The end came just as swiftly as it had for Niggle, but now that journey was over. The man had been released from the Workhouse and beheld the Mountains for the first time in all their glory. He took a few steps toward them and found himself in familiar woods. There he beheld his Luthien, shining so bright, holding out her hand to welcome him. Their lights flashed and melded for a long, long while they held each other tight. He then saw two other bright souls come toward him to hold him. Mother. Daddy.

Then he saw someone else. It was Luthien, his and not his, and beside her, stood Beren and beside him... He could not believe it. Everyone was there to welcome him, or so it seemed. They were all smiling at him and though their lips did not move, he could hear their joy and love spreading out to him.

Yes, came a deeper, more joyous voice than any of the others. They are all yours, but they were Mine first. Welcome home, My good and faithful servant. You have used my gift to you very well.

The professor felt enveloped by the One he had served all his life and eagerly reached his arms around that which the Heavens could not contain, but he could still hold. It was as though he was a drop of water happily drowning itself in an infinite pool, creature and Creator holding each other tight.

There are others who wish to welcome you too.

He turned now and many others came, but he did not recognize any of them. They all thanked him profusely, mind to mind. Thank you for all you did for me. Thank you for all you did for the world. I am here because of you. I didn’t know God until you wrote of His servants and I became one too. You saved me from despair. I endured my troubles because you showed me it could be done, even if the Road was very dark and there was no hope in my heart. You changed my life. I was going to kill myself, but I held on because Frodo did.

The man was confused by so many voices, but he felt their love and Love itself press upon him gently but greater than ever. It wasn’t me, he tried to say. I was just the instrument used. It didn’t come from me, but through me.

Then came another voice, amused. Now you know how it feels.

He turned again and saw beside him a very bright, very small figure, fairer than he had ever imagined, who was missing a finger and beside him stood another figure almost as bright and beside him another. The middle figure had both his hands clasped around the first and third. The first one was smiling the brightest, but the other two were as well.

Iorhael. The Elven tongue sprang from the man sooner than anything.

Frodo smiled ever brighter. I have long wished to welcome you here, as we all have. For some time, we, Sam and I and Aragorn, especially, have been sought out when others came here and though we did not recognize any of them, they all seemed to know us and thanked us. It quite confounded us until Atar revealed to us that He had shared the Red Book with you. I meant it to be a gift to Bilbo and to my Sam and my nieces and nephews, but you made it a gift to the ages and I thank you.

Frodo and Sam bowed and as the professor looked around, he saw all the figures around him bowing, more gathering all the time, as numerous it seemed as those who had come out to give praise to the Ring-bearers’. He was quite taken aback, but then he bowed to them in return, and knelt to hold Frodo in his arms and Sam and others came to share in that embrace as well: Bilbo, Merry and Pippin. Aragorn, Eomer, Theoden, Theodred and Faramir all smiled at him and bowed their heads. Eowyn and Arwen were there as well and all their children and all Sam and Rosie’s children and grandchildren and more descendants than the professor could ever count. He was most gratified to see Boromir there as well and there was Gandalf smiling, brighter than anyone of them.

Welcome home, at last.

His Luthien’s, both of them, came to either side of him and took his hands and led him further into the woods. He settled by the Brandywine, now brighter and more beautiful than he had ever seen it, and there he stayed, hearing more tales that he had only glimpsed but had never been able to set down completely, for lack of time. But eternity was before him now and he had many visitors to pass the time. He could not have been happier.