Disclaimer: See the first chapter. All of that applies.

AN: Please forgive the asinine chapter titles.  I have enough trouble naming stories, without naming the chapters...

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By the time, late the next evening, that the weary hobbits reached Waymeet and turned onto the road leading to Pippin’s home, darkness was falling and the surrounding farmland was enveloped in the clear, indigo light of an early autumn evening. Exhausted from a long, hard day’s riding, they pressed on the last few miles to Tuckborough, heads nodding every now and then as their ponies’ rocking strides pushed them into a doze. As the village drew near, the moon rose, brilliant, nearly full, blotting out the early stars clustered in the sky and throwing pale shadows across the road. The distant bark of a dog was answered by another much closer, and Frodo, jolted awake by the harsh sound, asked groggily "Wh-where are we?"

"Tuckborough. The Thain’s hole is just up there," Sam answered drowsily, nodding towards the looming bank ahead.

The hobbits pulled up their ponies and tied them just outside a door set deep into the bank. Frodo, who had come quite fully awake when he saw the home of his old friend, shot up the path to the door, raising his hand to knock, and then, suddenly nervous, stopped to wait for Sam, who was coming up the walk at a more respectable speed. "Could you knock, Sam? Suddenly I don’t seem able to."

Sam rapped at the deep-set blue door, and after a moment they heard the shuffle of small feet. A little hobbit lass, not more than five, cracked open the door and poked her head out like a turtle emerging from its shell. "Yes? Who is it?" she asked curiously.

Frodo glanced over at his friend, wordlessly asking who this was, as Sam said cheerfully, "Well, hello, Hazel. How are you?"

The girl squinted up at his face, almost lost in the gathering gloom, then opened the door a bit wider, letting more light out into the night. "Oh, Mr. Gamgee! Hello! Do you want to come in?" She swung the door wide and waved Sam inside, Frodo following behind, still trying to work out whose child this could be. As she shut the door, Hazel turned back to Sam and said, "Uncle Pippin’s still visiting Uncle Merry. Do you want me to go get Gramma?"

"Yes, please. Can you tell her that Sam Gamgee is here, and that he’s brought Frodo with him?"

"Who’s that?"

"Don’t worry. She’ll know." As the lass scampered off, Sam noticed Frodo’s puzzled expression and explained. "Pippin’s niece, Hazel Grubb – Pervinca’s eldest. They must be visiting."

"When did Pervinca marry?"

"Oh, about six years ago now."

Frodo sighed. "It’s going to take me years to catch up on all that’s happened here." As he finished his sentence, they heard several hobbits rushing into the passage leading to the entry, and Frodo was promptly engulfed in an immense hug and several kisses on the cheeks, administered by his Aunt Eglantine. He endured this for a few moments, then wheezed, "Aunt Lani, I’m glad to see you too. Please don’t strangle me."

She reluctantly broke off her enthusiastic embrace and stepped back, saying, "Let me get a good look at you." As he was inspected, Frodo took the opportunity to examine his aunt and uncle. He decided that, except for a smattering of grey hairs, they looked just about the same as they had seven years ago – Aunt Lani plump, cheerful, and excessively freckled, and Uncle Paladin as wiry and serious as ever. He’d always thought the two of them made an odd couple.

"So you’ve decided to come home, have you?" Paladin asked, eyeing his nephew as if trying to ascertain how long he’d stay in the Shire this time.

"Yes, I have. For good," Frodo glanced pointedly at his uncle. Then, turning to his aunt he queried, "When are you expecting Pippin and Diamond back?"

"Not for a few days," Eglantine said. "Probably longer now – I expect they’ll stop at Bag End when they hear you’re back. Oh, I say! You must be famished! Sit down, you two, and let me find you something to eat. Paladin, dear, go fetch Pervinca. I’m sure she’ll love to see her cousin again. I say, you two, sit down!" She concluded her rambling by tugging her guests into the kitchen and pulling two chairs out from the table. Sam and Frodo obediently sat down.

As the travelers tucked in to plates heaped high with supper leftovers, Pervinca entered the kitchen, little Hazel following close behind. "Hello, there, cousin," she said. "It’s good to have you back." Then, to her mother, "Are those mushrooms, Mom? Could I have some?" Soon she settled down at the table with her own food, saying, "So Sam, Frodo, will you be staying the night?"

"If we’re invited," said Sam. Frodo’s mouth was too full to speak, so he conveyed his agreement with a nod and an enthusiastic wave of his fork.

"Oh, good," Lani grinned, "I couldn’t bear to think of you two out all alone in the cold. You like the mushrooms, Frodo?"

"Mmmhhph."

Sam choked into his plate as he laughed, elbowing Frodo amicably. "Didn’t they have mushrooms out there, Frodo? I thought the West was positively perfect," he whispered.

"The Ainur can do many things, Sam. Mushrooms aren’t one of them," Frodo mumbled around yet another mouthful.

"Well, then," Sam said as he scraped bits of gravy off his plate, "it’s a good thing you came home."

"What are you talking about?" Hazel asked, piping up for the first time since she’d come in with her mother.

"Nothing much," Frodo said, turning in his chair to face her. "So, Hazel, have you figured out who I am yet?"

"Mama says you’re our cousin. How come I’ve never met you?"

"Have you met all your cousins?"

"No," she said after a moment, "there are a lot."

"There you have it, then. I got lost in the shuffle."

Both Hazel and Pervinca laughed, Pervinca saying "Really, Frodo, I expect you to tell me all about it someday. But not now," she added as Hazel’s eyes lit up, "because now it’s time for someone to go to bed."

"But Mama…"

"No buts. If you don’t complain, I’ll get your Daddy to tell you a story."

"The frog one?"

"We’ll see. Now come along." They left the kitchen, Eglantine right behind them as she went to look for Paladin. Sam and Frodo were left sitting alone with their empty plates.

"So," Sam asked, "how does it feel to be back with family?"

Frodo sighed, leaning back in his chair and smiling benevolently at his plate. "Wonderful."