Author's Note: Oh my gosh, thank you guys so much for reviewing and favoring this story! Especially you Disenymouse (your fanfic is just wonderful and awesome) and thanks for updating! XD Also I do not own J.R.R Tolkien's the hobbit which I am reading now (why didn't I before?! And also the book is way different from the movie, but it blends quite well)! Happy reading!

Chapter Two: Excuses then Decisions

"Good morning Mr. Bilbo!" Bilbo only smiled while waving to his fellow hobbit and all the others that chorused 'good morning' here and there. One even offered him to come and have second breakfast with them. However Bilbo declined nicely, saying that he already had plans for the day or I'm just too distracted with my priorities around the hole already, good morning!

After he was done with his afternoon stroll for the day, heading back for Bag End, he could hear the hobbits he left behind whispering, watching him.

"Mr. Bilbo is not known for refusing generosity from others or declining anyone of joining their company!"

"It's suspicious!"

"What would Old Baggins think?"

"How unexpected of a Baggins, I will tell you that."

"Don't forget, he's a Took, too."

Bilbo cringed as he heard the hobbits' words they spoke of him. Yet he couldn't help, but agree and be as shocked as them all. He never was one to decline anyone who offered him generosity or a meal invite. In fact, any hobbit would crave to have a meal that wasn't cooked by them or having it served to them freely. But he did refuse and he never had before. As he made it to his hobbit hole he turned back to only see the hobbits flinching from meeting his gaze and scurried off to their daily business and roles they played each day. Huffing and shaking his head with a determined look he continued to his hole, they don't bother me! Let them call me what they want-I know who I am. A Baggins!

But deep down those words hit in places that were either good or bad. "Don't forget, he's Took, too." However something told him it wasn't likely good because it hurt.

~o~

It was already twilight out and Bilbo still couldn't find the words to write (or heart) on how to say why he cannot come and preferably would wait for them next year to come instead, for a good solid six hours. He thought of good excuses yet they all seemed in the ended in failures which troubled Bilbo to no end as he thought of others to write about. "I'm sick myself and I don't want to get Frodo sicker…Oh Shire that is an outright lie! Nornella will find out-I hardly even get sick!," he exclaimed as he crumpled the sheet of paper he wrote upon with a frown that deepened as light outside began to weaken. He tried again. "I cannot come because I have problems with, with…with…rats in my h-hole! Big enormous ones too-worst ones of the kind! Yes, that's it. This should do. Rats are to blame and she should understand and believe it too…Rats are not uncommon creatures and they do raid holes here in there…nasty little creatures really!" As Bilbo said this he ruffled his curly blonde hair with a satisfied smirk and then frowned again suddenly. This is lame as having no afternoon tea.

Bilbo groaned as he criticized his new letter,"This is horrible-she will definitely know as she reads it. Rats, in Bag End? She knows that I wouldn't allow such a tragedy within the hole! I will need a better one then this!" You really are selfish aren't you? How disappointing…Poor Nornella, poor Frodo, really a shame. And your dear nephew is sick and probably cried when found out he couldn't come. What would he think if he was here to hear his Uncle now and including his mother?

Bilbo paused all together as he heard the voice once more. Frodo. Nornella. Bilbo turned his to the side with a thoughtful look while wrinkling his nose in distaste at the names, guilt sunk in. He loved his sister, who supported and helped him through thick and thin. She was there when he took responsibility of Bag End when their father died then soon after him their mother went too. He was only twenty-years old then. She was after all his older sister and a great one at that too. However she soon was courted by Frodo's father who Bilbo remembered those days being the worst. He remembered he didn't like that his sister was soon to be taken from him…Leaving as did Mother and Father, out of his life and her entering another's. Not long after the proposal and marriage, she had little Frodo. Bilbo forgot how she left and who his father was when he saw his nephew. He looks exactly like his mother, he thought and swiftly grew to love Frodo as time passed. He forgave Nornella too.

As finished his thoughts of her, Bilbo's eyes moved to his sister's portrait that hanged beside their mother and father's. He gave a small smile as he gazed upon the three hobbit portraits. He missed his mother and father. He missed Nornella. He missed having company with him in the hole. Yet in the past he liked to convince himself otherwise when he would stare at his large gallery of books and maps. That is company enough, he would think as he stared at them with pride, quickly then jumping to pick a book. Only then he realized how he truly was alone, for he already read each book from his collection and the maps. That's when it dawned him how much he really was alone, desperately reading to escape the feeling. Adventures was all he read, how ironic.

He shook his head as he recalled those times. Bilbo looked back at the used letter and crumpled about the 'rats', throwing it behind him with all the other 'failures' he made. Bilbo reached for a new blank sheet of paper, setting it before him. Are you willing to have a lonely Christmas this year? To sit in a room that is filled with chairs that are empty while reading a book out loud when there's no one there to listen? Bilbo instantly thought of Frodo who enjoyed sitting on his lap as he read to tiny Frodo about adventures he had read from books with glee and pride. Feeling emotional and torn he got out of his chair and paced around the room. His eyes moved to the portraits to the letter than the empty chairs that rested in the den. He finally stopped, rushing to the letter, knowing then very well his answer.

I hope I don't regret this, were the only words he thought that night over and over again until a he fell asleep with strange yet pleasant dreams.

Author's Note: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and sorry for updating so late. School sucks , homework too and forgive me the mistakes I have written. And I hope that this chapter will not disappoint! Please Review and tell me what you think of it too. Suggestions and criticism is welcomed, so review, please! X3 Thanks again to reader and reviewers!

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