The sting of Bilbo’s death lingered until one evening Nienna came to Frodo and wept with him. That night the Ring-bearer felt his grief ease. He received the additional gift of peaceful sleep and a dream of Bilbo. From then on, he grew merry once more, though was still solemn at times and spent more time at the shore of the Sea. But after a while he resumed his rambling walks with Boromir, whose company he treasured even more as his last link with his home.

Months melted into years and years into decades. Frodo and Boromir grew grey together and closer than they could have ever imagined the day they met, now so long ago. If the man could have known it, he had spent more time on the Lonely Isle than he had spent in Middle-earth. With the book long finished, Frodo spent his days in the garden getting it ready for Sam or reading and writing a Quenya grammar for his beloved gardener and guardian to learn from. Favorite flowers and mushrooms surrounded him, as well as other edible treasures not available in Middle-earth that he thought Sam would enjoy.

One morning Frodo and Boromir stood at the edge of the Sea. “I am glad I do not know how much time has passed waiting for Sam to come,” he said. “I do not think I could have borne it.” 

“You will not have to wait much longer,” came a voice behind them.

“Gandalf! Do you mean…did I feel last night…” The hobbit had felt a sharp edge of pain in his heart that had first come from Sam’s heart.  

“Yes and yes, my dear hobbit. Sam is on his way or will be soon. Rose has accepted the Gift.”

Frodo bowed his head. “I feared it was so. I grieve for him and cannot wait to hold him. I wish I could hold him now.”

“Why do you think you cannot? Have you forgotten all these years that he can feel your love and grief, just as you can feel his? Even in his pain, Sam looks forward to holding you in his arms as well.”

“How much longer until he comes?”

“Soon. His heart and feet are already preparing. Goodbyes are being said, roots are loosening, ready to find fresh ground to plant in.”

“He has spent his whole life in the Shire. I wonder how hard it will be for him.”

“His heart has always been with you and Rose. As always, he follows it. It is not the Shire itself that bound him there. It is those he cherished the most.”

“But I only left him and Merry and Pippin as those I deeply treasured. He leaves so many children and their children.”

“They have always known this day would come. Their grief is like yours and his were - a sadness that is also blessed. They will grieve but they will also find happiness and peace in knowing their Da loves them and is going toward one he loves.”

Frodo looked up at Boromir and smiled. “What a surprise Sam is going to have to see you here!”

The hobbit stepped out into the water and without a word, Boromir swung him up on his shoulders. Frodo squinted into the distance. “I wish we could wait for him here, so we are the first people he sees.”

“We still will be, little brother. I do not think Mithrandir will leave us uninformed. And your heart will be an even surer voice.”

“Yes, from the time we met, Sam has dwelt there, taking care of me, wrapping his heart around my own, and now I can show him it has healed and is whole again. Let us go. We need to make sure his room is ready!”

Frodo spent the next days making sure his Sam would feel welcome in his new home. The garden looked brighter than it ever had. The larder was filled with Sam’s favorite foods and those Frodo thought he would like. 

The morning of reunion finally came. A tremendous joy welled up in Frodo’s heart and he could barely keep still. He spent the day at the shore, straining for any sight of the ship that would bring the rest of his heart home to him. Boromir brought out their meals and Gandalf joined them for the evening one.

“How much longer? I could walked there already and brought him here faster!”

“Look closely and you will find your answer,” the Maia said.

There at last, Frodo saw. He rushed into the water. Boromir ran after him and scooped him up before the water fully overcame him. They waited there for some time as the ship grew closer and closer.

“Let’s go back,” Frodo said. “I marvel that Sam traveled all this way. He’s not going want his feet to touch the water anymore than he has to, so we best meet him on dry land.”

Sam’s eyes found the shining lights on the shore, and even though his heart was still sore, it leaped to see what it so longed for. There was the light of his beloved master, brighter than he had ever seen it, and a taller being whose brilliance was even more. The closer he got, he saw that was Gandalf, who smiled widely. But Sam barely saw him. The ship came in and the hobbit ran down the still-lowering plank faster than his century-old legs should have been able to carry him. 

“Sam! Sam!!” That dear voice! He had heard it so often in his dreams, seen that face before him only to have it melt away when he woke, but now here was his master before him. Sam clutched at him ever so tightly to keep from disappearing in the mist. Arms, so solid and real, embraced him as well. 

The hobbits’ whole world was reduced to the sight of the other. Heads touched, hearts rejoiced, hands stroked curls and cheeks, eyes drowned taking in the other, voices murmured, tears and laughter flowed, kisses were joyfully given and received. This was no dream!

“You’re healed,” Sam said in wonder. “And you are even more beautiful than ever I saw.”

“Yes, Sam, healed, and now that you are beside me, whole once more.”

“Welcome home, Sam,” Gandalf said with a smile, after a long while.

Sam looked up and smiled back at the wizard. Then he noticed the man standing by him. “Hello, Sam.” The hobbit squinted, then his eyes widened, and his mouth dropped in shock. He quickly put himself between his master and the man. “Mr. Boromir! How…”

“It’s all right, Sam,” Frodo assured. “Boromir did not die but was allowed to come just as we were. That marvel was waiting for me when Bilbo and I arrived. There is nothing to fear from him. He has long been a brother to me.”

