All hope was not lost when Aragorn managed to open the door to Mirkwood -- only Legolas was not there. Other elves, yes, far too many than those that he remembered. He made his apologies and left again, this time returning to Bree. Even if he was viewed with suspicion, it was far closer to the Shire.
Every day he made the route as best he could, once he was sure that he could open the door in various places. Mirkwood. Bree. The Shire. Lothlórien. Imladris. But never Gondor or Rohan. There were too many things there for which he wanted the company that he had found himself in once.
The trip made to Mirkwood, Aragorn made the brief trip to Bree, then out the door and back in again to the Shire. His trips here tended to be quiet and fast, unwilling to disturb their peace to find some of his own. It turned out his trip would not be as quick as he thought when he heard one elder hobbit complaining of that pointy eared elf that accompanied Samwise.
That was all he needed. Smiling, he hurried over hill and road until he came to a stop at Sam's doors and rapped his knuckles against the wood. "Sam? Legolas?"