"I should like to save the Shire, if I could - though there have been times when I thought the inhabitants too stupid and dull for words, and have felt that an earthquake or an invasion of dragons might be good for them. But I don't feel like that now. I feel that as long as the Shire lies behind, safe and comfortable, I shall find wandering more bearable: I shall know that somewhere there is a firm foothold, even if my feet cannot stand there again."

carrying the world around his neck

"I see no hope of it now. But I've got to do the best I can."

^{The strength of the Ringbearer, is fading.
You know this. 
The Ring..will claim his life.}

-

^{Was it odd to feel happy at such a moment as this? Lying thin and wasted away? At the beginning of all things? Where it had began? One of the sole reasons why he fought..holding a stagnant hand in his?}

^{“You..in the beginning I used to have dreams,” He spoke faintly, sweat caked his eyelids, sealing his long lashes half-mast over dimming blue eyes.} 

^{“That I would come and find you, wherever you roamed, and we would go on an adventure…without any darkness — or death, or pain…” The bed-ridden hobbit’s voice grew fainter by the minute.} 

^{“But I realized…that I was not like you. My adventure has never been an adventure…but a great burden that I saw fit to carry…one that I could not let you hold. And so I knew..that I would never see you again. And if I did…I would not be the same…"} 

^{Hot lines trailed down a white face, pooled against the corners of his eyes. Frodo’s smile was cracked.} 

^{"But I have, longer than I thought — in the time where you were young and brave and happiest.  I’m..glad for that…you see Bilbo..” He was growing sleepy, the last curtain was about to part over him, and release Frodo Baggins from his great labors, his unsung efforts in a corrupted City.}

^{“I have learned most of what I knew from you..of love, friendship, good things..though you were a rather cantankerous thing in your older years I have loved you just the same, as you have always loved me…and I dearly wanted to see you again…and now i have, and perhaps there is no more I could hope to wish for.”}

^{That limp hand’s fingers, weakly turned in his, were growing slack.} 

^{“Thank you Bilbo..thank you …I am home at last..”}

^{His breathing hitched, one last final time, wanting to release one last word if he could, cracked with love and exhaustion.}

^“Uncle.” 

^{His fingers slipped away, his eyes closed, his smile remained on a face relieved of all burdens, of all agonies.} 

^{Gloin looked at Frodo and smiled. “You were very fond of Bilbo were you not?” he asked.}

^{“Yes,” answered Frodo. “I would rather see him than all the towers and palaces in the world.”}