I know I said this chapter would be out a few days ago and everything BUT IT WASN'T MY FAULT!

Essentially what happened was that I decided it was finally time (three years later) to play Dragon Age II and...I...sorta got really obsessed and it was the only thing I could do until I finally beat the game yesterday.

Honestly, I liked the game but I feel like there was that "One decision" the one where no matter what you choose it'll feel wrong and there's just no right option and the outcome is really sad and whatnot and you feel powerless because "WHHYYYY?". For those who played or have watched a letsplay of the Walking Dead video game (the good one, not the bad one about Darryl), I wanted that "one decision" you make at the end of episode 5, the VERY last decision you make involving the fate of someone we all adored from the beginning.

But enough rambling about that "one decision" and sorta spoiling the Walking Dead video game for those who haven't played it.

SO BEFORE WE GET STARTED HERE'S A LITTLE LEGEND ON THE AGES AND EVERYTHING SO NO ONE IS CONFUSED AND EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS:

Humans - 80

Dwarves - 350 (Kili)

Hobbits - 100 (Belladonna and Bilbo)

Belladonna found Kili when she was 33 (26 in human years). She had Bilbo at the late age of 58 (46 in human years) when Kili was 25 (5 in human years).

This chapter is taking place 75 years later which makes Kili 75 (17 in human years) and Bilbo 50 (40 in human years). Belladonna would be 108 (86 in human years) but she died 8 years ago (making her 80 in human years).

*NOTE: The actual lifespan of these beings is under debate (I.E. people claim Hobbits live up 80 as well as Dwarves live up to 250) so I'm going with these numbers.

AND NOW ENJOY!

Kíli awoke to the smell of frying bacon and freshly baked bread. Though the scent was indeed heavenly, the hangover from which he suffered made the smell hopelessly nauseating and stomach churning. Before long he felt what contents were left in his belly ready to evacuate and he desperately searched around his room for a bucket. Thankfully, his brother had thought of it and he grasp hold of it just in time.

When he was done vomiting, he quickly threw the puke out the window and onto the plants bellow before making way to the lavatory to clean himself and rinse his mouth. It seemed that his brother had also anticipated the nasty headache and had placed medicine next to the sink for him. Kíli smiled at his thoughtfulness and downed the medicine with a glass of water. He waited a few short moments for it to take effect and then wandered to the kitchen where his brother was busy preparing breakfast.

"Smells lovely." He commented as his eyes scanned the table hungrily. There were freshly baked scones, fruits and vegetables fresh from the garden cut and prepared with a dip which had also recently been made, countless cheeses, a jug of milk and water and two plates with utensils.

Kíli couldn't help it, he reached for one of the hot scones and – "Don't!" His pointy-eared brother objected sharply, promptly slapping his hand away from the food, "I'm not done yet!"

"Oh come on Bilbo!" Kíli complained, "I'm starving!"

"No!" Bilbo refused again and returned to cooking, "You'll wait and, before eating, you'll clean the basin you dirtied a few moments ago!"

Kíli pouted and seated himself on a chair rather than comply, "You're so touchy." He mumbled, "Is it because of what happened yesterday?"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Bilbo declared dryly.

Kíli paused and stared at his back as he worked more avidly on properly cooking the bacon, preparing a salad and checking the loaf of bread he was baking. He smiled lightly, "So it is." He concluded and his suspicion was confirmed when Bilbo flinched, "You know…" he continued, "Whatever or whoever I discover, you'll always be my brother."

Bilbo removed the frying pan from the stove and took the bread out of the oven quickly before facing Kíli with an exasperated expression. "But why do you have to leave?" He asked, "Mother said your parents sent you away to save you! If you return to your roots you'll surely be killed and their sacrifice will be for naught! Stay in the Shire where it's safe! Stay with me!"

Kíli stared at Bilbo with a stunned expression. Rarely had he ever seen his brother so riled up and so red in the face. His fists were clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white and Kíli understood that Bilbo wouldn't easily accept his decision. "I want to know where I'm from." Kíli explained softly. "You've always had the answers of your origins. You know the culture of your people, your history and everything whereas I only know vaguely the story of Dwarves from what Mother told us. I want to know more. I want to know who I was supposed to be, who my parents were, if they're still alive, if I have a brother or a sister or both, and why they exiled me. I can't do that by staying here."

"You have a brother." Bilbo insisted, his voice choked as his eyes watered. He was never good at containing his emotions, "You're staring right at him."

"Bilbo…" Kíli tried but Bilbo promptly turned away, most likely in a feeble attempt to hide his tears. He paused for a moment and smiled softly, "Hamfast told me what you were worried about." He waited for a moment before finishing. "I promise I'll come back."

"How…" Bilbo choked. He swallowed loudly and wiped his tears away quickly before facing his brother, "How can you promise that when you don't know what you'll find and what dangers you'll face? How do you know you won't die? How do you know you'll want to leave what you've found?"

