Wherever You Are Is Home Chapter Twelve - "With a Little Help From Friends" It is 1408 in the Shire Reckoning Pippin is 18, Pervinca is 23, Merry is 26, Sam is 28, and Frodo is 40 "Mistress Pervinca?" Sam asked in shock. Pervinca understood his shock. It was quite early, the sun had only barely begun creeping into the sky. Sam was used to being the only living creature in Bag End at this hour, and he kept gaping at her like he was seeing a barrow-wight. "Good morning, Samwise." She said, a bit brighter than she felt. "I rose early, and decided to make the best of it." In truth, she had not really slept at all. Her mind had been too working feverishly for her to relax, and when she had finally gotten drowsy out of sheer exhaustion, her sleep had been shallow and fitful. That, and her brother and Merry had been making a good deal of noise. Especially her brother. She wondered how they had not been discovered before this, if they always carried on in that manner. They had made a racket that had likely been heard in Bree. Again, especially her brother. It had been rather disturbing. By the time the two of them had finally fallen asleep, or passed out from exhaustion, the prospect of sleep was a wind that had already blown through her room. Resigned, she had moved to the kitchen, hoping to find some solace in Frodo's larders. "Are you wantin' me to wake them?" He asked. He was glaring down the hallway like he thought Frodo was a lay-about for not being up to entertain his guest, even if his guest was up before the birds. "No." Pervinca said. "I am rather enjoying the peace and quiet." Morning at Bag End was a tranquil thing. A opposed to morning at the Smials, which was rather like finding that you had woken up inside a traveling menagerie. As she had passed the early morning hours at Frodo's kitchen table, she had started to understand why Merry and Pippin visited Frodo so often. There was something calming and soothing about Bag End. "You got somethin' on your mind, Mistress Pervinca?" Sam asked, sitting down across from her. She looked up at Sam, and realized that she had been frowning at the table like it had said something untoward. "A few things." She muttered dryly. "My father, for one." "Like I was sayin' yesterday, you are more than welcome to stay." "I know, Sam. But I can't." Pervinca said, smiling at him. "I will have to face him. If I stay here, I will only be delaying it. He is not like to forget that he has a son, or that I left with him and returned alone, no matter how long I stay here." "True, that." Sam agreed. "What are you figurin' he will have to say?" That was a question that Pervinca had been pondering all night. She new he would be wroth. Even if he believed her tale that Pippin had run away from her on the road, he would still be furious. Only furious at Pippin instead of furious at her. But she had a feeling that her father would not believe a word that came out of her mouth. Satisfying as it had been, her last conversation with her sister had left Nel with a score to settle. And Pervinca was quite sure that as soon as she showed up at the Smials empty-handed, that Nel would settle it by announcing to their father that she had been inquiring about Merry's whereabouts. "I don’t know, Sam." She said. "But whatever it is, I am sure I will not want to hear it." Merry felt Pippin stir from where he was pillowed on his shoulder. He twisted his head to gaze at his cousin, smiling. Pippin's eyes fluttered opened as Merry planted a soft kiss on the top of his head, and he smiled back. "Good morning, love." Merry said. Pippin responded by stretching up to kiss Merry softly. "Good morning." He said finally, half into Merry's mouth. He kissed Merry again, lingering for a moment. Merry returned the kiss lightly, tangling his fingers in Pippin's curls. Pippin made a soft noise, and moved more on top of Merry. Merry ran his hands down Pippin's back, pulling him close. Pippin broke the kiss to trail his lips down to Merry's neck before burying his head back into Merry's shoulder. Pippin snuggled a little closer, and gave a small sigh. "Are you tired, love?" Merry asked gently. Merry was definitely tired. Their reunion had run into the early hours of the morning. "A bit." Pippin said, stifling a yawn against Merry's neck. "To tired for breakfast?" Merry asked. "Breakfast?" Pippin asked brightly. He rose up from where he was laying on Merry, tracing lazy circles on Merry's belly with his hand. His eyes darted around the room, trying to locate his clothes. They were on the floor on Merry's side of the bed, so he tossed back the coverlet and started to climb over Merry. "Ah!" Merry exclaimed, trapping Pippin as he crawled over him with quick hands on the lad's waist. "One mention of food, and you abandon me!" He quipped, favoring Pippin with a mock frown. Pippin bit at his bottom lip thoughtfully, as if trying to decide between Merry and breakfast. Merry made a squawking noise, and Pippin giggled with glee at his cousin's indignant