A/N: I just want to clarify that the sword Elrond gives Riley is not the Shards of Narsil. Also, special shout-out to my fellow writer: Shylowdeath for the reviews and plot-feedback. You should out their fic "My Undecided Title" which is genuinely amazing. This is going to be another long chapter and it also marks 100k words which is the longest I've written of anything.

Khuzdul translations:

Amralizi: I love you (said from male to female)

On with the show!

Chapter Twenty-One: Of Trouble Brewing….

The following morning, Maggie's head felt like it had been run over by a large freight train. Her whole body ached and as she sat up, a wave of nausea hit her. Most of last night was a bit of a blur, she remembered bits of conversation and laughter. There had been lots of dancing and Maggie was sure there had been a drinking contest or two. How had she gotten home? Maggie searched her mind and then remembered (parts of) the walk home with Thorin and she buried her face in her hands.

"Oh god." She groaned.

"Quite the night, I heard?"

The sound of Bilbo's voice excited Maggie and she immediately sat up, perhaps a bit too quickly and closed her eyes as the world stopped spinning. When it came to alcohol, Maggie was usually sensible. She rarely got too drunk to stay in control of herself and on the rare occasion she did, there was usually a good reason behind it. One of those times had been after their dad's funeral, when her and Riley had each drank a bottle of whiskey. Even to this day, Maggie couldn't stand the smell or sight of the fiery drink without wanting to heave. The second time Maggie barely remembered the events of the night, had been on her 21st birthday.

Her, Riley and their friend Natalie had stolen a shopping trolley from a supermarket. Then, they'd parked it in the hallway of their University dorms, climbed in it and fallen asleep there. Thanks to their other friends Laura and Felix, there was photographic evidence. It seemed to Maggie, that last night would mark the occasion where was left without much memory of what had occurred.

"Bilbo!" Maggie exclaimed. "I'm so happy to see you! I would hug you but I'm afraid I'd empty out the contents of my insides on you. Actually, hold that thought."

It seemed like Thorin had been prepared the previous night, because there was a bucket by the bedside and Maggie vomited right into it. Bilbo reached inside his pocket for a handkerchief which he passed to Maggie. The hobbit almost wished he'd been at the tavern, because by the sounds of it the night had been rather eventful.

"Keep it." Bilbo told her.

Maggie couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Bilbo, you love your handkerchiefs."

"I got it from Lord Elrond. I brought a few, actually. In case they were needed. Besides, it seems like it's the least I could do for you, after you saved my life."

"I only gave you paracetamol. And it was a combined effort with Oin. He's the true healer here."

"Still, I'm grateful to not be dead. Thank you."

Bilbo meant it more than he could explain in words. When he opened his eyes that morning, all signs of his fever had vanished. Though his full strength hadn't returned, Bilbo was up on his feet and back to his normal self. Even Kili seemed to be responding to Oin's treatment of the arrow wound and had been making bad jokes all morning.

"You're welcome." Maggie said "Also, if you died, I'd never hear the end of it from Riley. Oh god.",

As she finished the last sentence, Maggie's stomach churned against. Just like a rollercoaster about to drop from a high point. Maggie threw up again and thought for a moment that she felt better but as soon as she lifted her head up, she heaved again.

"Shall I go get Thorin?" Bilbo asked concerned

"Oh god no!" Maggie said, dreading the idea of Thorin seeing her like this. She wiped her mouth with the handkerchief. "That definitely won't be necessary. I just need to stay here for a while. How are you feeling though?"

"Good. That medication you gave me worked wonders. Oin said he'd never seen anything so effective."There was something I wanted to ask you, actually."

Bilbo was silent for a while as he gazed down at his feet and rolled his hairy thumbs. Then, he winced as Maggie vomited for a fourth time. He passed her a jug of water.

"Did I...say anything while I was sick?" he asked carefully, "Only, some of the dwarves keep snickering and I can't figure out why."

"You mumbled and sleep-talked a lot. You always kept saying Riley's name and that you loved him."

"I DID WHAT?!

Bilbo's high pitched voice and bright pink ears sent Maggie into a fit of laughter and the hobbit buried his face in his hands, mumbling to himself.

"Relax, Master Baggins." Maggie said "I'm only messing with you. You did not confess your undying love for my brother."

"Maggie!" Bilbo inhaled and exhaled quickly at first but then slowed down when his panic was over. "That was cruel, you've been spending too much time with Fili and Kili."

"I'm sorry, I couldn't resist it. Although, you should really tell him."

"Tell him what?"

Maggie rolled her eyes and wasn't sure if Bilbo was being stubborn or oblivious. "Oh please Bilbo. It's obvious you're both completely smitten with each other."

"H..how...how do you know?"

"I'm his sister, I'm supposed to know these things. Not to mention, you haven't exactly been discreet about it. Who'd have thought hobbits were such outrageous flirts?"

Bilbo blushed again. Then, he seemed confused and searched for the right words. "You don't seem to mind?"

