(I felt the strange need about 5 minutes ago to write prolougues for all my stories, ridiculous, because I simply must be eating breakfast at this exact moment) More drabbles from me, once again I am merely imagining all and any instances and basing them on the bald facts (there is a quest. Merry goes on that quest. He is away for a long time. La di da.) *Please post reviews*

Disclaimer: Much as I regret it, I DO NOT own any of these fascinating characters (except for Celandine and Matthais) I am only playing with them, and I promise to play nice. *cheesy grin*

“Oh Esme, what timing!” Esmerelda Brandybuck smiled and turned to Celandine. Both hobbits had been pregnant and no sooner had Celandine delivered Esmereldas’ child than she went into labor. Lindy had been the unofficial midwife and had vowed never to do that again.

“Let me see him again.” Celandine begged.

Esmerelda turned and Celandine gazed at little Meriadoc. “He’s wonderful.”

“So’s Dodinas. Good Brandybuck name too.”

Celandine rolled her eyes. “Matthias’ idea. I wanted something simpler but no, Matty was dead set on Dodinas. I had to give him the nickname Dody.”

The two hobbits laughed softly as their firstborns slept.

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Celandine knocked on the door and a frazzled Esmerelda answered. “I’m here to help.”

Esmerelda sighed, relieved. “I just don’t know what to do! Saradocs’ away and Merry won’t sleep. How’s Dody doing with sleeping?”

“Like a log. Takes after his father.” Celandine said, lifting Merry into her arms. “You sleep. We’ll be fine.”

“You’re sure?”

Celandine smiled. Despite her irritation at her son, Esmerelda still wasn’t willing to leave him. ‘I’m sure.” she replied.

The next dawn, Esmerelda awoke to find Celandine and Merry sound asleep. “Thank-you, Celandine.” Esmerelda whispered, gently taking her son and leaving Celandine to rest.

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“Messy, messy, messy!” Celandine said as she wiped off one of little Merry’s jam-covered hands.

The two-year-old grinned mirthfully and stuck his other sticky hand into Celandines hair.

Celandine groaned as Lindy laughed and scooped up the lad to finish cleaning him up. “Why is it that the cutest ones are the most trouble?” Celandine asked as she rinsed jam and crumbs out of her hair at the washbasin.

Lindy shrugged. “I think the troublesome ones are the most cute, so we don’t get too mad at them.”

“Isn’t that the truth!” Celandine said, hugging a fairly clean Merry.

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“Whatcha doing?”

Celandine looked up from her book to see five-year-old Merry watching her. “Reading.”

‘What?” he asked, leaning over.

Celandine held up her book of tales.

Merry brightened and gazed at her beseechingly with gray-blue eyes.

Celandine gave up any notion of a peaceful afternoon and lifted him onto her lap. Admittedly, he was quiet, but he spent twenty minutes on each page and before she knew it, Celandine was asleep.

She awoke to Merry turning over in his sleep and she carried him back home. “What you need is a friend.” she murmured into his curly hair.

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An insistent knock on the door roused Celandine from her chair. When she opened the door, Meriadoc Brandybuck stood on her doorstep, a distressed look on his tearstained face. “Merry? What is it? What’s wrong?”

The hobbit lad stepped inside. “Nobody’s playing with me.” he mumbled.

“Why not?”

“They say I’m too little. I’m not.”

“Of course you’re not. You are perfectly capable of playing with the older children.”

This fear assuaged, Merry’s mind turned to more important things. “Can I have something to eat? I’m really hungry.”

Celandine rolled her eyes as she escorted the lad to the kitchens.

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Whats wrong, Mer?”

*sigh* “Nothin’ really. Its just….Frodo went back to Hobbiton today, an’ I..I..”

“You miss him.”

*nod* “Why doesn’t he stay at Brandybuck Hall all the time, Celandine? His mum’s a Brandybuck.”

