By: Dana
Summary: The Yule after Frodo leaves.
Characters: Pippin, Merry, Sam, Rose, Elanor
Pairings: Sam/Rose
Rating: G
Warnings: Gen (with obvious het), angst
Author's Notes: The fifth of five somewhat connected vignettes, from SR 1417 to SR 1421.
Betaed by dreamflower02.
Series Index: Roads Go On and Years Go By.
Disclaimer: The author makes no claim to owning the rights of anything to do with J.R.R. Tolkien or New Line Cinema. Any and all characters and situations that have been borrowed are for the author's personal use only, and for the entertainment of others.

1421 – Sing We Joyous, All Together

That year, at Bag End, when Pippin was asked to sing, he sang with all his heart – and if he wept by the time the song was over, well, then, he could hardly be blamed. That carol had been Frodo's favourite, after all, and Frodo...

'I think we ought to tell Elanor another story about her dear uncle Frodo,' Pippin said, once he'd scrubbed the tears from his cheeks. Merry nodded, and bounced the bright baby on his knee – still, there were tears glinting in his eyes. He bent his head and kissed Elanor's cheek, and Pippin wished desperately that Frodo could have been there, for this. For all of them, and for all the Shire. It seemed an awful turn, to save everything and then to have to go away.

Sam was surprisingly dry eyed, but then, Pippin no doubt thought Sam knew something that no one else knew. So he smiled at Sam, and as Merry bounced little Elanor, Pippin told her of the time that Sam and Frodo and Marigold had all gone blackberry picking, and the mess that they had made. 'Frodo would have told that one better,' Merry said, after all. 'But then, he was there – as was Sam. What do you think of it, Sam?'

'Master Pippin did a fine job, Master Merry,' Sam said, for some habits were hard to break, and he blustered some. 'Ah, that is, Pippin, and Merry. Oh, but what would my Gaffer say!'

'That you are the Master of Bag End now, Samwise Gamgee, and it seems to be just the right time that you allow us to treat you as the equal that you are!' Pippin was surprised that he had spoken with such force, but then he blushed, and smiled, and laughed. When Merry gave him Elanor, he held the baby close.

'My dear Elanor, you will grow up in a Shire vastly different from the one I have ever known, and one that will never quite be the same–' He daren't say better, for that somehow seemed cruel. 'But this Shire, no doubt, shall see your father as the great hobbit that he truly is. There are still lesser heroes amongst us, but your Sam-dad is certainly amongst the great.'

'Oh, Pippin,' Sam gasped, and now tears glinted in his eyes. Pippin stood, one arm full of happy, laughing baby, and the other arm around Sam – and he bent his brow against Sam's.

'Thank you,' he said, and his voice was suddenly hoarse. 'Thank you, Sam.'

Now Rose wiped tears from her eyes. 'I ought to check the spiced scones,' she said, and made to rise. Merry embraced her, instead.

'I think we all ought to sing again,' said Sam. 'A good way to turn out the year, don't you think?'

If there were more tears, after that, well, they fell in good company – and as they fell, four voices rose up as one, and one bright baby laughed along, singing her own song.