"No." Maggie raised an eyebrow at the hobbit. "Why on earth would I mind?"

"Because you know...I'm a man and he's a ...man. I mean I'm a hobbit and he's a human and we're both..."

"Oh.." she sighed "Oh sweet Bilbo. Sometimes, I forget that where I'm from, these things usually aren't a big deal. I say usually because in some parts of my world, it's actually illegal believe it or not. Generally speaking though, it's just love and is accepted as such, whether you are a man or woman. I take it same-sex relationships aren't well received in the Shire?"

"You could say that again. Hobbits are set in their ways."

From what Maggie had read and heard of the Shire, the hobbits who lived there were kind but also somewhat old-fashioned. They didn't stray far from traditions and that included courting and relationships. As Maggie looked at her friend, she saw relief and a bit of fear in his eyes. She wondered how long this had weighed heavy on Bilbo's heart. How hard it must be for him to feel like he couldn't tell anyone.

"Bilbo." Maggie said gently. "You are a good person, a most respectable hobbit and a loyal, true friend. My brother is lucky to have found someone like you."

"You really think that he...you know...feels the same?"

At this Maggie smiled. "You really have to ask?"

"Ahem.."

"I'll leave you two to it. Thank you Maggie."

Maggie didn't know how long Thorin had been standing there, but Bilbo quickly stood up and disappeared before Maggie could call after him. Last nights drunken escapades had left her feeling embarrassed. She didn't even have to look at Thorin to know he had a smug grin on his handsome face. The son of Thrain walked into bed room and sat down next to Maggie, who eventually gave in and turned to look at him.

"How do you feel?" he asked, still grinning.

"Like I've been run over by a train .." Maggie replied "How is Bard?"

"Alive, just about."

Thorin had been drinking just as much as the others, yet he didn't seem to be suffering at all. Or maybe he was suffering and just didn't show it in the same way.

"You hardly seem affected at all?" Maggie gaped

"I am Son of Durin, love." Thorin said smugly.

An awkward silence fell between them for a moment. Thorin wondered why Maggie felt so uncomfortable, it wasn't the first time he'd seen her influenced by . alcohol. And certainly, Thorin thought, there was no shame in allowing oneself to have fun sometimes. Mahal knew that Dwalin and Nori pestered him about being too uptight from time to time. Thorin also recalled that there had been a few nights back in Rivendell, when the company had gathered in the kitchens with Elladan and Elrohir. Admittedly, those nights had been pretty civil and done wonders for the diplomacy between the elves and dwarves. Perhaps, Thorin guessed, Maggie simply felt embarrassed which was understandable though unnecessary

"What do you remember of last night, love?" Thorin asked calmly

"Not much, except I threw up." Maggie replied "A lot and I think you carried me home. Thank you for that. Also please don't tell my brother, he'll never let me live it down."

Another wave of nausea hit Maggie and she leaned against Thorin. Her throat felt like sandpaper. It hurt to move. It was like the flu only self-inflicted, which meant she'd get no sympathy from anyone. Knowing the other dwarves, especially Fili and Kili, they were likely to find any opportune moment to tease her about it.

"Who told you about beads?" Thorin asked after a while.

Maggie glanced up at her lover. "What do you mean?" she asked

"Last night, when I carried you home, you asked if I would give you a bead because you don't have one."

Maggie searched her mind for any kind of recollection of that event. All she found was blur and vague memories of more than one Bofur. "Uhh..I did?"

"Aye, you did." Thorin nodded "So, I can only assume someone explained the meaning behind gifting beads to your significant in dwarrow culture?"

Slowly, Maggie remembered her conversation with Dori and Balin about courtship and she felt a flush of heat on her face. Oh God, Maggie thought, what did I do?

"Balin and Dori said that giving a bead to your partner is a way of showing them that you love them and that they're your One." she said

"Did they indeed?" Thorin raised an eyebrow. "Well, then they also failed to mention that it is not merely a gift that signifies a declaration of love. Maggie, it is a proposal."

"Just to make sure we're on the same page." Maggie stuttered "When you say you proposal...you mean to say..?"

"That in your drunken state, you technically asked me to wed you."

"Oh god, oh god, oh God ."

Maggie was absolutely mortified. She turned her head to the side to avert her gaze, but the sudden rosiness of her cheeks gave her away. Gently, Thorin cupped her face and turned it towards him. It was perhaps cruel, but he did enjoy seeing her blush and would make sure to remind her of it every so often. Truth be told, Maggie's request regarding the beads had caught him off guard. He made a note to have some stern words with Balin and Dori later, because while he was sure their intent was good, Thorin knew they'd purposely withheld some information from her. The second thing that surprised Thorin, was Maggie's current reaction. He had made it no secret that he wished for him to be her queen and that he was indeed serious about courting. Suddenly, he thought, Maggie almost seemed scared which caused worry in Thorin. Had he been putting pressure on her without realising it?

"Do you have regrets?" Thorin asked quietly, "About us?"

