Title: Precious

Summary: Bella finds her father's lucky ring, later sparking an argument between Bilbo and Thorena. Fem!Thorin Everybody Lives AU.

Requester: 666mewmew

Bella Baggins giggled as she ran toward Papa's study. She could hear her father still counting in the kitchen, giving her just enough time to climb into the perfect hiding spot. Even as she slowly opened the old trunk, the 6 year old Dwobbit could practically hear her father yelling at her for being where she wasn't supposed to be. However, this is what made the spot perfect, she thought to herself as she climbed into the trunk and shut the lid as quietly as she could.

The inside of the trunk was a bit if a cozy fit with all the junk thrown into it, but there was enough room for Bella to get into a comfortable position over the red coat spread out across everything. Not a moment after she got comfortable, she heard Papa shout. "Ready or not, here I come!" Fifteen minutes came and went and he still couldn't find her. Truth be told, she was getting restless. The little Dwobbit, in her restlessness, shifted in the trunk, accidentally kicked the side of the trunk and stretching herself out. That was when she felt something right under her head. Curious, she grasped at the spot and found that there was a small something that had been in the coat's pocket. She couldn't see it in the darkness of the trunk, but she could feel it; cold, smooth, circular, with a hole in the center. A ring.

The lid of the trunk was opened suddenly. "Belladonna Thraina Baggins, you know you're not supposed to be in here!" Bella looked up to see her angry father standing over her. That anger on his face quickly shifted to worry. "What's that you got?" Bella slowly opened up her hand and revealed a golden band. Just as the little Dwobbit registered what exactly it was, Papa practically wrenched it out of her hand, holding it close to his heart. Then he became angry again. "You do not touch this! You can never touch this, UNDERSTAND?!"

There were tears in her eyes. Papa had never yelled at her like this. "S-sorry, Papa."

The Hobbit seemed to snap out of his rage when he saw her crying. "I-…I'm sorry I snapped, Bella. It's just that…this is something…something I found in my adventure with Mama."

Bella lifted her head, pausing her crying. "Really?"

"Yes, really. It once belonged to a creature in the Misty Mountains. I won it from him in a game of riddles and it's given me good luck ever since."

"Is it a magic ring?"

"…In a sense. Let's just say that it's very precious to me."

"More precious than Mama?"

Papa pocketed the ring. "No goodness no, never more precious than Mama. Or you." He knelt down and hugged the little Dwobbit sitting in the trunk. "You two are my greatest treasures. Nothing's ever going to change that." Bella was starting to feel at least a bit better.

The grandfather clock chimed loudly in the small study, startling both of them. "Goodness, 4 o'clock already. I believe we agreed to play until it was nap-time."

Bella grumbled as she was lead to her room for her daily nap.

The Dwobbit was woken from her nap by the sound of angry voices. She couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but she could tell it was Mama and Papa fighting. Curious, she crept out of bed and slowly opened the door.

"What the HELL is the matter with you, Bilbo?!"

"Why are you angry at me? Bella knows she's not allowed in the study!"

"I'm not talking about your study, I'm talking about that Mahal forsaken ring!"

Bella stepped out into the hall and tip-toed down towards the voices in the living room.

"What's wrong with my ring?"

"Only the fact that you told me you lost it when Azog attacked Erebor. Now here you are with it in your hands, telling me that you pulled it out of our little girl's fingers and yelled at her just for holding it!"

"W-well-."

"Why did you lie to me about this? Of what importance is that ring to you?!"

Still hidden from view, she poked her head around the corner to see both of her parents.

"I j-just thought that-."

"What? That we wouldn't notice? That we would be too stupid to figure it out?! Bilbo, there are many magic rings in this world and NONE should be taken lightly. That wretched thing is addling your mind-."

"Oh, and here we have the raven calling the crow black. Have you forgotten how much you craved the Arkenstone? Yes, I pried a ring from a little girl's fingers, but you went to war over a rock! And you're still gold sick, look at you! You wan if for yourse-!"

Bella jumped at the sound that followed. She felt a tear in her eye as Papa stumbled back, a hand going to the cheek that had just been smacked. Mama was angrier than she had ever seen her. "Don't." Her voice was a growl.

"Th-Thorena-."

"Don't stand there and tell me of obsession. I walked a path of greed, yes, and I payed the price. I will not let you stand there and compare me to that monster I became." There was silence for what felt like forever. Then Mama stepped toward Papa and placed a hand on each shoulder before he could back away. "...I'm not trying to rob you, I'm trying to help you. Placing value in gold and treasure above all else will lead to destruction. I learned that from you. The hard way."

Both adults were startled by a loud sniff. Both turned suddenly and saw Bella standing in the threshold, crying. "I-I-I'm sorry!"

Mama and Papa rushed forward and knelt before their daughter. "Oh sweetie-."

"I found Papa's ring! It's my fault that he got angry! It's my fault you're fighting!" The Dwobbit was weeping now, red-faced and teary-eyed. She suddenly felt herself enveloped in her parents' arms.

"Don't ever say that," Papa consoled. "None of this is because of you. Sometimes, your mother and I fight, but that's because we have a problem that needs to be solved. Everyone fights, even those who love each other dearly."

Bella sniffed again. "Even you two?"

"Yes, my daughter, even us," Mama answered. "And you are not to blame. We had a…disagreement that will hopefully be resolved." Thorena raised her head and looked at her husband; the motion was soon copied by Bella. After a minute, Bilbo sighed.

"We'll…we'll be taking our trip to Erebor in a month. Gandalf said he'd be in the area when we arrive. I'll talk to him about the ring then."

"Thank you."

For the longest time, the family stayed there, content to stay in their embrace.