"Sam." Frodo whispered softly. "What brings you here. I thought you would have gone many hours ago."
"That I had Mr. Frodo." Sam replied drawing his hand away from Frodo’s. "But my mind wandered keeping me from finding rest."
"You too." Frodo said sitting up taking in a deep breath. "I have been lost within many dreams this evening that have woke me time and again." Frodo was silent for a moment as he looked away from Sam and out his window. "I was lost within one when you woke me just now. I heard a voice calling out to me that was soft and gentle…a voice from the past that I faintly remember."
"Lily’s?" Sam whispered.
"How did you know?" Frodo replied quickly turning around.
"She spoke to me too." Sam choked through his tears. "I found my way to the shore this evening. It is there where I heard her voice carried upon the wind." He then drew his hand up from his lap closing his fingers over the treasure within. Sam put his hand to his chest and sighed in deeply closing his eyes. He could not speak for his heart weighed heavy as many thoughts filled his mind. Tears continued to fall catching the glow from the candlelight within them as they drew their way down Sam’s cheeks.
"What is it Sam?" Frodo replied coming down from his bed. He placed his hands on Sam’s shoulders and he opened his eyes staring blankly at Frodo for quite some time.
"Come now Samwise talk to me, what happened while you were there?" Frodo spoke gently as he dried the tears from Sam’s eyes. Sam said nothing as he reached up to his face taking Frodo’s hand within his own. He grasped Frodo’s hand tightly and then turned his hand over letting the candlelight shine upon his open palm. Sam then took his hand away from his chest and placed it into Frodo’s. Frodo’s hand began to quiver as Sam opened his fingers letting free what was held within his grasp. He then folded Frodo’s fingers over the precious treasure that lay in his hand. Sam looked up to Frodo’s face as he drew his hand away slowly opening his fingers to reveal what lied within. Frodo fell to the floor lost in a veil of tears as he clutched Lily’s ring close to his heart. Sam then came down from his chair and kneeled on the floor before his dear friend. Frodo looked up from his hand and into Sam’s eyes, his face wet with tears. He tried to speak but no words found their way past his trembling lips.
"She said she seen you often within her dreams Frodo." Sam replied trying to hold back his cries. "She said this would bring you comfort, for she had no need of it any longer. It was then when the bottle you cast out into the sea so many years ago came up onto the shore resting near my feet. When I picked it up the moonlight shone upon the band that still rested within."
Frodo pulled his hand away from his chest and opened his fingers looking upon Lily’s ring. His eyes then found their way back to Sam’s face as he dried away his own tears.
"So many years dear Sam." Frodo finally spoke. "My heart has so longed for this moment when I could once again have what was lost to me so long ago." Frodo then opened his hand as he looked upon Lily’s necklace. A faint whisper then seemed to come to him…a soft voice carried in the evening breeze. Frodo closed his eyes as a new peace came over him warming his heart and soul.
"It has been so long dear Frodo." The voice spoke softly. "I never thought I would see you again."
A smile came to Frodo’s face as Sam looked upon him. He seemed lost within a dream once more.
"I have been waiting for you." The gentle voice replied. "It is time for you to come home."
Frodo reached his hand out before him, as his eyes still lay closed. He seemed to be reaching for something that was not there.
"Lily…" Frodo whispered out to the voice as he grasped at the air. With a heavy heart Sam reached out to Frodo’s hand taking it in his own. Frodo opened his eyes looking at Sam as his heart pounded within his chest. He felt as though he had almost taken his last breath of air before being drawn back once again. Frodo then touched Sam’s face as a tear fell from his eye and onto his hand.
Sam could not speak for each word he tried to force by his lips choked back among his tears. Sam then took Frodo’s hands in his and sighed deeply. It was time for him to tell Frodo that he had to let go. Sam closed his eyes and then opened them again taking in a deep breath.
"The time has come." Sam whispered looking into Frodo’s eyes. "You can let me go Mr. Frodo. You will find that she will be there waiting for you with Bilbo at her side."
"Oh Sam." Frodo sobbed. "The time has long passed when I should have let go but I could not bare the thought of leaving you alone."
