(A/N - Thank you all for being patient. I had some kinks to work out in chapter fourteen, so yes; that was my delayed excuse. Also my lunchtime at school where I usually run off to the library and type has been occupied with helping Mr. Molinaro out since it's his first year teaching at the senoir high (he's my chorus teacher). So I get to clean, write notes, help out, but I'll have you know I never forget about this! I've been working on this far too long to just forget about it. So if my updates are a little spaced, it's because of that and because I have to write a new chapter before I'll post another. My rule to keep up and ahead. Sorry. I just hope this will suffice for now. Thank you!)
. Reviewers .
x) SouthernCharm83 - I swear you know how to read minds because that's pretty much my purpose for the flashbacks; how Angie and Frodo met, the things they did in their youth... I just have so much fun with the top part because constantly writing about the War of the Ring is a little boring. I wanted to break it up a bit for me and the readers' sake. Adds to it. And I'm glad you approve of my corrections! I went through this one twice and couldn't spot anything too wrong, but I changed a phrase or two just in case. Thank you so much for the support! Enjoy chapter three!
x) Elwing-Evenstar - I'm so glad that you liked it! LoL. Please continue to read more and let me know what you think, including any suggestions! I'm open-minded, so try me sometime. Thank you for your review, and I hopeyou like this chapter as much as you did the last!
x) ArwenEvenstar83 - I like the kind of reviews you leave me, too! They are just like the ones I do for my one friend's story... Pick out the favorite parts and comment as you read, haha. Well, the Fortress isn't really in the tree, it's underground as you shall see here in this chapter. The entrance is trought the tree truck, but it tunnels down into the ground with a nice big space. Over the next few chapters in the top story you'll see them building the Fortress and such, so I hope that helps. Plus, it's a fairly large tree. Sorry if I failed to mention, LoL. And of course the bickering is fun! I love writing arguments! I'm not very good at them in real life, but man, on paper (or computer) I kick butt! Thank you for the wonderful review, and enjoy!
x) Kenny - OMG! You found me! LoL. Sorry I don't use your penname anymore... I'm much more used to calling you Kenny now. But thank you! I saw what you did for Soon To Be Named, and we had the Sauron's daughter discussion ot too long ago, but if you need any help writing, just let me know! I'd be more than happy to help! Thanks for the review and the dots! Update soon, you! It's your turn! Haha... Enjoy the chapter!
x) Merewen Celebrindal - Another one! I'm so happy that you enjoy reading my story! I hope this chapter will please you as the other two did so far! The story will be picking up soon; promise. I'm just trying to get more backstory in before the War comes along and rears its ugly face and takes over the story, LoL. Anyways, thanks for reviewing and enjoy this one!
.. Thank you so much you guys! I'm having as much fun writing as you are reading! ..
- Dis/Claimer -
. Chapter Three .
.. The Preparations ..
Two years had passed since the last telling of the troll story and their meeting of Frodo Baggins. Angie remembered sitting beside him during the story and him not saying much but looking into the fire and poking at his breakfast as he listened to the story his uncle had told them all that morning. Merry and Pippin had told her after they had left that this was their cousin, and she was quite amazed that a quiet hobbit like that could be related to either a Brandybuck or Took.
They had also told her the reason of his coming; his parents had drowned in Buckland three days prior to his arrival at Bag End, which Angie found truly horrid. Angie recalled saying to herself in the tree that she knew how he felt, but she had no idea then. Her father had passed away before she could ever remember him, but to lose both parents at once... Angie wasn't sure how to react to that or how Frodo was holding himself together. Perhaps she misjudged him?
Still, she went back occasionally to hear more tales from Bilbo with Merry and Pippin when they hadn't been in Buckland or Tuckborough for longer than a month at most. Usually they were only gone a week or two and she was left lonely, otherwise they were with her in Hobbiton. During those times, she had maybe said only a few things to Frodo when they had gone for stories, but he never really answered her. She was at a loss of why.
