Frodo sat in the parlor nor thirty minutes later, his feet pulled up under him, and a blanket over hislap. The evening air had suddenly gotten cold, and Bilbo wanted to keep a window open.

"Mr. Bilbo," came a voice from the hallway.

"Ah, Samwise! Come in and meet my cousin Frodo!' Bilbo called the boy over.

He was rather shy at first, watching Frodo in awe. "Hello, Mr. Frodo, sir!" he stammered. "Sam Gamgee at your service."

Frodo smiled. "Hullo, Sam, I am very pleased to meet you," he said.

Sam smiled and blushed.

"Frodo, scoot over and let Sam have a seat by you, and I'll tell you two a story," Bilbo said.

Frodo moved over and let Sam sit next to him on the couch. He passed the boy part of his banket incase he was cold, and Sam accepted it thankfully.

"What are you going to tell us about, Mr. Bilbo?" Sam asked.

"What do you want to hear, Sam?"

Sam glanced at Frodo. "What do you want to hear, Mr. Frodo?"

Frodo thought a moment. "Have you told him about Rivendell, Uncle?" Frodo asked.

Sam shook his head.

"That would be perfect!" Bilbo said. "Lord Elrond just sent me a book on it's history last winter for Yule. Perhaps..." he pulled the book off a shelf and sat down in his favorite chair to begin reading.

Frodo was intreagued by the gardener's son. He seemed so plain and polite, yet when it came to these stories, he seemed to understand it, and what he didn't understand, he wasn't afraid to ask Bilbo about.

But it was late, and both boys were tired. Nearly an hour later Bilbo noticed that they had fallen asleep on the couch; Sam resting against the arm, and Frodo lying down, with his head in the boys lap.

Bilbo smiled down at them, then rushed to answer the door when someone knocked. It was Bell Gamgee, Sam's mother, come to fetch her home.

"Shh," Bilbo said. "I was reading him and my nephew a story, and they fell asleep on the couch." He led her into the study and she smiled when she saw them.

"Poor lad, must be exhausted," Bell murmured, brushing a curl from Frodo's eyes. "Let me help you get him to bed, Mr. Bilbo. Then I'll wake my lad and be on my way."

"As you wish, Mrs. Gamgee," Bilbo replied. "I don't think I can lift him by myself."

Bell helped Bilbo lift the lad, who was very light, to their surprise.

"He's a heavy sleeper, isn't he?" Bell commented.

"Yes," Bilbo replied. "His Da was the same. Baggins trait, I'm afraid."

"He's a very handsome lad. You'd best warn him against bein' too nice to some of the lasses around here," Bell stated.

"Oh, he knows. They've many lasses of the sort in Brandy Hall," Bilbo said. He removed Frodo's shirt to slip on his nightshirt, and noticed the welts covering his back.

"Oh!" Bell exclaimed. "What happened!?"

Bilbo looked grim. "Why didn't he tell me this?" he murmured. He turned to Bell. "He and his friends from Brandy Hall can't resist good mushrooms. I assume somebody caught him and beat him for tresspassing."

"Oh, the poor lad!" She felt sorry for this orphan boy. He needed to be loved and understood, and she was certain he'd get that at Bag End, between Mr. Bilbo and her Sam.

Once they left the room, Bell asked, "How did my Sam get along with him?" She knew Sam had been wanting to meet Mr. Frodo since the day he'd heard of him.

"Splendidly! They're alot alike, Mrs. Gamgee. Inside, that is. They were made for each other, I think," Bilbo replied. "I think they'll become best friends."

Bell seemed shocked. "That doesn't seem proper! To have the future master of Bag End be best friends with his future gardener?"

"They don't care," Bilbo reminded her as they re-entered the parlor. "They're both special hobbits, that much I know."

He looked at Sam, still asleep on the couch, and smiled. "And now my Frodo-lad's got a home and a new friend. All's well as ends well, I say."

* * *

The next morning, Mrs. Gamgee stopped by to see if Bilbo and Frodo needed anything, accompamied by her six curious children.

"Well, Frodo's still sleeping, but I'm sure he'd like some help getting his things in order after second breakfast," Bilbo replied. "The kitchen's a little messy, so it'll need to be tidied, but I don't have time right now, as I must go down to Hobbiton to order a few bookshelves."

"Bookshelves?" Mrs. Gamgee exclaimed. "Don't you have enough?"

Bilbo shook his head emphatically. "Frodo's got five boxes in there. Three are full of books, and the other two hold all his possessions. He'll need plenty of shelves for those books."

Bilbo pulled on his coat, and grabbed his walking stick. "I'll be back in a little while. The main thing is to make Frodo feel at home." He smiled at them. "Not a problem with such wonderful folks around. Goodbye!" And he left.

Once the door was closed, the two eldest boys, Hamson, and Halfred hurried to the kitchen to clean it. Mrs. Gamgee, Daisy, and May sat in chairs in the parlor and started sewing and knitting. Marigold, who was only six, was playing with one of Bilbo's cat's three kittens on the floor at her mother's feet.

"I'll help Mr. Frodo with his room when he wakes," Sam said, glancing in the direction of the bedrooms. "He's really nice, Mum. And he likes Elves too!"

"Oh, no! Not that talk of Elves again!" May complained.

"I think Mr. Frodo looks like an Elf," Sam said. "A sort of hobbity Elf."

"Mum, make him stop!" Daisy demanded.

"Sam-dear, run off and help Ham and Hal in the kitchen, won't you?" Mrs. Gamgee said.

Sam dashed off, but stopped in the hall. The door to Frodo's room was open slightly. Sam peered in and saw him lying on the bed, covers pulled up so high about his face that his feet were sticking out the other end.

Frodo rolled over, and the comforter nearly fell off the bed.

Sam smiled. He looked so calm and peaceful when he was sleeping and so content and trusting of those watching over him.

"I'll watch out for you, Mr. Frodo," Sam whispered, then left.