A/N: Hello my dears, long time no see, but here we are. I had to go back and read this to remind myself of what I'd actually wrote. Can't for the life of me find me notes on what I had planned for the storyline and the breakdown for what the put in the chapters so I'm kind of winging it here.

This might be a long chapter, it may also be a short one, I haven't decided yet. Which fits in with the chapter title. Decisions indeed.

So, have a read, tell me what you think and I'll go from there, I am following the movies more so than the books and fitting it in with my story.

Decisions

I race home and arrive there in no time. Perks of being me I guess. I all but fly through the front door, scaring the living daylights out of Bilbo, who I've disturbed from tip toeing around his own home. With a hand to his chest, he realizes who's just burst through the front door, and rolls his eyes at me. Relaxing his posture, the hand over his heart drops and he warily continues to check Bag End for any signs of the dwarves.

"They've already left Bilbo." I murmur, not even out of breath from running home from the market. Another perk of being me. "I just saw them, they're heading back to Tony's to gather their ponies."

I move to look for my belongings that had been randomly dumped last night and I find them on the table where my weapons bag is now rolled back up and secured. My other packs have been restocked, with the likes of food, herbs and even clothes. I stand for a moment as I ponder the thought of who had did the last one but simply shrug instead as I see that everything I needed is already packed bar the few bits that I'd picked up from the market.

I feel Bilbo's presence behind, as he watches me sort through my things. His aura is shrouded with indecision. I turn back around once I've assured myself that I have everything that I need, for this adventure with Bilbo, or my next one without him and face him.

He swings his arms back and forth, his face portraying that he is lost in thought.

"Bilbo?" I say softly and move closer to him, gently grasping his shoulders and steadying him. His eyes reach mine. "Are you okay?" I ask gently.

"I don't know." He answers. "I don't know what I should do." He admits and I squeeze his shoulders in reassurance. "What would you do, if the roles were reversed? As in if they'd asked you to go on this quest?"

"I honestly don't know myself Bilbo." I admit as I lead him away, in hopes of making him a cup of tea, to calm his mind. I hear him trail behind me, his movements slow. "If they'd asked me because of being a guardian, I'd have said yes, if they'd asked because you said no, I'd say no too. But,-" I pause, as I move a to light a fire.

"But?" Bilbo repeats, standing near the window next to small table and chair.

"But I know, deep down, I would go after them. Deep in my heart, I'd know it's the right thing to do. But I am not you Bilbo, and you are not me. You may be my brother but we both have to admit, we are completely different people. I do not claim to know you better than yourself but deep down I know too, that you wish to go but that is your decision to make. I can not force you, nor can anyone else for that matter."

"How, how would you decide?" He asks, watching as I flick my fingers and the fire comes to life on its own, heating the kettle almost instantly. I sigh at that question.

"I ask myself that question a lot, there are times where making a decision is so hard. I think of the consequences, of what will happen if I make the wrong choice, and furthermore what will happen if I make the right choice. Sometimes good things come from bad situations and bad things come from good situations. I tell myself to follow my gut instincts, to follow my head and to follow my heart, but there are times where neither or just one of those is the correct choice." The kettle soon begins to steam and whistle and I quickly take it off the heat, mindful not to burn my fingers, before extinguishing the flames.

I hear Bilbo hum and it goes silent for a few minutes whilst I sort us both a cup of tea. I turn back around and for the first time in my life as a Baggins, I witness my big brother, look so vulnerable.

"Tell me Rose, out of those three, which are you most likely to follow. In this case, if you were asked to go on this quest, regardless as to whether I had been asked to or not. What would you have followed first?"

I sit for a moment and ponder, I've always had a battle between my head and heart. And so, find myself following my gut on more occasions than anything else. Later, I'd then be able to choose between my head and heart, because the situation would become clearer, and I'd know which one to use next.

"My gut. Because my head and my heart will follow next and guide me after." I say truthfully.

He nods before looking down at the table next to him, I grasp his cup of tea in one hand and my own in the other and walk towards him, I too look down to see what he's staring at and see it's his contract. The page lies open and I can see Thorin and Balin's name already signed at the bottom, the only space left to be signed for is the Burglar, for Bilbo. Of whom hasn't registered that I am standing next to him until he looks back up, but his gaze isn't directed towards me, but out of the window.

"Bilbo?" I question gently. He looks to me, almost startled for a moment before an expression crosses his face.

