"Yes I must do it! We have to let them know he's here and safe!"

"Well, bloody hell, Bilbo! Don't ye think we should at least talk to the lad? He's terrified of goin' back!"

Bilbo Baggins huffed and slapped his hands onto his hips, glaring at his partner with angry eyes and red cheeks.

"We can NOT just keep him without letting his guardians know where he is! They could have already contacted the local authorities and let them know that he's missing!"

Bofur, seated at the table, with little Frodo hugging him and sniffling against his chest, sighed and rubbed the little hobbits back; pausing when the boy winced and let out a soft yelp.

"What's wrong?" He asked, ignoring an impatient sound from Bilbo, "What's hurtin' ye lad?"

Bofur lifted his hand and his breath caught in his throat when he observed the faint blood stains on his finger tips; He looked at Bilbo, turning his hand so the hobbit could see.

"M-my back Mister Bofur," Frodo whimpered suddenly, "It hurts."

"Did ye get hurt on the way here?" Bofur asked, beginning to pull up the back of Frodo's shirt.

Surprisingly Frodo cried out and pushed himself down from Bofur's lap and hurried behind Bilbo. His sobs becoming new as he gripped his blood relatives offered hand.

"Frodo," Bilbo asked softly, "Did you get hurt? If you did we'd better have a look at it."

"I didn't get hurt when I came here!" Frodo snapped, jerking his hand fee and wiping his eyes, "It just hurts!"

Bofur made a curious noise and, running his clean hand over his mouth, looked at Bilbo; his eyes conveying the same worry the hobbit held within his own.

"Frodo," Bilbo started, kneeling down and taking the boy by his small shoulders, "Can I just have a look? Just to see if you need some medicine? If you do, we can help take the pain away."

Frodo, tears rolling down his cheeks, looked at Bilbo fearfully, then at Bofur whom nodded in support, before wiping his nose and nodding slowly; "Okay," He said, "Just don't touch it…that's when it really hurts."

Bilbo nodded in agreement and gingerly, with Frodo gripping his shoulders, pulled up the back of the child's shirt; his breath caught in his throat and a chilling sensation settled in his stomach.

Bofur moaned angrily and covered his mouth; his hazel eyes suddenly going very dark at the sight of the horrendous welts and healing bruises that covered little Frodo's back.

Across his tiny shoulder was an open sore; the source of the blood that had seeped through his shirt and found placement on Bofur's finger tips.

"Oh my dear boy! Who did this to you?" Bilbo asked, though his eyes stayed transfixed on Bofur, "What happened?"

Not waiting for an answer Bilbo, pulling Frodo's shirt back down, lifted the small boy into his arms; Bofur came close and put one arm around Bilbo as he walked with both of them, into the den where Bilbo sat in his favorite chair.

Frodo was whimpering softly, his tiny arms clasped about Bilbo's neck, and when Bilbo asked him again what had happened, he whispered: "Mr. Roper. He hit me for bouncing a ball in the house."

Bofur knelt next to the chair then, looking nervously at Bilbo before asking: "What did he hit ye with lad? Was it a belt?"

Frodo lifted his head, staring timidly at the dwarf, before shaking his head. "His cane," the child explained, "He always uses his cane."

Bofur's eyes flared wildly and he stood quickly; "Well, that tears it then!" He declared and marched out of the den while Bilbo called after him to wait.

"Stay here," Bilbo ordered Frodo, taking the child from his lap and placing him delicately in his chair.

Bofur had just clipped his cloak about his shoulders as Bilbo caught him short of opening the door.

"Where the hell do you think your going?" Bilbo demanded, putting himself between Bofur and the door, "Don't do anything rash!"

"Rash?" Bofur said, "I'm quite calm Bilbo. I think, bein' as calm as I am, I'll go down to our local sheriff and report what's just been~"

"Bofur be reasonable!" Bilbo argued; causing the dwarf to gape at him in utter astonishment.

"Reasonable?" Bofur asked softly, "Bilbo…Frodo was beaten with a cane!"

Bilbo shushed Bofur and looked out the window. Making sure the other dwarves, whom had been asked to step outside for a moment, didn't hear Bofur's angry retort.

"Look," Bilbo explained as calmly as he could, "We've got to deal with this as rationally as possible. I know Gormadoc, while his methods of discipline~"

"DISCIPLINE?" Bofur bellowed, "Bilbo I was hard to handle back in my youth but not even me own father would be THAT cruel! Not over something as silly as bouncing a ball in the home!"

"Fine!" Bilbo snapped, "I agree, but, just don't go and start reporting what you think is a crime just yet! Gormadoc is a powerful, rich hobbit! We need to figure out just what we're going to do!"

Bofur stepped back, biting his lower lip and mulling over what Bilbo had said; "A'right," He agreed, "What do we need to do?"

