Inspiration Music for Chapter 4: Alice in Wonderland song, "Underground", by Avril Lavigne. "Between Twilight", by Lindsey Stirling. "Star Wars: Rogue One" song, "Guardians of the Whills".

*.*.*

Bethany and Frodo kissed that evening. Frodo hated to see Bethany go. Did she have to leave him? Frodo held Bethany's hand, pulling her in.

"Wait. Don't leave," Frodo said, heartbroken.

Bethany kissed him on the cheek. "I'll be back. You enjoy yourself." She said, hinting that he could help her uncover their past. At least, that's what Frodo assumed was happening.

Frodo smiled, feeling his cheek. It was a beautiful. Oh, he wouldn't forget her.

He watched her leave the hallway, exiting out of this part of the healer's house. He missed her. He wished he could see her again.

Frodo looked at Parker and Eliza, as they kissed and parted ways. Parker breathed in, sighing, as he said, "They'll be back. They will. Won't they?"

Frodo walked down the hallway, shrugging, "I don't know. There's something I remember… but I can't. Excuse me." He parted into his room, resting on his bed in sorrow. Depression filled him, making him feel like he couldn't do anything, except think about the days ahead.

He hardly knew when Parker entered their room. Frodo wanted to sleep.

"I'll stay with you, if you want. You may feel amnesiac now, but hopefully, it won't last," Parker explained.

Frodo grunted, "Thank you. Thanks." He closed his eyes, dozing off a second later. His mind clouded. He was losing his memories all over again.

.

Frodo woke up, not remembering anything from the previous day. All he could remember was Bethany and their kiss. So, at least he had that memory to go off of. He looked around, stunned to see a light red dragon sleeping on the bed next to his. Frodo gasped, wanting to leave the room.

Frodo stepped outside his room, unsure about his current situation. He breathed in the indoor air, finding it was calming him down. He looked at his surroundings, checking to make sure things were okay.

Gosh, there were so many faeries around, including gnomes. Frodo moved out of the way, before he ran into a gnome wearing a green cap.

"Excuse me," the gnome in the green hat said, making his way past Frodo.

"Pardon me," Frodo said, finding his way into the game room. So far, there was hardly a soul. He wanted to recline and relax, find some hope that everything was okay. He looked at the fairy dressed in a white gown. She was human size and she nodded to him. "Hullo! I'm eh… Frodo. Frodo—Baggins, I think it was. I mean, if you don't mind me asking. I'm—"

"Frodo," the fairy asked him, "What do you remember from last night? Yesterday evening?"

"Just my wife. It's so hard to remember these days," Frodo said, concerned. He really wanted a drink of water, something to sooth his nerves.

The fairy nodded, "Just as I thought. You forgot the reason you came in here, or what your new mission is. Don't you remember? It's to find out about your past. The past that you've forgotten." She shrugged. "Doesn't that mean something? Anything?"

"Excuse me," Frodo said, politely, "I think I'll get a drink of water."

"Frodo!" she stood up at the same time as Frodo did, "If you don't remember your past, then how are you supposed to help yourself in the future. A future that's going to come. We need you. We need you now."

"My past is my past. It's nothing more than that," Frodo said, inclined to leave the room.

"But Frodo—" the fairy gasped. The light red dragon was back, blocking Frodo's path.

"Where do you think you're going?" the light red dragon asked.

Frodo gasped, backing off. "Stay away! You don't know me, and I don't know you. Now please, leave me." He wandered off, but not without the light red dragon grabbing his shoulder. "Let go! Please! Let go of me."

"Frodo, I'm only trying to help," the light red dragon said. "I know you're amnesiac. You should have been able to remember more about your past by now, who you are. Why are you so forgetful? Why is that?"

"I told you, I don't need your help." Frodo said, jerking away from him. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to get some water."

The light red dragon moved out of the way, leaving Frodo miffed. "Thank you," Frodo said, finding a cup and filling it with water. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to wait for my wife to return." He wandered off, not saying another word to the light red dragon.

.

Parker looked at Frodo as he walked away. Parker snarled, wondering if there was anything he could do for Frodo. His best friend. His true friend, someone who he considered highly important.

He shook his head. He remembered Frodo, but he also the two hobbits who resembled him: Elijah Molvaro and Ronnie Baggins. The last time he saw Elijah and Ronnie, those two had escaped the First Base, before the city fell to ashes. But where were they now? If only Parker could find them, before he too lost more of his memories.

He sighed. Such a random memory to pop up in his head.

But now, as he looked at Frodo, Parker couldn't help but wonder if this was to be their fate: remembering and forgetting. Hmm. He wondered if it had something to do with the amnesia. They needed each other to remember the past. And now, thanks to Parker, they were likely to forget everything… until they both remembered at the same time. Or so Parker hoped would happen to them.

"Is that going to happen to me?" Parker asked the fairy who spoke with Frodo last. "To Frodo? Am I going to be like that? Totally amnesiac, except for remembering a few things?" He whimpered. "I don't want that to happen! I don't!" He wept loudly, unable to keep his tears back.

