Second-to-last chapter...sorry it took so long to get up (a whole three days!), the net was acting all funky. Anyhoodle, I don't actually own all this stuff, I just write about it. Enjoy!

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"I can't do this Sam."

"I know. It's all wrong. By rights we shouldn't even be here. But we are. It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something."

"What are we holding on to Sam?"

"That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo… and it's worth fighting for."

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Half the Shire had been invited to Bilbo's 111th birthday party. The other half were showing up anyway. The Cottons fell into the latter half; the Gamgees fell into the former, being gardeners and good friends of the Gamgees. She had a plan this time: she was going to avoid the drinks at all costs, and even avoid the food, if possible, although her Hobbit stomach growled at the thought of all of the food she was going to miss.

She joined in all the dances that didn't need a partner, turning in circles and sashaying at the right times. She laughed when Frodo Baggins did his silly hop-dance across the floor. Whenever she got a chance, she looked for Sam Gamgee in the crowd.

He wasn't there.

She sighed and kept her smile on her face. Others boys came and asked her for a dance. A Sandydowns boy took her for a spin; Mungo Gamwich even danced an entire fast song with her. Then came another singles dance.

The dance began. Rosie kicked her feet and threw her arms in their air, as the rhythm beckoned. She looked out, and Sam Gamgee was seated at a nearby table, turned in his seat. He seemed to be looking right out at her. She smiled at him. He turned back around.

Was there nothing she could do to get his attention? Old Noakes stood up on a fruit box and began calling the dance.

"Spin in a circle! One, two!"

She spun in a circle. When she spun around again, Frodo Baggins was talking to Sam.

"Bend your knees! Three, four!"

Rosie bent her knees and stood up again. Around her, people were giggling, but she couldn't help but notice that Frodo was looking from her to Sam and back again.

"Kick your feet! Five, six!"

Feeling ridiculous, Rosie began kicking her feet like a Stoor from the old tales.

"Seven, eight!"

Everyone was laughing by now, even Rosie.

"Spin in a circle! Nine, ten!"

Rosie spun around, and when she spun back, there was Sam, standing before her, looking petrified. What was more amazing, he was looking her in the face.

"Prance!" Old Noakes called.

This meant that everyone had to grab a partner and start dancing in a circle. They clasped hands, his left and her right, and he placed his other hand upon her waist, and her free hand on his shoulder, and they danced in their circle. The music played on and on.

Sam wasn't saying anything. He was looking ahead, at where they would soon be dancing. Rosie searched her mind for something to say. She remembered the Yule Party, where it had seemed so grand just to say hello. That didn't seem right, here.

She said, "Are you enjoying yourself?"

He said, "Yes, Miss Rosie. Are you?"

Why couldn't she be bold? "I am now," she said.

Sam ducked his head. Rosie resisted the urge to groan. This was getting annoying.

Old Noakes lifted his hand, trying to say something. He paused, thought a moment, and then fell on the ground. The musicians stopped, to see if he was alright. The dancers stopped when the music stopped, and looked and giggled at Old Noakes.

"Couldn't hold his ale," Sam said. He hadn't let go of her hand.

"He never can," Rosie said.

"Do you want some?" Sam asked.

"Ale?"

Sam nodded, looking at her feet. He was still holding her hand. Rosie smiled.

"Sure," Rosie said.

They turned, together, and began walking to the brew-barrels. "I'll admit," said Sam, "I've already had a few."

"That's alright," Rosie said. He still seemed to be walking and talking just fine. She passed Daisy Maggot walking with a Bracegirdle boy to the dancing area; they waved at each other.

"Sorry I haven't been able to come round to your family's house lately," Sam said. "I've been helping me Gaffer with the Baggins' garden."

He smelled like it.

"Do you like it?" Rosie asked.

Sam nodded eagerly. This was a topic he very much enjoyed; they were soon in a very in-depth conversation about the various plants of the Shire, especially those that grew at Bag End. Rosie, being a farmer's daughter, was very easily able to hold up her end of the conversation. He poured the ale, and held her cup out to him. She smiled and took it.

Their fingers touched. He ducked his head again, and took a drink from his cup. Rosie found herself smiling at him. She could still remember how his hand felt, holding hers. She drank a deep swallow from the cup.

"Rose," someone called. Rosie looked: it was Ted Sandyman. "Rose," he said, "Would you mind getting me a…" he looked at Sam, then at Rosie. "Never mind," he said. "I'll just get it myself." He stepped forward and poured his own brew.

Rosie grinned. "I'm not just a barmaid around you," she told Sam.

He smiled back. Rosie took another sip of her drink.

"I, uh," Sam began. "I think you look pretty."

Rosie felt her face grow hot. "Thank you."

They both ducked their heads, and took a drink together.

Rosie gladly handed over four mugs of ale to Frodo Baggins. He nodded his thanks (Rosie knew he was good for it, having recently inherited his uncle Bilbo's estate) and immediately skipped off, in his queer way, to his cousins Mariadoc Brandybuck and Pippin Took. He sang along with their song, skipping circles around their table, as nearly the whole of the inn joined in song:

Hey, ho, the dark night go

To heal my heart and drown my woe

Rain may fall and wind may blow

But there still be

Many miles to go

Sweet is the sound of pouring rain

And the stream that falls from hill to plain

Better than rain or rippling brook

Here Pippin Took yelled at the top of his lungs: "Is a mug of beer inside this Took!"

Everyone laughed and turned back to their previous activities, talking and drinking. Rosie returned to drying the washed mugs, and stood ready for anyone who would come to ask for more drinks. She couldn't help herself; she looked for Sam Gamgee, sitting with his Gaffer and the Miller and Ted Sandyman, smoking a pipe and looking for all the world like the most sensible, decent hobbit there ever was.

He was looking at her.

She smiled at him.

He blinked and looked away, back at the table, where Frodo Baggins was giving the four mugs in his hands to the others sitting at the table.

She grinned into her mug. She knew he loved her.

Everyone trooped out that night in a merry spirit. There had been no brawls, just loud singing and dancing and talking. She wiped a cup clean, as something to do, while all the men walked out the door one by one, and she wished them all a good night.

Sam and Frodo walked by.

"'Night, lads," she said, with an extra smile for Sam.

Frodo nodded back, but Sam merely looked at her, and very soon passed her by. Ted Sandyman was next; he dropped down on one knee. Rosie looked down at him, very surprised.

"Good night, Sweet Maiden of the Golden Ale," he said.

Rosie and all the other barmaids giggled. "Good night, Ted," she said. She looked at Sam, who had turned around, and Frodo was patting him on the back.

"Boy," she heard him say, "Mind who you're sweet-talkin'…"

Rosie giggled even more.

"Don't worry, Sam," Frodo said was heard to say as he turned Sam back around. "Rosie knows an idiot when she sees one."

"Does she?" Sam sounded worried. Rosie felt her face grow hot. She watched him walk away, before Autumn came to close the door. It was the last anyone saw Samwise Gamgee for a very long time.

(4/5)