A/N: This little story is a gift for Antane, my own Pip, hopefully for inspiration to continue on the wonderful book she is working on, in hopes that the demons will stay away. I hope you like it, mellon nin, even though it’s not Frodo-fic *grins* Your Merry is here for you whenever you need me!

~Fighting the Demons~

Merry woke late in the night to a scream sounding from his cousin’s room. Rousing himself quickly, he dashed across the hall to Pippin’s room.

The lad was thrashing about in bed, eyes open wide, but not seeing anything real in front of him.

“Pippin,” Merry called, climbing up beside his cousin and drawing him into his arms. “Pippin, it’s just a dream, wake up!”

Pippin struggled in his cousins’ arms, but Merry kept talking until the lad calmed and fell asleep again.

Merry brushed his golden curls with his fingers, then settled back with Pippin in his arms and fell asleep.

* * *

Breakfast was already cooking and Merry was just putting a pot of tea on the stove, when Pippin joined him in the kitchen, looking about, blinking groggily.

He was limping a little on his bad leg, Merry noticed, but didn’t say anything.

“How are you this morning, Pip?” he asked instead, giving the tween his most cheerful smile and setting a plate of eggs, sausage and biscuits in front of him.

Pippin perked up a little at this and replied, “I’m perfectly fine now that breakfast is here!”

Merry chuckled. “I knew food would help,” he said.

Neither of them mentioned the darkness that had been creeping up on Pippin of late. Neither of them wanted to think of it, hoping the dark spell was over.

It had started a week ago when Pippin’s father had told them he would be publicly announcing Pippin as the heir to the Thain at his coming-of-age party next month.

Pippin had seemed fine with it at the time, but Merry wasn’t so sure it didn’t have something to do with his cousin’s mood of late. Pippin was already disappointed enough that Frodo was missing his coming-of-age, and he was simply terrified at the thought of being Thain someday.

Then the nightmares started, and Merry realized it was about the same time of year as when his dear cousin had been crushed by the troll in Gondor.

Neither of them mentioned these things, but they didn’t have to. They both knew what was wrong.

They had both had a hard time fighting their demons from the Quest, but it seemed that Pippin’s had been getting the better of him.

But this morning it seemed Pippin might finally be coming around. He had sounded like himself to Merry, despite his nightmare the night before.

Pippin glanced up to see his cousin looking a bit too thoughtful for his own good. He reached out his hand and laid it over Merry’s.

“Mer?” he said, looking up at his cousin questioningly.

“We’re in this together, Pip,” Merry said. “I’m here for you, and we’re in this together.”

Pippin smiled, a true, happy smile. “Aye, Merry. We’re in this together.”

Merry squeezed his cousin’s hand, and they continued on their breakfast.

~Finis~