One and Whole- Frodo and Sam's reunion

    Sam had managed to ride out of Hobbiton unnoticed. He just had to get to Tower Hills now, give the Red Book to Elanor, and then leave. There was nothing left for him in The Shire now that his wife Rose had passed away, and Samwise was nearing it himself. The hole in his heart had grown ever larger, and though he did not show it, he was getting more and more depressed. His children were all grown up now, and some of them were married and had children of their own.
    But he was ready to leave that behind.
    Today was Mr. Bilbo and Mr. Frodo's birthday, and he could not bear being apart from his master any longer. He wished now that he had jumped onto the boat and gone with him, but one cannot change the past.
     A new feeling of desperation came over Samwise. He had to get there. He kicked his elderly pony, Bill, who's life had been incredibly long, and they rode off, with a new-found determination.
     At last, he arrived at Tower Hills. He trotted up to his daughter's home, and dismounted Bill. He paused, for this was the last time he would see her. Sam finally gathered his courage and rapped on Elanor's door. He saw the door creak open, and Elanor's head peeked out. When she saw him, her look of alarm faded.
"Dad? What are you doing here? At this hour?"
Sam took a breath, then he managed to say in a shaky voice, "First of all, your garden needs tending." Elanor rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips.
"Is that all you came here to say? Come inside, its getting cold."
Sam had a hurt look. "No. Elanor, do you remember me telling you that some day, the elves would take me on a grey ship?" Elanor nodded. Her father was getting old, and she was used to this talk. "Well, Elanor, I've come to give you this." Sam held out a book bound in red leather, and he saw as Elanor's look of amusement faded.
"You can't give this to me," said Elanor.
And Sam held it out a second time. "Take it. Its yours now. I don't need it where I'm going." A tear began to roll down Elanor's face. She reached her hand out and took the book from her father's hand. Then she reached out, and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"I will keep it safe." she promised. She helped him get onto his pony, and with a few small taps, he was off. "Goodbye!" She cried as he left. As Sam was departing, he looked back, and saw Elanor slowly sit down and bury her face in her hands.
     When he knew he was close to the Grey Havens, Sam stopped his pony and dismounted. Bill reared his head in confusion, they had not arrived yet. Sam stroked Bill's face. They had been through so much together. Sam remembered the first time he said goodbye to him. They at least were able to see each other again after that. But not this time.

     "Goodbye, old friend," said Sam. He gently removed Bill's bridle and saddle, and laid them down on the forest floor. Out of his pocket, Sam removed an apple. He cut it into small bits and fed them to Bill, who had difficulty chewing due to lack of teeth. As Bill was eating, Sam went back to the saddle bag and carefully took out his Elven cloak. He put it on and wore it proudly, as if it were the mark of a king. He turned around and wrapped his arms around Bill's warm neck.
"Go free, Bill." said Sam, and Bill snorted in response. Sam let go, and turned around to walk to the Grey Havens. But Sam's old knees buckled, and he stumbled, searching for a handhold. When he found one, he looked up to see Bill again.
"Bill! Go, leave me!"
     But Bill kept nudging Sam's shoulder, urging him to take one last ride.
"Okay. Fine." said Sam, and climbed onto his bare back.
Bill took him all the way to the docks, and when Sam had dismounted, he stood there as Sam boarded the ship.
     As the boat sailed away, Sam could see Bill still standing on the dock, with his tail between his legs and his head down, gently swaying from side to side as if he were crying.
     Sam spent most of the journey in a chair at the side of the ship. He enjoyed looking at the water, and at one point, a young elf decided to keep him company. Sam told him the story of the Ring, which the elf had already heard but still listened eagerly, and the elf would tell him what things he could see across the ocean. One time, the elf described great fish that leaped out of the water, and strange glowing orbs that floated to the surface at night.
    This was all interesting to Sam, but he was growing impatient. Time seemed to move like tree sap, until at last, he heard the sound of seagulls crying.
"What can you see on the horizon?" he asked the young elf. "Why do the white gulls call?"
"White shores," he answered, "We have come to journey's end."
     Sam stood up to get a better look, but sadly his eyes had grown weak with age. As the ship came nearer and nearer to Valinor, or the Undying lands, Sam's view came into focus, and he could see a crowd of elves, and other races waiting on the dock for their arrival. He could see nearby, a shipyard, where elves were taking apart the Grey Ships. There was no going back.
     Now, he could see faces. He saw Gandalf and waved hello. but he was scanning the crowd for Frodo, and was so preoccupied with looking for him, that he didn't even acknowledge Elrond, Galadriel, or Bilbo, who tried to greet him as he came off the ship.
     Sam hobbled around as fast as his weakened legs could carry him. He looked everywhere twice, and try as he might, he could not find Frodo.
"Maybe, after all this time, he's forgotten me." Sam lamented.
     But behind him, a voice said, "I would never forget you, Samwise Gamgee!" Sam turned around, his heart leaped. "Mr. Frodo!" Sam shouted, and ran, despite his arthritis, straight into Frodo's outstretched arms. He collapsed into a frenzy of laughter and tears of pure joy and relief.
"Oh, Frodo! You've no idea how much I've missed you!" Sam cried.
"And you have no idea how long I have waited to see you!" said Frodo. And they both hugged long and hard, until their tears had run dy and their throats had gone hoarse from laughing. And so they stood in silent embrace, for what seemed like eternity. It was starting to get dark, and Sam had fallen asleep in Frodo's arms.
"Oh Sam, Dear Sam," whispered Frodo into his ear, "I knew you could not be torn in two forever. You had to come and be one and whole again."
     So Frodo gently eased his sleeping friend onto the white sand near the docks, and placed his silver head onto his lap.
"Now it's my time to care for you."
Sam stirred. "No, Mr. Frodo, I came here so I could help you."
     Frodo laughed, then it was silent for a while, until Sam broke it. "Look, Mr. Frodo. Across the sea, a pale moon rises." He sat up and stared at its beauty.
"If you would like, we could spend every night on this beach. There is just eternity and happiness from now on. I'm just glad I get  to spend it with Samwise the Brave."
     So Samwise and Frodo spent every night on the beach, and watched the moon rise, and sink back into the waves, as dawn turned to silver glass.