A/N: Welcome home, Queen Galadriel! I’ve missed you, as I’m sure everyone else has. We’ve both had many adventures while you were away, and now you’re home. I can’t wait to hear them all. This is dedicated to you. You are much more like my Sam than a High Elven Queen. Welcome home and enjoy this story! This is sort of a sequal to "The Thirteenth of March."

To my dear other readers: My apologies if Sam was indeed gone longer/shorter than a month. Please inform me if I have erred. Hannon le! ~Frodo Baggins

So Much To Tell

Sam is coming home. He’s been gone for a month now. Rosie and I have been waiting anxiously for him. So much has happened while he was away for the month of March. On the thirteenth, I had my anniversary illness. That is over now, and I do feel quite better. However, I have missed Sam. I need him. Despite that I am feeling better, the Shadow still lingers, and I do not sleep well.

I do not wish to stand in the lane waiting for him. I will get too agitated doing nothing. So I walk to the Cottons’s barn and busy myself tending to Strider. He blows his sweet breath on me and welcomes me with his large, liquid brown eyes. They almost remind me of Sam’s eyes, like he can read my heart with compassion and love. Such thoughts are silly, I suppose. And yet I have found that Strider (the one with four legs) can listen as well - or better - than most others. Strider pricks his ears and almost as soon as he does so, I can hear it too. Hoofbeats on the lane! I hurriedly give Strider a pat and rush out to meet Sam. Rosie beats me to it, and I politely study the interesting cloud formation over head while Sam greets his new wife. I am brought back to Middle Earth when Sam calls my name. "Mr. Frodo!"

He meets me halfway and we embrace. Involuntarily, my hands start to shake, my throat stops up with suppressed emotion and I can feel a single tear make it’s way down my cheek. Hurriedly, I wipe it away. I drink in Sam’s calming presence. He’s back. He’s safe. It is only just now that I realize how much I worried about him.

Sam pulls back to study me. I can see concern in his eyes, but he tries to hide it by saying, "Oh, Mr. Frodo. I’m glad you’re all right. How was everything?"

"Fine." I lie. At least, not really. The Shadow has fled. For now. "There is so much to tell you!" So much besides the Thirteenth, that is. Many interesting things have happened during my job as Deputy Mayor, and progress on Bag End is going wonderfully. Sam will eventually learn of my illness, but I do not wish to worry him now. Not yet. There will be time for that another day.

"Frodo, after dinner, I think we should catch up over a cup of tea."

"I agree. I want to hear all about your trip."

"Dinner, lads!" Rosie chirps, poking her head out of the kitchen.

"We’ll be in in a moment, my love."

Rosie blushes at the name and ducks back in the kitchen.

"The Quest was good for you, Sam." I say after studying him for a moment. It took him that long to tear his eyes away from the doorway where Rosie had been moments before.

"How so?" He is obviously amused.

"Well, it certainly has made you more bold. You could be a lonely, miserable bachelor and Rosie could be lost to another lad." I give him a playful shove and race inside for supper. Rosie is an excellent cook.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The End.

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Special Author’s Note!! Don’t worry, don’t worry. Sam will find out about the Thirteenth illness. But that’s for another story. You’ll just have to wait and see! :) -Frodo Baggins

Copyright Frodo Baggins 2006