by shirebound
RETURN TO RIVENDELL
Chapter 2 --- Last of the Ring-bearers
S.R. 1419, September 22
Frodo awoke to what felt like a Middle-earthquake or a small explosion, but it turned out to be the unpredictable force of nature known as Peregrin Took leaping on his bed and shaking him.
"Are you going to sleep all day?" More shaking. "You're only 51 you know, not 151!"
Frodo groaned and opened his eyes to find his cousin's face only two inches away, beaming at him. More shaking. "Pippin," Frodo sighed, "They really liked you in Gondor, you know. Have you ever thought of going back there to live --- permanently?"
Pippin pulled the blanket off Frodo and sat on him.
'Oooof. Or Fangorn," Frodo continued, "We could send you back to live with the Ents and eventually you'd grow so tall that.." He frowned. "What did you say?"
"Fifty-one, cousin! Happy birthday!"
Frodo slowly smiled. "Oh. You know, last night when Bilbo talked about today being his birthday I didn't even remember that..." He shook his head. "Are you *sure* I'm not 151?"
"Get up, get dressed, get *moving*, you lazy hobbit!" Pippin dragged Frodo out of bed.
"What's the hurry?" Frodo laughed, starting to get dressed. "Everything I own is in that little pack by the door, I can't exactly spend the day giving out presents to everyone!" He looked up at Pippin. "Not even any of my clothes would fit you now!"
"This isn't about you giving us presents," said Pippin, helping himself to the leftover food on Frodo's table. "It's about a beautiful day outside, and we're all alive and well and almost home, and you not sleeping until your *next* birthday, that's all." He calmed down for a minute, thinking about what Frodo had said. "Say, maybe I will go back to Gondor someday. Stri---- the King said something about putting all that tattered Orc-stuff you and Sam were wearing in a museum. I could charge admission and give a little talk about my brave, amazing cousin who saved everybody from the Shadow and used to sleep all *day*!" He pushed Frodo out the door. "Come on!"
Frodo let Pippin pull him down the corridor and down the stairs. The halls seemed strangely deserted.