THE LONG JOURNEY HOME

Weeks soon passed and then months. The warm of summer came bringing soft rain showers with the evening and the song of birds in the day. Sam would often find Lily in her room sitting on her bed looking through the things she had within her knapsack. One evening he noticed Lily lying on her bed with a rather large stack of papers. She was reading through them smiling to herself. Curiosity soon got the best of him and he knocked softly on the open door.

"May I come in?" Sam replied.

"You may." Lily said sitting up on the bed. "I wondered when you might stop and say hello on your many passes by my door." Lily replied smiling. Sam blushed.

"I didn’t want to bother you." Sam replied. "But I couldn’t help but notice the smile on your face while you read through your papers and I wondered what was upon them."

Lily picked up a few of the papers and handed them to Sam. The writing looked very familiar and the words were the very same ones within the book lying upon his desk in the study.

"Why it’s a copy of Mr. Bilbo’s book." Sam said looking to Lily. "Frodo copied it for you."

"He did." Lily replied. "Each and every page. He promised I would hear it again once it was finished."

A tear fell from Sam’s eye as he handed the pages back to Lily.

"He cared so much that you were happy." Sam replied. "I never knew he did this for you, but then again he has managed to keep one or two secrets from me." Sam replied with a smile.

Lily took the pages and placed them in their proper place within the stack. She then placed them on the table beside her bed and looked to Sam who seemed to be troubled. Just then a knock came on the front door. Sam looked to Lily.

"I wonder who that could be at this hour?" Sam replied walking out of her room. Sam went to the door and opened it. Merry was standing there soaking wet with rain.

"Well come in here out of the rain." Sam said laughing at the sight of Merry. "Go and sit before the fire and dry yourself off."

Merry came in and shook the rain from his clothes. He stood before the fire and looked back at Sam as he was shutting the door.

"Where’s Lily?" Merry replied. "I have something for her."

"She’s in her room." Sam replied. "I’ll go and fetch her." Sam then went to Lily’s room and poked his head in the door. "Lily, Merry is here to see you, he has something for you." Sam said softly.

"Does he now?" Lily replied cheerfully. "What is it?"

"He didn’t say." Sam said as Lily came walking up to him. He took Lily’s hand and held onto it helping her out into the den. Merry still stood before the fire drying himself as they walked in. Lily smiled seeing him soaking wet with rain.

"Hullo Lily." Merry replied turning around. "I’ve brought something for you." Merry said as he reached within his jacket pulling out a folded piece of paper. He handed it to Lily.

"Sorry that it’s a bit damp but I tried to get here as fast as I could." Merry replied. "Go on. Open it!"

Lily sat down in a chair and opened up the paper. The writing was a little blurred but she could still read the words.

"It’s from my cousin Rowin!" Lily yelled. She continued on reading the words aloud.

Cousin Lily,

It is so nice to hear that you are well and staying with friends in the Shire. I have been worried about you for quite some time and was delighted to hear from your friends Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took. I hope you’re keeping well and that you will stay in touch while you are away.

Rowin Butterbur

Lily stood up and came to Merry embracing him tightly.

"Thank you so much!" Lily replied. "How did you ever manage to get this?"

"Well." Merry began. "Pippin and I seemed a bit bored with things back home so we went to the Prancing Pony a few days back. I remembered when we were there last a man said your cousin Rowin went looking for you when you left so I asked for him. It seems that he’s running the place now. I told him that you were here and that you were well. Later on that night he handed me that note and asked me if I would bring it to you and I took off early yesterday morning to bring it here."

"So where is Pippin?" Sam asked realizing he wasn’t there.

"Back at the Pony." Merry said with a laugh. "He didn’t want to leave his ale."

"Just like him!" Sam replied with a smile. He then sat down in his chair and took his pipe from the table nearby. Merry then took his shirt in his hands and began wringing out the water.

"I would offer you a change of clothes Merry, but I think they may be too short on you." Sam replied laughing.

"Ah that’s alright." Merry replied. "I have a change of clothes in my pack outside on my pony. I was just thinking about going out there to get them." Merry then stood up and went out the front door and came back inside carrying his pack that was soaking wet with rain. He sat it down in a chair and opened it. He pulled out a fresh shirt and a pair of trousers and laid them on the back of the chair.

