"Sam?" the tone of Frodo's voice was enough to make anyone come running.
"Yes Mr. Frodo?"
"Where are you Sam?"
"Right here Mr. Frodo, right where you last saw me when we said good night."
"Why is it so dark?"
"Well, it's not all that dark, there's them stars up there, but the moon is stuck behind a cloud, and I don't rightly think it'll show it's face again tonight."
"Where is the rest of the Fellowship?"
"They're all sleeping like you ought to be, now hush an' get some sleep, you're running yourself awful thin on both sleep and food an' I don't think you'll last much longer at the rate you're going." Sam shifted in the dark, carefully finding Frodo's blanket and tucking it securely around the other hobbit.
"I saw their faces Sam."
"What faces? Don't you be worryin' now, we're safe here with the others."
"The wraiths Sam, they had faces, oh, they were awful."
"Now don't you be thinkin' about things like that, there weren't no helpin' for that and its over now and I don't bear on thinkin' about it much more." Sam reached under the blankets and took Frodo's hand, trying to offer his friend some comfort.
"I'm sorry Sam, I know that it must have been hard for you to stand by and be helpless while your friend was sick."
"Darned right, it was," he broke off into a mumble that sounded like, "You have no idea just how hard Mr. Frodo."
"I'm sorry Sam, this all my fault."
"All your fault?" Sam sat up, his stout frame was a dark outline against the sky. "Is it your fault that it rains or doesn't rain?"
"No, Sam I-"
"Then this certainly isn't your fault."
"I meant you being here, Merry and Pippin being here."
"Well I can't rightly speak for them, but if you take my meaning it's my own fault that I'm here." Sam ran a hand lightly through Frodo's hair, "Just stop worrying and get some sleep, please." The last word had a pleading tone to it.
"I can't."
Sam crawled over to Frodo, who lay not a foot away and leaned over him, "Why not?"
Frodo sighed and rolled over onto his side, his back now faced Sam, "Don't listen to me Sam, half the time I don't know what I'm saying anymore."
Sam put a hand on Frodo's shoulder, "Now you've gone and invited me to stay right here for the rest of the night until you tell me what's wrong."
"Everything."
"Start with one thing, try the beginning, it's always a good place to start."
"Samwise Gamgee, voice of reason. It's not that simple, but it shouldn't be that hard I suppose."
"Mr. Frodo what is? You've got me worried more'n a old mother hen."
"That's just it, you have to stop Sam, I know that no good will come to me whether or not I am successful in this Quest, but you my friend deserve much better than this, they all do."
"Nonsense, we all know the consequences."
"No," Frodo sighed, "I don't think so." He rolled back to his former position to meet Sam's eyes with his own. Even in the dim light the eyes of Frodo conveyed more to Sam than his words ever could. At that moment, on the banks of the Great River he made a vow to himself never to let Frodo out of his sight, never to let the other hobbit suffer needlessly and to never let him have the feeling that he was entirely alone. On impulse he lifted Frodo into his arms and cradled the ringbearer to his chest, lying down and curling himself protectively around his friend, trying to offer the other some form of comfort.
"There now, we know a bit more than you might think."
"I'm sorry I woke you Sam, I didn't mean to."
"Stop apologizing Mr. Frodo, you can't make up for all the wrongs of Middle Earth, and you can't take that burden onto yourself either. And I won't let you."
"Thank you Sam, I'm not sure what I would do without you."
"That's nonsense and you know it." said Sam softly, but inside it filled his heart with a sort of warmth that he had never felt before. Imagine his Mr. Frodo saying something like that about him, it nearly filled him happiness til he was near bursting. Then a thought struck him and he realized he had referred to Frodo in his mind as 'his', certainly he shouldn't have done that, even if it was only in his head, it wasn't proper. As he began to dwell on it, some of his former happiness turned into a knot in his stomach.
"Sam, don't let it affect you Sam, perhaps I should go back to my own groundsheet."
Somehow Frodo had sensed Sam's sudden unease, "Now there Mr. Frodo, only if you want to, but if you wake up again in such a state, wouldn't it be handier to have me right here?"
"Yes it would. Faithful Samwise, never leave the Shire without one."
"Now there Mr. Frodo, there's only one of me, and I'm not up to sharing myself with all the Shire, especially when I hardly have enough for you."
Frodo didn't answer, but snuggled closer to the warmth that Sam provided, he himself was never quite warm enough. For the rest of the night he slept only in snatches, lulled back into sleep by the steady rhythm of Sam's breathing and awoken yet again by his own fell dreams. In between he pondered all that Sam had said to him, and began to wonder more and more about the complexities of his simple hearted friend.
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Never Leave the Shire Without One by Begora John
Story notes: This is my first serious slash fic, yay me! This lover of F/S meekly offers you her measly attempt at non-parody slash. Reviewing greatly appreciated, flames will be used to warm Frodo up. Am not sure if this is going anywhere, wrote it entirely on impulse after looking at slash art.
