Well, here it is, the Final Chapter. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, and who is going to review in the future (nudge nudge wink wink) I'm quite pleased with it, really, and I believe I'm a much better writer now than when I started it almost a year ago. Sorry for the months between updates. Maybe I'll write a sequel of some sort one day. I do love writing about Rollin and Drinlo.

Disclaimer: I don't own LotR

The door to Paladin's study creaked open. "Enter," he called, despite the fact that the hobbit at the door was clearly going to anyway. Pippin sidled in.

Paladin rose. "Son," he said, surprised. He had not known of Pippin's return. "You're back."

Pippin nodded. "It feels strange, doesn't it?"

"What feels strange?" enquired Paladin gently, leading his son towards the chair opposite his desk.

"Me, being back," replied Pippin. "It's strange. After all that happened this year, and now the Ruffians are gone, and everything's almost back to normal. Except, things can never go back to normal. Not for me, or Merry, or Frodo, or Sam."

Paladin sat back down in his chair. "Of course not," he said, leaning forward on his seat. "Is it true you're a knight of Gondor?"

Pippin grinned, indicating his uniform. "Why other reason would anyone, in their right mind, wear one of these ridiculous blue vests?" he asked. "I did try and convince Strider to change the uniform, but…"

"Strider?" Paladin asked.

"Strider, chief of the Rangers. Aragorn, Son of Arathorn. Or King Elessar of Gondor, if you're at an official banquet or something of the kind," replied Pippin. "We were traveling with him, before he was crowned."

"I see," replied Paladin. "And have you made contact with the Rangers yet?"

"Merry and I rode out before we came. The Rangers now patrol the outskirts of the Shire," Pippin replied. "The Ruffians are gone, and they won't be coming back. We've done away with their leader, Sharkey. Turned out to be someone we knew, we had quite a score to settle with him."

"So Meriadoc's here too?" asked Paladin. He really should have guessed.

"Of course he is," Pippin replied. "Everard is too. Negrinard and Vinca aren't, they went to back Long Cleeve with Diamond. They're not sure when they'll come back; I just hope Diamond comes with them when they do." Paladin, in his amusement, noticed a glint in his son's eyes when he said Diamond's name.

"So, this Diamond," mused Paladin, "friend of Negrinard, is she?"

"Aye," replied Pippin. "She's magnificent. Vinca and I would be dead if it weren't for her. Actually, so would all of you. She raised about a quarter of the Shire, then came to Hobbiton and saved my neck in the nick of time. She was the one who told us the Ruffians had breached Tookland."

"Did she, now?" laughed Paladin. "And tell me, Son, is she pretty?"

Pippin's face turned beetroot. "Yes, very - wait what?," he stammered, "I mean, no, not particularly. I mean, yes, she's pretty, but-" He caught his breath, than met his father's eye. "She's very pretty, Father. And I believe you'll like her."

"I'm sure I will," replied Paladin, "Well, I'll make sure I send her an invitation, then. And to any family she has. Does she have family?"

"She lives with her father, Jarred, but - an invitation to what, father?" Pippin quizzed.

"My Son has returned," replied Paladin. "The whole Shire must be expecting a Party in Captain Peregrin's honour."

Pippin smiled, shifting awkwardly where he sat, and immediately an ugly, half-healed mark caught Paladin's eye. It was of a reddish-brownish colour, and he could see the wound had already become infected. It was deep, and it looked as if the flesh had simply been ripped away. There was only one thing that could have caused such a wound. "Pippin," said Paladin urgently, "that, on your arm. It's a whip mark, isn't it?"

Pippin looked down at it, and then met his father with a reassuring smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Merry and I were captured by orcs at one point," he said shortly. Clearly, he didn't want to talk about it. Paladin nodded, understanding. Pippin would tell him when he was ready. But still, he had to see just how badly his son had been injured during his time away. He asked Pippin to take off his shirt.

Pippin sighed. He lifted his shirt, held it up for a few seconds, and then let it fall. Paladin gasped, at the sight of his son's bloody torso. "I fought in a war, Father," Pippin groaned. "You didn't exactly expect me to come back without a scratch, did you?"

