Chapter 23

The Journey Back

All the members of the Fellowship had gathered the day the Hobbits had agreed it was time to head back home. Many tears were shed as they said their farewells, and Ruby was sure that her heart would utterly break in her chest. "We'll miss you so much." Ruby whispered as she threw her arms around Aragorn and gave him a big hug. He grinned softly down at her, an actual tear forming in his eye and trailing down his cheek.

"And I shall miss all of you. Especially Hazel's great wisdom, Frodo's firm endurance, Sam's true loyalty, Merry's boundless courage, Pippin's grand curiosity, and Ruby's sweet gentleness. I am honored to have known you." He said, and all of the Hobbits nearly burst with pride at his words, as Hazel also went to give their dear friend a hug alongside her sister.

"And you are truly a great man." She told him smiling brightly.

"I hope you shall take the time to remember us as well." Gimli huffed, as Legolas chuckled, standing beside him. "I certainly doubt I will be able to forget about any of you any time soon."

"Of course, we won't forget you Gimli." Merry reassured him, giving his friend a quick reassuring pat on the back.

"No matter how much we may try." Pippin joked and all of them laughed except for Gimli of course, who only glared at the young Hobbit that is until Ruby stepped back from Aragorn and gave him a hug of his own, as well as a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Nonsense Gimli, you are the best dwarf we have ever met. We shall remember you with great honor." Hazel assured him, though she remained in her place figuring Ruby had things well covered.

"And of course, we'll miss you too Legolas." Sam put in, earning him a winning smile from the elf. "You have all been true friends to us. Your memory shall be with us always." All the Hobbits nodded their heads at this, and tears actually once again began to pour down Ruby's face.

She tried to wipe them away, but Aragorn stopped her. "Don't feel bad Ruby. Tears are not always something that you should be ashamed of. We will meet again someday, I am sure of it." She smiled up at him, grateful for his encouraging words, and after one final round of hugs, the group finally turned at Gandalf's urging (for he was accompanying them on their way back to the Shire) away to face the road ahead of them.

Their adventure was coming to an end; life would return to normal. Or at least as normal as it ever could be. After all that they had survived there was no doubt that none of them would ever be the same again. And Ruby was okay with that. In fact, she was glad.

"Are you ready Ruby?" Hazel asked, coming to stand beside her little sister smiling down at her gently. Ruby hesitated a moment, as if to try and really consider the question, before she nodded her head and let a small smile cross her face.

"Yes Hazel, I actually believe I am." She said, and with that the two sisters began marching hand in hand back to the Shire. Back home. It was a long journey, filled with quite a few mini adventures (though nothing in comparison to the huge one they had just survived, and mostly of their own making -Merry and Pippin) and Ruby absolutely thought her feet were going to fall off before Sam offered to carry her at least part of the way, which she accepted gratefully if not a bit surprised at the gesture.

"Hazel." Pippin called out as he came to walk beside her one day, seeming the tiniest bit nervous and shy.

"Yes, Pippin?" She responded smiling and nodding kindly at the young Hobbit, as she thought of his confession back at Minas Tirith. "Did you need anything?"

"Well I was just wondering if you could help me out with something." He said, and as he explained, a huge grin spread across Hazel's face and she eagerly agreed.

When they finally arrived at Rivendell they were all thoroughly exhausted. It was just as lovely as Ruby remembered and she was staring at the place in honor, when they were greeted and escorted to a couple of lavish rooms where oblivious to the rest of the world she lay down and fell asleep. When she awoke she was amazed at how rejuvenated she felt, in fact she couldn't remember feeling so well rested since she had left the Shire so long ago. She sat there for a moment, allowing her mind to drift back home. She envisioned the beauty of the Shire, her mother's smiling face, and the idea of spending as much time as possible with Pippin, away from danger and threat of imminent death. It was enough to make her smile.

At that happy thought she scrambled out of bed, hurried to change into the clean clothes that had been so generously laid out for her (it was turquoise, with short sleeves, a white sash to be tied around the waist, and a skirt that seemed to twirl itself when she spun in it, which yes she learned from first-hand experience), before grabbing her violin (of course) and heading out to play in the courtyard. Along the way, she nearly bumped into Frodo who seemed to be walking with a specific intent toward the room that Ruby somehow managed to distinctly remember as being Hazel's. "Hello Frodo." She greeted him brightly, and he smiled in surprise back at her.

"Oh, hello Ruby. And how are you this fine day?" He asked her politely.

"Great. And you?" She returned, nearly wanting to giggle at his obvious impatience and (if she was reading him right, which wasn't positive) nervousness.

"Good. I was just on my way to see Hazel. She and I had planned to visit with Bilbo today if we could. We wanted to as soon as we arrived, but we were all just so tired…" He trailed off regretfully.

"I'm sure he'll understand." She assured him, before she lowered and softened her voice, saying the words she had wanted to for a while and yet had not had the courage (strange after all she'd been through and faced) to say. "She loves you a great deal, you know."

"Yes, I know. And I love her as well." He admitted, blushing slightly but continuing to look Ruby in a way that made her feel confident that her sister had chosen a good match.

"You will take care of her, won't you?" She asked earning her an almost puzzled look from Frodo, before she stammered on. "She's just… always been there for me you know? Like a second mother, only better. She protected me and cared for me in a way no one else could have. I'd just like to know that she'll have someone who'll do the same for her. Treat her the way she was meant to be treated."

"Like a Queen." He finished with a soft smile that filled Ruby with immense relief and gratitude.

"Exactly." She agreed, before reaching out to give Frodo a quick hug. "Thank you, Frodo."

