A/N: What's this? A few days between updates? Don't worry, I'm alive (barely) but I have had a hellish work-week and literally haven't had time or energy to write until today. There's not much to say about this chapter, but I hope you guys aren't finding it boring. I'm also contemplating migrating all my work from to Ao3 which is where I have the bigger readership. If you'd like my work to stay on FFNet, let me know. Finally, this chapter takes place over the course of a few days. I hope you'll enjoy it :)

CHAPTER TEN

"There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind." - C.S Lewis

Up until that morning, Maggie wasn't sure if elves actually did sleep. However, she got the answer to her question when she opened her eyes the next morning and found a certain elf-lord breathing heavily next to her. Memories of the previous night came back to her and Maggie smiled. As a lover, Elrond was surprisingly mischievous, as well as vigorous and incredibly determined. It was a side to him that Maggie had never seen before and she willingly gave herself to his mercy. Following their shared intimate moment, they lay awake for what must have been hours, talking about the past, the present and indeed the future. Even back on Earth, the future was something Maggie used to be afraid of. She hated not knowing what was ahead, but it was a fear most people shared. That fear had been strong in the first couple of months after Thorin's death. Before deciding to Rivendell, she'd been certain that her life would be in Erebor, beside Thorin as his queen.

Now, life was quite different than she'd imagine. Maggie was happy in Rivendell and could easily imagine spending her life raising Theo there, with Elrond and Fili. She would never forget Thorin though, or the love she still had for him. The moment Theo was born, she'd promised herself to make sure he also grew up knowing how great his father was and how much Maggie had loved him. The thought of Theo suddenly made Maggie realise that she was without her son and she shot up, her heart racing fast.

"Do not worry, meleth-nin," Elrond assured her and gently pulled Maggie back beside him. "Theo is being well looked after by my sons, of which I'm told you are already aware."

"God, Elladan really does talk." Maggie said

She breathed out a relieved sigh and rested her head on Elrond's chest. They lay there for a while, in a comfortable, blissful silence as Elrond stroked Maggie's hair while she listened to the relaxed and steady rhythm of his heart. He was happy with her, Maggie realised, and a part of her wondered how long he'd waited for this moment. She looked up at Elrond and when their eyes met, Maggie pulled him in for a kiss and he immediately replied. Feeling rather brave and mischievous, Maggie straddled herself on top of Elrond. The brown-haired elf sat up and reached for her, but when Maggie playfully pulled away, it only took one swift movement for Elrond to grab her and place himself onto of her instead.

"My lord," Maggie giggled, "You're rather impatient."

"I have waited a long time to have you." Elrond whispered into her ear and then kissed her neck. "Besides, I recall someone else being quite impatient last night. Perhaps we should find time to work on that self-control of yours,"

Elrond pressed his lips on the other side of her neck, which sent shivers down Maggie's spine.

"My self-control?" she sassed "Hmph…"

Their moment was interrupted by two sharp knocks on the door. Maggie had a frustrating feeling that this was also something that would happen a lot.

"My Lord Elrond," said Erestor from behind the door, "I am sorry to interrupt, but you are needed."

"I will be a moment, Erestor." Elrond replied.

Both Maggie and Elrond let out a frustrated sigh as they got out of bed and dressed. Normal life and motherhood, Maggie realised, meant having to deal with the unexpected but unlike before, she was ready for it. When she said goodbye to Elrond for the day, Maggie made her way down the corridor (via the kitchen for a quick look in the pantry), back to her own bedroom. This was the first time since Theo's birth that she hadn't been with him in the morning and Maggie was nervous. Of course she trusted Elladan and Elrohir to look after her son, but the nerves were still there. She needn't have worried at all though, because when she reached her bedroom a few moments later, she was met by a sight that made her heart melt. She stood in the doorway and watched as Theo lay on her bed fast asleep, next to Estel who was snoring rather loudly next to his brother. They both shared a blanket and Estel was lying next to Theo, almost like a shield protecting him.

"This is literally the cutest thing I've ever seen." Maggie whispered, as not to wake the resting children, "How long have they been like that?"

"All night," Elrohir replied. "I had not the heart to part them."

In that moment, Maggie remembered something and quietly opened one of the drawers. Amazingly, all these months later, Riley's smartphone still had some battery life left and Maggie decided now was the perfect time to use it. She opened up the camera setting and zoomed in on Estel and Theo to take a photo. Elrohir watched in amazement and Maggie made a note to herself to introduce the concept of a selfie to the twins at some point later.

