(A/N - Hi everyone! I have written another chapter for you all even though I'm not totally done with the the one I should be before I post this. I owe myself two more chapters now before I can post the next. I like to keep ahead, as I'm sure I've told you already. But that's all right. I just got done with the top half of chapter fifteen and wasn't ready to write the bottom yet, so I'd figure I'd edit this chapter and post it for you since you're so patient. Plus I'm on a roll right now with this story, so I think I'll be okay. Anyways, only nine and half days of my junior year in high school left! I'm so excited (but sad... I love the time I spend at school)! I hope you all have plans, because I don't. And congrats to any graduates of 2006! Great year! All right, go read now, haha. I've rambled enough.)
. Reviewers .
x) ArwenEvenstar83 - Yes, the Fortress hath been introduced! Haha... And smart idea about climbing the tree with the cloak. We'll have to tell Angie if she hasn't figured it out yet. ;) And yes, you're right about Angie's appearance for the party; same old girl with a more adult aura about her. I love how things change but they don't. It's tough to place your finger on it, but that's the fun in the mystery! I'm so happy that you keep coming nack for more and that you comment to keep me on my toes! Thank you for another great review, and I hope you enjoy this chapter as well!
x) SouthernCharm83 - To be honest, I've only seen the end of Little Rascals. But I hope they aren't too similar... I want some thiings to be distinguished out the hobbits' Fortress. As for Merry and Pippin's infactuation with Angie: it isn't something that will consume the story entirely. This is supposed to be FrodoOC after all. Merry and Pippin are Angie's best friends in all of Middle Earth, and the relationship os something the three of them treasure, but in time, I hope to show that these little intense feelings for Angie coming off of Merry and Pippin are what keep them with each other in thought when they are seperated later in the story (in Gondor and such). It would allow for them to think out their situations more carefully and how they really feel towards her. It is like our modern ways of having a crush on someone; in time we recognize that we never really liked a person that way, and I want Merry and Pippin to realize it later on. I hope that didn't confuse you... And about the 'wow' - I was careful of how I used it in context. So long as I placed it correctly I don't think it would matter all that much, and here I think it something that I could use just to show that they're normal, too. Thanks you for the insightful review, and I hope that the story keeps unfolding to your liking! I'm writing the Weathertop scene as we speak, so I'm making sure everything is perfect. Have fun with chapter four!
x) Kenny - Hey! First off, you have two options; you can be the one nurse with a small cameo at the end of 'I Love This Song!', OR you can appear as a pirate or someone else with a slightly larger role in the next story 'Really Bad Eggs!' that I'm currently still writing in my notebook, LoL. I'll let you choose. I've completed 'I Love This Song!' on paper, so I don't know where I could fit you in unless you wanted to be the nurse, but I could write you into the third one still (I'm only in the middle of chapter 5 of the threequel). You pick, LoL. Anyways, I'm trying to create Angie/Frodo action without too much getting out of hand because, as I usually do for some odd reason, I have the ending planned out perfectly for this story (like I did the wedding in JAOPS 3 LoL). But I'm going along right now with lots of ideas crossing my mind, so I'm not promising or dismissing any of them. Thanks for reviewing, and you better update soon! Any help, just ask! Enjoy!
.. Thanks everyone! Here comesone of my favorite chapters so far for you all!..
- Dis/Claimer -
. Chapter Four .
.. The Celebration ..
Angie had made it home later on that night still not feeling all that well from her fall. The others were still a bit worried about her state, but she had reassured them that with a good night's rest she would be ready for their next adventure in the morning.
"It's not rest that worries me," she recalled Pippin saying earlier before she had left them at that tree. "It's your mum!"
Angie laughed silently to herself as she laid back into her bed. Her mother had gotten on her case yet again for being out with Merry and Pippin. It had been routine ever since they had upset her mother the very first night Angie acquainted the three of them and made the mistake of having them stay for dinner; they had her so upset before they even had one bite that they dived through the kitchen window taking with them the sweet potato pie on the sill cooling for dessert.
She laughed aloud this time as she blew out the candles on her stand. Those two are worth more trouble than you could bargain for, but they had saved her today. Them and Sam and...
