Disclaimer: Nope, aint mine so stop asking.
Thank you to my beta, Persnickety, Katelin-Dear, and Bobbi
Shadow Flames: Aw, thank you! It's a family thing that I have in all my other stories. I guess I got the idea from the end of ROTK. I was kinda hoping Frodo would do the same to Merry and Pippin, but what can you do?
Xena: Yes, the Faramir/Pippin relationship HAS to be strong. Pippin did name his son Faramir after all. I figured they would bond over Boromir's death and Denathor going...well, wherever he went be it like the book had it or like the movie did. Glad you liked the Boromir thing! Poor paranoid Pippin, yes. LOL. SOOO glad you like this chapter. It warmed my heart to write it. I, too, am sad to see this fic go. Thank you for reading!
LOTR Board Comments:
I can hear Strider's voice inside my head...and that is no easy feat...thank you so much-boriel (wow, I did that?! Thank you!)
Bless you! Aragorn is appropriately kingly, and Pippin is true to himself. I have to tell you, your Boromir at the end brought tears to my eyes. Thanks for letting him creep in to someone else's tale once more; I'm sure Aragorn didn't begrudge him that!-Linaewen (I'm glad you liked it. I don't think Aragorn minds either. Thank you!)
What a lovely conclusion. My dearest Pippin!-Orangeblossom Took (yes, sweet little Pippin. Thanks for reading!)
Thank you that was wonderful. The whole 9 chapters-suzie sheelf (such a loyal reader! Thanks!)
This has been a wonderful series and I love it. Thanks for all the tears you've made me cry. Like I said, this had been wonderful-Silivren Ithildin (Didn't mean to make you cry! LOL. Thanks for reading!)
This was wonderful, they all were. I hope you will write it again too when you've read the books. I loved them all though-tinuvielwithHim (Hmm..maybe I will write a book-based one but that's YEARS off. Thanks for reading!)
A masterful piece of writing!!!:)-Dinledhwen (another loyal reader! Thanks!)
That was wonderful! I am sad this is the end, but I certainaly enjoyed reading it! Thank you so much!-Peregrine (I too am sad to see it end. Thanks for reading!)
((Pippinmerry))),just finished your tale from the Scrapbook and wanted to say how wonderful it was and how very much I enjoyed it. I hope you keep writing...and please, when you have a moment, or a year, read the book...Pip & Merry are so much more real and wonderful and fun in the book than even the movies show...You will be happy you did. I especially loved your ending chapter...it was beautiful...thank you!-Agape4rivendell (Thank you for being a loyal reader!!!!!!!!!!)
This is the end. :-( Very sad to let this go but it's the first fanfiction I've finished so I'm quite proud! Be sure to check out my other story posted here, Brothers In All But Blood. (shameless plug)
Chapter 9: Aragorn
Aragorn had stopped listening to Legolas long ago. He leaned against a tree near the garden Sam and Pippin had planted. The thing he remembered were the elf's words on the subject of the youngest hobbit. Despite all the mischief he had caused, Aragorn had a soft spot for him. I'll have to speak with him, he decided.
Legolas noticed Aragorn's lack of interest. "Then Gimli danced on the table."
The thought of a dwarf, particularly that one, dancing jarred Aragorn from his thoughts. "What?"
Legolas smiled. "Nothing, just seeing if you were paying attention."
"I'm sorry, Legolas. My thoughts are elsewhere at the moment."
"Our young hobbit?"
"Yes. Is he really as upset as you claim?"
"I'm afraid so. The others say he has spoken to them but for some reason, their words aren't helping."
Aragorn shook his head. "He takes on too much, that one."
"Indeed he does," said Gandalf, who approached the pair. "Always has. He blamed himself for the death of his sister years ago, and he blames himself for my falling."
"Hmm. I'll shall speak to him myself, I think." Aragorn rose and bid the two good-bye and went looking for Pippin.
He found him rather quickly. Both he and Faramir were apparently looking for their King.
"Faramir, would give me a moment with Pippin, please?"
"Yes, my Lord." Faramir turned and left the two alone.
