A/N: Before we jump into the chapter I've been excited about writing since I planned the sequel I have a few things to say. Firstly, as always thank you for all the kudos/follows, I'm so glad you guys are enjoying this! Secondly, thank you so much on all the reviews, comments and feedback. They all help and I'm always excited to read what you guys think of the characters and their interactions. Without further ado - here we go!

CHAPTER EIGHT

"Other things may change us, but we start and end with family."

Despite being pregnant for months, nothing could have truly prepared Maggie for childbirth. It was without doubt, the single most painful experience of her life. Not to mention the most terrifying. Within moments of her water breaking, Talathel and Oin swiftly brought her to the infirmary. At first, the sight of blood sent Maggie into shock and she was afraid to push if it would cause the baby harm. During that first hour, Maggie remained hysterical but eventually, Oin managed to calm her down. He explained that holding back caused much more harm than pushing the baby out. Elrond was told to stay outside, as too many people would cause more stress and so he waited along with everyone else.

One hour turned into two and so it carried on for what seemed like a lifetime. Talathel and Oin guided her through the labour pains and Maggie kept pushing, even when she thought there was no strength left in her body, she kept going. Truthfully, Oin and Talathel were the real heroes and without them, Maggie would still be scared and lost. After several hours and when Maggie's voice began to fade, it finally stopped and she felt something being released from her womb. Hearing her baby cry for the first time, was a sound Maggie would never forget. It was so pure and so innocent in ways she could not describe. When Oin passed the baby to her and Maggie felt her son resting against her chest and his hands grasping at her hair, it was as though all the trials and hardships over the past year had led to this moment.

Against all odds, her son survived the birth without any ailments or other problems. Maggie used to believe that those who said you could never know true love, until you held your first born child, exaggerated. After spending the past hour just staring at her son and watching him try to understand this new world he was in, she understood it. He definitely had Thorin's icy blue eyes and first signs of dark curly hair. His ears were slightly pointed but his face was very human and his size was that of a normal human baby.

Riley was the first one to greet his nephew and for a while, it was just him and Maggie in the infirmary. They said nothing for a while and Maggie simply watched as her brother held her son in his arms. It wasn't the first time either of them had seen a baby, but it was the first time their family expanded beyond themselves and their parents. Maggie wished their mum and dad could be there to hold their grandson and tell them about everything which they had accomplished together. After Riley it was time for the others to come and meet the newborn child. Even Legolas and Tauriel were there to offer their congratulations but did not stay long, explaining that this was a family occasion and they did not wish to intrude, despite Maggie's protests.

"Hello, little cousin." Fili playfully grabbed the baby's finger. "You are the most precious thing in this world."

Maggie could tell that Fili was completely in love with his baby cousin. The baby cried but quieted down when Fili hushed and rocked him back and forth in his arms. Maggie watched in awe as Fili soothed her son and she thought he'd never been more attractive to her than in that moment. The blonde dwarf carefully passed his cousin to Kili who seemed equally smitten with the young life in his arms. For as long as Maggie had known the two brothers, they'd always been playing and mischievous, taking pride in causing trouble when they could. Now, there they were, looking after their cousin as if they'd done nothing else in their whole lives. It was as though the baby knew immediately that they were family and he showed no signs of fear. Maggie didn't know how long she'd been crying for, but they were no longer tears of sadness or sorrow.

"What will you call him?" Bilbo asked curiously as Riley wrapped his arms around him.

The question whirled in Maggie's mind for a while and she recalled the conversation they'd had in Erebor all those months ago. Even though Thorin was no longer with them, Maggie still knew with all her heart that he was watching them and that he was smiling.

"Theo, son of Thorin." she whispered. "He'd have liked that."

"It is a kingly name." came an all too familiar voice. "Well suited for a young Prince of Erebor."

Maggie couldn't believe her ears and when she looked up, her eyes revealed a familiar wizard standing in the doorway, wearing a grey pointed and leaned against his staff.

"Gandalf!" Maggie exclaimed excitedly. "You're actually here!"