"Why on earth would you think that?" Maggie replied, searching Thorin's face for a reason behind this new and sudden concern. Why would he think such a thing?

"Your reaction to last night and the drunk proposal seems to have upset you greatly." The dwarf king said. "If you do not want this and if you are feeling uncertain, I wish for you to say so."

Maggie, you idiot. Maggie suddenly sat on her knees, turned to Thorin and leaned her forehead against his. She trailed her small fingers along his face and ran them through his beard. For weeks, even months, Maggie had known Thorin Oakenshield to be a proud dwarf and a strong, unphased leader of stoic nature. Nothing scared him and yet, in that moment, the Thorin sitting in front of her was scared and vulnerable. Perhaps, Maggie thought, they had been rushing things and their love been intense to say the least but it was still loved. She knew in her heart that she loved Thorin and wanted to be with him. She was afraid though, of what that meant for her future. Something that she hadn't really considered before and something that meant more than one life changing choice.

If things went well, if they defeated Smaug and successfully reclaimed Erebor and if they married, Maggie would stay in Middle-Earth. The thought alone wasn't what scared her, but it was everything that came with it. What would her brother say? How would it impact their own timeline back home? Would people know they were gone or would things simply carry on? There was a lot to consider but deep inside, Maggie had already made her choice. Which, she assumed, is probably why she had brought up the beads in her alcohol-induced state in the first place.

"Thorin." Maggie sighed. "I love you, more than I ever thought I could love anyone. I want nothing more than to be with you. To follow you through this life and into the next one. I know in my heart that my place is by your side. I can't explain it, but I feel like this is always how things were supposed to be. But I am. scared. As cheesy as it sounds, I don't know what the future will hold and that scares me. You're a dwarf and I'm human and correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think that's ever happened before. Not everyone is going to like it and I don't want anyone to think that you're unfit to be king because of me. I'm sorry I made you think I'd somehow changed my mind, I haven't."

Maggie paused. "I was drunk off my face, said something silly and I was...am embarrassed, because courting is a big deal in dwarrow culture. I certainly don't want to disrespect that. Plus, in my world, sometimes people get engaged and then wait years to be married. To some people, the engagement is more of a promise and sometimes it is never followed through. I think a part of me was a bit scared that maybe this wouldn't either."

Thorin listened to Maggie's words and when she stopped to exhale a breath of air, he kissed her. There was no roughness or demand in this kiss. Instead, it was slow and gentle. A part of Thorin wondered if perhaps Maggie had experienced such a false promise by someone before and that's why she was frightened. He also felt a bit selfish, all this time Thorin had only thought about what wonders would await them once they restored Erebor to its greatness. He hadn't really taken the time to consider what a potential marriage would mean for Maggie.

"Amralizi, givashel." Thorin whispered and released a relieved sigh.

"So...on the subject of marriage. What I said last night...is it...you know...valid? Because I don't think I gave you a bead, right?"

Thorin chuckled. "Nay. As there was no exchange in beads and you fell asleep before I could say anything, there is no harm done. Besides, I will be the one doing the proposing, when the time is right."

Maggie stifled a yawn and heard her stomach growl, demanding some kind of decent sustenance. Although the thought of food still caused a bit of nausea, Maggie guessed Bombur was cooking breakfast by now and seeing as there was sure to be a whole lot of teasing from the dwarves, Maggie thought she might as well get it over and done with.

"I shall leave you to get dressed." Thorin said and placed a kiss on Maggie's head.

The next few days passed quickly in Lake-Town. It soon became evident as to who had won the drinking contest between Thorin and Bard. The Bargeman kept to his part and Thorin seemed to enjoy taking advantage of his position as champion. Maggie continued to stay with Brenna. Not only was it nice to get some space from Company now and again, but Maggie had also found in Brenna a good friend. Their evenings were often spent talking and laughing, sharing stories and talked about love. In some ways, Maggie felt as if Brenna was a sister she'd never had.

To keep herself busy, Maggie spent her free time Lake-Town either alone or with Bilbo and even Bofur who sometimes tagged along to get away from the noise of the other. Since Bilbo admitted his feelings for Riley to her, the hobbit often asked her questions about her brother. His likes, dislikes and what Riley's life was like back in their world. Besides the exploring, Maggie had also taken to helping Sigrid, Tilda and Bain with their chores and even a bit of schooling. As far as education was concerned, Lake-Town didn't exactly have any schools to speak of and Maggie obviously didn't have her own teaching material with her but she made do with what was available. It was the least she could do after Bard's hospitality and putting up with all the dwarves.

Unsurprisingly, Bard's children were bright and enjoyed learning. Sigrid was very talkative and loved to read. Bain was slow to open at first and much more reserved than his sister, but eventually he seemed to let his guard down. Sometimes, Maggie even caught him talking to the dwarves and enjoyed hearing tales of their adventures. On one occasion, Kili had even let him hold his precious dagger, much to Bain's amazement. The youngest of Bard's children, Tilda, had completely enchanted Maggie with her innocent charms. Maggie sometimes forgot that younger kids were unconditional in their love for those who showed care and kindness towards them. Tilda had also charmed the other members of the Company and sometimes, when it was late and she was tired, Tilda would crawl onto Bombur's lap and fall asleep curled into his huge arms.