“Well, something happened to his parents, so he lives with his uncle.”

“What happened?”

“They died.”

“Oh.”

“At any rate, your aunt Eglantine is going to have a baby soon.”

“So?”

*smile* “So, maybe you can play with him or her when they come.”

“But it’ll be just a baby!”

“Babies don’t stay babies forever. Before you know it, that little Took’ll be following you everywhere.”

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“Whadja say his name was?”

“Peregrin, called Pippin.” Celandine said.

Merry examined two-week-old Pippin who gazed solemnly back. “He’s awfully small. Was I that small?”

Celandine exchanged a grin with Eglantine and Esmerelda and replied, “Not quite, but close.”

Merry considered this. “He’s got big eyes. Like…like...what’re they called?”

“Emeralds?” Celandine offered.

Merry nodded, then gently took the baby onto his lap and cocked his head at him. He sighed. “Its gonna be a looong time before you can do much of anything, but don’t worry, I like you anyways.”

Pippin smiled up at his older cousin who smiled back.

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“Pippin’s driving me crazy!”

“How is he driving you crazy?’ Celandine asked.

Merry sighed. “I can’t do ANYTHING without him following me! Pippin’s great, but he’s still little and can’t do everything I can, so I have to do things HE can do so then I don’t get to do what I wanna do!”

Celandine gave up trying to figure this out and said gently, “He does it to me too.”

Merry turned to her. “What do you do?’

“I remind myself that he’s still little, and he needs me.” Like you.

Merry leaned against Celandine and thought about that.

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“Is he gonna be okay?”

Celandine met Merry’s panicked grey-blue eyes. “I’m sure he’ll be fine.” she soothed. “Pippin’s a strong lad.”

“But he’s only eight! What if something bad happens….Can I go in and see him?” Merry turned and pleaded with his eyes.

“Why not?” Celandine cracked the door and Merry slipped in.

Standing outside Celandine heard Merry talking. “It's okay Pip, I’m right here, don’t worry….”

Celandine smiled. For all his faults, Merry loved that little Took with every ounce of his being, and always would. Lucky for Pippin. ”Good lad.” she whispered as she gently closed the door.

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Celandine looked down from her tree and watched Merry and Pippin slowly creep towards Farmer Maggots fields.

“What are you doing?” she called down.

The lads froze and looked around.

Celandine smiled when she realized they couldn’t see her.

“W-who said that?” Merry said tremulously.

“This is the lass of the wood and I’m telling ye, go back if ye value your lives!!” Celandine said in a low spooky voice.

The two young hobbits exchanged glances, then turned and ran.

Later, when Esmerelda mentioned Merry’s story about ‘the ghost of the forest’ Celandine merely raised an eyebrow and said nothing.

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“My son misses Merry.” Celandine said, swirling the tea around in her cup.

Esmerelda looked up sharply.

Celandine met her gaze sadly. “Esme, talk to me. Ever since Merry disappeared you haven’t even mentioned him.”

“What do you know about it?” Esmerelda snapped. “You have all your children safe at home, while mine’s off who knows where?”

“I love him too, Esme.” Celandine whispered. “I love them all.”

Esmerelda turned away, but not before Celandine caught a glimpse of tears in her eyes.

Celandine crossed over to her friend and held her while she wept. Please come home, Merry. Please.

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“I still can’t believe you got yourself married, young fellow and to a Bolger!”

Merry laughed. “You sound like a crotchety old woman, Celandine.”

“I AM a crotchety old woman, Meriadoc.” Celandine said, winking and laughing. “How’s married life treatin’ ya?”

Merry grinned. “Great. We got the house all set up and Estella…well, she’s…” He smiled dreamily and trailed off.

Celandine raised an eyebrow, then said, “I feel sorry for Estella. I know what it’s like to deal with a Brandybuck man…”

Celandine shrieked as Merry tossed snow at her and ran. Same old Merry. I’m so glad he’s home.