But now, two years later, Angie was up at the top of the tree by the river looking at the Baggins' hobbit hole with great interest. Merry and Pippin often visited with their cousin and had always asked if Angie wanted to come, but she would stay back and observe from a distance. He was not such big news in the Shire anymore, but he still remained a mystery to her.
Maybe it was those icy blue eyes that captivated her or just the silence between them that drove her to want to know more. It was strange that way. But when she realized what was happening to her, she dared not go near him. What if he was like his mother and expected a girl to be at home cooking and cleaning and readying herself for a family one day? That thought scared her even more.
But today it was bright and sunny as usual. And again, all together as usual were Frodo, Merry, Pippin, and now this Sam Gamgee. She had begun a friendship with Sam in the past year when she, Merry, and Pippin had met him going to hear a story from Bilbo. He was helping the Old Gaffer tend to the gardens of the Baggins' then. But now he was down on the banks of the river with the others while Angie sat in the high branches of the tree watching them throw stones in the River and have their fun.
She wanted to be part of that in the worst way. Pippin had told her Frodo already knew about her, but she never got a comment on what he thought of her. He told her to stop being so silly and to come and join them, but still she declined. She leaned out over the branch a bit more-
CRACK
Her eyes widened, and the branch split more and more until Angie was screaming and falling for what felt an eternity. But then, her cloak caught hold of another branch, and there she was swinging and choking and gasping for air just to get the word 'help' out.
Below the tree however, Frodo, Merry, Pippin, and Sam had heard the loud thuds, snapping of twigs, and a long loud scream. Then it was suddenly quiet, and they looked over at the tree quite puzzled.
"What on earth?" Pippin asked.
"Let's go," Sam said. "It didn't sound good, whatever it was."
They ran up to the base of the tree and looked up; above them was Angie dangling high from her cloak. She had no color in her face, no movement in her limbs. A rush of fear swept over them all of whether or not she was still alive and what they could possibly do.
"Angie!" Pippin cried as he began to race up the tree. When he reached her, he carefully pulled her up beside himself and yelled down to the others to go get help.
"Go get Bilbo!" Frodo said to Merry. "Make it fast as your feet will allow!"
Merry nodded and went off up the hill for Bilbo for he was sure to be of good help. Pippin was carefully trying to get down the tree with his limp friend in his arms, but he kept knocking a good bit of fruit down. Every time he looked at her, it sent chills through him of utter fear. She wasn't breathing, not moving, now what? Of course he thought the worst, and he hated himself for thinking about it. But it was sort of hard not to.
Sam and Frodo stood at the base of the tree, and Pippin eased Angie into their arms. The two of them laid her down in the grass, and all three of them leaned over her trying to wake her up.
"Angie! Angie!" Pippin cried, shaking her. "Wake up! Come on!"
"It's not workin'," Sam said.
"She's very pale," Frodo said, picking up her hand. "And cold."
Pippin jumped up and ran his hands through his hair thinking of what to do. He stepped back a few steps looking at Angie and wanting to cry, but suddenly, he tripped back over a tree root and went tumbling down, down, down into a dark tunnel. Rocks and roots tore his skin, and he landed hard on a dirt floor.
"Pippin! Pippin!" he heard Sam yell from the entrance of this tunnel. "Are you all right!"
He moaned a bit as he lifted himself up into a sitting position. That tunnel was rough riding, and he got a few good bumps and bruises out of that one. It was a tiny spacious area from what the sunlight masked by the dust would allow to show, and it was nice and cool here. But instead of sitting there himself, he clambered back up into the full sun and had Sam and Frodo help him carry her down there.
"We put her down here, and we have Bilbo come down to have a look at her," Pippin said. "Til then, go topside to wait. I'll stay with Angie."
"What about me?" Frodo asked.
"Erm... stay here with me," Pippin told him.