face. Merry pushed Pippin off him, tossed him onto his back, and rolled over on him. He started tickling Pippin's bare sides and belly, and Pippin thrashed, protesting and giggling loudly. Merry paused in his attack, smiling at his cousin's flushed face and tousled hair. He wished fervently that he could wake up to Pippin like this every morning for the rest of his life. He dropped a quick, light kiss on Pippin's lips. Pippin smiled coyly and looked up at Merry through his lashes, and Merry's heart fluttered. Pippin's eyes were a beautiful shade of bright green, and he had long, curly lashes like a lass. Merry planted a nother kiss on his cousin's lips, not as quick or light as the last one. "Merry!" Pippin gasped in half-shock when he felt Merry harden against his leg. "It's early for that." "It's never too early." Merry murmured. "It's your fault, anyway, smiling at me like that." Pippin smiled at him the same way, and fluttered his eyelashes for effect. Merry gave a growl, and kissed Pippin again. Pippin squeaked as Merry nipped at his lower lip, and snaked his arms around Merry, pulling at him with one hand and toying with Merry's curls with the other. Pippin kissed him back hard, slipping his tongue into Merry's mouth with a moan. Too early, indeed. Merry thought with a smile, when he felt Pippin harden. Pippin felt Merry smiling in his mouth, and pulled away." What's so funny?" He asked, narrowing his eyes. "You." Merry said, smiling wider. "I thought you said it was too early." He reached down a trailed a fingertip over Pippin's erection to make his point. "It's your fault." Pippin gave back." Kissing me like that." Merry kissed him again, more passionately, and Pippin whimpered. He whimpered again when Merry's fingers grasped Pippin's erection and started stroking along its length. Merry planted light kisses on Pippin's face, and moved their warm, moist touches across Pippin's cheek to his ear. Pippin clutched Merry tightly and rolled, putting Merry under him. He leaned down, grinding his hardness against Merry's and kissed him. He teased is tongue along Merry's, then ran soft, wet kisses along Merry's jaw line. "What about breakfast?" Merry asked softly, as Pippin sucked on his neck. "In a little bit." Pippin said huskily. He moved his lips and tongue down Merry's neck to his chest. Merry gasped when Pippin's tongue ran over a hard nipple, and shuddered when Pippin took it into his mouth. A fire kindled in Merry's belly as Pippin's line of kisses started moving down towards his navel, and those flames were fanned into a blaze when Pippin passed over his navel and continued to kiss downward. "Oh, Pip." He whispered desperately. He shuddered, tangling his fingers in Pippin's curls. Pippin's kisses moved lower, hovering just above his erection. He thought he would explode, just from the thought of being in Pippin's mouth. So close. Merry thought, as his erection brushed against Pippin's chin. Oh, Lady, so close. Pippin took his erection in his hand, kissing along the base of it. "Pippin!" Merry cried. Pippin's line of kisses was moving up the underside of his length with painful slowness. Pippin paused when he reached the tip, looking up at Merry with smoldering eyes. Merry moaned fitfully, and pulled at Pippin's curls. Pippin's eyes flitted to the prize in his hand. He took a breath, and dropped his head. "Mister Merry?" Merry's half-closed eyes snapped open, and he glared furiously at the door. Pippin released Merry's erection with a sigh, and laid his head on Merry's belly. "Mister Pippin?" Sam tried again, from the other side of the door. "What do you want, Samwise Gamgee?" Merry hissed. "Some of what your getting', make no mistake." Sam quipped. Merry's eyes narrowed when he heard giggling. Not Sam, but Frodo. "But I'll be waitin' until after breakfast, thank-you-very-much." Merry was tempted to remind Sam of the time he had caught him in the kitchen with a mouthful of Frodo, while breakfast-- diced ham and potatoes, burned on the stove. He looked regretfully at Pippin, who had rolled off him and was currently in the process of dressing. He signed with resignation, and slid off the bed himself. He caught Pippin in his arms and kissed him, only to be disturbed once again. "Mistress Pervinca will be eatin' it all." Sam warned. "I hate you, Sam." Merry grumbled as he pulled on his breeches. "Of course you do." Sam replied. More giggles. "But it's your own doin', carryin' on at this hour." "What's for breakfast, anyway?" Merry asked as he opened to door, fixing Sam with an appraising look. "Burnt ham and potatoes?" Sam blushed and looked abashed as Merry pushed past him, but Frodo only smiled. "Not this morning." Frodo put in with a wink. "We couldn’t get Pervinca out of the kitchen." As the breakfast wore on, Pervinca felt more and more like the spare wheel of a cart. Extra, unneeded, and very much in the way. Merry and Pippin sat together, so close that they were practically in the same chair. They murmured softly to each other as they