"How was your night with adar?" Elrohir asked without trying to hide the smug grin on his face, "Enjoyable, I presume?"

"Why do you ask questions to which you already know the answer, 'Ro?" Maggie replied

Carefully, Maggie sat on the bed next to her sleeping son and stroked his cheek with her thumb. Every day that passed, she definitely thought that his appearance resembled Thorin's. Even now, Maggie was sure he would grow up to be just as handsome as his father, which was a thought that warmed her heart. The small baby coughed in his sleep but then breathed in and out normally again.

"I am not as cruel as my brother, Maggie." Elrohir replied, "But nonetheless, I am happy that you finally had some time alone together."

"What about Talathel?" Maggie asked curiously "Have you two had some time alone?"

Now, it was Elrohir's turn to blush. Ever since Estel had accidentally revealed Elrohir's feeling for the elf-maiden, it was no secret that Elrohir was spending as much time as he could with his new love. As always, keeping anything private in Rivendell was a challenge and Maggie had to admit she enjoyed teasing Elrohir. Especially seeing how much the twins enjoyed tormenting and teasing her. Even though the teasing could sometimes be annoying, there was certainly no malice to it. Besides, Maggie had a feeling that if Rivendell was indeed going to be her home, she would have to get used to it.

"Nay," Elrohir replied quietly, "Things have been a bit hectic of late and well, I don't want to rush things or put pressure on her."

"I suppose if it's one thing you guys have on your side, it's time." Maggie agreed. "It's very romantic, 'Ro. I'm sure she appreciates it."

"To tell you the truth, I am also perhaps a bit...nervous. It's been a while since I was with someone."

Maggie hadn't meant to chuckle but it escaped her lips before she was able to stop herself.

"Is most of Rivendell just sex-deprived for some reason?" she teased

"Certainly not if you are Glorfindel," Elorhir grumped. "Who seems to find himself with a new lover quicker than the seasons change. I swear by Eru, if your brother wasn't already with Master Baggins, I would not be surprised to find him in the bed of that blonde elf."

While there was sass in Elrohir's voice, there was also a hint of actual annoyance towards Glorfindel. Maggie wondered why and she was sure there was a story there, she very much wanted to hear the rest of. At the mention of her brother's name though, Maggie's heart sank and she wondered how things were between him and Bilbo. Their argument the previous day had been intense and Riley had said some very hurtful things to Bilbo. This cycle of aggression and hurt wasn't new to Maggie though and she knew exactly where it would lead. Riley was hurting and going through something she couldn't understand. His way of dealing with it was by pushing away those he loved, followed by making rash and stupid decisions he would later regret. Unlike last time Riley had gone through this spiral of destruction, Maggie had no idea what was causing it. Poor Bilbo must be feeling even more confused than she was.

"Wait," Maggie snapped out of her thoughts "What do you mean you wouldn't be surprised?"

"Surely, you must have noticed Glorfindel swooning over your brother like a puppy?" Elrohir asked "Not to mention their bickering and did I not hear Erestor tell you that they are away on some mission this very morning?"

It was true. Erestor had told Maggie that Riley and Glorfindel along with Legolas and Dwalin would be away for a few days. He wouldn't tell her where exactly they went, but Maggie assumed it was part of whatever her brother was going through. Some of what Elrohir told her made sense because she knew Riley and Glorfindel had become good friends, even back when they first stayed in Rivendell almost a year ago. She also knew from Bilbo that the two of them hadn't had an easy time lately, but Maggie knew how Riley felt about the hobbit. She also knew that Bilbo wanted to propose to him. Although, now she wasn't so sure. If anything, Bilbo was even more stubborn than her brother and perhaps there was more to their argument she realised.

"My brother is going through something, 'Ro." Maggie told him "I've seen it before and sometimes that means he does dumb shit which he later regrets. But I know how he feels about Bilbo and he wouldn't risk losing that after everything they've been through. Hell, Bilbo is planning on asking Riley to marry him. Although, don't tell anyone I said that."

"Well then," Elrohir said "Let us hope for Riley's sake that he is able to find his light and not succumb to darker desires."

Maggie was about to reply when Theo's sudden crying caught her attention. The cry was shortly followed by a foul smell, which made both her and Elrohir wince.

"That would be the 'mummy I pooped myself again' cry." Maggie said and gently picked up Theo in his arms.

She was amazed that through all the noise, talking and crying, young Estel was still comfortably asleep as if he had never been happier.