The fairy grasped his shoulders, attempting to calm him down. "It's all right. You didn't know."

Parker looked at the hallway, saying, "I need to find Frodo. Get this mess sorted." As Parker approached the door, he stopped, his hand resting on the door frame.

"Of course, you should," the fairy said, looking up at Parker as Parker turned his gaze to her. "Even a light red dragonoid, such as yourself, could help a poor hobbit, such as Frodo Baggins. You will be all right, Parker Dooley. I know this to be true."

"Thank you. I hope. I'll see you later," Parker said, making his way down the hallway, in hopes of finding Frodo in their bedroom, still awake and chipper.

Parker was in for a rude awakening.

.

Frodo sat on his bed, mystified. That light red dragon was following him. That much was clear. And his wife? Oh, Frodo saw a picture of his wife, the one she gave to him. The picture moved. They were out kissing out in a park, or by a stone castle.

This moment was so precious. Frodo wondered when he might have more moments with her.

Frodo looked up at the light red dragon who approached him, sitting down across from him on his bed. Frodo stared at the light red dragon, no longer willing to hear him or what he had to say. "If you've come for an apology, I'm afraid I'm not giving it, especially to a dragon. Are you good? Or are you evil?"

"I am neither good nor evil," the light red dragon said. "My last confrontation with Maranguan was enough to ensure we're both on the grey side, the neutral side of the Force." He looked up at Frodo, asking, "Why do you ask?" He stood up, approaching Frodo, "Have your memories been restored yet?"

"Don't touch me!" Frodo said, deliberately. He sneered at him, watching the light red dragon retreat to his spot on his bed, across from Frodo.

"I'm sorry. I just hoped your memories would be restored by now," Parker said with a smile.

"Look, if you're here to ask questions, or seek an apology, then I'm…"

"…afraid you might not give me one. I understand," the light red dragon said. "I understand. Why you won't let anyone, but your wife, touch you? At least, that's what I assumed you were doing." He looked up at Frodo, asking, "You know, Merry and Pippin are coming. You remember them, right?"

"I hardly know them. Who are they?" Frodo asked.

A tear fell down Parker's face. "Right. Then it was wrong of me to ask." He rested his head on his pillow, turning to his side, away from Frodo.

"What—did they bring me here?" Frodo asked, cautious. New memories were forming, memories he didn't understand. "Did Merry and Pippin bring me here?" What did he know about them?

"Uh… Frodo, they didn't…"

"So, they brought me here! From Bywater!" Frodo asked, figuring out his memories. He believed them to be true, right? He turned to the book sitting on his desk. It was The Lord of the Rings, with his face on the front. "Yes. That's it. They brought me here from Bag End, all because I was sick and needed help. Thank you, Parker Dooley. You've done more than enough." He walked out of the room, completely believing his own story.

All Parker could say, teary-eyed, "Yes Frodo. That's what happened." He wept, fearing he was losing his memories again.

.

Frodo walked out of his room, chipper and ready to meet Merry and Pippin. And there they were: the two hobbits who brought him here. They were his friends, right? And what about his wife? Oh, he was slowly forgetting her… again. But did it matter? Frodo came from the Shire! That's what he knew. That's how he came to Bywater's healing house.

It all made sense now, didn't it?

"Merry? Pippin? Oh ho ho! I'm so glad to finally meet you," he leapt onto Merry, hugging him, as well as Pippin.

The two hobbits were befuddled but understanding.

"So, you two were the ones that brought me here? I saw you both last night. You dragged me in here, didn't you?" Frodo asked the two hobbits, stunning them.

"Uh… we did, Frodo. That's right," Pippin Took said, nodding.

"We're doing everything we can to help you," Merry Brandybuck said, going along with Frodo's story.

"I just hope your wife is here," Pippin said, stunned.

"My wife? What?" Frodo asked, confused. "I don't have a wife.'

"Last time we saw of her, she was weeping," Merry said.

"I don't have a wife. I'm single. I'm a bachelor, like Bilbo," Frodo said, trying to make sense of his world. "If I did have a wife, then I would know who she is. She's not here today, is she?"

"She's with Eliza. They're doing something in particular," Merry said.

"Listen, maybe it's better that we talk elsewhere," Pippin said, leading the way.

Frodo nodded. "Eh… right. Let's do it." He followed Merry and Pippin into the mess hall, hoping to get a good meal.

.

Parker wept loudly. He didn't understand. Frodo didn't remember his past? Frodo fabricated how he came to be at Bywater's healing house! This was the last thing Frodo wanted!

Anger festered in Parker's heart. Well, if Frodo wanted to play this game, then Parker would come up with his own story, one that would ensure the Great Battle would commence. If Frodo was truly a shapeshifter, then Parker would play the truth out to him, mess with the poor hobbit's mind.

Parker knew Frodo had another life, a double life, outside the Shire. The fact that they were back here meant something. Were two lives playing at once? Is that why Frodo and he had a hard time remembering? How long would this last? Parker had a feeling that once events caught up, that they would be stuck in this amnesiac state, until they remembered everything.

As for the others, where were they? How could they help Frodo and Parker?