Frodo. After today, did that make them friends? She hoped so, but within half of a day she would know. But he did not seem to think like her mother. Until she found out for sure, however, the cool spring air drifting into her room carried her off to sleep without her ever knowing she had.
x x x
The next morning was gray and clouds threatened rain upon sleepy Hobbiton. Sleepy, except for the four hobbits Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin marching their way up the path to Angie's front door. Thunder rolled softly above them as Pippin went up to the large round door and knocked loudly.
The door opened a few seconds later, and the four of them smiled up at Angie's mother who scowled at them. Merry walked up next to Pippin as he began to speak.
"Ah! Hello and good mornin' to you, Mrs. Ridell. We just wanted to see if-"
SLAM
"I don't think she's gonna let us see Angie today," Merry said quietly in Pippin's ear as he still stood there looking at the large brown door.
"Well we can't leave her in there with her," Sam said. "From what you two and Angie always tell us, she doesn't seem too reasonable or right in her mind. Now I believe you."
"Well said, Sam," Pippin said. "Come on, all!"
Mrs. Ridell knew what she was dealing with. Those troublemaking hobbits would stop at nothing to get what they wanted, and that was to play with her daughter, which she would not allow at all anymore. No patience did she have with them. She knew they're next place of entrance would be Angie's window, so she went into her room and locked her window.
"You rascals won't get in now," she said. "There'll be no more of this!"
She left Angie's room and shut the door, satisfied that she had done what she could for now to stop the wrath of those two and their band of evil followers.
"It's round this way!" Merry shouted as they went around the corner to Angie's window. They went through the tiny garden under her window until they were there, and Merry tried to tug the window open, but it didn't work.
"It's... stuck!" he said.
Sam came up to his side and helped, but even with his strength tugging on the widow with Merry, it still would not budge.
"That old bat," Merry spat, taking a step back. "She locked us out!"
"Oh, now there's a surprise," Pippin said. "Not like she's never done it before."
"Hey, you helped with swiping that pie... I don't want to hear it!"
"Hush, the both of you," Frodo said. "Just knock on the window and wake her up."
"No, that'll send Mrs. Ridell barging in happily. Knowing she's got us cornered with a giant butcher knife and in her evil clutches would make her day," Pippin said.
"Then what do you suggest?" Sam asked.
Merry bent down and picked up a small stone, tossing it up and down in his hand.
"Well, a rock would provide enough sound to wake Angie without the problem of Mrs. Ridell killing us," he said. "It's foolproof!"
"Ever done it before?" Sam asked.
"No..."
"Then how do you know it's foolproof?"
"Oh, bug off, Sam..." Pippin said as he and Merry turned to the window.
"Why not just tap on the window with your finger?" Frodo asked.
Completely ignoring him, Merry lightly threw the rock at the window whispering, "Get down!" They all ducked into the small strawberry patch that was beginning to grow a bit taller under Angie's window, and they waited silently for a response... anything...
"Did it work?" Frodo whispered.
"I dunno... throw another one!" Pippin said.
"No!" said Sam, reaching for the rock in Merry's hand. "You're gonna get us all in trouble!"
Merry released the rock however before Sam could get hold of it, and they ducked into the patch again listening as the rock hit the window with a tic.
Angie shot up out of her bed and looked out her window. A small rock was on the outside of it, and she looked into her strawberry patch (that had grown marvelously in the past two years to her surprise), which was moving. It looked stormy outside, but none of the other plants of trees showed signs of wind yet. She went to open her window but found it locked.
"Odd, don't remember locking it..." she said.
She unlocked it and pushed it open, observing her strawberry patch carefully.
"Who-who's there?" she whispered.
Suddenly, the four hobbits revealed themselves to her as they popped up together out of the strawberry patch. She gasped and jumped away from the window a bit, but when she saw it was them, she leaned towards it even more.
"Pippin?" she asked. "What are you all doing here?"
"We wanted to see how you were and your mum locked us out," Sam said as they approached the window.
"We went to the door and everything!" Frodo said.
"Oh, that woman..." Angie growled as she allowed the four of them to crawl through her window and into her room. "I'm fine since you were wondering," she said. "Haven't had a better night's sleep in a while actually."
