Thank you so much for your support of the last chapter! I hope you enjoy this one, but I'm rather tired tonight, so please do forgive any of my typos.

Chapter Nine: Reservations and Recollections

Nori woke before the sun rose. He did not move right away. Beside him, Ori was curled into a ball, snoring lightly. He still looked young when he slept. Like that timid little boy Nori joined the quest for. It did not matter that his two braids now held a full beard, nor that he was now almost as strong as Dori. He still had freckles, and a nose that seemed too big. He still sucked his tongue when he slept.

A loud, harsh snore drew Nori's gaze to the right, and he smirked. Gimli, on the other hand, could not be accused of looking like a child. Though he was decades younger than Ori, and but a year older than Fíli had been during the quest, Gimli looked older than Nori's brother, to the eyes of everyone save Dori and Glóin. Gimli had inherited his father's bushy beard, which he kept full, and large, dwarven features that did not seem too big for his face. Not to mention that Gimli's brows and lips were set in a manner that made him appear very solemn, even when he was not. 'Resting grump face,' that was what Bróin dubbed it.

Whether that was a fair assessment or not, Gimli had grown up quickly. Sometimes, when his nightmares dragged him back into Mirkwood, and reminded him what if felt like to hang, Nori would wake and wonder if that week had been what had triggered Glóin's son to grow so gruff so soon. But he would always shrug it off. Perhaps it just came from his bond with older cousins, and in any case, it did not matter. Gimli was happy, and healthy. Anything else was none of Nori's business.

With a sigh, Nori obeyed his bladder and rose, stepping carefully over Ori, Gimli and Bofur on his way to the door. When he had visited Bombadil's bathroom, he rolled his neck, hearing the bones click with a strong sense of satisfaction. Then, he looked up and down the hall. It was strange – were it anywhere else, he would say it felt bare, unfinished. There was naught there but off-white walls and a floor that was surely just compressed earth – but it felt complete. Whole.

He wandered down it slowly. He was not uneasy, as such. Gandalf thought they were safe here, and he hardly felt exposed, but Nori was not one to trust any man at once. Even if he was indebted to him. Or liked him – for he liked Tom, and his wife. And he was not lacking gratitude. But did he trust them? No.

He had grown used to hiding mistrust, however. Kíli and Bilbo got very upset if they thought you were 'stereotyping,' and did not seem to take Nori's easy judgement of every soul he met as any sort of excuse. He would be terrible at his job if he trusted as easily as the Bagginses. Or most of the hobbits, for that matter. They were rather like dogs – you gave them food and a nice word, and they would eat out of the palm of your hand. Sam had a bit more sense, and Nori had managed to teach Nelly a thing or two about healthy scepticism over the years, but he did worry sometimes.

Pushing open the door to the room they had dined in the previous day, and found that he was not alone. But he was not surprised. Nelly was gazing out of the window, elbow propped on the table and chin resting on her hand.

Nori tutted. "Dori and Ellie would play tennis with the back of your skull if they saw you slouched like that in a stranger's house."

A soft grin tugged at her lip, but it did not chase the frown from her brow. He had not startled her – it was hard to startle a hobbit.

"Aye," she yawned. "That they would. But I don't really care what Dori or Aunt Ellie have to say right now."

Nori gave a huff of laughter, and glanced out of the window. It was still dark, and he could see nothing more than two nearby trees, their branches stretching towards the house like grasping fingers.

"So," he said slowly. "How's not fearing the wraiths going for you?"

Nelly shrugged her shoulders, her frown deepening. "I appreciate why Gandalf said it would be difficult, now."

"Very diplomatic," he commented.

"How did you feel about it?" she said, keeping her eyes on the window.

He stared at her for a moment, before shrugging and sitting down opposite. "Nearly soiled myself."

She snorted, and nodded slowly. "Aye… But it made me angry, too."

"Angry?"

Her eyes finally tore from the window to meet his. "Angry that my fear wasn't mine – they bring that, that, atmosphere, presence, uh-"

"Aura?"

Nelly shot him a somewhat withering look from beneath her brow. "Whatever it was – they shoved it in our faces as if our hearts were theirs to rule, and I did not like it. Nor did I like seeing Pippin and Fíli smacked around like wrestling dummies, either. Still, it could be worse. No one died."

"No," Nori accepted. "No, that's true."

They sat in silence for a while. It was easy. She was as dear as Ori to him, and nowadays there was no one he was more comfortable around. As a tiny little child, Nelly had held out her hand in a friendship that had stunned him, and confused him at times. He had never quite known what she saw in him to make her want him as a friend. But he had watched her grow with a pride that he imagined felt like that of a parent, and had come to consider her his closest friend. One who knew his past, and would not forsake him for it.

"By Durin, this place doesn't half make you reflective," he muttered, and she raised a single brow.

"What?"

"Ah, it's nothing," he said, flashing a grin. "What do you say we sniff out our host? If I'm getting peckish, you must be near starvation."

She fluttered her hand to her forehead, but without her usual flair. Nori gave a small smile.

"Come on, lass. What's on your mind, other than your hand?"

