Title: Choose (Part 6/6 – version 2)  
Author: Elentari (elentari_elf@hotmail.com)  
Pairings: Frodo/Sam
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Merry, Pippin and Sam all have feelings for Frodo. Frodo 
devises a competition to choose one. Gimli, Boromir and Aragorn bet on 
the results. 
Disclaimer: I am not making any money from this. I did not invent these 
characters or their surroundings. And worst of all, I don’t own any of the 
hobbits! 
Authors Note: OK, am making it complicated. There are now two endings. 
This is version 2 (look, it’s there in the title!). This is partly to make the 
largest possible audience happy, and partly to make me happy as I 
changed what I wanted to happen half way through, by which time it was 
too late. So this is the one I thought of second, which might not fit as well 
with the plot, but should still tie up all the loose ends. Unfortunately that 
damn pairings thing makes it hard to have any suspense, but it is useful in 
seeing if you’d prefer this ending or the first one. So, choose one or read 
them both! BTW, the beginnings are pretty similar, so if you read them 
both, don’t be surprised if you get a sense of déjà vu. And give me 
feedback, you lovely people, because I love it and I’ll also know if I’m 
really a bit too ambitious to be trying to do this. Ready for the end (or at 
least, this version of it)? Here it is!

Part 6

“Where’s Sam?”

It was a while after they had left Lothlorien. Aragorn looked around.

“Never mind about Sam, Boromir, where’s Frodo?” he asked, frowning.

“Probably just wandered off somewhere,” Gimli grunted.

“I’d better go look for him,” Boromir said. “It would be a terrible thing to 
lose the Ringbearer now.”

“Yes, go,” Aragorn said. “So unselfish of you to offer to search for a 
hobbit when all of us will be resting. Such a kind heart.”

Boromir flashed Aragorn a warning glance.

“You’d better look for Sam as well,” said Pippin thoughtfully.

“Oh, I’m sure he won’t forget about Sam,” Aragorn said.

Boromir turned and left without dignifying Aragorn with a reply.

*	*	*

Aragorn sighed as he saw Merry and Pippin walk away from the group.

“I don’t understand. I thought Frodo chose Merry. Why then does he stay 
so close to Pippin these days?” he asked the dwarf and the elf.

“Merry? And Pippin?” Gimli said, surprised.

“Don’t tell me you hadn’t noticed!” Legolas gasped.

“Well...not really,” Gimli answered uncomfortably. “It’s probably just that 
I don’t spend all my time ogling the hobbits as some people do.”

*	*	*

There he was. The sunlight streamed through the leaves on the trees, 
dappling Sam with gold. He couldn’t see his face, as the hobbit was 
resting his head in his hands. He looked so desperately sad and alone, yet 
his beauty was not lessened at all. From the uncertain shadow spilt onto 
the ground to the tight curls nestling on his head, he was the vision of 
perfection.

He couldn’t contain himself any more. All the control he had exercised 
during the long months of the journey suddenly evaporated and he rushed 
towards the object of his devotion.

The last thing Frodo saw before he was knocked to the ground was 
Boromir desperately running over to him.

*	*	*

Legolas wandered over to Merry and Pippin, who were sitting a little away 
from the group and talking and laughing together. When they saw the elf 
coming towards them, they quickly shuffled apart and stopped whispering 
to each other.

“Come, there’s no need to act on my account,” Legolas laughed. “From 
the way you two have behaved over the last few days, an orc would have 
worked out that something was going on between you two. Do you really 
think an elf could have failed to notice?”

“Are we really that obvious?” Pippin asked. “Still, please don’t talk about 
it to any of the others. At least let us keep the pretence of secrecy.”

“You have my word,” Legolas promised, and sat down next to the couple. 
“Still, that was not what I came to ask you about.”

“What do you want? I doubt there is any way we can aid you,” Merry said.

“Frodo has been wandering off more frequently these days. He seems 
melancholy in some way. I know this is not from the effects of the ring, as 
his symptoms do not yet display such a strong desire for the object. He is 
your friend. Can you tell me what is troubling him?” Legolas asked.

Pippin glanced nervously at Merry. Merry chewed his lip in thought.