"Well, we really wanted to see if you would come out today if you were well enough," Merry said, sitting on the end of her bed. "You see, we've had a most remarkable-"
"I have, Merry," Pippin said, interrupting him.
"No you didn't!"
"Merry..." Pippin growled dangerously.
"Fine, Pippin had the most remarkable idea."
"And what would that be?" Angie asked, bringing the covers over herself more to keep warm from the stormy air that was now starting to blow.
"We turn that tree you fell out of into a hideout," Pippin said. "Just for us."
"Yeah, it's got lots of benefits," Merry said, "and we can even hide the crops we take from Farmer Maggot there!"
Angie shook her head with a smile.
"And we wanted to fix it up today," Frodo said. "Make it a bit more… home-y."
"Home-y?" Angie laughed. "Well, sure I can come! Let me get dressed, and I'll bring some things and meet you at the tree. You need anything?"
"Well, we've already got a table and three barrels," Merry said. "And we can each bring our own little makeshift chair. I know I have three good ones."
"I'll bring two more," Frodo offered.
"Oh, and Ang, there is one more thing you could bring..." Pippin said.
"And what's that?"
"Your strawberry patch is starting to look pretty ripe," Sam complimented. "Any chance of you bringing a basket for us to sample? I love strawberries."
Angie smiled, wondering how she didn't know that was coming.
"Well, I've never really tasted one yet because they've been so small and not the best color, but go ahead and try one if you feel brave enough," Angie told him. "Or I can just bring a basket as you suggested."
"We'll grab one on the way out as a sample for later," Merry said as he hopped out the window. Angie smiled.
"See you later, Ang," Pippin said, being the next.
"Don't come if you feel too sick," Sam told her.
"I'll be fine," she laughed as he went after Pippin.
"Goodbye," Frodo said with a smile.
"I'll be there soon!" Angie said, watching them run off up the road. She recoiled her hand after waving to them, a look of happiness spreading across her face.
They were friends now.
"Goodbye," she replied to Frodo in whisper. "See you soon."
x x x
A long day had passed finally. Exhausted as they were, they finished up the last of things to be done as the storm outside raged on as it had all day, and Angie's basket of strawberries sat alluring and distracting them all, but it would be their reward of a hard day's efforts.
"I think it'd be best if you hide those," Frodo said as he and Angie finished weaving some cloth throughout the underground roots above them. Angie had brought it, and they didn't want to waste it, so they did this for decoration. And perhaps it would keep bugs from falling into their hair.
"Why? Can't stand the smell?" she asked in amusement.
"No; I think they're driving Pippin mad."
"Well, we are pretty much done..." Angie said.
"Yes! We are!" Merry said, coming flying down the tunnel and slamming into Frodo's back soaking wet from the rain.
"Very much so!" Pippin added as he came in next staring hungrily at the basket.
"Please!" Sam said, coming now to their surprise. "I'm usually not this hostile, but I've been cravin' just for a bite all day. One bite. Ever since I tasted the one in your patch! And I'm sorry, Miss Angie, but I took two even though you only said one."
"Okay!" Angie laughed. "Go to them!" And they did; they all went right into the chair next to them and began tearing the basket apart. Angie was a bit taken aback.
"I don't see how they could be that good," she said.
"Anything's good after a long day's work," Frodo said. "Especially if it's been under your nose taunting you during all the labor."
"Mmm... these are great!" said Pippin. "Better hurry and grab some Ang before we eat them all."
She laughed and did as he advised; biting one led her to find that they were delicious, maybe the best she had ever tasted.
"Oh my," Merry said, sitting up slowly.
"What is it?" Sam asked.
It took him a minute, but then he leaned into the table towards them all and said very slowly, "I swallowed one whole."
.. x x x ..
The grounds of Hobbiton were not recognized what with all the color, merrymaking, and song. Fireworks were decorating the night sky and going up so high it looked as if they were saying hello to the heavens and stars before falling back down to earth happily.
A smile drew across Angie's face. Nothing could go wrong and ruin tonight. As they came upon the grounds of the celebration, Frodo came up beside her and Sam to greet his uncle who was standing there kindly welcoming all who had come in his customary nature. Bilbo smiled as soon as he had seen them arrive, and he embraced Frodo the moment he could reach to him.
