Hello all! Sorry that I'm a day late here – I have just gone back to work, so it's thrown off my patterns, but I am here (and up past my bedtime for it, so you're welcome!) Thank you for all the lovely comments for the last chapter, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and that you can forgive any typos!

Chapter One Hundred and Seventeen: The Delivery

"I don't care what Gandalf says – I still don't like it," Thorin muttered, sprawling back in his armchair and glaring at the fire as though it was the cause of all life's problems.

Bilbo smiled, raising his teacup to his lips. "You've said. Many times."

Thorin grumbled beneath his breath, taking another sip of whisky. To be quite fair, Bilbo understood his frustration. It had been nearly two months since the Ring was destroyed, and their little dwobbits were all still in Gondor. He missed them too, and fiercely, but unlike Thorin, he also agreed that it was for the best that they were waiting in Minas Tirith a little longer than they had initially expected.

They had received news that Elrond and his host were escorting his daughter to Minas Tirith, and that they were bringing the Tooks, Brandybucks, and Bombur's children with them. It made perfect sense to Bilbo that Frodo and the others should wait in Gondor – that way when the party from Hobbiton got there they could all travel back home together, and possibly with elvish warriors to escort them. Besides, Bilbo knew how fond the young group were of Aragorn – they would love to see his wedding.

Unfortunately, it seemed that Frodo's latest letter to Thorin had increased the dwarven king's annoyance about the matter.

"It's only likely to add an extra week or two to their journey," Bilbo reasoned for the fiftieth time. "Gimli said right from the beginning that it would take a month or two for them all to be ready to travel, and the envoy must have nearly reached Gondor by now. And that's if they're not there already. Besides, they'll be happy to say hello to Lord Elrond and his daughter. You know how they admire them, especially Frodo."

Thorin scowled at him. "Don't remind me. That's all the more reason for them not to wait."

Bilbo grinned. It had been a long time since any scowl of Thorin's had had much of an effect on him. "You know that Rivendell has been good to us, caring for Bofin after that awful day at the gates – protecting the Shire when we couldn't."

"I understand that, and I'm glad for it," Thorin said, though it sounded suspiciously like he was talking through gritted teeth. "But I do not think it fair that Elrond sees our kin before we do."

"Well unfortunately, life isn't fair," said Bilbo lightly, and the king glared at him.

"So help me, Bilbo I will-"

"Bilbo! Bilbo!"

Bilbo glanced up in surprise. It was late – almost everyone else had already gone to bed, and Vinca had retired hours ago. She had spent the day out in Dale, helping Bain and Tilda with the restorations, and had seemed utterly exhausted when she got in. Now, though, she tumbled through the door in her dressing gown, eyes wide and awake and alert.

"Bilbo!" she gasped again, clinging to the doorframe and holding out her hand. "Come quickly, you must come now! Dís – the babies – the babies are coming!"

Bilbo's heart caught and twisted, as though it had been trying to leap and fall in the same moment, and he sucked in a sharp breath, his tea cup falling from his hands and bouncing down his leg to shatter on the stone floor. Opposite him, Thorin lost colour so fast it was almost comical.

"Now?" he demanded, leaping to his feet, and Vinca nodded.

"Now! Or, at least, the labour has started, and it, it seems it may be soon – she wants Thora and Tauriel and Elbeth –"

"I'll get them," said Thorin, hurrying towards the door. "Go back to her, tell them they're coming."

Vinca nodded, turning to fly down the hallway, and Bilbo's chased after her with an undignified squeak. His heart fluttered frantically in his chest, and his stomach twisted and coiled beneath terror and hope and glee and desperation –

Please, please, please let them live, just – just let them live, oh, please…

The prayer circled through his mind again and again, but the words felt so weak, and he felt so helpless, and then Vinca pushed open the door to his chambers and led him into the bedroom.

And Dís looked up, and smiled slightly. "Bilbo – I think-" She broke off, her teeth clenching as her face twisted in pain, and Bilbo gave another odd little squeak, tumbling to her side and grabbing for her hand. It slipped into his, and she tilted her head towards him, letting out a slow breath.

