Chapter II: A Second Journey Begins

Bilbo awoke rather early and tiptoed her way to the kitchen. She grabbed some plates to set the table and began preparing food in hopes of surprising Fili and Kili with breakfast.

"Good morning," Kili said cheerfully, his baritone voice filling the small quiet kitchen.

Bilbo, who had had her back turned while trying on tip-toes to reach the nice plates on the top shelf, let out a squeak of surprise quickly caught her balance before turning to see the two brothers standing in the kitchen doorway with hands folded neatly behind their backs.

"We didn't mean to startle you," Fili said gently.

"No, no don't worry," Bilbo managed to say while composing herself.

"We brought you something."

Kili happily pulled out a lovely – though clumsily compiled – bouquet of flowers from behind his back which Bilbo immediately recognized as having come from her freshly planted garden. She tried to suppress a smile... Gaffer would be mad.

"We thought they could brighten up the table " Kili added

"They're lovely, thank you," Bilbo took the flowers and went to find something to put them into, "Did you two want breakfast? I can cook something quickly before I go to see the Gaffer."

"That would be lovely, thank you," Kili said before his brother had a chance to open his mouth.

"Alright then," Bilbo scampered off to make bacon and eggs for Fili and Kili. She cooked the food just the way they liked it, which she had remembered from the journey six years ago. She brought it to the table and set it out in front of them.

"Ooo our favorite!" Kili exclaimed before digging-in greedily.

"That is very kind thank you," Fili said gratefully.

"Don't mention it," Bilbo smiled, "If you'll excuse I need to pop out side for a moment."

Bilbo went out to her garden. It was about six thirty AM. The Gaffer would surely be in the garden working. Sure enough, there was the gaffer, standing in her garden looking completely shocked at his devastated flowers. His mouth hung open when he saw Bilbo, but no sound came out.

"Good morning Gaffer," Bilbo said politely.

"Good morn'n Ms. Baggins," the Gaffer finally managed to say. He pointed to the flower bed, but could not physically ask what had happened.

"Maybe it was a rabbit? They have been hanging around my garden as of late."

"Well, I'll see to it that they don't any more. I'll make a good fence!"

"Thank you Gaffer, but I have something I need to talk to you about."

The Gaffer looked to Bilbo and waited for her to continue, "I'm going away for a while. And I don't think I'll be back anytime soon."

"Where 're ye goin'?"

"It's rather far from here. But I was hoping maybe Frodo could stay with you a little longer. He and Sam have grown quite close and I have settled everything. Bag End will be his once he is an adult and I only trust you to take care of him properly."

Gaffer stood shocked and confused, but he nodded in response and added, "I'd be honoured to take care of that little nephew of yers Ms. Baggins. He'll be the most respectable hobbit in the Shire!"

Bilbo smiled at this and giggled a little. "Thank you, Gaffer."

"But," Gaffer began uncertainly, he was not a hobbit of words. Bilbo turned to him. "We will see ye again won't we? All of these… arrangements…they're just in case… right? I mean… you're not plann'n on staying away forever… are ye?"

"I don't know Gaffer," Bilbo added with a sad smile, "I honestly don't know."

Bilbo returned inside and was shocked to find the brothers had finished breakfast already and were ready and waiting for her.

"Are you ready to go?" Fili asked one final time.

"I just have one last thing to do." Bilbo suddenly felt a bit of sadness over the whole idea, "I need to say good bye to my nephew Frodo." Bilbo grabbed her things that were sitting by the door.

The brothers looked at each other with heavy hearts. They watched as she walked briskly down the sun-lit path towards the hill just over the way. They hadn't thought about Bilbo having family in the Shire. It had never occurred to them that she might have people to leave behind.

Her heart sank as she made her way to the Gaffer's house where Samwise and her nephew Frodo where playing in the yard. At the sight Bilbo, Frodo leapt up from his seat and ran to give her a hug.

