Fool of a Took -Pippin Love Story LOTR-

Chapter 14

I rose from my bed and sat up, rubbing my eyes. I looked around to see everything in place; I was back home at last. I've been in the Shire for about a month now, and things are going well. Sam and Rose got married, Merry's dating a girl, and Pip and I are going strong. Gandalf revealed my few abilities before we left: I can heal with water, I can find the direction of any place with the wind, and my voice can hypnotize. We found that last one out by accident.

"Why won't you sing, Rayne?"  Pippin asked while rubbing my shoulder. I replied,  "I'm not comfortable while singing. It scares me."  Pippin smiled and whispered,  "There's no need to be scared."  I nodded; a few moments later after preparation, I began to let out a song,  "Over hill, and under tree, through lands where never light has shone. By silver streams that run down to the sea. To these memories I will hold, with your blessing, I will go. To turn at last to the paths, that lead home. And though where the road then takes me, I cannot tell We came all this way, and now comes the day, to bid you farewell. I bid-  Pip?"  Had I bored him to death? Was he trying not to laugh? I got in his face and lightly tapped him,  "Pip?"  He just stared at the wall across from us. I stood quickly and drug him to the bed. I put him in and put a cold rag on his face.  "I'll be back,"  I whispered, running to Frodo's house. I knew it was late, but something was wrong with Pip, and it freaked me out. My heart raced as I hopped through the window and ran into the room Gandalf slept.

I twitched at the memory and put my feet on the floor. I leaned foward to stand and started walking into the kitchen. I looked at the dining room table to see a heaping load of vegetables and fruits. I smiled and whispered to myself,  "Pippin and Merry have been in Farmer Maggot's crops again."  I shook my head and began cleaning the dirt from most of them. As I finished up, I heard laughter fill the house;  "Did you see the look on his face?"  Merry nearly yelled. Pippin hushed,  "Quiet, now. We mustn't wake Rayne up."  They walked into the kitchen to see me standing there, with a hand on my hip. I pointed at the table and asked,  "You see all that DIRT on the table, Pip? Merry?"  They looked at each other, thinking they were in trouble. I smiled and laughed at them.

Pippin and I walked hand-in-hand to the field beside Bad End Road. We sat down under a tree and got comfortable;  "Can you believe that we met each other here about ten years ago?"  He asked. I smiled and spoke,  "Time flies."  I put my head on his shoulder and let out a happy sigh. He whispered,  "I remember you were walking down this road, your hair was flowing in the wind and your dress was a little dirty. Your eyes gleamed in the light. Your bow in your left hand, a bag in your right. Frodo and Sam were arguing about safety or whatever while Merry and I were climbing trees. I remember your voice, when I fell from the tree and scraped my elbow. I remember asking you what you were; an angel, or an elf."  I laughed as he recalled that memory from long ago.  "You were such a ladies-man,"  I teased.

For the rest of the day, we shared old memories and laughter. We went back to the house, where he watched my cook.  "Why don't you go wash up before dinner?"  I asked. Pippin frowned and spoke,  "I can do that later."  I raised an eyebrow and asked,  "But why not now?"  "Because, I don't want to leave you. I had to be away from you for most of the journey, and I wasn't there for you on the battlefield, I can't just leave now."  I smiled and spoke,  "It's only for a few minutes, Pip. Go on."  He sighed and kissed me before walking away. He came back and we ate dinner together.

"I'm going to bed early,"  he announced,  "I'm really tired." I nodded and spoke,  "I'll come to bed shortly. I'm going to talk to Frodo."  I walked through the door and out into the open air. I shut the door and slowly walked to the bar that was built not too long ago. I looked around and saw Frodo sitting in the corner by himself, just drinking. I walked over to him and sat;  "Frodo, is everything okay?"  he answered,  "I just feel different. It's nothing."  I nodded, knowing that the Ring has done great damage to his spirit and whispered,  "You'll get better with time."  We smiled and watched people dance. On the inside, I felt very bad for Frodo. The time it will take for him to get better is unknown.

"I'm so glad you and Pippin got together; everybody thinks you two are the cutest couple around!"  I smiled a nodded, taking a sip of my beverage. I spoke,  "I'm heading home I'll see you around, Frodo."  He hugged my and continued drinking and sitting in his thoughts. I walked home and shut the door behind me. I changed clothes quickly and returned to bed.  "You smell like alcohol,"  Pippin stated, half asleep. I whispered,  "Frodo was at a bar."