Bard, it seemed, was also surprised at how well his children adapted to their strange new friends. There was a new energy and life that had not been seen in his wife, since before his wife died all those years ago. It was a welcome change even if they all knew it wouldn't last long, once they left for Erebor.

Most of the time, Thorin spent discussing their strategy for the next step of the journey. There was a new determination and excitement in the group, as well as a strong sense of pride. Erebor was so close and Maggie could feel their anticipation. Some nights Maggie sometimes caught her sitting at the window, watching Erebor from the distance. As for Thorin, the two of them had been able to sneak in a few private moments. To Maggie's surprise however, he insisted that they sleep in separate rooms. Apparently, she'd been told, it was another aspect of dwarrow courting. Something the rest of the company made sure to tease them about, regardless of the sour looks Thorin shot them.

Their time apart made those private moments even more intense, whispering lustful words of desperate wanting and needs, while exploring each every inch of their bodies. Before Thorin left her bed in the evenings, Maggie would rest her head on his chest and they would talk. The conversation topics varied; sometimes Thorin asked about her world and what life was like. Did she have close friends and other family? In turn, Maggie asked him about Erebor and he told her stories of his childhood as a young dwarf, in the Great Days of their kingdom. As Thorin talked about the mountain halls, the great libraries of Thrain she would close her eyes and imagine it before her.

During the rare moments Maggie had time to herself, without anyone else around her, she wrote in the journal Thorin gifted her. She didn't write journal entries as such, but more like letters addressed to Riley. For days there had been no news of her brother or of Gandalf. It worried her and more than anything Maggie missed Riley. The others noticed her concern, so they tried their best to lighten the mood. Sometimes, they did so by banter but most recently, they had taken to practical jokes. Or "Morale Boosting" as Nori and Gloin called it. That particular morning, Maggie had been walking back to the house through the town square, when she saw Dwalin untying himself from one of the wooden poles by the harbour. When Maggie asked what on earth had happened, Dwalin had simply angrily muttered about how he was going to kill Bifur and Bofur.

"Are you feeling alright, Maggie?" Ori asked and looked up from his own writing. The sweet young dwarf had a concerned expression on his face.

It was mid afternoon on the 17th of October, two days before Durin's Day. There was a bit more tension than usual in the group and a hint of restlessness. Maggie could feel it in herself as well as Thorin and the others. On that particular morning, Maggie felt tired. Well, tired wasn't the right word for it. Just exhausted. Not for lack of sleep but more the quality of it. Her mind had been racing at night and her sleep filled with dreams she couldn't recall.

"I'm fine, Ori." Maggie lied "Why do you ask?"

"Only," Bofur added. "You seem a bit pale and flushed. You're not catching Master Baggins' flu are you?"

Kili placed his hands on her cheeks. "Definitely a little flushed and not because of uncle."

Maggie shook her head and roller her eyes at Kili. "Guys, I'm fine, I'm just tired, that's all. There's no need to worry."

Maggie wasn't sure she bought her own lie and as she caught Oin's eyes from across the room, she knew he didn't believe her either.

Riley felt better and more awake than he had done over the past few days. Thanks to Radagast's healing, his strength was slowly but surely returning to him. Without the magic of wizards and elves, Riley thought, he would definitely be very dead by now. When he woke up, Gandalf was already sitting by the widow of Radagast's cottage, smoking his pipe. The wizard seemed lost in his thoughts and Riley wondered what occupied said thought. Radagast was nowhere to be seen, but there was an iron pot of tea on the table, freshly brewed as well as some bread and cheese. It wasn't a gourmet meal by any means, but Riley was grateful nonetheless.

As Riley ate in silence, he gazed around the cottage. It was small and cozy, like something out of a fairytale. In some ways, it reminded Riley of Bag End from the movies. There was a fireplace with another iron pot hanging over it, a few wooden chairs placed around a circular table. Outside, the windows were covered with moss growing on the windowsill and vines climbing up the walls.

Normally, the sight of mice in a house would make Riley uncomfortable but because they were in Radagast's home, he didn't mind. Although he swore that the mice watched him and whenever they squeaked it was like they were having conversations amongst themselves.

"You are not losing your mind, Master Riley." Gandalf said. "Most animals do talk, just sometimes not in ways that people are able to understand. Mice are really rather clever creatures."

In the long line of strange things Riley had witnessed over the past few months, talking mice was something he could get onboard with.

"What are we going to do, Gandalf?" Riley asked. "We can't stay here forever, it's almost Durin's Day."

