A/N: UPDATE OMG. Guys, I am SO sorry that this has been one lousy summer of updating. I am SO sorry. This one is just shy of 3,000 words. A FEW MORE CHAPTERS TO GO. Don't give up on me.

DC: I own anything you DON'T recognize.

Unless you guys really want to, the scores would be "The Tower of Cirith Ungol", and "The Last Debate"! ENDER'S GAME COMES OUT IN NOVEMBER OMG. Go check out my story on that :3 KAROLYNxFRODO FLUFFINESS IN THIS! Sorta.

Chapter 13:

The Ring, it was growing heavier and heavier by the minute. My neck burned where the chain laid on it. Sam constantly kept turning to watch me, to make sure I was okay. The one thing that kept me going was the fact that Frodo was alive.

But, it kept talking to me. Promising things I wanted, it knew my name. Why had I taken it? It was such a stupid move and I knew it.

Maybe I was just super emotional at the time...

"Miss Karolyn!" Sam placed a hand on my shoulder and I was snapped out of my thoughts. He pointed upwards to a tower.

"I'm assuming this is where Frodo is?" I asked as he nodded.

"We can only hope, Miss Karolyn." He responded as he grabbed my wrist and pulled me on. Coming to the doors of this place was creepy! Dead orcs everywhere, smelly, dark, just creepy...

We found some stairs and began to climb. There was some voices from above, and Sam told me to be quiet. Watching him, he suddenly began to make noises and held up his sword and Sting. He sounded like a dying dinosaur.

Then, he charged forward.

"That's for Frodo!" Slash, an Orc dead.

"That's for the Shire!" Another one dead, then another slash, "And that's for my Old Gaffer!"

I ran back up as he turned and grabbed my hand, we began to run up the stairs again. We were lucky not to come across anymore orcs.

I froze as I heard an Orc talking, "Stop your squealing, you dunghill rat!" Then we heard a whimper, Frodo.

"No!" I whispered and began to run up the stairs, Sam held me back.

"Lemme go first, Miss Hadley!" Sam pleaded as he quietly ran past me.

"I'm gonna bleed you, like a stuck pig!" The Orc exclaimed, but suddenly made a choking sound. I ran up the stairs just in time to see Sam with Sting through the Orc's back.

"Not if I stick you first!" He growled as he pulled the sword out and the Orc fell to the ground.

It was then that I heard Frodo, and it was like music to my ears.

"Sam!" He exclaimed upon seeing his best friend. Sam ran to him and began to untie Frodo's hands. Then, Frodo saw me, and we smiled.

"Karolyn!" He exclaimed as I ran to his side with happy tears, I hugged his neck and he smiled.

"Oh Sam, Karolyn, I'm so sorry! Sorry for everything!" Frodo exclaimed as I helped him sit up.

Sam smiled at him, "Lets get you out of here."

"It's too late, it's over! They've taken it Sam," he paused as Sam and I shared glances, "They took the Ring!"

I stood up and shook my head, "No way they didn't, not this time."

Frodo's eyes went wide as I unbuttoned the first button of my shirt. There it was, dangling around my neck. I lifted it off my head and began to hold it out to him.

Sam winced, "We thought we'd lost you."

"So we took it, only to keep it safe." I answered quietly as Frodo looked back and forth between us two. I pulled my had back as Frodo reached for it.

Frodo nodded, "Take it off, give it to me." Frodo ordered quietly and stuck his hand out farther to me.

This made me take a step back, and all went deaf. I looked down to the little ring resting in my hand. Whispers filled my ears again, and I didn't want to give it back.

"Give me the Ring, Karolyn." I could barely hear him say, my eyes went wide, "Karolyn!" Frodo was glaring at me, "Give me the Ring."

My heart pounded and my ears throbbed, I sucked in a sharp breath. I couldn't just give this back to him!

"Frodo-"

I didn't have time to say anything because suddenly, his lips were on mine.

Frodo had stood and kissed me! On the lips! I closed my eyes as he placed a hand behind my neck, and my hand that held a tight hold on the Ring fell to the side. He deepened the kiss and the whispers went away. The kiss made everything okay, I was going to live.

Suddenly, just as I was beginning to return the kiss, a hand made its way into mine.

He broke the kiss and I opened my eyes, he slipped the Ring and chain over his head and let it dangle onto his chest. A look of relief washed over his features. Opening his eyes, he looked at me.

"You must understand, the Ring is my burden." He paused as he stroked my cheek.

"It will destroy you, Karolyn."

I nodded my head in embarrassment, and looked to the ground.

His kiss was only a distraction for me? It had been the most wonderful thing of my life! But it wasn't even real to him? It certainly wasn't real for me anymore.

Frodo held onto the wall to steady himself, breathing heavily. His lips were a little puffy, as were mine. He had never kissed before? And I certainly hadn't been kissed like that before, so of course mine were puffy.

Sam looked back and forth between us, it must have been awkward for him, whoops.

"Come on, Mister Frodo. We'd best find you some clothes. We can't have you walking through Mordor in naught but your skin!" Sam said as he moved around us. Frodo and I shared one more look before I turned and helped Sam find some clothes.

