Promises

By Robin Gurl

Chapter 1

"Re-Written" 2009

(I have decided to make each POV a different chapter. Maybe it will be less confusing. The Winter Sickness idea comes from Baylor who wrote it with her lovely story 'I'll Always Know You'. And I also borrowed lines from the movie. :D)

Disclaimer: I own nothing just the idea. xD

Please REVIEW if you read this story. Reading and not reviewing isn't very polite!

MERRY'S POV

I'd promised Frodo that Pip and I would behave. I didn't understand exactly what was going on but I had a feeling it was serious. Frodo wouldn't have dragged Pippin, Sam and I through torrential rain to this place called Bree unless it was dire.

We got to the inn, The Prancing Pony, completely soaked to the skin. Water was dripping down our cloaks and into our eyes. I felt Pippin move closer to me, his smaller form was shivering. I glanced towards Frodo with a glance of 'what now?' Whatever he was here for, I wish he'd hurry up. I didn't like the idea of Pippin standing here drenched and shivering. I'd rather him not catch a chill being our first full day out of the Shire and all.

Frodo seemed to agree with my thoughts and he went up and talked to the human folk who were at the counter. I turned my attention to my younger cousin trying to decide what to do. "Remove your cloak, Pip." He only glanced at me pitifully before attempting to tug at the soaked burgundy cloth. "Here, let me." I sighed and untied his scarf that exposed the clasp to his cloak. Unsnapping it I pulled the drenched cloth off his body and held it in my arms. I reached up and tousled his wet curls trying to shake some of the water off them. Part of me knew it was already too late and if Pippin was going to get ill it was going to happen tonight. I steeled myself for the rough night ahead. The other part of me just laughed it off, after all it was just an autumn night and Pippin had fallen in the stream many times during nights colder than this one. He'd be fine.

"Merry, Gandalf isn't here," I heard Pippin whisper to me in between his chattering teeth.

Frodo reappeared looking quite pale in the face. Sam perked up in between the silence, "What do we do now?"

"We go and have a meal, change our clothes." I responded taking charge. "We all need to change into dry clothing, this one especially." I pointed towards Pippin who stuck his tongue out at me in return.

"Very well," Frodo said. He squeezed my shoulder looking thoughtfully at Pippin before turning back to the human. "We'd like a room please for four and maybe a place to sit."

"Aye, we can do that, follow me sir."

When all was said and done the human, his name is Mr. Butterbur, I finally came to find out, left us in a room on the floor just above the tavern. I watched as Frodo approached Pippin with a sorrowful look in his eyes. "Oh dear, Pippin-lad, I dare say you are soaked."

Pippin gave Frodo a comical look, which in any other situation would have won a round of chuckles. "You aren't so dry yourself, you know."

"Yes, but I don't have a habit of catching the Winter Sickness or the Autumn Daze every year either," he playfully responded. "Off with your clothes, dear." When Pippin didn't make a move, I watched as Frodo took it upon himself.

"I am quite old enough to undress myself!" Pippin shrieked trying to pull away from Frodo. "I am 28 thank you very much!"

"28 or not, you are very slow. The longer you stay in these drenched clothes the more of a chance you have of becoming ill and I won't have it." Then I watched him turn towards me. "Merry, please go through Pippin's pack and throw me a pair of dry trousers and a shirt."

I didn't want to face his wrath so I obeyed chuckling to myself as Pippin protested the treatment once more but Frodo wouldn't hear any of it.

"This is quite embarrassing!" Pippin moaned as Frodo pulled a shirt over his head.

"Quiet. You allow Merry to dress you most of the time, I don't see why my doing it has any difference."

Pippin stopped in mid complaint and glanced over to me before sniffling, "Yes, but he isn't so rough."

I watched as realization of just how rough he was being with Pippin swept across Frodo's features. His eyes softened and he sighed before placing a kiss on Pip's forehead. "You're right, I'm sorry."

Sam who had kept quiet during the entire scene spoke up. "Don't worry yourself so, Mr. Frodo, Gandalf will appear soon."

"I'm with Sam on this one!" I exclaimed buttoning my extra vest. "Let's go enjoy ourselves down in the tavern."

*~*

The air in the tavern was stuffy, but warm. We sat down at a table together after gathering our drinks and food. Pippin was still staring at my human pint wide eyed before he jumped off the stool to go get one.

Frodo just shook his head at the both of us, "Merry, don't drink too much. Nursing your headache tomorrow will be painful and I don't believe we'll have the time to lie around recovering."

