Part 4- I'm going to look after you
Pippin had watched with awe as Strider-Aragorn- freed the King of the Dead, and then he began wandering the Pelennor Fields. He could hardly believe that he was still alive, and yet he was. He looked around at the carnage before him, sorrowfully mourning the fallen soldiers of Gondor and Rohan.
He hoped that his friends were all well- certainly Legolas, Gandalf, Gimli, and Aragorn were well. Faramir, too, had been saved, and would hopefully heal. He prayed to the Valar that Merry had stayed in Edoras with Eowyn, and that Frodo and Sam were well and almost finished with their task.
Pippin's heart was sinking, and he didn't know why. The feeling of despair was upon him, and he could hardly breathe around it. His eyes caught sight of something, and then he realized he had been looking for it the whole time.
Feet. Big, hairy fee. Hobbit feet! And the Hobbit they belonged to was not standing or sitting, but lying down, like the rest of the dead. Pippin cried out and rushed past a creature so large that, under other circumstances, he would have gawked at it.
A stinking, dead Orc was on top of his Merry. The feet could only have belonged to him. He hauled the Orc of his cousin and pushed it aside, disgusted and angry with it for falling on top of Merry. He gently took Merry in his arms, seeing but not believing that the blood on Merry's handsome features could be his own.
"Merry! Merry, it's me!" Pippin sobbed, hoping and praying the Valar that Merry would open his eyes, and smile at him, and all would go back to the way it used to be. Pippin's breath caught as Merry slowly opened his eyes. Still alive! He was still alive, and that meant he could be saved. Pippin would save him.
"It's Pippin," Pippin said, trying to not let the tears fall on Merry's upturned face. Merry looked like he was at peace, not for being saved, but for seeing Pippin again. It made his heart ache to see Merry attempt a smile.
"I knew you'd find me…" Merry said weakly. "Yes," Pippin said, smiling, crying, and laughing all at the same time. They were together again. A shadow suddenly crossed Merry's face as a thought occurred to him.
"Are you going to leave me?" he asked softly, looking up into Pippin's eyes. His expression told Pippin that this is exactly what he thought would happen. Pippin shook his head emphatically.
"No, Merry," he said, "I'm going to look after you." 'For once,' he added to himself but did not say. He thought it was high time he paid back the favor. Merry wouldn't have to carry the burden anymore.
With that, he covered Merry with his cloak and stayed where they both knew he belonged-right by Merry's side.