At that, Frodo knelt on the other side of Angie; she was still colorless and cold. He picked up her limp hand and ran his thumb over it lightly. He looked up at Pippin who was tightly gripping her other hand and leaning over her, whispering for her to please wake up. Frodo felt guilty at this. Why, he did not know.
x x x
Angie opened her eyes slowly and took in her first deep breath. It was sharp and painful, but where she was puzzled her. Bilbo and the others were over her looking quite relieved that she had finally awakened and taken the weight off their shoulders from the scare she had given them.
"You all right, my dear?" Bilbo asked, placing a cool rag on her forehead. She gave a limited nod, not yet sure if she was able to speak yet.
"You scared us half to death," Pippin said. "That wasn't funny."
"I wasn't-" Angie coughed suddenly on her on words; it was rough to speak for the first time since passing out in the tree. She sat up and rubbed her throat, and then proceeded to speak. "I wasn't trying to be-"
"Shh, rest," Bilbo, said, holding up his hand to silence her. "You need tea. Tea shall help you regain your voice and bring some warm life back into you."
Angie looked round at her friends. And Frodo was there to her amazement. Even he looked strained but relieved to see her awake now like Merry, Pippin, and Sam, but Angie couldn't help but smile when she saw them.
"You all right, Merry?" she laughed weakly.
"It's not funny," he said, wiping his nose. "You weren't movin' and we didn't know what to think."
"Ay," Pippin said.
"Gave us a right scare, you did," Sam said who looked on the verge of tears. Whether they were of joy or fear, Angie could not decide. And then her eyes fell on Frodo. She had the instant freeze run through her within a split-second and it was then gone again. Frodo smiled and took the rag from her.
"You will be fine," he said reassuringly. "Bilbo is taking care of you now."
Angie could only smile her thanks. She meant to say more, but Merry and Pippin began telling her the story of her near death and great rescue. She laughed a few times until Bilbo returned with tea and made the others leave her alone to rest, but still it was a mystery of where she was.
"Where am I?" she asked Bilbo.
"You're under the tree you fell out of!" Pippin said. "The one with the delicious peaches!"
"What?" Angie asked, very confused at his answer.
"We got you out of the tree, and Pippin fell down into this place," Frodo said.
"And you're lucky," Merry added. "If that branch you were caught on would've broke, you would've fallen to your death."
"Strong and lucky tree if you ask me," Pippin said. "Like a great fort the Big Folk fight in in all them battles."
"A fortress," Angie said. "I am a girl after all..."
"Nothing to be ashamed of dear, now I wish you all would leave so Angela can rest," Bilbo said, getting a bit impatient. "In fact, I think she should come back to Bag End and rest in a proper bed."
"You can go home," Frodo said. "We'll watch over her. She'll be fine, won't you?"
Angie looked around, unaware of what was being said at the moment.
"You promise to let her rest?" Bilbo asked.
"Yes."
"Sure."
"Ay."
"Of course, Uncle."
"All right," Bilbo said, making to leave through the tunnel. "Take care, and I'll see you up and running so enough," he said to Angie. "Rest and drink that tea, my dear!"
.. x x x ..
Frodo emerged from the entrance to the Fortress scanning the hillsides and the banks of the River for any sign of Angie. But there was none. She couldn't have gotten that far that fast... even if she was a fast runner...
After a few seconds, he began to let his shoulders sag in disappointment that he had lost her that quickly, but a peach came hurtling down from the top of the tree and hit him on the head.
"Ow..." Frodo said. "What the... it's not even windy," he said as he rubbed his head and picked up the fuzzy peach. He looked up into the branches of the tree looming over him with welcoming shade from the hot sun, but on one of the longer branches amongst the green foliage was red... fiery red...
He smiled as he began to climb the tree. Whistling started coming from that branch, and as he climbed out onto it, another peach came at him, this time hitting him hard in the shoulder before falling to the grassy land below him.
"Ow! What was that for?" Frodo moved aside all of the green twigs, and there she was sitting with an armful of fruit as she looked off and whistled pretending he wasn't there. Then she made the mistake of making eye contact with him, and all she could do was laugh as he crept out onto the branch faster.