"The pleasure is all mine." He replied simply, and with that the two parted heading in opposite directions, but both greatly encouraged by the encounter. Ruby of course headed toward the main courtyard, where she pulled out her violin and began to play. Today her songs (both ones she had heard before, and ones she had composed on the spot, though none were as great as the one she played for Lord Denethor in Minas Tirith) were full of joy and hope, the promise of a new and glorious life that she was sure awaited her. She was so enthralled with her music, she hardly noticed someone sneaking up behind her until he had tapped her on the shoulder, making her jump about a foot in the air before whirling around to face him.

"Merry!" She screamed trying to catch her breath, from her startle, while he struggled to maintain his own laughter and mirth at the situation. Which she could hardly blame him for. She must have looked ridiculous. "What in Middle-Earth was that for?"

"I'm so sorry Ruby." He finally managed to choke out, holding back the chortles. "I didn't mean to disturb you. It's just Pippin wanted me to ask you to meet him down by the Ford. Sounded very important."

"All right…" She trailed, thoroughly confused by the message, but eager to comply either way. "I guess I'll go now then. Would you mind taking care of my violin for me? Thanks, Merry." She said immediately handing him both the violin and its case, as he stared in awe at the treasure in his hand. "Just make sure you don't hurt it, or I'll wring your neck." She warned, winking to let him know she wasn't being serious. Of course, she'd never physically harm him, though if anything happened to her violin she would be devastated.

"Oh, and next time you need to get my attention, would you mind calling my name over the music, rather than tapping me like some sort of assailant." She teased, and he laughed openly, as she turned went to meet her Pippin.

He was waiting by the Ford (the same Ford they had crossed so long ago, and Arwen had made her stand with Frodo against the ring-wraiths) just as Merry had said he would. He grinned brightly when he saw her, and delighted, she literally threw herself into his arms. He laughed, catching her and spinning her around in the air, in a way that made her squeal with happiness, until he finally put her down and simply held her close. "Merry said you wanted to see me. That it was important." She told him, reluctantly pulling away so she could look up into his face.

He blushed slightly (much like Frodo had done earlier in the day, though he seemed the tiniest bit more red, which only made him more cute to her) and nodded. "Yes, but before we get into that, I was wondering if I could ask you a somewhat silly and personal question."

"Of course." She agreed nearly laughing. "You can ask me anything Pip."

"Well I was just kind of wondering… well… why you loved me." He stammered blushing a little harder as he fumbled.

"Lots of reasons." She said blushing herself at the question. "For one, there's your beautiful singing voice that gives me the most delightful chills. Your great sense of humor, and the way you use it to help yourself and those around you maintain hope, even when there is none. Your loyalty to those you love- especially Merry and me. Then there's your great courage and determination to go through with things even when they get difficult; particularly at Minas Tirith as a guard of the citadel. But most of all, your childlike innocence and wisdom."

"What do you mean by that?" He asked perplexed, wondering whether he ought to be even the tiniest bit offended, especially at the word childlike but she soon put him at ease.

"You just seem to take in the world for the way it is, which might make you seem silly or even the tiniest bit slow to some people, but when it really counts Pip, you say and see some of the most brilliant things. Perhaps not as eloquently as Frodo or Hazel, but just as meaningful." She explained smiling admiringly at him, as a slow sheepish grin spread across his face.

"Thank you Ruby." He said softly reaching out to take her hand caressing it softly in his own. "And I love you for your gentle heart, sense and longing for adventure, determination to do what is right, sweet kindness, and never-ending hope. But most of all I love you because of this." And with that he led her over to the Ford where they kneeled and he gestured for her to look into the water. There she found herself simply staring at her reflection, which only made her blush more until she heard him singing softly in her ear.

She was so touched tears of joy filled her eyes as she turned to meet his gaze. "Where did you learn that song?" She asked her voice choking up as she did so.

"Hazel taught it to me." He said simply shrugging casually. "She thought it might help my case."

"For what?" She asked suspiciously, not quite daring to hope that this was what it appeared to be.

"For when I asked you to marry me." He said smiling shyly, as he hurried on. "I love you Ruby, more than anything in this word, and I meant every word I said. You truly are the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I can't imagine my life without you. Will you marry me?" At this he pulled out of his pocket a simple ring but Ruby barely saw it before squealing, she lunged forward and tackled him with a hug that sent both of them tumbling into the water (which luckily for them was actually quite low at least for the norm, and the current was not swift enough to carry them away).

"Yes." She cried, when they both had righted themselves, wrapped in a tight embrace. "Of course, I'll marry you!" And with that they shared a quick kiss, before he placed the ring on her finger and they began to play and splash in the water. Truly there had never been so glorious a day.

~jb~

Meanwhile Hazel and Frodo were back in the main part of Rivendell visiting amiably with Bilbo, as they held hands and took turns relating to him all the details of their grand adventure. He laughed and cried with them at parts, often making a comment or two about how he wished he could have been there or some similarity to his own adventure. Frodo had not felt so refreshed and content since he had first become the Ring bearer, and he could tell Hazel felt much the same way.

"You really are lucky Frodo." Bilbo suddenly commented, catching both of them a little off guard before he nodded toward their linked hands and continued. "I always had a feeling you two would fall in love, though I still couldn't be happier now that you have. You'd best not let her get away my boy."

"Don't worry Bilbo." Frodo answered as he turned to gaze adoringly at his one true love. She looked stunning in a flowing soft pink dress, with short sleeves, a purple sash at the waist, and a skirt that twirled when she spun (Sound familiar?) and he felt his heart fill with the all-encompassing love he could see reflecting at him in her eyes. "I won't."

YAY! THEY'RE GETTING MARRIED!

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