Sam looked hard at the man. Boromir smiled. “It is good to see you again, Sam.”

The hobbit shook his head, as though he still could not believe what he saw. “Well, I never… Of all the wonders in the world…”

Frodo laughed. That drew Sam back to his master. How wonderful it was to hear that! They held each other for another long while, not talking, simply treasuring each other's presence, then Frodo spoke.

“I am so sorry about Rose, my Sam, but I am glad you are here with me.”

“That is a sore hurt, and I wonder when it will ease, but you know I could not live without both sides of my heart missing, me dear.”

“There are Powers here who will aid you in your grief, as they aided me in mine. And we will always have each other. I will stay here with you as long as you wish and then we will go to join Rose and Bilbo.”

“I cannot wait for that, but all the same, I want to spend some time with you. It was that hard at first not to be able to take care of you each day like I had for so long. There were so many days I would wake up in the night and listen to see if you needed anything or would get up in the morning to greet you and you were long gone. I know the Elves took care of you, and Mr. Bilbo, and Mr. Gandalf, and Mr. Boromir for that matter…”

“You took care of me, too, Sam. Don’t think you didn’t. How are Merry and Pippin?”

“Doing very well. Mr. Pippin married Miss Diamond and their son is named Faramir and he married my Goldilocks. And Mr. Merry married Miss Estella and they had a son too.”

“I wish I was there.”

“They both wished they could be here. Mr. Pippin told me he wished he had borne the Ring so he could come.”

“Fool of a Took,” Gandalf murmured behind them, but they all heard the affection he said it with.

“I am glad for one that he didn’t,” Frodo said. “I would have loved to see him and Merry again though. We shall one day.”

“Oh, and I was almost forgetting, they gave this to me to give to you, and I brought some of my own to give, too.” Sam brought out a package to give to Frodo.

Frodo’s eyes widened in wonder. “Old Toby and Southern Star and Longbottom Leaf! Bless you, Sam! Now let us go so you can see your new home and later we can have a proper smoke with Gandalf.”

Frodo took Sam’s hand in his. The gardener noticed that though there was still a finger missing, there was a light about that hand just as much as there was anywhere about his master. He marveled at each new sight and smell. His feet gloried in the soft grass. His ears thrilled to the sounds of birds he had never heard before. Elves nodded to him in honor, which caused Sam to blush. 

“Is the Lady here?” Sam wondered. 

“Yes, she awaits you, but wanted you to be a little settled in first. She knew this would be a rather overwhelming day for you, just as it was for Bilbo and me. Are you hungry?”

“They fed us on the boat with the fairest of all food I ever had. And the drink! I also slept a lot better than I thought I would. I could hardly feel the ship moving at all. And then we were sailing in the air! I could not believe my eyes.”

“Nor could I. I would wish to take that trip again without the shroud of grief covering me, so I could truly enjoy it. It is a rare trip indeed for a mortal to make.”

Sam stopped in wonder as they came home. “It’s a smial! Well, I’ll be… All those years ago, when Mr. Bilbo was saying what ending he would like for his book, and I wondered where we would live, I didn’t think it would here in a proper hole in the most Elven of all the lands!”

Frodo laughed. “They wanted to make sure we felt at home.”

Sam squeezed his master’s hand. “Home is wherever you are, me dear. I was that happy even in the Tower of Cirith Ungol because I was holding you. I would be happy there again, but this is more wonderful than I could have dreamed of.”

“Would you like to see the garden? I tried to make it as home like as I could, though I am not the master gardener you are.”

Sam passed through and admired all the flowers. He paused and touched with a smile the elanor that bloomed. “I must say I don’t recognize half of these, but it looks better than the garden at Bag End ever did.”

“That is due no doubt to the virtue of the land and the air here. You will find great healing here, my Sam, for any ill that afflicts you.”

The night, for the first time in over sixty years, Frodo slept with his ear close to the sound of Sam’s heart. Many similar nights followed. The gardener grew used to having a man about the house and was able to tell Boromir much about his brother, king, and queen. Frodo was glad as the two became closer.

One evening, in the still of the night, a strange light grew in the smial. Boromir woke first, then Frodo and Sam. There was a presence there, soft and peaceful, beautiful and old. “Little brother,” the man breathed and the soul there smiled and nodded. Faramir looked to the hobbits with a smile also before turning once more to his brother. Boromir knew then it was time for him to accept the Gift also. Frodo embraced his dear friend and kissed him on the brow. “Go with him, as I will go later with my brother.”

Boromir held Frodo tightly. He could not think of any words to say that would begin to express what all these years meant to him. Frodo smiled in understanding. The man lay down and closed his eyes. He passed with his brother. Frodo placed his head against the man’s brow. “Be at peace, son of Gondor.” 

The next morning there was another burial. Several years later, Frodo and Sam accepted the Gift as well, as Merry and Pippin came to them. The Ring-bearers were buried together as they were found, wrapped in each other’s arms.

So ends this story, but not their story. Their greatest adventure is just beginning…

I will be taking a break from writing fic now. I am working on an original fantasy and also another LOTR book, focusing on the journeys of Bilbo and Frodo. I am glad that this story, my first to feature Boromir, was so well received! Thanks again to Agape4Gondor for wanting this to continue. I’ve enjoyed writing it and traveling down this unexpected Road.