Aragorn looked out the window; the night was darkening fast, and Boromir and Legolas had not yet returned, and still, that was not the only thing that was troubling him, a great unease had been growing all that day in his mind. Something was astir.

'Frodo,' he said.

Frodo looked up from the book he was reading. 'Yes, Strider?'

'I'd like to talk to you.'

Frodo put his book down and followed Aragorn to his room.

'Sit down,' said Aragorn.

The hobbit sat down on the old wooden chair that Aragorn had found on the curb, it creaked a little as it normally did.

'Frodo, do you feel something—do you think that something might be…happening?' The ranger looked intently into Frodo's eyes, trying to read what might be written in them.

'Happening? What do you mean?' Frodo looked back at him curiously, his fingers twitching.

'I feel something…stirring, but I can't say what.' He looked hard at Frodo, who fidgeted under his stare. 'Let me see it.'

'Pardon?'

'The ring, Frodo,' Aragorn commanded softly.

Frodo's eyes filled with suspicion, he peered carefully at Aragorn, and then turned his gaze to the window. 'Why, Strider?'

Why? I do not know why. I have a feeling, an instinct, a sudden urge. Something is amiss, and I can feel it. Do you, Frodo? Why was this burden ever placed on you? Why? You, who are so young, so innocent, you are being crushed by a great burden that you have no fault in creating, none. Frodo, why did this ever fall onto you? It is draining you, and there is no way I can save you from it. Is it evil, here? Does its magic hold? I do not know, nay I cannot say at all.

Aragorn stepped forward and knelt in front of Frodo. 'He cannot reach you, not here, not now.' He took the hobbit's cold hands. 'Not ever if I can help it.'

Frodo turned his sad brown eyes to him. 'Strider, you comfort me, and yet, I can scarcely believe you. Sometimes, even here, it seems that I feel him watching me.' He paused and looked away. 'His eye, that terrible eye, it stills seems to find me…still seems to watch me, waiting, still waiting…ever waiting.' He shuddered and drew his hands back.

'Frodo, let me see the ring,' Aragorn said gently.

Frodo drew the ring out. It hung heavy and cold on its chain, the golden band gleaming dully in the artificial light.

Aragorn reached his hand out slowly, his fingers brushed the shivering metal.

Frodo drew back, his eyes fixed on the ring, his heart fast.

Aragorn lifted the ring up; it felt, for a moment light and unimportant, swinging back and forth without a care. He drew it towards his finger, wondering, suspecting, daring. The ring glistened slightly, seeming to draw towards him.

Frodo leaned forward. 'Strider, is it…'

He was cut off by Legolas's sudden entrance.

Aragorn shoved the ring back into Frodo's hands and leapt to his feet, snatching up the sword that he kept on top of the dresser.

Legolas looked at them in mild surprise. 'The night is cool,' he said, his keen gaze sweeping their faces. 'As is my heart.' Offering no explanation, he turned and left the room.

Aragorn shuddered out a sigh, lowering his sword; he turned back to Frodo. 'Keep it safe.'

Frodo nodded and stood up. 'I will. I will try.' He paused, giving the ranger one last curious gaze. 'Good-night, Strider.'

'Good-night, Frodo. Sleep well.'

Aragorn was not thrilled to learn that he had been laid off the next morning. He stabbed his pan fries furiously all through breakfast, refusing to be civil.

'I should have known something like this would happen,' he grumbled.

Boromir looked up from where he was thoughtfully rearranging his food on his plate. He heaved a sigh and didn't answer.

Legolas was refusing to speak. He sat obstinately at the table, spreading his toast with marmalade for a very long time.

Aragorn glared at him. 'Legolas, pass the marmalade.'

Legolas said nothing. He dipped the butter knife into the jelly jar and twirled it around slowly.

'Legolas,' Aragorn growled.

'It is such a beautiful day outside, I think we should all go on a picnic,' suggested Merry, trying to smile cheerfully.

'Legolas, the marmalade.'

The elf dripped more marmalade onto his already smothered bread, and began to swirl a pattern into it, he did not set the jar down.

'What has got into everyone this morning?' asked Sam.

Frodo sighed languidly, and didn't answer.

'Legolas,' Aragorn threatened.

'What is freedom?' asked Boromir after a moment.

'Freedom?' said Pippin. 'Goodness, Boromir! What a thing to ask at breakfast!' He popped a forkful of bacon into his mouth.

Aragorn gave up on Legolas and angrily bit into his toast.

'Mr. Frodo, are you all right?' asked Sam, his brown eyes filled with concern.

'I think so, Sam.'

'I never did care for marmalade,' said Gimli, also giving up on Legolas.

Legolas said nothing.

'What is the good of truth?' asked Boromir.

'Truth is good because Morgoth invented lies,' Aragorn snapped.

'I thought you stood for truth, Boromir,' said Pippin.

Boromir shrugged and didn't answer.

'I think,' said Merry, 'that we have all been caged up too long, and should all go out and do something fun.'

'Cars scare me,' said Pippin.

