A/N:  Since I've been told by many people that Merry and Pippin died on the same day, I made this story AU in order to write the plot-bunny that came to me.

IN REMEMBRANCE

Pippin stared bleary-eyed into his tankard. Just one more, he thought bleakly. Just one more, and maybe I'll pass out and forget this day ever happened. One could only hope.

He knew he should be with Aragorn right now, helping to prepare the body. He couldn't face that right now.. he just couldn't.

Merry had been fine yesterday. He and Pippin had taken their ponies for a much-needed ride past the gates of Minas Tirith and onto the Pelennor Fields. They had taken a picnic lunch, and had eaten it beneath their favourite willow tree by the Anduin, at the outcropping that they always went to. That day by the River, Merry and Pippin had felt particularly jocular. They sang, reminisced about their younger days, even delved into the Quest, which they hadn't done in a long while. Merry had said something that seemed now to have been an instance of a Brandybuck having the Sight. Merry was half Took, just like Pippin, but had never had evidence of foresight before. He had said, "Pippin, if I ever pass on before you do, will you promise me something?"

"Of course," Pippin had replied, feeling fine and believing it would be years yet before he would have to worry about such a thing.

"Promise me that you won't stop living. Mourning is one thing, but grieving forever just won't do. You'll have to write to my sons, and assure them that I was happy, here in Gondor, with you by my side. If I were to die tomorrow, I need to know that you won't give up on life. Please, promise me that."

Pippin had promised, not really thinking about it at the time.

And now, Merry was dead. He just never woke up this morning. Pippin, of course, had found him as soon as he had woken up and padded over to Merry's bed to wake him. He still couldn't believe it.

Merry's birthday had been the previous week, and the people of Minas Tirith had pulled out all the stops to celebrate the birthday of one of their beloved periannath, a hero of that long-ago war that not many people could remember first hand anymore. In the manner of Men, they had gifted Merry with many gifts of a grateful and adoring public. Legolas and Gimli had arrived from the Greenwood to celebrate with their dear friends. One hundred and eight years old--- almost the same age as Bilbo when he disappeared from the Shire. A good, ripe old age. An age one could be proud of. No one had guessed that it would be the last birthday for Meriadoc Brandybuck. No one believed that these last two hobbits of the Quest would ever pass on; they seemed to have been around forever, even though it had only been six years since they had arrived.

Pippin wiped away a tear from his eye, and glanced around the tavern. He noticed the light outside was getting dimmer; he should return to their... his... home. Sighing, he flipped a gold coin onto the table, and walked out of the Merry Maid, stumbling and weaving as he went.

Pippin stumbled into the room that once had been his and Merry's, tears flowing freely down his cheeks as he collapsed onto his bed. Memories came swift and clear, like a river rushing along in the spring melts. Early memories of Merry playing with a small Pippin, larger hand covering a smaller one as they walked along the Brandywine, watching the boats and fisher-hobbits. Memories of the quest: the Uruk-hai's maltreatment, Treebeard's concern, Gandalf's gruffness as he took Pippin away from his Merry towards Minas Tirith. Memories of their children together, playing and becoming fast friends. Faramir Took and Boromac Brandybuck were as close as Merry and Pippin ever were. Recent memories, of their time in Minas Tirith: breakfasts with the King and Queen; rides with Prince Faramir and Lady Eowyn; evenings at the Pickled Perch, enjoying a round of ale and some pipeweed. Pippin finally realized that these memories were all that he had left of his beloved cousin and friend, and he wept long and hard until he fell into an exhausted sleep.

Pippin was awakened by the light streaming through his window at eleven o'clock the next morning. Wincing, he sat up and touched his head gingerly, realizing that now he was paying for his form of mourning. He was somewhat surprised that no one had come to check on him earlier in the morning, but realized that his friends probably realized where he had been, and needed the extra time alone to sleep and to grieve. He knew, however, that someone would be sent to retrieve him for luncheon at noon, so he decided it was time for him to see to his morning ablutions.

As he stumbled to the basin and pitcher filled with water for washing, Pippin happened to glance at Merry's bed. As he did so, he became totally undone. Memories of Merry came flooding into his consciousness, and as they did so, Pippin lost what little grip he had on reality. He stumbled into the stand holding the basin and pitcher, spilling both onto the floor. Pippin fell to his knees, hands pressed to his temples as he tried to stop the memories from sweeping him away completely....

Pippin grinned at Merry as they both stood under the large willow tree at Bag End, waiting for Estella to make her appearance. Merry, sweating and flushed, managed a weak grin back at Pippin. The orchestra of four: Esmeralda, Eglantine, Pearl and Pervinca, struck up the notes as the bridesmaids made their way down the isle. First came Pimpernel, Estella's best friend, dressed in a light green, sleeveless dress with a lemon-yellow ribbon tied as a sash around her middle. Next came two of her friends from Budgeford, Penny Smallburrow and Lily Proudfoot, dressed the same. Then, all grew hushed as the audience waited for the bride and her father. When she appeared, Pippin noticed the change in Merry's demeanor; he became more calm, and his eyes twinkled merrily as he beheld Odovacar beaming with pride as he brought his daughter up the aisle to meet her husband-to-be. Pippin smiled. He was so happy for his cousin; he only wished he would be so lucky in his own choice of helpmate.......

Three years later, Pippin and Merry's roles were reversed as Pippin waited for his own bride under the very same willow tree. Merry had spent the morning calming Pippin's nerves, as Pippin had done for him before. Pippin felt a swell of gratitude towards his friend that day as he awaited Diamond to be accompanied down the aisle by his own father, Paladin, since Diamond's father had died several years earlier. Pippin loved all three of the hobbits standing up for him: Merry, Sam and Diamond's brother Odo. But far and away the one he loved the best was Merry, who had been there through everything....

As Pippin stood at his father's casket and made his prepared speech before all the assembled hobbits, he felt himself become faint and light-headed; swiftly, he looked up from his notes, blinked back his ever-present tears, and searched the room until his eyes locked on those of Merry. Merry's steady, clear-eyed gaze settled Pippin's nerves, and stopped his trembling so that he was able to continue. The pause hadn't even been noticed, as Pippin deftly looked away from those bright blue, sympathy-filled eyes to the eyes of his sister Pearl, who gave an encouraging nod. Pippin didn't know how he ever would have made it through the past few days, as grief-stricken as he had been, if Merry's steady presence hadn't been there the whole time, soothing his nerves and lending much needed support. Merry had even helped Pippin prepare the eulogy, and that was a task that Pippin KNEW he hasn't had it in him to complete alone. Good old Merry; Pippin knew he could always count on him to be there....

Except now he wasn't. He was deluged by his sense of loss and emptiness; he started rocking back and forth on his knees, and felt a keen welling up in the back of his throat. How could he keep his promise to Merry; how could he go on, having lost his closest cousin and comrade, the one who had been there since Pippin's birth, had been there throughout his whole life. Pippin had never felt so bereft... not even when his beloved Diamond had passed on. Not even when his infant daughter had succumbed to the winter sickness those many, many years ago.

The rush of emotion was just too much; Pippin's eyes rolled up in the back of his head, and the rest of his body fell to the floor as consciousness flew away.