Author's Note: Yes, I've update early. Well, I felt like it, its a long weekend here in OZ, so no work for me today but also because someone drew a fanart inspired by this fanfic :) 'Bounces up and down, clapping hands in glee'
On Archive Of Our Own, a lovely person by the penname Shivi has drawn so truly beautiful and sweet fanart that was inspired by this fanfic :). If you have a free moment, you should check it out because it truly is beautiful, lil!Frodo is adorable.
/works/835299

Chapter Twenty-One

Darkness Descends upon Green Hills

Bilbo carefully stretched her arms above her head before she gently rubbed the nose of the pony she had ridden upon to and from Brandy Hall.

"Good boy. Good boy Spirit." She whispered softly as she pressed her lips to the pony's velvety nose. She smiled softly before moving around to Spirit's side, reaching up to help Frodo slide down from the pony's back. Her son slipped easily into her arms before he too went to give Spirit's nose a pat as well as an apple that he had at some point snuck into his pocket, obviously waiting for a moment to slip it to the pony.

Bilbo ruffled his hair before turning her companions.

"Thank you, you two for escorting us back home safely." She said to Saradoc and Paladin as they walked over to her once they were done talking with Hobbiton's stable master. "Would you like to come up to Bag End, stay the night and return home in the morning?" she added causing her two cousins to grin.

"Hoping you would ask something like that." Paladin stretched his arms above his head, "been awhile since we've had some of your lovely cooking." He added and Bilbo rolled her eyes, though inwardly she was pleased. She had grown used to loudness and being surrendered by multiple relatives all at one time during hers and Frodo's two week stay at Brandy Hall.

"You don't visit us nearly enough," Saradoc had informed her when he had come to Bag End to invite her and Frodo to come and stay at Brandy Hall and visit her Brandybuck cousins. And a lot of her Took cousins too, she quickly discovered upon arriving, for the many Tooks, upon hearing of her being in Brandy Hall had taken it upon themselves to visit. They had thrown a great party for her and Frodo two days before they were meant to return home to Hobbiton.

Bilbo wasn't sure if the farewell party was fully intended to be seen as a farewell party or rather as an invitation for her to stay permanently with her Brandybuck relatives.

They and her Took relatives knew or at least could see, no matter how hard she tried to hide it, how dreadfully unhappy she, and Frodo as well to a lesser extent, were living in Hobbiton.

It wasn't the gossip, for she had put a stop to that a few years back when she threaten to have Lobelia Sackville-Baggins ostracize if she didn't keep her big and wicked mouth shut, that made her life in Hobbiton unhappy.

It was nothing in particular that made her unhappy, nothing but the constant feeling of danger, of trepidation and the feeling that an adventure was waiting to snatch her up at every bend in the road.

This is no one else fault but your own Billanna Baggins, she thought as she took hold of her son's hand and with her cousins walking behind her, allowing for her to lead the way for Bagshot Row and Bag End.

You were the one who stepped out your front door; you were the one who allowed yourself to be swept up into a world of adventure and danger. You were the one who stepped out upon the road, who took those first few steps and before you knew it, you were swept into something that was so above your silly little head that you are now so completely ruined that you are paranoid over everything.

Bilbo shook her head, shrugging her pack more comfortably onto her shoulders and together the four hobbits walked up Bagshot Row.

Her father along with the Gamgees family welcome them back with opened arms and wide, beaming smiles.

The warmth Bilbo felt during these moments helped to combat the still gnawing fear within her gut. Her fingers felt less inclined to inch for her magic ring tucked safely away in her vest pocket where she had once more taken to carrying it when before in her early days of returning to the Shire she had locked it away in a trunk with what few possessions had returned with her from her adventure. But upon discovering that her lad had learnt to pick the locks and she had caught in red handed in the act of trying to pick the lock of that particular truck – and she had fairly good idea as to who it was who had taught her son that particular skill and she was going to be give him such an earful the next time she saw him – she had removed the ring, which had returned to safe keeping over her waistcoat pocket. Her little sword Sting now sat in a corner of her private study and her mithril coat was tucked safely away in her wardrobe, far out reach of little hands as well as the hands of the one who placed it there.

