Wow, thank you so much for the incredible response last chapter! I got so many lovely comments and so many brilliant suggestions for Pervinca's nickname. I'm yet to reach a final decision on that, so there's still more time to get in suggestions (not that I need any more choices, lol!) I'm so sorry that this is late, I've had writer's block, a lot of work and I've been ill as well to boot but here it is.

A special thank you needs to be made to several guest reviewers who I could not reply to directly, including theLord'ssparrow, DatAwkwardGurl (a reunion is on its way, I promise :D) and the two unnamed guests. Thank you so much for your lovely, lovely comments and brilliant suggestions.

Please forgive any mistakes in this chapter, I have proof read it but it's three am and I think I've made you wait long enough! This chapter is named after an amazing song that my flatmate introduced me to by Us The Duo.

Read. Enjoy. Review.

Chapter Seventy One # No Matter Where You Are #

"Where're we going Merry?"

Merry looked over his shoulder at his yawning little cousin. "Just up to Bag End."

"Oh…" Pippin yawned again, shifting the squirming bundle in his arms. "Merry, it's too big, I can't carry it!"

"Don't be such a baby, Pippin!" Nelly huffed, her own arms completely full. "This is important."

"I'm not being a baby!" Pippin protested fiercely.

Merry grinned to himself as he turned around and lifted Pippin's load into his own arms, with a little difficulty. "Come on, Pip."

"Merry, I'm not even a baby anymore!" the toddler insisted sadly. "Not even at all!"

"Of course you are. Baby, baby, baby!" Nelly sang, her eyes twinkling.

"Stop it, Nelly, it's not nice!" Pippin's lower lip began to wobble and Merry stepped in.

"She's only joking, Pippin. It's alright."

Pippin looked reproachfully up at Merry. "Are you sure?"

"Of course he's sure!" Nelly rolled her eyes as she came to Merry's defence. "I'm just teasing, Pip. Don't get all upset."

Merry grinned as Pippin huffed and gave in, trailing behind the two older children dutifully. It looked as though he was trying really rather hard so as not to pout. After a moment, he ran around in front of Merry.

"I wanna carry it!"

"Are you sure?"

Pippin nodded his head eagerly and Merry carefully eased the littler boy's precious bundle into his arms. "You got it?"

"Yes, Merry!" Pippin promised, his tongue pointing out in concentration. "If I hold it like this I can carry it!"

"Perfect!" Nelly crooned. "Now, let's get a move on."

The three cousins made their way up Bagshot Row carefully, the glow of the sunrise lighting their steps. By the time they reached Bag End, the sun was only just fully up over Hobbiton. Merry knocked on the door with his foot, since he could not reach the doorbell and his hands were currently full in any case.

Squirming in anticipation, Merry, Nelly and Pippin stared at the door until a rather sleepy looking Fíli answered it. His eyes lit up when they saw them, as they usually did, but a smile sparked instantly across his face when he saw what they were carrying.

"Oh, wow… Do you need a hand, Pippin?" he murmured.

Pippin shook his head fiercely and whispered back. "I'm a big boy!"

Fíli's eyes sparkled as he grinned. "To Kíli?"

They nodded eagerly, tiptoeing behind the blonde haired dwarf as he led them back to Kíli's bedroom. Darkness still enveloped the room and Kíli's soft snores were the only sound as the hobbit children crept in, gently depositing their special bundles into the dwarf's bed as Fíli opened the curtains just enough to cast light upon Kíli without waking him up fully.

Kíli moaned slightly and rolled over as a fluffy paw pressed down on his arm, but when delicate little whiskers began tickling his face the dwarf sneezed and opened his eyes.

"By Durin!" he shrieked, scrambling up into a sitting position as he found himself face to face with a wide eyed tortoiseshell kitten.

Fíli, Merry, Nelly and Pippin fell about laughing as the brunette dwarf fell out of bed with a crash. If Kíli had been trying to escape, it was not going very well, because the same kitten that had sniffed at his face scampered to the end of the bed and leapt into mid-air, landing clumsily on Kíli's chest.

Merry sniggered as Kíli stiffened, his wide eyes focusing on the little ball of fluff.

"What on earth is going on?"

"Was that a yelp, brother dear?" Fíli commented, the gleeful look in his eyes leaking into his voice. "Slightly unnerved by felines – ha! That is fear in your eyes, not discomfort, Kíli."

Kíli scowled, though his eyes did not leave the creature exploring his chest. "That's not funny, Fíli! Get it off me!"

"Look at her though, Kíli." Nelly insisted. "See how pretty she is? She has eyes just like Frodo's!"

