Hi everyone,

I have just realised how long it has been since I have updated this story. Over 2years. Can't believe it went by so quickly.

Anyway I have a new chapter for you and a couple more for this story are ready to update.

Hope you enjoy.

~~∞∞Ω∞∞~~ Chapter 16 ~~∞∞Ω∞∞~~

"Frodo." Thorin said softly making Frodo jump and look at him. "What are you doing down there?"

Frodo didn't answer and just looked down at the ground. Thorin moved over and sat down beside him and pulled him up and into his lap, knife moved a safe distance away from small hands. Frodo sniffed and wiped his nose with the back of his hand.

"Frodo what's wrong?"

"I had a nightmare. I miss mummy and daddy."

"Why didn't you come over to us?"

"I didn't want to annoy you. Auntie Lobelia said I was annoying when I went to them at night."

"Frodo, you wouldn't have annoyed me or your uncle. We need to know if something upsets you. Come on, up we get." Thorin said.

He set Frodo to his feet before climbing to his own and picked up the knife. Thorin took Frodo's hand and led him over to his side of the bed and quickly placed the knife back where it belonged. Thorin saw Bilbo's eyes open slightly showing he was awake and had been since Thorin moved from the bed. Thorin shook his head with a smile before lifting Frodo and laying him beside Bilbo before sliding in himself. Thorin laid on his side as Frodo was laying on his back beside Bilbo and watching Thorin nervously. Thorin pulled the blanket up and Frodo pulled it close to his head and watched him.

"Frodo." Bilbo said softly making Frodo look at him.

"Uncwle." Frodo said softly.

"Frodo it's ok. Sleep."

Frodo shuffled closer to Bilbo but stayed laying on his back. Bilbo smiled as Frodo quickly slipped off to sleep and looked at Thorin who moved in closer. Bilbo reached out over Frodo and grabbed Thorin's hand.

"Thankyou."

"Why are you thanking me?"

"For what you just did." Bilbo said softly with a smile.

"I still don't understand. Do you think I would just leave him there?"

"No, never, just some would just wake their partner to deal with it." Bilbo said making Thorin frown. "I didn't really think you would Thorin, it was just a brief thought that went as soon as I thought it might happen."

Thorin looked down seeing Frodo move slightly and his hand clutched a braid of his beard, making them both smile. Bilbo let go of his hand and reached up to the side of Thorin's face and brushed his cheek and beard.

"Have I ever told you how much I like your beard that you're allowing to grow back?"

"You didn't like it before?" Thorin asked, bit worried, his beard having grown since the battle and was now long enough to braid and able to place beads back in.

"Oh no I did, most defiantly did like your beard short. This just makes you more handsome and I can grab it now if I wanted to pull you closer." Bilbo said with cheek, when he brushed his thumb over Thorin's lips. "I like it both ways."

"Now you are just teasing." Thorin said as he leaned up slightly and over Frodo as much as the hold on his beard would allow.

Bilbo smiled and leaned the last little bit over Frodo and brushed his lips to Thorin's, his hand rubbing his cheek softly. Thorin growled low and pulled back resting his head against Bilbo's.

"Get some sleep Bilbo."

"You too. You need to have your wits about you to deal with Dain tomorrow. Will you be in the Throne Room or your chambers."

"I'll have to be close to you in case this little one acts up. You are resting your feet, so I do not want you having to walk far to find me. Dain will know all about this."

Bilbo nodded slowly and laid back on his side properly and let his hand move back to Thorin's as he leaned back as well. Frodo's hand tightened slightly in his beard but he didn't pull on it so Thorin left him be and held Bilbo's hand. Bilbo smiled and looked back at Frodo who seemed to be sleeping peacefully before he soon fell back to sleep. Thorin looked at the two and then to Bilbo's stomach. He didn't understand how he could be so lucky to have what he did after everything he had done before the battle for the mountain.

~~∞∞Ω∞∞~~

Bilbo woke the next morning. It was still really early and still too early for Thorin to be up. Bilbo reluctantly opened his eyes slowly and saw a sight that made him happy he woke so early. Frodo had somehow during the night made his way onto Thorin's chest, hand still holding his beard. Thorin had his arm resting over Frodo holding him close and so he didn't fall off the bed and his other arm was wrapped around Bilbo who had moved closer during his sleep and had his head resting on Thorin's arm.

Bilbo smiled and reached out brushing a stray hair from Frodo's face and moving some of Thorin's so he could see part of his face that was pointed away from him. Bilbo watched as Thorin's face started to frown and his body tensed as he stretched slightly before looking over to him.

"Morning." Thorin mumbled into his hair.

"Morning."

"What were you smiling about?"

"Oh nothing, just looking at the scene in front of me."

