The couple needed a bit longer than planned to get back to Hobbiton because of Poppy's sickness. Fili wanted to make a stop in one of the villages they passed and ask for a healer but his wife begged him to go home.

They finally arrived at home just after sunset. Poppy only wanted to sleep and so Fili brought her to bed and kissed her goodnight before he unloaded the cart and brought it back to its owner. On his way back home he met Pimpernel. He told her that Poppy was sick and she promised to examine her the next morning.

Fili went home and ate some leftovers from their journey. Then he lay down next to his wife and wrapped his arms around her waist. He noticed that she had finally gained some weight and seemed to be her old self again. But why was she so sick? He buried his head in her curls and hoped that Pimpernel would be able to help her.

Poppy woke up early the next morning and ran towards to toilet with Fili close behind her. He wanted to help her but he didn't know what to do. So he simply brought her some water and carried her back to bed.

Two hours later someone rang their bell. Fili hurried to the door and sighed in relief when he saw Pimpernel standing there with a healers bag in her hands. He led her towards their bedroom, where Poppy was asleep. On the way he told her what had happened every morning for the last days.

Pimpernel noticed how worried Fili was and sent him to the market to buy food and some herbs that might help Poppy. She wanted to distract him, he couldn't help her and would only be in her way anyways. Fili glanced at Poppy but left to let the healer do her job.

On his way to the market the young dwarf visited Bilbo and Daisy and told them that they were back and that something was wrong with Poppy. Both hugged him with a worried expression on their faces and promised to visit her later.

After two hours Fili went back home. Pimpernel was in their kitchen making some tea. Fili put the basket with the groceries and herbs onto the table and asked about Poppy. But Pimpernel only took some of the herbs and said that Poppy wanted to tell him herself. Fili swallowed hard, he was sure that his wife was seriously ill if she forbade the healer to tell him the truth.

Fili was about to go to their bedroom when Pimpernel called him back. She told him that she had to leave to look after someone else and explained how to make the tea and that Fili was supposed to prepare it every morning since she hoped that it would help with the sickness. Fili thanked her and she left.

Fili took a deep breath and went towards the bedroom. He slowly opened the door and saw Poppy sitting in the bed with her head against the headboard. Fat tears rolled down her cheeks but when she saw Fili standing in the door she quickly tried to wipe them away and smiled at her husband.

Fili sat down next to her and wiped her tears away with his thumb while his other hand held hers. "Poppy, please tell me what's wrong? Pimpernel didn't tell me anything and I'm so worried. Please tell me that you're not going to die."

Poppy smiled at him through her tears and squeezed his hand. "Don't worry, I don't plan to die anytime soon."

Fili sighed in relief. "But why are you crying?"

"Because I'm so very, very happy!" Poppy whispered with a smile and took her husband's hand to place it on her belly "Fili, we're going to have a baby!"

Fili looked at her with wide eyes. "What?!"

Now Poppy had to chuckle "I'm with child. We're going to be a real family!"

After a few seconds Fili had finally realised what Poppy had said and threw his arms around her neck and hugged her tightly. Suddenly he pulled back and placed his hands on her belly again. "Did I hurt you?"

Poppy shook her head and pulled Fili into another embrace. They kissed each other passionately until they ran out of breath. Then he sat down next to her with one arm around her shoulder and the other caressing her belly. Poppy lay her head on his shoulder and smiled.

After a while she started to speak "Do you know anything about dwarvish pregnancies?"

Fili frowned "No, not much. I can't remember much abound my mother carrying Kili and I have never been close to any other dwarrowdam with child. Why do you ask?"

"Pimpernel said, that it might be a good idea to try to find out as much about a dwarvish pregnancy as possible. I'm just a few weeks with child but it's already quite different from a normal hobbit pregnancy. Pimpernel would like to know if this is normal for dwarves." Poppy explained.

Fili sighed and remembered his mother's letter. "I guess hobbits should not be sick? Camelia didn't seem to have any problems when she was with child."

"Yes, carrying a child and giving birth is quite easy for hobbits. That's why we have so many children." Poppy said and chuckled "Actually Pimpernel needed a while to find out what was wrong with me. She knew about the child very soon but couldn't find anything that might cause the nausea. But she had read that the women of the race of men were often sick during the first few weeks of pregnancy and thought that it might be the same with dwarves."

Fili swallowed and looked scared. "Our child might hurt you because I'm a dwarf."

Poppy looked up at him and stroked his beard. "Fili, please stop worrying! Yes, this will be an experiment. But I'm most likely the happiest hobbit in the Shire at the moment. I'm sure everything will be fine in the end." She intertwined her fingers with his on top of her lower belly.

"Aye, I know that the sickness is normal for dwarves. So let's not worry about it too much. I will write to my mother immediately. It will take a few weeks until we get a reply but that's better than nothing." Fili smiled and placed a kiss on her curls.

They stayed like this for a while and then got up for lunch. Poppy felt much better and couldn't stop smiling.

It was a wonderful, warm day and so the couple decided to spent the afternoon in their garden. Fili helped Poppy to water her flowers when Bilbo and Daisy arrived. They were happy to see Poppy outdoors. She looked healthy and was smiling brightly.

"Good Afternoon! Are you feeling better now?" Bilbo asked and Daisy added "We were so worried."

Fili started to grin like a Cheshire Cat and looked towards his wife. Poppy nodded in return and her smile grew even wider.

"I'm going to be a father! Poppy is with child and apparently the dwarvish part of the baby makes its mummy sick in the mornings." Fili said happily.

Daisy and Bilbo ran towards their friends and hugged them. They told them how happy they were and how much they deserved the child.

Camelia had been in her garden, too and had heard them. She came over to congratulate them and promised Poppy to help her as good as possible.

The four hobbits and the dwarf sat down in the garden and talked. Poppy told them that there would be many uncertainties but that she was incredibly happy. Bilbo started to wonder what the baby might look like.

Poppy dreamed about a little Fili but said that it didn't really matter. As long as the baby was healthy, she'd be the happiest mother in Middle Earth.