We found some Orc armor, much to big for us, though. Strapping ourselves up and giving Sting back to Frodo, we headed out of the tower. It was a scary sight, walking out of the tower and seeing the land of Mordor. It was dark all around, fires from the Orcs burned and the army was huge.

"We did it, Mister Frodo, Miss Karolyn! We made it to Mordor." Sam said as we scanned the land. Sam placed a hand on my shoulder, I stood between the two.

"We're so close!" I whispered as Frodo nodded.

"There's so many of them, we'll never get through unseen!" Frodo said as we looked at the army. Suddenly, Frodo looked up in fear.

"It's him!" He exclaimed as Sam and I looked at him, "The Eye!"

We turned our heads and saw the tower. It was so far away, but yet we felt so close to it! It roamed the lands, searching for the Ring.

It's funny, all of this war and death, for a stupid little ring?

Frodo looked to Sam, "We have to go there, Mister Frodo. There's nothin' for it." He tried to comfort him as Frodo gave him a weary look. I couldn't look at him, I was so ashamed of how stupid I was. Trying to take the Ring myself?

"Come on, lets just make it down the hill for starters." Sam encouraged as we nodded and began to walk down.

I was so stupid, so stupid! Frodo must hate me right now, that wasn't even a real kiss. My blood boiled, and I felt a little anger welling inside of me.

The girls had all reunited, finally! Merry and Diamond were nursed back to health, and the surviving soldiers of the Gondorian army, the Rohirrim, and Rohan army. Faramir joined them as all four hobbits, two elves, Eomer, Gimli, Gandalf, Aragorn and Ginger stood in the great hall of Gondor. Ginger introduced him to those he hadn't met, and then, a meeting began.

The last debate.

Gandalf sighed, "Frodo has passed beyond my sight, the darkness is deepening." He said grimly as he crosse the hall.

"If Sauron had the Ring we would know it!" Aragorn said as a wave of relief washed over everyone.

Gandalf nodded wearily, "It's only a matter of time. He has suffered a defeat, yes, but behind the walls of Mordor our enemy is regrouping."

"Let him stay there! Let him rot!" All eyes turned to Gimli, "Why should we care?"

"Because ten-thousand orcs now stand between Frodo and Mount Doom." Gandalf interjected as Gimli flicked his gaze to the ground, everyone stayed silent.

There was no way Frodo could survive, not if Mordor knew he was there! They'd find the halfings in a flash, and all would be lost.

Gandalf looked away from everyone, "I've sent him to his death."

Aragorn turned on his heel, and what he said made everyone go wide eyes.

"No! There is still hope for Frodo. He needs time and safe passage across the plains of Gorgoroth." He paused and looked around, "We can give him that!"

"How?" Gimli and Laura asked simultaneously.

"Draw out Sauron's armies! Empty his lands, then we gather our full strength and march on the Black Gate." Aragorn suggested, everyone considered this. It seemed reasonable, but they all knew what it would lead to. This made Gimli choke on his pipe, and the girls sucked in sharp breaths.

"We cannot achieve victory through strength of arms." Eomer spoke up.

Aragorn shook his head, "Not for ourselves. But we can give Frodo his chance if we keep Sauron's eye fixed upon us." He paused, "Keep him blind to all else that moves."

Legolas perked up with a smirk, Laura eyeing him, "A diversion."

"Certainty of death, small chance of success. What are we waiting for?" Gimli announced with a smile.

"Sauron will suspect a trap, he will not take the bait." Gandalf pointed out. The girls let out the breaths they had been holding, this was getting scarier by the minute. They knew it was probably going to be the death of them.

Aragorn shook his head, "Oh, I think he will."

No one understood Aragorn, but trusted him nonetheless. The hall cleared out, all except Aragorn. The girls and their respective guys went their separate ways for the evening. Merry and Gen just kissed and laughed the whole night, they were so overwhelmed of being back together again. It was as if their other half had been missing for years, and they'd finally found them again.

Pippin and Diamond walked about the castle, talking, the occasional kiss, and hugging. Pippin felt safer with her in his arms, as she felt the same.

Laura and Legolas talked about the diversion, and how it would all work out. She had fully convinced him she wouldn't leave, and that her and her friends would fight. They wouldn't budge on this decision.

Ginger took Faramir back to his sleeping chamber, where a nurse told him he was to rest, no physical activity for at least two days.

He couldn't fight.

Ginger cried with him a little, until she fell asleep in his arms. That was where she stayed until two hours later, when they were called to fight.

It had taken us awhile, but we had finally gotten to flat ground. Mount Doom looked a lot closer than it had been, and Frodo was growing much more tired. His neck even began to bleed a little.

"Look!" Sam suddenly exclaimed, "The orcs! They're moving off!" I smiled to myself, "You see, Mister Frodo? Some luck at last!"

"Yes, we're gonna make it!" I shouted. It was all too soon, though.

"Move it, you slugs!" An Orc shouted down the path from us. Turning around, we could make out the figures of a line if orcs coming up.

