A/N: This ficlet takes place in my Star AU which includes "Stars and Sniffles," "The Stars Will Light Your Way," and "Upon the Wings of an Eagle," all of which are posted here at Stories of Arda. The idea for this particular ficlet came from a request of Gryffinjack's, and this is for her.

Unaligned

Frodo sat alone on the step, idly twirling the unlit pipe in his hand as he watched the stars flicker in the sky. “I’m sorry I never believed you, Pippin.”

Pippin jumped, startled both by Frodo’s awareness that he was there and by his apology. Closing the door behind him, Pippin dropped down beside him. “What did you not believe?” he asked, not knowing whether he should be amused or alarmed.

“I never believed in your stars,” Frodo said, his smile embarrassed as he faced Pippin. “Not that I thought you had lied to me all those years ago; I thought it was the fever talking. But then, after Gandalf told me how we nearly lost you, and Merry too, and how your stars helped bring both of you back.” Frodo shook his head, and Pippin watched in concern as gloom and despair weighed his cousin down. “I don’t know what I would have done if I had lost you.”

“But you didn’t,” Pippin reminded him with a gentle smile. “I’m here, and Merry is just inside cooking our supper, and Sam is at Bag End with Rose and the baby. We went there and back, just like Bilbo. Didn’t we Frodo?”

“Bilbo,” Frodo murmured. There was still grief in his eyes and Pippin wondered if he had said the wrong thing. For so long now Frodo had been melancholy- not always, but in their past few visits it seemed that his cousin was finding it more and more difficult to find joy and cheer. Once Pippin had known all the best jokes and tales and songs that were certain to bring a smile to Frodo’s face, but now it seemed that every time he tried to comfort or reassure his cousin, he failed.

But there was one thing he had not tried…

“Did Gandalf tell you,” he asked, “that my stars watch over everyone I love?”

Frodo smiled. “That’s a lot of work for two small stars,” he said.

Pippin laughed. “I thought the same at first,” he said. “But it’s true, Frodo. And I would like to share them with you. Gandalf’s not here to call them down, as he did for Merry and me, but perhaps there’s a way we could ask them to visit you somehow.” He shrugged, suddenly aware how silly or childish his idea might seem. “I just want to help you, Frodo.”

Frodo’s smile was the first genuinely happy one that Pippin had seen during his visit. “You and Merry and Sam help me more than you’ll ever know. It’s very generous of you, Pippin but I think- I think the stars are best left to you.” He nodded encouragingly. “I’ll be all right.”

Hoping to hide the doubt he felt, Pippin smiled. “Are you certain, Frodo? I just know that my stars wouldn’t mind.”

“I am,” Frodo replied. “Although perhaps- will you point them out to me, Pippin? I would like to be able to find them anywhere.”

“Of course, Frodo. Do you see the pair twinkling? There they are.” Pippin grinned as he watched his cousin discover and admire the stars. “Maybe they’ll help you just by watching them.” He had to hope for that, at least.

For a long while Frodo sat watching Pippin’s stars as they winked down at them. At last he smiled a little. “Perhaps they will.”