ate, pausing between every few bites for quick kisses. They loved each other so strongly it was almost visible, and it made her heart flutter. Frodo and Sam were not sitting close. Frodo sat, while Sam puttered around the kitchen, sneaking bites from a plate he kept near the stove. Nor where they demonstrative. Yet, they spoke in the same soft whispers, and shared glances that were as meaningful as Merry and Pippin's touches. They loved each other as well, and anyone who did not see it was a blind as the moles that burrowed in the Smials gardens. Despite feeling intrusive, she eyed the scene before her and smiled. It made her glad, glad for all four of them. She had always thought love was a botheration herself, but feelings that the two pairs of hobbit shared was infectious. "Sam, I will be needing a bath, if you would be so kind." Pervinca said. "No bother at all, Mistress Pervinca." He said, taking up and empty plate from the table. "How soon will you been needin' it?" "I was thinking of leaving after elevensies." She replied. "No!" Pippin gasped, dropping his fork. Merry went stiff. Then he wrapped an arm around Pippin, and whispered to him, but Pippin only continued to mumble and shake his head. "Pip, I have to be getting back." She said firmly. "But I don’t want to go!" Pippin shouted. His green eyes grew wet, and tears were sliding down his cheeks. "You are not going." Pervinca said simply. Pippin and Merry both looked at her in confusion. "You are staying here, if Frodo will have you." "Really?" Pippin asked, his face lighting up. "You are both welcome to stay as long as you like." Frodo said. Merry smiled thankfully at Frodo, but then turned back to Pippin's sister. "Pervinca" Merry said slowly. "Your father….." "Bugger my father." Pervinca said sharply. "He is a fool of a Took if there ever was one, if he does not see what you and Pippin mean to each other." "But…." "No." Pervinca cut Merry of with a sharp wave of her hand. "My mind is made up. I will not take Pippin back to that." Pippin relaxed in Merry's embrace, looking relieved. "I am just worried about what he will do to you." Merry said, he looked relieved as well, but his face was creased with worry. He reached out across the table and took Pervinca's hand. "He will be very angry." "Possibly." Pervinca said, trying to look unmoved. "That is not my concern. My concern is Pippin." Pippin shook free of Merry's arm and dashed around the table, flying into Pervinca's arms. "I love, you!" He declared, kissing her face. "I love you, too, you silly tart." She said. "So it is settled." She said, looking at Merry." I will go back to the Smials, and you two will stay here." "Yes." Merry and Pippin said together. "Although, I think you two should consider leaving the Shire." She said. "For a little while, at least. My father may be a fool, but he is not dumb. He will puzzle out that you two are here, eventually." "Leave the Shire?" Merry said dumbly. It was a heart-wrenching thought, to be exiled from his home and his family. But he glanced down at Pippin, and decided that it was a small price to pay. "We could go to Bree." He ventured. "There are hobbits in Bree." He had the tone of someone trying to convince himself as much as anyone else. "Almost as many hobbits as Big Folk." "That won't be necessary." Frodo said. "Beggin' your pardon, but Mistress Pervinca is right." Sam said. " Master Took will work it out, that his lad is here. And I'd be willin' to wager that once he does, he make for here right quick, and take Mister Pippin back." "Oh, I agree." Frodo said to Sam. "What I meant was that they may not have to leave the Shire." Frodo gave Sam an unreadable expression. The gardener stared at him blankly for a few minutes, but then his face lit up as a thought came to him. "Oh!" Sam exclaimed, and Frodo winked. "That would be wonderful, Mister Frodo, it really would." "What's this?" Merry asked, eyeing the older hobbits suspiciously. Frodo and Sam now had mischievous expressions, like they were about to suggest that Merry and Pippin spend the remainder of their days hiding out in Hamfast Gamgee's tool shed. "I've a bit of property in Crickhollow." Frodo said. "What?" Merry asked. He had never heard this. "It was Bilbo's." Frodo explained. "He left it to me, with all his other things. I just don't speak of it…..the Sackville-Bagginses were mad enough about Bag End, you understand." "One of Fatty Bolger's cousins keeps an eye on it for me." He continued. "It is house, not a burrow, and a bit close to Buckland….." "Oh, Frodo." Merry exclaimed, throwing himself into Frodo's arms, just like Pippin had done to Pervinca earlier. Pippin, who was still in Pervinca's lap, clapped his hands excitedly and smiled at Frodo gratefully. "You are a wonder." Merry murmured into Frodo's chest. "The best of hobbits. And the best kind of friend." He pulled away from Frodo to beam at Pervinca. "And you…." "Shush." Pervinca said, waving him off almost bashfully. She pushed Pippin off of her, and rose