Looking around, we began to panic, "Dammit, just sit and they won't notice!" I whispered as I pulled the two down with me. Scrunching up against the rock behind us, we all looked down. I mean, come on, how smart are orcs, really? The line began to move past us, no one really noticing us. The crack of a whip was heard, and the leader of the group walked past us. He froze and stood next to us.

Shit.

"Get up!" He shouted at us, the sting of his whip hit my arm, then Sam's and Frodo's.

"Come on you slugs! You three are going to the front line!" I gasped as we were thrown into the jumble of the Orc pack, "Move it, come on!" He cracked his whip and repeated the command. We walked for a few minutes, but not before we were stopped.

"Company halt!" He announced as we came to an abrupt stop, "Inspection!"

I shook my head, "This is not happening!" I whispered under my breath. Looking around, my heart began to pound. We would get found out!

Suddenly, Frodo fell down to the ground next to me, holding onto my arm.

"Karolyn, help me!" His hoarse voice whispered.

"Mister Frodo!" Sam exclaimed as we not held onto him, trying to get him to stand. Now we saw why he couldn't stand, the Ring was pulling him to the ground. The marks and raw skin on his neck showed it all.

"Stand up, Mister Frodo!" Sam whispered.

"It's so heavy!" He responded as his eyes shut and his breathing quickened.

"I don't know what to do!" I whispered to him, he looked up at me with sad eyes.

"Oh no!" Sam whispered as we both turned to see a huge, nasty Orc inspecting the group thoroughly.

"Hit me!" I suddenly heard Frodo's small voice from below.

"What?" Sam and I asked at the same time.

"Hit me, both of you! Start fighting!" Frodo ordered as the two of us looked at each other in fright.

"But-"

"Now!" Frodo glared at me as I screwed my eyes tight. It was now or never.

Opening my eyes, I rammed full force into Sam, who stumbled a little.

"Hands off, asshole! This knife is mine!" I bellowed in the deepest voice I could muster. Frodo fell to the ground as Sam let go of his hold on him.

"Oi! It was mine first! You stole it!" He responded as he looked weary to push me. I rolled my eyes and nudged him to push me.

"You gonna fight?" I exclaimed as he suddenly close his eyes and smacked my arm, then pushed me back. Both of us began to push and smack (avoiding my chest and our faces, thankfully) back and forth, the orcs beginning to cheer and hoot at the fighting.

"Break it up, break it up!" The leader Orc yelled as he tried to get to us. The inspection Orc began to get mad, and threatened to kill the leader Orc if the fight didn't stop. Some of the other orcs around us even began to fight, that was our chance!

"Go, Sam, Karolyn, now!" Frodo yelled as us three quietly ran from the fight and confusion. Running into a nearby deserted tent, we made sure they were long gone before we moved out. We dashed out of the tent and began to walk out against the terrain. It was rocky and jagged, dusty and dry, but at this point it didn't matter. We walked for hours, until Frodo fell down against a rock, panting and moaning. Sam and I sat down as well, watching him.

"I can't! I can't," he began as he looked at us, "I can't manage the Ring. It's, it's such a weight to carry." Tears streaked his face as he closed his eyes. I scooted closer to him and he leaned his head on my shoulder, "It's such a weight."

Sam looked away and pointed at the mountain, "We're going that way. There's no point in carrying anything we're not sure to need."

I nodded my head, "Good idea, Sam."

And with that, we threw off our Orc armor. Then our bags we had packed from the beginning. Everything we had was gone. After I had thrown off my chest armor, I realized I had a necklace on. Frodo noticed it to, and he touched it.

"Where did you get this?" He asked as he studied it.

"Lady Galadriel's gave it to me." I responded as he nodded. He took my hand and we sat back down again. Soon, Frodo was asleep in my lap, Sam shivering across from us, and me dozing in and out. All I wanted was to be home, honestly. Closing my eyes, I could see my room and images of Kansas.

"Sam, you're so cold!" I whispered as he shook his head.

"Jus' a little." He responded as I waved him next to me. I wrapped my arm around him, and he stopped shivering a little. It was awhile, before we moved again.

Sam suddenly pointed up to the sky, "Look!" He whispered, Frodo opened his eyes. Looking up, a smile made its way to my face as I saw a parting in the clouds. It was nighttime, and a star peered out from the clouds. It was alone, all by itself out there.

I am sure that's what Frodo felt like right now.

"There is light and beauty up there that no shadow can touch." Sam said as I turned to him. He grinned at me and nodded. We looked back down at Frodo, who had fallen back asleep. He twitched in his sleep, he even flinched a little as I rested my hand on his cheek, stroking it.

You could feel Sauron looking, his eye roaming the land. It was like that feeling you get when you know someone is string at you from behind, like a hole is burning right through you.

THE KISS OMG DID I SURPRISE YOU!? IT'S THE FIRST KISS THEY HAVE HAD! *does happy dance*

So... review? :3

-Mrs. Frodo Baggins

Kendall

Mirabella Millstone of Bywater

My absolute favorite parts are coming up next!