Disclaimer: I don’t own anything. I am just borrowing the characters and situations from Tolkien and New Line Cinema for my own enjoyment and for the entertainment of others.

“What’s the matter, Pippin? Can’t you sleep?”

Pippin turned and looked at his older cousin. He had not meant to wake him with his restlessness. It was only that he could not seem to find any comfort in sleep. As he did not want to tell his cousin this, all he said was “Nothing, I just needed to get a drink of water.”

Merry turned an incredulous eye upon him, and fixed him with a stare that told Pippin he would not be left in peace until the truth was out. “So you felt the need to get out of bed and go to the kitchens for water when there is a pitcher of perfectly fine water on the nightstand?”

Pippin realized he had been caught and gave a weary smile. "I can never put anything past you, Merry. You know me too well."

“Yes I do. I’ve known you since your birth, after all. Now tell me what’s wrong.” Merry watched with growing worry as the weary smile left Pippin’s face and was replaced by a frown and what could only be the beginning of tears. “Come here, Pippin. Come on, tell me what’s wrong.”

Pippin, exhausted beyond reason from having only slept fitfully in the past few nights, couldn’t stand it anymore. Needing to unburden his heart he ran into Merry’s arms and beginning sobbing earnestly and speaking incoherently.

Merry could feel Pippin shaking like a leaf. Poor Pippin, he hoped he could help him “It’s alright, Pippin dear. Shh, calm down. What kind of nightmares are they?”

“I can’t stand to sleep, Merry. Whenever I close me eyes, I see the palantír again and am drawn to it.” Pippin's voice quavered as he spoke. “It traps me once more, but this time it does not give up its hold on me and I begin to burn with it in my palms as Denethor did. I can feel the flames scorching my skin, devouring me whole. I see the reflection of my burning hands in the surface of the palantír.”  He closed his eyes and buried his face in his hands. “Merry, I can't face the dreams anymore.”

“Pippin, you are fine. You are not burning on a pyre like Denethor.” Merry looked at Pippin making sure he caught his eyes. “You did not succumb to the madness of the palantír. You did not lose yourself to it.” Holding Pippin’s gaze he said, “Sauron is gone. His presence no longer taints the palantír. He can not burn you, you are safe.”

“No, Merry,” Pippin said in a sober tone while pulling way. “The dreams are right about one thing. Like Denethor, I succumbed; I failed everyone. I failed Frodo, Gandalf, Aragorn, even you, Merry, even you.”

“Pip you did not fail anyone, especially not me. You could never fail me.”

“Then why did you turn away from me when I needed you the most?” Pippin asked sadly.

“What are you talking about Pip?” Merry asked, even though he had a sinking feeling it had to do with what happened on the way to Edoras.

“After Isengard, Merry. After I looked in the palantír you wouldn’t look at me. You turned away, ashamed of me. You had no kind words for me, even though we both knew we might never see each other again.” Frustration turning to anger, Pippin said, “How could our friendship mean so little to you, Merry? How could you throw it away so easily?” Not even giving Merry a chance to respond, he continued, “Don’t answer, I know why. It is because you think I am a failure,” Pippin said with bitterness.

Merry could not believe the words coming from Pippin’s mouth. Was this bitter and anguished hobbit the same cousin he had known for so many years? Desperately he said, “Pippin none of that is true. I promise you that I have never thought of you as a failure. I value our friendship more than anything in the world.” Giving a tormented cry he said, “The only reason I turned away from you was because I had failed you. For as long as I can remember I have protected you. In that moment I failed to protect you from the Dark Lord himself. I could not face you,” he cried out. “Please forgive me, Pippin,” he said with tears in his eyes, “for failing to protect you, and for letting you think you had failed me. I have always been proud of you.”

Astonished by what he was hearing, Pippin tried to break into the tirade. “Merry …”

However, he was quickly cut off by a determined Merry. “No Pip, let me finish. You have not only not failed me, you haven’t failed Frodo, Gandalf, or Aragorn either. Your curiosity caused the turn of the tide. Without it Gandalf would have been revealed too soon to the Dark Lord.  You drew Sauron’s eye away from Frodo and Sam, you caused him to make a rash move which cost him the war. Pip, you are no failure.”

Pippin was stunned by Merry’s words and the intensity of the emotion behind them. Maybe his cousin was right, he hadn’t failed after all. But his cousin hadn’t failed either and he had to make sure Merry understood that as well. “I’ll believe you, Merry, but you must believe me also when I say you have never failed me. I know you have always tried to protect me, but you must realize it is not always possible for you to do so.”

“I know, Pip. You have come into your own.”  Merry hugged Pippin, relieved that they had finally cleared up this misunderstanding. Just then Pippin yawned and Merry laughed. "Come on, Pip. Let's get some sleep."

He could smell a salty mist in the air. Opening his eyes he found himself standing in front of a wide expanse of water that could only be the ocean he had heard so much about. He looked down, and in his hands lay the palantír again, but this time it was passive. It had no raging fire. He knew what he must do, then. He walked into the water and dropped the seeing stone into its depths, where it would join its lost brothers. And as he watched it sink, he felt a heavy burden lift from his heart. It no longer controlled him, he was free.

Note: Thank you to Auntiemeesh for the wonderful Beta.