'Well then, we go somewhere without cars,' Merry continued.

Legolas put the marmalade jar down. Gimli snatched it up in triumph. Aragorn groaned.

'What is bothering everyone?' demanded Sam.

'Nothing, Sam, my lad,' said Frodo.

'Is there anywhere in the city without cars?' asked Pippin.

'No,' said Gimli. 'I don't think we should stay in the city, I think that we should go out to the mountains and see if there are any dwarves there still.'

'I think something is bothering everyone, begging your pardon, sir.' Sam protested.

'I should look for a new job,' said Aragorn. 'Soon.'

'I am tired of staying inside!' exclaimed Merry.

'I'm getting a headache,' Boromir announced.

'Yes, let's move away from the city,' Pippin agreed.

'That's a great idea.' Merry nodded. 'We could move out into the country and get a little farm and live there all by ourselves with no one to bother us.'

Aragorn picked up the marmalade. 'We don't have enough money.'

'Can't you make money? The same way you forged our birth certificates and doctor records and all?' Merry asked hopefully.

'Now that,' said Aragorn firmly. 'Is not something I intend to do. That is deception that cannot be forgiven.'

'I'm glad you draw the line somewhere,' said Boromir.

'You're one to speak,' Legolas scowled.

'I said I was sorry,' Boromir protested.

'I still don't trust you.'

'Legolas you said that you wouldn't…'

'Legolas, Boromir, what is going on?' demanded Aragorn.

'It's nothing, Dunadan,' Legolas assured him.

'Boromir?' Aragorn queried.

'I was mean to him last night…again.'

'Why can't you try to get along? You three,' Aragorn pointed an accusing finger at the man, the elf, and the dwarf. 'Are determined to hate each other, aren't you?'

'I don't hate the Gondor man,' Gimli assured him.

'I don't hate either of them,' protested Boromir. 'It's just that Legolas and I…'

'Disagree,' stated Legolas with a quick glare at the man. 'And it isn't my fault I hate Gimli; it's his for being a dwarf,' he added with a long glare at the dwarf.

'The elves started it!' snarled Gimli.

Legolas tossed his head. 'I doubt it.' He took a dainty bite of his toast.

'They did!' Gimli shouted.

'Please,' Aragorn held his hand up. 'Keep your voices down, you'll alarm the neighbors.'

'Would anyone like some more tea?' asked Sam.

'Thank-you, Sam,' said Frodo, passing him his cup.

'Gimli, Legolas, it's about time you gave that up.'

The dwarf and the elf looked very determined not to give up their grudges for any reason at any time at all.

Aragorn drummed his fingers on the tabletop. 'What exactly do you and Boromir disagree on, Legolas?'

'Well…' began Legolas.

'Legolas, may I speak to you alone for a moment?' asked Boromir.

The elf hesitated, then nodded. 'All right.'

They left together and disappeared into Boromir and Gimli's room.

Aragorn groaned and leaned back in his chair. Why is everything going so wrong?

'Do you know what,' he said suddenly, 'I think that is a wonderful idea, Merry. We should all go on a picnic.'

'I have to go to work,' Gimli grumbled, 'and be nice to rude people.'

Aragorn strained his ears towards the muffled argument in the bedroom. I wonder what they are talking about.

'Strider, are you eavesdropping?' scolded Pippin.

'Yes, now, shhh.'

Pippin looked up at him. 'It isn't very nice,' he said.

'I know,' Aragorn snapped. 'Be quiet.'

The hobbits and the dwarf exchanged disapproving glances, but Aragorn ignored them. Unfortunately, he could not make out what they were saying, and soon the conversation stopped.

Legolas walked out and sat back down; he picked up his cold toast and gave Aragorn a pleasant smile. 'We're all right.'

Boromir sat back down looking very relieved.

Aragorn raised his eyebrows at him.

Boromir shrugged a little. 'We're good.'

'I still hate Gimli,' Legolas added quickly, lest Aragorn be too happy.

'And I still hate you,' Gimli snapped. 'And I still hated you first.'

'Not true.'

'It is.'

They glared at each other and fell silent.

'That's fine with me. It isn't my problem,' Aragorn told them. And it isn't. I should stop trying to intervene. There is nothing I can do to help. He smiled at the hobbits. 'Yes, we'll go on a picnic.'

'Oh, good!' Merry rejoiced.

Sam looked dubiously out the window.

'Who's coming?' asked Aragorn.

'I'll come,' said Boromir, finishing his tea.

'I have to go to work,' said Gimli.

'Then we'll wait until you can come. That would be Sunday, just two days away,' Frodo decided.

'That's a good idea,' said Aragorn.

Frodo smiled at Gimli.

'You don't have to do that for me,' said the dwarf.

'Oh, but we want to!' Pippin proclaimed.

'Then, I thank you.'

The hobbits began chattering together about everything they would need for a picnic; Frodo listened to them, a smile on his lips, but concern in his eyes.

Aragorn finished his breakfast, and went to his room to do some research on the computer. What would it take to get us out of the city? he wondered as he turned the laptop on.