The fire was burning low in the grate as he stretched out across the bed, still half-caught in slumber. Rain was starting to fall softly against the darkening windows; a storm was beginning to stir in the skies above the Shire. As Merry turned over an urgent thought began to bother him, gradually dragging him from his sleepy haze.

He slowly opened one eye and looked at the empty space beside him. For a moment he struggled to free his mind from the shackles of sleep. He rubbed at bleary eyes and sat up, looking at the space beside him once again. His eyes widened in alarm as realisation hit him like a boulder.

"PIP!"

He scrambled quickly to his feet, hastily pulling on his jacket. He ran along the length of the hallway, desperately calling for his cousin. There was no answering sound.

He was out there somewhere, alone and in danger. Merry hurried out in to the growing darkness, hoping against hope that he could find Pip before the storm broke.

Pip drew his cloak tighter around his trembling body. He was soaking wet and freezing cold, and goose bumps were prickling his body.

It wouldn't matter to him if the sun were blazing in the sky above him, he would still be shaking, teeth chattering loudly. He was scared, petrified, about what he knew he had to do.

He felt awful for leaving Merry behind, he knew he would be worried sick when he awoke to find that he had left, but he knew he had to face his fear alone this time, no matter how much he wished he could have Merry by his side. He felt utterly miserable, but still he pressed onwards. He imagined going back home to Merry when it was all over. He was in for such a scolding! It didn't matter that he was of age now, didn't matter how many perils he had faced, Merry generally still saw him as the little hobbit he had promised to always look after. Sometimes Pip wondered if Merry had somehow traded places with his parents, he was certainly as protective of Pip as they were.

Never mind, he thought to himself, he will understand eventually.

He nervously ran his fingers along the dagger at his waist. Time to face your fears, Peregrin Took.

He walked steadily in to the forest, a small hobbit alone in a gathering storm.

Merry glanced nervously up at the sky. The rain was falling harder now, wind howling fiercely. Any time now the drumbeats of thunder would begin to roll, and he still hadn't found Pip.

He's only just come back to me, he can't leave me again. I need to find him, before something else does.

He trudged onwards along the muddy path, determination and hope burning brightly in his soul.

He woke up some hours later, dazed and nauseous. His head was pounding; it felt as though he had been hit by a club-wielding troll. He turned, aching, on to his side as the nausea overwhelmed him. He lay there, tears streaming down his face as he retched violently. Mud and blood caked his tattered clothes, freezing rain soaked his shivering form. He felt so ill, and so very, very tired. He wished his parents were here, or Merry. They would know how to help him. But he was alone this time, no one was here to save him, no one but himself.

He slowly pulled himself up on to his feet, and was immediately struck by a wave of dizziness that forced him back down to the ground. His head began to throb even more and everything became blurry as though he were looking through frosted glass. He fought the urge to vomit again, but it was a losing battle. He retched again until his stomach was empty, sobbing loudly. Eventually it passed and he curled up on the ground, not daring to move in case it triggered off the dizziness again. He tried desperately to stay awake, he knew that he shouldn't sleep yet, but he was feeling drowsy and with no one to stop him, he fell in to an uneasy sleep.

An hour passed before he woke, sweating. His dreams had been plagued by those menacing yellow eyes, watching him in the darkness. He looked wildly around him, listening carefully to the sound of twigs snapping somewhere behind him, convinced he was about to see those yellow eyes again.

He knew he couldn't stay here any longer, he had to start moving again. He slowly staggered to his feet and began to stumble forward, ignoring the protestations of his throbbing head and aching body. The trees were beginning to thin out here, and he fancied he could see the distant lights of the houses that were scattered over Buckland. He would be back with Merry again soon.

He gave the pot one last stir before pulling on his travelling cloak. He grabbed the lantern from the hallway and stepped out in to the night. He hoped to be able to meet Pip about a quarter of a mile along the path that led from Crickhollow. His friend had left the Took Smials a couple of days ago, intending to be back in time for supper tonight.

It was cold out, and the rain had begun to fall steadily earlier that evening. He hoped he would come across Pip quickly so they could get back to the warmth of their home and some nice hot stew. His Aunt Eglantine, Pip's mother, had probably sent her soon back with some homemade food of hers. She always insisted that her son looked too skinny for a hobbit, on account of himself and Merry having a few extra inches height on every other hobbit in the Shire. The thought of her baking made his mouth water; he hoped she had given Pip one of her special apple cakes, famed throughout the Shire.

He gazed out across the path toward the dwellings that marked the Buckland border. He could just make out a lone figure staggering in his direction, still some way off. Curious as to whether there would be anything he could do to help, he walked towards it, and as he drew nearer, a cold feeling overcame him. The figure was but a few hundred metres from him now. He wished he were more hidden from them, sheltered in the darkness away from the rain. Peering intently ahead of him, he determined after much deliberation that it was friend that approached, not foe. Even as he began to allow his tense muscles to relax, the figure looked towards him.

Merry opened his mouth and gasped in shock. Ghostly pale, utterly terrified, shaking and bleeding, it was still unmistakeably Pip. Merry dropped the lantern he had been carrying and ran to his cousin.

"Pip! What has happened to you?"

His cousin stared intently at the ground, muttering softly to himself as though he hadn't recognised Merry's presence.

"Merry, must find Merry. Not safe anymore, must find him."

Merry reached out to comfort him, but Pip flinched away from his cousin's touch, leaving him confused and distressed.

"Get away from me, leave me alone! I need to find Merry!"

He began to thrash around wildly, almost knocking Merry to the ground. Carefully moving towards him, Merry began to speak in a soothing whisper.

"Pip lad, it's me, Merry. I'm here, you're safe now. Let's get you home."

He began to gently guide him back in the direction of their home, hoping desperately that he had not just lied to his cousin. He was safe now, wasn't he?

The rain fell in a steady stream from the sky above, washing away all traces of the younger hobbits' tracks. Still he walked determinedly onwards.

Almost there now.

A/N: Love it or hate it let me know! This is my longest chapter yet! And I did enjoy writing this one loads. Anyway, as per usual if you have any questions or comments please leave me a review and I will try my best to get back to you.

Hope you continue to enjoy reading this.

Until next time...

Smileyhalo