"I'm here," he murmured, pressing a kiss to her hair. Already, her face was flushed and sweaty, and her hand was clammy in his own. "Dís, how long have you – I was just, just in the other room…"

"Thought it might… might've been a false alarm," she breathed, looking up at him almost sheepishly. "Had a couple of contractions, then… had a bath… Went to bed. Then… then I woke up, and – and they're quick, Bilbo, they're less, less than five minutes apart… the babies are coming, and they're coming now."

"Well, it's a good thing Thorin's getting Thora and the elves then," said Bilbo, but his attempt at forcing his voice to be light only made its shaking more obvious.

Dís nodded, looking up at him, and then she turned to Vinca. "Sweet-pea… would you wake Fíli and Kíli? Tell them what is happening? You can all wait in the living room, if you'd like, but – but they should know…"

Vinca nodded quickly, spinning out of the room, and Dís looked back up at Bilbo. Her smile crumbled, and tears glistened in her eyes.

"Bilbo…" she whispered, and he swallowed. "Bilbo… I – I am afraid…"

Biting back a sob, Bilbo nodded, brushing her hair away from her forehead gently. "I know. I'm scared, too. But you're going to be alright, Dís… you're going to be fine. I promise. I promise."

The corner of her mouth twitched towards a smile, but it fell away almost at once, dying like a spark that could not take to a flame. "If… if I – you, you must promise you will be alright," she said, her voice almost a whimper. "That you – you'll hold on, for, for our children."

"We're not having this conversation," insisted Bilbo, his voice quite suddenly very hoarse. "But you know I'll always look after them. You will too."

Dís winced, her grip growing crushingly strong around Bilbo's fingers, and he stroked her hair until the contraction passed. She gave a shuddering sigh. "The… the babies… I – I'm so afraid, Bilbo… I'm so afraid… I – I need Óin…"

A tear slipped down Bilbo's cheek, and he rubbed his eyes quickly on his sleeve, pressing another kiss to her forehead. "I know," he said, his voice sticking in his throat. "I know. I miss him too, and – I wish he was here. But Thora's coming, she'll be here any minute, and she knows you as well as Óin… And she knows what she's doing – she's one of the best midwives in the mountain. She'll be here soon, and you'll be in good hands. And that's not to mention the elves."

Dís swallowed, nodding slightly. "I know – I know… Bilbo, don't – don't go anywhere… Don't leave me…"

"Of course I won't go anywhere," he murmured, running a hand over her hair again. "I'm not going anywhere. It's alright, my darling, it's alright. It's going to be fine –"

Dís groaned, a loud, desperate, guttural noise, and Bilbo's fear rose, frantic and desperate, like a hammer being slammed into his chest in between every heartbeat.

"Oh Mahal… oh… I think need to push," Dís gasped, and Bilbo's heart dropped faster than an eagle shot down from the sky.

"What?"

"I need to push…" Dís groaned, and Bilbo shook his head desperately.

"No, no, no – it's – it can't be – you, you can push too early in labour, can't you? We must, must wait for Thora –"

Dís groaned again, pained and guttural, and Bilbo's stomach twisted. "This baby's not waiting!"

"But – but I don't know what to do!"

Dís eyes rolled up towards him, glazed with pain. "I don't – think – it cares." Then she flinched, a cry tearing out of her, and Bilbo bit down hard on his own lip to stop himself from screaming himself. Her neck arched back, and she yelled again, and Bilbo swallowed, grappling with her hand.

"Dís," he whispered, but he did not know what else to say. He had no idea how to help her, no idea what he should be doing or saying – he could only let her crush his hand within hers, and whisper her name. "Dís…"

She gasped, her chest rising and falling too quickly, it looked far too quick, and then she whimpered, closing her eyes.

Fear closed Bilbo's throat, barely allowing his whimper out. "Dís?"

Her fingers tightened impossibly around his, and she puffed out several short, sharp breaths. Then he saw her teeth clench, and she let out a third, wrenching scream, her body arching –

A sharp, crunching pain shattered through his hand –

And Dís pushed –

Screamed –

Pushed –

Sobbed –

Pushed –

And then she slumped back with a gasp. And the unmistakeable, stuttering sound of a baby crying filled the room.

