A/N: Next chapter will be the last one!

Frodo silently walked along with the trees of Parth, each day he could perceive the pressure of the ring on him becoming heavier, he didn't feel protected with the fellowship anymore, the only time he felt secure was when he was on his own, He could breathe the fresh air of the trees and listen at the chipping of the birds.

He didn't know how much he could still resist with them, he hated to have the constant fear of being backstabbed by his very own friends, he wanted to believe that their promises of protection were true, that he could trust them.

The Hobbit jumped as he heard Boromir's voice behind him "None of us should wander alone." The man bent down and picked up another branch to the pile he was carrying in his arms "So much depends on you," he faced his young companion and furrowed his brows. "Frodo?" He asked as he saw that the hobbit was glaring at him suspiciously.

The gondorian stepped closer "I know why you seek solitude" he continued "You suffer." This caused the halfling to face the man again. "I see it day by day. You sure you do not suffer needlessly?" he took more steps closer "There are other ways, Frodo. Other paths we might take."

"I know what you would say." the Hobbit started sternly "It would seem like wisdom but for the warning in my heart."

"Warning? Against what?" The Man took more steps towards the hobbit "We are all afraid, Frodo. But to let that fear drive us" Boromir followed him as he backed away "To destroy what we have. Don't you see that is madness?"

"There is no other way," the ring barrier stated.

"I ask only for the strength to defend my people" Boromir was seething with anger, he ferociously threw all the sticks he gathered on the ground "Give me the Ring."

"No," Frodo said calmly as he tried to further the distance between himself and the man.

"Why do you recoil? I am no thief."

"You are not yourself."

"What chance you think you have?" his voice deepened with darkness "They will find you, they will take the ring, and you will beg for death before the end"

Frodo couldn't stand and hear a single more word from him, he knew it was the effect of the ring driving him crazy, he needed to stay far away from him, he turned and left.

This action made Boromir fume of rage "You fool!" he yelled "It is not yours, save by unhappy chance!" he picked up the pace and started to run to the halfling. Frodo's eyes widened; he began to run but the man was quicker. The man roughly grabbed his forearm "It should've been mine!"

The young Hobbit tried his best to get Boromir to release his arm, but he was not strong enough. He felt the man's grip tighten and panicked. He was twisting, punching and kicking as he tried to get the man to release him.

"Give it to me!" Boromir shouted.

"No!" the hobbit slipped the Ring onto his finger.

Boromir released Frodo as he disappeared in thin air. He looked at the ground where the hobbit had been moments ago and then felt something hitting him in the stomach "I see your mind You will take the Ring to Sauron!" Boromir frantically looked around noticing the leaves no longer moved. "You will betray us!" he shouted "You'll go to your death and the death of us all! Curse you and all the Halflings!"

Frodo suddenly had found himself in a dark place, in front of him there were stone steps, leading to the very top of a building, he climbed up the stairs, onto a high seat perched on four stone pillars, Frodo cowered on the seat, like a lost child. The world of mist swirled around him, he peered out from the seat, the world seemed to shrink. A huge mass of black battlements filled Frodo's vision. A mountain of iron, immeasurably strong, tower of adamant: Barad-Dur, the fortress of Sauron, he saw in the very top of the tower the eye, he could hear it speak in a dark language, then he saw that the eye had changed color, blue, Frodo intuited that it was Nìniel, but he wasn't sure, he didn't dare to get out from his hidden place to find it out, he took off the ring and accidentally he took a wrong step and he fell, finding himself to the ground.

He looked up and realized that he had fallen from the roof line of a building as he was getting up, he found Aragorn behind him.

Frodo jumped. "The Ring has taken Boromir!" he informed instantly.

Aragorn furrowed his brows again and his eyes widened. "Where is the Ring?" His voice was harsh and full of anger.

Frodo's blues eyes widened and scurried away "Stay away!" Frodo finally got to his feet and ran from the man.

Aragorn shouted softly "Frodo!" Strider raised his hand into the air for him to know that he wasn't going to hurt him. "I swore to protect you."

"Can you protect me from yourself?" the hobbit glared at the man. He slowly looked down towards his hand and opened it. There, laid in the palm of his hand, was the ring. "Would you destroy it?" Frodo asked, fearful of the ranger's answer.

Strider blinked and looked into Frodo's eyes and smiled softly. The ranger's hand then closed the Hobbits tiny one and held it tightly "I would have gone with you to the end. Into the very fires of Mordor." He then lifted Frodo's little hand and placed it against the Hobbits own chest.

"I know" the Hobbit replied. "Look after the others Especially Sam. He will not understand."

Aragorn nodded and then furrowed his brows as he saw a blue light coming from the Hobbits sheathed sword. To his horror, he remembered that Frodo's sword only lit up if Orcs or Goblins were around. "Go, Frodo!" He whispered harshly. He stood up quickly and pulled out his sword.

Frodo looked down and pulled Sting halfway and saw it glowing. "Run." He heard the ranger say but he stood completely still. "Run!" Aragorn had then shouted which made him sheath Sting.

Sam couldn't wait any longer, from what he knew Frodo could be in danger, as he got out of the boat he was hiding.

"What are you doing?" whispered Merry who was peaking from under his cloak inside his boat.

"I am not leaving Master Frodo alone" the blond hobbit said.

"Didn't you heard what Master Legolas said?" Pippin said as he too uncovered himself from under his cloak.

Nìniel did the same when he heard her father's name.

Sam rolled his eyes when he saw even the child showing her hiding place "Are you fools? I will be seen" he said whispering "Take cover!"

"I am going with you," Marry said as he jumped off the boat leaving Pippin behind "You stay here," he told him "I do not want anything happening to you,"

"no, I do not want anything to happen to you," Pippin said as he was getting on his feet, accentuating the word I.

