Title: Robbing the Cradle

Summary: When the dwarves find out how young Bilbo is, they start to baby him causing all kinds of misunderstands.

Ideas:

* Dwarves come of age around 70 were as hobbits come of age around 33. Because of this difference, Bilbo at around fifty when the journey begins, would be seen as a child to the dwarves. Bilbo being the hobbit he is would not be happy about being treated like a child and would tell the dwarves so. The dwarves respect Bilbo's thoughts and feelings but sometimes get overprotective of him.

* The dwarves start to teach Bilbo dwarven skills and traditions

* After the mountain is reclaimed, Bilbo stays and becomes a diplomat between the dwarves and elves

* One of the family groups in the Company adopts Bilbo into their family

* Maybe have Bilbo be younger then cannon age so that he is mature but also still a little bit childish.

Snippet of what I have so far:

In the time that Bilbo had spent with his dwarven companies the only time that they were quiet was when they drinking and even then they slurped and gurgled like clogged drains. So it came as a surprise when all the chatter in Beron's dining hall came to a standstill when he mentioned that is forty birthday was coming up.

Fili had been telling a humors story about Kili's seventy birthday party that had somehow involved Thorin's sword, a unbelievable amount of mead, a closet, and Dawiln being locked in said closet overnight.

"And when we finally remembered which closet it was, it was noon!" Fili shouted to be heard over the other dwarves' laughter and catcalls.

Bailn patted his glowering brother on the shoulder, "Yes, I remember that quite clearly. You and Kili could not walk for a week after the training Dawiln put you through as revenge."

Kili nodded his head, "True. But it was worth it when we told Uncle Thorin that Dawiln had finally come out the closet."

Bilbo chuckled along with the other dwarves and waited till the noise had died down to speak.

"Actually, that reminds me of my thirty-ninth birthday last year. I had invited over a few of my closest friends and somehow we started a drinking game. I swear that the closet in the hall still smells of dead fish." Bilbo laughed but then tapered off when he noticed that no one else was laughing. In fact, Bilbo's traveling companies were staring at him in shock and some even in horror. Bilbo looked behind him, patted himself down, and wiped his face; trying to find what had everyone staring at him like he had grown another head.

Finally, Bofur stammered out," W-what do you mean by that lad? That your last birthday was your thirty-ninth, I mean."

Bilbo looked around at everyone, confused. "Well, I mean that my birthday last year was my thirty-ninth. I think am forty now, if I have my dates right, that is."

There was an uncomfortable silence.

Then came the shouting.