As if in a dream, Bilbo stepped further down the bed, his heart racing so fast he felt like he was flying. There was blood on the bedsheets – not much, but enough to turn his stomach – and there was blood on the baby that lay a little awkwardly between Dís' legs. But the child was crying, and loudly, tiny fists clenched and flailing above a perfect little face.

"Bilbo?" Dís' voice was a sob, and a gasp, and a prayer, and he swallowed, tears tacky on his cheeks.

"It's a girl," he whispered.

Dís let out another gasping sob, pressing her hand to her mouth, and then reaching out with her other hand. "Bilbo… Bilbo…"

"I – I –" He shook his head slightly, hands hovering helplessly above the baby.

"Let me hold her," Dís breathed, but Bilbo looked up at her fearfully.

"I – I don't want to hurt her – she's tiny, and – and Dís, she's covered in blood-"

"It's – it's normal," Dís insisted breathlessly. "Bilbo… Bilbo I want to hold our baby…"

Our baby.

They had a baby – a breathing, crying baby.

Tentatively, Bilbo reached down, scooping the child up off of the bed. She was warm, and as her tiny arms flailed there was a surprising strength with them. He stepped back up towards Dís, but as he did the baby opened her eyes, gazing up at Bilbo as she cried.

And all the breath left Bilbo's body.

"Bilbo? Bilbo, what's wrong?" Dís begged, and Bilbo shook his head slightly.

"She – she has my eyes," he whispered, and Dís' face crumpled.

"She does?" she asked, smiling faintly and holding out her arms. "Oh, Mahal…"

There was a loud knock on the door. "Dís?"

"Oh, thank goodness," Bilbo breathed, before shaking his head and yelling out, "Come in!"

The door burst open, and Thora hurried inside with her healing kit beneath her arm, and Tauriel and Elbeth right behind her. Bilbo let out a sob of relief as they piled into the room, and Thora's eyes grew wide.

"Started without us, have you?" she said, a smile spreading across her face as she rushed to Bilbo's side. "That sounds like a healthy cry..."

"Thora –" Dís gasped, holding out a hand, and Thora took it quickly, while Tauriel swept to Bilbo's side, peering down at the baby.

Gently, very gently, Tauriel laid two fingers on the centre of the baby's head, and closed her eyes, murmuring so softly that Bilbo could not catch her words. After a moment or two, she opened her eyes, and beamed a smile so bright that the scars littering her face seemed to fade away.

"She is healthy. Very healthy. Congratulations, Lady Dís. Elbeth?"

"The next baby almost in position," said the other elf, her hands already on Dís' lower stomach. "They will be ready in a few minutes." She smiled. "There is time, though, I think."

"Time?" Bilbo worried, and Thora rolled her eyes. She had already perched herself on the side of the bed, wiping a cool flannel across Dís' forehead as though this was the most normal thing in the world, and not a scene ripped straight from Bilbo's nightmares.

"For the love of the mountain, Bilbo," she said, though her voice was far gentler than usual. "Don't you think Dís would like to meet her baby?"

"Oh…" Bilbo said, a little stupidly, and then he shook his head, reaching out to carefully, carefully rest the baby in Dís' waiting arms.

A smile broke through the pain on her face, a smile he had never seen before – soft, and sweet, and almost reverent.

"Oh," she whispered. "Oh, my baby… My baby girl…" A tear dropped from her chin, landing on the baby's face, and the child gave an odd splutter that sounded remarkably like indignance. Dís laughed breathlessly. "She's perfect."

At some point, Thana stood up, returning with a bowl of warm water and a clean flannel, and she wiped the baby clean without ever moving her from Dís' arms, murmuring soft prayers in unending Khuzdul as she did.

It was a ritual Bilbo had seen once before, but then the baby had been even smaller than this one, and cold and grey, and that baby had never taken a single breath. Thana had wept as she murmured her prayers, and Dís had sobbed, and Bilbo had felt like his soul had been scraped out of his body – but now, here, the baby breathed, and cried, and flailed. Thana laughed as she worked, and Dís' tears fell over a smile wider than any Bilbo had seen in years. And Bilbo felt like his soul was complete.