"I'll get you for that," he said, reaching for one of the peaches in her arms. But before he got one, she held them away and dropped them all to the ground with a smile. To counter that, Frodo plucked one from the branch next to him and pretended to throw it at her, but only laughed and took a bite out of it.
"What do you want?" she asked with a smile.
"To find out why you are pelting fruit at me," Frodo said, taking another bite from his peach.
"I dropped it," Angie replied innocently. "Nothing wrong with that."
"And you also dropped the one that hit my shoulder?"
Angie laughed as she leaned back into the branches lazily, and she stretched a moment feeling the sun warm her. She even allowed a yawn to escape her, making her feel even more tired than she had already felt.
"Remember our first meeting here?" Frodo asked, gazing down through the tree. Angie was surprised he had brought them up, but she always loved reminiscing over their many lasting memories.
"Of course! It was horrid!" Angie replied, sitting up quickly. "And you would've thought I'd learn to stop climbing trees after that."
"Not you," said Frodo. "I thought it was a funny after it all happened, come to think of it."
"Well, you may have, but I didn't -"
Angie was cut off by the sound far below of the tree bark door opening. She and Frodo leaned over to look, and out very quickly came Sam, Merry, and Pippin. Frodo pushed Angie back and held his arm across her so they could remain hidden amongst the green, but another peach fell in the process and hit Pippin square on the head. Angie bit her lip as she and Frodo still tried to remain unseen.
"Oi! What's- Hey! Frodo! You found her!" Pippin said after looking up and seeing them somehow. "We're coming up!" Frodo cursed himself in his mind, but Angie only threw him a look.
"Found me?" she asked slowly.
"Nothing, nothing..." Frodo said, removing his arm as they sat up off the branch. "Don't bother!" he called down to the others. "We're coming down now."
Frodo let Angie go in front of him. She was down and out before he was even halfway down, however. Angie dropped from the tree quite sloppily, though, but Pippin had managed to catch her.
"Having troubles?" he asked with a smile.
"Just a bit," she replied, returning the smile. She moved out of his arms, but Pippin's eyes still followed her as her warmth left him. He still smiled gently at her though her back was turned; yeah, he had it bad, too. But his attention was soon turned to the tree...
Frodo was coming close to getting out when twigs again started snapping beneath him, but he had maintained his balance only to fall out of the tree a few short steps later.
"Oh, you're a talented one there, Frodo," Merry said as he helped his cousin to his feet with Sam.
"Helping Bilbo tend to Gandalf?" Pippin asked. "More like helping Angie make her getaway."
"Drop it," Frodo said, rubbing the back of his head. "Ow... that hurt."
"Are you all right, Mr. Frodo?" Sam asked.
"I'm fine, Sam... but... where's Angie?"
They started spinning around suddenly realizing that she was missing.
"What is it with her!" Pippin asked, throwing his peach to the ground.
Angie, however, was giggling from the other side of the glade. She had to get ready for the celebration tonight. She'd be amongst friends, and not that they would care what she came in; but Angie half wanted to dazzle her friends and the crowd and half look descent and cleaned up for Bilbo for all that he had done for her in the past. Therefore, she'd need more than her usual five minutes to get ready.
x x x
It was perfect. Simple, yet so perfect. Angie was wearing her favorite dress (which, for the record, also happened to be Frodo's favorite); it was dark green with a black bodice and white short shirt. She usually wore longer sleeves because she was always out with her friends running around the Shire and getting into mischief, but why not? She could look decent for one night...
She put three small braids in her flaming red hair and laced either a white or green ribbon in with them. She took a deep breath, stepped back, and admired herself in the mirror. For once, she didn't feel like the disgrace of the Shire her mother had always made her out to be. Tonight was special, and tonight was going to be a memorable one for years to come.
Nothing could ruin her spirits... what could go wrong?