"Care for some company?" Gandalf asked

Bilbo did not reply, knowing full well that he'd have Gandalf's company whether he wanted it or not. Truth be told, he could do with some company because at least then it might stop the loud voices at the back of his head. Since his argument with Riley, his mind had been filled with doubts about everything. Of course he loved Riley and despite their argument, those feelings hadn't gone away. In fact, Bilbo wasn't sure they ever would but he was still feeling hurt and heartbroken. A part of him didn't want to believe that Riley didn't want to be with him because he knew that lately, he hadn't been himself. Not even Maggie knew why her brother was acting so strangely, nor would he speak to anyone. Except, it would seem, Glorfindel. Bilbo was no fool, he knew that when Riley couldn't sleep, he went wandering the corridors of Elrond's House at night. Most recently, his explorations had led him to Glorfindel and the two had left to share in private conversations, which Riley had mentioned nothing of the following day.

Jealousy was not a trait a respectable hobbit possessed, yet when it came to Riley Spencer it was becoming increasingly clear that Bilbo did indeed have a streak of jealousy within him. After everything they had been through, he didn't want to believe that Riley would throw it all away over one argument. It made no sense at all and it certainly wasn't like him. Bilbo wanted to help and wanted to let Riley know that no matter what happened, he would be there for him. That he didn't have to go through anything alone. But, Bilbo wouldn't be a Took or a Baggins if he didn't feel a smidge of anger and annoyance over the whole affair. Perhaps having a few days space from each other would not be such a bad thing after all.

"Riley does love you," Gandalf said after a while. "You do know that?"

"He has a funny way of showing it," Bilbo grumbled. "Why does he do that, Gandalf? Why does he push people away?"

Bilbo watched as Gandalf exhaled another one of his impressive smoke ships and leaned back on the bench. Despite the circumstances, it was a beautiful morning in late spring. This time of year had always been Bilbo's favourite because everything was coming to life and preparing for the long summer. Spring was a season of rebirth and of love. It was never supposed to be a time of sadness or sorrow.

"Perhaps because Riley is afraid," Gandalf guessed. "Perhaps, it is because of all the things that people do in order to show that they don't need anybody. Meanwhile, all they really want to do is say, 'Please keep me.' We all want to be kept. The problem is that we are too afraid to let anyone know about it. It makes you wonder what are these fragile things in our hearts that have so much fear of being broken?"

As always, the wizard's words resonated deep within Bilbo and he found himself feeling a different kind of sadness. He couldn't quite explain it, but he knew that when Riley came back from his quest, they would need to have a conversation and Bilbo hoped that perhaps they could still have a chance to fix things.

"Maggie must never know about the prophecy."

"You think keeping me behind bars is enough to save your sister?"

"You have a darkness inside you that will destroy you."

"We know your name, Riley son of Amandil. You have been marked."

Riley awoke abruptly from his dreams and shot up. It took him only a few moments to adjust to the dark and when he did, he saw that Glorfindel was already awake. The blonde elf sat by the fire, keeping the flames alive to bring them warmth through the night. Dwalin was snoring away next to the first, but Legolas was not in sight, which didn't surprise Riley at all. They were making good speed to Dol Guldur, which wasn't exactly something Riley was thrilled about. However, if there was even a small chance that his dad was alive, he would be foolish to not explore that opportunity. He owed it to both himself and to Maggie.

Riley felt guilty over leaving Rivendell without saying goodbye properly, but he knew that his sister would be alright. Although there was no doubt in his mind that she would probably scold him for leaving, which was fair enough really. In earnest, Riley was glad to get away from Rivendell for a while and to have some sort of peace of mind, while he figured things out. Rather foolishly, he'd thought that perhaps being out in the wild again would help his sleep, but that was very clearly not the case.

"Nightmares again?" Glorfindel asked as he poked the coals in the firepit.

Riley ran his hands through his sweaty hair and exhaled a heavy breath. He knew there was no need to answer Glorfindel's question because he already knew. The oldest Spencer took his blanket and moved over to the fire where he sat down next to Glorfindel and warmed his hands over the amber flames. Despite being late in spring, the evenings were still chilly.

"You are getting close to the source," Glorfindel explained "That is why the dreams feel more intense."

"Isn't that wonderful," Riley said as she stifled a yawn. "So things are going to get worse before they get better? Great."

That was to say, if things would get better at all. Riley couldn't describe the exhaustion he felt all the time and no matter what he did, it just didn't seem to get any better. It affected his mood and his mental health in a way that he hadn't really experienced before. Even after their dad's supposed death, when he fell into depression and used illicit substances, things had been manageable. Now, he had nothing to hold onto, not even Bilbo and it was all because he was an idiot.

