I will happily confess my love for a certain Took, and this story just popped into my mind. Everything in italics is a memory.

An old hobbit sat in his favourite chair, puffing contentedly on his pipe as his feet were warmed by the fire. The wonderful smell of dinner still hanging in the air, as he closed his eyes and patted his full belly. It moments like this when he was happy that his life had worked out the way it had. That despite all the horrors and hardships that he had faced in his younger years, they had all brought him to this point..............

"GRANDPA........" Lots of little voices called out in unison. The hobbit opening his eyes and chuckling to himself, as he looked over the sea of small faces.

"Grandpa, tell us a story......tell us a story........." They continued. The old hobbit picking up the smallest child and placing her on his lap, before mussing for a moment.

"Hmmmmmm. Let me see.........have I ever told you the story of how I met your grandmother..........?" He asked. The little ones giving a collective shake of their heads, before they all sat down, and looked up at him. A large smile making its way onto his lips, as he moved back in his chair.

"Well then......I will tell you of that........Now, I have told you of the Fellowship and our quest, of orcs and ents and Uruk-hai. Of Balrogs, and elves and Riders of the Mark. I have told you of the journey I made with Gandalf all the way from Rohan to Gondor. But what I have never told you, is the story of the beautiful and brave woman that I met there..........."

"Grandmama.........?" The little girl on his lap asked, her eyes already wide. The old hobbit chuckling before ruffling her mop of dark blonde hair.

"That is right, Daisy.........your beautiful grandmother.........." The hobbit taking a deep draw of his pipe as he turned his attention to the fire in the hearth.

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Pippin looked around the chaos. Everywhere around him, men fought orc; red blood mixing with black as it splashed against the stones of the White City. The smell of smoke and the sound of shouts and screams filled the air, as he did his best to find Gandalf.

He would admit at that moment he was not prepared for this, even after everything they had been through; but he would not back down now. He was a soldier in the army of Gondor and would fight to his last in honour of his friends. The hobbit taking a deep breath, before moving back into the fray; pushing his sword into the back of an unsuspecting orc, as it fought against one of the other soldiers. The man nodding in thanks, before turning to find his next opponent. Yet as Pippin did the same, a roar went up and he saw the biggest orc he had ever seen running at full speed towards him; the hobbit raising his sword yet finding himself falling to his back, as he tripped over the arm of a fallen man. The youngest child of Paladin II Took and Eglantine Banks closing his eyes and raising his sword, praying to any god that might be listening, to help him survive the day. Yet when the blow that he was expecting, did not come, he opened his eyes to find the huge orc was stood still; its eyes wide as it looked at him for a moment longer, then fell flat on its face; two arrows sticking out of the back of it neck. Pippin looking up to see the archer that had loosed the projectiles; the hobbit letting out a breath as he recognised them as the captain of Denethor's personal guard.

"Take my hand..........." The soldier said, as they made their way over to him. Pippin surprised to hear a female voice come from under the helmet. Even more surprised as the captain removed the helm to reveal, what Pippin was sure, had to be the most beautiful woman in the whole of Middle-earth.

"Master Hobbit......take my hand.........." The captain continued. Pippin shaking all thoughts from his mind, as he did as he was told. The hobbit reaching for her hand and allowing her to help him to his feet.

"You will stay by my side......do you hear me? And if we survive this day, we will venture to find that wizard of yours..........." Pippin just nodding as she threw her bow to the ground and pulled her sword from its sheath. The two looking at one another, before racing into the fray, together...........

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"And I have loved your grandmother since that day........King Aragorn made her Protector of the Shire on the day of his coronation, and she journeyed back here with myself, Merry, Sam and Frodo. After the Scouring of the Shire, and I was pronounced Thain, I asked her to marry me.........."

"And she said yes..........." Daisy interrupted again. Pippin just laughing as she smiled up at him.

"That she did. And she has made me the happiest hobbit in the whole of Middle-earth..............."

"Children........time for bed..........." Another voice called out. A collective groan being heard, as the human female made her way into the room. The little ones reluctantly getting to their feet and making their way over to their grandmother, as their grandfather nodded.

"Go and wash, and I will be in to tuck you up in bed, in a moment........" She continued. Smiling as Daisy took her hand.

"Thank you for rescuing grandpa from the orc......."

"You are most welcome.........And I would do it again a thousand times over, little one......now, go wash, and then bed..........." Daisy nodding before letting go of her grandmother's hand and joining the rest of her siblings and cousins.

"You do know, Peregrin Took, that if any of those children wake from nightmares of orcs, tonight, it will be you that will be getting out of bed to deal with them............."

"Yes captain........." Pippin replied, as he got to his feet and saluted. The old woman unable to stop herself from chuckling at her husband's antics; sure, that he was just as silly now, as he had ever been. Her eyes for a moment, wandering to the two sets of Gondorian armour, that stood proudly in the corner of the room. Armour that they had not only worn at the Siege of Gondor, but as they stood at the Black Gate of Mordor with Aragorn and the others.

"I am glad that I saved you that day.........."

"So am I, (Y/n)............" Pippin agreed, as he made his way over to her and took her hand; bringing it up to his lips so that he could kiss her knuckles.

"Now, what say you and I face our greatest challenge, and see if we can get that hoard of grandchildren into their beds.......?"

"I would say that there is nothing that you and I cannot do......." The hobbit responded. Keeping hold of his wife's hand, as they followed the sound of children. The pair, as always, ready to face this, together.