"Do you care if I take a bath Sam?" Merry asked pulling off his wet shirt. "I haven’t had one in days and a warm bath would hit the spot."

"You may." Sam replied. "But be sure to keep all the water in the tub!" Sam chuckled.

Merry laughed and picked up his clothes heading back to the tub. He closed the door and soon a song filled the halls as they heard the splashing of water. Lily smiled and sat back in her chair. Sam lit his pipe and blew large smoke rings into the air filling one with another that was a bit smaller. Merry soon returned from his bath and he placed his wet clothes before the fire to dry. He sat in a chair and let out a sigh.

"I feel refreshed." Merry replied stretching his arms above his head. He then yawned and leaned his head back in the chair.

"You can stay if you like." Sam replied noticing Merry was tired. "There’s no need for you to go back out there in the rain tonight. You can take the bed in the study."

"Thank you Sam." Merry replied standing up. "I think I’ll go there now." Merry then disappeared down the hall and into the study. Lily yawned and stood up from her chair.

"I agree with Merry." Lily replied. "I’ll see you in the morning Sam." Lily said walking to her room.

"Goodnight." Sam said as Lily went into her room. She then shut the door leaving Sam in the den where he later fell asleep in his chair.

The following morning Sam awoke and went to the study to see if Merry wanted to join him for a morning walk. Sam opened the door but Merry was no where to be found. Sam went to Lily’s room and opened her door quietly. She was still lying in bed fast asleep. Sam then looked in the den. Merry’s bag and clothes were still lying near the fire so he knew he hadn’t left. Sam went to the front door and opened it walking outside. He took a few steps and then noticed someone in his garden crawling around on their knees. Sam reached for his rake and crept down the steps towards the garden.

"Get out of there!" Sam yelled holding his rake up in the air. The individual quickly turned around and Sam laughed upon seeing their face.

"Dear me." Sam replied laughing. "Mr. Brandybuck I almost clobbered you with my rake. I thought you were a ruffian tearing up my flowers."

Merry was holding up his hands covered in dirt. He had a look of sheer terror on his face. A smile then found its way to Merry’s face and he began laughing.

"Sorry Sam." Merry replied. "I was just trying to pick some flowers to bring to Lily but I just couldn’t seem to choose. They all look so beautiful."

"That they do." Sam said setting his rake down. "She really loves roses Merry." Sam replied. "She’s often out here taking in their sweet scent."

Merry stood up and brushed the dirt from his trousers. He went to the rose bush near the side of Bag End and cut two beautiful red roses from the bush. Merry walked back to Sam and they both walked back inside. Lily was sitting in the den in Frodo’s chair.

"What was going on out there Sam?" Lily replied. "Your yelling woke me up."

"It was nothing." Sam said smiling. "Just thought someone was out there digging up my flowers and here it was Merry crawling around in my garden."

Merry then held out his hand that he had been hiding behind his back.

"These are for you." Merry said handing the roses to Lily. "I wanted to leave you with something before I left on my way back home."

Lily took the roses from Merry’s hand and held them to her nose taking in their sweet aroma. She leaned over in her chair and gave Merry a kiss on his brow.

"Thank you Merry." Lily replied. "They are beautiful."

"As are you." Merry said with a smile. He then went and picked up his things from in front of the fire and put them in his bag. He put his bag under his arm and came back to Lily taking her hand in his.

"I shall come back to visit you often Lily." Merry replied leaving a kiss upon her hand. He let her hand go and then headed to the door. "Until we meet again." Merry said as he opened the front door. He waved and then left closing the door behind him. Lily looked to Sam and smiled.

"He is very sweet." Lily replied smelling her flowers once more.

"That he is." Sam replied. "I think he’s become rather fond of you."

Lily blushed and sat the roses in her lap.

"Do you think so?" Lily replied.

"I do." Sam said sitting in his chair. "He always seems more cheerful when you’re around."

Lily smiled. Her heart was once again feeling whole after all the losses within her life. She reached up to her chest and placed her hand over Frodo’s gem. The Shire was now beginning to feel like home.