They hadn't seen Gandalf since he left for the Shire with Bilbo and nobody knew anything of his whereabouts. Knowing the Grey Wizard, he was off on secret adventures elsewhere in Middle-Earth and no doubt they were probably just as secret as the quest to Erebor had been. Nevertheless, Maggie was more than happy to see her friend again and she knew the others felt exactly the same way

"Of course I am! How could I possibly miss the birth of your son?" Gandalf replied with a smile. "He has Thorin's eyes."

While Maggie was ecstatic to see Gandalf, she knew the wizard well enough to recognise the somewhat troubled look in his eyes. It had nothing to do with the baby, thankfully but she couldn't quite tell what it was. She believed Gandalf was sincere when he said he wouldn't want to miss the birth of Theo, but Gandal's visits were never at random and there was almost certainly another purpose to him being there.

"Master Riley, I wonder if I might borrow you for a moment?" Gandalf asked

Riley nodded and figured it was probably best to give his sister some time with Fili and Lord Elrond. He gestured for Kili and Bilbo to leave as well, which left Maggie alone in the room with Fili and Elrond.

At first, Maggie worried it would be awkward but to her surprise it wasn't and she was glad they were both there. Theo rested against Maggie's chest once again and she gently stroked his soft cheek as he cooked. Fili sat on the bed next to Maggie and Elrond on a chair in front of her.

"How are you feeling?" Fili asked as he placed his hand on Maggie's.

After holding back all her emotions during labour, they came washing over Maggie all at once. She was overwhelmed with a million different emotions, fear being amongst one of them. She had tried to prepare herself for being a mum but holding Theo in her arms, made her realise that she was far from prepared. There was no handbook on how to raise a child, especially one with such a complicated history. Maggie barely knew how to breastfeed properly or how to soothe him when he cried. How would she be able to tell if something was wrong if when all she had to go by was the sounds he made? What if he wouldn't love her? All those doubts stirred in Maggie's mind and she wasn't sure what to do with them.

"I'm really fucking scared." Maggie admitted. "I don't know anything about motherhood. I don't know how to do this alone."

"But you are not alone, Maggie." Elrond said soothingly, as he gently stroked her hair. "Fili and I are here, as well as the others. We are all here for you and some might even say that I have experience in parenting."

Maggie laughed and let out a relieved sigh, "I suppose you do."

For a while both Fili and Elrond just stared at her in awe. "What's wrong?" she asked

"Nothing is wrong." Fili replied. "It's just the first time we've heard you actually laugh in a very long time."

The realisation came as a surprise to Maggie but she knew it was true. For the first time since Thorin's death and working through all the trauma of the past few most Maggie felt at ease and more than that, happy. Her son was alive and in good health, which had been her and everyone's main concern during the whole pregnancy. Now, she could focus on finding a way to raise him as best as she could, but she also knew that Theo wouldn't be raised by traditional means of parenting. Maggie thought about the phrase "it takes a village to raise a child" and realised how true it was to her current situation. Knowing her and Theo wouldn't be alone was a feeling she couldn't quite explain. Theo shifted his weight in Maggie's arms and seemed perfectly comfortable, despite all the excitement around him. The love she had for him was unlike anything she'd ever felt and she swore to herself that she would do everything in her power to make sure he was happy. Maggie looked up at Elrond and Fili as another thought emerged in her mind. With the three of them actually sitting in the same room, without the curious ears of everyone else, Maggie knew it was an opportune moment to speak with both of them and address her concerns. As always, a part of her was terrified and she wondered if perhaps she was making a mistake but if Maggie had learned anything lately, it was that if something really mattered then it couldn't wait.

"I know this is probably terrible timing," Maggie started "But as we are all here, I think I have something on my mind and I need to say it before I chicken out."

"Whatever is on your mind, penneth," Elrond assured her "There will be no judgement from us."

Maggie nodded and took a deep breath before she spoke.

"Okay here goes…" she said. "I know this is a shock to everyone but I care about you guys. I even think I may have feelings for both of you and I have no idea when that started. At first, I thought it was just my pregnancy hormones driving me mental. Over the past few months though, those feelings haven't disappeared."