"So, Pippin, what is it like being guard of the Citidel?"
"Denethor released me from the service of Gondor before his death."
"Ah, well, he's no longer..." He paused, wanting to choose his words wisely. "In charge. I am, and you are still in my service."
"Faramir said you'd want to keep me."
"That I do, Pippin. That's why I knighted you."
"I don't understand that though! After all I've done, and the number of times you've had to protect me, I don't see why you still want me to serve you. I am of no use!" At those last words, Pippin sat himself on the ground. He had reached his breaking point. Even though he'd managed to get a lot off his chest recently, he still had a lot built up inside his small body.
Aragorn frowned at this. "You are of great use, Little One." He sat next to the hobbit, who seemed on the brink of tears. "This fellowship would have had a great hole without you."
Pippin lowered his head, his shoulders began to shake and soon his eyes were full of tears. He tried to wipe them away but that only made them fall faster.
Aragorn grabbed Pippin into his arms and held the sobbing hobbit. "Now, Little One, what brought all this on?" he asked.
Pippin sniffled. "I think of everything you all have done. Frodo and Sam destroying the Ring, Merry helped defeat the Witch King, you, Legolas, and Gimli with all the fighting you did, Faramir fought through grief and rejection, Boromir died to protect me, and, well, everything Gandalf has done. It makes me wonder what I did beyond more trouble. I gave Frodo away in Bree. I made the bucket fall in Moria, awaking the Beast. I let Boromir die. I touched the palantir and almost gave away Frodo and Sam." He broke down into sobs again.
Aragorn grabbed Pippin by the arms. "Now listen to me Pippin. You have done some good in all this. You kept up the good spirits and still do, I might add. You say you gave away Frodo in Bree, well, I daresay the black riders would've found you anyways. It also alerted me that there was more than one hobbit on this journey. As for Moria, we would've been attacked anyways. Besides, we needed the White Wizard on our side. And Boromir, he died protecting you as he swore to do. I assure you, he never doubted that decision. If you hadn't touched the palantir, we wouldn't have known how grave the danger was to Gondor. As bad as it all seemed at first, we needed all that to happen, Pippin."
Pippin looked up at the man. Most of that had been told to him already, but for some reason, he felt better getting reassurance from the ranger. He'd always felt he had to prove himself to Aragorn, but maybe he never had to.
Aragorn saw the look of comprehension fall on the hobbit's face. "For another thing, Pippin, it was you who got the Ents to turn around and fight. Something you said convinced them. Nobody but you. Not to mention Faramir. I don't see him having an easy time parting with you."
Pippin offered a smile. "No, neither do I. There are still things I need to teach him. Like how to smoke a pipe!" He threw his arms around the King. "Thank you, Strider. I think I'm getting it now."
Aragorn smiled at the nickname only the hobbits called him. He accepted the hug and returned it. He'd miss these four when they returned to their home, especially the one he held now. There were few in Gondor or Rohan who wouldn't miss them. The four hobbits had made a greater impact than they knew. They had shown great men that physical size meant nothing when compared to spirit and heart, something the hobbits had an abundance of.
Pippin was the one to pull away. He wiped the few remaining tears away.
Aragorn stood up and took Pippin's hand, hauling him to his feet. "I should be thanking you, Pippin."
Pippin looked up at the man. "Me?"
"Yes. You've come to mean more to me than you know. All of you have. I'm a better man having met all of you."
The pair headed back to the garden. There sat the rest of the fellowship and Faramir.
"Are you feeling any better, Pippin?" asked Merry.
Pippin looked around at his friends. He felt a presence in the back of his mind.
"Are you, Little One?" asked the presence.
Boromir, he thought. He was there just like he promised.
He looked around again, his friends staring at him in anticipation. "Yes. I believe I am."
The three other hobbits each got up and took turns hugging him.
"All I needed was a little help from my friends."
Everyone, including Gimli, smiled at him. Pippin was sure Boromir, where he was, was smiling too. They all sat in the garden and enjoyed one of their last days together as a fellowship.
A/N: ::hugs Pippin:: That's it! ::cries:: Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think!