from her chair. "How about that bath, Samwise?" She asked. "I'd like to enjoy one more relaxing moment before the dragon of the Smials eats me alive." Pervinca stomach roiled as she approached the front door of the Smials. She was likely walking to her death, and she knew it, but despite her uneasy stomach, she was staring at the Smials with a steely, determined gaze. She realized that if she loitered about for too much longer, she would be noticed, and she did not want that. She wanted a chance to give her father her story before he started asking a heap of questions. "Begin as you mean to end." She said to herself. She squared her shoulders, took a deep breath, and marched inside the Smials like she was the Took and Thain, herself. "Father." She said stiffly, as she opened the door. Nothing had gone according to plan. She had been accosted by Nel before she had stepped over the threshold. She had gotten rid of Nel with some lame excuses and sharp words, only for her mother to happen along. She had gotten rid of her mother with lame excuses and soft words, giving her the same story she had given Nel, the same story she intended to give her father. Eglantine Took had listened silently, wearing same tight, mask-like expression she had been wearing when Pervinca had left for Bag End. Once she had gotten rid of both obstacles, she had fled to her room in hopes of changing her dress and brushing her hair before facing her father. She had done both, and opened the door to find her cousin, Adelard's daughter Danella, at the door, her hand poised to knock. "The Thain wants to see you, Vinca." Danella had explained. This did not bode well. "So." The Thain said, leaning back in his chair. He favored her with a disturbing glance, appraisal combined with reproach. "My scapegrace daughter has returned." He did not offer her a seat. She walked over to stand in front of his desk, clasped her hands in front of her, and waited. "I understand you have misplaced your brother." He said, pursing his lips. Begin as you mean to go on. "I did not misplace him, he misplaced himself." She said. The Thain did not look pleased. "He took the pony and….." "Bollocks!" The Thain shouted, slamming his fist down on the desk. "He took the pony…." She started again, forcing her voice to stay smooth. "You took him to Merry." Pervinca's stomach clenched violently. "Pimpernel told me that you spoke with her, inquiring after Merry's whereabouts." He spat. "I did not think much on it at first, because I did not think you would defy me." The anger fled his face briefly, replaced by disappointment. "I would not have thought it of you." I would not have though a few things of you, she thought, if Frodo had not let his tongue get away from him. "I would not have thought it of you, to have so little concern for your son's feelings." She said quietly. "It was his feelings that caused me to send Merry away in the first place!" The Thain spat. His face went taut, as if he said something he had not intended, and took a deep breath. "I did what was best for the lad. I did what needed to be done." "Sending Merry away was not going to change how he felt." Pervinca responded. "You do not even know why I sent Merry away!" He shouted. "I do." Pervinca responded. "Oh, do you." Paladin snorted. "But you know everything, it seems. You even know what is best for my son." Pervinca bit back the scathing retort that was clinging to her tongue. "He is happy, now." Pervinca said. "And bugger everything else, right?" The Thain waved his arms around dramatically. "They are in love." Pervinca said. "Love?" The Thain snorted again. "Rutting like animals, more like." "If you saw them together, you would think otherwise." She said. "I do not wish to see them together!." Her father screamed. "It turns my stomach to think about it!" It turns your stomach to think about them, she wondered, or it turns your stomach to have a reminder of you and Merry's father? "And as young as your brother is!" The Thain lamented. "That turns my stomach most of all." "He is not much older that my mother was when you married her." Pervinca said. "We are not discussing me and your mother." The Thain said dangerously. "But it is true." She said simply. "And you are older than her by more years that Merry is older than Pippin." "Pervinca." He snapped. "Done is done. Your mother and I got married when we did for our own reasons, reasons that I do not have to explain to you. Nor do I care to." Pervinca bit down on her tongue to keep from replying. He didn't need to explain, to her, or to the rest of the Shire. Pearl's birth month was recorded in the Blue Book for all to see, and that was explanation enough. Pearl had been born sooner after they had been married than was right and proper. "Where is he?" Her father asked. "I do not know." "Do not lie." He said through his teeth. "You are already in more trouble than you can even understand. Do not make it worse by telling more lies." "I do not lie about this." She said. "They were