AN: This is just a short fluffy story about Beorn and his girl. Let me know your thoughts on this story, and feel free to read my other one and provide constructive criticism. Thanks for taking the time to read, review, favorite, and/or follow if you decide to do so.

My Girl

One

The fifteen figures running from the forests and into the field held such panic in their hearts that the woman watching felt a small hint of their infectious fear as well.

She had been standing outside the wall with a stone in her calloused hands underneath the hot sun, tending to a crumbling section in hopes to mend the hole, and a sudden bout of rustling and hard breathing was heard at the edge of the woods, catching her attention quite abruptly. Naturally, her first worry was that the orcs had found them and intended to finish off the line of the Skin Changers, but before she could even consider preparing for a fight, they burst forth from the tree: thirteen dwarfs, a hobbit, and a wizard.

The odd group seemed to be together and heading straight for the quaint home, each running right behind the other in a nearly straight line—except for the largest dwarf who, ironically, bypassed everyone else and even began to lead them all in their haste. Acaelia didn't have to wonder what they were running from, for there were really only two things which could strike so much fear into someone: orcs, with their love of flesh, blood, and destruction, or the short tempered Skin Changer, Beorn. And from the roars in the distance and the smell on the air, Acaelia knew for certain that the fifteen were running from her bear.

Beorn had left earlier, muttering about feeling something unwelcomed moving in the forest, and told Acaelia to stay in the house and keep all of the doors locked in case something went wrong. She argued though that if something was wrong and he came running to her for help, she should keep the gate open. He only sighed and said that he could not control her actions, but there would be consequences either way, thus letting her keep the gate open.

Beorn was right, for her actions came with the consequence of the group running through that gate and into her home any second now.

Quickly dropping the stone, Acaelia ran into the house and began hiding everything valuable—they were dwarfs after all, and there was no way that they wouldn't get into the cottage. They were known for their love of destroying or molding things, and with such occupations came both the knowledge of how to break doors down and the strength to do just that. She didn't bother to lower the gate either, just in case Beorn caught up to them and decided to have a second lunch.

She hid all of the coins, the jewelry, the important documents, and the family portraits into a loose board in the ceiling and quickly closed it back up. With dedicated haste she took up arms, grasping the large cleaver from the chopping board in both of her hands and strengthening her stance in preparation for whatever came through the door, be it friendly dwarfs seeking seclusion from the bear, or eager hunters looking to be recognized as the killers of the last Skin Changers.

By the time she'd done this, the dwarfs were pounding on the door and shouting bloody murder, to which Acaelia couldn't help but roll her eyes. Dwarfs tended to be quite dramatic, occasionally to such a point that they were too busy screaming and pushing with all their might to notice the simple door handle. She wouldn't help them open it though, not when their intentions remained unknown; in fact, their ignorance to the functionality of doors might even be a blessing.

"Open the door!"

"Quickly!"

Finally, just when the exclamations were at their highest point and Beorn was nearly upon them, the handle was turned and they all ran through, only to press back against the door in attempt to keep it closed. Acaelia stood still and winced as she watched her bear's head be squished between the two doors, silently apologizing for not helping him.

"Push!"

"Come on lads!"

The bear roared and shoved, practically crying out to Acaelia, but the group threw their weight even harder against the door until Beorn was forced to back away or be badly injured. She hoped that he would not be too upset with her—for not closing the gate, for letting the dwarfs get inside, for staying and protecting the house rather than fighting beside him.

The dwarfs then sighed and slumped against the door, asking one another if they were alright.

"What is that?" Ori asked Gandalf, seeming quite shock-shelled while looking up at the wizard. The wizard grinned a bit, looking at the company before him, and began to explain.

"That is our host; his name is Beorn. He's a skin changer…sometimes he's a huge black bear, sometimes he's a great strong man. The bear is unpredictable, but the man can be reasoned with. However, he is not overly fond of dwarfs."