Bell Gamgee and her daughters had cooked up a splendid meal for the return of Bilbo and Frodo, which was much appreciated as Bilbo had felt less than inclined to cook after a day of riding and her cousins weren't complaining from the lack of her cooking. Any good cooking was good enough for them.

Bilbo was pleased to see that Frodo had brighten some since their return to Bag End as he was speaking animatedly with young Samwise, who was such a nice and sensible lad that Bilbo was grateful her son had found a true and loyal friend in him.

Frodo did not have many friends in Hobbiton. He was well liked among his Took and Brandybuck cousins, but even without the nasty rumours running about these days, the parents of Hobbiton still kept their children well away from Mad ol'Baggins's lad.

Luckily for Frodo though, Sam Gamgee and his sibling were a loyal and true bunch and stuck by his side so that he never felt lonely even though now other hobbit children refused to play with them as well.

It hurt Bilbo deep within her heart and as much as she hated the thought of leaving Bag End she was seriously starting to consider moving somewhere close by to either Buckland or Tuckborough. She didn't believe her father would complain overly much and the change of scenery might do him some good. She would miss the Gamgees of course, but knowing them as she did, she wouldn't be all that surprised if they moved to wherever it was she ended up living. They were a funny, loyal sort of family and Bilbo was grateful to have them a part of her life.

So smiling, she allowed herself to be drawn into the warm folds as Bell and her daughters bustled around her kitchen as if it was their very own. They were around often enough that it might as well be, Bilbo thought with a grin.

Her father was settled comfortably in his chair side by side with dear old Roper both puffing away on their pipes, chatting merrily about their younger days and how times had changed since then. Personally Bilbo felt there had been very little change from their younger days to the days that were currently passing them by.

But she made no comment and continued to simply allow herself to be wrapped up in the warmth of friendly company, enjoying having her son being happy when he had been so quiet, almost sullen during his last day at Brandy Hall and on their return trip home.

The pain of not knowing his father had passed for now and for the moment he was once more than content with his lot in life. Bilbo wasn't sure for how long but for now as long as he was content and happy, so was she.

Billanna wasn't at all surprised when her two cousins didn't leave straight after second breakfast the next day but instead hung around Bag End well after lunch admiring her various maps and books. If they hadn't been interested in such things when they visited her as young – younger – hobbits Bilbo may have been suspicious of the two of them but as it was, she was simply pleased they were still interested in her maps and books. Saradoc in particular.

He had always had a brain that was good a calculating and planning ahead. And Paladin, Bilbo was sure with time, would be much the same. Both hobbit fellows, with time would make their respective fathers and families proud for when the time came for them to take the titles of Thain and Master of Brandy Hall.

Though, Bilbo thought with a small, amused smile as she watched the two hobbit's break into a rather childish argument over one of her maps, the two of them still had plenty of growing up, to do still.

She shook her head at the two hobbit men before she started to wonder where her little lad had run off to now.

She hadn't seen her son since lunch and he hadn't appeared for afternoon tea and though she wasn't quite worried about him yet, it was starting to grow dark outside and she would like to have some knowledge as to where her son was before night fully fell.

But before she could investigate any further as to where her mischievous lad might have disappeared off to there was a loud knock on her front door.

She frowned.

She hadn't been expecting visitors this late in afternoon and none of her neighbours, say the Gamgees, ever knocked so loudly or heavily.

She opened her front door and immediately found herself fighting back a groan as she did so.

"Good evening, Lotho, how may I help you?" Bilbo asked with an exasperated manner. She knew she was being quite rude but since Ruby Baggins tea party seven years ago she had all but refused to speak to a Sackville-Baggins any further than the necessary pleasantries.

Lotho Sackville-Baggins would have been a rather handsome looking hobbit if it weren't for the fact that he always looked as if he had something unpleasant stuck right up under his nose. Bilbo supposed this unfortunate expression might have been caused by her and her breaking of his nose when they were in their young tweens, but given that his personality was just as nasty then as it was now, Bilbo hoped it had simply been the wind and it had changed his face to suit his horrid character.