planning to leave the Shire." "Leave the Shire?" Her father scoffed. "To go where?" "They did not tell me." She said. Her father eyed her like he still thought she was lying "Bree, likely." He said, searching her face for a reaction. "What other choice do they have? It is not as if there are settlements of hobbits all across the land." "As I said, I do not know." Pervinca said. An edgy silence enveloped the room. Her father was staring at her openly, studying her. Pervinca returned his gaze coolly, trying to keep her expression blank and unreadable. He would punish her for sure, but she was not going to give him the satisfaction of thinking that she was fraught with worry over it. "Go to your rooms." He said, flinging his hand at the door. "Go to your rooms, and stay there until you are sent for." Pervinca favored him with a sharp nod of her head, before turning on her heels and heading for the door. "Pervinca Took." Pervinca cringed at the voice, and wondered, not for the first time since she had arrived, if the Lady was nothing more than a myth. "Uncle Adelard." She said flatly. Her uncle was wearing his usual expression, a tight frown with his upper lip curled in a slight sneer. "Where have you been?" He asked. "And what have you done with your brother?" "I misplaced him." She said smoothly. "You misplaced him, or your father sent him away?" Adelard questioned. "Why would my father send him away?" She asked sweetly. "Because he has been taking the tumble with Saradoc's lad." Adelard said sharply, like she was being deliberately dense. "What?" She asked, feigning surprise. "That's ridiculous." "Ridiculous, but true." He gave back. "You know its true, everyone knows its true." Pervinca made a noncommittal noise. "And your father sent him away for it." He continued. "Not that I blame him, mind." Adelard clucked his tongue and shook his head sadly. "I'd be sending Reginard or Everard away just the same, if they were partaking in that kind of tom-foolery." Pervinca gave him a flat look. Reginard and Everard were a discussion for another time, and the less said about Everard, or the barmaid from Bree he was keeping, the better. "Of course, Uncle Adelard." She said blandly. Adelard liked to listen to himself talk, and sometimes it was just better to let him. "It is not proper any way you look at it." Adelard said. "But for your brother more than most. He is to be Thain one day, he can't be carrying on with lads, especially not with the lad meant to be Master of Brandy Hall." "Speaking of Brandy Hall." Pervinca said. "Is Master Brandybuck still about?" "He is." Adelard said, eyeing her suspiciously. She ignored it, he was naturally suspicious of anyone under the age of fifty. "Would you know where he is?" She asked. "He is with your mother." Adelard said. He made a queer face, but it passed before Pervinca could determine its cause. "Thank you!" She said, reaching up and kissing a startled Adelard on the cheek quickly. Saradoc was still here, and that was the best thing she had heard all day. "There is naught to be done, Saradoc." Eglantine said firmly. She pulled her cloak closer around her. They were standing in one of the gardens, and a chill wind had picked up. "But my son….." Saradoc started. "Has done nothing that you have not done yourself." Eglantine finished. "You were in love, once." She smiled thinly. "More than once, if I remember rightly." "Does it not bother you?" Saradoc asked. "It was not what I would have chosen for my son." Eglantine replied. "But if this is what he wishes, I will not interfere." "They have offices to inherit, Tine." Saradoc protested. "Duties." "So did you." Eglantine said, eyeing him up and down. "So did my husband." "But…." "There is nothing to be done." She said again. "And trying to keep them apart will only serve to make them more determined." She sighed. "I told Paladin as much, but he would not listen." Saradoc only sighed. It was apparent that he would not be able to argue her down like he once could. Eglantine had changed much over the years. She was no longer the smiling, pliant child that had tagged along after him, or the sweet, nervous lass that had married the Thain. She was different now, cool and unaffected. Strong. "I should go back." She said, when their pause grew uncomfortable. "I told my husband I would not be long." "Does he still worry about us?" Saradoc asked. His lips twisted into a faint smile when Eglantine nodded. He sighed, shaking his head. "That was years ago, Tine." Eglantine stared at him for a moment, with an unreadable expression, then turned and started back to the Smials. Adelard had neglected to tell her where Saradoc and her mother were. She had searched the Smials from end to end, and had been unable to find him. Or her mother, but she was in no hurry to see her mother, anyway. She was about to give up, when she caught sight of sandy colored curls at the end of a corridor. "Master Brandybuck!" She shouted. The sandy-haired hobbit paused, and Pervinca dashed down the hallway