June 1423

Pippin's coming of age party rivaled even Bilbo's Eleventy-First Party. Every hobbit in the Shire was invited to Great Smials. The grand hall was packed with guests, both inside and out. Vinca had told Merry they'd been preparing for this party for a month. Her father and brother had finally... well, not reconciled, exactly, but at least they weren't arguing all the time anymore. Paladin had been somewhat appeased when Pippin had come home to Tuckborough and Pippin had promised his mother he'd try to get along with his father.

Today was the first time Merry had seen Pippin since Pippin had left Crickhollow. It was the longest he'd ever been separated from Pippin that he could remember. Even the war had only separated them a little over a week, at most. They'd always been together, staying at each other's homes and spending nearly every waking moment (and a lot of time when they should have been asleep in their beds) getting into mischief together. Their time apart while growing up was measured in days at a time, not weeks. Merry missed him terribly.

Unfortunately, he had little chance to spend time with Pippin today. An overwhelming number of guests to greet had kept Pippin occupied, and any amount of free time he had seemed to be filled by the Thain introducing him to some lass and her parents.

Pippin plastered on a smile for the lasses, but Merry knew he wasn't happy with what his father was doing. After his string of bad luck, Pippin had decided not to get serious with anyone and remain a bachelor for a while. "Maybe forever," Pippin had scoffed into his ale as Merry and Freddy had tried to console him after he'd ended his relationship with Laura Boffin. Merry had just nodded, biting his lip agains tthe urge to point out that he'd seen how Pippin looked at lasses and he was pretty sure his cousin wouldn't remain a bachelor forever.

Merry could no longer bear to watch Pippin forced to make small talk with another blushing lass and her mother. "How about a walk, Sam?" he asked. It had been a while since he'd spent time with Sam, both of them busy with families.

Sam nodded, then leaned over to touch Rosie's arm. "Mister Merry's invited me for a walk, love," he said to her. "Will you be all right?"

Rosie and Estella stared across the table at each other for a second, then burst into giggles. "Of course I will!" Rosie laughed, patting her seven-month belly. "You worry too much, my dear. And I do have a midwife sitting across from me." She patted her husband's reddening cheek and gave him a quick kiss. "I will be fine. You enjoy yourself."

"Can we come?" Ivy asked, taking hold of Elanor's hand.

"Of course, you can," Merry said. He winked at Rosie and Estella. "We'll let the mums have a rest."

He and Sam grasped a mug of ale in one hand and a daughter's hand in the other and headed out to the quiet of the orchard.

A breathless Pippin trotted up to them at the gate. "I've escaped!" he said. "Where are we going?"

"We're going for a walk!" Ivy said.

Pippin leaned down and tapped her on the nose. "Can I come with you?"

Ivy looked up at Merry. "Can Uncle Pippin come?"

Merry chuckled. "I suppose we'll let him come with us this time." Pippin made a face at him.

Ivy cheered and took Pippin's hand, too. They walked out among the orderly rows of trees--apples, cherries, pears. The Thain had the largest orchard in the Shire. Merry and Sam settled themselves in the shade of an ancient apple tree, but Ivy was tugging at Pippin's hand. "Come play with us!"

Merry smiled, watching Pippin allowing himself to be pulled away by the two girls. Ivy had finally seemed to have gotten over him leaving Crickhollow. She hadn't pouted about it in weeks and had quite happily settled into Estella living with them now. She was spending a lot of time with her step-mother, which made Merry happy. They were really starting to feel like a family. And they were working on expanding their family. Merry smiled. Ivy had already asked about getting a brother or sister, just like Elanor. He hoped that very soon they'd be able to make her wish real.

And soon Pippin would be joining him and Sam in starting a family...if he managed to find a lass he could get along with for more than a week. "It's hard to believe our little Pip is all grown up," Merry said wistfully.

Beside him, Sam snorted into his ale. "I don't know about that." He nodded towards where Pippin was playing tag with Ivy and Elanor around the trees, giggling just as much as they were. "And I seem to recall another young hobbit who didn't grow up right away."

Merry tried to look hurt. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

Sam grinned. "Let's just say we're lucky there aren't any fireworks around."

They both burst into laughter at the memory of a fiery red dragon filling the sky and the look on Gandalf's face when he had caught the culprits who had released it, then stopped as it hit them at the same time why there weren't any fireworks anymore. Both hobbits somberly turned back to their ales.

"I wish Frodo could have been here," Merry said, breaking the silence. "He adored Pippin. He always had time for us, even when the other lads teased him for spending time with his snot-nosed little cousins."

Sam sighed. "I miss him, too. I got so used to taking care of him and watching out for him. I would have died for him. I love him like he was my own brother. He became my whole life for a while and...then he was gone."

Merry put his arm around Sam and sighed. "I know, Sam," he said, but suddenly it wasn't Frodo he was thinking of. Pippin wasn't gone, but he no longer needed Merry as a guide and protector, a role that Merry had filled for thirty-three years.

"Hey! No being gloomy on my birthday!" Merry looked up as Pippin came towards them. Ivy and Elanor followed behind him, whispering and giggling to each other.

Merry gave Sam's shoulder a squeeze then pulled away. He forced a grin up at Pippin. "We're just feeling old because my little baby cousin is a grown-up now."

Pippin made a face at him. "We're going to the north pasture to see the new foals. Would you two old gaffers like to join us?"

"Don't you have a party to host?" Merry asked, eyebrow raised.

"The huge party was my parents' idea," Pippin said, not bothering to hide his annoyance. "They didn't even ask me what I wanted to do. And I'd rather spend my birthday with my best friends."

The admonishment died on Merry's lips. Pippin was an adult now. He could certainly make his own decisions.

"All right, Pip."

Pippin grinned and grabbed their hands to pull Merry and Sam to their feet. Sam scooped up Elanor and swung her up on his shoulders. Merry and Pippin each took a hand and swung Ivy between them as they walked up to the pasture, leaving the sounds of the party behind them.