[Samwise]

The Journey took several days, with Stacey and Sam taking turns rowing the boat. Primrose wanted to, but was too little.

For a while, Stacey wondered if just heading off in the opposite direction that they had come was wise. How long had they been gone, anyway?

On what she counted to be the seventh day, what food and water they had hastily taken with them was running low. Just then Prim shouted,

"Papa, look! "

It was the mouth of the Anduin.

"Thank You, Lord," Stacey breathed, rowing just a bit harder.

Sam looked over Stacey's shoulder, back out onto the sea. "Oh, I hope they'll be all right. "

"They will." Stacey assured him. "I hope they find that little guy's relatives, too. "

Sam looked sad. "I just hope Mister Frodo will be okay. "

Stacey looked up, recognizing the strip of land from which they had launched. "He will, Sam. I don't need to tell you he's survived a lot. "

Sam shook his head.

"I hope Mister Mithadan will be okay." Primrose piped up. "I could tell he was still hurting. She grinned. "He can be awfully nice. "

Stacey stepped out of the boat and dragged it up on the shore. Sam hurriedly climbed out, and Stacey lifted Primrose over the side. She looked out over the feild, which seemed so empty and lifeless, now--rather like a--erm--ghost town.

"Well," she said, "I guess all we can do is go back to Bag End and wait for word. "

Sam nodded. He still looked sad. "Yes, I suppose so. I do hope we hear something, soon. "

The three began their walk across the Field and down the road that led back to Bag End.

~Fin~(for us, anyway)