This was when Acaelia briefly asked herself if she should hide and wait for Beorn to come to her rescue, or make herself known and stand on her own. She wondered what would impress her bear more, and made the braver decision of the two.

"Neither am I." Acaelia said from the back of the room, announcing her presence and making the dwarfs jump in surprise. They quickly grabbed hold of their weapons and stood ready to fight, glaring down the unexpected woman. Gandalf turned, looking rather caught off guard himself.

"Oh, dear." The wizard muttered.

Before all fifteen of them was a tall brown-eyed woman who seemed to be of the Dúnedain race. Her skin was dark and dirty, marked with tiny white scars here and there, and she wore a working man's clothing. The most noticeable scar ran from her chin to the bottom of her eye and clearly had not healed correctly, although her oddest attribute was her waist-long black hair, combed and braided all to one side of her head.

"Who are you and why does my Beorn want you dead?"

Acaelia's tone was strong and her words demanding, but the cleaver she held slackened and her tense muscles relaxed just a bit. The fact that these dwarfs didn't know what Skin Changers were was good news, but it certainly didn't ensure her or Beorn's safety.

"Your Beorn?" Gandalf repeated doubtfully.

"Yes, my Beorn." Acaelia shifted nervously before straightening her back proudly. "He is my bear and I am his girl; we belong to one another. You, however, belong to neither him nor I, therefore you do not belong here."

The dwarfs then began to grumble and mumble under their breaths, some speaking louder than others, while the hobbit looked rather uncomfortable where he stood at the wizard's side.

"Who are you?" Asked Thorin.

"Why are you here?" Asked Bofur.

"Gandalf never said anything about a girl." Seethed Dori.

"Are you another Skin Changer?" Asked Ori.

"We'd best kill it, just in case." Grumbled Dwalin, stepping forward with an axe in his hands.

The group grumbled in agreement and started to advance, much to Acaelia's fear. Gandalf looked on with his gray eyebrows raised, unsure if he agreed with the dwarfs or not. He'd never heard of this girl before, and she could easily be acting as Beorn's friend when really she meant the Skin Changer harm. He didn't bother to interfere because, overall, he was tired and caught off guard, not at all feeling up to directing the group's actions any longer.

Bilbo perked frightfully at the word "kill" and quickly shook his head, saying that no, there should be no killing whatsoever, but nobody would listen to him. Balin was clearly on the same page, though, and quickly calmed the crowd before anyone could do something rash.

"Wait a minute, now, wait just a minute!" He shouted with his arms raised, gaining everyone's attention. "Clearly, we are intruding on the quiet life of miss…" he trailed off, looking up at the tall girl expectantly.

"Acaelia." She answered grudgingly.

"Miss Acaelia." Balin smiled kindly. "Let us not forget that we are the ones who barged in here like a pack of rabid wargs, and that she has every right to protect her home."

The others began to hesitantly lower their weapons. Bilbo nodded in agreement and put his hands on his hips.

"Yes, I agree; we are being quite rude and making a—a horrible first impression." The hobbit stuttered before turning to the tall woman and bravely stepping up to her with his hand outstretched.

"Hello Acaelia, my name is Bilbo Baggins, and I am pleased to make your acquaintance." With his head tilted almost all the way back, he was sure to make eye contact and smile in the friendliest way he knew. Bilbo also tried to ignore that she still had the rather large and menacing cleaver in her hands.

The group of dwarfs watched very closely for what Acaelia would do next, some gripping their weapons in case she did anything funny. Thorin lifted his chin a bit and eyed the girl with a haughty air, just waiting for something to go wrong. The wizard, however, was lazily lighting his pipe as he leaned against the wall, paying only minimal attention to what was happening around him.

The Skin Changer looked at the tiny hand before her and decided to play nice, so long as they would behave. She reached out and grasped his small wrist firmly, but not hard enough to break his arm, and wait for him to reciprocate.

Bilbo was confused a bit at first, not familiar with this sort of greeting, and then tried to copy her to the best of his ability, even though her arm was as thick as a tree branch compared to his.

