The first thing Sammie noticed when he walked into Brandy Hall was the decided lack of the bride-to-be. He collared his elder brother Pippin as he walked by. "Where's Lark? And Sparrow?"

Pippin gestured vaguely. "In a room, that way." He hurried off, and Sammie went to find his friends.

He was back in the main hall only moments later, blushing hotly. Pippin slowed as he walked by. "What's wrong with you, Sam?"

Sammie ducked his head and blushed harder. "You didn't tell me they were busy," he muttered.

A raised eyebrow, and Pippin shoved his armload at his brother. "Oh, really?" Sammie gaped as Pippin brushed past him, heading for the room.

One of Molly's many cousins snapped her fingers in front of Sammie's dazed face shortly after. "Do you know where Pippin or Molly are?" Sammie nearly bit his tongue trying to reply, and the lass sighed in frustration. "That's just like them, disappearing for hours on end. Well, you'd better come with me, then," she said, and dragged Sammie along in her wake.

Much later he wiped an arm across his forehead, then jumped in surprise as a voice behind him said, "Nice job." Meli reached an arm around him to adjust one of the flowers in his centerpiece. "Molly'll love it," she grinned, and Sammie felt his face grow hot again. "What's with you? We could put you in the center of a red rose bush and no one would be able to tell the difference."

"You and Molly- and Pippin..." Sammie gestured helplessly, and Meli looked confused for a moment, then started laughing.

"Oh, poor Crow. It was you who opened the door the first time, then?" Sammie wondered vaguely if he'd ever stop blushing, and Meli laughed again. "Don't worry, Sammie, we forgive you."

Sammie looked down at the table, then back up at Meli. "If you're done laughing at me," Meli swallowed the rest of her laughter and nodded seriously, "I..." he paused, unsure how to phrase his question. "Can we go talk somewhere without so many people?"

Meli's forehead crinkled for a moment in thought, then she grabbed Sammie's hand and led him through the bustle. After a short while and a mess of passages Sammie had never seen before, they emerged in the library. Meli shut the door and the noise faded. Sammie sat on the comfortable settee in front of the fire and pulled Meli down next to him.

"Well?" Meli prompted after several moments of silence on Sammie's part.

Sammie sighed and looked away, fidgeting a little. "Meli... I know you and Molly and Pippin have your own agreement that you're all happy with, but what happens tomorrow, when they're married? What happens to the three of you then?"

He risked a glance up, eyes widening when he saw Meli was looking at him as though he'd just announced he'd caught Elbereth and put her in a jar. "What?"

Meli whacked his arm, hard. "Ow!"

"What happens? Samwise Gardner, your parents, all three of them, have been living together forever! What on earth makes you think we can't?"

Sammie cradled his wounded arm and watched Meli warily. She'd gotten up to pace after hitting him, and having known her since early childhood, Sammie knew that her temper, once roused, could be formidable. "I would have thought you of all people would understand! Molly and I promised ages ago that we would live together in our own smial when we grew up! And Pippin knows that. It's not like he has any problem with it." Meli dropped to her knees in front of him and took both of his hands. "Why did you even ask?"

"Won't people talk?"

Meli was giving him that look again. "And I care what people say about me? I'm a Took. My father and mother and Aunt Dinny and Uncle Merry have had people talking about them since before Farry was born. People have talked about your family since Elly was little. I mean, come on. People have talked about the four of us since we were toddlers. People talk. We can't stop them."

"True," Sammie acknowledged. He stood, bringing Meli with him and swept her into a hug. "I don't know why I thought it would matter."

She snuggled into his arms and sighed. "You've been spending too much time at Council meetings. You're becoming a dried up old thing." She pulled back and poked him in the chest. "You better marry Aster soon, before you wither so much you'll never be able to have children!"

He tugged one of her curls for that jibe, and laughing, they linked arms and headed back out to help with the wedding preparations. Molly pounced on them as soon as they appeared, sending Sammie off to help construct the benches and sweeping Meli up to be fitted for her dress. Sammie headed outside into the sunshine and lightly punched Pippin in the shoulder. "I guess you get twice the congratulations," he said, and Pippin smiled.

"Guess so," he said, and Sammie helped him heft one of the finished seats and move it out to the cart. "You alright with that?" Pippin glanced over his shoulder, and Sammie beamed at his brother.

