Memories of Frodo

As he was surrounded Frodo's arms held him, he looked out from the back of the wagon at the small white ship resting at anchor. Waiting to take him to Valinor. As he looked at that ship, memories of Frodo filled him. Snippets of time over the years. Laughter. Tears. Fear. Happiness. It was all there.

"Happy anniversary, Bilbo, Thorin. Thirty years. How wonderful!" Primula cried.

"Never mind her, Bilbo. Here hold the goblin while I see to the kettle." Drogo laughed as he handed off the little bundle of energy in his arms. Frodo loved grabbing Uncle Bilbo's braids, nearly as much as he liked pulling Uncle Thorin's.

"Goblin? My goodness." Bilbo exclaimed, "Are you really a goblin?"

Frodo shook his head.

"No? Are you sure?"

Nod.

"Hmm… Well, if you're not a goblin, what are you? An Orc?"

Shake.

"A warg?"

Shake.

"Oh. Well, what about a Troll?"

Shake and a twitch of the lips.

"No? Hmm? A Balrog?"

Shake and a small smile.

"A Dragon?"

More shakes and a grin this time.

"No, you're smiling, so you must be a Man?"

Shake and bigger grin.

"Hmm… No, huh? An Elf? A dwarf?

"No, Uncle Bilbo. I'm a Hobbit!" Frodo laughed, hugging Bilbo.

"Happy birthday, Frodo, my lad. 11 years old!" Bilbo laughed as Frodo sprang up with a happy cry. The faunt raced across the yard and jumped to wrap his arms around his Uncles. His favourite Uncles. They told the best stories and showed him the most amazing things. Jewels, gems, swords, maps, drawings. They had the most unusual visitors.

A banging on the door woke Thorin early one morning. Grumbling he stumbled out to answer it. Pimpernel Brandybuck stood there, pale and shaking.

"Master Thorin. I need to speak to Bilbo. Urgently. There's, there's been an accident… Please, Master Thorin?" The young hobbit was obviously upset.

"Come in, Pimpernel. I'll get him, you sit down." Thorin didn't waste words.

Back in the bedroom, Bilbo had heard Thorin and given that Thorin really enjoyed a sleep in with his husband, Bilbo knew that it must be serious. He was half dressed by the time Thorin reached the door.

"Pimpernel is here. He said there's been an accident. Wants to talk to you. I'll dress and be out." Thorin dropped a kiss on the back of Bilbo's neck as Bilbo was bent over picking out his braces.

"Thank you, love." Bilbo headed out to see what the problem was.

Pimpernel was sitting in the kitchen huddled up to the stove, shivering. Bilbo frowned. It was late spring and there had been a string of warm, barmy days. What would make the faunt shiver on a warm day?

"Pimpernel? Lad?"

The sandy-haired young lad jumped when he heard Bilbo's voice and spun around on his stool. He looked at Bilbo and lunged for him, crying, sobbing.

"Easy, lad. What's happened?"

"It's Frodo. His Ma and Da went out in-a boat yesterday and didn't come back. Dudo and Saradoc found them this morning. They'd, they'd washed up on the fjord. They're dead! Bilbo, they're not coming home. Frodo's started screaming and no one can get him to stop. Please? Please can you come?" The lad was nearly hysterical.

"Bilbo you go put the kettle on and make a cuppa, while I get head to Raven's Tree and get you Star. Don't forget to grab something to eat. Once you're away I'll feed young Pimpernel here and then we'll follow you." Thorin didn't do more than pause in the doorway and he was gone.

"Here, lad. It'll be.. Frodo will be oaky. Eventually. A cup of tea will do us good and then, as Thorin said, I'll head off. Is Frodo at Brandy Hall or at home?" Bilbo bustled around making a pot of tea as he quickly munched on a cheese scone. He'd barely poured the tea when Thorin came back.

"Kíli's out front with Star and Dancer, he'll go with you. Fíli is harnessing up Molly for me. Oh, Pimpernel, I took your pony up to the stable, Fíli will look after her for you, she's near spent. We'll see that you get her back when she's recovered." He moved past Pimpernel and Bilbo to get a scone of his own.

Bilbo added more milk to his tea and raised the cup to his lips, swallowing. He washed down the scone and laid a hand on Thorin's arm. They shared a look and Thorin nodded. Bilbo went around the table and hugged Pimpernel.