“I think I could tell you why,” he said at last, “but this can go no further 
than you. Do you understand?” 

“If it will affect the fellowship or the path we must take...” Legolas said 
doubtfully.

“Oh, that is highly unlikely,” Merry assured the elf. “But some things I 
will tell you are highly personal and, ah, intimate, so I would rather they 
reached nobody else’s ears.”

“Then I can promise to keep this conversation secret,” Legolas swore 
solemnly.

“Right then,” Merry began, “I won’t go into too many details, but just 
before we got into Lothlorien, Pippin, Sam and I talked and discovered 
that we all really liked Frodo. When we told him, he devised a competition 
to test us.”

Merry faltered for the first time and looked up to the elf to see if he was 
following.

“Yes,” Legolas said quietly, “go on.”

“Well, what he wanted us to do was to come to him on separate nights and 
have our way with him – he would be blindfolded and wouldn’t know 
which one of us was which. Then he’d choose which night he liked best. 
Anyway, I was third and I went to his room. However, I didn’t want to go 
through with it for several reasons, and after explaining, I left him. The 
next day, he chose me. I was delighted, of course, but after we’d talked for 
a while, it became clear that somebody had come in after I’d left and had 
sex with him. Apparently it was fantastic. So, it couldn’t work between us 
and I think he’s pining for this mystery person. He had no idea who it 
was.”

Legolas deliberated on this for a few moments. Of course, it hadn’t looked 
like Merry, but it hadn’t occurred to him that it might be anyone else. But 
now, if Merry said it definitely wasn’t him...

“You don’t seem very surprised,” said Pippin disapprovingly.

Legolas woke from his thoughts.

“It takes a lot to shock an elf,” he smiled at the young hobbit.

He rose slowly to his feet.

“Thank you for being open with me. None of this will reach any of the 
others,” he said.

“I am grateful to you for that. I cannot imagine that you could do anything 
to help Frodo? It pains us to see him like this,” Merry said.

“Perhaps. Do you have any idea who this person could have been?” 
Legolas asked.

“Me? No, I find it hard to see who would have done such a thing. Nobody 
except us hobbits knew of the situation before hand, and it seems unlikely 
that anybody passing his room would just come in and take him,” Merry 
said.

“I think it was an elf,” Pippin said thoughtfully.

“What?” Legolas asked, amused.

“Oh, sorry, I forgot who you were,” the young hobbit said. “Just that’s the 
only explanation I can think of. An elf of Lothlorien was passing, perhaps 
one who had liked Frodo from afar. Maybe he heard what Merry and 
Frodo said to each other, and worked out what was going on, then decided 
he could get away with going in once Merry had slipped out.”

“It does seem unlikely,” Legolas said. “Would you have a problem with 
me talking to Frodo?”

“Oh,” Merry said, suddenly worried. “Oh, I don’t know. I’d rather you 
didn’t mention we had said anything about it if you did. Think of some 
other plausible explanation if possible. You know, being a sensitive elf 
and the like. But if you think that is the best thing to do to help him – you 
have my permission.”

“Thank you. I will not use any of the information you have told me 
lightly.”

With that Legolas turned and walked into the forest, taking the path 
Boromir had a few minutes before. The two hobbits watched him, 
uneasiness growing. 

*	*	*

“Boromir?”

“FRODO?!?” 

It was hard to tell which of the two was more surprised.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Frodo asked.

He was pinned to the ground under Boromir’s weight.

Oh, shit. Now he’d have to come up with a plausible explanation.

Although maybe Frodo would understand...

“It’s just that...ever since I’ve joined this fellowship, I’ve wanted...”

“Yes?” said Frodo, irritated. He was really uncomfortable. Why couldn’t 
Boromir leave him alone when he was upset? Did he fancy him as well?

It was no use. Of course Frodo wouldn’t understand. 

“I’ve wanted...the ring,” he said feebly. It sounded foolish and false to his 
ears.

“Oh,” said Frodo in an understanding voice. Well. The ring. At least he 
could identify with that, although it was still rather annoying. 

Boromir, seeing that Frodo seemed to be swallowing his story, continued 
with more enthusiasm. 

“Yes, the ring. It calls to me. At night. Yes. And it would be really useful 
to, um, help Gondor. Just let me take it there. It will be much more 
valuable to us than it is to you.”