The next day, Pip was out of the house. I looked all over the Shire for him, but he wasn't anywhere to be seen. I asked around, but no one knew where that Hobbit was. I returned to my house, seeing Merry reclining in a chair with his feet propped up on a table.  "Have you seen Pippin?"  Merry shook his head and grabbed himself an apple. I frowned and spoke,  "No one has seen him anywhere!"  Merry spoke,  "Calm down, he'll be back by nightfall."

Nightfall came, but Pip didn't. Merry was at his house by now, leaving me alone. I sighed and changed into my nightclothes. Just as I got in bed, the front door was opened and shut.  "Pip?"  I called out. I heard him grunt as he walked through the bedroom door. He wen straight to the bathroom before I could ask any questions. As he came out only with pants on, I asked,  "Where have you been? I've been worried about you."  He spoke,  "I've been working."  He plopped on the bed beside me and rolled over, not facing my direction. A few moments later, I put my hand on his bare back and whispered,  "I love you."  No reply. I leaned over to look at his face, and it seemed as though he had fallen asleep. I rolled over and stuffed my face in the pillow.

Over the period of a few months, Pippin has been out more lately. He's been in other towns doing things. Rose is pregnant, thanks to Sam. Frodo has gotten a little better, but is still showing signs of depression. As for me? Well, things aren't going too well. Merry's been at my house while Pippin was off working. I was very surprised when he announced to us he got a short-term job. He's been home every night, but he is usually very tired, or out at a bar until late.

"I'm home,"  Pip announced. I sighed and looked over to Merry, who was chopping apples. He gave me a look, then looked back down to the apple. I stood and followed Pippin into our room. He threw off his shirt, revealing a few bruises on his back. He sat on the bed for a few moments before glancing over to me. I slowly walked over to him and whispered,  "Are you fine?"  He frowned and nodded. I stroked his hand with my thumb; he stood and walked into the bathroom, not saying a word. Why was he ignoring me? I sat on the bed, listening to the water run. Merry tip-toed in the room and whispered,  "Why isn't he talking to you?"  I shrugged my shoulders and spoke,  "Don't put any of the food near the stove yet. Leave for thirty minutes, 'grab some more apples'. Come back then."  Merry nodded, understandingly, and walked out of the house.

Pippin walked out of the bathroom, fully clothed. I asked,  "You're not going to eat dinner with us tonight?"  He shook his head and spoke,  'not tonight. I'm heading out to the bar."  I jumped in front of the door and firmly stood my ground, unlike any other lady would do,  "No! You're not leaving until you tell my what's going on."  He let out an exasperated breath of air and spoke,  "I'm just going to the bar to get some things off my mind."

"Like what?"  "You know; work, money, food, you,"  he stated. A huge blow to the heart, that was. I whispered, going a little limp,  "Me? What do you mean?"  Pip scratched the back of his neck and stuttered,  "I mean, like.. umm,"  My eyebrows furrowed as I shouted,  "Explain, Peregrin Took!"  He jumped back; he's never seen this side of me. He raised his voice, trying to hide his fear,  "I'm afraid our love isn't strong enough to keep us together."  I screamed in anger,  "Of course it's not! With you not speaking to me anymore, things are harder in this relationship! Pip, you must understand that in order to have a relationship, communication must be present."

"We've been talking-"  "Barely!"  "Stop yelling at me,"  Pippin commanded. He got angry; I slid to the ground and slouched in the door frame of our bedroom. I held my head in my hands as I heard him sigh. He whispered in the quietest voice,  "I'll be back later."  He grabbed his cloak and stepped over me. His footsteps echoed throughout the entire house, then the creak and shutting of the front door. The house was empty, just like my heart.

Merry never even returned. I crawled to a corner, sobbing over the fight. I grabbed my hair and pulled my face down to my knees. I thought of all the wonderful memories we shared, and how quickly things escalated after the journey. I couldn't remember the taste of his lips, nor the feeling of his arms wrapped around me. The only thing I could remember was the way he's ignored me over these past few months. I continued to choke out sobs and muttered words under my breath.