"Follow your gut right?" I nod cautiously, treating him as a wounded wild animal, worried he'll lash out at any moment.

"That's right."

"And then your head and your heart will guide you after." I nod again. He suddenly braces himself and I lean back a little at his movements, unsure of what he'll do next but my gut tells me what my head and my heart already know. "Right!" He nods to me and before I know it, he's taken his tea from me, downed it, placed it back in my hand and run off.

I stand there for a moment, slightly bewildered, before a grin appears across my face and I'm downing my own tea, following after him, I deposit the empty cups into the sink and race down the hall to his room. I all but run into his door frame with excitement as I watch him hurry around his room, his backpack in hand as he chucks whatever he thinks is appropriate into it. Once he's finished and struggles into his coat does he stop and look at me, my excitement diminishes a little inside me but I keep my grin on my face.

"What about Bag End? We don't know how long we'll be away for?" He asks and I continue to grin.

"Leave that to me, just go! Anything you may have forgotten, don't worry, I'll bring it. Just hurry!"

He nods and grabs him pack before racing past me, he heads back to the contract, quickly signs it, grins back at me before he's out the door. I laugh in disbelief at this before I suddenly hear his foots steps racing back, he runs back through the front door that he'd left open in his wake.

"But what about you? Will you be able to find us?"

"In this life and the next Bilbo, no matter what, I'll always find you." I promise him, his wholesome smile warms me, fills me up with emotions before he nods and disappears from my sight again. I listen for him as he runs, I hear all sorts of animals complaining about his hurry before I hear a voice call out.

"Ere Mr Bilbo where you off to?"

"I can't stop, I'm already late!"

"Late for what?!"

"I'm going on an adventure!"

I giggle wholeheartedly to myself at this and I'm unable to contain my excitement for any longer, I jump up and down on the spot a couple of times childishly before spinning in a circle, catching myself and my breath, I stop and realize I too am already late. I rush around, gathering my belongings in my wake. I make sure everything is locked up tight, that everything is spic and span. Before stopping myself, I circle back to Bilbo's room, replaying what he'd packed into his back pack. I chuckle to myself and go about collecting the more luxurious items that Bilbo will miss but will also do him some good, I grab a water proof cloak that is more suited for harsher weathers knowing he may catch a colder easier than the rest of us but is thickly lined so can double up as a blanket for him. Some extra tobacco, a pocket handkerchief, a bar of soap and our favourite blend of tea that also works as a healing tea.

I pack those away in what space I have left in my own pack before rushing to the pantry, I quickly seek out my hidey holes and find a lot of food that can be eaten as is or warmed up but can last for years, not to mention my own rations of lembas bread. They may not work very well on hobbits but for me, it'll do if I'm in a tight spot. I quickly run back and pack those away before my eyes rest upon a rolled up scroll. I hadn't noticed this earlier as it had been hidden under the daggers that Fili and Kili have gifted me, but with those packed away now, it peaks my curiosity. Unrolling it I realise, it's a contract. I quickly read it, noting the changes from the last contract, of which you already know, I'd ripped up and thrown into Thorin's face.

"Well I'll be." I gasp in disbelief at the contents, even double checking it twice before noting the signatures on the bottom.

All of the company, save Bilbo and Gandalf have signed the contract. Including Thorin. They've all accepted me into the company. Just below the last signature, which was Thorin's, the space of where I sign for reads: At the request of Aurora, daughter of Belladonna Took - Guardian of Middle Earth. Tears prick at my eyes for a moment, as I lean against the table, still in a state of disbelief. Composing myself, I sign and date it, as proof before tucking it away into the inner pocket of my coat and grabbing my things.

I head out of the still open door, close and lock it behind me, stilling for a moment and taking in Bag End, whether it be for the last time or not, I wish it farewell before turning around. I stop at the presence in front of me, catching me by surprise. I chuckle to myself before hopping the gate and greeting him.

"You always seem to know before I do, don't you." A snort is my answer. "Thank you Cas." I say heartfully and he nods in return. "I must warn you Cas. I don't know where this adventure will take us, whether it be to our deaths or to a new and better Middle Earth. You've been with me for so long now, that I feel I must ask you this." He comes closer to me and bows his head before looking me in the eyes. "Are you with me?" He whinnies excitedly and rears back on his hind legs before settling. I laugh at his antics. "I'll take that as a yes then." He snorts in return before steadying himself for me to load my belongings onto him. "I'm afraid we must stop and see Tony before we go, I have a favour to ask of him." Another snort answers but this is more of a question. I gracefully mount Cas and lead him towards Tony's.

