Mad Old Baggins returned to the Shire 50 years ago on a bright day in the spring, leading a little pony, thin as a bean pole and looking like he was going to collapse from exhaustion. He didn't yell when he found his house up for sale. He didn't get angry at Lobelia when the lass had the gall to say that she'd bought his silver fair in square. He just politely asked everyone to leave and if Lobelia would be kind enough to return at least one set for him to use. He looked drained and so sad it had shut even that snippety Lobelia Sackville-Baggins up. And everyone made a point to ignore seeing her heading up to Bag End later that day with not only the box of silverware but a basket of food as well. Whatever those two discussed changed Lobelia for the better. She'd snap at everyone else as usual, but never Bilbo. She was always inviting him over for tea or dragging him along with her and Otho to different parties. Everyone saw the difference in this new Bilbo. Whatever happened on his two-year-journey still haunted him. He was no longer the outgoing, sometimes eccentric bachelor of Bag End. He was now Mad Old Baggins of Bag End, staying to himself and rarely inviting visitors over. He'd send gifts out to family every so often, but the only times he left Bag End were to go on long walks or visit the market. He still took time to tell the children a story every now and then, but it took a 20 years before he told any stories about his journey and never said anything on the trip he took with Gandalf a year after his return. He was gone for three months and when he returned, he looked even worse than when he had last returned and was now needing a cane to get around. It was gone in a few months, but on bad days, it would come out. Some days, Bilbo didn't even leave Bag End. As he got older, the cane came into use more and more.

After realizing that Bilbo wasn't going to invite them, the people of Hobbitton and the hobbits over in Brandybuck Hall took it upon themselves to visit Bilbo. As Bilbo got older and movement got harder, more and more of his younger cousins started to visit. Drogo, Primila and little Frodo (after he was born) visited at least twice a week. Tooks and Baggins never abandoned each other, no matter how scandalous the act. Adventuring was a very scandalous act, but no one could really blame Bilbo for going. He was the son of Bungo and Belinda Baggins, after all. Both were very eccentric hobbits in their own rights. Belinda when traveling often and Bungo had a whole hobbit hole built for his wife. Both were madly in love with each other, so it's not hard to believe that Belinda died of a broken heart not long after the Fell Winter. Bilbo had to fend for himself, taking over the running of the Baggin's family home and becoming a very respectable hobbit. He gave up a lot, his wandering ways, his love of adventure, to be a strong figure for the Baggins clan. He still tried now, struggling with a weight he never talked about.

Whispers went around about a lost love, but the answers were discovered soon after Bilbo's 90th birthday. That's when all could see the poor old hobbit start to fade. Like elves, hobbits could fade. It was very rare now a days, but no uncommon. It was believed that Belinda faded, so it only made sense Bilbo was. Fading from what though was still unknown. Rumors spread that it was from one of the dwarves that Bilbo had traveled with. Others said it was someone he met on the road. They all had heard the tales of the Battle of Five Armies and some even speculated that his love had been killed in battle right before his eyes. If only they knew the truth.

Only weeks before Bilbo's 101st birthday found the hobbit making his slow way back up the hill to Bag End from a trip to the market. He could just give a list to Samwise, seeing as the lad went to market for Hamfast, but Bilbo didn't want to give up just yet. As long as he could make it to the market and back on his own, he knew he could still make it in this world. He knew the other hobbits could see him fading, but thankfully had never said anything to his face. Other than Lobelia and Hamfast, that is. He'd denied the truth to them for so long, but just a week ago he'd invited his two closest friends over for tea and explained everything. The entire journey in its entirety. A dwarf king Bilbo couldn't help falling for, a company that became a new family for him. Bilbo had watched as the dwarf he had loved and thought had loved him back can disappear, snuffed out by the gold sickness. He watched all of them succumb to it in varying amounts. He was losing his family all over again and he couldn't live with that. He did the only thing he could see bringing them back and in return he had been cast out. He'd held on to the hope that maybe they would come back for him, apologize and beg for forgiveness, but as the years went on it never happened and he lost hope.

He told them about the Ring of Power, about destroying. He told them about the hole that it had left, the emptiness in his soul now that he doubted could ever be healed. He explained how he'd been Fading for years, but it really only became evident on his 40th birthday because he'd received word from Gandalf about the goings on about Erebor. The dwarves had moved on, returning to their normal lives and completely forgetting about the little hobbit who had snuck into the mountain to trick a dragon. Bilbo had felt his heart completely shatter and it was then that he started writing, putting everything down in a book. Weeks ago, he had finished it, sending it to Erebor before he could regret it and stop himself.

"By the time they get it, I might as well be dead," Bilbo sighed, looking so broken, so defeated. "It won't be long now. I've been rejected by not only my love but by those I considered family. Its only you two and your families that have kept me this long. I fear it is not enough now."

Unknown to Bilbo, Hamfast and Lobelia had taken matters into their own hands. They refused to see their dear friend pass from the world so lost. Together they had written a letter and sent it with the fastest messenger they could find in Bree to the stupid King Under his bloody Mountain himself. Words of anger and sadness filled the pages they had sent, practically begging to come and forgive dear Bilbo so he could pass in peace. None would know the effect of the book and letter had on all 13 dwarves in a kingdom so far away.

None expected for Bilbo to walk up to his home from the market on a bright day to find 13 said dwarves standing outside his front gate, watching him limp his way up the path sadly. In that moment, the world stood still and held its breath.

Chapter Break