Thank you to my beta, Persnickety, Katelin-Dear, and Bobbi
Shadow Flames: Aw, thank you! It's a family thing that I have in all my other stories. I guess I got the idea from the end of ROTK. I was kinda hoping Frodo would do the same to Merry and Pippin, but what can you do?
Xena: Yes, the Faramir/Pippin relationship HAS to be strong. Pippin did name his son Faramir after all. I figured they would bond over Boromir's death and Denathor going...well, wherever he went be it like the book had it or like the movie did. Glad you liked the Boromir thing! Poor paranoid Pippin, yes. LOL. SOOO glad you like this chapter. It warmed my heart to write it. I, too, am sad to see this fic go. Thank you for reading!
LOTR Board Comments:
I can hear Strider's voice inside my head...and that is no easy feat...thank you so much-boriel (wow, I did that?! Thank you!)
Bless you! Aragorn is appropriately kingly, and Pippin is true to himself. I have to tell you, your Boromir at the end brought tears to my eyes. Thanks for letting him creep in to someone else's tale once more; I'm sure Aragorn didn't begrudge him that!-Linaewen (I'm glad you liked it. I don't think Aragorn minds either. Thank you!)
What a lovely conclusion. My dearest Pippin!-Orangeblossom Took (yes, sweet little Pippin. Thanks for reading!)
Thank you that was wonderful. The whole 9 chapters-suzie sheelf (such a loyal reader! Thanks!)
This has been a wonderful series and I love it. Thanks for all the tears you've made me cry. Like I said, this had been wonderful-Silivren Ithildin (Didn't mean to make you cry! LOL. Thanks for reading!)
This was wonderful, they all were. I hope you will write it again too when you've read the books. I loved them all though-tinuvielwithHim (Hmm..maybe I will write a book-based one but that's YEARS off. Thanks for reading!)
A masterful piece of writing!!!:)-Dinledhwen (another loyal reader! Thanks!)
That was wonderful! I am sad this is the end, but I certainaly enjoyed reading it! Thank you so much!-Peregrine (I too am sad to see it end. Thanks for reading!)
((Pippinmerry))),just finished your tale from the Scrapbook and wanted to say how wonderful it was and how very much I enjoyed it. I hope you keep writing...and please, when you have a moment, or a year, read the book...Pip & Merry are so much more real and wonderful and fun in the book than even the movies show...You will be happy you did. I especially loved your ending chapter...it was beautiful...thank you!-Agape4rivendell (Thank you for being a loyal reader!!!!!!!!!!)
This is the end. :-( Very sad to let this go but it's the first fanfiction I've finished so I'm quite proud! Be sure to check out my other story posted here, Brothers In All But Blood. (shameless plug)
Chapter 9: Aragorn
Aragorn had stopped listening to Legolas long ago. He leaned against a tree near the garden Sam and Pippin had planted. The thing he remembered were the elf's words on the subject of the youngest hobbit. Despite all the mischief he had caused, Aragorn had a soft spot for him. I'll have to speak with him, he decided.
Legolas noticed Aragorn's lack of interest. "Then Gimli danced on the table."
The thought of a dwarf, particularly that one, dancing jarred Aragorn from his thoughts. "What?"
Legolas smiled. "Nothing, just seeing if you were paying attention."
"I'm sorry, Legolas. My thoughts are elsewhere at the moment."
"Our young hobbit?"
"Yes. Is he really as upset as you claim?"
"I'm afraid so. The others say he has spoken to them but for some reason, their words aren't helping."
Aragorn shook his head. "He takes on too much, that one."
"Indeed he does," said Gandalf, who approached the pair. "Always has. He blamed himself for the death of his sister years ago, and he blames himself for my falling."
"Hmm. I'll shall speak to him myself, I think." Aragorn rose and bid the two good-bye and went looking for Pippin.
He found him rather quickly. Both he and Faramir were apparently looking for their King.
"Faramir, would give me a moment with Pippin, please?"
"Yes, my Lord." Faramir turned and left the two alone.