Maggie paused briefly and then continued "If anything, they've been growing stronger and that really scares me. There's a part of me still feels like I need to be loyal to Thorin, especially now that our son is born. No matter what happens, he will always be in my heart and it's important that you understand that. Everything I know about love is telling me that I need to choose one of you, but if I'm completely honest, I don't think I want to choose. I know that's incredibly selfish of me and that I can't possibly expect to have both of you or that you'll be okay with that. It's certainly not traditional love in any sense of the word and I don't want to risk besmirching your names."

A silence lingered in the room after Maggie's speech (truthfully it was more of a rant) and then suddenly, to Maggie's surprise both Elrond and Fili burst out in laughter. It was a bizarre sight to behold and she didn't quite know how to react to it.

"Uh….what is happening right now?" Maggie asked "

"Besmirching our names?" Fee said after catching his breath."That's what you're worried about? Really Gehyith, for the past eighty years, I've been perfectly capable of besmirching my name all by myself. My mother can attest to that."

"Am I right in thinking that your real concerns are regarding what others may think of this?" Elrond asked

Maggie only nodded.

"Dear one, it matters little how other people perceive your intentions." Elrond told her as he gently stroked her cheek with his hand. "Truthfully, it is also none of their business as to how you conduct matters of your heart."

"I also seriously doubt they'll have a problem with our arrangement." Fili added. "In fact, I have some money to collect from Oin and Dwalin."

"So…." Maggie said "You're both okay with this?"

Fili nodded in response and rested his forehead against Maggie's and Elrond's fingers locked with hers. She was both overwhelmed and ecstatic at the same time.

"There are some logistics to consider," Elrond acknowledged "But right now, the most important thing is that you and Theo get to know each other. Anything else can wait."

"Ahem…"

Maggie looked up to Elladan and Elrohir stood in the doorway with Estel.

"May we come in?" Elladan asked, feeling as though he had walked in on a private moment. "We can always come back later."

"No, it's alright 'Dan." Maggie told him.

The twins ushered Estel in, but the blonde child also seemed a bit cautious. Maggie realised this must be the first time Estel had ever seen a baby and considering how much he'd talked about the arrival of Theo, it must be strange for him to see him at last.

"What do you think, Estel?" Maggie asked. "He's finally here."

If Maggie was honest, she was nervous about Estel's reaction to her son. It was no secret that Estel was rather protective of her already and had at first been jealous of Fili. Maggie was slightly worried that perhaps he'd be a little jealous of Theo too but then she recalled that Estel referred to him as his brother back at Malhas' camp in the woods.

"He's...very small." Estel replied cautiously. He stood on his tip-toes, studied the baby in Maggie's arms and then winced. "Ugh...and he smells funny."

"Estel…" Elrond warned

Maggie squeezed Elrond's and merely smiled. Considering how many bodily fluids Theo was covered in after exiting Maggie's womb, it really wasn't strange Estel thought he smelled.

"What's his name?" Estel asked

"His name is Theo." Maggie replied. "Would you like to hold him?"

Estel's eyes widened and excitement sparkled in them. "Can I?" he turned to Elrond. "Ada, can I really?"

Elrond nodded. "If you are careful. Little Theo has not long been in this world."

Estel sat down on the bed next to Maggie as she showed him how to hold the baby. He took the job very seriously, being careful to not move too suddenly or to scare him. Elrond was surprised to see him take to the baby with such ease, but it also warmed his heart. With Maggie in Rivendell, Estel and Theo would grow up together and in some ways Estel would truly be his older brother. It was a big responsibility and one Elrond knew his son would take seriously.

"Hey!" Estel exclaimed. "He fell asleep!"

To Maggie's surprise, Estel was right. Theo was suddenly fast asleep and shifted his weight in Estel's arms to make himself comfortable.

"Well, that is hardly surprising muindor-nin." Elrohir said. "Seeing so many new faces and meeting his naneth for the first time is all very exciting for a newborn."

"His naneth and his brothers." Estel corrected them, sharply.

"Aye," Elladan agreed. "And his brothers."

"Come Estel," Elrohir said "It is time to leave adar, Fee and Maggie alone."