Paladin blinked back tears he hadn't known were there. "No, I knew it wouldn't be a pretty sight," he replied. "Anyway, I'm sure the lasses will love your battle wounds." Pippin laughed.

There was a knock on the door. "Come in," called Pippin. His father looked at him quizzically.

"You do know this is my study, don't you?" Paladin asked. "I invite people in."

"I know," replied Pippin, "I was just speaking on your behalf. Hullo, Merry!"

"Merry!" Paladin greeted his nephew. "Is your father well?"

"Very well, so people tell me, Uncle," replied Merry. "In fact, he was hoping you may allow him to visit you for a few days or so."

"Oh really?" replied Paladin. "Tell me, nephew, when did Saradoc leave Brandywine?"

"Just this morning, Uncle," replied Merry. "Hullo, Pip! Have you told the Thain about the troll, yet?"

"No," Paladin replied, fixing his son with a stern gaze. "Well, Son? What's this I hear about a troll? I thought you were interested in Diamond Took." Pippin glared.

"He killed a troll in the final battle," replied Merry casually. "Unfortunately, he forgot to get out of the way as it fell, so he was flattened by it. Strider believes he'll be subject to pneumonia for the rest of his life. And what's this I hear about Diamond?"

Pippin winced. "Don't concern yourself, father, there was nothing between me and the troll. It really wasn't my type."

Paladin laughed. "But didn't you say that Strider was the king?" he inquired.

"The hands of the King are the hands of a Healer," Merry and Pippin replied in unison, before dissolving into laughter. Paladin began to ask them to elaborate, but then closed his mouth, deciding that he really didn't want to know.

"Well, nice talking with you, lads," Paladin said. "I've got a party to prepare for."

"Your attention, please!" cried Thain Paladin. Instantly the music stopped, and all was quiet. "I trust you are all having a marvellous night." There was a deafening roar of affirmation at this statement, and so the Thain continued. "It was quite a few decades ago now, but I seem to be remembering the eleventy-first birthday of one Bilbo Baggins." Until that point, no one had really been interested in the Thain's speech. They had all been simply listening out of respect. Their curiosity was ignited, however, when Bilbo's party was referred to.

"On that day," the Thain continued, "Bilbo Baggins disappeared without a trace, and embarked on another of his adventures. And, just last year, his equally barmy heir, Frodo Baggins, also disappeared." He favoured Frodo with a smile, to make sure everyone knew he was joking. "With him, he took Samwise his gardener, my son Peregrin and my nephew Meriadoc. And now they have returned, and driven the Ruffians out of the Shire. And so, we gather here today to celebrate. I am happy, for my son, who I thought dead, has returned!" The crowd gave a big cheer.

"Peregrin, come and join me!" the Thain cried. "Frodo, Meriadoc, Samwise, join me!" A deafening applause sounded as the four travellers made their way to the front. "To a man who orchestrated many of the movements that drove the Ruffians out of the Shire! Farmer Cotton, join me!" The applause continued as Farmer Cotton made his way to the front. The Thain continued: "To Rollin and Drinlo, who were instrumental when driving the Ruffians out! To Fredagar Bolger, who fought the Ruffians when they first invaded the Shire, and alerted me so that I could keep them out of Tookland! And to Diamond of Long Cleeve, who was able to rally a good quarter of the Shire! Come join me!"

The Thain paused. "I couldn't have kept the Ruffians out of Tuckborough as long as I did, without the aid of my three daughters," he said. "Each of them has shown courage worthy of knighthood. I would like to say that I am immensely proud of all my children. To Pervinca, and her companions Everard and Negrinard. We are all well aware of their quest! To Pimpernel, who was willing to sacrifice herself to buy us time. And to Pearl, who stood by my side when all seemed lost, preparing to fight until the very end!"

Thain Paladin waved at the small group now assembled beside him. "These are just some of those who drove the Ruffians out of the Shire. They are the reason we are free to eat together today!"

And it was then, amongst all the applause and valour that the eyes of Captain Peregrin Took met those of Diamond of Long Cleeve. And it was then that Peregrin drew Diamond into his arms, and kissed her.