Homeward Bound Part One: An Unexpected Journey

Chapter Six

When Bilba arrived home, nearly skipping with glee, she was surprised to see Fili and Kili crouched near her front door, their ears pressed to the wood. All the items she'd bought from the market were still out laid next to them in her garden.

What are you two doing?

"Gandalf's back." Fili said.

"We're pretty sure he and Uncle might kill one another," Kili said.

Bilba's eyes narrowed. "Not in my house they won't." She started to stomp in, and then hesitated, as a thought occurred to her. She looked back to Fili. "Do you still have that contract?"

"Yes," He answered slowly, "Why?"

"Good," Bilba ignored his question and put a hand out. "Give it to me."

A moment later she opened her door and stalked inside. The Pretty Pretty Princes tried to grab at her but she shook them off and continued.

As soon as she did the sound of raised voices came from her living room. The day before she might have tried to scurry past, or not gone inside at all. Now, however, her Took side was wide awake and feeding off the supreme confidence she felt after her talk with Fram.

So she headed straight for it. Just as she reached the entrance, darkness spread out over the walls, the wood began to creak, and she watched as Gandalf, already taller than anyone had the right to be, seemed to grow another three to four feet.

"ENOUGH! IF I SAY BILBA BAGGINS IS A BURGLAR, THEN A BURGLAR SHE IS!"

The wizard towered, looming over Thorin, who stood in front of him gazing up at him......................and something extremely odd, even for her, happened.

Bilba looked at the Dwarven King. To this point she'd only talked to him a couple of times and he'd insulted her, apologized only to insult her again and, overall, dismissed her. She had no reason to like him and a plethora of reasons not too.

She could remember how he'd loomed over her the night before but now, as the wizard towered over him in turn, he seemed no larger than a child. Thorin had his face raised; not backing up an inch, but she caught the flicker of uncertainty deep in his eyes.

Her mind flashed to the pain she'd seen in them earlier, and took in too the full armor and sword he wore, as though he were so used to feeling unsafe he felt the need to protect himself even in the peace of the Shire.

A presence behind her alerted her to the arrival of Fili and Kili, silently watching Gandalf threaten their Uncle.

It made her angry.

She marched forward and shoved in front of him, looking up at Gandalf with her hands planted firmly on her hips.

"HEY!"

Gandalf, for his part, looked startled. Around her the blackness faded, the groaning ended, and the wizard returned to his normal height, which was still really tall, but was at least somewhat more reasonable.

"What is wrong with you?" Bilba demanded. "You dump an entire company of Dwarves on me unannounced, run off before I can yell at you as you so richly deserve and now you try to BREAK MY HOUSE? What, precisely, did I do to deserve this?"

Gandalf looked about to answer, but Bilba was already spinning back around. Thorin had his mouth open, always a bad sign with him, and was undoubtedly about to say something idiotic about not needing her help.

She pulled out the contract Fili had given to her and slapped it against his chest - and, wow, he had a broad chest – and ordered "SHUT. UP. Every time you open your mouth you start off fine but then you forget entirely to shut it again."