A/N: Hi! Okay, so before you panic, I know I should be working on "Curse of Durin's Line" but this idea has been bugging me for a while. I've got that one all planned out and it will be 30 chapters, I promise. I also have this story planned out, just not as intensely. This is written in more of my usual style so hopefully it's written a bit (a lot) better. Also, please comment with any pairings you'd like to see in the story! I'm up for anything really other than incest, and if you'd like no pairings, that's fine too! Just comment and I can figure out the most popular ships for this story. It'll be easier once the members of the company come into play and you can let me know your preference, but if there's an OTP you must have, lemme know now! This intro is short, but subsequent chapters will be longer. Alright, sorry for the length, I'll let you get to the intro! :)
She swept her dark hair into a ponytail as she hurried down the hallway, her lab coat flapping with the briskness of her walk. Only a few more steps. And she'd be there.
Except the easy part was getting in, she had the passcode, the clearance, the right to be there- leaving, though. Leaving was the problem.
She stopped in front of the door, sliding her key card through the lock. The light flashed red.
Confusion flickered across her reflection in the glass as she tried again, only to be met with the same result.
"Having some troubles, my dear?"
The gravelly voice made her jump in surprise, "What?"
"I asked if you were having some troubles with your keycard, Bella," Gandalf asked, looming over her substantially shorter stature.
"Why, yes. I am actually. Would you be able to help me out?" she tried to keep her voice as steady as she could, making sure not to meet the older man's eye in case he saw right through her.
"Anything for you, Mrs. Baggins," he grinned, swiping his entrance pass.
The light flared green.
Belladonna let out the breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding.
"Here to see Bilbo?" Gandalf asked kindly, "I was actually coming to do the same."
No! she screamed in her head, trying not to let it show on the exterior, keep your hands off my son!
Instead, she answered in a completely even tone that she was surprised and proud to hear, "Mhm. I haven't seen him since yesterday, so I thought he might be missing me."
She restrained herself from simply running to the crib, scooping Bilbo out and bolting for the door.
Barely.
With slow and measured steps, she made it over to her child. Hands on the edge of the cradle, slowly, slowly now, else you'll wake him and they'll get suspicious…
"They know your plan," Gandalf whispered, and she wouldn't have heard him at all if he hadn't been leaning over the bed as well, pretending to examine the baby inside.
"They-" she glanced up, startled.
His gray eyes were completely serious, deadly serious, how did they know?!
"Please-" she started, but Gandalf simply picked up Bilbo, cradling the boy in his cloaked arms.
"Take the back exit, they're less attentive there. I'll find you somewhere along the way, but don't wait for me. I've stashed a bag of things you'll need just outside the doorway, tuck Bilbo inside and you have a chance," he spoke as if he were telling her the specials in the cafeteria that day, all casual and just, well, normal.
How does he do that? Bella's scientific mind wondered.
Instead of asking, she mutely stuck out her arms to receive her offered son, clutching him close to her chest.
Everything blurred with the speed and urgency of her movements. She was in the room one minute, fumbling with the zipper of the pack the next, and then she was at the gate.
"Ma'am, we need to check your bag," the guard was reaching for the strap of her bag when she finally snapped to awareness.
"No!" she exclaimed, recoiling.
The man stared at her for a moment before his expression hardened, "Mrs. Baggins, I need you to open your bag for me."
"I mean, no, don't touch it, I can do it myself," she babbled, "I don't really like having people take things from me like that, it's rather disconcerting."
She set the duffel on the cold metal table, letting the other official pull it closer to himself.
They were going to find him.
"Be careful with that please," her attempt at nonchalance failed.
The zipper slowly slid open and Belladonna's heart leapt into her throat.
They were going to find him and they were going to both be dead. Please, Bilbo, stay silent, be quiet, please, but they'll see him, they'll see him.
The guard flung open the flap, just as surprised as Bella to find that there was nothing but a pile of blankets and the various items that Gandalf had packed for travel inside.
"Looks like you're all good Ma'am. Just don't resist us next time! I don't know what you thought you had to worry about Mrs. Baggins," the guard, whose name she vaguely recalled as being Jerry, handed the bag back to her.
Her throat was tight as she gingerly slung it back over her shoulder, "Thank you sir. I'll see you tomorrow."
"That you will! Have a great rest of your day!" he called as she rushed out, the bright glare of the sun making her wince.
She didn't respond to him as she practically ran to her vehicle, sliding the duffel into the back of her little blue car. Her lab coat came off next, revealing the green dress she'd picked specifically for it's plainness.
Bella climbed into the driver's seat, and after calling Bungo to let him know she was "done with work", she opened the bag.
Bilbo was staring up at her with his hazel eyes wide and innocent.
"You. Are. One. Scary. Child," she punctuated each of her words with a poke to his belly.
He just gurgled in response, a wide smile on his chubby little face.
A/N: Comments and follows much appreciated! Your comments will greatly affect the direction of the story, so if you'd like to see something you've got to let me know! :D Thanks for reading!