Estel huffed disappointedly but carefully handed Theo back to Maggie. The twins and Estel left the room and Maggie stifled a yawn. Her eyelids weighed heavily and she struggled to keep them up. It was only then Maggie realised how completely and utterly exhausted she was. He

"Rest, dear one." Elrond told her. "You need to recover your strength."

"What about Theo?" Maggie asked worriedly.

"He will be looked after." Fili assured her "Sleep now, Amralime."

"I guess I can close my eyes for a bit."

With a yawn, Maggie closed her eyes and drifted into a deep sleep. Fili placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and Elrond tucked the sleeping Theo into the crib next to the bed.

"Well! How is she?" Dwalin asked with his arms crossed. "And the wee lad? He made it out okay?"

When Dwalin first heard Maggie had gone into early labour, he instantly dropped everything he was doing and rushed to the infirmary. It took some convincing from Glorfindel and Elrond to keep him out of the infirmary and eventually, Dwalin listened to them. Hearing Maggie so panicked and hysterical during those first couple of hours was disconcerting to say the least, but Dwalin trusted Oin's abilities as a healer and he also knew Talathel to be a talented midwife. It wasn't easy though, hearing Maggie screaming out in pain and he could tell by Oin's voice that even the master healer was worried for a while. The relief Dwalin felt when he finally heart the baby screaming was indescribable. Legolas and Tauriel both wondered why he didn't go in to see Maggie and the baby with everyone else, but Dwalin explained that he simply didn't wish to overwhelm or crowd her, which was true. He did wish to see the baby eventually and hoped Maggie wasn't offended by the lack of his presence.

"Maggie and Theo are both fine," Fili assured him "They're both fast asleep."

Dwalin embraced Fili in a heartfelt hug and exhaled a sigh he'd been holding in for quite some time.

"Mahal be praised…" Dwalin said "The Line of Durin continues."

"She has lost a lot of blood," Oin explained with a serious voice. Trust Oin to kill the mood, Dwalin thought. "Maggie will need care and supervision for the next few days."

"How much blood?" Elrond asked "Do you think her recovery will be difficult?"

"I am not certain about the quantity but she will feel drowsy and fatigued for at least a few days. It will also take a few weeks for her body to heal from the labour, which means she will need to relax. I know that is sometimes a difficult task for our Maggie, but she really has no choice."

"Oh for...will ye stop yer misery for two bloody minutes!" Dwalin suddenly snapped "A child has been born for the first time in many years for our kin. This is a time for celebrations, not for commiserations."

There was silence for a moment and Dwalin felt a bit bad over his reaction because he knew they also cared about Maggie and Theo's wellbeing, but they would all make sure nothing happened to them. Truthfully, they could all use some happiness after all the stress of figuring out who Malhas worked for and why someone had been sent to kill Maggie and indeed also Riley. There was no better reason for celebrations than the birth of a prince.

"Dwalin is right," Bilbo agreed "There's been enough sorrow and sadness to last us a lifetime. This is a joyous occasion and we should be celebrating. It is what Thorin would have wanted."

"What are you suggesting, Bilbo?" Kili asked

All eyes turned to Bilbo now and the hobbit smiled as this was his area of expertise.

"I think we should have a party and I would not call myself a Baggins, if I didn't know how to throw a celebration worthy of the Son of Thorin Oakenshield."

Dwalin knew he'd always liked Bilbo for a reason.

"I hear you had rather an interesting time with the Dunedain."

Gandalf and Riley walked through the gardens of Imladris, away from the curious ears of the others. Riley couldn't help but feel like he was being interrogated by a school teacher for getting into trouble during recess or getting caught for smoking a cigarette behind the cafeteria (which he definitely had never done). Sometimes, Riley wondered why Gandalf even bothered asking because more often than not, the wizard already knew the answer. Perhaps it was to be polite and give Riley a chance to explain things himself. Even after all this time and despite knowing that Gandalf was a friend, there was still a part of Riley that was terrified of the Grey Wizard and rightfully so.

"Is that so?" Riley replied "What exactly did you hear?"

"I heard you've been having some problems with a religious cult." Gandalf explained "I've also heard Halbarad showed you a prophecy. I understand you have uncovered its meaning?"