Her lip twitched, and she rubbed her face with her hands. "Nothing. I just – I didn't know there are things out there that can use fear as, as a weapon. And then I went and had an awful nightmare last night, just to top things off."

"What about?"

"The Battle of the Shire," she said, meeting his eyes. "Happening again, but now. Flames everywhere. Our side beaten, hobbits in chains. All that lovely stuff."

"That does sound rather unpleasant," said Nori. "I slept like a babe."

A loud yawn and shuffling feet announced the arrival of Bragi and Soren, and immediately Nelly's shoulders relaxed, and an easy smile slipped over her face. She met Nori's eye, and he winked.

That's my girl.

It was the sunlight that woke Frodo in the morning. It streamed through a crack in the curtains and fell directly over his eyes, but when he blinked his eyes open it seemed his cousins were all still snoozing. They looked peaceful, and they certainly deserved the lie in, so Frodo stood and let them be.

He rubbed his hand over his face and ran his fingers through his hair. He felt well rested, but his dream weighed heavily on his mind. As he walked out of the room, he could hear chattering coming from the dining room, but he could also hear Bilbo's voice coming from the other direction. Curious, Kíli followed the sound into a little sitting room, where Tom Bombadil sat with Bilbo, Gimli and Dís.

"…goodness' sake, Gimli, stop interrogating the man. He's been nothing but hospitable and…"

"I do not mean to interrogate anyone," Gimli said indignantly, as Frodo entered the room. "But I want to know how you can be so sure your lands are safe. I've seen no guards, no walls or fences."

"Guards and walls and fences, no, we have no need for those. The land is safe, and I keep it so," the man's eyes were sparkling and he winked at Frodo, who could not help but grin back. "Good morning, young Frodo."

"Oh, good morning, love," Dís said, glancing over her shoulder with a smile, and making space on the couch beside her.

Gladly, he sat down, and she smiled, patting his knee.

Dís screaming on her blood-soaked bed, her back arching and her legs splayed at awkward angles.

Frodo tried to hide the shiver that ran down his spine as he forced himself back to the present. His aunt was fine, she was right there – and staring at him as if she knew something was wrong. She opened her mouth.

"So!" Tom clapped his hands together and smiled at Bilbo. "You've told me the tale of why you're here, now, show me that precious ring of yours."

The reaction was immediate – Frodo's jaw dropped slightly, Dís gasped and Bilbo's eyes widened, while Gimli's narrowed dangerously.

"We told you nothing of a ring." Gimli's voice was hard and sharp as his axe, and Kíli glanced quickly at Bombadil.

"Not in so many words. But you told me all the same. Let me see."

To Frodo's utter astonishment, Bilbo pulled the ring from his pocket. Frodo heard Dís gasp, and felt his own heart pick up speed as Bilbo placed the glinting gold on the palm of his hand.

The elder Baggins stared at the ring for a lingering moment, before passing it to Tom Bombadil. Frodo could barely breathe, let alone move as he watched the man hold the ring up high and stare at it. The ring glinted in the morning light, and then Tom put it to his eye, laughed, and looked through it, his piercing blue eye wreathed in gold. It was an oddly chilling sight.

"So," Tom balanced the ring on his little finger. "This is what has young Olórin all in a fuss…"

He slipped the onto his finger. For a moment, Frodo did not realise what was wrong, but then he gasped. Tom Bombadil was still, very much visible. The man laughed again, popped the ring back off, and then flung it into the air, where it twisted, and vanished.

Shock and an unusual rage in his eyes, Bilbo leapt to his feet, but Tom laughed for a third time and passed the ring across the table. Bilbo snatched it back and stared suspiciously at the golden band. Looking directly at Tom Bombadil, he slipped the ring on his finger and vanished.

"Hey, now, Bilbo, Old Tom's not blind as that yet," said Tom, his smile fading slightly. "Take off your ring, your hand is fairer without it. And Olórin, stop dithering in the doorway. Come in and sit down."

Gandalf walked out of the shadows of the doorway with a smile on his lips but an odd look in his eye. It looked almost like disappointment. "Good morning. The weather is foul today."

"Oh yes," Tom said. "I doubt the sun will show her face today. You all may stay, rest awhile, and let your worries fade."

"Thank you, that would be lovely." Gandalf said, bowing low. "I cannot fittingly repay you for your hospitality, Tom."

Tom stared at Gandalf as if he was an amusing but foolish child, and shook his head. Then, he sprang to his feet, and cried, "Breakfast!"

Though he had not expected it, Frodo thoroughly enjoyed the stay spent at Tom Bombadil's. They did absolutely nothing but laze around inside, listening to the wonderous tales of Tom and Goldberry, and sharing a few tales and songs of their own. Even Nori and Nelly failed to get bored, and only Gandalf seemed at all restless. The wizard kept looking from Bilbo to Tom, and then to the door beyond, but he never said anything to betray his thoughts. And to everyone else, Tom's merriment was infectious. So much so, that Frodo almost forgot his nightmare.

Until he closed his eyes.

There we are – a little bit of a filler for you. I hope you enjoyed it. Please do let me know if you did, and until then, take care!