Before she left, she picked up her basket filled with a half a dozen jars of strawberry jam she would be giving to Bilbo for his birthday, made fresh from her own strawberries that her friends adored so much. It was weighty, but she managed. She hopped out her window, taking up the basket, made her way through the strawberry patch, and stepped onto the road.
Back at the Fortress, Frodo and Sam, dressed in their best for the party, were sitting on one of the large roots of their tree watching the celebration begin with one of Gandalf's magnificent fireworks that showered gold over them all. Frodo smiled; he had missed Gandalf's fireworks.
"It's gonna be a night to remember," Sam said, mesmerized by the fireworks.
Frodo nodded.
"It sure will be," he said, watching the party's reflection in the river's waters.
"Maybe Rosie Cotton will be there," said Sam quietly.
"Everybody in the Shire will be there, Sam," Frodo laughed. "Why wouldn't she be? I doubt that Bilbo has overlooked anyone in Hobbiton or Bywater when he sent invitations."
"Nope! Nope!" they heard Pippin say coming out of the Fortress. "I beg to differ, Frodo!"
But before Pippin had said another word, he had emerged from the tunnel, and they suddenly heard a loud crash with Merry's curses following long and loud.
"Oops..." Pippin said, wringing his hands. "Must've left my chair in front of the tunnel again. Err... Sorry, Merry!" he yelled down to him.
Merry just moaned back, and Pippin laughed nervously.
"Eh heh..." he said. "Anyway, you're wrong, Frodo. The entire Shire will not be there."
"What do you mean?" Sam asked.
"Angie!" Pippin said as Merry clambered out of the tunnel under the giant peach tree. "She disa- Ow! Don't punch me!"
"Good for you," Merry scowled. "She went missing earlier, Sam, incase you didn't notice."
"Oh really? Guess who?"
They turned to the origin of the voice, and Angie was coming out from around the side of the tree. She covered Merry's eyes from behind with a smile before he could look, however.
"Um... Ang? That is you, right?"
"Yes," she laughed, allowing him to see again.
Merry turned around, and one glance made him smile and marvel at her. She flushed a bit and moved out from behind Merry so they could all get a good look. He and Pippin were at a loss of words and very unprepared for this. They looked at each other with big eyes in disbelief and then back at her trying not to let it show, but Angie smiled; it had worked on them.
Frodo smiled softly and lifted his brow. She looked the same, yet different. He didn't know how to explain it, but she had his attention. He liked it. And then she smiled and it made her look all the more wonderful. Frodo was at least grateful, however, that he, unlike Merry and Pippin, could hold up his composure somewhat in front of her.
Sam admired her for only a moment, and when he saw that the others were saying nothing, he cleared his throat loudly and smiled over at them shaking his head hopelessly. Merry and Pippin startled, and Sam walked up to Angie.
"You look nice, Miss Angie," he said. "What's that you got there in your basket?"
"Thank you, Sam," Angie replied with a smile. "It's just some homemade strawberry jam for Bilbo. I know how much he enjoys the strawberries and jam, so I thought I'd have a go at it."
"Jam?" Sam asked. "Well there's somethin' new. Sounds great."
"Thanks," Angie said with a smile, covering the basket again. "So, are we ready to go?"
"Yeah," Merry said blankly.
"Sure," Pippin said in the same unstable, wavering voice. "Af-after you."
Angie smiled at them, weakening them even more. She and Sam started to lead them down the hill with Frodo coming next, and Merry and Pippin bringing up the end of their small, strange group.
"She's evil," Merry whispered to his best friend.
"Ay, you think it's revenge for earlier?"
Merry looked up at Angie and bent his brow, nodding.
"I'm sure of it, Pip," he said.
"Wow, she is evil!" Pippin said. "We need to get back at her, Merry."
"Oh, we will, don't worry," Merry replied with a malicious smile.
"How do you mean?" Pippin asked.
Merry gave a ruffled brow while looking at the ground.
"I dunno. It will come to me, though."
"Suuuuuuure it will."
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