He sneered down at her, something that she hated greatly, and stuck his thumbs into his expensive yellow waistcoat pockets beneath his brilliant emer – grass green coat.

"I honestly do not know how you live with yourself." He said without any of the necessary pleasantries.

"And I can honestly say I wonder the same thing about you Lotho Sackville-Baggins." Bilbo replied tartly, desperately wanting to slam her front door in his face, maybe even break his nose again but much to her growing aggravation the damnable hobbit strode into her front foyer as if it were his very own. And the way he looked at it made it seem as if it was. He said as much with his next sentence.

"Should have been mine, all mine." He shot a nasty look back at where she still stood by her front door, glaring back at him.

"Well, it isn't. So please, if that is all, please leave."

"No that is not all, so no, I will not leave what should have been rightfully mine."

"Someone's a sourpuss." Bilbo sighed heavily. She had hoped the two of them would have the sense to stay well out of this. But no, there they both stood in the entrance of her front foyer, smirking widely at Lotho.

"Sounds almost as if he feels rejected but correct me if I'm wrong Saradoc my dear fellow, but to be rejected you must first feel love. And I don't believe there was any love on Mr Sackville-Baggins part."

"Nor on our dear Aunt Billanna." Saradoc agreed as he and Paladin crossed their arms across their chests.

"So why does he feel rejection? Not because," Paladin gave a theatrical gasp and looked at Saradoc with wide eyes, "he wouldn't be so vain as to feel that the loss of owning this fine and beautiful hobbit-hole was far more potent than never having Aunt Billanna's love to begin with."

"You know, Paladin my old friend, I do believe that is very much the case." The two hobbit men grinned mischievously back at the red eared Lotho. Lotho opened his mouth as if to make some retort in return only to be stopped by the sudden appearances of Bilbo's father.

"What-what are you two mischievous – mischievous youngsters doing here… still.?" Bungo Baggins grumbled as he hobbled slowly out into the front foyer. "Don't – don't you have families of your – your own to annoy now" He glared wearily at his daughter's cousins before noticing that there was yet another relative invading his house, this time one on his own family's side.

"What-what are you doing here, nephew?" Bungo frowned at Lotho whose ears had turn an even brighter shade of red colour.

"Visiting, Uncle Bungo." Lotho replied stiffly causing Bungo to snort. He had once been fooled into thinking that his nephew's son was a good and well-meaning fellow who suffered just like everyone else in Hobbiton from that mother of his. But he slowly – too slowly, for maybe if he had seen it faster, his daughter wouldn't have run off with her dwarves, to come back almost a year later with a broken heart and swollen belly – he had seen Lotho for who he truly was.

As nasty of temper and wicked of tongue as his mother, he was by no means a suitable match for his daughter and Bungo was happy to allow for his daughter, if things should occur in the future how she hoped they would, to make Frosco and Ruby Baggins's children the heirs to Bag End.

He listened without hearing his nephew's son flounder about for an excuse for his unexpected (and unwelcome) visit this late in the evening. His daughter and her two cousins watch on with a great deal of amusement, clearly taking more delight than they really should of in the hobbit's discomfort.

Bilbo could quite happily start laughing at how easily her father could make Lotho Sackville-Baggins flounder with only a few words. And she would have most likely have done so if she hadn't heard what sounded like the neighing of a horse.

A horse?

There were no horses in Hobbiton, maybe in some of Farthings but no, not in Hobbiton, there was no need for them.

Had she really heard a horse? No, she was sure she had.

With a frown starting to form between her brow, she walked away from her front door (which she had closed upon the appearances of her father) and her father and their visitors and down the long corridor leading to the almost redundant backdoor of the hobbit-hole.

The back door was rarely ever used, hence why it had become redundant. It opened out to the back of the hill that was nothing more than a grassy slope. No one built their hobbit-holes on this side of the hill for there was very little to look at, preferring to have their view to overlooking Bagshot Row and Hobbiton beyond, not fields and woodlands.

Bilbo's fingers were itching once more towards her magic ring when she reached her backdoor.

It's only a lost horse, silly, she chided herself crossly, but her heart was pounding within her chest for reasons she could not fathom. She hadn't felt this worked up since, well, since her horrid adventure.