"Oh, my dear Frodo!" he said happily. "I was wondering when you'd show up. Decided to give me the slip and head out instead with your friends, eh?"
"Sorry, Uncle," Frodo laughed.
"Ah, it's perfectly fine," Bilbo, replied, patting him on the back as he entered. "And what have we here?" he asked upon seeing Angie and Sam. "My gardener escorting a lovely young hobbit from the looks of things."
"I ain't escortin' her," Sam said gently as if not to be harsh towards Angie. "Just talking."
"Oh, Bilbo, I have something for you," Angie said, removing the cover off of her basket. "I know you like my strawberries, so I made you a jam from them. Happy Birthday."
"Why thank you, my dear," he said, accepting them graciously. "So delicious, you should do it for a living, making sweet jams! I'll put these to good use, don't you worry."
"I won't," she laughed.
"Okay!" Bilbo said. "On inside you go!"
Merry and Pippin didn't really want to have a long conversation, so it was a lot of bumbling and stumbling into each other as they passed Bilbo saying, "Happy Birthday!" and "Thanks for the invite Bobo- err I mean, Bilbo!"
Once they got in, Pippin hit Merry upside the head.
"Bobo?" he asked as Merry rubbed his head. "Nice, Merry..."
"Oh, be quiet," he said. "Now let's get Angie and do this before Gandalf finds out!"
Pippin nodded and they ran on tiptoes up behind Angie, Frodo and Sam. Conditions looked in their favor; Frodo and Sam were deep in conversation and Angie wasn't saying a word, so they nabbed her. Angie didn't understand what was going on until they shooshed her, and then she smiled and ran behind them through a narrow passage between two tents.
"So, what's the plan exactly?" she whispered.
"Steal a firework from Gandalf's cart," Merry said. "We've been over this."
"And have some fun," Pippin reminded them. "That was in there somewhere, too, I believe!"
Soon, the tent to their left was gone and replaced with the side of a large cart.
"That would be Gandalf's," Merry said. "You two go hide in there til I call you out."
"And what about you?" Angie asked, folding her arms.
"I'm the lookout!" he said, pushing them under the tent. "Now go!"
Merry lifted the skirt of the tent, and Pippin and Angie ducked under into the little room. They stayed close to listen for any signal Merry would issue for them to come out, but nothing yet.
"Thought I wasn't gonna come, didn't you?" Angie asked Pippin who was absentmindedly looking around.
"No! No no no..." he said. "I knew you'd come. You like to put us on the spot like that, don't you?"
Suddenly, the side of the tent waved and they heard Merry's voice but couldn't make out what he was saying. Pippin went out first followed by Angie. Merry and Pippin quickly put their hands together, and Angie stepped up in them.
"Ready?" Merry asked.
She nodded.
"All right. One, two, three!" Pippin whispered.
"Quickly!" Merry urged.
She went flying into the cart, and then scrambled around. Angie picked up a blue one and showed it to them to get confirmation.
"No no, the big one, big one!" Merry said.
Angie looked; there was only one big one and it was red, so she picked it up with a smile as Merry and Pippin helped her down, and they ducked away into the tent again. Merry pulled out matches and looked at Pippin and Angie.
"Pip, would like to do the honors?" he asked.
"Sure!"
Angie rolled her eyes as they positioned it, and she slipped out of the tent without them knowing. They had gotten their firework. Let them get in trouble now. She wasn't stupid enough to stick around... especially when those two had explosives. Angie made her way through all the guests until she reached the place where everyone was dancing merrily to the happy tunes that surrounded them.
Angie seated herself atop the picnic table. Sam was sitting at the table, too, hunched over his empty ale mug.
"What's wrong with you, Samwise?" she asked, causing him to jump. "Not in the party mood?"
"Not in much of a cheery mood, no," he replied a bit shortly. "But that's not necessarily it, I mean. It's a great partyand all, I just- well, I dunno."