I made a face into my cup before drinking some of it. He did have a point. I lifted my head and noticed that Pippin still wasn't back. I looked around the room trying to find him. Instead I found a man sitting in the corner smoking out of a pipe. A cold shiver ran up my spine and suddenly I found it imperative to find my cousin. I didn't feel comfortable with Pippin roaming around with that human staring at us the way he was.

I finally found him, up on the bar stool speaking loudly with some of the humans. I laughed lightly taking another gulp of my own drink then nearly spewed it when I heard his next words.

"Baggins? Sure I know a Baggins. Frodo Baggins…"

Frodo was out of his seat in seconds running over to the bar. I watched as everything happened in slow motion. Frodo tried to pull Pippin away, Pippin spilt some of his drink in the process, and then Frodo fell, tripping over his own feet.

Something shiny and round flew up in the air then Frodo was gone.

Just like Bilbo.

Everything sped up again and before I knew it I was helping Pippin off the giant bar stool. He clung to me fearfully trying to make sense out of what had just happened. "Merry…?"

Around us the humans were shocked and silent before the roaring sound of conversation filled the room again leaving us standing there unsure of what to do.

As Pippin clung to me, I noticed my fears earlier had come true. I could feel a fever starting and the notion crept up to me that we weren't safe here. "Come on, Pip. Let's go back to the room."

"But what about Frodo?" I heard him whisper.

"He'll be fine," I said trying to reassure him and myself. I didn't want to voice out loud that I had no idea where Frodo had disappeared to. Pippin already had his punishment and I wasn't going to make it worse. "Let's go. You are shivering again."

*~*

"I just don't like it, Mr. Merry," Sam said for the tenth time since he'd helped me put Pippin to bed. I looked up from placing a compress on my cousin's forehead to see Sam looking quite put out with himself. I knew he was trying very hard not to blame Pippin for the entire ordeal; after all, Pippin was young. He didn't understand the dire need of secrecy in this place, not that I did either. "Mr. Frodo has been gone too long."

This remark got a whimper out of Pippin and I just sighed, "We'll find him, Sam."

"I just hope someone else doesn't find him first."

Nearly half an hour later, Frodo still hadn't returned. Sam was still pacing the space between the beds worried about him. Pippin had dozed off into an uneasy sleep and I just sat there trying to piece together what was going on.

Out of nowhere, Pippin sat straight up. "Pip? Go back to bed, it's alright." I tried to sooth.

"Frodo." He whispered.

"No, he's not back yet," I said trying to remain calm.

"No, Merry. I heard his voice just now."

I was really beginning to fear for my cousin's well being. He'd not had this fever for more than an hour and he was already delirious? "Pip, dear heart. You didn't hear Frodo."

"But I did, Merry." He protested before falling into a coughing fit. I rubbed his back then looked to Sam.

"Mr. Pippin, where did you hear Frodo's voice?"

Wordlessly Pippin pointed towards the wall at the head of the bed. Sam walked over to it and placed his ear to the two walls close to each other, "I hear him. He's having words with another man, sounds like a human."

I helped Pippin stand and looked towards Sam who looked worried. "Let's go." I grabbed a candlestick and unsteadily Pippin picked up a stool.

*~*

We burst through the door not even thinking of what we were bursting in the middle of. Frodo stared at us wide eyed as the human backed away.

Sam approached the human with his fists held high ready to strike. "I don't know who you are but you better not touch him."

"You have a stout heart little hobbit, but that will not save you now." I watched as he looked us all over. His eyes stayed on Pippin a little longer than I would have liked. "Be at ease, I am a friend."

I backed towards Pippin, still holding the candles out as protection. Pippin glanced over at me weakly and I knew he didn't need to be on his feet. Frodo seemed to see this too. He pushed through the group, actually pushing the human aside before stopping in front of Pippin.

"He is ill." Frodo responded sighing. "I knew it."

My gaze never left the man's movements. He put his sword back in his sheath before kneeling down. "May I see him?"

"No!" I exclaimed. "Don't touch him."

"Merry-lad, calm down." I saw Frodo pull Pippin closer to him. "I don't think he is an enemy."

"I am a healer, I know you are frightened but he needs attention," The human's voice calmed me down but I still didn't like this one bit. I held my temper in as he felt Pippin for a fever. "Quite high, this is. His hair is still soaked, you four came in from the storm?" Frodo nodded silently. "He has caught a fever, we need to put him to bed."

"We don't even know your name or if we can trust you."

"My name is Strider; I am a friend of Gandalf the Grey." I watched as he released Pippin and almost immediately, Pip was back at my side staring fearfully at the tall figure in front of him. "As for trusting me, I can't force you to but you aren't safe here. As soon as the young one heals, we need to be off."