"I don't know." Kíli admitted, "But I promised."

Bilbo opened his mouth to say something but quickly closed it, abandoning the argument there. Kíli sighed, relaxing at his victory and patiently waited for Bilbo to finish everything and meet him at the dinner table. Normally he would have blabbed absently but the situation was tense and he wasn't a complete fool. Bilbo needed time and he wouldn't add oil to the fire by pretending nothing had happened and everything was fine. Thus he fished into his pocket and began to fiddle the rune Belladonna had said she had found with him.

"You can finally eat now." Bilbo said as he placed the salad bowl, the bacon and the bread onto the table and sat across Kíli.

Kíli grinned wolfishly and thanked him briefly before devouring the delicious food that had been taunting him for a while. "You know…" he said between bites, "I don't think anyone can beat your cooking!"

Bilbo smiled feebly and picked at his food, visibly still bothered by their conversation. Kíli then paused, knowing that he would have to face his brother again sooner or later and thought of something clever to say to up his morale or fix the situation.

"Why don't you come with me?" he suggested.

"What?" Bilbo asked, choking on the small bit of food he had been about to swallow.

"I'm leaving in a week," Kíli stated, "Most of the preparations are done but I can always request an extra pony for you."

"You must be mad!" Bilbo exclaimed, "A Hobbit leaving the Shire! Why that's most unrespectable!"

"But mother did it." Kíli grinned, "In fact, all of the Tooks have done it at least once! Why should you deny the will of adventure that runs through your blood?"

"Because I'm a Baggins!" Bilbo stated obviously, "From Bag End! I'm very well respected in our community and I intend to keep it that way!"

"What does that matter?" Kíli insisted, his smile growing as his brother gradually became more flustered, "When we were younger, we dreamed of adventuring together! You kept dragging me into the forest to find Elves and faeries, remember? Where has that gone?"

Bilbo blushed deeply in frustration as he babbled aimlessly, desperately trying to find the words necessary to defend his choice but Kíli spoke again before he could make a concrete argument. "Come on." He encouraged, "It'll be fun! We'll visit all the Dwarf Kingdoms to the East. We'll start by making our way to Moria—"

"It's dangerous!" Bilbo objected sharply, "Infested with Orcs and Goblins!"

"I know, I remember the stories!" Kíli brushed off, "I just want to see the ruins. Anyways, we'll continue south from there and make our way to the region of Rohan and visit the White Mountains also bordering Gondor. From there we'll go north, following a path next to Mirkwood which will lead us to the Grey Mountains. Then we'll stop quickly at Erebor before moving forward to the Iron Hills and eventually return home from there."

"That's an awfully long trip!" Bilbo stated, "How do you know we'll have enough provisions?"

"There are many cities along the way." Kíli stated, "You should know out of everyone what with your obsessions over maps. The only point where we'll need to be careful is when we travel to the Grey Mountains because there aren't any signs of villages or homesteads. So what do you say? Will you follow your brother to his roots and join him on the adventure of a life time?"

Bilbo seemed even more flustered than he had before. He flapped his lips emptily, uttering no sound, as his mind worked hard to form an answer. "I…I…"

"Look at it this way," Kíli said, "If I ever seem like I don't want to return, you'll be able to drag me home whereas you won't be able to do so if you don't come along."

Bilbo considered the statement seriously before something Tookish awoke inside him and he seemed much more determined than a few moments ago, "Alright." He said. "I'll come with you."

After a long voyage, Thorin had finally made it to a familiar region with lush green hills and a bright sky filled with cotton clouds. He had only been there once before and it had not been on the best of terms. His mind absently wandered to the scar above his eye as he remembered delving into a river and pushing away his youngest nephew, trusting in Aüle to keep him safe. He had spent years wondering if the boy was still alive and had spent just as much time suffering from the uncertainty physically and mentally – the slight permanent shake in his hand and the many wounds tattering his back could attest to that.

He sighed shakily before a gentle hand was placed on his shoulder, causing him to stiffen but then relax at the familiarity of it. "Dwalin…" he said softly as he turned to face his friend.

"He's alive." The gruff warrior said. "I know he is. I can feel it. He'll finally be coming home."

Thorin nodded and stared at the sign they had stopped next to. "The Shire…" he read before looking down the road. "There have been rumours of a Dwarf living there for 75 years now."

"The numbers add up." Balin stated as he took a step closer.

Thorin remained quiet for a moment before staring back at the company that had followed him thus far on his quest to fulfill his promise to his sister. The eleven Dwarves had all become his most valued friends and saviours during the horrible reign of Thrór and he couldn't have been happier to have them by his side on this very journey.

"The old King is dead." Dwalin said.

"Long live the King!" The others chanted in harmony.