"The pleasure would be mine, if only I knew why you are in my home."

"Oh! Well, you see—" Bilbo started before he was cut off by Thorin.

"We are running from orcs and demand refuge."

Acaelia's brown eyes widened.

"Orcs?"

Then Beorn had been right about something being in the forest, and it wasn't just the fifteen before her. A slight headache started to boom behind her eyes and she held her palm against her forehead with a wince.

"How closely did they follow—did they come near the house?" The girl stomped past them all and looked out of a large window, searching the field and the forest's edge. She saw nothing, but her eyes weren't nearly as good as Beorn's.

"They weren't far behind when they stopped following us through the woods."

"Beorn scared them off, then." Turning away from the window, Acaelia gazed down at the dwarfs and quickly made a decision.

Never would she gladly forsake anyone to the torturous ways of orcs, unless they tried to do the same to her or Beorn, and while the fifteen in her home could easily be a threat to her, she found the hobbit kind and deserving enough of her hospitality. So long as they behaved, they would find safety in these walls.

"You may find refuge here for the night, but when my bear comes back, he will be the one deciding your fate. Until then, relax and allow me to make you a meal."

She led them through the house and into the dining room where they all had to climb onto the chairs and benches. They stripped off their weapons, boots, and armor, each offering their name and a handshake to Acaelia as she came by to collect and put their things away. Through the pounding in her head she fought to remember all fifteen of her guests' names, but it was not proving to be an easy task.

After they made themselves comfortable at the table, they all began to recall how Bombur managed to outrun each and every one of them, laughing and teasing as they did so. They looked very amusing in such a large place, their heads just barely poking over the top of the table and their legs hanging almost a meter off of the ground.

The only one that did not sit at the table with the others was Gandalf, who still felt a slight mistrust towards Acaelia; he decided to sit in the giant rocking chair in the corner as he smoked his pipe. It would be easy for her to convince the dwarfs to kill Beorn when he came home, or even easier for her to poison them all so she could do the killing herself. The possibility that she was a spy sent to kill the last Skin Changer was still too great, and until she proved otherwise, Gandalf would keep a close watch on her.

Acaelia was in the kitchen, cooking a meal that might as well be fit for a king, and smiled to herself as she listened to the dwarfs laugh and shout at one another.

She did not hold the same distaste that Beorn had for dwarfs—he thought them violent, ignorant, and selfish—because never had she been mistreated by one of their sort. She had been born and raised in Dale, before the dragon took over, and always the dwarfs there treated her with kind respect when she met them. Acaelia thought them funny and very entertaining, and even saw them as hard workers and dedicated friends.

No, she didn't have a single issue with the little hairy things sitting at her dining table, but the wizard in her rocking chair was a different subject all together. She knew that the wizard thought her a liar or cheat of some sort and wondered if she should bother to amend such an issue. Would he really be here long enough for his opinion to matter?

"Here we are, my friends." Acaelia said with a smile as she brought three plates of chicken, cooked veggies, and potato salad to set them down in the center of the table. The others eyed the large sums of food greedily and dished up without having to be told to do so.

"Enjoy." She said and was given many thanks and compliments before going back into the kitchen, where her thoughts continued.

They would all probably be gone within the first rays of tomorrow's daylight, and while she did want to keep them happy and friendly while they were here, it didn't seem worth trying to sway the wizard's mind if it was already made. Although, it wouldn't hurt to ask why Gandalf was so opposed to her, Acaelia figured.

"Oh, miss Acaelia, this is the best chicken that has ever touched my tongue." Bofur said around a mouthful.

"Aye, and this salad must have been made by the Valar." Gloin groaned.

"And I do admit that this wine has an exquisite flavor to its airiness." Dori said in a gaudy tone.

Acaelia chuckled and looked at them over her shoulder from the kitchen.

"Well, I am certainly flattered that you all think so. If there is anything else I can get you, feel free to let me know."