"So, Pippin, what is it like being guard of the Citidel?"
"Denethor released me from the service of Gondor before his death."
"Ah, well, he's no longer..." He paused, wanting to choose his words wisely. "In charge. I am, and you are still in my service."
"Faramir said you'd want to keep me."
"That I do, Pippin. That's why I knighted you."
"I don't understand that though! After all I've done, and the number of times you've had to protect me, I don't see why you still want me to serve you. I am of no use!" At those last words, Pippin sat himself on the ground. He had reached his breaking point. Even though he'd managed to get a lot off his chest recently, he still had a lot built up inside his small body.
Aragorn frowned at this. "You are of great use, Little One." He sat next to the hobbit, who seemed on the brink of tears. "This fellowship would have had a great hole without you."
Pippin lowered his head, his shoulders began to shake and soon his eyes were full of tears. He tried to wipe them away but that only made them fall faster.
Aragorn grabbed Pippin into his arms and held the sobbing hobbit. "Now, Little One, what brought all this on?" he asked.
Pippin sniffled. "I think of everything you all have done. Frodo and Sam destroying the Ring, Merry helped defeat the Witch King, you, Legolas, and Gimli with all the fighting you did, Faramir fought through grief and rejection, Boromir died to protect me, and, well, everything Gandalf has done. It makes me wonder what I did beyond more trouble. I gave Frodo away in Bree. I made the bucket fall in Moria, awaking the Beast. I let Boromir die. I touched the palantir and almost gave away Frodo and Sam." He broke down into sobs again.
Aragorn grabbed Pippin by the arms. "Now listen to me Pippin. You have done some good in all this. You kept up the good spirits and still do, I might add. You say you gave away Frodo in Bree, well, I daresay the black riders would've found you anyways. It also alerted me that there was more than one hobbit on this journey. As for Moria, we would've been attacked anyways. Besides, we needed the White Wizard on our side. And Boromir, he died protecting you as he swore to do. I assure you, he never doubted that decision. If you hadn't touched the palantir, we wouldn't have known how grave the danger was to Gondor. As bad as it all seemed at first, we needed all that to happen, Pippin."
Pippin looked up at the man. Most of that had been told to him already, but for some reason, he felt better getting reassurance from the ranger. He'd always felt he had to prove himself to Aragorn, but maybe he never had to.
Aragorn saw the look of comprehension fall on the hobbit's face. "For another thing, Pippin, it was you who got the Ents to turn around and fight. Something you said convinced them. Nobody but you. Not to mention Faramir. I don't see him having an easy time parting with you."
Pippin offered a smile. "No, neither do I. There are still things I need to teach him. Like how to smoke a pipe!" He threw his arms around the King. "Thank you, Strider. I think I'm getting it now."
Aragorn smiled at the nickname only the hobbits called him. He accepted the hug and returned it. He'd miss these four when they returned to their home, especially the one he held now. There were few in Gondor or Rohan who wouldn't miss them. The four hobbits had made a greater impact than they knew. They had shown great men that physical size meant nothing when compared to spirit and heart, something the hobbits had an abundance of.
Pippin was the one to pull away. He wiped the few remaining tears away.
Aragorn stood up and took Pippin's hand, hauling him to his feet. "I should be thanking you, Pippin."
Pippin looked up at the man. "Me?"
"Yes. You've come to mean more to me than you know. All of you have. I'm a better man having met all of you."
The pair headed back to the garden. There sat the rest of the fellowship and Faramir.
"Are you feeling any better, Pippin?" asked Merry.
Pippin looked around at his friends. He felt a presence in the back of his mind.
"Are you, Little One?" asked the presence.
Boromir, he thought. He was there just like he promised.
He looked around again, his friends staring at him in anticipation. "Yes. I believe I am."
The three other hobbits each got up and took turns hugging him.
"All I needed was a little help from my friends."
Everyone, including Gimli, smiled at him. Pippin was sure Boromir, where he was, was smiling too. They all sat in the garden and enjoyed one of their last days together as a fellowship.
A/N: ::hugs Pippin:: That's it! ::cries:: Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think!