Dís was right.

Their baby was completely and utterly perfect.

Her hair was the light gold colour of a buttercup, and there was the tiniest of dimples in her little chin. Her ears were round as little mushrooms, but right at the back they came to the tiniest of points. They looked almost like exceedingly round raindrops. Her feet were small, but fuzzed with curly hair, and on the inside of her wrist there was a little purple birthmark. It looked remarkably like the bell-shaped flower of a foxglove.

Suddenly, Dís moaned, her body tensing. "Thora –"

"Already there, my darling," Thora murmured, taking the baby from Dís and looking up at Tauriel.

The elf bowed, taking the baby, and Bilbo's heart tugged. "What – where are you going?"

"To wrap her up warm," said Tauriel gently.

"Don't you have to cut the cord?" Bilbo said, and Thora and the elves all laughed.

"Elbeth already did that. Now we need to keep her nice and safe and out of the way," said Thora. "Number two is coming. Don't worry, Bilbo, we all know the plan."

"I don't!" Bilbo began, but then Dís let out a yell, and everyone ignored him.

"Wait a moment," said Elbeth calmly, staring up between Dís' legs. Bilbo had the strange urge to cover his eyes, but Dís reached out for him, so he took her hand instead. "Now – push."

And Dís' grip turned to a crush, and the pain in Bilbo's hand grew so hot that he whimpered, white stars dancing before his eyes. He clenched his teeth, and breathed through it. Whatever this was, it could be nothing compared to what Dís was going through.

And one healthy baby doesn't guarantee the others, he thought ominously.

"That's it – one more –" Even before Elbeth finished speaking, the sound of fresh shrieking filled the air, and Dís gasped out a laugh.

"Oh – Bilbo – oh…"

"Another girl," said Elbeth, raising another flailing infant into the air. In the elf's hands, the baby looked impossibly small, and like her sister she was glistening red.

"She's – she's awfully bloody, too," he worried, and Thora snorted. Elbeth and Tauriel, at least, had the decency not to laugh this time.

"It is not simply blood, Lord Baggins," said Elbeth kindly, even as she reached up to lay the baby in Dís' arms. Somehow, her soft voice was audible even over the wailing of two babies. "It is the fluid that surrounds them in the womb."

"I see," said Bilbo, though did not have much more of a clue than before. He was far too flustered to think about anything logically – his heart was racing with glee and terror and hope all at once, and his head was starting to spin.

And he stared down at the second baby, his second daughter, and even though she was screaming up a storm, somehow, suddenly, Bilbo felt calm.

This child's eyes were brown, deep, rich brown – Kíli brown – and her hair was the same shade as Bilbo's. Somehow, she already had curls, and Bilbo reached down, stroking one away from her face. She had the same little ears as her sister, half-hobbit, half dwarven, and the same little feet.

"I do not envy your next nights," Thora said loudly, a huge grin on her face. She was struggling in the ritual of cleaning the second baby – she had already finished the prayers, but even with Dís' rocking and shushing, the child was clearly not in the mood for a bath.

Or –

"Is something wrong with her?" Bilbo asked, the thought stabbing fiercely into his heart. "Is she hurt, or, or sick, or –"

"Baby three is coming," said Elbeth suddenly, in the exact same moment that Dís let out a shuddering gasp, her whole body cringing and her head pressing back against the headboard.

It was too fast, this had to be too fast, and a blind, desperate panic swallowed Bilbo frown head to toe – but Thora and the elves moved as though this was a thing they saw every day. Swift as a skylark, Tauriel swept down, placing two fingers on the second baby's head.

She was no longer holding the first baby. Bilbo's heart stuttered.

"Where's –"

"Out with Thorin and the boys, as per Dís' plan," said Thora, watching as Tauriel finished her elvish murmuring, and smiled again.

"This baby is well," she said. "Very well. She is hungry, but her mother is busy, and she will have to wait."

"Will that hurt her?" Bilbo asked anxiously, and Tauriel smiled.

