A/N: The usual - tons of love, tons of angst and no slash.  A little breather for Frodo along the Road...

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You know, my dear Sam, you always seem to know. When my strength is about to end, when I’ve almost reached the limit of what I can bear, it is then that you take me into your arms and gently lay my head against your chest. I put my arms around your waist and listen to your heartbeat and I am reminded why I am doing this, why I must go on. I listen to your soft voice as you sing to me and slowly rock me, as you stroke my curls and kiss my head. In that time I do not need to be the Ring-bearer with a burden that is crushing me. For a little while I am not assaulted again and again by voices I can’t run away from, by thoughts I cannot bear and have no defense against. I am merely your friend and that gives me the strength I need to go on, to endure for another day.

So, please, dearest Sam, stay with me, be with me, keep holding me against my fears, against the night that threatens to overwhelm me, the tortured doubts, the anguished wondering, the pain of knowing and not knowing what my fate will be. Hold me against the ghosts that walk in my nightmares, the horrors that haunt me in the dark and torment me during the day. They flee before you. They have no power against the strength of your love. There is nothing more I want or need than to have you with me. You are light to my darkness, strength to my weakness, peace to my turbulence, hope to my despair, healing to my open wounds, solace to my grief, warmth to my coldness, sweetness to my bitterness. Half of my soul and the brother of my heart. The only fear I have is that I’ll lose you, that I won’t always have you at my side. But while you hold me, I know I am not alone.