"Aaah.." sighed Merry. "I feel much better now."

He stood up, hiking his pants back up around his waist and pulling his suspenders up. He pulled his vest back on, buttoned it, and flung open the door of the privey. Merry paused, looking around. A mischievous glint flashed in his eyes. He checked again to make sure no one was around, and began to dash up the side of Bag End (hoping that the roof wouldn't collapse). After a moment he reached the top, breathing heavily. He straightened, straining to see anything of interest. A passer-by hobbit laughed, and waved to him as he passed by. Merry waved back, jumping up and down. The hobbit chuckled, and continued on his merry way.

After the man had gone, Merry took to stumbling down the front of the hill, and avoiding the windows at all costs. He soon came near to the bottom of the hill, and paused, looking in a window. 'What is that - on the floor there?' he thought to himself. There was a pile of clothes in front of a chair, or something like that. Merry moved aside to let the sunlight through the window..and gasped. Curled up in a ball, leaning on the chair, and crying, was his cousin.

~~

Pippin whimpered as his father pushed him back away from the doorway. He landed on his behind, scrambling backwards, but only to be stopped by his father's foot as it planted on his hand.

"Come to Bag End, eh?" remarked his father lightly, looking around. "Made some new..friends? Got into a bit of trouble?"

On the word 'trouble', Paladin switched his weight onto his right foot, digging into Pippin's hand. His son bit his lip, practically watching the bones bend. Without warning, Paladin's leg swung up, catching Pippin in the stomach. He skidded across the floor, coming to a stop in front of the chair he had been sitting in. He groped around, grabbing the pipe off the floor and throwing it at Paladin. It bounced off his cheek, and some ash spilled into his eyes. Paladin cursed, his eyes watering. He wiped his sleeve over his face, and delivered a kick to Pippin's jaw.

"Stay here," Paladin commanded, blinking furiously and wiping his eyes more. "I'll be right back. I expect you to be in this exact place when I return."

Pippin closed his eyes, curling into a ball and listening to his father's retreating footsteps. A tear rolled down his cheek, and then another, and another. Light coming from a nearby window only made him colder...until it went away. Pippin slowly peeked upwards at the window, only to be blinded by the light again. Perhaps a cloud had passed over the sun..

Footsteps sounded again, and Paladin came back, holding a quill and a piece of paper. He put them on a table, pulled Pippin up by his elbow, and pushed him to the table.

"Write them a note," Paladin said. "Tell them you went somewhere. Far away. Like Meriadoc's. Yes, tell them you went to Meriadoc's."

"But -" Pippin started.

"Write it!"

"O-Ok.."

Pippin pushed away some of Bilbo's old party notes, wiping away a bit of ink and putting the ink bottle upright. He dipped the pen into it, then started to write.

Dear Friends,

He wrote. He paused, pen hovering an inch above the page..and got an idea.

I've gone to Merry's so he can help me with my injured hand. I hope it hasn't taken you much trouble to let me stay at your home.
Peregrin, son of Paladin.

He bolded the words that he needed to be seen, using as much ink as he could without making an inkblot. As soon as he was finished, his father picked it up, waving it dry. He folded it carelessly, sticking it in an envelope. He grabbed the pen from Pippin and scrawled 'Bilbo' on the front of it.

"Get your cloak."

"Y-yes, father." Said Pippin meekly, squeezing past him and grabbing his cloak off a hook on the wall. His father came up behind him, and Pippin swung open the door. His father jumped in surprise, swinging around and pushing himself into the corner next to the door. Pippin blinked.

"Pippin!" said Merry. "Is everything all right? I saw you crying."

"W-what? Oh, I..." Pippin glanced quickly side-a-ways, and his father glared at him. "I tripped, and I hit my head on the chair...and..it hurt."

"I see," said Merry slowly, eyeing his cloak. "Where are you going?"
Pippin gulped, fingering his collar. "A walk," he said quickly. "A little walk, that's all."

"You meet me at the curve of the road," Paladin hissed in his ear, sneaking around the corner and heading towards the back door.

"Bilbo should be back in..in a little bit." Stuttered Pippin. He lowered his head a bit, looking at the floor. The letter he had written was laying a few feet away from him. He paused, then picked it up and handed it to Merry. "Give this to Frodo as soon as he gets back, will you? And," -Pippin lowered his voice- "Tell him this: bold."

Merry took the letter, bemusedly scratching his head and tucking the paper in his pocket. "Bold. Give him the letter. Aye." He nodded.

Pippin nodded back, pushing past Merry. His cousin waved, and he waved back. His cousin closed the door, and he sighed, heading down the road. At the bend, he met with his father.

"Don't stray off the path," his father growled, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him next to him, walking at a brisk pace. "And no trying to escape."

'No trying to escape?' Pippin repeated in his mind. 'For hobbits' sake, he sounds like an orc!'

~~