Finally, the wizard turned around to Riley. Gandalf knew they were running out of time and he still felt guilt about having dragged Riley through this part of the journey, which both of them had barely survived. They both owed a great deal of gratitude to Elrond Saruman and, especially Galadriel, for their aid in Dol Guldur. Gandalf was ashamed to admit that he had deeply underestimated Sauron's strength and foolishly thought he could take him on. It was worrying on many levels because if Sauron was this close to gaining back his full abilities, then Middle-Earth was in greater trouble than he could have possibly anticipated. Riley was right, they needed to leave and join Thorin and the Company at the overlook. Gandalf hoped that with Maggie's help, she could remind the dwarves to not enter the mountain without them. Waking Smaug without precaution or preparation could have deadly circumstances and if Thorin's mind was too set on finding the Arkestone to realise the dangers, they would have far bigger problems.

"Don't worry, Master Riley." Gandalf assured him. "We will leave as soon as we can. There is still time before Durin's Day."

"I know." Riley sighed. "I Just don't like this waiting around. How do you think they're doing?" Riley missed his sister and hoped that she was okay. "Do you think they made it to Lake-Town?"

"If Thorin has kept to their plan, then yes, I believe so." Gandalf got off his chair. "Best start packing up your belongings, Master Riley and make sure you get a good night's rest. I am going to find Radagast and then we leave at first light tomorrow."

"We are being followed."

Maggie had come along with Bard on an errand in town. She enjoyed his company and found his honesty and forthrightness refreshing. Not that the dwarves and Bilbo weren't honest or anything, but sometimes Maggie felt as though they were more careful in their approach towards her. She wasn't quite sure if it was because of her relationship with Thorin and that they didn't want to anger him, or if it was because she was a woman. It wasn't, Maggie knew, for any lack of respect but rather quite the opposite. At least so she figured. Even with their fussing and overprotectiveness, Maggie had recently come to realise how much she cared about the dwarves and how much she loved them, each in their own individual way. Even Bilbo, she knew, felt the same way, despite his occasional grumpiness over their shenanigans. They had, against all odds, become her family and Maggie would have it no other way.

"Hurry!" Bard said and began to walk faster through the own.

Maggie followed his gaze to see if she could spot their unwanted company, but his eyesight was better than hers. So, she followed him until he took a left turn and hid inside an alleyway. Carefully, Bard peeked out and Maggie then saw their stalker. It was clear he was out of place from how he dressed. He wore a long grey cloak over his tunic, and his leather pants were tightened with a belt which carried his weapon. His eyes showed determination as his gaze searched the market place. Even Maggie knew this was no man of Lake-Town. Then, as the strange man walked closer to their hiding spot, Maggie watched as Bard grabbed the man by his collar and pushed him against the wall. He struggled and tried to move from Bard's grasp but was unsuccessful.

"You are no town guard of this place. Whom do you serve?" Bard asked sharply. "Speak quickly if you value your life."

"I serve Lord Ecthelion of Gondor." The stalker spat in Bard's face and the bargeman winced as he wiped the saliva off his face.

"Why have you come here?"

Maggie watched as the stranger's wicked gaze fell upon her and an unease grew inside her. The stranger then looked at Bard again, who still held him tightly by his neck. She couldn't understand why anyone would seek them out or follow them. So far, they had been discreet and hadn't brought any unnecessary attention to themselves. Even the Master of Lake-Town had yet to give them any trouble for staying in the town. It was strange that that should change so suddenly.

"There is a warrant out for the arrest of this...charlatan. " The stalker hissed and pointed at Maggie. "This impostor who claims to be the heir to the throne of Gondor."

"Oh for the love of…" Maggie groaned and stepped forward. "You can tell Lord Ecthelion that he is under no threat from me, I do not want the throne of Gondor."

"Yet you still stand by your false claim?" said the stalker. "The sentence for spreading such poisonous lies is death by execution."

"Okay, that seems a bit excessive. What do you want me to do, give you a DNA test? That worked well for President Obama."

While Bard didn't fully follow Maggie's sarcasm or understood who President Obama was, he could tell she was frightened. Even if she tried to not show it. It was understandable though and Bard would feel the same if he was in her shoes. If this spy knew of Maggie's origin, then that meant somebody in Lake-Town had been keeping a close eyes. There was only one person in the town whom Bard despised as much as they despised Bard. Carefully, Bard loosened his grip around the spy's neck but still held him, just to make sure he didn't run away.

"Lady Maragaret is no impostor." Bard said, "If Lord Echtelion wants of proof of legitimacy, can ask nicely. She will not be leaving Lake-Town. Oh and pass along a message to that worm, Alfrid will you?"

Bard let go of his grip and the spy rubbed his hand along his neck, coughing slightly. "What message?" he asked

Two seconds later, Bard had punched the spy right in his nose, followed by a kick between his legs. The spy cried out in pain collapsed to the ground. Maggie would have felt sorry for him, but instead she merely grinned, surprised at how good a fighter Bard seemed to be.