"I shall never be alone." Sam said putting his hand to his heart. "You are here as is everyone else that I have grown to love throughout the years. As I shall be with you." Sam then reached down to Frodo’s hand drawing his fingers over Lily’s ring as Frodo placed it upon the third finger of his left hand.
"We will meet once again dear Frodo just as a star will come to shine upon your meeting with Bilbo." Sam replied. "My healing came long ago but I would not pass until you found yours. It is here upon your hand, the voice calling you home."
Frodo looked to Sam his eyes saddened with tears. He then fell within Sam’s embrace resting his head on his shoulder as Sam drew him in close. Sam could feel Frodo’s breath upon his neck as his heart beat heavily within his chest.
"She is here." Frodo said softly. "Standing before me, her arms open wide."
Sam closed his eyes tightly as tears came forth with the pain of knowing at last Frodo’s time had come.
"Farewell dear Samwise Gamgee." Frodo faintly whispered into Sam’s ear. "Until we meet again."
Frodo drew in a deep breath and closed his eyes as Lily’s necklace fell to the floor from his still hand. Sam pulled Frodo close as he lost himself within his sorrow. His eyes looked out through the window into the midnight sky. A single star then began to shine brightly where one had not shone before. A faint smile came to Sam’s face. Frodo had at last found his healing and he held true to his promise till the very end. Until the final farewell.
The night had long faded and the morning had rose and passed as an eerie silence came through the halls of Eldamar. Gandalf had long awaited to see Sam with the morning and as the hours passed by he still had yet to see him. His heart weighed heavy as he made his way through Elrond’s hall and down the long corridor that led to the hobbit’s rooms. As Gandalf walked down the hall he could see Sam’s door standing open swaying in the gentle breeze that came through the open window within his room. Gandalf looked inside but Sam was no where to be found. His covers lie tossed on his bed and his pillow was on the floor. A candle sat on the sidetable next to the bed, melted to a nub after being left to burn through the night. Gandalf sighed deeply and turned towards Frodo’s door that lay across the hall. The door was closed and seemingly had yet to be opened from when it was last shut the night before. He made his way to the door reaching up to the knob. He turned it slowly and pushed it open gently as it creaked with old age. His heart than sank within the depths of his chest as he looked inside the room. There lying on the floor near the bed was Sam with Frodo at his side. Frodo’s hands lay folded upon his chest as the sunlight fell over his pale face. Sam was lying on his side next to Frodo with his hand resting over Frodo’s. Gandalf came to their side and kneeled down to the floor gently touching Sam’s hand. It was then when Sam slowly opened his eyes.
"He’s gone." Sam whispered softly as he looked to Gandalf whose face grew long with sadness. Sam then lifted his hand away from Frodo’s revealing Lily’s ring that rested upon his finger. The golden band shone brightly within the light of the sun as Sam sat up looking at Frodo’s now peaceful face. A soft smile seemed present on his lips as he lay on the floor among the amber rays of the sun. Gandalf reached down to Frodo and placed his hand over Lily’s ring.
"After Frodo had fallen asleep last night I could not rest so I came down to the shore." Sam said drying his eyes that still held tears from the eve before. "I heard her calling to me…and then that bottle that Frodo cast out into the sea with Lily’s ring inside washed up onto the sand. I came back here and woke Frodo, telling him what I said I would. I gave him Lily’s necklace and I told him his healing was over and that it was time for him to go."
"And you held your promise until the very end." Gandalf replied softly.
"Almost." Sam sighed deeply, his face wet with tears. He then placed his hand back over Frodo’s and laid back down at his side closing his eyes tightly. Gandalf then rested his hand upon Sam’s head running his hand over his thick grey curls.
"Dear Samwise your time too has long past." Gandalf said quietly. "Go now and be at peace."
Sam opened his eyes and looked at Gandalf as if to say goodbye. Gandalf reached to his face drying his tears as he closed his eyes once more, lying his head on Frodo’s chest. Sam took in a deep breath as tender voices called to him from afar. There before him stood Frodo, his arms open wide with Rose, Lily and Bilbo at his side. Gandalf watched as a soft smile came over Sam’s lips.