A hush fell over the table's occupants for only a millisecond before they all leaned closely in and began whispering to one another over the table, Bilbo trying desperately to take part in it. His head kept popping out to awkwardly smile at Gandalf and Acaelia, then back in, and then back out again before he was finally pulled down and held there.

Words like "pumpkin" and "cherry" could be overheard, but other than that, it was unknown what they were really muttering about.

Acaelia's brows rose in an amused bewilderment and she looked at Gandalf in his corner to see him smoking his pipe with a grin. They all parted again and went back to eating, as if nothing had just happened. Bilbo cleared his throat to get Acaelia's attention and he wiggled a bit before speaking nervously.

"We were hoping that—if it isn't much of a trouble that is—you might bake us a pie." He was jostled by Nori's elbow. "A-an apple pie, to be precise." He stuttered.

"Well of course I'll bake you all an apple pie. And since Bilbo was the one brave enough to ask, he'll get the biggest slice."

The group groaned and muttered about how unfair that was. Acaelia chuckled and turned back to the counter top she had been cleaning.

Beorn and Acaelia hadn't had any visitors for nearly six years now, and the girl found herself missing the noise of people talking to one another, of furniture moving haphazardly about and silverware tinkling against tabletops and plates. This yearning for company had gone unnoticed until just now, and she realized that her home was quite lonely, even when Beorn was present. Maybe their guests could stay a day or two longer…no, her bear would never stand for it.

Perhaps she just needed to pay another visit to the men of Rohan, where her sister safely resides. Constantly, Acaelia tried to convince Beorn to come and see her sister Quwen in Rohan, but he refused to leave the lands unprotected. If Quwen weren't so terrified of traveling, she would have loved to see Acaelia and Beorn in their cottage, but that never seemed possible, so Acaelia went to Rohan once or twice a year to see her sister. It was a bit saddening for Acaelia that she had to travel alone, and that her bear and her sister would never meet one another, which was why she didn't make the trip very often.

In the middle of chopping apples for the pie, Acaelia's headache suddenly hit her ten times harder and her stomach lurched. There had been no warning, and everything she held was tossed down as she ran off. Quickly rushing out the side door, she fell to her knees in the grass and just barely brushed her hair out of the way before she retched painfully, tears leaking out of the sides of her eyes while her gut was emptied. Acaelia barely had time to catch her breath between heaves and felt a slight panic start up as the possibility of asphyxiation became greater and greater.

Through the hurls and harsh breathing, Acaelia could hear chairs scraping and tiny feet running towards her. She found that it was easier to breathe now, and that she was mostly dry heaving, and forced herself to hastily finish, not wanting to ruin their dinner with the sight of her being sick. She spat out the taste of bile that lingered in her mouth.

"Acaelia? Are you alright?" Bilbo asked worriedly as he stepped through the doorway to rub her back, the thirteen dwarfs behind him trying to see what was happening. Acaelia took many deep, shaky breaths and sat back, closing her eyes and holding the back of her hand to her mouth.

"I am fine, Bilbo, just a little queasy. Go back and finish your dinner, all of you, before it gets cold." She croaked and wiped her mouth on her sleeve. They all hesitated, not believing her, and tried to huddle closer, but the hobbit turned around and began pushing them all back inside the house.

"Alright you lot, you heard her. Go on now, give the poor girl a moment to herself. I'm sure she needs some air, so get back, get." He shoo'ed them all away, but didn't move from her side. Acaelia wiped the last of her tears away and stood on uneasy legs.

Bilbo stood there with his arms crossed, looking quite pleased that he'd managed to shoo away a group of tough dwarfs, and kept his back to Acaelia. He jumped a bit when her huge hand engulfed his shoulder. Looking up, the hobbit saw her small yet genuine smile and felt even more accomplished.

"Thank you for that, Bilbo, but you should go finish eating as well."

"If…if you're certain that you are alright?" He asked nervously, shifting his weight anxiously.