"He'll know what that means." Bard simply patted the spy on his shoulders before he and Maggie stepped over him, heading out from alley and back to the others.

"Ah Ms. Maggie, there you are. Could I borrow you for a moment?"

A few hours later, as night once again fell over Lake-Town, Oin caught up with Maggie as she was heading back to Brenna's house after spending some time tutoring Bard's children. Ever since Ori had pointed out how Maggie looked pale and Kili thought she flushed, a thought had stirred in his mind. The Healer had noticed similar patterns over the past few weeks, which he at first had brushed away as nothing. Their journey had been tiring and Maggie wasn't used to hiking over such long distances as they were. What really made Oin suspicious, was her violent reaction to the hangover some days before. Vomiting wasn't an unusual hangover side-effect, but the fact that it persisted for nearly two days set off alarm bells. The other dwarves simply teased her about not being able to hold her drink, but Oin remained suspicious.

"Sure, what's up Master Oin?" Maggie asked

"Come with, dear." Oin replied

Maggie followed Oin to Brenna's house, although she wondered why on Earth he wanted to go to Brenna's house. Once inside, Brenna was already waiting for them in her kitchen. There was a chair in the centre of the room and Maggie's glances shifted from her friend to the healer.

"Brenna..Master Oin, what's going on here?" she asked, although she wasn't entirely sure she wanted to know the answer.

"Drink this, my dear." Oin requested, kindly

Oin passed Maggie a jug of a drink which Maggie couldn't tell what it was. Stupidly enough, she drank it before she sniffed it and then immediately spat out its contents, almost making herself gag. She grabbed a jug with actual water to wash down the foul taste in her mouth. Was Oin suddenly trying to poison her? She turned to the healer and Oin merely grinned at her.

"What the fuck was that for!?" Maggie snapped.

Oin glanced at Brenna who stood next to him with her arms crossed. Maggie had no idea what was going on but she didn't necessarily like it.

"You're right Ms Brenna, it's as we suspected." Oin said.

"A good idea on your part, Master Dwarf." Brenna said "We make a good team."

When Oin saw Maggie's puzzled expression, he merely smiled at her.

"Take a seat, lass. There is no need to panic." he assured her. "Ms Brenna if you would place your hands on Maggie's stomach."

Maggie didn't know what to say or how to react, but when she saw Brenna's nod at her with her kind eyes, she relaxed a little. Maggie sat down on the wooden bench as Brenna knelt down in front of her. She placed both her hands on each side of Maggie's stomach, shifting them a little as if she was looking for something. Oin placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and muttered some words in Khuzdul which she couldn't understand. Then, something happened which made Maggie forget about everything else around and all the noise of the outside world faded away. As Oin whispered those words, Maggie felt her own heartbeat as well as that of another. It was faint at first, but it was definitely there and as Maggie heard the steady beat, she also felt movement. A small shift in her stomach from the life she realised was inside it. When Oin stopped his whispering, Maggie snapped out of her enchantment and shot up off her chair. No, no, no, no, Maggie panicked, no, it can't be.

"Someone tell me what is going on, right the hell now." Maggie said.

Her breath quickened as she felt the panic start in her gut. She knew the answer to her own question before Brenna said it.

"Maggie," Brenna said and placed her hands on her shoulders. "You are with child."

Child? I'm pregnant? I'm going to be...a mum?

A million thoughts ran through Maggie's mind and she didn't know what to do with them.

"How…?"

"Surely, you know how, lass?" Oin teased "You and Thorin have been productive of late."

Maggie started sobbing and Brenna pulled her friend into a hug, keeping her close. Perhaps, she thought, they could have been more tactical in their approach to finding out about the pregnancy. The shock was a natural response and Brenna thought that perhaps when Maggie had allowed herself to calm down and the thoughts settle, she would feel better. Right now though, the poor girl cried into Brenna's shoulder, completely soaking the fabric of her dress.

"Fuck, I've been so careless." Maggie whispered

"Maggie, whatever is the matter?" Brenna asked "This is wonderful news, Thorin will be overjoyed."

"Will he though?" Maggie asked, as she wiped her tears. "He's made it perfectly clear that nothing can jeapordize the importance of this quest. Nothing and no one. Me, pregnant definitely falls into that category and that's to say if he even wants to be a father. Oh God..we should have been more careful. Had more...self-control."

Maggie fell back into the seat, once again hit by a wave of nausea and she bent over, burying her face in her hands, letting a heavy sigh escape her lips. She was tired, not just tired but fatigued and she wondered how much of that was the pregnancy. She knew something was wrong but she hadn't been able to put her finger on what it was. Everything suddenly felt so real and Maggie felt scared. Was she ready to be a mother with all the responsibilities that it entailed? Their quest wasn't over and they still had to enter that mountain. She had allowed her feelings and her love for Thorin cloud the real reason for her and Riley being in Middle-Earth. How were the choices of her selfishness going to effect the rest of the company? What would Gandalf say? Not to mention her brother?