"Tony is probably the only Hobbit here that I can entrust to watch over Bag End whilst we are away." I get another questionable snort in reply. "Our adventure will be taking us to join Thorin Oakenshield and his company of dwarves, on their quest to take back the lonely mountain. You and I both know the mountain has been on my mind for years, it's time that bastard dragon gets evicted. And it seems the only way we can do that, is by taking back the Arkenstone, so the other dwarven kingdoms will unite together under Thorin's rule."

A huff in reply. Cas's way of saying; really?

"I know, I know, if I ask for aid, everyone comes, no matter what, no questions asked. Thorin has to acquire this fancy jewel in order for that to happen to him. Which is why Gandalf has instructed him to make Bilbo, the companies burglar, Bilbo will have to steal the jewel for Thorin, in order for this to happe-woah!" I exclaim as Cas suddenly stops, he looks back to me before proceeding to nare and whinnie. I sit for a moment, well hold on really, as Cas goes through his tirade.

"Look, it wasn't my idea, I told you, I felt the need to come home. This is what the reason was, to accompany Thorin and his kin to the mountain, keep Bilbo alive and try not to kill Gandalf and the dwarves along the way. Do you really want to pass up that opportunity and not witness that, because I'm going with or without you." He stops before I'm thrown back into the saddle as he speeds off faster than lightening.

"At this point, I'm convinced you only hang around for the drama." I say into the wind as we make our way back to Tony's Inn. A huff in replies lets me know that I'm right. A couple of scared patrons and some unhappy cows later, we arrive at Tony's, I quickly dismount and go in search for him.

"Tony! Tony where are you?" I shout through the stables.

"Over here lassie!" I hear his reply just as he steps out of an empty stall, he hurries over, looking worried. "What's all the hullabaloo about?" I laugh at his concern.

"I'm sorry to have worried you Tony, but I must ask a favour of you, please." I say genuinely and his face hardens.

"Anything Rose, anything." He grasps one of my hands and I use the other to take the key to Bag End out of my coat pocket.

"Tony, I want to thank you for all of your years of kindness to me, I fear this may be too much to ask but, there's no-one else that I trust more." I place the key into his hands and he looks down confused for a moment, realization crosses his face once he figures out what it is. He swallows as a lump that builds in his throat and he looks back up at me with tears in his eyes. "Bilbo and I, are needed elsewhere, I can't say where because it may endanger the others, including yourself if I give you this knowledge, it's with a heavy heart that I ask if you can watch over Bag End for us? I have enough money to pay for the expenses for at least 3 years. If neither of us contact you nor return -"

"Aurora." He says solemnly. "Nothing, would honour me more than doing this. I'll make sure Bag End stays ship shape and non of those pesky relatives go anywhere near her." He vows.

"Thank you so much!" I say before hugging him solidly.

"I know that you will make sure that Bilbo gets home safe, is it too much to ask, that you do the same?" He asks sadly as we pull back. My face drops and I can only answer him truthfully.

"I can promise one thing Tony, that I will try. But I-"

"No." He stops me gruffly. "Leave it at that, that's all I need to hear." I nod sadly, holding back the tears myself before handing over a coin purse that was buried in my pockets, I'd picked this up as I was packing my things.

"Enough for 3 years." I say and he nods, hesitantly taking it out of my hands, he holds this and the key tightly in his grasp before stepping back and bowing lowly at me.

"Be safe." He asks tearfully and I nod, the best that I can. He looks over my shoulders to Cas. "You take of her Cas, yeah?" Cas, watching over us, trots to us and bows his own head to Tony before lifting it back up and gently touching his forehead to Tony's. Tony struggles even more to keep his emotions at bay before patting Cas behind the ear. Cas takes his leave from this and heads back to the stable doors and waits for me. "Off you go now Lass and don't you worry about a thing." I nod tearfully at him, unable to form my own words to convey back to him and so, bow to him, but he pulls me back up and says: "You, Aurora, never bow down to anyone." He gives me a gentle push and next I know, I'm back up in the saddle and Cas is leading me away from the Shire, I wish I could make myself look back but I couldn't. But Tony knows me well enough by now and so, musters a wave, even if I don't see it, he knows that I know he's done it.

I clear my throat and Cas looks back reassuringly at me before taking off, eager to catch up with the company.