This is the beginning of a very long story that I haven't even finished yet that was inspired by a little blurb in a magazine when the Return of the King theatrical DVD came out that said something to the effect of "Now you can go on the whole journey again (poor Frodo)" and I thought, "Hmmm...."  So this is my version of what might have happened.  Goes without saying that it's AU, but it close to canon in elements used and how the people would have reacted.  Some of my favorite scenes from the movies are in there too.  This is basically the love story of Frodo and Sam so those who are thinking of revisiting Helm's Deep, Minas Tirith during the great battle, the Ents, etc. are going to be disappointed, hopefully the rest of you won't be.  This is the very first LOTR fan fic I attempted to write so the beginning may be a bit weaker than my other stories, but I assure you it's going to get better so please hang in there.  I've been writing this over a year and it's not over yet.  I anticipate it being around 400 pages! at the end and split into four stories.  This one, "The Lucky One", "Love Letters" and a fourth I haven't completely decided on the title yet and it may be giving away too much if I told you anyway.  The whole saga is called "The Measure of Love" which is part of a quote from St. Francis de Sales, patron of writers, who said, "The measure of love is to love without measure." which of course Sam did.  No slash, but tons of love and angst with some shining moments of joy mixed in.   The My Oath to You part right in the beginning is not mine. I got that in a e-mail from a friend, it's over the Net, don't know who wrote it, sometimes it ends with 'signed God' but I had to put it in because it fits Frodo's gardener-guardian angel so very well and it really put the whole theme of the story in a nutshell right there.  Where, indeed, would Frodo be without Sam?  Enjoy!

___________

My oath to you...

When you are sad...I will dry your tears

When you are scared...I will comfort your fears

When you are worried...I will give you hope

When you are confused...I will help you cope

And when you are lost and cannot see the light...I shall be your beacon, shining ever so bright

This is my oath...I pledge till the end

Why you may ask? Because you’re my friend.

Prologue: The Board Is Re-set

There is no more beautiful sound than to hear Frodo laugh, Gandalf thought as he watched and listened with great satisfaction and joy as the four hobbits joked with each other under the warm afternoon sun after Aragorn’s coronation. There had been many, many times the wizard had wondered if he would ever hear that sound again or see his beloved friend. Gandalf knew there were deep wounds within Frodo that even the hobbit himself was not entirely aware of yet so the sound of laughter while it could still be so freely made was most welcome. The wizard knew when the euphoria of survival wore off and the laughs no longer easily came, Sam and Merry and Pippin would be there to make sure they still did.

Gandalf smiled as he watched the three gathered protectively around their elder cousin and friend, determined to keep any shadows or sadness away from the one who deserved the most joy. Pippin was very animatedly telling Frodo of his and Merry’s adventures, since they had parted, giving Frodo no time to even think of what had gone on during his own struggle. Merry feared he would tell too much, but the tween left out the kidnaping by orcs since he deemed that would be too upsetting and Merry silently thanked him for his discretion. Frodo was smiling and laughing at his youngest cousin’s attics and the three hobbits beamed at seeing and hearing that after all they had endured in the past months, not knowing whether Frodo and Sam were even alive, then fearing their lives end before their very eyes after the eagles brought them back beyond all hope. When Frodo had finally woken, Pippin had insisted he had never lost hope. He had beamed when Frodo had tossed his curls and said with a loving smile, "I knew you didn’t, dearest Pipsqueak. I felt it the whole time."

Sam was the happiest of all to hear such laughter since he knew better than anyone the depth of sadness and pain his beloved master had endured. The shadows in Frodo’s eyes were just beginning to reform, but he fought them off, concentrating solely on smiling at his cousins and Sam.

As Pippin talked, Merry took Frodo by the arm and steered him to a pavilion that had been set up, leaden with food for the upcoming feast. Merry stuffed one of Frodo’s hands with several small cakes and sweets while Pippin put a drink in his other, hesitating only a moment when he saw that the maimed hand was still stuffed in the pocket where Frodo kept it most of the time. A flicker of sadness crossed the Ring-bearer’s face, then he fought it back, and accepted the drink from his cousin with a faint smile. He allowed himself to be guided over to a table with four chairs and then ate and drank under his friend’s watchful gazes. "You know what they say," Pippin said cheerfully as he gave his cousin another sweet. "Eat dessert first!"

