I hid underneath the sheets of my bed, cowering my head in my hands. Tears streamed down through the deep crevices of my cheeks. I was unable to fall asleep. I let out short, loud gasps. My room was pitch black and I was unable to see a thing.

All of a sudden, I heard the sound of loud footsteps. I grew so frightened that I didn't want to lift the sheets from my head. Someone had clutched and twisted the doorknob on my bedroom door. My heart pounded in my chest. Boom. Boom. Boom.

My bedroom door opened. A beam of orange light slaughtered the darkness. I could hear the sound of someone breathing. Very, very quietly. Very slowly. Very softly. I also heard the sound of someone set some sort of hard object on my nightstand.

All of a sudden, a gentle and tender hand had been pressed down on my back. I sniffled, loudly. I was still too afraid to lift the sheets from overtop of me.

A compassionate voice whispered in my ear. "I'm here, now. I am here." I soon realized that Frodo was sitting at my bedside. Frodo carefully lifted the bedsheets from over my head. He discovered that my thick, brown hair was tangled up and my cheeks were stained with tears.

I masked my face with my hands. I had never felt so embarrassed. I shook my head back and forth. "No, F-Frodo. I..I...I d-d-don't want...you to see...me...l-l-like this." I whimpered.

My hands trembled as I tried to reach for my bedsheets. I wanted to hide. But, before I could reach the sheets, Frodo gently took a hold of them and wrapped them around my body.

"I don't...want....you...t-t-to see m-me...I'm...I'm...so...embarrassed. I..want...to...to...hide." I swallowed, deeply. Frodo moved in closer to me and wrapped his arm around my back. He firmly placed his arm on my right shoulder.

"It's alright." Frodo reassured, in a calm, quiet voice. "You don't have to hide. You don't have to feel embarrassed. It's not your fault." His voice drifted into a whisper. "It's not your fault."

I lowered my head and continued to cry. "Yes, It...it is." I choked. Frodo slowly shook his head. "No. It isn't." he said, gently. His angelic blue eyes turned into a shade of baby blue. "You shouldn't be embarrassed of expressing your feelings, my dear, Brianna. Especially, in front of me."

I choked. "But, I....It...feels like..." I pressed my hand against my chest and swallowed hard. I felt a heavy lump in my throat. "Feels like what, Brianna?" Frodo asked, soothingly. "What does it feel like?"

I shook my head. I could feel my entire body trembling. "It feels like...I'm making a fool out of myself." I frowned. Frodo let out a quiet sigh. "Oh, my dear. You're not making a fool out of yourself." I sniffled, again. "I'm...I'm not?"

Frodo shook his head again. "Of course not. Expressing your feelings is nothing to be ashamed of. It's completely natural." "It is?" I whimpered. Frodo nodded his head and grinned. "Yes. It is. It is. To tell you the truth, dear, I'm not embarrassed about expressing my own feelings in front of the people that love and care about me."

"You're...you're...not?" "No." "But, what...what...if..if...you're in front of....S-Sam and...and...and....M-M-Merry...and...and...P-P-Pippin?" Frodo sighed, quietly. "It matters not, dear." "It doesn't?" "No."

I sat upwards in my bed and gazed at the hobbit with a hurt expression on my face. "This is all my fault, Frodo." I let out a loud whimper. I couldn't stay strong for any longer. I burst into tears once more.

Frodo pulled me in close. I buried my head in his warm chest. I felt his warm breath upon my neck. In his arms I felt safe and secure. I felt protected.

"It is not your fault. It's not your fault." Frodo whispered in my ear. "Remember, you should never ever feel embarrassed about expressing your feelings in front of me. I will never judge you. Because I love you and I care about you. Always. Always."

All of a sudden, Frodo carefully leaned me back into my bed and firmly placed his hands upon my shoulders. He tenderly kissed me on my forehead and both of my cheeks.

"Always." Frodo whispered again.