"This is not how I would normally spend my Friday nights." Riley said, in an attempt to change the subject.

"And how would you normally spend them?" Glorfindel asked, "I understand your world is quite different from ours? Do you miss it?"

Strangely enough, it had been quite some time since Riley had thought about their world and their home. He had been so busy with everything happening in Middle-Earth that his old life suddenly seemed so far away. That wasn't to say he didn't miss his tiny apartment, awful part-time job and everything that came with being an adult, he did. But life in Middle-Earth had become so normal and he'd just accepted that this was home now, for better or for worse.

"I don't miss the pollution, or the terrible state of our government and not to mention the rain," Riley chuckled as he pulled his knees up to his chest. "But I do miss my friends and going to a pub for a pint or two with Felix, my best friend. I miss having movie nights with Maggie and our friends where we order a shitload of pizza. God...I miss pizza and tacos. Most of all I miss my mum, so much that it hurts when I think of her. I wish I could tell her that there's a chance dad might be alive. That Maggie has a son and that she's now a grandmother. I wish that she was here to see all of this because she would love it. More than anything, I wish I could tell her that I love her."

When Riley finished speaking, he realised that perhaps he missed home more than he'd been willing to admit at first. There was silence for a moment and he expected Glorfindel to have questions about pizza or movies. Instead, Unexpectedly, Glorfindel's hand drifted to Riley's hip. It settled there and pulled him closer and their lips met in a careful, gentle kiss. Before Riley knew it, he'd granted Glorfindel access to his mouth the kiss instantly became deeper and more passionate.

"Wait," Riley mumbled and pulled himself away from Glorfindel. "I'm sorry, but I can't do this."

Glorfindel sighed but didn't protest. "Forgive me," he said "I was under the impression that you and Master Baggins were no longer courting. It seems I was mistaken."

"Well, I'm not entirely sure that we are. But I love Bilbo," Riley admitted "And I'm afraid that unlike my sister, I can't have multiple lovers. I need to figure out a way to make things right with him. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have "

Once again, Riley knew he had screwed up and when they got back to Rivendell, he knew he'd have to tell Bilbo the truth. He just had a feeling it probably wouldn't go down too well.

The next couple of days remained uneventful and Fili felt restless. He was so used to constantly being on alert, but now that things seemed to have somewhat calmed down, he wasn't quite sure what to do with himself. Since Dwalin was away on some secret mission with Riley, Kili and Tauriel had taken over the interrogation of Malhas in the dungeon, which so far has led to nothing. It would seem their prisoner would rather starve himself to death instead of revealing the name of his master. It was frustrating to say the least. Now that Dwalin way away it also meant that Fili couldn't focus his efforts on battle training as he otherwise would. Sparring with Kili or indeed Tauriel wasn't quite the same.

Fili simply felt as if he was waiting for something to happen and he wasn't sure what it was, which made it worse. There was something lingering in the air, almost like a storm brewing and he knew the others could feel it too. He hated not knowing what was coming or how to prepare for it. So, instead of going mad trying to overthink things, Fili divided his time between helping Bilbo prepare for Maggie's surprise birthday party and with Maggie herself. It seemed she'd taken his advice regarding Lord Elrond, as the elf-lord had been in a contagiously good mood recently. Feeling happiness for someone else's joy, was something Fili had never really experienced before, but that is indeed what he felt when he saw Maggie interact with Elrond.

He did very much enjoy their own private moments but when it came to physical intimacy and taking the next step, they hadn't. It had been another reason for Fili's growing frustration. It wasn't that he didn't want to share that with Maggie, in fact, it was quite the opposite and it was what mostly filled his mind. At the same time, whenever his thoughts did linger on such moments, he also saw Thorin and then felt guilt. The blonde dwarf knew it was silly because he wasn't doing anything wrong. Nor could he help who he loved, but yet Thorin's glaring eyes made themselves known to him when he kissed Maggie or when they were close to getting intimate.

The worst part was that he knew Maggie felt his unease and he wondered what she must be thinking. Did she perhaps think he didn't want her? Or that he was uncomfortable with their arrangement? None of those things were true. Fili wanted nothing more than to be with Maggie wholeheartedly and he was quite happy for Elrond to also have her. The problems lay within Fili himself and he wasn't entirely sure how to conquer them.

So it was that on that warm Saturday afternoon, Fili found himself sitting in Lord Elrond's blacksmith forge. It had been quite some time since Fili worked in a forge and while he was a bit rusty, his hands became familiar with how to use the tools. His uncle had been the one to teach him smithery and Fili had rather a natural talent for it. He found it relaxing and it also took away a lot of his own frustrations.