"Not at all. She is not starving."

Bilbo began to smile, but then Dís cried out, and his heart dropped down into fear again. Quickly, Tauriel took the second baby from Dís' arms, and Thora squeezed Dís hand.

"That's it, Dís, brace yourself, my darling…"

Dís shook her head, and then pressed her forehead into Thora's shoulder. "I can't – I can't – just a, a minute – just a minute, please…"

"I am sorry," said Elbeth, patting Dís' knee gently. "I truly am, my lady, but this babe won't wait a minute."

Dís sobbed, and Bilbo swallowed. "Dís?"

"Tired… I don't even have a minute to be tired," she whispered, and Bilbo swallowed again, stroking her hair back.

"I wish I could help more," he said, but Dís smiled a little. Her eyes were very hazy.

"You're here…"

"My lady –"

"Push, Dís, now," Thora insisted, and Dís groaned, closing her eyes. Just by looking at her face Bilbo could almost feel the pain wreaking through her body as she pushed.

"Good. Again," said Elbeth.

Dís gasped, shaking her head again – and pushing again. And again. And again. Bilbo squeezed her arm. Then, with a moan, Dís slumped back against Thora, panting heavily.

And there was a beat.

Fear twisted in Bilbo's gut. Then, Elbeth raised another tiny baby into view. The child's eyes were open, and identical to the last girl's – everything about her was identical to the last child's – but where baby number two had screamed, the third baby simply, stared, and blinked. It was almost like she had been rudely woken from a dream, and was trying to figure out where she was.

"Another girl," said Elbeth, and as if she had been waiting for the cue, the girl spluttered, and started to cry.

Bilbo swallowed, and looked back at Dís. Though her cheeks were flushed, beneath them she looked a little pale, and she was still gasping as though she had run a marathon. Thora glanced down at her, and her voice softened.

"Dís… Do you want Bilbo to –"

"No," Dís breathed, opening her eyes and reaching out for the baby. Her arms trembled, but Bilbo held his hands beneath them, supporting her as she drew the baby close to her chest. Almost at once, the child grew quieter, staring up at her mother.

As Thora cleaned and prayed, the baby stopped crying altogether, and Bilbo swallowed, reaching down towards her. A tiny fist closed around his finger, with almost as tight a grip as its mother's, and he looked up at Thora and Tauriel.

"She's very quiet," he said. "Is that a bad thing?"

For a third time, Tauriel reached down, two fingers resting on the baby's head, and when she had finished her elvish murmuring, she gave a third smile. "No, Bilbo. You seem to read everything as a bad sign – first the baby is too loud, now her sister too quiet."

"I-" Bilbo closed his mouth, and quickly. He did not want to say it out loud, how certain he was that something was going to go wrong. It always had, with him and Dís, always, and this – three healthy, breathing babies at once? How could that be?

Maybe it will just be three, a voice that sounded oddly like the echo of a long-gone ring whispered cruelly. And maybe the fourth will take Dís with them…

"Dís…" he started, but his voice stuck in his throat. He swallowed, and tried again. "Dís, how are you feeling?"

"Tired," she breathed, looking hazily up at him. "So tired…"

He pursed his lips, looking at Thora, who smiled slightly.

"She's just delivered three babies," she said quietly, tucking Dís' hair behind her ear. "One at a time is enough to exhaust a warrior."

"Don't worry, Bilbo," murmured Dís, squeezing his hand gently. He would have almost rather she crush it again. "I'm… just tired…" But then she gazed down at the baby, and swallowed. "They're so small… So small… Even Kíli wasn't this small… Are you sure they are healthy, Tauriel, are, are you sure?"

"I am sure," said Tauriel, a small smile on her face. "They are strong, and aware, and they are breathing with little effort. In truth, Lady Dís, I believe it is a good thing they are so small – I believe it is how they are all so strong."

"That makes no sense at all," worried Bilbo, but Thora shook her head.

"No – no, it does," she said slowly. "With twins, there's always the risk there's not enough room for the two – that they'll be born before they're ready, but these babies are half hobbit… If a hobbit child is smaller than a dwarven one, it stands to reason your children would also be smaller. That would mean that they wouldn't have to grow as big to be ready to be live outside their mother."