Bracing herself, she wrenched the old and ill-used door open and peered out. No horse in sight or anything else really, as it was growing quite dark.

She swallowed deeply and shook her head at her own silliness before moving to close the door once more.

"Excuse me, miss." Bilbo's whole body stiffen and her heart nearly jumped from her chest but she congratulated herself for not screaming.

She glared out into the dim evening light and quickly spotted the speaker and discover, even though she knew the moment he spoke, that that was no Hobbit moving towards her.

What was a dwarf doing here?

"Yes?" she asked stiff, making sure her back door was placed firmly between herself and the approaching dwarf, his thick beard was black and heavily braided but Bilbo saw no silver or gold weaved into it, so he was of no royal blood nor was he solider if she was remembering Balin and Dwalin teaching correctly.

The dwarf bowed to her but not nearly so deeply as any of her dwarves had done when they were first meeting her. Even Thorin's bow had been deeper than this strange dwarf. She didn't like him one bit, he had a nasty glint to his eyes and even though he was holding his coat close to his chest, she had seen his many, many weapons.

"Good evening, Halfling Mistress, I am Bovin." Halfling? Bilbo forced herself not wrinkle her nose before noticing another difference between this dwarf and her own. He hadn't offered her his service. She shrank further back around her backdoor.

"Please," the dwarf, Bovin, said taking a step forward, his voice becoming silkier, "please, don't be afraid Halfling maiden, I merely wish to ask you a question and then I will be gone." He pressed a hand to his heart but Bilbo was sure he was lying. She wished desperately that she had her little blade with her.

"Alright," she said sticking her chin out, reminding herself that she had face goblins, spiders and a Dragon for goodness sake so she should not be afraid of this strange and dangerous dwarf. Cautious, yes. But afraid? No. "what is it that you wish to ask?"

"I am looking for someone; I'm hoping you might know where he is?"

"Looking for someone?" Bilbo frowned while her heart thumped madly against her rips, "in the Shire. Why would a dwarf be looking for someone in the Shire?"

The dwarf chuckled.

"Yes, I do know that it is strange, but this is a very special case. I'm looking for a Bilbo Baggins. I was informed that he lived at Bag End at the very top of Bagshot Row."

"Who-who told you that?" Bilbo whispered panic thick in her voice.

"No one of conscious." The dwarf replied as he watched her closely and Bilbo forced her face to become neutral.

"Well they told you wrong, now please you said once I had answered your question you would…"

"Bilbo? Bilbo where are you?"

Bilbo was going to kill her cousin, though she might end up being killed first herself.

She could only let out a small squeal as she and her door were shoved roughly against the round wall as the strange dwarf came striding into her home.

"Get-get out!" Bilbo wheezed, completely winded and her head throbbing from where she had hit it against the wall of her hobbit-hole.

"You lied to me little one." The dwarf said softly as he swung her to her feet, his fingers biting into her arm, "understandably I suppose. Who are you Halfling? His wife? Daughter? Mistress maybe?"

Bilbo squirmed against his iron grip on her arm, stupid tears causing her voice to fail her as her cousins and father came to see what all the commotion was about.

"Oi Ruffian, get your hands off our Aunt!" Paladin snapped furiously.

"Tell me where Bilbo Baggins is and I'll happily let go of your aunt." Bovin replied almost civilly.

"Ah…" Came the responses from Bilbo's father and two cousins. Bilbo begged with her eyes for them to remain silent only, not every one of them got the message.

"What are you talking about, you Ruffian," Lotho snorted with distaste, "you're holding Bilbo Baggins. See Billanna, this is what happens when you consort with other races. This was why I came over this evening, to inform you that this – this dwarf and his troupe came trespassing upon our, our Sackville-Baggins lands asking for you, you! We will not tolerate it!"

"You are Bilbo Baggins." Bovin said as he looked down at her ignoring the rest of her cousin's rant while Bilbo herself wanted to kill him in the slowest, possible way she could think of.

"Yes, what of it?" she snapped as she wrenched her arm finally free of his grip, "who wants me and why?"

"You're female?" Bovin seemed to be having a hard time understanding this small detail about her.