The bench fit neatly in amongst the others and the driver shook the reins and set off towards the Party Field. Sammie slung an arm around Pippin's shoulders as they watched him go. "I'm fine with that, brother. I just wish you luck. Life with Lark and Sparrow will be interesting, I guarantee you that." Pippin laughed and tousled his hair.
****

The party was in full swing before Sammie managed to track down Meli again. Aster's arm was linked in his and she clutched the bouquet. Meli turned as he touched her elbow and beamed at them. "Wasn't it beautiful?"

"Yes, it was lovely!" Aster hugged Meli enthusiastically, and Sammie enfolded both of them in his arms. "I only hope my wedding is half as lovely."

Sammie felt the tips of his ears turn red, and Molly, overhearing their conversation, laughed. "It'll be twice as gorgeous, I promise you that," she said, and Aster blushed. "We'll all help."

Molly wrapped an arm around Meli's waist, kissing her cheek, and Sammie smiled as he watched them. "When do you leave?" he asked, and Pippin shook his head.

"As soon as we can slip away!" he cried, and swept Aster into his arms. "Dance?" he asked, and Aster tossed the flowers to Meli, nodding eagerly.

Meli looked down at the bouquet and smiled. "You know, I'll never have one of these," she said softly. Molly swatted her lightly.

"You never know, love. You could meet someone." Meli shook her head and kissed Molly lightly on the mouth.

"I'm not sure my heart could fit anyone else," she explained, and Sammie repaid her for her hit from the day before.

"Does that mean you'll not love the children?"

She blushed. "No, not at all, silly Crow."

"Fool of a Took," he retorted.

Molly put a hand over Meli's mouth before she could reply, then leaned forward to cover Sammie's as well. "None of that today," she said, waiting until they both nodded. She let them go and looked sternly from one to the other. "Promise to stop?"

"Yes, Mother," they said in unison, and Molly slapped them both lightly, then drew them close. Daisy joined them then, and for a moment they were all together, like they'd been for years.

"Will we lose this, do you think?" Meli asked softly. "This feeling that only the four of us know?"

Daisy squeezed her hand and hugged the others tighter. "Never."

Sammie nodded. "We'll always be friends," he said, holding them close.

Molly leaned her forehead against three others. "No matter what."

Meli smiled, and kissed them each in turn. "I'm glad."

"Me, too," three voices echoed, and the four birds held each other in the swirl of the party. Pippin and Aster fit neatly in with them when they returned from their dance, and the friends set to planning how to get the newlyweds and Meli out of the crush of people.

Elly tapped Sammie on the shoulder in the midst of a particularly intricate and daring plan Meli and Molly were outlining. "Ready to leave?" she asked, and laughed when six voices almost shouted their approval at her. "Come on, then," she said, and tugged Meli down towards the ground. "You'll have to stay low."

"We're Hobbits, Elly. We're all low." Molly tugged on one of Meli's curls. "What? We are!"

"Sh!" Pippin pushed them both gently forward and they crept stealthily away from the lanterns. Fastred was waiting in the lane with a cart, and Sammie, Aster and Daisy hugged them each tightly before the three climbed into the back. Elly ordered quiet, "And none of what you three are thinking, there'll be plenty of time for that in a proper bed!" and covered them with a blanket, hopping up beside her husband. The cart rattled off into the night, and Sammie squeezed Aster and Daisy's hands.

"We'd better go dance," he suggested. "Before they realise the happy trio has made a break for it."

"Let's!" Daisy laughed, and dragged them back into the crowd. Sammie wrapped his arms around his two partners and smiled.

In the end, he knew, nothing would really ever change. They'd all be together till they died. The thought made him happy, and he kissed Aster deeply.

"Oh no!" Aster cried, when they'd pulled apart.

"What?" asked Daisy, who'd been very carefully not paying any attention to the two love birds.

"Meli still has the bouquet!"

Sammie fell over laughing. "And she said she'd never get one!"

Daisy pulled him back to his feet. "Well," she said, giving Aster a hug, "it's not the worst thing that you could lose."

"Oh, I know. And if I'm right, Meli'll probably give it back."

"Dried, pressed and mounted in a lovely book," Sammie speculated.

"All the better to keep forever, right?"

Aster smiled and took Sammie's hand. "Right."

~

Pretty Good Year | email Meli