Sorry for the cliffhanger! Again, I'm only trying to build up the suspence.

Chapter 12: Found

"Pippin!" Merry gasped.

Pippin's tiny body was as limp as a ragdoll, he was as pale as death, and Merry could see no rise nor fall of his skinny chest.

"Pip? Pip, wake up! Wake up!" Merry said franticly, shaking Pippin.

Pippin made no movement. Merry took off his cape and wrapped it around Pip. Merry's cape was also soaked, but it might do a just a little bit of good.

"Frodo! Sam! Anybody, help!" Merry called out through the forest, his voice echoing.

He dragged Pippin out of the creek and onto dry land. Frodo, Sam, and the other Hobbit lads came running almost instantly. Frodo knelt down in front of Merry, who was holding Pippin close.

"He's freezing." he said, "We've go to get him home."

Frodo picked Pippin up and they ran back to Brany Hall.

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They burst through the door, only to find that Esmarelda and Saradoc had gone over to the Gaffer's house for a while, and wouldn't be back until late that night. They went into the living room.

"Sam, get as many blankets as you can find. Greg, light a fire in the fireplace." Frodo said.

When Sam came back with a heap of blankets, Frodo handed Pippin to Merry, who was sitting on the hearth of the large fireplace. Frodo stripped Pippin of all his wet clothes and Sam and Merry wrapped the blankets around the little naked Hobbit.

Merry sat for the longest time next to the fire, cradling Little Pippin in his arms. He looked down to the tiny Hobbit in his arms, almost totally swallowed up by the thick blankets.

"Pippin, can you hear me? Will you try to wake up?" he asked softly.

Pippin gave a small moan and opened his green eyes.

"Merry?" he asked pitifully.

"Yes, Pip. I'm here." Merry reassured him as he stroked Pippin's wet, curly hair and his cold cheek.

"I-I'm s-s-so c-c-cold." Pippin shivered.

Merry gently tucked the blankets around Pippin more securely and rubbed him to try to bring warmth back into the tiny Hobbit's body. Just then, Frodo came back into the room.

"Oh, he's awake." he said, noticing Pippin's open eyes, "How do you feel, little one?" Frodo asked sofly.

Little Pippin looked so frail that any loud noise would hurt him.

"Not good." Pippin said as he slipped into darkness.

"Oh, he's gonna be so, so sick again." Merry said, a hint of dread in his words.