"I am alright my friend, I promise."

At least her headache was gone.

Acaelia walked with him back inside and gently urged him to go on into the dining room with the others, giving him a reassuring grin when he looked back at her, before washing her hands and slowly going back to the pie. Slicing more apples and adding spices, Acaelia began to feel more in her element once again.

Lately, she had been feeling sicker and sicker with constant headaches, bouts of dizziness, and her stomach could hardly hold down one meal per day. She had an idea of what the cause could be, but didn't want to think or talk about it, not until Beorn was with her to help her through it.

"Would you like any help?" The deep, grumbling voice of Gandalf suddenly asked from beside her. She jumped in surprise and dropped her knife on the cutting board. She momentarily also noted that her mind constantly wandered now, keeping her from paying attention the things transpiring around her.

"Oh, no, I'm fine here, thank you though." Acaelia stuttered before going back to cooking.

"Good!" Gandalf said cheerfully. "I'm a terrible cook, and wouldn't want to ruin desert."

Acaelia gave the wizard a sideways glance and quietly chuckled.

"Is there something I can help you with?" She asked, wondering why he'd offer to help cooking when he had no actual intention of doing so.

"Have they run out of food?"

Gandalf shook his head with a light laugh and leaned against his staff to watch her cook.

"No, and I don't suppose they will any time soon. In fact, they might not have enough room in their tiny bellies for pie."

"More for you and I then." She said with a smile, happy that he was acting more kindly towards her. She wasn't sure what brought it on—maybe seeing her ill had earned her pity—but she wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Then, looking over her shoulder at the group of tiny men, she lowered her voice. "They are very small though, aren't they?"

The wizard laughed heartily and nodded.

"Yes, I believe that they are quite miniature." He sighed but let the smile stay on his aged face. Looking up at Acaelia, he realized that she had to be at least two inches taller than him, and he was a rather tall individual. "Or, perhaps the rest of the world is simply too big."

Grinning, the girl placed the pie in the oven and worried if she should make another for when Beorn came home. He did have a love for her honey pie after all, and maybe a few slices of it would calm his heart at the thought of dwarfs in their home. Her mind made up, she began on the crust.

"Either way, I'm certain that their courage and might are greater than most peoples'." Acaelia said with a hint of appreciation.

The wizard scoffed light-heartedly.

"Mighty and courageous creatures do not run and shout mindlessly when a dim-witted bear chases them through the woods."

Acaelia paused in her baking and shot Gandalf such a stern expression that his breath caught in his throat. Stuttering, he quickly meant to amend the damage his words could have caused.

"I meant no offense, of course; surely Beorn is the cleverest of us all, as a man or a bear."

Lifting a petite eyebrow, Acaelia made a sound in her throat that was neither forgiving nor irritable and went back to the pie. Gandalf relaxed and moved to the other side of her, seeing a bowl of large ripe grapes.

"Oh, may I?" He asked right before he'd taken one. Acaelia nodded carelessly. "Thank you. And might I also inquire as to exactly what you are?"

"What do you mean?" She asked distractedly.

"What race are you? Clearly you're not a dwarf, hobbit, or elf, but that seems to be all that I am able to tell."

Acaelia sighed but decided that she might as well explain herself, no matter how irritating it was to do so.

"I am a quarter Skin Changer. My grandfather was one, but married a human woman and gave birth to my mother, a halfblood. She married a human man and they had me. I may have the blood of a Skin Changer in me, but I don't have nearly as many of the amazing abilities that they do."

"Such as?" Gandalf prompted, hoping she would explain further. If he was going to trust her, to let his guard down and no longer fear for his safety or the safety of the others, he needed to know more about her. So far, she hadn't hinted at wanting the death of Beorn or the company, and had even shown weakness by letting Bilbo comfort her after being sick. Nobody was feeling uneasy or lightheaded from her food or drink, and their weapons were all right where she left them, so Gandalf decided to give her a shot.