"Auntie Bilbo!" he cried as he threw his arms around her in a hug, "Why do you have all of your things? Where are you going? Are you going on an another adventure? Can I come!?"

Bilbo knelt in front of Frodo and smiled at him, despite the heavy weight she felt gathering in her chest, "Not this time Frodo. I want you to know that I will be gone for quite some time. You'll be staying here with the Gaffer and Sam while I'm gone."

"When will you be coming back?" Frodo inquired.

"I don't know," Bilbo replied, doing her best not to tear up, "But I promise I will write to you the moment I get to my destination. You be a good boy, alright?"

"Okay auntie Bilbo," Frodo gave his aunt a hug and kiss on her cheek. Bilbo returned the kiss and then turned back towards the little garden gate. She cast another glance over her shoulder at the curly-haired boy who was watching her every move. At that moment, she almost turned around to ask for another kiss. She thought of her sister and almost thought that what she was about to do was… wrong, somehow… for just one moment, her Baggins side almost completely took over. But then, she looked back at the dwarf brothers standing not that far away and she remembered all of those negative pent-up feelings; all of the boredom and the frustration she had been feeling for months, and she remembered why she had to do this. She turned back to her little nephew, who was such a good little boy really, and thought about the chance she was about to deny him… if there had been dwarfs in the Shire when she was a child she would have given anything to meet one…. And though no respectable Baggins would ever have done so, she decided to give Frodo one last treat to remember her by. "Hey Frodo?"

"Yah?" he asked hopefully.

Bilbo bent down and beckoned him forward with a finger. He approached the garden gate and looked at her expectantly, "Would you like to meet a real dwarf?" she asked.

"Oh boy would I ever!" the little boy exclaimed, barely able to contain his excitement. His large blue eyes lit-up as he caught sight of the strangers just over the hill. Bilbo took his hand and led him down the path. She noticed a sad-eyed Sam sitting alone in the garden, but she knew there was no way that Gaffer would approve of this sort of behaviour, and she had to leave him, "We will be back in a moment, Sam," she called lightly with a wave. The little boy waved back and began picking some flowers absently.

"Fili, Kili," she called lightly, "I would like to introduce you to my nephew, Frodo."

The brothers eyed the boy with grins on their faces. Frodo clung tightly to Bilbo's hand and hid partially behind her.

"Well hullo there," Fili said, squatting down to the young Hobbit's level, "I'm Fili," he offered his hand in greeting.

Kili approached as well and squatted down beside his brother.

Frodo eyed them both suspiciously and then looked up at his aunt – awe and amazement clearly visible on his little features.

"Go ahead," she prompted.

With this encouragement he held out his hand and Fili shook it gently. Kili did the same, "It is very nice to meet you," the younger brother offered, "I'm Kili."

"Nice to meet you too," Frodo said, remembering his manners. Bilbo smiled.

"Hey, you want to know something?" Frodo asked the dwarves

"What?" Fili asked, humouring him.

"When I grow up," Frodo started shyly, "I'm going to go on an adventure too! Just like auntie Bilbo"

"We'll see about that," Bilbo said, squeezing Frodo's hand affectionately.

"Well, if you ever do decide to go on an adventure, I am sure you will be a great hero," Fili encouraged before the two of them said goodbye. Frodo beamed.

"Come on now. Sam is lonely in the garden all by himself," Bilbo said lightly.

"Okay," Frodo followed his aunt back to the Gaffer's garden.

Fili chuckled as he watched the little one scamper away at his aunt's side.

"You want to know something?" Kili asked Fili after the two had disappeared around the bend.

"What?"

"I believe you are going to be a very good father one day, brother."

Fili beamed at him, "I do hope so."

After making sure Frodo was settled, she gave him one last kiss and hug. She joined the dwarves and, before disappearing out of sight, she cast a final glace back at her nephew and waved. Both boys watched from the garden gate and returned the gesture enthusiastically. She knew then, that everything was going to be alright. She then turned her gaze to the road ahead of her, "I'm ready."