Nori watched as Ori sat outside sketching something for the little hobbit that ran around the front yard playfully.

"When do ye think Bofur and the hobbit will get back from that errand they needed to take care of?" Dwalin asked as he picked at his teeth with on of Bilbo's beloved knives, "I'm a warrior not a sitter!"

Nori chuckled; "Nor am I," He replied, "But they had to go see someone about the boy and they needed our help. So you will just have to add 'baby sitter' to your many accomplishments."

"Surprised Bilbo could even walk, given the noise they made last night!" Dwalin spat.

He waited for Nori to laugh at his lewd joke, but when he didn't, Dwalin looked over at him and began to repeat his snide observation until Nori held up his hand.

"I'll be right back," He explained, and bounded out the door before Dwalin could ask where he was off to.

The warrior dwarf rose and came to look out the window; a low 'o' sound escaping his throat as he saw Nori walking up to the front gate and engaging the unexpected visitor.

"Sorry," Nori said, "But Mr. Baggins had to run an errand. He is not here."

Wil Whitfoot sniffled and looked Nori up and down questioningly before replying: "Oh, well, I've only come to ask him a favor is all."

Nori leaned his head to the side and stared as curiously at the hobbit as the hobbit done so to him.

"What favor is that?" He asked, a small suspicious smile upon his face, "If you'd like, I could tell him what you need, when he gets back that is."

Whitfoot bowed and offered a smile when he stood straight; "No, no," He explained, "I appreciate your…kindness. I'm glad, to see that Bilbo has some good friends here, but I'll just pop by again later if I can."

Nori twitched his nose and pulled at his beard before nodding and offering toothy grin; "Very well, good day to you."

Wil Whitfoot nodded and turned on his bare heels without another word and strolled away while Nori, Ori, and little Frodo watched him go just as Dwalin came outside and stood beside Nori.

"Who was that?" Dwalin asked, "One of Bilbo's relatives?"

Nori shook his head and pulled a small dagger from his sleeve; "an old friend of Bilbo's, Wil Whitfoot, the one that asked for Bilbo's help in writing a book."

Dwalin nodded and looked at Nori, observing the dwarf's deep set face.

"What's wrong?" Dwalin asked, having known Nori long enough, He knew the dwarf was greatly troubled.

"Eh, well, that happens to also be…a past lover, so I'm told, of Bilbo's. The main cause for the recent bust-ups Bo's been having with Bilbo lately."

Dwalin's eyes went wide in understanding and he clicked his tongue; "What? You think he was up to something?"

Nori said nothing as he picked under a finger nail with the tip of his dagger; without another word he looked down and smiled at Frodo before stowing his dagger.

"Fancy some lunch, mate?" He asked cheerfully, and patted Frodo's curly haired head, "come one let's see what we got."

Bofur, strolling silently by Bilbo's side, stopped and removed his worn and tattered hat and scratched at his head.

"So…yer gonna send 'im back, eh?"

Bilbo sighed and continued to walk, leaving Bofur a few paces behind. "I must," He admitted, "They've given us the weekend, since I sent word to Brandy Hall that Frodo was safe with me, and also that I needed time, but any longer and we-I-could be accused of kidnapping."

Bofur sniffed, replaced his hat, and caught up to the hobbit.

"I understand we want to be take Frodo's well-being into consideration," He started, "and I believe ye when ye say you'll speak to the Brandybuck's about what we both suspect but…does yer decision have anything to with what the Sheriff said?"

Bilbo stopped then, and looked deeply in Bofur's questioning hazel eyes before sighing and saying: "No, but I worry that what he said will be a hurdle….that because of the rumors we won't get Frodo placed under our-my-guardianship. If we need to that is."

Bofur's lips pressed tightly and his eyes left Bilbo's as he thought over this; "Seems funny yer kin didn't know about the beatin's," He observed, "We could always keep 'im here, make excuses o-or even, if we had to we could send 'im away! Nori still has contacts and he~"

"We'd be jailed then," Bilbo interrupted, and his hand found one of Bofur's, clasping it gently, "As much as I'd like keep him. But as much as I care for Frodo, we will not help him if we turn into criminals ourselves."

Bofur squeezed Bilbo's hand and grimaced; "We can't just…Bilbo, what if they don't believe ye? What if when you go to them and tell 'em what Frodo said, when ye tell 'em about the marks they~"

"They'll listen," Bilbo interrupted again, "I'm in good standing with the Brandybuck's, after all, and so are you. I'm sure they'll listen."

"But what if they don't?" Bofur pressed, "Ye know what the next thing to do will be."

Bilbo sighed again and released Bofur's hand; as he started to walk he explained: "Then we'll get a lawyer."

Bofur, hurrying to catch up to Bilbo, asked: "Who? Do ye know any good ones?"

Bilbo hesitated, rubbed a hand over his face and said in almost a whisper:

"I know one."