Even so, Maggie had felt the tiny heartbeat of another being inside her and something else sparked in her. A new feeling she had never come across before. It terrified her, the thought of feeling such instant responsibility for something you didn't even know exsisted until then. Despite being only in her mid-twenties, Maggie had always been fairly certain that motherhood wasn't for her. She loved children, otherwise she wouldn't have become a teacher, but she'd never seen herself as a mother.

"My dear child," Oin said and placed a comforting hand on Maggie's shoulder as he gazed into her brown eyes. "Thorin has been my friend for many long years and through all those years, I have known him to be fierce, sometimes pigheaded and stubborn ike his father with a temper to match. Above all else, I have known him to be kind and loving. Maggie, believe me when I say that he loves you with all his heart, and will be beyond happy when he hears about these news."

Something in Oin's voice calmed Maggie down and she stifled a yawn. The day's events had left her more tired than she realised and while it was still relatively early in the night, Maggie struggled to keep her eyes open.

"You should rest." Oin said, "Go up to bed and I'll give you something to help you sleep."

Sleep, Maggie thought, was something she very much looked forward to.

That night, Riley Spencer slept with unease. It wasn't for lack of warmth or comfort, his bed by the fireplace provided him with both of those. Instead, it was the strange dreams that filled his mind with discomfort. In his dreams, Riley saw the great stone halls of Erebor covered with flames. He heard angry and sinister voices arguing, one belonging to Thorin and the other could not decipher. Riley saw dragon fire and the destruction of Lake-Town. In the middle of all the terror, he heard his sister crying out in pain and calling out his name. That's when he woke up, his face drenched in sweat and his breathing heavy. He wasn't at all surprised to see Gandalf sitting beside him.

"So you have seen it, then." Gandalf stated while staring into the fireplace. "I always knew those of Dúnedain kin were blessed with the gift of foresight It is strongest in Lord Elrond his closest kin, but you have his blood and it seems you have inherited some of that gift."

"My sister is in trouble, isn't she?" Riley asked as he buried his face in hands and tried to slow down his breathing.

Gandalf nodded and exhale large ring of smoke that faded into the air. "Yes. I fear that the course of young Maggie's fate, has been set on a different path. Let us hope that Thorin Oakenshield still has his heart in the right place."

"You are certain?"

Thorin's grasped Oin's shoulders with his strong hands and when the healer simply nodded, Thorin had to compose himself to hold back the tears of joy behind his eyelids. He hoped that the news would have come directly from Maggie herself, but from Oin's words, it seemed like she needed some time to process this new discovery. All his life, Thorin thought that his life was one meant for battle and war. That even if he was crowned king of Erebor, it was a path of solitude which he had accepted and welcomed. He had his family, his kin and his friend. There was a time when Thorin Oakenshield believed that he didn't need a wife. His sister argued of course, that someone needed to continue the bloodline of Durin, but he always reminded her that Fili was the next heir to the throne and Kili after him.

No doubt they would also have children of their own, so their bloodline would live on. Never in his life had Thorin thought he would get the blessing of becoming a father, himself. He embraced Oin in a hug, then next his nephews who were also present and let out a laughter of happiness. He wanted to tell everyone, let the world know that he was going to have a child with the woman he loved more than all the jewels under the mountain. Thorin wanted to run and wake Maggie from her sleep, but decided to wait until morning. Bard had told him and the others about the events earlier that day, with the spy from Minas Tirith. It was troubling and the timing was no doubt poor, but it was a matter that could wait.

"Uncle, this is wonderful news!" Fili exclaimed, he was ecstatic that he was going to have a little cousin.

"If I may speak my mind, Master Dwarf..." Bard began but was cut off almost instantly by Thorin.

"Master Bargeman, can you not spare us a moment of joy?" he pleaded "I am going to be a father! Surely you of all people must know what that feels like?"

Bard felt guilty. He knew the joy that came with such an announcement as he had been lucky enough to experience it three times with his own children. Until that moment, he would never have guessed that Thorin Oakenshield was capable of feeling such joy, as he was often quite broodish. Bard was happy for them, he truly was and he had no doubt both Maggie and Thorin would make excellent parents but it did worry him. For several reasons and he knew that the dwarf king would not like hearing about it. Still, in a strange way, Bard felt responsible for Maggie and her well-being and he would feel much worse about himself if he didn't speak his mind. He also knew that Oin shared his concerns, because they had briefly discussed it before deciding to tell Thorin. Going behind Maggie's back and announce her pregnancy without her consent, was another matter, whose consequences they would have to deal with later. It was however, for the greater good.

"Master Bard is right, Thorin." Oin said calmly. "There are matters which we must discuss and they cannot wait. Not with Durin's Day soon upon us. As a healer, I feel it is my duty to speak the truth."

Thorin let out a sigh, and turned to his old friend. Fili, Kili, Bard and Balin were all paying attention to what Oin said next.

"And what truth do you wish to say?" Thorin asked, warily.

