Disclaimer: I do not own these characters and no money is being made from this. Please don't sue me. A turnip is worth more than I am.

In Fangorn Forest

by Garnet Took

"I'm sorry," said Merry.

"Sorry? For what?" asked Pippin, looking up from the blade of grass he'd been turning in his fingers.

"For not protecting you. I should have been able to get us away from those vile orcs. Instead of looking out for you, I go and get myself hit over the head and end up unconscious for most of the journey." He found himself unable to meet Pippin's steady gaze. He kept his eyes downcast and looked at his hands clasping and unclasping in his lap.

"I didn't know that it was your appointed job to look out for me," said Pippin. "I thought we were in this together--looking out for each other."

"Well, yes, we are. But it should have been my place, as the oldest, to keep you safe. I knew that we were in danger, running off the way we did, but I didn't try to stop you. I just followed after you shouting my fool--head off and drawing attention to us. I should have dragged you back to camp and waited for Strider and the others."

"Did it ever occur to you, Meriadoc Brandybuck, that I might have known exactly what I was doing. I knew I shouldn't have run off, too; and I thought myself about dragging you back, too. Let's get this one fact straight first: we were both really stupid. That makes us even there.

"Now, about this idea that you have that I need looking after. I may not have studied the maps like Frodo and you did, but I did pay attention to what was said as we walked and in camp. I'm young, Merry, not naive. And besides, what was I supposed to do, wait till you were coherent enough to come up with a plan to get us away? I did what I had to. I seized a chance when it was presented, just like you would have. I used my head--and I know that may have come as a shock--but I did, and I tried to think of everything I could to give us any chance to escape, or be rescued."

Pippin earnest words forced Merry to look at him at last. "I guess I know that you've grown up during all this, but I just can't get used to it. I'm so used to looking out for you that I can't quite break the habit. I must have sounded very ungrateful just now. I am glad you were there and able to think as quickly as you were. You really were quite clever. Maybe it's time I stopped thinking of you as a child. Just don't forget, I'm still the older."

"I'll never be able to forget that," said Pippin, finally breaking into a smile. "You do look ever so much older than I do, after all."

Merry could only smile and shake his head.