"You must stay with her," said Marry pointing the child.

"You two must stay with Legolas's child," Sam said.

"Mani cin nall- ada nin?" *why are you calling my daddy?* asked Nìniel, she didn't understand why the halflings decided to disobey her father's order.

Sam brought his finger to his lips as a sign of silence to Nìniel and waved his hand downwards to make her lay back on the boat "Go back hiding"

Nìniel just looked him confused.

Sam sighed and shook his head "I am now going to seek Frodo," he said before leaving, hoping that they would understand that they must remain hidden.

"He is a fool If he thinks he's going alone," Merry said as he chased him.

Pippin silently looked around lost and bored and then without thinking he got up and followed his cousin leaving Nìniel alone.

Time had passed, she had been hiding for an awfully long time, staying still and not making any sounds, waiting for her father to come to get her.

With her elven ears, she had heard a horn, she closed her eyes shut, the last time she heard a horn was that day when the orcs caught her hiding and forced the Dulethri on her, causing the connection she had with Mairon.

Everything around when quiet for her, she could only hear her heartbeat pacing and the sound of her breath, she knew it was only a matter of time before they would get her.

She wanted to get up and run away in a safer place, but she well remembered that her father ordered her to not move. So, she didn't.

Then there were footsteps.

She knew it was time, she was mentally preparing to get kidnapped, she had resigned in everything, her father was late for her again, he had promised her to protect her but like last time she was left alone.

Everything seemed the same as That Day for her, hiding while hearing footsteps approaching her, just like it had happened in Mirkwood.

The footstep stopped.

She stood quietly, waiting for any sounds from the person standing outside of her hidden place, but nothing.

She heard a soft sniff, she let her eyes lose a bit, she hasn't realized how hard she had been keeping them shut. She had understood that the person was crying, she tried her best to keep her empathy and curiosity controlled, but she couldn't contain it, she slowly raised her head and peaked from under the cloth.

There standing by the lake shore stood Frodo, obviously deep in thought, over the woods she could hear a distraught Sam running as hard as he can through the forest. "Mr. Frodo!" she heard him call, but apparently, Frodo didn't because he was too far. She saw the ring in his hand, and a great force inside her was telling her that the ring was hers, she was planning a way to get it.

She studied the hobbit and she could see tears falling down on his face, suddenly she felt herself again, she felt awful, what was happening to her? she felt guilty of thinking to steal something it didn't belong to her, she was raised better than that, she remembered that one-day Gandalf explained to her that the ring was evil, why would she desire something evil? was she the only one?

She got out from her boat and silently walked near him, she didn't like watching people sad, it wasn't in her nature, if only they spoke the same language, she would have consoled him, but instead she silently took his hand.

Frodo looked down surprised, he was so lost in his thought that he didn't realize she was there.

He looked down at the child's eyes looking back to him, she had a sorrowful expression, they both were fighting a battle, and no one could truly understand them other than themselves, but he had come in a conclusion that both couldn't stay close to each other, day by day their darkness grew and someday they could no longer contain it.

"I must go," he told her silently. "I must do it alone"

Somehow, she understood him, he sounded like she felt a couple of minutes ago, resigning of anything. She understood what he was going through, and she understood that both had to be far apart for the plan to work. " Im gar-estel in cin" *I have faith in you* she told him.

With renewed determination, Frodo tucked the ring inside his vest pocket. He pushed an Elvish boat into the water and began to row, he turned one last time to face Nìniel who was silently watching him from the shore, but behind her, he could see Sam burst through the trees and running toward the lake.

"Mr. Frodo No! Frodo!" he called him with tears in his eyes.

Sam looked at the water and then at the boat and then ran after his best friend.

Nìniel stood there watching, at that moment she realized that where one of the hobbits went the other must follow, they were inseparable like she was with her father. they take care of each other.

"Go back, Sam. I'm going to Mordor alone."

Sam splashed hopelessly toward the boat. "Of course, you are...and I'm coming with you!"

"You can't swim." he reminded him.

Sam started to go under, spluttering and coughing, Frodo dropped his paddle and scrambled backward in the boat. "Sam!" he shouted frightened.

Sam was already underwater with hands flailing helplessly as he sank. Tears streamed from Frodo's eyes, the fear of losing his friends was strong, in a flash, memories of a lifetime with him appeared in his mind, he couldn't die, not in front of him.

He couldn't bear the pain of losing him in front of him, he would have blamed himself for all his life, Sam was drowning for love for him. And Frodo allowed it, he instantly immersed his full arm underwater to grasping Sam's and pulled bedraggled and half drowned Sam into the boat. they looked at each other, out of breath, tears, and water streaming down both their faces.

"I made a promise, Mr. Frodo...a promise." Sam started "Don't you leave him, Samwise Gamgee." he sobbed "And I don't mean to...I don't mean to."

"Oh, Sam!" Frodo cried pulling his best friend in an embrace and expressing all the feelings he had.

Together they sobbed for what it seemed for forever, they wished to that moment to never end, never in years of friendship had never felt so much special than that moment, they were both glad to have them as a friend and they were proud of the decision to departure for that journey together, even though it was a dangerous one, the most important thing is that they were together.

They both turned to look at Nìniel who watched the whole scene from the shore, Frodo smiled at her, watching her for the last time, he tried to memorize her features to never forget her, the elven princess of Mirkwood, they looked at each other's eyes, he very wished the very best for her, to grow up to be a fine elven ruler, start a family and live a long life in harmony. It was hard for him to leave her behind but they both knew what they had to do.

"Come on then." Frodo turned and the two Hobbits row through the water.

NEXT CHAPTER: Not Alone