"It's been quite some time since I've seen you working with your hands, brother." came Kili's voice from the doorway. "What's brought on this sudden creativity?"

"I'm working for a gift for Maggie," Fili explained "We have been struggling to….you know. I know that she can feel my unease and I'm worried she thinks my heart may not be true. I just want to assure her that it is and…"

Kili sat down on one of the stone seats and Fili realised he was rambling. Feeling nervous and insecure was something he wasn't used to. In fact, Fili was terrified because he had never felt this way about anyone. It was intense, overwhelming and most of all it was true. He let out a frustrated sigh as he put down his tools.

"Fee, I can tell that you are completely and utterly in love with her." Kili said softly, sensing his older brother's frustration. "That is the reason why you are struggling. Do you not realise? It's clear to me that you feel guilt over Uncle and every day that your feelings for Maggie grow stronger, so does that guilt. It makes sense and it's nothing to feel shame for. Not to mention she has just given birth to our cousin and has confessed her love for both you and Lord Elrond. With whom I'm told she shared an intimate moment not long ago."

"Maggie is right," Fili said "Elladan has a big mouth."

Deep down, Fili knew his brother was right. In fact, he was surprised by how much Kili's words made sense and how wise he sounded. It seemed as though spending so much time traveling in the wild had made him more mature and perhaps Tauriel also had something to do with that.

"Brother, have you considered that perhaps Maggie is also feeling that same guilt?" Kili asked "Perhaps she is also afraid because of how she feels for you and what she felt for Uncle?"

"What do you suggest I do?" Fili asked

"Well, I know for certain that hiding away in a forge isn't going to sort anything. I happen to know that Maggie is in her chambers, because Oin just offered to take Theo for a while."

Fili didn't need to be told twice, he put away his tools and immediately left the forge. By the time he found Maggie, she was indeed in her chambers sitting on the bed with the journal in her hand. He stood in the doorway for a while, deliberating whether to interrupt her or not because she seemed so lost in her own thoughts. When it came down to it, Fili knew he was indeed a very lucky dwarf and all his insecurities seemed so silly and insignificant. He walked into the room, sat on the bed and greeted Maggie with a kiss on her neck.

"You are looking lovely today, Amralime." Fili whispered into her ear, "I have something for you. Close your eyes and hold out your hand."

Maggie turned to Fili and looked at him with curious eyes, but then did as she was asked and closed them. When she opened her eyes again, Maggie looked down and was amazed by what she saw. In the palm of her hand lay pieces of jewellery, in the shape of earrings. They were beautifully and intricately designed, in the shape of braids, each with small beads attached to them.

"Oh, Fili…" Maggie whispered "Did you make these?"

Fili nodded. "You like them, I take it?" he asked

"They are stunning. Are they earrings?" Maggie carefully put the earrings on and Fili was pleasantly surprised by how well they seemed to fit her.

"Yes," Fili replied as he wrapped his arms around Maggie, leaning his cheek on her shoulder. "They are courting beads. I wanted to give you something to show that I am serious about us. I know you used to have a bead in your hair from my uncle and I didn't really but I wanted this to be something special for us. Riley told me you liked earrings and so I thought -"

Maggie interrupted Fili's nervous ramblings by crashing her lips against his. The start of the soft touch sent a strong feeling of warmth spiraling through his system.

"What's the matter?" Maggie asked, suddenly very self-conscious "Did I do anything wrong?"

"Not at all." Fee replied softly, "I'm just...a bit scared. "

Fili's words surprised Maggie, but as she looked him in those beautiful eyes, she could 'd always known Fili to be strong, brave and valiant. Now, he looked vulnerable and indeed a bit scared.

"It's okay to be scared, Fee." Maggie assured him and tousled his beard. "But you don't have to be scared alone and we don't have to do anything if you don't want to."

"That's just it," Fili said "I do want you. All of you. Wholly and completely. If you will have me."

Maggie nodded with a smile. Now, it was Fili who kissed her and rested his hands around her neck. As they kissed, his eyes closed fearlessly, His tense nerves soon began to relax, his troubles, his concerns began to melt away and the surroundings began to disappear leaving only him and Maggie. This. This felt true. This felt good. This felt right.

To be continued…

There we go! Chapter ten! It's not the most exciting chapter, sorry about that! Things will pick up in the next chapter.

How do you guys feel about Riley's downward spiralling? Will he get back to his normal self? Is their dad actually alive? Leave a comment and let me know what you think!