Sméagol made his way back inside, and up to Lea's room, where she was fast asleep. He climbed into bed with her, and sat next to her, watching over her while she slept. He tried not to cry, knowing Gollum was no longer with him, but the tears came anyway. He wiped them away. Then, he caressed Lea's forehead and arms. "My baby," he whispered sadly, "I'm still here. I won't leave you, Precious."
A couple hours later, Lea woke up to see Sméagol, still sitting next to her, but very sad. "Sméagol?"
"Hi, Precious," Sméagol sniffled.
"What's wrong?"
"He's gone."
"Gone? What do you mean? Who's gone?"
"Gollum. He left."
"Left? Why?"
"He said he couldn't fight the Precious, and if he stayed, he would only cause us pain. He doesn't want to hurt us..." Sméagol put his arm around Lea. "And, he didn't want to hurt you anymore, so he left."
"Well, where did he go?"
"I don't know, Precious."
Lea sighed. "I know how he feels. You know how I'm always beating myself up for hurting people? I can't take it when someone's mad at me."
"I knows."
Then, Lea changed the subject. "So, I start chemo on Monday... after surgery."
"Yes, I knows."
"That means I'm gonna lose my hair."
"That's alright, Love. Sméagol always think you're beautiful."
"And, it means I'm gonna feel really shitty all the time. It's gonna knock me flat on my ass. I'll be too sick to do anything for myself."
"Don't worry about it, Baby. Sméagol look after you."
"Are you sure?"
"Awww, of course, Baby." Sméagol caressed Lea's face. "Sméagol loves looking after you."
"And, you'll still love me, even when I look like a fat, bald, sick, beached whale?"
"Awwww." Sméagol hugged Lea. "You will never look like that to me. Sméagol always think you're the most beautiful woman in the world, no matter what. You don't look like a fat, sick, beached whale, and you will still be beautiful to me, even with no hair."
"I love you so much."
"I love you, too, Baby."
"Wait, you're not saing 'we' or 'us' anymore."
Sméagol shook his head.
"So, he's really gone?"
Sméagol nodded. "He said he loves you more than anything, more than the Precious, and he's so sorry for hurting you. And, he wanted me to give you the biggest, fluffiest sweater hug from him, and he told me to take good care of you."
Lea began to cry heavily.
"Awww, what is it, Sweetie?"
"I miss him," Lea sobbed. "I really miss him."
Sméagol began to cry, too. "I do, too, Precious." He wrapped his arms, legs, and even his long, fluffy bunny tail around Lea. "I do, too." He held her close to his chest, and caressed her head and backside as they both wept. "It'll be alright, Baby," he said sweetly. "Sméagol's here. I won't leave you, my beautiful angel." He planted kisses all over her face. "I love you. I love you so much, and you will always, always be my precious baby. Always." He kept his body wrapped around her as she fell asleep in his arms. He did not move. He stayed right where he was, still caressing and loving on Lea, and whispering sweet, genuine, heartfelt things in her ear as she slept peacefully.