A Grand Wish, part 1

[claudia603]

Okay, maybe 1 or 2 people besides lilybaggins or moit want to read this, so I will post this publicly! :)

Title: A Grand Wish
Rating: PG as of now
Pairing: Frodo/Captain Stabler (Detective Stabler from SVU only put in Middle-earth, you know)
Summary: Frodo and Stabler in an established relationship perhaps post-Far Beyond universe, want a child of their own. Strider might be able to help.
A/N: You know...total self-indulgent AUness, mostly to go along with Lily's kinks. Why are Frodo and Det. Stabler living in Minas Tirith randomly? Who knows, who cares. :)
Warning: MPREG!!!!!




Frodo had just reheated Vik Stabler's dinner after Stabler had been hours late from his patrols. Minas Tirith was facing one of the worst winters in history, with wild winds and snow that was rarely felt this far down the mountains. Stabler's patrols as a Ranger of Ithilien, Captain Faramir's second in command, had been harsh and brutal as of late, and the orcs across the river had gathered wargs and wolves to do their bidding. Several Rangers had died that week in snowstorm skirmishes. So when Stabler was late, Frodo's heart had been in his throat all night.

But Stabler had come home, and Frodo had greeted him with a hard, squeezing embrace before demanding he get into dry clothing and come eat his supper, which Frodo had on the fire. Frodo served wine and fresh bread to the table, and settled in to have a second supper himself. Their table inside their tiny, modest stone cottage in Minas Tirith's lowest level was right next to the hearth. Stabler came to the table ready to eat, and Frodo watched him eat for awhile before bringing up what was most on his mind.

"Vik, I've been doing some research of a kind that you may find interesting."

Stabler paused in his eating and looked at Frodo under his thick bushy brows, questioning. "What sort of research?"

"I know that you want children of your own," Frodo said.

Stabler sighed. He shook his head. "We do not need to discuss this. I've made my choice."

"We still can."

Stabler looked at Frodo with an uncertain look of disbelief, his blue eyes keen with suspicion. Frodo fondly thought that this was the kind of look that he no doubt gave criminals who tried to spin him a ridiculous yarn.

Frodo's words rushed out. "In my research I found that when a male hobbit has a loving relationship," here he blushed, "with a male Elf or Man, that sometimes this can result in a baby."

Stabler dropped his spoon. "What foolishness is this? What sort of book would tell you such nonsense?"

Frodo got up and walked around the table, wrapping his arms around Stabler's broad shoulders, pressing his face against Stabler's. "It means that we can have children of our own if we so choose."

Stabler pushed Frodo's arms from him and turned around to face him, staring at Frodo. "Is this true? This is no jest?"

"Of course not. I would not tease you with something so big, Vik. I know how much you long to have a strapping son of your own. Or a daughter who can fight orcs with just as much gusto. Of course, he or she would be half hobbit, so they would be even better at just about everything, although smaller in stature." Frodo grinned at that last.

"You would bear this child?" Stabler asked doubtfully, glancing up and down Frodo's slight figure.

"I would be willing," Frodo said.

"Is it safe for you?" Stabler asked.

"There are risks. Strider the healer who comes to Minas Tirith occasionally, he is somewhat of an expert in such matters as he has helped other hobbits in Bree give birth under similar circumstances. He can examine me and see if I am in good enough health to bear children." Frodo smiled a bit at that last. "But if I can--just imagine, Vik. Children of our own."

Stabler looked dazed, full of wonder. "If he deems it safe, then it will be something I had accepted would never be for me. And that is wondrous indeed. But," he clutched Frodo to him, holding him tighter than he probably realized. "I would not put you in any risk. If there is any risk at all, you must not do it."

"There will always be risk, you foolish Ranger," Frodo said. "Even every healthy woman has risk in childbirth."

"I won't lose you," Stabler said. Frodo looked up at him in surprise, moved by the way that Stabler's voice had cracked. Vik Stabler very rarely, if ever, expressed his feelings. "You...I know I do not tell you often enough, but you've changed my life. I cannot imagine life without you in it."

"Vik, I love you completely," Frodo said, kissing his cheek and then nuzzling against him. Vik's strong arms wrapped around Frodo, squeezing him even tighter.

"You are everything to me now," Vik said. "I don't want to lose you. I need you in my life. More than any future children."

"Strider will tell me if it is safe," Frodo said. "I'll not take unnecessary risks, that I promise."

The next morning, Frodo made his way to the Houses of Healing where he was good friends with the Warden, as he assisted him on many occasions with bandage rolling and entertaining recovering patients. The air was cold, but the snow had not been fully plowed from the streets, and it was challenging for Frodo to walk through it since the snow in most cases came up to his knees. The bottom of his feet were numb and protective against the cold, but his legs felt chilled and wet by the time he made his way up the many levels of the city to where the Houses of Healing lay.