As if on cue, Merry's cousin appeared at the door, his eyes alight with curiosity though his hair was ruffled by sleep. "What's happening? Oh, hello Merry, Nelly, Pip."

"Hello!" they all waved back.

"Yes, yes, yes, it's a very pretty kitten, now if you'll get it off – oh, Mahal it's moving!"

"Of course it's moving!" Fíli said through his laughter. "It's a kitten, Kíli."

"Ooh, kittens!" Frodo gasped, running further into the room and vaulting himself onto the bed. The two other kittens scattered, but quickly came back to investigate the friendly little hobbit.

Merry giggled as Kíli watched the kitten prowl closer and closer to his face, until the tiny baby cat was peering into Kíli's eyes.

"She likes you!" Nelly sat down by Kíli's head, staring enviously at the kitten now rubbing its cheek against Kíli's nose.

Kíli made a strange sound that Merry did not have a word for as he went cross eyed to keep the kitten in his gaze. After a moment, Kíli reached up and gently pushed the kitten off of his face. It tumbled to the floor as he sat up, but when it put its front paws on Kíli's leg again he paused.

"Why is it staring at me?"

"Because she likes you!" Merry rolled his eyes, wondering why it was taking Kíli so long to understand.

"Why?"

"You sound like an infant, Kíli."

"Shut up, Fee." Kíli finally tore his eyes away from the kitten to stare at the three giggling children before him. "What are you all doing here anyway? What time is it?"

Merry's face fell at the first question as Fíli answered the second.

"Dawn broke half an hour ago."

"Our Mamas are on the rampage." Merry explained, looking to his cousins. "Pearl and Pervinca didn't escape – Auntie Ellie gave them a whole list of jobs to do since they were already awake. Papa let us sneak off with the kittens before they could catch us too!"

"On the rampage?" Kíli echoed with a heavy frown. "What do you mean?"

Merry and Nelly exchanged glances, silencing Pippin with a meaningful prod.

"Well, they've been very busy and they're just getting busier," Nelly explained carefully. "Papa's in disgrace, and so are you, Kíli!"

Kíli grimaced. "That doesn't surprise me. But why's your Papa in disgrace?"

"Misogamy."

Kíli frowned. "Misogamy? Are, uh, are you sure?"

Nelly nodded sombrely.

"Your Mama is angry at your Papa because suddenly has a hatred of marriage?"

Merry frowned. "What? No! That's just silly."

Fíli's eyes lit up. "Did you mean misogyny, Nell?"

"That's what I said." She rolled her eyes.

Kíli's frown deepened. "What on earth has Paladin done for Ellie to call him a misogynist?"

"It's complicated." Nelly sighed tiredly, shaking her head.

Fíli and Kíli seemed to find this funny, though Merry could not quite see why.

"I'd like to see you two surviving when both Mama and Auntie Ellie are on the rampage." He pouted.

The pair instantly sobered, though he could see their smiles hiding behind their serious faces.

"Perhaps you'd better stay here until it's safe." Kíli agreed.

"That's the plan!" Nelly chirped.

"Where do these…things come into it?" Kíli stared at the kitten still rubbing up against his legs suspiciously.

"Stop calling her a thing! Nelly insisted fiercely. "She's a she, Kíli!"

"Sorry." Kíli did not sound very sorry.

"Kíli." Merry put his hands on his hips. "If Pippin can carry her all the way from my house to your house then you can be not scared of her!"

Kíli glared at Merry, though the child knew the dwarf meant no harm. Kíli's eyes slipped back down to the kitten and he stroked her ears cautiously. She purred happily, content now that she had Kíli's attention.

"Kíli…" Merry edged after a little while. "Kíli, we haven't even had breakfast yet…"

"Well, I suppose you think you're hungry?" Kíli raised his eyebrows and all four children nodded angelically. "Alright, alright, let's go and grab you a bite to eat."

They cheered so loudly that Fíli and Kíli had to shush them, reminding the littler ones that everyone else was still asleep. The kittens followed them out of the room.

"Where did you get them, anyway?"

"Mosco's cat had kittens but his Mama can't look after all of them because of the baby and because Mr Milo's still not very well so we get to pick homes for these three." Nelly explained as she hopped up to the kitchen table.

"Oh? You're not going to keep them yourselves?"

"I doubt it." Merry said lightly.

"Why?" Frodo asked with a frown.

Merry grinned at his cousin. "You'll see."

Frodo pursed his lips before grinning. "Alright then, keep your secrets, if you think you can!"

