It's dark out. It's dark inside. I can no longer tell the difference between day and night, even though my mind and my eyes tell me when the sun is shining or when the moon has risen. Neither give me comfort as they once did. I am always alone in the dark, with my dreams.

I dream about my journey, about events along the way, about It. They are always dark dreams, more often ending with one or all of my closest friends dying. I dream about the Witch-King attacking me again, about Aragorn and Glorfindel not reaching Rivendell in time, and the horrible things Sauron would make me do as a wraith under his power. I dream about giant spiders wrapping me in tons of restricting webs until I can no longer breathe. I dream about it; about wanting it, needing it, about taking it for my own again.

I hate my dreams, but there is no escape from them, even during the day. I have just had one now. I lay alone and scared in my bed, my mind telling me I am safe at home in Bag End, but my heart telling me that I am forever lost and will never return.

I cry out in fear as my dream begins again, taking me back to the fires of Mount Doom, and in the back of my mind I hear footsteps heading my way. My heart is telling me it's Gollum, coming up behind me to take my precious away from me.

A hand reaches out and takes mine as I reach for the chain around my neck, and a voice says, "Frodo, wake up, dear. Your Sam is here."

Terrified, I try to pull away, until, slowly I see a vague light behind me, and I know it's coming from my Sam. Now all I can see is Sam's worried face. He is worried about me. If it weren't for him, I would be dead. As I look up at him, I am slowly brought back to reality. Sam is the only one who can bring me back from these horrible nightmares.

"Sam," I say, attempting to steady my voice without much success. "I'm sorry to wake you."

He sits on the edge of my bed and lets me lay my head in his lap. "No need to apologise, dear." He pushes a lock of my hair from my eyes and says, "I'd stay up all night for you, Frodo."

I close my eyes and smile briefly. Sam kisses my forehead, and slowly I fall asleep, safe in his arms, safe from the dreams and darkness, if only for a little while. Someday I will be healed, away from this world, away from the darkness, but that will only happen because of my Sam keeping me anchored in this world until I can leave it in peace.

I have a small star in the dark sky of my heart now, a bit of light shining brightly through the clouds. Sam and Rosie had their first child a few days ago, a lass they have named Elanor at my suggestion.

I am sitting in my favorite chair by the fire in the parlor, holding the beautiful baby in my arms. I see Sam smiling out of the corner of my eye, happy that I am happy. Little Elanor looks so much like her parents. She has her mother's features, and her father's loving eyes.

The clock on the mantle strikes eight and Rosie stands up. "I think I should get Ellie to bed before I start supper," she says, and I see Sam watching me anxiously.

Quietly I hand the child up to her mother and say, "Thank you Rosie."

She smiles at me, then turns and leaves the room to put Elanor down. Rosie has the most enchainting smile of any hobbit I have ever met. When she smiles it reminds me of the Elf-maidens in Lothlorien. She has passed that smile down to her daughter.

Sam comes over to me and sits by my feet. I know he sees the smile fading from my face, and says, "Let's go help Rosie with suppper, dear."

I nod and follow him into the kitchen. We begin to set the table, and the light slowly fades from my grip. I know Sam notices because he says, "We're almost done here, Frodo. You should sit down."

"Are you sure, Sam?" I ask.

"Yes. You're tired. We've had a busy week," he says. "I can take it from here."

I hug Sam tightly, and feel like I never want to let go. But I do, and head to the study for a few moments alone before supper. I sit back in my desk chair and try to hold onto the moments of happiness I had with little Elanor.

I did everything for her and the rest of Middle-earth. I know that Elanor, Rosie, and Sam are the reasons I must hold on until my time to leave comes.

The last few days have been torture. I am being tormented by that wich was destroyed and I can't stop it even by the thought of healing. I am leaving this world with a few of my closest friends, and am having to leave others behind.

The dreams have been worse lately. Sam has had a harder time drawing me out of them. He suspects that I will leave Middle-earth someday, but he doesn't know that I am leaving soon. I must leave soon, or be lost.

Now we are riding down the road to the Grey Havens. Sam is looking out for me as much as he always has. He even brought one of Elanor's blankets to remind me of my little star.

I will miss her, but I will see her again.

The night before we reached the Havens I had a nightmare that almost made me turn back, but I know I cannot. Sam is now standing on the docks with my cousins, watching me as we approach the ship. He knows now that I am leaving. My heart almost breaks at the expression of fear on his face. As I hug him one last time, he holds me tightly and doesn't let me go for a while.

I feel tears in my eyes, and know I have to go now or I won't be able to leave my Sam's protective arms. I pull away and feel something soft being pushed into my hand. Sam is giving me Elanor's blanket to keep.

I smile at him, and say, "Until we meet again, Sam. I will retun this to you someday, I promise."

Sam smiled back through his tears, and nods. I kiss his forehead and say, "Namarie, mellon nin."

Then I board the ship to sail away to the only place where I can be healed.

For the first time since the Ring came to me I feel such freedom! Oh, if Sam could see me now, he would weep for joy! My pain and despair are gone, though my nightmares remain. They are the only reminder aside from the scars I bear that I went through such a terrible thing.

I am watching the beach now, waiting for the Ship that is bringing my dearest friend to me. Rosie is dead now. I know this not because any news has come, for none has, but because I can feel it. I can feel my Sam approaching. It is a bittersweet feeling.

Shortly before nightfall I see white sails on the horizon and spring to my feet. Gandalf approaches me from behind and says, "He is here, Frodo."

"Yes, I know," I reply, almost too happy to speak. I am holding Elanor's blanket in my hands, ready to fulfill my promise.

When he steps off the Ship, my eyes are the first thing he looks for. I smile at him and run towards him. I almost tackle him to the ground in my enthusiasm, but as he weighs a bit more than I, I only succeed in making him step back a few paces.

He wraps me once again in his arms and says, "I missed you, Frodo."

I bury my head in his shoulder and smile. My Sam, my guardian, can now finally see that I am whole and well again. He will no longer have to worry about me.

I pull away from him first, and hold out the blanket. "Here you are, Sam. I promised you, remember?"

He smiles and takes the blanket. "She's still there, you know," he said, looking at the blanket fondly. "She's the most beautiful hobbit-lass I've ever seen, aside from her sisters. They say she looks much like an Elf."

I grin and say, "She still looks like Rosie, then?"

Sam nods. For all her hobbity features and sense, when Rosie smiled she looked like an Elf.

"I can't wait to see her," I say. I know I shall, when we all move on from this world. But until then Sam and I will stay in this wonderful place, rejoicing for the rest of our days.

The End