He searched Frodo’s eyes. Surely he wouldn’t say yes? That would 
produce some difficulties.

“Oh, just bugger off,” Frodo said at last, and reluctantly put the ring on. It 
looked like that would be the only way to escape Boromir, who had 
clearly gone totally mad.

“Wait!” Boromir called. 

He was immediately hit in the stomach. He doubled over, more from 
surprise than pain.

“Frodo! Frodo, wait! I can explain!” he cried, realising what a stupid thing 
he’d done to pretend to want the ring. What had he been thinking?

“Don’t leave, please!” he called.

But it was too late. Filled with remorse, Boromir started to stumble back 
to the group.

*	*	*

“Sam, is that you?” 

“Mmm? What? Who’s there?” Sam said, scrambling to his feet.

“Have you been sleeping there all this time?” Pippin asked.

“Not sleeping. Guarding,” Sam said dangerously.

“It’s just that Boromir’s gone to look for you and Frodo,” Pippin 
explained.

“Mr Frodo? Where’s he gone?” Sam said, suddenly alert.

Pippin shrugged.

“I’ll find him! Don’t worry!” Sam announced bravely, and rushed off into 
the forest.

Pippin sighed in exasperation as he watched his companion disappear. 

“That’s four of them running around in that forest. It’ll be ages before we 
manage to set off again with all of them getting lost!” he said to Merry.

“So? Just means we have more time with less people around, my dearest,” 
Merry said, putting his arm around Pippin, who smiled and snuggled 
against his love. 

*	*	*

When he was sure that Boromir had gone, Frodo took the ring off. He was 
tired of the fellowship, tired of all the complications and difficulties. He 
knew he had to destroy the ring, but there were too many distractions 
amongst other people – he was going to have to destroy it alone.

“Frodo, is that you?”

Frodo sighed. Never a moment of peace! He turned reluctantly.

“Legolas?” he said surprised. “What do you want?”

“I need to talk to you. I need to tell you something about the person who 
came on the third night,” Legolas said seriously.

Frodo took in a sudden gasp. 

“How do you know about that?” he asked.

Legolas sighed sadly.

“You’ll hate me for this,” he said, “but I must tell you.”

“Hate you?” Frodo asked. “Impossible, I’m sure. What is it?”

“Gimli overheard you talking to Merry, Pippin and Sam about the 
competition you would have,” Legolas started reluctantly. “He told us – 
Boromir, Aragorn and I – and they had a bet over who you would choose.”

“What?” Frodo asked, amazed. “That’s...that’s despicable. But – you say 
they. Did you not bet?”

“No,” said Legolas shortly.

“Then you seem to be my only friend. I see no reason to hate you,” Frodo 
said slowly.

“Wait, you have not heard it all yet. Gimli suggested that somebody 
should watch you each night and report back. I was nominated because I 
would be unbiased and have the stealth of an elf,” Legolas explained.

“You mean...you watched...” Frodo couldn’t complete his sentence. “Oh, 
Legolas. Oh.”

“I’m so sorry. I wish I hadn’t done it. I feel really terrible about it,” 
Legolas apologised.

“I don’t know what to think,” Frodo admitted. “I should be mortified, 
furious, something like that. But really, I just don’t care.”

Legolas said nothing, ashamed.

“So I suppose I must forgive you. In one way you can still be useful to me 
– please tell me, as you must know, if it wasn’t Merry on the third night, 
who was it?”

Legolas looked sadly at Frodo.

“I thought it was Merry. Really, I did. But obviously I was wrong. I wasn’t 
watching you too closely – by the third night, my conscience was too 
obstructive – but I can tell you that it was definitely a hobbit. My powers 
of observation stretch that far,” he said slowly.

“So...it’s Pippin! It must be!” Frodo exclaimed excitedly. “He was so 
upset when I chose Merry...I could see it in his face and...what?”

Frodo had noticed Legolas shaking his head firmly.

“It wasn’t Pippin. I...I talked to Merry and Pippin just now and...”

“WHAT?”

“Look, they were concerned about you. Don’t be angry at them. Anyway, 
I’m certain it wasn’t Pippin. He said it wasn’t him,” Legolas said.