Thorin looked down at Frodo and smiled and squeezed his arm that was around Bilbo's shoulder and kissed his forehead gently. Frodo let out a whimper and Thorin and Bilbo looked at him and saw he was slowly waking. Bilbo reached out and put his hand on Frodo's shoulder.

"Frodo my lad wake up." Bilbo said softly. "Frodo?"

"Mamma."

Bilbo teared up hearing this and Thorin have his shoulder a gently squeeze. Frodo slowly opened his eyes and saw Bilbo in front of him and smiled.

"Uncwle Bilbo? It wasn't a dream?"

"What wasn't a dream my boy?"

"Getting to live with you?"

"No, my boy it wasn't a dream."

Frodo smiled and then felt the arm around his shoulder and the chest he was on and looked up to see Thorin watching him. Frodo gasped and tried to scramble back but Thorin just held him. Thorin gave him a smile making Frodo settle and look at his hand to see he was holding Thorin's beard. Frodo slowly let go but not completely and ran his hand over it feeling the softness that was there. Bilbo gave a small chuckle and reached out to Thorin's hair.

"Thorin's beard is soft isn't it?"

"Yeawh."

"His hair is softer."

Frodo looked at Bilbo's hand in Thorin's hair and abandoned Thorin's beard to pat his hair. Frodo smiled widely feeling the softness that was there.

"Am I a pet now?" Thorin asked in amusement.

"Just a little." Bilbo said with a laugh and Thorin just smiled.

There was a knock on the door before it slowly opened and Kili and Fili stuck their heads in.

"Sorry Uncle we just wanted to make sure Frodo was here."

"Fiwi, Kiwi." Frodo said. "Itw's swoft."

Fili and Kili chuckled looking at what Frodo was holding and nodded.

"It is soft. I remember when we used to try and braid his hair." Fili said with a laugh.

"Yes and so do I." Thorin said with a grumble.

"What?" Bilbo asked.

"They were very young when they first wanted to braid my hair. Let's say that a birds nest isn't even close to what they made. I am just thankful I didn't have to cut any to get rid of the knots they put in."

"Ah."

"Hey we were young." Kili said.

"We got better. No knots now." Fili added.

"I will give you boys that."

"We are going down to breakfast. Will you be joining us?" Fili asked and Thorin looked at Bilbo who shook his head.

"No boys we won't. Can you have someone send food up for us?"

"Sure Uncle."

"Uncwle can I gwo with thwem?" Frodo asked looking at Bilbo.

"No Frodo you aren't ready to go to breakfast." Frodo looked down disappointed. "But maybe for lunch you can join them." Frodo face lit up and looked back at Fili and Kili who nodded happily.

"Go boys. You will be needed for the meeting with Dain."

"Yes Uncle."

Fili and Kili shut the door and Thorin carefully moved his arm under Bilbo's head who lifted it so he could take his arm back. Thorin sat up, arm still around Frodo holding him to his body.

"I think you have a bur, Thorin." Bilbo said with a chuckle as Frodo was still holding his hair.

"I know, I have no idea how I shall remove it."

Thorin moved over to the side of the bed and then grabbed Frodo and turned placing him on the bed and tickling him. Frodo shrieked and let go of his hair trying to push him away. Bilbo smiled and laughed as he watched and Thorin chuckled before letting up and Frodo shuffled back towards Bilbo smiling.

"I think you lost your bur."

"I think so. Though I wonder if this bur needs a bath."

"I'll give him a bath Thorin, it's alright. You have to get ready. I didn't realise how late it got."

Bilbo didn't realise how long he had been watching Thorin and Frodo sleep till Fili and Kili came in looking for Frodo. It was late and Thorin had his meeting with Dain in a little while. Thorin nodded and left the room and Bilbo laid out on his back and stretched.

"Alright time to get this little fauntling cleaned and dressed."

Frodo nodded and climbed out of the bed. Bilbo sat up and slid to the edge and put his feet on the ground and gasped as he put weight on them. They were still sore and it was a shock. Frodo moved closer worried at the gasp but Bilbo smiled and put a hand on Frodo's shoulder to comfort him.

"Let's go shall we?"

Bilbo stood, quickly changed his clothes and took Frodo's hand and led him back to his room. Frodo's clothes had been moved to his chambers when they had been to dinner and the room cleaned with new sheets on the bed. Bilbo opened the door and took Frodo to the bathroom and started to draw a bath.

"Uncwle Biwbo?"

"Yes Frodo?"

"Whwen will youw wave the babee?"

"Soon I hope"

"Whyw?"

"Because the little one is getting to big." Bilbo turned off the water. "Alright Frodo in you get."