Oin went silent for a few moments, deliberating what to say and how to phrase it in such a way that Thorin would not get upset and lose his temper. He loved Thorin as a friend, respected him as a leader and trusted him as king, but he also knew what had to be said.

"There is no doubt in my mind that news of this pregnancy is a joyous occasion." Oin began. "You and Maggie are going to be fine parents, of that I have no doubt. But this pregnancy will not come easy to her."

"What do you mean?" Kili asked, who until then had remained silent. Over the past couple of days, he'd noticed the pain in his wound sharpen but because there was so much going on, he didn't want to burden anyone. Besides, he was sure it would get better eventually. After all, he'd lasted this long.

"This unborn child is half human and half dwarrow. In our entire recorded history, this has never happened." Oin explained "Let us also not forget that young Maggie comes from another world and has been put through a fair amount of trauma on our part, since joining this company. The first 12 weeks of pregnancy are the most crucial and there is no way of telling what sort of strain that puts on a baby."

"Oin is right, Thorin." Balin agreed. "We must tread with extreme caution."

Thorin didn't say anything, instead he paced back and forth with his hands behind his back. He remained calm, which seemed to surprise everyone. In his heart, Thorin knew that both Oin and Balin was right. It worried him because after all the danger, obstacles and struggles they had overcome to get this far, their victory was so near yet even then, more dangers stood in their way. It seemed they could not even enjoy a brief moment of good news and happiness.

"And what about you, Master Bard?" Thorin asked quietly. "I know you have something on your mind and I invite you to speak it."

"I think that mountain is no place for a woman with child." Bard replied. "Especially not a mountain with a sleeping dragon, guarding its treasures."

"Aye." Thorin agreed. "But Maggie will not take it well. She will say that this is what she's supposed to do. Follow us into Erebor."

"You cannot let her!" Bard protested, perhaps a bit sharper than he'd intended.

"Then what would you have us do?" Thorin turned to Bard, feeling a spark of annoyance take form inside him. "Because she will fight me, physically and if the Valar are right, that she is supposed to come on this quest with us and enter the mountain, how can I place her in exile? I swore an oath to her brother that I would protect her, but how can I do that if she is not by my side?"

In the midst of the tension, an unexpected voice piped. "I think I might have an idea, but you're not going to like it."

None of them had noticed Bilbo in the room, but then again he was a hobbit and after all this time, it should not have surprised them that he was able to remain invisible.

"What is your idea, Master Baggins?" Thorin asked. Another time, Thorin would have simply scoffed at the idea of taking advice from the hobbit, but Bilbo had long since proven his worth as a member of the company and as a friend. Thorin trusted his counsel.

Bilbo had been listening in for a while and as the others had been talking, he had been thinking. He agreed with them about how the mountain was no place for Maggie, but he also knew that Thorin was right. She wasn't just going to stay behind because they wanted her to and she would struggle with them for her right to join them in Erebor.

"What if we gave her a reason...a cause to stay behind." Bilbo said. "A reason to doubt the company, a reason to doubt you, Thorin."

"I do not like where this is going."

"What do you mean, Bilbo?" Fili asked

"Well, what do we know so far? We know that there are people in Lake-Town who do not take kindly to our presence, so much in fact, that they send for a spy from Gondor to scare us, but Maggie saw you stand up to that, Bard. That means, she trusts you. We also know, if you forgive me for saying so, that you can be...quick to anger, Thorin." Bilbo replied

"Hmph.." Thorin huffed "What is your point, Master Burglar?"

"My point is, what if we combine all of those elements and create an act that will work in all our favours?"

Bilbo walked around the room in circles, trying to put together the pieces of his plan which up until then had been mere thoughts in his mind. He didn't like it anymore than Thorin would, but he knew it would work and it was necessary. It would keep Maggie and the baby safe, far away from Smaug and the dangers within the halls of Erebor. Bilbo carefully explained the steps of his plan. On the night before Durin's Day, the dwarves would stage a theft in one of the weapons keeps. If everything went according to plan, it would cause enough ruckus to alert the guards who would then arrest them and bring them in front of the Master of Lake-Town. There, when questioned, Thorin would state their purpose in their town, playing on his greed and passion for gold. That's where Bard would come in and play his role.

"So we are agreed then. Master Bargeman you understand your part?"

"Aye. But I do not like deceiving her, even if it is for the best."

None of them liked the idea, yet sometimes there was a need for necessary evil. They just hoped that Maggie would understand and that she would forgive them.

To be continued….

PHEW! Sorry, that was an enormous chapter and there's a lot to unpack here. SO, Riley and Gandalf survived Dol Guldur and Riley might have inherited a bit of foresight?

A spy from Ecthelion wanting to arrest Maggie for being an impostor.

Maggie is pregnant with Thorin's child? Unexpected? I mean they haven't exactly been careful but, how will the pregnancy effect Maggie?

Bilbo's plan to stage an act to make Maggie stay in Lake-Town? What do you think does it work?

Let me know in the comments :)