The next morning, Merry was a bit better, but he was still coughing a lot. Frodo stayed by Merry’s side even though he didn’t sleep much the previous night. Bilbo was there too, and he coaxed Frodo to take a nap but Frodo insisted that he was fine.

“Frodo? I’m cold.” Merry’s eyes were still slightly glazed, indicating that the fever still had a firm grasp on the poor lad.

Frodo felt Merry’s forehead and found that it was still quite warm. “You should be taking the willow bark now—I need to ask your Mama if there is more. Do you still feel headachy too?”

Merry nodded miserably.

“I’ll be right back, all right?”

“Come back soon, Frodo!”

Frodo was walking through the long corridors to get to the kitchen. Even though he was tired, he felt like it was his responsibility to help Merry recover quickly. He couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened if he had not left? Would Merry still be sick now? Why didn’t Merry sleep or eat well? That had only made him more susceptible illness. Why did Merry decide to run in the rain?

“It’s not your fault,” said a female voice from behind Frodo.

Esmeralda already had a tray of mugs and bowls and was preparing to return to Merry’s room.

“I am not sure why I think it is, but I do,” said Frodo with tears clouding his eyes and, threatening to spill over. He quickly went to help Esmeralda with one of the mugs which were filled with a healing draught.

“None of us considered the implications of you leaving as carefully as we might have. I should have looked more carefully at Merry and tried to understand how this would affect him. It really isn’t your fault, Frodo. You needed a change. Sara and I do not blame you for leaving.”

”I know you don’t but poor Merry ---“

“He’s a young lad and he wants everything perfect all the time. If it weren’t for this rain, we could’ve come visit you sooner. We should work out a plan for the visits.. The letters are great, but Merry can’t write yet, and so I’m sure he would appreciate treks to Bag End.”

“And Bilbo and I would welcome him—He could stay over at Bag End,” replied Frodo. “I…I feel torn, Esme. I want to be in both areas at the same time but I know I can’t be and…and…Merry is so dear to me. He made me happy again after my parents died,” said Frodo slowly.

“We can all come to visit,” Esmeralda said. “It would help if we alternated our trips. We could take turns visiting one another. We know you care about Merry and that is why we were surprised that you were leaving at first, but Sara and I understood that it was probably difficult staying here and having to face all of those …those memories from the tragedy. We know that Buckland and our home here gave you a happy childhood. But without … your parents, it must have been very difficult for you to be happy here. You need a chance to heal too, Frodo.”

“Merry made it better though,” replied Frodo softly. “But ---“Frodo trailed not knowing what to say.

“You don’t need to explain, dear Frodo,” said Esmeralda as she put down the tray and put her hand on Frodo’s shoulder. “Just because you are not here with Merry all of the time, it doesn’t mean you don’t lovehim. Merry will learn that. If you two visit each other often, there will be very little difference.”

“Besides, I do enjoy trekking to Brandy Hall,” Bilbo spoke up from behind them. “We’ll work out something for visiting here every other week, Frodo-lad. You can be with both of the cousins that you love.”

“Can we, Bilbo?” asked Frodo grinning.

“I see no reason why we can’t come to Buckland on occasion,” said Bilbo with a wink.

“But first, we need to see to our sick patient,” said Esmeralda, quickly hurrying back to Merry’s room.

“Poor Merry has the chills—I think he needs to have his willow bark,” said Saradoc who was sitting beside ofby Merry’s bed.

Merry had closed his eyes and seemed to have fallen asleep again.

“Merry, dearest? Time for more medicine.”

“So cold, Mama—where’s Frodo?”

“I’m right here, dearest Merry,” said Frodo as he gently slipped his arm beneath Merry's shoulders to lift him enough so that Merry was sitting.

“I don’t want medicine! I want to sleep, but it’s so cold,” whined Merry with his eyes still closed.

“Merry, remember you promised to take your medicine so that I can go adventure with you? How about this? Why don’t I make this a special drink so that when you drink it, it will make you better and not so headachy, all right?”

“How would you do that, Frodo?” asked a drowsy Merry.

“It’s magic and it’s my secret.”

Turning to Esme, he said, “My Mama used to put honey or something sweeter in the tea— Perhaps we can put a little flavoring into the drink?”

“Great idea Frodo! I will get it now.”

Esme, Frodo, Bilbo and Sara took turns throughout the day tending to Merry. Merry’s temperature was better by late afternoon, and Frodo was heartened.

“You should rest a bit, Frodo, my lad. You’ve been tirelessly, staying by Merry’s side the whole night and day,” said Bilbo a bit worriedly.