Merry waggled his eyebrows. "Do you think you can get it out of me?"

"I know I can!" Frodo narrowed his eyes playfully.

"Boys…" it was Kíli who saw the danger.

Too late!

"Bet you can't!" Merry squealed, tearing out of the room.

With an excited whoop, Frodo followed him out and they raced through the house, squealing with laughter. Nelly was quick to join the chase, although whose side she was on was anyone's guess. Pippin, on the other hand, clambered up Fíli as if he was a tree and promptly fell asleep.

Kíli looked up at his brother who shrugged.

"They're your relatives."

Kíli raised an eyebrow. "Yours too."

A wide grin stretched across Fíli's face and he shifted Pippin in his arms. "Yes… They're mine too. However, they're your responsibility before noon."

Remembering his agreement with his brother, Kíli groaned, his eyes flickering to the kittens tumbling around on the table. He did not deny that they were adorable, but if those cheeky children were under the impression that waking up to a face full of fluff was a good way to get over a ridiculous phobia they were very wrong.

"They're incorrigible. I'm too tired."

Fíli snorted softly, running his hand through Pippin's hair. A strange look came over his face.

"What?" Kíli murmured, leaning across the table. "Talk to me, Fíli."

Fíli sighed heavily, giving Kíli a sad smile. "I'm going to miss them."

Kíli's heart crumpled in his chest and he instantly regretted asking. It took a while for Kíli to dislodge the lump in his throat. "Me too."

Cooking breakfast served as a decent distraction to Kíli's darkening thoughts, as did the children that continued to run squealing through the place. Of course, if Bilbo, Dís, Nori and Bofur had somehow slept through the racket Kíli had made there would be no sleeping when Frodo, Merry and Nelly were playing, so there were also some unhappy adults to divert his attention away from the future.

It was quite fun, actually, to dodge Bofur's irritation by pressing a cup of coffee into his hands and to deter Nori's crankiness by scooping Nelly off the floor and dumping her into his arms. Kíli was really unsurprised that the pair were as thick as thieves; they were headstrong troublemakers with little regard for rules and a lot of regard for family. They also both enjoyed tormenting their siblings – within reason, of course. Bilbo's annoyance was banished with a well-timed smile and his mother's short temper was lengthened with a cuddle – although both his parents responded well to tea if all else failed. Tea was good.

Thanks to the stocked pantry and Kíli's valiant efforts to distract himself, the family shared a hearty breakfast and they were in the midst of cleaning the dishes when the doorbell rang.

"I've got it!" Kíli called, being the closest to the door.

The moment the entrance to Kíli's home was opened, Pervinca and Pearl raced between his legs with a brief "Hello, Kíli!" Ellie, Paladin, Esme and Saradoc all stood before him, with rather serious expressions. The women's faces were both worryingly stony, but there was a sheepish light to Paladin's eyes and Saradoc just looked as though he were holding back a laugh.

"Can we come in?" he asked politely, causing Kíli to frown.

He stood out of the way to let his friends in. "Since when do you ask?"

Saradoc just shrugged as his wife remained outside and addressed Kíli.

"You're coming with me. Now." She took a rather tight grip on his wrist and dragged him out into the garden. Paladin closed the door behind them.

"Esme, what are you doing?"

"Hush up." She answered, her voice far harder than usual.

She dragged him around to the garden bench and pointed at it. Just to humour her, Kíli sat. Esme did not sit down. Instead she turned on him, a fiery fury ablaze in her eyes.

"Do you have any idea, any idea how it feels to sit on the outside and watch your life be torn apart?"

Her demand took him aback and he shook his head slowly. "Esme, I-"

"I don't think you do," she shook her head. "Because you're always dragged to the centre of these things. You don't know what it's like to have it all happen out of your reach – you don't know how it feels to have the decisions that are made regarding your own future and happiness to be made without your contribution in situations you cannot even influence, let alone control."

The guilt that was now as familiar to Kíli as his own name swelled within his chest. "I'm sorry, Esme-"

"I don't need that – I don't need your apologies. I need you to listen to me. If you did know how it felt to be a spectator to the destruction of your own life, you wouldn't decide that it would be better to announce your decision to leave in front of everyone without telling us first."

Kíli closed his eyes for a moment. "Esme, please. I wanted to tell you but I knew that you'd-"

"That I would what? Try to stop you from leaving?" Esme shook her head incredulously. "For an intelligent dwarf you truly have the wit of a cave troll sometimes, Kíli. What good would it do anyone for me to make the decision harder? I understand why you're going – I do not like it but I understand. Complaining and protesting it isn't going to help anyone now, is it? No, Kíli. You should've told me."

