Fic: The Rainstorm (5?)
Author: Easterlily41482
Rating: PG
Summary: Frodo's parents died alone that day in the Brandywine River or did they? Who else was with them? What really happened? No slash
Disclaimer: Not mine. Don't make any money off of this.
Warnings: angst, h/c

It was still night time and a figure was softly walking, almost tiptoe like, into the bedroom where Frodo laid unconscious on a bed in nothing but a nightshirt, covered in sweat. She lit the candle on the table and glanced down at her pale-faced nephew. She laid a warm gentle hand over his feverish forehead, noting his dark bangs sticking to his damp forehead, which she brushed gently away from his face. A moment later, she turned around to dip a dry, room temperature wash cloth into the bowl of cool water that lay on the table.

The squeezing of the water and the laying of the wash cloth over the feverish forehead woke her charge. "Ma?" called a faint voice from the bed. "Is that you?"

"Hush, darling. It's your Aunt Esmie," she said. Eyes moved back and forth under heavy closed eyelids, which were slowly trying to open and focus. She could see that Frodo was trying to wake up, but right now was not the time for him to do so. He needed to rest so that he could fight the pneumonia he was developing just like the Doc had warned earlier. She leaned down and whispered into the lad's ear. "No, pumpkin, you don't have to wake up just now. Close your eyes and rest."

Without protestation, Frodo obeyed her and closed his eyes, falling into light uneasy slumber. Esmeralda turned around and reached over towards the bowl again, dipping the cloth into the water, wringing it out.

"Ma! Help! The water! The water!" cried Frodo, thinking he was still in the water.

"Shhh, Frodo. It's all right. You're safe. I'm just going to change your night shirt now, dear, and then go find your cousin Saradoc so he can fetch the Doctor. The Doctor will give you medicines to help you get better," she whispered, kissing the hot forehead and placing the cool wash cloth over it.

She gently caressed his hair and he sighed, his facial features relaxing under her touch. Soon his breathing was slow and even again as this time he fell into a deep peaceful sleep. Shortly after, Esmeralda was pulling away the covers that lay over Frodo's body, revealing a sweat filled night shirt underneath it. She got up, quietly searched one of the dresser's for a new night shirt, carefully lifting the wet night shirt off of Frodo and gently covering his form with a new clean and warm nightshirt.

After Frodo was all settled back into his bed, Esmeralda left Frodo's sick room and walked over to the bedroom she and Saradoc shared and found him sitting in bed feeling exasperated.

"How are we going to tell the lad, Esmie? How are we supposed to tell our cousin that his parents are dead and that they drowned out there, yet he survived?" said Saradoc, looking up at Esmeralda in desperation.

"I don't know," she said sighing, taking a seat on the edge of the bed next to Saradoc and reaching out to hold his hand. "But that's not important right now. Right now we must concentrate on getting Frodo better. He's developed a fever, Saradoc. It's not dangerously high yet, but he's acting like he's delirious."

"Frodo has a fever?" he asked, concern showing all over his face. Then he sighed and squeezed her hand. "Doc Thornwhistle said it was highly possible he was going to develop a fever, I was just hoping that would not happen. Nonetheless, you're right, Esmie. We must look after the boy now." He gently caressed Esmie's hand for a few moments before rising from the bed. "I'll send Merimac after the healers. I must arrange for the burial…" before Saradoc could finish his sentence, Esmie broke down.

"Oh, Saradoc, they can't be gone! They can't be!"

Saradoc gathered his wife into his arms and hugged her close and began to wipe the tears that were flowing down her cheeks.

"I know Esmie. I can hardly believe it myself." He pulled back from her with his hands on her shoulders and looked her straight in the eye. "But they are gone, Esmie. And there are things that need to be done. You go on in and take care of that boy in there and I'll take care of everything else."

Esmie dried her tears, nodded silently and looked up with a sad smile to her husband.

"I'll stay with Frodo until the Doctor arrives," she stated and went back to Frodo's side. She took a seat in the chair from the desk table and held his small limp hand.

"Hang in there, Frodo. You cannot give up now."

TBC