"You eat something, you hear. Stay with Thorin, he'll bring back to the Brandy Hall."

"Yes, Bilbo. Da was going to try to bring Frodo back to the Hall, but don't know if he's done that yet."

"That's alright, lad. I'd have to go past the Hall to get to Frodo's, so I'll check there first." Bilbo couldn't bring himself to say Drogo's name.

The ride to Brandy Hall was fast. Bilbo and Kíli's ponies built for speed and endurance. They were descendants of Bilbo's sweet Dove and their breeding showed. The two riders gave their ponies little respite on the crazy ride to the Brandywine River and Buckland.

Rounding the last bend before Brandy Hall, Bilbo saw young Merry Brandybuck and Pimpernel's brother Pippin standing out on the road waving their arms frantically.

Star came to a halt of her own accord, her sides heaving. Bilbo was off her and in the gate reaching for the door before Kíli could react.

"Frodo!" Bilbo screamed.

"Unca Bilbo!" Frodo came running from a hallway. He pulled away from whoever was trying to hold him and lunged at Bilbo, wrapping his arms around the older hobbit and hanging on, sobbing.

"Frodo? Time to call Thorin for tea."

"Yes, Uncle."

"22 years old. Happy Birthday, lad. Your parents would be so proud of you."

"Thank you, Uncle Bilbo."

"Merry and Pippin are coming tonight aren't they?"

"Yes, Uncle Thorin."

"I'm so sorry, Uncle Bilbo. We'll all miss Uncle Thorin."

"Me too, lad, me too. Stubborn dwarf. I just wish he'd told me about the headaches sooner. Or Oín. Or anyone. Maybe if he had…"

"Are you really going to take him back to Erebor to bury him?"

"Yes, Frodo. Fíli, Kíli and Tauriel are going with me. Gandalf put a spell on his body so we have some time. With our birthday and your Coming of Age in less than a month, I've decided to wait until after that to take him home." Bilbo took a deep breath and sighed. He'd thought that as dwarrow had a greater lifespan than hobbits, that he would be the one to pass first. But that was not to be. Stubborn dwarf.

Frodo entered Bilbo's study with the days mail. Bilbo was leaning on his writhing desk, writing his red book. Frodo glanced at it as he reached over to place the mail on the shelf. A picture caught his eye.

"What's this?" He grinned as he picked up the loose piece of paper. A young hobbit with wild hair looked back at him. A young Bilbo Baggins.

"That. Is private. Keep your sticky paws off!" Bilbo grabbed the drawing from him.

Frodo leant over to see what Bilbo had been writing.

"Hey! It's not ready yet." Bilbo closed the book.

Frodo turned away with a huff.

"Ready for what?"

"Reading!" Bilbo grumped.

Ker-Chunk! The Ring met the floor with a final sounding noise.

Bilbo hurried out the door, drawing a deep breath as he passed the out into the fresh air.

"I've thought up an ending for my book" He said. He turned and continued. "And he lived happily ever after… to the end of his days."

Gandalf knelt down.

"And I'm sure you will, old friend."

Bilbo put out his hand.

"Goodbye, Gandalf."

Gandalf enclosed Bilbo's and in both of his.

"Goodbye, dear Bilbo."

Bilbo turned and made his way down his front steps, out the gate and into the night. Just across the bridge Fíli, Kíli and Tauriel were waiting for him. Waiting to take Thorin back to Erebor. To sleep with his forefathers.

Erebor had changed, it wasn't the same place he remembered. He felt out of place, lost. It only took him a day to realise that he would never call Erebor home, no matter what Thorin had wanted. But neither was the Shire home now. Not without Thorin beside him. Thranduil offered him a place for as long as he wanted, but just the sight of the mountain drove him away.

Age began to catch up with him. Joints ached. Vision dimmed. A chest cold caught him as they descended from the Misty Mountains

Tauriel suggested that he stop in Rivendell with Elrond to recover.

"Bilbo!"

"Hello, Frodo, my lad." They hugged.

"There and Back Again. A Hobbit's Tale. By Bilbo Baggins." Frodo smiled up at his uncle.

Bilbo looked at the white ship. It swelled in his vision until all he saw was white. Bright white. He felt…odd. Odd and then nothing. The white took him.