“Pft. Of course he’d SAY that, but I saw his face. I know...”

“No, Frodo, I believe him. I don’t know how to tell you...apparently you 
haven’t realised...like the dwarf...”

“Please, make sense. Tell me what?” Frodo said impatiently.

“Pippin’s in love with Merry. Always has been. And Merry’s in love with 
him,” Legolas said shortly.

There was a pause.

“Right. Well. So they were both lying to me. That’s nice to know,” Frodo 
said heatedly.

“Frodo. You are being ridiculous. They both have their reasons for doing 
what they did. You cannot hold their love against them – I have seen it and 
sensed it and it is the purest, most perfect love. If you ruin that for them, it 
would be like tearing down a beautiful rose. There is no reason for you to 
do it except spite, and they cannot protect themselves. If you do that, I 
cannot stand by and watch you destroy them,” Legolas said with a shaky 
voice.

Frodo was surprised at the passion in the elf’s speech.

“Alright, I won’t confront them. I’ll leave them if it really means that 
much to you,” he said grudgingly. “I suppose I see your point.”

“Then you must understand what I’m trying to tell you,” Legolas 
persisted.

“Well,” Frodo said laboriously, “you said it was a hobbit, did you not? But 
it isn’t Merry or Pippin. So...wait...Sam?”

Legolas nodded.

“SAM? Impossible. I mean...why would he do that?” Frodo asked amazed.

“Because he loves you, you fool!” Legolas said, exasperated. “Can’t you 
see it? When I first saw you two, I could see how you two were ideal for 
each other, and I could see how Sam knew it, and wanted it to be true, but 
you were too caught up in your life to notice him. He even told you, 
eventually, but you dismissed it.”

“Of course I dismissed it!” Frodo cried. “How could all three of them 
suddenly fall in love with me? The idea was ridiculous. I just wanted to 
get as much fun out of it before they realised that they no sooner loved me 
than they loved Aragorn!”

“But they don’t all love you. Only Sam,” Legolas breathed.

Sam. Of course it was Sam. So much part of his life that Frodo had taken 
him for granted. Had forgotten he was a person with feelings and had only 
thought of himself. Had mistaken the undiluted love Sam had offered him 
for a foolish servant’s obligation.

“How can he love me?” Frodo said at last in despair. “I’ve been such an 
idiot, Legolas, I couldn’t see what was right in front of me. I mean, not 
only that night, but all the days before it! You probably saw, but the night 
when he came...why did I bite him?...that night, he came back and untied 
me, risking me finding him out!”

“Yes,” Legolas said unsurely, “that might not have been...”

“I must have hurt him so many times, and now...now when I know, and 
when I care, now he must hate me.”

“But he doesn’t, and he never will,” Legolas promised quietly. “Find him, 
Frodo, and tell him, and love him and care for him and never let him go. 
Such love can usually only be found once in an age, and here we have it 
twice in this fellowship. Hobbits are indeed remarkable creatures.”

“I will! Oh, thank you, Legolas, for opening my eyes!” Frodo said 
gratefully.

“Now everything is perfect,” the elf said. “You and Sam will no longer be 
sad, and we can be a proper fellowship again, and once the ring is 
destroyed, as it surely will be, after that...”

Frodo’s eyes suddenly widened. He shook his head erratically.

“The ring. Oh, sweet Eru, the ring. I’m sorry, I can’t stay with the 
fellowship,” he said.

“What? Why not?” Legolas cried.

“Boromir wants the ring,” Frodo revealed.

“Boromir? Surely not,” Legolas said disbelievingly.

“I cannot stay and tempt him. I must go to Mount Doom alone. It is 
enough to risk my own life – I cannot risk his as well. So, it ends before it 
has started,” Frodo said despondently. 

“Well, I can see you have made your mind up, although it cannot have 
been an easy decision,” Legolas said. “I suppose I’d best help you leave 
before anybody else comes. You’re making the right decision, however 
much it pains you.”

Without conversation, Legolas helped Frodo into a boat and set it up, 
ready for him to go. Just as they were finished, a figure appeared in the 
distance.

“It’s Sam!” Frodo cried. “Darling Sam! He’ll not let me leave if I don’t go 
now!”