She took a deep breath in preparation for revealing herself. It never was a pleasant thing, talking about what the change did to her.

"My whole body cannot change like theirs, only parts, and the change is more painful for me. My senses are sharper than a human's, but not nearly as good as a pureblood's. I can understand the things that animals say and do, but they cannot understand me. I do not heal as fast and I will not live as long. Beorn and I do, however, think that if I were to reproduce with another Skin Changer, my child would be that of a pureblood's rather than a halfblood."

"And is that why you live with Beorn? To reproduce and save the line of Skin Changers?" The wizard asked casually before plopping another fat grape into his mouth. Acaelia slowed in her mixing of the honey ingredients as she thought hard about what her response would be.

"The intentions behind Beorn taking me in and keeping me are unknown. If we have a child together, then we will gladly raise and protect it. If not, then we will be happy even if we only have one another for the rest of our lives." She went right back to baking, and something in her tone suggested that she wanted to speak no more of it.

The wizard mentioned no more of it, sensing Acaelia's irritation, and reminded himself that there were limits that even he had to acknowledge.

He had a difficult time deciphering what the relationship between Beorn and Acaelia was—if they were romantic together or just friendly, or even if they treated one another as family more than anything. Skin Changers and their habits had always been a slight fascination to the wizard, and he always wanted to know more about them. It really was a shame that Beorn was the last of his kind—or close to it, anyways.

"Whose thought was it for you all to come here?" Acaelia asked out of the blue.

"The thought was mine, naturally." He explained cheerily around a grape. "I have heard many stories about Beorn, and the moment I was told of some threatening thing in the woods other than orcs, I knew it would be him." He swallowed the grape and dabbed some juice off of his mouth with the end of his long gray beard.

"So many stories…it almost feels as if I know Beorn on a personal level, strange as it sounds."

"My father once pulled a gold coin out from behind my ear," Acaelia said, "does that make him a wizard?"

"Well, no, of course not!" Gandalf said, confused. "That makes hardly any sense."

"Just like hearing stories of someone makes you close to them makes hardly any sense."

Her words and the meaning behind them suddenly came together, and Gandalf smiled in embarrassment.

"Ah, I see your point." Gandalf sighed. "I suppose that you are correct. And I must take a moment to thank you for allowing us to stay here, even though you know not who we are. It is a great risk to do such a thing, and you are a brave girl. I led the others here, expecting that the man wouldn't mind letting us stay, regardless of the territorial issues that the bear would undoubtedly feel. Had I known Beorn had a mate, however—"

Acaelia's palm slammed down onto the cutting board so fast and hard that the wood splintered and cracked under her skin, and the enormous slap! that sounded through the house ceased all conversation. Her back was hunched and her head lowered, making her looked both menacing and ugly at the same time. The tips of her fingers dug into the board furiously, making curved imprints into the already damaged wood, and she took slow deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself.

Gandalf had been so shocked by this sudden display of seething ire that he lost grip of his staff and almost let it fall to the ground. He stuttered, trying to ask Acaelia what was the matter, but the words just couldn't sort themselves out.

The dwarfs all turned in their seats and watched with wide and frightful eyes—all except for Thorin and Dwalin, who looked ready to fend off the angry woman at a moment's notice, and Balin, who simply looked on with an old and tired frown. Bilbo was the only one who dared to get out of his seat, but Dwalin grasped hold of his shirt and held the hobbit back when he walked past.

"Acaelia, I-I never meant—" Gandalf tried to say before his ramblings were cut off.

"If you know Beorn for as well as you claim," she spoke in a dangerously quiet yet uneven tone that could be heard by all in the house, "then you should know better than to confuse the animal with the human."

Most of the dwarfs looked at one another in confusion and curiosity, wondering what the wizard had said to trigger such a reaction. Acaelia had been so kind and motherly, so patient and welcoming to the group even after they had practically torn her door down, and couldn't imagine what had been said to upset her so.