Frodo quickly got out of bed clothes and climbed into the bath. Bilbo knelt carefully beside the bath and proceeded to scrub Frodo's hair with soap before having him rinse it out and then washed down his body.

"Ok Frodo out you get."

Frodo climbed out of the bath and turned to Bilbo who had a towel in his hand still beside the bath. Bilbo rubbed him down removing the water and then rubbed at Frodo's hair. Once Frodo was dry Bilbo was able to slowly push himself up to his feet.

"Uncwle?"

"Yes?"

"Youw owk?"

"Yeah I'm ok my boy. Just give me a second to get up."

Bilbo was able to slowly get to his feet, his belly making it difficult. Bilbo then proceeded to take Frodo back into his room and dressed him in his last pair of clean clothes. Bilbo gathered up his dirty clothes and was going to get them washed today. He piled them near the door so they were easier to get after.

"Alright let's go see Thorin."

Bilbo walked to Thorin's door and pushed it open and led Frodo over to the table where there would eat breakfast and sat him in the chair.

"Wait here Frodo."

Frodo nodded and Bilbo walked over to the bathroom and once again Thorin was standing there towel wrapped around his waist. Bilbo sighed and walked in as Thorin was drying his hair. Bilbo reached up and took the towel he was using to dry his hair from Thorin. Thorin turned and smiled at him.

"Get dressed I'll help with your hair."

Thorin nodded and they headed out and Thorin walked over to his wardrobe and pulled out the clothes he was going to wear for the day. Bilbo looked at his arm after he pulled on his pants and saw that the bandages needed changing. Seeing Thorin was about to put his tunic on Bilbo grabbed his arm.

"Just wait a minute. We need to change that bandage."

Thorin nodded as Bilbo disappeared into the bathroom before coming back with a new bandage. Thorin sat on the bed as Frodo also walked over and climbed onto the bed and knelt beside Thorin looking at his arm that Bilbo was unwrapping. Bilbo winced as it was a little red before he grabbed the new bandage and wrapped it back around Thorin's arm.

"You may want to have Oin have a look at that."

"It's fine Bilbo. Don't worry."

"Youw hwave a lwot of hairw." Frodo suddenly spoke up.

Thorin and Bilbo looked to Frodo who was looking at Thorin's chest and arms before laughing. Frodo looked at them confused as to why they were laughing.

"I do Frodo. All dwarves have a lot of hair on their bodies. But you and Bilbo have a lot of hair on your feet." Thorin said.

He stood and picked Frodo up in his arms as he walked over to grab his tunic and robes for the day and placed them on the bed. Thorin was about to put Frodo back down when he felt him touch a scar. It was the same scar left from Azog. Thorin looked down and saw Frodo looking at it in interest. Thorin smiled and placed Frodo on the bed before picking up his tunic and put it on.

There was a knock on the door and Thorin called for them to enter and some servants came in with breakfast. They quickly placed it on the table, bowed to Thorin and left.

"Let's eat." Bilbo said with a smile.

Bilbo stood up with Thorin's help and Thorin lifted Frodo into his arms getting a squeal from him before placing him on a chair at the table. Bilbo sat beside Frodo and started to put some food on the plate for him as Thorin did the same for him. They ate in relative silence before there was another knock on the door and Dis walked in with Fili, Kili, Balin, Dain and Dwalin.

"Sorry Brother, we thought you might be done. We can come back."

"No no we just finished Dis." Bilbo said and Thorin helped him stand. "We will leave you to your meeting." Bilbo said as he ushered Frodo from the room but stopped at the door when Thorin grabbed his arm.

"If the little one gets restless please come in. It won't matter to me, Dis, Fili, Kili or Balin."

"And Dain? What of him?"

"It won't matter Bilbo. He knows what happens if the baby isn't near their father enough. We have lost many Dwarrowdams that way. I won't lose you. You come in if you need to."

"Alright."

"Promise me."

"I promise Thorin."

Thorin nodded and kissed Bilbo gently before Bilbo left. Bilbo walked towards his room to hear footsteps behind him. Bilbo turned to see Dwalin walking after him.

"Seriously?" Bilbo asked making Dwalin smirk. "Why do I bother?" Bilbo said to himself.

"I don't know." Dwalin said knowing it would annoy him.

Bilbo glared at Dwalin before looking down at the soft tug on his clothes. Frodo was there hiding behind Bilbo peeking out at the dwarf. Bilbo sighed and led Frodo to his chambers. Bilbo pushed the door to his room open and was surprised to see Bifur and Bofur in there.

"Bifur, Bofur what a surprise."

~~∞∞Ω∞∞~~ End of Chapter 16 ~~∞∞Ω∞∞~~

Hope you enjoyed it. Please review.