Frodo smiled. "Will you also clean up after me when all this comes back up because you are stuffing me with way too much?"

Pippin grinned, then grew serious. "I would do anything for you, cousin," he said softly, then his lower lip began to quiver.

Frodo’s face grew tender, then he reached over and took the tween into his arms. Pippin held on fiercely and began to cry. "I was so afraid I would never see you again," he murmured into his cousin’s chest.

Frodo stroked his curls and murmured comforts. Pippin just let himself feel and hear that. It was so wonderful. "I did it all for you, ’squeak dear, for you and for Sam and for Merry and for everyone. And I would do it all over again if I needed to, to keep you all safe."

"I know. So would we." Pippin raised his head to look into his beloved cousin’s eyes. "And we wouldn’t let you leave us this time. We’d follow you and help you the whole way."

"I know you would. Thank you. But it’s over now." Frodo smiled and wiped at Pippin’s tears. "It’s time to celebrate, not to mourn."

"You’re right, cousin," the tween said. He disengaged himself from Frodo’s arms and put another treat in his hand. "It’s much better to eat than to cry. Have another cake."

Frodo laughed, heart swelling with love for Pippin and his cheerful nature that remained largely intact though he knew Pippin and Merry had been through some frightful experiences, not all of which they had deemed to share, but Frodo could see in their eyes. He was sorry he hadn’t been there to shelter them from it all, but he decided to take his own advice and celebrate. The three hobbits continued to ply him with all sorts of treats until they were certain he would not starve to death before dinner.

Gandalf chuckled, then turned away to glance at the smoke rising from the ruins of Mordor. A shadow passed over his heart then and began to sink into it. The very air was charged around him, shimmering for a moment and a great fear overtook him. When he looked at the mountain again, it still smoked, but there was different feel to it than moments before.

Gandalf looked back at the hobbits and noticed that Frodo was looking toward the mountain now too. The wizard watched as a myriad of emotions passed across that beautiful face - puzzlement at first, fear, hope, joy, shame. He was the Ring-bearer, the wizard thought. Of course he would feel it. He closed his eyes. Please, Eru, he prayed, not him. Not again. Let me be wrong. Please.

When he looked again, he saw that the three younger hobbits were looking at their elder with growing concern. Frodo’s gaze continued to be fixed on the smoking mountain. Sam and Merry, more sensitive to Frodo’s moods than anyone, watched as each different emotion crossed his features. They didn’t understand them all, but they knew they needed to get him away from there, away from where he had to reminded of what he had endured.

Gently Merry took his cousin’s arm and steered him deeper into the city, toward a slopping street where they could descend a level or two and have high walls between them and the mountain. Frodo let himself be led, but he continued to look back, the strange mixture of fear, near despair and shameful joy still clear.

"It’s over," Sam said, looking concernedly between the mountain and his dearest friend. "Why do you keep looking back?"

Frodo kept looking. "I wonder, Sam, if it is."

"What do you mean?"

Frodo finally tore his gaze away and focused on his confused friend. "I don’t know."

The former Ring-bearer looked up and caught Gandalf’s grave gaze just as they disappeared from that level. The wizard saw his unspoken question, but had no way to answer it. Then they were lost to each other’s sight.

When the wizard next checked on them, all but Pippin lay asleep after a very full dinner in which the three hobbits had gone out of their way to distract their cousin and friend. Frodo made an effort, mostly successful, to enjoy himself and the other three breathed just a little easier, though they kept their eyes on him throughout, ever watchful for any slips in his mood. Pippin was sitting on his heels on the large bed they all shared, his back to the door, looking down at Frodo. He didn’t seem to be aware that Gandalf stood at the door. Frodo was frowning slightly, but seemed otherwise at peace, his head resting against Sam’s chest, safe in his guardian’s secure embrace. Merry slept crosswise at their head, the nearer to be his cousin. Pippin gently smoothed away Frodo’s frown, kissed his head lightly and murmured a soft "Sleep well, cousin" before he curled up next to him and put an arm loosely around him and closed his eyes.

Gandalf smiled and left quietly, hoping again he was wrong, but knowing that no matter what, Frodo was, literally, in very good hands. Still I must get to the Shire. I’ll know then, if not before, whether my fears have any basis.