Bilbo tried hard to free himself of Dwalin's grasp, yearning to confront Gandalf and tell him to mind his own business and for once in his life not stir up trouble.

"The girl standing before you is a human, and that is all you will see me as unless I make the change." Acaelia hissed.

"I bake and manage the garden, I sew and clean the house, and I speak and think and live as a human does." Her words started to grow in volume and speed.

"I do not snarl and rut; I do not carry children by the scruff of their neck or piss on walls to make my claim; I do not go into a frenzied heat and search for a mate." She spat the word, her whole body tense and practically shaking with outrage.

Gandalf paid close attention to the things she said and now understood the line which he had crossed. The wizard felt horrible for causing such strong emotions in Acaelia, for talking as carelessly as any common idiot that did not care for her feelings.

"I am terribly sorry, Acaelia, you are right. I should have known better and watched my words, but it seems that I was not thinking right." Even though he stuttered, it was clear that his apology was honest and true.

Her shoulders shuddered as she took a big gulp of air, held it, and let it out slowly to try and soothe her nerves. She had nearly made the change, and while she was hardly as brilliant or beautiful as Beorn's bear, she could have easily showed them what it really was to be the animal.

"I understand your mistake, and I forgive you for it." She said nicely, finally looking up from the cutting board and into Gandalf's weary eyes.

"I will not, however, forgive future mistakes from any of you." It was clear that she addressed everyone there when she spoke. "We will not be called animals or creatures, nor will we be treated as such. And I will most certainly not hear any ignorant talk of our other selves when Beorn is nearby. Already, he has been harshly judged for what his blood makes him, but no more will he deal with such nonsense—not in his own home!"

Slamming her closed fist into the cutting board—not nearly as harshly as the first time, but still violent enough to make the dwarfs wince once more—she turned in place and stared down every member of the company with strict eyes.

"Am I clear?" Acaelia asked in a strong voice.

The dwarfs were quick to nod reassuringly and mumble their agreements.

"Yes ma'am." Kili hurriedly exclaimed.

"Crystal." Fili coughed.

"Oh, absolutely!" Bofur nodded.

Even Thorin, the ever quiet, brooding, and cryptic dwarf, nodded with pursed lips and found it hard to keep eye contact with Acaelia. She would have been an intimidating person even if she were a tiny hobbit lady, and everyone knew it.

After a few breaths, her stern expression cooled into a sad smile.

"Right. Now, who wants some pie?" She asked before turning and pulling the apple pie from the oven and placing it on the table. The dwarfs each forced a cheer and went after a slice, eager to put this behind them and act as if she'd never had an outburst.

Once she came back into the kitchen and placed the honey pie in the oven to bake, Acaelia placed her hands on the counter and leaned against it, taking quick labored breaths. Her headache was back once again, and she just felt extremely overwhelmed.

Where that outburst had come from, she had no idea, but she regretted it greatly and felt extremely embarrassed. Never had she taken anything so personally, never had she thrown a fit of that sort, and it made her more than weary.

Gandalf put a careful hand to her back and gave it a slight rub, curious if she was sicker than she seemed or just having a rather exciting day.

"My dear," the wizard said quietly, "I cannot tell you how sorry I am for upsetting you."

When she turned and looked at him, he was surprised to see the tears on her cheeks and hear her sniffling.

"Oh—oh no. None of that, darling. Come on now, none of that." Gandalf said with guilt weighing heavily on him. He pulled her in for a hug and patted her back as he hushed her.

Bilbo, after Dwalin released him in favor for some apple pie, watched the wizard and Skin Changer even though he couldn't hear what they were saying. Once he saw Acaelia's tears, though, Bilbo's mind was made up and he quickly stepped up to Acaelia.

She stepped back from the wizard and looked down at the hobbit, wondering what he could want.

Bilbo wanted to apologize for her having to cook all of them so much food and put their heavy things away, he wanted to say sorry for her feeling sickly, he wanted to beg her pardon for the emotional uproar Gandalf had caused, but Bilbo couldn't really find the right way to say any of those things.