to meet him. He smiled thinly as she approached, but looked tired and irritated. "Pervinca?" She stared at him for a minute, taking him in. He looked a good deal like Merry, but older. He had the same sandy curls and hazel eyes, but lacked the hint of Took features that Merry had gotten from his mother. They were alike, but different. Saradoc was handsome where Merry was pretty. Idly, she found herself wondering what Saradoc had looked like when her father had loved him. He had been younger then, younger than Merry was now. She wondered if he had looked the same as he did now, or if he had had Merry's dazzling beauty. "I need to talk to you." She said suddenly. She had not realized that she had been studying him so openly until he had started to stare back. "About Merry and my brother." "So it is true, then." Saradoc said quietly. He searched Pervinca's face, then started staring absently over Pervinca's shoulder. "I suppose we should have seen it coming, as close as they were." His face pinched, like he was mentally berating himself. "They love each other." Pervinca offered softly. "I am sure they think they do." He replied sadly. "They are happy." She tried. He did not look appeased. "For now." He said sourly, pursing his lips. "That will change." "It doesn't have to." Pervinca said. "It doesn't have to…." She trailed off, not wanting to speak of him and her father out loud. "Have to what?" He asked, lifting an eyebrow. "It doesn't have to be unhappy." She said lamely. "It will break both their hearts before it is done." His tone was almost morose. "They love each other." She argued. She cursed quietly on the foolishness of adults, and their incessant need to make things more complicated than was absolutely necessary. "That isn't always enough, Pervinca." He replied sharply, clenching his fists at his sides. "When it is all over, they will have broken hearts, and a friendship that is beyond mending." "I don't think so." She said, shaking her head. He had a far-away look in his eyes. She knew that he was not talking about Merry and Pippin, but about him and her father. "I know what I am talking about." He said, turning. "It will destroy them both." Pervinca stared at Saradoc as he walked away, wondering what had passed between him and her father that had ruined thirty years of friendship beyond repair. Frodo paused to turn back and look at Merry and Pippin one last time. They stood together in the doorway to the small house; Merry with his arm draped over Pippins shoulder, and Pippin with his arm wrapped around Merry's waist. They both waved when they caught Frodo looking, and Frodo waved back. "You always did have a problem leavin' places." Sam said, coming to stand at Frodo's elbow. "I just worry about them, is all." Frodo said softly. "They have chosen a hard road for themselves." "No harder than the one we chose." Sam commented. "But it different for them." Frodo said. "You aren't about to start takin' up the Took and Thain's talk about duties and such, are you Mister Frodo?" Sam said with a disapproving glance. Frodo realized that he was, and muttered to himself. "No, Sam." He said. Frodo looked back at the house. Merry dropped his head to say something into Pippin's ear. Pippin blushed, and buried his head in Merry's chest. Merry stroked the lad's curls, speaking softly. Pippin looked up at him, beaming, and stretched up to kiss Merry. Just as their lips met, the sun peeked out from behind a cloud. Merry and Pippin lit up like candles, their faces bathed the sun's shining light. They looked so sweet and perfect that it was breathtaking. "We should be getting' on." Sam said, though his eyes remained fixed on the kissing hobbits. "Your right, Sam." Frodo said. "The road waits for no hobbit, and all that." Sam reached out and took Frodo's hand. The pair turned, and started back to Bag End. Pippin sighed as Merry's lips pulled away from his, and leaned into his lover's chest. Frodo and Sam had moved far down the road, and had shrunk into small black specks. He sighed as they got smaller, and got fluttery, nervous feeling in his stomach a when they winked out of sight. He was alone with Merry. His heart grew warm as Merry herded him onto the house. All he had wanted was to see Merry again. Now he was with him, and they were alone, with no one to bother them and tell them how wrong they were. "Are you well?" Merry asked him gently, seeing the odd look on his face. Pippin gazed at the inside of the house and smiled. It was small, and not a burrow like he was used to. It was dusty from long years of disuse, and most of the furniture was covered in sheets and coverlets in a futile attempt to ward off the dust. It was perfect. "I am wonderful." He said, and wrapped his arms around Merry. "I am here, with you." Then Merry kissed him, and the warmth in his heart rushed up to his head and spread out all the way down to his toes. "I am home." Thus ends Chapter Twelve, as Pervinca tells it. Chapter Eleven | Chapter Thirteen back to the Blue Book