The round green door swung open by itself, and then shut again. Inside, Bilbo appeared, having taken the hood off his head. Humming to himself, he bustled about his house, grabbing a walking stick as he passed through a doorway.

"I bet you think you're all that, don't you?"

Momentarily startled, Bilbo turned to see Andyalf.

"Oh, come on, Andyalf. Did you see their faces? It was priceless!"

"That hoodie is not a toy."

"I was just having a little fun! Oh, you're probably right, as usual." He crossed over to the mantelpiece to retrieve his pipe.

"Well, I'm never wrong, you know," Andyalf said. "I'm only—"

"Mistaken, I know." Bilbo finished. "I'm leaving everything to Rosie. You'll make sure she doesn't ruin it, right?"

"Of course." Andyalf responded. "Are you leaving the hoodie, too?"

Yes, yes. It's in an envelope, over there on the mantelpiece." Bilbo pointed.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Andyalf folded his arms. "A hoodie couldn't fit in an envelope! Besides, you're wearing it!"

Bilbo looked down at it.

"Oh. That's weird. Where is my mind going?"

"You are eleventy one," Andyalf remarked driely.

" Yes," Bilbo said. "I'm old. I should get to have what I want. Why can't I keep it? It's mine! "

"There's no need to get angry."

"Well if I'm angry, it's your fault! You wouldn't even let me put my name on the back!" Bilbo stroked the black cloth again. "Its mine, my own. My precious."

"Precious? You're starting to sound like that gollum thing."

"Eaugh! Ok, you win. There is no way I'm going to end up like that dude. I'm leaving now."

Bilbo picked up a pack, swung it onto his shoulders, and started for the door.

"Bilbo," Andyalf said. "You're still wearing the hoodie."

Bilbo sighed and set down his pack. He pulled off the hoodie, making his curly hair frizz with static electricity. He dangled it on his fingers before letting it fall to the floor with a dull, heavy….flop? He hurried outside with his pack, but halted halfway down the path. Andyalf stood in the doorway.

"I've thought up an ending for my book," the hobbit told him. "'and he lived happily ever after, 'till the end of his days.'"

"And I'm sure you will, " Andyalf replied. "But for heaven's sake, get some Pepsi! I can't see how you've lived so long without it."

"Um… ok. Goodbye, Andyalf." Bilbo extended his hand.

"Goodbye, Bilbo." The wizard shook it.

Bilbo wandered through the gate and on down the path, singing to himself.

Andyalf turned back into the small house. Bending over the hoodie that lay crumpled on the floor, he studied it. Slowly, he reached for it. He was within a millimeter of grasping it, when a fiery image flashed into his vision. It was a nose, wreathed in flames, turning towards him and inhaling deeply. Andyalf drew back.

He sat in a chair before the fireplace, staring, watching the flames dance with eyes that could not truly see. Words played in his mind like leaves in the wind, revolving, dropping, rising again.

Its mine………. My own………….. my precioussss……..

"Bilbo!" came a cry from outside. The door opened and Rosie burst in.

"Bilbo!" she halted suddenly at the hoodie. She stooped to pick it up. "He left? Without me?! How wude!." She came up beside the wizard. "Andyalf?"

He turned slowly as if pulling reluctantly from a dream.

"Bilbo left you bag end, along with all his possessions." Andyalf held out a length of brown paper, and Rosie laid the hoodie in it. Swiftly, the wizard wrapped it up and tied it with a string.

"Um… isn't it supposed to be in an envelope sealed with wax?" asked the hobbit girl.

"A hoodie would never fit into an envelope!" he protested. "Besides, this is one of my favorite things."

"Wrong movie."

"Well…. It doesn't matter.." He handed the package to Rosie. "Here. Put it somewhere out of sight." Suddenly, he rose.

"Where are you going?"

"I have things to do, people to see," Andyalf said as he rushed through the hall.

"What things?" Rosie followed him.

"Questions." Andyalf grabbed his hat and staff and turned around. "Questions that need answering."

"You've only just arrived!" she sighed in exasperation as Andyalf opened the door. "I don't understand."

"Neither do i." He responded solemnly. Abruptly, he stooped close to her and whispered, "keep it secret; keep it safe."

With that, he swept out of the house.