Riley nodded, deciding there was no point in keeping anything from Gandalf as he would no doubt find out anyway. That said, Bilbo still hid the ring from him and had never told anyone except Riley and Maggie. The prophecy still weighed heavily on Riley's mind and had left him twisting and turning in his bed for the past few nights. He wanted desperately to believe there was no certainty with something that really was just a riddle, but in his heart Riley knew that they were true and he had no idea what to do with that truth. If it was correct and he and Maggie were supposed to help out the Fellowship in the Lord of the Rings, then the only way for that to be possible was if they were taken out of Middle-Earth, only to be returned at the necessary point in time to join the quest. Riley didn't want it to be true because after all this time, he and Maggie had begun to build a life for themselves in Middle-Earth. They had a found-family and Riley was even an uncle now. It seemed incredibly selfish and unfair of the Valar to take all of that away from them. Riley couldn't understand why either, because in the books, the Fellowship managed to complete the quest without any external help.

"Riley, your sister deserves to know about the prophecy." Gandalf said "

"That's exactly why I cannot tell her, Gandalf." Riley protested. "Maggie is finally happy again after everything she went through. If I tell her what I know, it will break her heart again and I can't have that on my conscience. Besides, we don't actually know if this prophecy is even going to happen and I refuse to base my life choices on words written on old paper."

Gandalf didn't reply but Riley stopped and turned to his friend, his gaze suddenly turning very serious.

"Gandalf, you have to promise me that you will not tell anyone else about this prophecy." Riley pleaded. "Maggie must never know and if there are consequences to that, then I will deal with it."

"Undoubtedly there will be," Gandalf said "But you have my word. This is your burden to bear, Riley Spencer."

"Very reassuring, thanks."

Of course, Riley knew that Gandalf was right as always. He didn't like keeping things from his sister but this time, he knew it was the right thing to do. Maggie was becoming her old-self again and for the first time in months she seemed genuinely happy. The last thing Riley wanted was to be the one responsible for taking that happiness away from her.

"What about you?" Riley asked after a moment's silence "What have you been up to? It's been months and we heard nothing."

"I too travelled deep into the wild, searching for answers about our new enemy." Gandalf replied as he inhaled and exhaled the tobacco from his pipe.

"Any luck on that front?" Riley wondered "Because I gotta tell you, we're shit out of luck."

"I know little myself but during my travels I heard a name."

The tone in Gandalf's voice changed and Riley felt a sudden and unexplained chill run down his spine. If Riley had learned anything throughout his journey with the dwarves, it was the if Gandalf was that if a wizard was scared, then there was a good cause for everyone else to be scared too.

"Alatar," Gandalf whispered "It is a name I have no heard in a very long time and I fear it is not the last time we will hear it."

The name Alatar rang a bell for Riley and he searched the back of his mind for memories that might explain where the name came from. As always, memories of his father resurfaced and he Riley vaguely remembered hearing stories of Alatar and Pallando; the infamous Blue Wizards.

"I don't get it," Riley said "Are wizards not supposed to use magic for good?"

"Does it not bother you that somehow," Gandalf said "That the Nameless managed to find their way into one of the most well protected elven kingdoms of Middle-Earth? That not even the power of Lord Elrond could find Maggie and Estel when they were taken?" Gandalf asked "Not to mention they knew their way around the Rivendell well, almost as if someone had explained it to them."

"What are you suggesting, Gandalf?" Riley asked but he already knew the answer "You think someone here told them?"

"I am merely suggesting, Master Riley, that perhaps instead of searching for answers outside of Imladris-"

"-we should be looking inside.

The realisation hit Riley like a tonne of bricks and he knew exactly what Gandalf meant. Truthfully, he was surprised it had taken them all that long to figure it out.

There was a traitor amongst them.

To be continued….

There we go! Another chapter to end and I know it wasn't particularly long, sorry about that! Baby Theo is born! What did you guys think of the birth? Also Gandalf is back and there seems to be more mystery on the horizon! What do you think about Riley keeping the prophecy a secret? Thoughts on Fili, Maggie and Elrond? Leave a comment and let me know! Next chapter will be uploaded in a few days!