew dim to his eyes. He had fallen to his knees as soon as he stabbed the Witch King from behind, and now the strange iciness was beginning to spread from his hand and arm to the rest of his body. What was this feeling? He felt as though his arm was being burned through by a thousand frozen knives.

Merry keeled over from the dizzying pain, unnoticed, while around him the battle still raged. He could see blurs run by, could feel their thunderous footsteps reverberate beneath him. He heard the shouts and cries of agony as men and orcs fell to their deaths on his left and right. They were at war, and for anyone to notice a small, injured hobbit among masses of warriors battling in the War of the Age would be absurd.

No, Merry was quite alone as his senses dulled and he collapsed with a groan to the earth, losing consciousness. The battle was ending, and Merry lay dying on the grounds of Pelennor.

Good-bye, Pip….

"Merry! Merry!" Tears stung the back of Pippin's eyes as he ran over and knelt beside his friend. Merry lay motionless beneath a fallen orc. Grunting in frustration, Pippin shoved at the body, fearing the worst. Merry's eyes were closed, and his face looked pale and livid- Pippin couldn't even tell if he was breathing.

Please- no, please, please……

"Oh, Merry." Pippin expression fell as he reached down to touch Merry's face. "He's freezing!" Pippin placed both hands on either side of Merry's face, looking desperately at him for signs of life. "Please, Merry, no…..you can't be…."

Suddenly, through his tears, Pippin saw Merry's eyes flutter open. Merry didn't look right. His eyes were cloudy and unfocused, as if shrouded behind a veil. When he spoke, he sounded distant, forming each word deliriously slowly. His voice was cracked and strained, as though the very effort exhausted him. "I knew…..you'd find me, Pip."

Pippin sighed in relief. He leaned down directly in front of Merry, brushing brown curls away from his friend's dirt and blood-streaked face. "Shh, it's okay, Merry. You're going to be alright. " But he looked hurriedly around for Gandalf. Despite his reassuring words, Pippin knew Merry wouldn't last long like this.

Merry's eyes drifted closed, then opened again as he fought with unconsciousness, and his voice sounded even farther off, but resigned and forlorn. "Are you going to leave me?"

The simplicity and sheer absurdity of the question made Pippin pause and turn back to him, forgetting for the moment Gandalf and the battle and everything but his fallen comrade, lying hurt and desperate in the dirt. Looking closer, Pippin saw him shaking. Merry was shivering.

How the roles had reversed…… Merry, the strong one, the brave and stable one, was now vulnerable and looking to him for protection and aid. It was a distressing situation, and Pippin wasn't sure he was up to it. He sighed, looking pitiably down on his friend. "No, Merry. I'm going to look after you." He took off his cloak and placed it over him, speaking quietly. "You're worn out…..are you wounded?"

"No……well, I don't think so……. But I can't feel my right arm, Pippin, …..not since I stabbed him….." Merry's voice was fading.

"Your arm? I don't know, then, we'll have to get you to the House of Healing. Can you walk?" Pippin hated himself for asking, but he couldn't carry Merry, and he needed medicine as soon as possible.

Merry nodded and sat up, supporting himself with his left arm. As Pippin held him beneath the arms, he rose unsteadily to his feet, swaying on the spot for a moment as he tried to catch his breath. Suddenly he gasped, shaking violently, and reached deliriously for Pippin.

"Help me, Pippin! It's all going dark again……. Pippin!" Merry shut his eyes tight, fear of an unknown foe etched across his face.

"Merry, I'm right here," Pippin grabbed his hand and held it tightly. He wrapped his other arm around Merry's waist and guided him back down to the ground. Pippin had to get him to the House of Healing.

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Chapter Two up later!