So in the next chapter I think I'm gonna skip a few years, and I may do that within chapters but I'll always say how many years have passed and what the date would be. Oh, and if anyone is interested I put up a new chapter to "til the siren come calling" which is just smut - so be warned.
Kaia: Thank you, it was sadder than I thought it would be. I thought her seeing Thorin again would be a happy moment but it just broke my heart. I went back to the book and found that part, I don't think I ever read after Bilbo returned home, I think I stopped at him getting to Hobbiton.
Bilbo was amazed at how fast Pearl's stomach shrank back to nothing, only taking two months and by then Pearl was moved into a hobbit-hole down the road from him. Bilbo had told Rosa he was keeping Pearl until she could find a hobbit-hole of her own, and so reluctantly he began asking around. Naturally of course they were all curious as to whom Bilbo was searching for a home for. And naturally most everyone was bespelled by Pearl and Lily – to no shock of Bilbo's.
Pearl was entirely grateful for all the help she received, including an old bassinet being given for Lily as well as clothes for them both. By the end of the two months all the hobbits of Hobbiton had given the two at least one thing, some being furniture and kitchen items, some being clothing, and toys. And all the people spoke gloriously of the two – it seemed Pearl was too much for even the hobbits.
She settled in the chair Bilbo had gifted her with, Lily in her arms as she rocked her daughter to sleep. A knock sounded on the door, three short knocks letting her know who it was. "Come in," she called and smiled when Bilbo rounded the corner.
"How are you this night?" he asked coming to stand by her side.
"I am well, Rosa says the boys are starting on the pond tomorrow," Pearl said. The men had taken it upon themselves to construct a pond on Pearl's new land after Pearl had said how much she and Lily loved the water.
"You two would certainly love it, but only at night when everyone else is in bed," he warned and she nodded, a small smile on her lovely lips. He still remembered the feel of those salty lips on his own as she kissed him goodbye. "Shall I put her in bed while you try your hand at supper?" he asked, having spent many weeks trying to teach Pearl to cook.
"She's almost asleep, it should not take more than a few moments," Pearl said putting a drowsy Lily in his arms.
Bilbo made his way to the kitchen, smelling something as Pearl started to cook. She ate mostly fish, which was one of Bilbo's favorite things to eat and she was very good at catching the good tasting ones. It was the cooking she needed work on, for she did not know the need for seasoning.
"How is it going?" he asked smelling a few herbs and lemon.
"Good. Did Lily go down alright?" she asked before flipping the two fish.
"That she did," he said, and Lily had; he had held her for a few moments, breathing in her sweet baby smell that was mixed with salt, before he lowered the sleeping babe into her bassinet. He looked at the fish and vegetables, it smelling heavily of salt, and it did not look appetizing in the slightest – though nothing she ever cooked did.
But when she put some on a plate and sat him down at her kitchen table he ate it like he had all the other dishes she'd made.
"Do you like it?" she asked when she sat down with her own plate.
Bilbo nodded with his mouth full, and this time he truly did. "It tastes like the sea," he said, all he could manage to think of to describe the taste which was salty and delicious, tasting of heavenly fish.
Pearl smiled pleased with herself. "I tried something different than the last times, they weren't to my taste but you had said you liked them. I don't think you were being honest."
Bilbo looked at her guiltily and tried to smile an apology through his full mouth. It was true, he always said he liked everything she made, but this was the first night where it was actually edible.
"I thank you for sparing my feelings," she told him quietly with a smile before she too began to eat. In truth she hadn't added much salt, she had though gone to the river the night before as she did at times – leaving Lily with Bilbo – visiting with fili and kili who were excited for the pond so they could live with her and meet her daughter, and she had gone far into the water and retrieved some sea kelp. The rest of it was drying outside at the back of the house but eating it with the fish tasted good.
"Rosa suggested something that I think you may find interesting," Bilbo said as he helped Pearl clean the dishes after they'd eaten. "She said that you would need a way to earn a sum and she thought perhaps you could give the girls singing lessons."
Pearl dried the dishes Bilbo washed and thought long his words, knowing she could do strange things with her voice and wondering if she needed to make a sum.
"Everything has a price, usually it's in silver and gold," Bilbo explained when she asked what a sum was.
"Like coins?" she asked remembering the coin Bofur had given her from the troll caves, and the great many gold coins in Bilbo's chest from Erebor – where she had been queen.
"Yes, most everything is worth a coin and Rosa believes you should give singing lessons to earn them so you can afford things," he told her as he washed the last fork. "Though I would be more than happy to cover your expenses," he offered gentlemanly, wishing as he had of late that she had stayed with him. It was not often that they were not together but he still found himself missing her.
Pearl thought long on his words the remainder of that night, covering Bilbo with a blanket Rosa had helped her make on the sofa he had fallen asleep on. She smoothed the hair back from his face and he sighed leaning into her touch as he dreamed; she did not think she would ever stop being grateful to have him, that he had found her. She kissed his cheek before retiring to her own bed, waking once before dawn to feed Lily before sleeping again.
Nearly all the men in Hobbiton came to Pearl's house the next morning after a hearty breakfast and began the labor of making a pond. It was a month longer before it was finished, and they labored happily listening as Pearl gave singing lessons to girls and woman who wished to sing as she; though the men were always quick to say no one sounded near as lovely as Pearl Brown.
Pearl found herself greatly enjoying teaching the girls how to sing, them coming to her home after noon every other day for a lesson, to which Pearl could still keep Lily close. She also grew to enjoy Rosa's company, who was over most everyday to see to her and Lily; and to keep an eye on Bilbo making sure he remained a gentleman to Pearl though she never told the mermaid that.
Though Pearl loved nothing more than when Bilbo would come by, seeing her daughter's face brighten when she recognized him, grateful as she always was that he was in her life. She loved watching him fawn over Lily, making her squeal with absolute glee as he held her or tickled her gently. She was glad to know that Bilbo would be there for her daughter in place of her father, something Thorin had found relief in as well.
"You are doing well for yourself," Bilbo said as they walked back from the river from collecting fili and kili, who were sitting unhappily in a bowl once again.
"Yes, I suppose I am," she said softly as she held the bowl, having bought from the market the day before with coins she had earned.
Bilbo noticed the quietness about her, had noticed it for a few days but had left it alone. "Is everything alright?" he asked, growing concerned at her melancholia.
"Of course," she said with a false smile. "How could it not? I have Lily and a home, a means to support myself as you called it. What could possibly be the matter." There was a fake cheer in her voice as she said all she had, and it pained Bilbo to know what it was she did not have for he realized the reason for her sadness.
"Will you stay with them on this night?" he asked as she put fili and kili in the lake, who immediately darted off to explore.
She was quiet as she stared after them and Bilbo could almost see the want in her. "Not this one," she answered.
Bilbo stood at her side not knowing if he should try to comfort her, if there was any comfort left to offer her. He was surprised when she wrapped her arms around him, the tears audible in her next breath.
"I miss him," she whispered, her voice cracking with her despair. He could do nothing more than hold her as she cried, knowing then he could offer her nothing. It took her a few long moments before she stopped and wiped her tears. "What would I do without you," she said when he took over drying her face with the pads of his thumbs.
"You won't ever have to find out," he swore to her, leading her back to her hobbit-hole where it was warm and safe, filled with the comfort and love of a life she was creating for not only herself but her daughter; and of course Bilbo, for he would never leave her.