“No I’m fine Bilbo—I did nap a bit last night so it’s fine. I just hope Merry’s temperature goes down soon,” Frodo said as he watched the slumbering child.

“We do not want you sick, Frodo-lad,” said Bilbo stroking Frodo’s curls.

“All right Bilbo—I will sleep tonight if dear Merry is better.”

Suddenly, Merry woke and cried out, “Frodo! Frodo! Ma! Ma!”

Frodo and Esmeralda were at his side immediately.

“It’s just a dream, pumpkin. It’ll be all right,” cooed Esmeralda stroking Merry’s curls and kissing Merry gently on the cheek.

“What happened? I’m here, dearest Merry-mine, and I always will be,” Frodo said as he reached for Merry’s hand, squeezing it tight.

“Will you really?” Merry asked sounding a bit doubtful. His coarse voice was still only a whisper. “I dreamt—I dreamt—you were going somewhere terrible and that you wouldn’t bring me even though you had promised that you would. I –I --need to protect you Frodo!”

Frodo was very touched by his younger cousin’s desire to protect him. Although Frodo was fourteen years older than Merry, the child still wanted to do what he could to keep his beloved older cousin from harm. “I need to protect you too Merry,” Frodo said gently,” and first we must battle the sickness that you have. I want you to know that you can trust me to stick with you through thick and thin. You’re my best cousin too and I cannot let anything bad happen to you.”

Merry smiled as he put out his hand to reach his beloved cousin’s. “Let’s shake on it.”

“Of course! Now, how about some of my specially brewed willow, rosemary and licorice tea for your sore throat? This doesn’t taste bad, all right? “Frodo gently tipped the cup to little Merry’s mouth.

The cool liquid trickled down Merry’s throat, soothing it. Then, Frodo gave him the honeyed willow bark and Merry obediently swallowed that too without complaint.

“And now, you need some food too because with medicine, comes the food that will nourish you and make you bigger and stronger so you can battle goblins like Bilbo did on his Quest,” said Frodo as he presented the tray of chicken broth, toast, and carrots to Merry.

“Food? But I want to sleep,” whined Merry. “Goblins? Is it true that you fought goblins, Uncle Bilbo?”

“Well, in a way, yes. They were chasing after us. I did eat a lot when I had that awful cold in Laketown. That is why I used my wits so well before the negotiating with the Arkenstone and the Battle of the Five Armies. So you better eat, young Brandybuck-lad.”

“Frodo?” Merry looked pleadingly at Frodo.

“I agree with Bilbo—you must eat. How about I feed you? After eating, you can sleep.”

With Frodo’s unparalleled patience, Merry managed three-quarters of the broth and half of the mashed potatoes. After that meal, Merry smiled at Frodo and snuggled into his warm blankets and pillows and fell into a dreamless slumber.

Frodo, thoroughly exhausted as well, fell asleep too on the adjacent sofa, not yielding to the insistence that he should sleep in a proper bed.

The next morning, Frodo awoke to find himself in the bedroom he used to sleep in when he lived in Brandy Hall. I wonder who brought me here? I thought I fell asleep on Merry’s sofa.

Frodo wasted no time. He jumped out of bed, and rushed to Merry’s room where he saw Bilbo and Esmeralda talking while Merry slept on.

”Why did you move me?” he asked the older hobbits.

“You need to sleep well in a bed, dear Frodo-lad—you cannot get sick too,” Bilbo said.

“Besides, you’ve done more than enough,” added Esme, preparing the water pitcher by the bed. “Dear Frodo, you need to take care of yourself too and you need to know that you’re not the only one in charge of Merry even though I know you want to think that,” said Esme with a wink.

“Well, yes, I need to make sure that Merry gets better and that we can go on our adventure after he gets better. Did he sleep well last night, Cousin? Does he still have fever?” asked Frodo as he went to the edge of Merry’s bed and gently felt Merry’s forehead, which he found was cooler than yesterday.

“He’s definitely better. He doesn’t seem as feverish, but he still complains of a headache.

“Does he have to stay in bed though?” asked Frodo.

“It really depends how he feels—“

At that moment, Merry awoke and smiled to see so many hobbits waiting for him to wake. “Frodo! Mama!”

“How are you feeling, dear?” Esme asked.

“I’m… I’m…hungry,” said Merry.

“Hunger is a good sign—I am hungry too,” said Frodo as he leaned towards the bed to give Merry a good morning hug. “What’s for first breakfast?”