"Obviously." Came Paladin unhelpful snort.

"Paladin for once in your life, shut up." Bilbo snapped at him before turning her attention on to Bovin.

"Mister Bovin, I'll ask you again, who wants me and why?"

The dwarf shook himself and simply smiled which made Bilbo's inside curl. Without a word, he lifted his fingers to his lips and before Bilbo could do anything he had let out long and sharp whistle, very much like the one she had been taught to use by Dwalin and Nori when she wanted to call the dwarves to her without actually calling out.

"Run…" Bilbo whispered to her cousins and father.

"What?"

"Don't ask questions, just go. Go!" Bilbo shoved her cousins to force them to run but it didn't matter for suddenly they were surrounded by dwarves, holding axes and after sharp weapons.

"What's all this Bovin?" A yellow haired dwarf asked looking at the strange assortment of hobbits they had surrounded.

"This," Bilbo squirmed furiously as she was once more grabbed by Bovin much to her cousins and father fury, "is Mr Bilbo Baggins."

"Yah, sure? Looks more like lass to me." Another dwarf commented with a bark of laughter.

Bilbo gritted her teeth and glared at each and every dwarf standing in her back hall. There was well over a dozen of them.

"Feisty little thing." Chuckled another dwarf.

"Gimme one your swords and you'll get to see just how feisty I am." Bilbo snapped as she once again pulled herself out of Bovin grip.

"Sir," Bilbo blinked at the strangely soft and quite un-dwarf-like voice, peering round the group trying to spy the speaker, "sir, we were meant to find a Mister Bilbo Baggins, weren't we? Not a miss? She mightn't be the right Baggins."

Bilbo could have kissed whoever had spoken; their soft, shy words could be what would get her and her family out of this sticky situations.

"I can bet you she is the Baggins you're looking for." Lotho snorted.

"LOTHO!"

"What, Billanna, brought this upon herself the moment she ran out her front door to tramping all over the country side with dwarves."

"Is that so?" Bovin asked with a wide grin while Bilbo thought of the many, many ways she would love to kill him.

"Yes," Lotho said with a self-important nod, "disappeared without a word on our wedding day, was gone for months with bunch of dwarves. And that, that isn't the worst of it. The worst of it is she came back wi…

"Lotho Sackville-Baggins, I will kill you!" Bilbo threatened making to lunge at her ex-husband-to-be.

"Yes, Mongrel, I do believe we have found the right Bilbo Baggins." Bovin said with triumphant punch in the air before he made to grab Bilbo. Only this time she was ready for him and ducked out of the way and aimed a painful kick at his shins before running for it, hopping her cousins and father would have the brains to do the same and if not, that the dwarves would only want her and would leave them all well enough alone.

She heard Bovin howl of pain and outrage and the sound of heavy feet chasing after to her. If she wasn't so scared, she would almost find this fun. It was almost like she was playing that old game she used to play with her younger dwarves during a lazy afternoon.

"Mama?"

Frodo…

"Frodo?" she had thought him outside or over at the Gamgees but no her son was standing in her study's doorway, holding Sting in his hand.

"Give it to me. Give it to me. Stand behind me." She said as she snatched her blade from his hand and shoved him behind her just as the first of her intruders stumbled upon them.

"Get out of my house." Bilbo growled as she held Sting out the way Kili had taught her. It felt strangely reassuring to be holding her blade, ready to defend her child and home from these intruders.

"Aw, how sweet." One of the dwarves drawled. He was almost a big Dwalin and was just as heavily pieced and tattooed as Thorin's Right-Hand man, but with a far less honourable air about him. "A letter opener? Lil'lass is going to attack us with a letter opener."

"I've killed many orcs, goblins, wargs and monster-sized spiders with this letter opener. Would you like to feel its sting like so many other did before they died?" Bilbo snarled causing the dwarves who were cornering her to look at each other with a hint of nervousness.

"Come, come." Bovin said stepping forward through the dwarves, one arm dragging her father along with him, a dagger pressed to his throat, "There is no need for such sharp words."

"Let him go." Bilbo whispered staring at her papa in horror. He was remarkably calm for one in his situation.