“I’d better go. I can’t guide him to you. I’m sorry, Frodo,” Legolas said 
mournfully. “Good luck.”

Frodo smiled wryly.

“Goodbye,” he said tiredly as the elf disappeared through the trees.

He quickly pushed off from the bank and the boat started to drift to the 
middle of the river.

Sam saw the movement and ran towards it.

“Mr Frodo! Stop! Don’t leave! I won’t leave you!” he called.

Frodo paid no attention. He knew he could not risk Sam’s life as well. A 
tear rolling down his cheek was the only sign he had heard the hobbit at 
all.

He expected Sam to stop at the bank and realise that Frodo would not turn 
back, but instead, the desperate hobbit kept running into the water.

“Sam!” Frodo cried, alarmed. “You fool, you can’t swim!”

But it was too late. Sam disappeared under the icy water. Frodo quickly 
steered the boat towards the disturbance near the bank, hoping desperately 
that he wasn’t too late. When he could see Sam struggling under the clear 
water, he reached down and pulled him into the boat.

Sam spluttered and shook the water off himself.

“Mr Frodo – you saved my life...” he said in amazement.

“Oh, Sam, don’t thank me. As if I hadn’t hurt you enough,” Frodo said, 
filled with self-hatred.

“What do you mean?” Sam asked surprised.

“I love you, Sam, but I never realised it before today. Now – now, I don’t 
believe you can love me. A wretch as myself doesn’t deserve such a 
thing.” 

Sam looked at him.

“I will always love you,” he said firmly. “There’s nowt can change that.”

Frodo laughed, Sam’s words blissfully perfect in his ears. He held his 
love’s hand and kissed him softly on the lips. Sam, though surprised, 
quickly caught on, and they shared many quick and gentle kisses before 
Frodo breathed, “Why did you come back?”

“I don’t know what you mean, Mr Frodo,” Sam said, and quickly resumed 
his position.

After several more minutes, with the kisses getting longer, Frodo said, 
“You know, on the third night. After Merry.”

Sam suddenly leapt away as if he’d been stung.

“How...how did you know it was me?” he asked, his eyes full of fear, not 
even trying to conceal his identity.

“It’s...a long story,” Frodo said. “You don’t need to look like that. My 
dear Sam, I’m not angry!”

“Shit. I mean, I’m sorry, Mr Frodo, I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean to 
cause no offence,” Sam said quickly, stumbling over his words.

“You didn’t! Really, Sam, believe me, I loved it,” Frodo said sincerely. “I 
just wanted to know why you came back.”

“Well,” Sam said doubtfully. “I had had one chance to prove to you that 
we were right together. One chance, and you ruined it. I’m sorry, Mr 
Frodo, but that was a dirty trick. You weren’t supposed to know it was 
me...”

“I know, I’m sorry,” Frodo apologised. 

“...and I was certain you wouldn’t choose me. Before this, you’d never 
seemed to enamoured with me, and I just dealt with it before then, but it 
was like you’d always been behind a door, and I’d never questioned that 
the door would always be shut, but then you opened it, and beckoned to 
me, then just as I reached it, you slammed it in my face. I was really 
angry, begging your pardon, sir, so I just needed another chance, another 
night with you. I was mighty jealous of Merry, but as I went past your 
room, I heard talking. That wasn’t right, there shouldn’t have been talking, 
so I listened, and slipped in, and when Merry left, I just sort of took over. 
It seemed the right thing to do at the time, I didn’t think of any of the 
consequences. I’m sorry if it weren’t to your liking”

“Sam, had you not realised?” Frodo asked. “I chose the third night. I chose 
you.”

Sam bowed his head. 

“I thought you chose it because of Merry’s pretty speech before hand,” he 
said modestly.

“Of course not! It was you, what you did, and now I know rightly that it 
was you, and I couldn’t have wished it to have been anybody else!” Frodo 
cried.

“Oh, Mr Frodo, you’re not joking with me?” Sam asked warily.

In reply, Frodo just kissed Sam again, carefully opening his mouth and 
letting his tongue gently massage Sam’s. 

“No,” he said softly when they finally broke away. “I choose you.”

***the end***