Big thanks to everyone who has followed and favourited my story so far. And special a shout out to my lovely reviewers: ptl4ever419 and 7? I am sorry its taken over a month to get the next chapter up.

This chapter is a little short, subsequent chapters will be longer.

Begin Again

Bilbo Baggins dreamed of a time long ago- a time before rings of power and possibly cursed dwarven gold. He dreamed; although, Bilbo supposed it was more like remembering than dreaming; of a night years ago when he and Rhosyn as she had still called herself, had been mere children.

It was very late and little hobbit-boys and hobbit-girls really ought to have been in bed hours ago, but in one of the most respectable neighbourhoods in hobbiton, the two Baggins children, Bilbo and Rhosyn, lay in the garden outside their home, stargazing.

"Look at that one Rosie!" Bilbo pointed up at a cluster of stars. "It looks like a dragon!"

"I heard a story about a dragon today." Rhosyn told him. "It attacked a dwarf kingdom a long way away from here."

"Who told you that?" Bilbo asked, always eager for a good story.

"Bell Goodchild. She heard a group of dwarves talking about it in the Green Dragon." she sat up and looked down at her feet, which were far smaller than the average hobbit's. "Bil, do you think one day we could go an adventure- you and me?"

"We go on adventures all the time Rosie." It was true, they had sailed off down the Brandywine River together only that morning.

"No, I mean a real one. Outside the Shire."

"Yes!" Bilbo nodded, excited at the thought of escaping the Shire for a short while.

"You promise?" she asked, grinning.

"I promise." he nodded, crossing his heart solemnly...

"Bilbo!" Rhosyn cried out suddenly. Only his sister's voice was not her own it was...

"Bilbo Baggins get up you lazy hobbit or you'll miss breakfast," Mrs Misha Baggins declared, successfully rousing Bilbo, whose body seemed to take the threat of a missed meal more seriously than his mind did, for it was sitting up and clambering out of bed quite while his mind was focussed on the fact that his wife seemed to be alive, and the beautiful hobbit he had married at the age of thirty five.

Bilbo dressed automatically and ambled through Bag End to the breakfast room, to where his wife had out laid a hearty breakfast. Bilbo lingered in the doorway, looking at his wife. Misha was a beautiful hobbit, he was extremely lucky to have her; she had large green eyes and rosy cheeks set in a heart shaped face framed by dark brown curls.

"What?" Misha asked, squirming self consciously having caught him staring.

"Can't I look at my wife, Mrs Baggins?" He asked, grinning at her. "Especially when she's the finest lass in the whole Shire?"

"Oh get away!" Misha exclaimed, laughing. "I'm only going to be away for a few weeks Bilbo."

"I beg your pardon?" Bilbo blinked.

Misha's brow furrowed. "Are you feeling alright, dear? You know I'm going to visit mama for a few weeks."

Bilbo blinked; the last time Misha had visited mother Proudfoot before her death, he had run off with Rose and the dwarves before Misha had been gone a full week. If his wife was about to leave to visit the old lady then the quest for Erebor must not have happened yet. Hope bubbled up in Bilbo's chest- if this was real and the quest not yet begun then he had the chance to save Thorin and Rose, and ultimately give Frodo the chance to love the life he deserved.

"Bilbo?" Misha's voice pulled him out of his ruminations. Her lovely face was a mask of worry. "Are you feeling well, you don't seem yourself."

"Its nothing sweetheart," Bilbo lied. "Just a trifle light headed."

"Then sit and eat something." Misha rolled her eyes and waved him away to his seat. "Yvanna only knows how you cope then I'm not here."

Wisely, Bilbo decided not to respond to that remark, piling his plate with enough food to tide him over for the few hours remaining between now and second breakfast.

Hours later, after the dishes from breakfast and second breakfast were washed dried and put away, Mr and Mrs Baggins made their way to the green dragon, from where Misha would catch the coach to her mother's. A war was waging inside Bilbo, his Baggins side was racked with guilt at not telling Misha that he was going away himself- even if she wouldn't believe him. The Took side however was brimming with anticipation at the imminent prospect of adventure. The coach arrived and Bilbo kissed Misha goodbye. Misha waved out of the coach window until it turned around a bend in the path and out of sight.

Bilbo turned and practically flew back to Bag End to prepare for the arrival of Gandalf, his sister and the dwarves. This time he would be ready for them.

Next time: an entirely expected party.