"Come with us, that is all I ask."

"Will you leave my family be?"

"Of course…"

"I mean it," Bilbo took a step forward, shoving the Sting's tip under Bovin's nose, "If I come with you, you are to leave my family be, you will not harm a single hair upon their heads, or so help me."

"Or you'll what?" Sneered a dwarf nearby.

"I have powerful friends, Master Dwarf." Bilbo said letting her voice fill with the strength and courage that she had long forgotten she possessed, "I have very powerful friends indeed. I am friends with Master Elrond of Rivendell, Beorn the Shapeshift. I am friends with the Great Eagle of the sky and I am friend of wizards, both of colours grey and brown."

"But you are no friend of Thorin Oakenshield." Bovin remark slyly as he pushed her father into another dwarf's hands. Bilbo felt as if the dwarf had physically slapped her. In fact, it would have hurt less if he had.

"I have no need of a friend in the King under the Mountain." Bilbo replied stiffly.

"Indeed?" Bovin said moving forward to grab her again only to jump back with another yelp of pain.

"You stay away from Mama!" Frodo snarled, brandishing a large piece of firewood in both of his hands and holding above his head. His blue eyes were narrowed and his mouth was twisted into an angry grimace. He looked so like his father. And she knew and she felt as if she was being stabbed threw her belly, that she wasn't the only one who saw the resemblance.

Bovin's eyes widen for a moment before they started to glint dangerously once more. And he wasn't the only one.

"Don't…" Bilbo said as she grabbed from back to her, "Don't even…" she held Sting out in front of them both.

"I'm afraid, Master Baggins that I cannot agree with your previous demands."

"Oh, I really think you can." Bilbo replied, holding Sting tighter in her hand, ready to strike, her eyes darting around her, seeking out those who would most likely try and snatch Frodo away when she finally fought Bovin.

She could hear her cousin, at least Paladin and Saradoc struggling against the dwarves whom held them. From Lotho she could only hear complaints and whining to be released.

"No, I really think not." Bovin said taking a step towards her.

"Try." Bilbo said as she pressed Sting's tip against his chest. Bovin blinked in surprised as he felt it piece slightly into his skin.

"Lass," Bovin said as he took a small step back, "you are seriously trying my patience."

"And you are trying mine!" Bilbo close to shrieked back, "Now, get out of my house!"

One of the dwarves made to lunge at her, but stopped with a yell of pain as Sting flashed against his cheek causing him to stumble back, clutching his bleeding face.

"Next time it's your eye." Bilbo growled at the still cursing dwarf, as she swung Sting back in front of her to keep Bovin from coming any closer.

"Is there any way for us to come to some kind of agreement that doesn't involve the loss of limps?" Bovin asked pleasantly.

"Hmmm, only if you leave and never return." Bilbo replied.

"No, I can't agree with that." He shook his head with a chuckle, "For if we leave, my employer will only send more who will be, I assure you, far worse than us to come and retrieve you, little Halfling. You and your royal mongrel of son."

"Why you…" Bilbo cried making to lunge at him before remembering she had to protect her child only it was too late and all hell seemed to break loose.

She yelled, swung her sword about with some satisfying results, fought and bite but it was all for naught when she heard her child crying out in pain.

"No, please." Bilbo whispered when she saw Frodo kicking and fighting in Bovin arms, "Please, don't. Please…" something hard and solid hit her across the back of her skull and blackness descended upon her.

Help… Thorin…

Author's Note: So, it's finally happened. Bilbo and Bovin finally meet. And I know a lot of you didn't want them to, but the story wouldn't work any other way, I'm sorry to say.

It might be a little while til my next update (another reason why I've updated early). And by a little while I mean, maybe you'll be waiting for chapter 22 for maybe two weeks. No reason besides I still need to get current chapters under control. I'm still have a bit of trouble with them. I want to get them under control and get Frodo to where he needs to be, before I update again. So yeah, if you don't hear from me for about two weeks, I'm not dead, I'm just writing badly. Also works been really busy, so I haven't had all that much time to do much writing, so yeah.

Anyway, hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I hope I haven't distressed too many of you with what has occurred in this chapter. Things will work out... eventually.