Chapter Three: Champs

Lia is now 12 years old and in Junior High. She is on the basketball, soccer and softball teams. Her basketball team is in the finals and the big game is tonight. Lia comes downstairs in a bouncing mood.

"Well, Good morning, Sunshine." Thorin greeted her.

"Good morning, Uncle Thorin and Mom and Dad." She said as she gave them each a hug.

"You seem to be in a good mood this morning." Thorin observed.

"I am. I am excited for the game tonight and I have a very strong feeling that we are going to win it." She responded.

"I think so too. You guys are an excellent team. Have a good day at school. We'll see you tonight." He replied.

"I will. See you tonight." She said.

***Later that afternoon***

Lia comes home and Kili meets her at the door. "Close your eyes." He said. "There is a surprise waiting for you inside. No peeking."

"Ok." She said.

"Ok. You can open them." He said as they walked into the front room. She sees Gandalf, Bilbo and Frodo smiling back at her.

"Gandalf! You came! I'm so happy to see you guys." She exclaimed as she went over to give him a hug.

"Lia, you have grown so much since I saw you last. I brought someone to meet you. This is Bilbo Baggins, a very close friend to Thorin and the family. And this is his nephew, Frodo, who happens to be close to your age. Bilbo felt that you two would get along well and he was excited to meet you." He said.

"I have heard all about your adventure and was hoping I'd get to meet you some day, Mr. Baggins. And it's nice to meet you too, Frodo. I hope you like basketball. This is our championship game against our biggest rival and it is going to be intense." She said to them.

"Call me Bilbo, please. We're all friends. We wouldn't miss it. I have been reading about how much you love school and playing sports and especially how well you are doing. Straight A's. I'm so proud of you." Bilbo said. "We would love if you could visit The Shire over the summer." He continued.

"That would be great." She said.

"Well, we will definitely consider it if it does not interfere with any family plans." He said.

"That shouldn't be a problem. We can work out the details later." Thorin said.

"Cool." Lia said. "Hey. I have to change into my basketball clothes. I'll be back down in a few." She said and ran upstairs to her room.

Tauriel beamed at her and then looked at Kili and Thorin. "You are so great with her. She was never this happy in Mirkwood."

"Well, she is a great kid. I am proud to say that she is mine." Kili responded.

"Aye." Thorin agreed.

***At the game***

It was a close game. Just a couple of minutes left in the fourth quarter. The Erebor Eagles were ahead by three points. Lia was coming up to shoot and the player guarding the shot committed a defensive foul by slapping down the ball, causing her right thumb to pop back. Lia took to her knees in extreme pain, fighting the tears developing in her eyes. The ref calls the foul. The coach is on the court to assess his star player. Her hands are shaking partly due to the pain, but also from the anger and disappointment of possibly being taken out due to an injury, especially since she had special guests watching the game tonight.

"Please Coach, don't take me out. I can handle this." She pleaded.

"Can you move it?" He asked.

"Not really, but I am left handed. I can still shoot." She said.

"At this point, Lia, it is not about whether you can score or not. It is about not causing any further injury to your hand." He said.

"I will protect it." She said.

"Let's tape it up. That will give it extra protection and prevent it from getting worse." He said

"Ok. Will you put me back in?" She asked.

"Against my better judgment, yes I will." He answered.

She sits on the bench, in front of her family waiting for the trainer to tape her up. Balin asks to examine her hand. "You're awfully swollen, lassie. Are you sure you don't want to give it a rest. You played so well out there." He said

"Oh no. I want the win. We have been battling with them all season, especially the one who fouled me. I want to personally hand her the defeat." She said.

"That's my girl!" Dwalin said handing her a high five.

She turned around with a big grin on her face. The pain was suddenly not so bad. Right after they finished taping her hand, she looked back. Kili and Tauriel were looking at her with pride.

Thorin called to her, "Lia." When looked up at him, he patted his fist to his chest, a gesture that said, "Go get 'em, Princess." She acknowledged it with a smile and returned to the court with cheers from the stands and encouraging pats and fives from her teammates.

Thorin patted Kili on the back, knowing that his child was succeeding in giving him premature grey hairs as he and Fili did to him in their youth.

By the game's end, Lia scored two more baskets and assisted in a three-point winning shot. The end of game buzzer sounded. Her teammates surrounded her, lifting her up in the air as they went to accept their trophies. "Lia MVP! Lia MVP! Lia MVP! Lia MVP! Lia MVP!" They chanted. This was the best day ever.

After she received hugs from her family and gave her championship and MVP trophies to her parents and returned from the shower, Thorin asked, "Are you hungry?"

"Starving!" She replied.

"Good. Let's go eat. Bofur and Bombur have a table reserved for us at the restaurant and they will join us for supper." He said. "Also, I called Oin and he will take a look at your hand when we get home." He continued.

She groaned. "The taping was brutal enough. Can't we wait until tomorrow?"

"No. We cannot." He replied in a stern voice.

"He's right, lassie. The longer you wait, the more it will hurt and the longer it will take to heal." Balin said in Thorin's defense.

"Alright." She sighed, not looking forward to anyone else touching her hand tonight.

***At the restaurant***

"Lia!" Bofur called to her. "I heard you played a good game. What happened?" He said as he looked at her taped up hand.

"Someone fouled me as I went for a score and jammed my thumb." She said.

"Oh no! Does it hurt too bad?" He asked.

"Not right now." She answered.

"Good. Are you ready to eat?" He asked.

"Absolutely!" She answered.

"Excellent! We have a little of everything. Dig in." He said.

"Gandalf! Master Bilbo! Good to see you. And who is this handsome young hobbit?" He asked.

"Good to see you too, Bofur. This is my nephew, Frodo." Bilbo replied.

"Pleasure to meet you, Master Frodo. There is plenty of food. Help yourselves." He said.

***At home***

After a very filling meal, Thorin, Fili, Kili, Tauriel and Lia are home with Oin in tow to take a look at Lia's injured thumb. She is sitting on Kili's lap while Oin cuts off the bandage tape. She winces several times as he feels around to make sure everything is in place and nothing is broken.

"You got lucky with this one, lassie. Nothing seems to be broken and your thumb is still in place. I think you just sprained it. Keep it wrapped up with the splint on for a couple of weeks and I will take a look at it again. Here. Drink this. It will help you sleep tonight. It is some tea that I put together. It has some medicine in it to dull the pain. There's plenty for a while in case you need it." He said.

"Thank you, Oin." She said.

"Anytime, lassie." He said.

"Good night, everybody." She said as she headed upstairs.

"Good night, sweetie." They all replied.

_-_-_-_ Well, that's all I have for now. Free time does not come too often for a college student. Anyway, I hope you like it. I thought it would be nice if they had a kid and Thorin had to choose to go with tradition or with his heart. _-_-_-_