So instead, he wrapped his arms around her legs and rested his head against her hip, muttering "I am sorry." into her clothes and hoped that she would understand his meaning.

Surprised, Acaelia chuckled through her tears and lightly patted Bilbo's head of fluffy hair.

"It's quite fine, little hobbit, you have nothing to be sorry for. My day has only been long and unusual, that is all."

Bilbo pulled back and craned his neck to look up at her as he spoke.

"Is there anything I can do to help? I'll collect and wash the dishes once everyone's done eating, if you'd like. The dwarfs will surely help; you'll find that they are unexpectedly good cleaners!"

Gandalf chuckled as he recalled the little song the company had sang in the hobbit's hole while cleaning the mess they'd made. A rowdy bunch of dwarfs, they were.

"I suppose that would be quite nice, although I'll have to find a stepstool for you to be able to use the wash bin." Acaelia said with a slight smile. If the poor things could hardly reach her hipbone, she doubted they would be able to reach the counter.

"Great! Perfect, I'm glad to be of some use to you." Bilbo laughed and swung his arms back and forth awkwardly. He gestured back to the table and muttered before running off in hopes of getting some pie if there was any left.

"An interesting hobbit, he is." Gandalf chuckled. Acaelia nodded in agreement, but found herself blushing and wringing her hands nervously.

"I, um…" She said hesitantly. Gandalf looked at her and gently urged her to speak what was one her mind.

"I apologize for my actions greatly, Gandalf, I do not know what has come over me. I'm afraid that we've not had guests for quite some time, and I've forgotten my manners. I shouldn't have spoken so rashly, shouldn't have thrown such a fit. I have not been myself as of late, and I just…I hate it."

Gandalf looked up into her tired, stressed eyes and frowned. Vomiting and unusual moods…he was no doctor, but he worried for her and whatever it was that ailed her.

"Do you feel different in any other way, my dear, as if you are sick?"

"Yes, I always have headaches and trouble catching my breath. I cannot keep more than one meal down and I have trouble sleeping most nights."

Gandalf nodded, and hesitantly asked a possibly offensive but extremely necessary question.

"Pardon the question, but do you also find yourself craving odd foods and using the wash room more than usual?"

She looked surprised and said that this was true. Gandalf hummed and found himself frowning a bit with this newfound knowledge. It would seem that the line of Skin Changers was yet to end.

"Acaelia, I" he faltered, unsure of what this news would bring on, "well, I do believe that you are pregnant."

Acaelia did not react in any way the wizard had expected—she did not question him, she did not gasp, she did not burst into tears, she did not laugh happily.

Rather, Acaelia stared at Gandalf, a slight crease in her forehead, before she nodded and leaned her hip against the counter, crossing her arms and staring off to the side.

"I had expected as much." She muttered and held her hand to her mouth so she could nibble on her thumb anxiously. Gandalf's brows rose.

"You knew this was a possibility?"

She almost snorted at the silly question.

"Well, of course it was; Beorn and I have been together for years now, both physically and emotionally. We've been anything but careful…really, it's a wonder why we don't already have little ones running around."

Acaelia began to explain to Gandalf the nature of her and Beorn's affair.

At first, their relationship had been made from the need to continue the bloodline, but they quickly discovered that their hearts were more invested than previously expected. Now, they were nearly inseparable and constantly craved for each other's company. The hours Beorn spent away from Acaelia as the bear were unfathomable, and Beorn hated seeing Acaelia constantly working so hard and risking her fragile self.

If he weren't so convinced that something would go wrong, they would have been married by now.

Gandalf laughed suddenly, shaking his head and pulling his pipe out once more.

"I come to Beorn expecting a frightening beast, only to find that he has a girl who hopes for children. What a thing that is!" He laughed heartily and went back to join the others at the dinner table, fussing since nobody had saved him a slice of pie.

"What a thing indeed." Acaelia sighed before cleaning the countertops.