Angie shook her head and watched all of the dancers. She noticed among them was Frodo. She laughed while all the girls dancing around him giggled and laughed as well. But once Frodo saw that Angie was sitting there, he stopped. He could dance no longer. Oh the power she had over him. He smiled, filled with excitement of seeing her and made his way over to the table. Angie smiled back, watching him bound over to them like a happy dog would.
"Angie! Where did you go off to?" he asked.
"Mingling," she replied simply. "Sam's in a right state, if you ask me."
"Am not," Sam said grumpily.
"Oh," Frodo mouthed with a smile to her. He and Angie remained silent. Unaware of his friends still standing over him, Sam looked sideways to catch a look at the dancers, and Frodo and Angie finally understood. Frodo laughed aloud.
"Go on, Sam! Ask Rosie for a dance!" he said, sitting down between him and Angie.
"I think I'll just have another ale," said Sam as he tried to make his getaway.
Unsuccessful.
"Oh no you don't. Go on!" Frodo said, getting up, grabbing his shoulders, and pushing him into the field where Rosie happily took him as her dance partner and swept him off into the crowd. Frodo laughed and sat back down at the table.
"There, much better," he said.
Angie laughed and looked out at the dancing hobbits.
Then a thought struck Frodo. Ask her to dance. It was safe; they were friends and it would seem totally platonic and no one would suspect a thing!... 'cept maybe Angie. She's smart that way. Hmph... Well, what would it hurt?
Frodo stood up, took a deep breath, and turned to her.
"Would you like a dance?" he asked casually with hopeful eyes.
Angie froze. That feeling she always got was back. That nagging pleasure of his smile and bright eyes looking at her was upon her once again. Not the last time, she knew. She smiled as he extended his arm, and a thousand pulses of excitement ran through her as she jumped up and took it. She and Frodo were both laughing quietly as they began to step in time with the happy music.
"I'm not that good at this," Angie told him as they got faster.
"Oh, yes you are," Frodo said. "I've danced with you before! I would know!"
"I'm rusty!" she warned loudly.
"Just move your feet!" he laughed.
"I'm trying!"
"Slow down!"
"I - can't! Whoo!"
Frodo had let her hand slip out of his, and she spun out of control and onto the grassy meadow laughing not even a minute after they had begun their dance (and he wasn't even drinking!). He couldn't believe she was laughing after taking a spill like that! He ran over and kneeled beside her.
"Are you okay?" he asked. "Huh?"
"I'm fine," she said. "I- Frodo! Look out!"
She pointed up at the sky, and Frodo turned; a dragon!
"Bilbo?" Frodo panicked and looked around for Bilbo as if it was his instinct, and there he was as some sort of odd coincidence.
"Bilbo, look out for the dragon!" he shouted, dragging him down to the ground in the fashion all of the other hobbits were with those right next to them as the dragon swooped down on them.
"Dragon? Nonsense!" Bilbo muttered."There hasn't been a dragon in these parts for a thousand years..."
It was too near of a miss; the dragon almost clipped the heads of many, but as it soared back into the sky, the hobbits cautiously lifted their heads only to witness it explode into a splendor of reds and golds. Frodo helped Bilbo up as they chuckled and stood. But then, Frodo just took notice that Angie was not lying on the ground next to him. He looked up, and there she sat on the picnic tabletop watching the remainder of the firework fizzle out. She was the only one who wasn't getting off the ground, and it made him wonder.
"Let me guess," he asked, sitting down next to her with a knowing smile now. "You, Merry, and Pippin?"
"Who else?" she laughed as their foreheads touched. Angie felt a million little tingles that made her smile grow, but she felt very comfortable at the same time. Frodo seemed to have no objections either.
"You're right," he said. "No idea what I was thinking." Frodo laughed with her, and then he stood up, motioning towards the field as another song began. "Shall we dance again?" he asked with a mocking debonair smile.
"We shall," laughed Angie as she took his hand yet again.
Back at the site where the tent used to be, Merry and Pippin congratulated one another as cheers erupted from around them.
"That was good!" Merry said.
"Let's get another one."
"Hey," Merry said, spinning around. "Where's Angie?"
Suddenly, a tight pinch came upon their ears, and they looked up to see Gandalf.
"Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took. I might have known."
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