Tauriel inclined her head. "That is my belief. I do not doubt they would be bigger, were they not quadruplets, but it seems that their heritage has allowed them to grow just enough…"

"Thank Mahal…" Dís sobbed, looking up at Bilbo with what seemed to be considerably effort. Tears clung to her eyelashes, and her lower lip trembled, but she was smiling, and her eyes sparkled. "Our babies, Bilbo… Our babies…" Then, with a soft sigh, she looked back at the child in her arms. "Our baby…"

Swallowing, Bilbo leant against the bed, reaching down to stroke his daughter's damp, downy hair. The baby stared up at him, and somehow her dark eyes that seemed almost as worldly as Gandalf's.

But then she flinched, and sobbed, shaking her head slightly. "The last – the last one – they're coming!"

"They are," said Elbeth, nodding at Tauriel, who gently took the third baby from Dís. Bilbo braced himself, reaching out for Dís' hand, but Thora gave a sudden hiss.

"By Durin, Bilbo, your hand!"

Bilbo blinked. "What?"

"Well, it's twice the size of the other," Thora said, snatching Bilbo's wrist and giving a low whistle. "Aye – that's broken alright. You've done a good job of it, Dís."

Dís' brow furrowed as her eyes widened in shock and guilt, and Bilbo scowled at Thora, snatching his hand back.

"Now is not the time," he said sternly, wrapping his uninjured hand around his wife's. Dís stared up at him, and did not close her fingers. Only her thumb wrapped around his hand, rubbing circles into his palm.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, and he silenced her with a quick kiss.

"Don't be. Just breathe, and be alright," he replied, kissing her again.

She nodded, and then winced, and Bilbo braced himself as she tensed. Pushed. Moaned. Pushed. Sobbed. Pushed. Screamed –

Maybe it will just be three, and the fourth will take Dís with them, will snatch her from you forever –

And then she slumped down again, panting and gasping and staring down, and there was silence. Dead silence. Wordlessly, Elbeth lifted a fourth, tiny baby up from the sheets, a baby that was motionless. A baby that did not cry.

Dís sobbed, and the strength left Bilbo's knees. He collapsed against the bed, and Thora caught him, and he shook his head slightly.

Maybe it will just be three…

Elbeth wiped the baby's mouth and nose, and held her cheek over their tiny face, and Bilbo closed his eyes. Grief was a noose around his neck, a boulder in his gut –

A spluttering cry broke through the quiet, and then Dís sobbed again, letting go of Bilbo's hand. He opened his eyes to see her reaching frantically, reaching towards the baby in Elbeth's hands. The baby that cried, and squirmed, and lived.

Even before the baby was in Dís' arms, Bilbo could see that the fourth child was all her – dark, near-black curls, and eyes of deep sapphire blue, and a little nose so round it could be a button. He shared the lightly-pointed ears of his sisters, and the same small, hairy feet, and his voice was getting louder by the moment, loud and piercing and perfect.

"It is a boy," Elbeth said softly, placing the child in Dís' arms. "And he will be just fine. Congratulations, Lady Dís. You've just delivered four perfectly healthy babies."

Bilbo let out a sob of his own. "He – he wasn't breathing, was he? Is, is he really alright, he wasn't breathing..."

"No, but some babies just need a little encouragement before they start using their own lungs," said Elbeth. "He will be fine."

"Well done, Dís." Thora's voice was choked with emotion, and as she cleaned and prayed over the final baby tears poured down her cheeks. "Well done, my darling."

Dís looked up, meeting Bilbo's eyes, and though her smile was weary, her eyes were shining so brightly Bilbo could not breathe. "We have our babies. Our babies."

There were so many things Bilbo wanted to say, so many hundreds, but the lump in his throat was so big only five words could escape. "I love you. So much."

"I love you too." Dís closed her eyes, and her smile grew stronger. "I love you all."

Well, I hope you enjoyed that chapter! It was a little tricky to write, but I think I'm pleased with it – please do let me know what you think.

Until next time, thank you for reading, and take care!