"Frodo, goodness," the warden said, looking at him in concern. "Your legs will be frostbitten for sure. You shouldn't go out in this if you don't have to."

"It was certainly deeper than I expected," Frodo said. "But I had heard that Strider was here in town helping you and I needed to ask him something of grave importance."

The warden ran to get dry towels for Frodo's feet. "Strider is here," the warden said, giving the towels to Frodo and looking at him in puzzlement, "although now you have my curiosity piqued as to what your business is with him. But that is your business, and I'll not pry. How is Captain Stabler?"

Frodo smiled, wriggling his toes inside the warm towels. "He's all right. Weary from battle, but otherwise all right."

"I shall fetch Strider for you," the warden said.

Frodo waited, warming up his feet inside the towels, his heart pounding. Now that he was here and about to speak to Strider, he was not sure what exactly to say. What if he had been wrong and it was only a false rumor that Strider helped with male hobbit births?

"Good morning." The tall Ranger looked down at Frodo with a puzzled smile. "I am called Strider and I have heard that you wish to see me about a health matter?"

Frodo smiled, and he released a nervous sigh. He climbed to his feet. "Yes, sir. You see. Well, that is. I had heard that you have treated hobbits back in Breeland."

"Ah," Strider said with a smile. "I have. But the healers here are no less capable of treating you than I am. I am not here in the White City very often, I must say, and so I would be concerned about any follow up treatment to whatever ails you. You've got color in your cheeks and appear quite healthy."

Frodo bit the insides of his cheeks. Again he started to doubt himself. If he had heard wrong about Strider, the Man might laugh and send him on his way. Frodo should just leave right now. No, he decided. He must show courage. He took a breath. "I had heard that you have dealt with male hobbits who, well, who bore babes," and here his cheeks flamed hot and red, "like lasses, especially those who were, who had taken lovers that were men or elves. But I could have read wrong. Oh, dear, I think I did, and I am so very sorry, and I will leave right now." Frodo whirled away, barely able to catch his breath and made his way to the exit. A strong hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"I have done this," Strider said. He looked grave, his gray eyes dark with concern.

Frodo relaxed, and turned around. "I'm sorry. I did not mean to bother you."

"Are you?" Strider looked at Frodo up and down. "Do you believe you are with child?"

Frodo shook his head. "No, not yet. But I would like to be. My love and I would like to start a family, but I promised I'd go see you, to see if it is, that is, if it is safe and that I am healthy enough."

Strider was staring at him in concern. "Sit down," he said in a rather commanding tone. Frodo looked at him in surprise. Strider walked across the room and slammed the door shut, leaving them in privacy. He looked upset, and Frodo's heart pounded that he had somehow angered this Ranger. "Where did you read about this?"

"In the library, here in Minas Tirith," Frodo said. "I, I did not mean to do anything wrong or to upset you. I had read that you have birthed such babes in Breeland."

"And a great deal of them did not turn out well," Strider said. "Is that in the books that you read? I watched three otherwise healthy hobbits bleed to death in great agony. I do not encourage such births. What I try to do is to prevent them now."

"Oh." Frodo felt as if he had been punched in the stomach. He had not expected such a violent rejection of his idea. Deep disappointment filled him and now he wished he had waited to tell Stabler about this until after this meeting.

Strider lowered his voice. "When I know that a hobbit is having relations with a man, I offer methods of protection, to prevent a dangerous pregnancy. Now, that is what I will offer you. What you should have had all along."

"There is no chance that I could have a healthy birth?" Frodo asked. "Vik Stabler, he wants a child badly, as do I." And as Frodo said it, he realized just how badly he did want a child, now that he knew it was possible, within his reach. His throat filled.

Strider nodded. "Would it make it feel more definitive if I examined you and then was able to explain bit by bit why it probably is not a good idea or safe for you?"

Frodo crossed his arms. "Or how about you examine me with an open mind instead? Perhaps here in Minas Tirith with far better healing capabilities than in Bree or in the Shire, it would not be so dangerous. I am young and in good health. If you do so with an open mind, I will follow your advice."

Strider lifted his brows. "You seem like you are determined. That worries me, but your request is fair. Will you take the result of my exam seriously if I promise to be fully honest with you?"

"I will," Frodo said.

"All right then. Let us go into a private room. I will need you to undress from the waist down."

"You do? I thought," Frodo blushed, "Well, I thought you just needed to prod at me a little."

Strider's lips upturned. "I will need to examine inside you, to make sure you are healthy, that you have a wide enough pelvis, all of those matters. If you were to have a baby, the baby might be closer to your Vik Stabler's size, and that could cause grave danger to you."

Comments

[lovethosehobbit.livejournal.com]

Hmmm...something to consider. Unfortunately, I am under a serious deadline with my art work...so I've had to let fic slide. (SOB!!)