Disclaimer: Not mine, especially since I am still alive and female ^^°

A/N: So, yeah, if you see any mistakes please inform me, so that I may correct them as soon as possible ^^

Now have fun reading ;)

The best Christmas present

Christmas. Normally I would try to avoid this time of the year at all cost. I couldn't stand seeing all the happy Hobbits celebrating in their warm burrows with their families.

Oh don't misunderstand me. I got plenty of invitations but all were out of etiquette (or they wanted to get their greedy paws on my gold *coughLobeliacough*) and not because someone really cared about me.

But that was okay. I haven't really celebrated it since the Fell-Winter were both my parents died, so I was rather unused to being in the middle of a big cosy Hobbit hug with giving presents to everyone.

I shouldered the young buck across my shoulders and checked my bag so that the three rabbits wouldn't fall out as I made my way bag to the biggest hobbit hole in the whole shire – Bag End. I inherited it from my parents and even if it's a little lonely to be alone in the top of the hill it was peaceful.

I walked the last few steps up to the green door (I got it painted just a week ago, thank you very much), opened and walked quickly to the larder were I put down the freshly caught animals courtesy of a few traps I placed in the woods around the shire.

After I did that I pulled of my cloak. It was the same one Dori made me in the Mirkwood forest. It was a bit worse for wear but I treasured it all the same.

I build a quick fire in the living room and in the kitchen so that my home would warm up quickly.

I padded back to the larder were I picked up a few ingredients together with two of the rabbits before I started to prepare it to make a good filling stew.

Even if I didn't like it I knew that my great-nephews Frodo, Marry and Pippin would snow in tomorrow in the latest so that I would tell them about may adventure with the thirteen dwarves again.

I missed them. How Dori would fuss about Ori - being a giant mother hen - and Nori would try to sneak away so he wouldn't get caught up in it. How Bombur and Gloin stand above the fire to see if the days evening meal tasted alright and Bifur would try to talk to Oin in ancient Khuzdul but be hardly understood because Oin was nearly deaf and Bofur would just laugh about it. How Dwalin would sit a little ways off sharpening his battle axes, whereas Balin would tell Kili and Fili of the old days before Erebor was taken by Smaug the monstrous. How Thorin would sit nearly in the shadows keeping an eye out for danger and watching the company with just a little softening in his eyes.

Oh Thorin, Fili, Kili… Those three that lost their lives in the battle of five armies. I would never see Fili and Kili be scolded by Thorin again for playing a prank on one of the company members.

I missed them. Not just the three, no I missed all my dwarves and I will most likely only see them again in the afterlife.

My mind didn't really register how fast the time flew by. The rabbits were skinned and put on the stove together with carrots, potatoes, an onion and a few mushrooms that I found in the woods just days earlier.

I let it cook and went into the sitting room where I lit a pipe and enjoined the quiet… until it was broken by loud thuds against the door that is.

I sighed but stood up to open the door after I wrapped my housecoat tighter around myself. To my surprise (or not) there were three little hobbit tweens grinning up at me. "Uncle Bilbo!" they exclaimed and threw themselves at me.

I staggered a bit but righted myself. "Ah it's nice to see you again Marry, Pippin, Frodo."

I said with a smile. "Do your mothers know that you are here? It seems as if it's a little late for such fine hobbit lads such as yourselves to just walk around."

They quietly mumbled something about leaving notes somewhere before they brightened up at the heavenly smell that flooded out into the cold air from the kitchen.

"Uncle Bilbo, did you make that rabbit stew again? Can we eat some too? We haven't eaten since luncheon."

I chuckled at their puppy dog expressions and lead them into the dining room where there were four plates decked out already.

"Just a few minutes boys and then we can eat. Make yourselves at home."

"Thanks Uncle Bilbo. We are really hungry so we hope you made extra much!" Pippin said with a grin.

I ruffled his hair good-naturedly: "Of course young Pippin. The horror if you have not at least two portions of stew and three whole other meals at my home." I chuckled and went back to prepare a few side dishes.

I heard the boys whispering to each other but caught only a few snippets of their conversation.

"Do you think they will come?" "Of course they will! They promised in the letters." "I can't wait to see uncles face when the-"

In that moment three loud knocks echoed around the smial. "What respectable folk would disturb someone at this time of the day? Gentlehobbits should know that it is dinnertime…"

I muttered as I made my way to the door answering it.

I went to greet my visitors and tell them that it's impolite to disturb a hobbit at this time of the day until I saw their faces.

There were dwarves on my doorstep. My dwarves to be exact. There stood the whole company of dwarves which I followed to reclaim their home.

"Are we late?" Balin asked with a gentle smile.

"Late for what?" I asked back still rather shocked to see my friends on my doorstep. Remembering my manners I let them in with a few tears threatening to leave my eyes. Dori, Nori and Ori. Bifur, Bofur and Bombur. Oin and Gloin. Balin and Dwalin. They were here. All my dwarves that survived the battle of Erebor were here in my home. I led them a little dazed into the dining room where I found my Nephews grinning up at me. So that was what they were talking about.

I snapped out of it after the dwarves were seated and I ran into my wine cellar to get the best wine and ale that I had up to my dwarves. I poured them each a tankard and hurried to finish the food that I made plenty of.

After it was all put out I just sat in my seat still not quite believing that my nephews, my wonderful wonderful nephews went out of their way to contact the dwarves and invite them to the shire.

We laughed and ate and drank after I thanked the Tweens over and over again. I didn't care that my plumbing would most likely not work for the next several days, I didn't care, that mud was walked into the carpets, I didn't care that food and drink spilled onto the freshly cleaned floor, I only cared about having the beings that would count as my second family here with me celebrating a feast that I five hours ago didn't feel the need to celebrate and enjoying the time I had with them.

Christmas. Normally I would try to avoid this time of the year at all cost. I couldn't stand seeing all the happy Hobbits celebrating in their warm burrows with their families. But now that I had my own family around me, laughing with me, singing with me, hugging me I enjoyed celebrating this holiday.

No this was really the best Christmas present ever.

A/N: And how was it? I hope not to terrible ;p

Like I said above, if you see anything that needs fixing or just want to write your opinion just tell me in a review *hint hint*