"I know, I know…" he swallowed, trying to meet her eyes. Her gaze was too intense and the guilt began to burn. He looked away. "I'm sorry."

"You're an idiot." Esme shook her head. "We're coming with you."

"You're- what?!" Kíli spluttered, leaping to his feet. "You can't-"

"We can and we shall." She said firmly.

Kíli began to shake his head furiously as his heart began to race. "No, Esme, you don't understand – you can't! The road, it's not safe, if something happens-! I can't, I couldn't- no, Esme, no. You're not coming. No."

"I know the risks and the dangers. Believe me, Kíli. I know. But, if the dwarves of the Blue Mountains can uproot their lives to travel across the world I'm sure we'll be able to do so as well."

"No, Esme-"

"I meant what I said, Kíli. So far, you've been in the centre of all this mess, but you haven't been the only one affected by the consequences. You can make your own decisions, but I can make mine too. So can Saradoc, and Paladin – all of us. We know a good deal about all of the danger we'll be facing and we're horribly afraid – but we are coming with you; or following you like hounds. Really, there's nothing you can do to stop us. You don't have the right to." Esme said matter-of-factly.

Fear kept strangling the hope in his heart as Kíli shook his head, but he could not articulate what he wanted to say. She had a point – it was not his choice what she did with her life, but if something were to happen- "What about Merry and Pip and the girls? You can't just leave them here without-"

"Of course we're not leaving them! They'll be keeping Frodo company on the journey."

"What?!" Kíli yelped. "No, that's – Esme, this is inane!"

"No it isn't, Kíli. Listen, we spent a year without you. We've tried it, separating the family, letting you go alone, and it doesn't work. I won't do it again."

"But what if it goes wrong? What if it falls down around our heads, what if-"

"Then we'll stay by you, even then. Listen, the decision has already been made. Ellie and Saradoc explaining it to the others. We're coming, and there's nothing you can do about it."

"Why didn't you tell me with the others?" Kíli frowned.

Esme's face finally softened into a small, sad smile. "Because we knew you'd have the worst reaction. The others are at least slightly rational when discussing these matters."

Kíli shook his head.

"You might as well accept it," Esme smiled serenely. "We're coming with you, laddie."

"Laddie?" Kíli snorted. "You've been spending far too much time around dwarves, my dear."

"And dwobbits." She added seriously.

Kíli rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on-"

The door opened and Saradoc's voice called out into the night. "Tea's ready!"

Shaking his head at Esme, Kíli strode past her and back onto the house to claim a cup of tea. "Not impressed, Saradoc."

"Well, we didn't choose it to impress you." The hobbit shrugged, unfussed.

"Do you believe this?" Kíli demanded of his mother and father as he entered the kitchen.

Bilbo gave him a wry smile. "In truth, Kíli, I'm not altogether that surprised. If anything, I'm surprised that you're surprised."

Kíli huffed, his eyes falling upon Paladin, who was looking rather amused at the young dwarf's misery. "So Paladin, what did you do to disgrace yourself?"

Paladin's smile slid into a scowl as he looked at his middle daughter.

Nelly smiled angelically. "I only told him that you were being a misogamist."

"Misogynist!" Every adult in the room corrected automatically.

"I give up!" she declared, flopping down onto the floor.

Shaking her head, Ellie spoke over her daughter. "Paladin was under the deluded impression that he would be allowed to go gallivanting across Middle Earth with the rest of you without his family. He somehow got it into his thick skull that I would sit around at home and wait patiently for his return."

"I didn't-"

"I wouldn't if I were you, Papa." Pervinca said sagely, patting his hand. "Mama can't be wrong at the moment."

Paladin snorted and looked at his wife, but he wisely held his tongue.

For all the irritation on her face, Kíli could see that Ellie was at least partially enjoying this. "We're a family and we all have to stick together. I'll have none of this separation business."

"But you'll be separated from everyone else if you come!" Kíli protested weakly.

Ellie nodded slowly. "There is lots here that we shall miss, and many, many people that we will miss even more, but… Well, Frodo has a rather simple way of putting it."

For a moment, Frodo looked confused, but then he smiled and nodded. "Oh! This is our family family. Everyone else is family friends or extended family, but this is family family and that's the most important sort of family there is."

"And there you have it." Ellie smiled at the boy. "You'll be leaving the Shire with a few more people than you expected to, Kíli. We've already sorted out all of the details."

From Bofur's side, Merry mouthed 'rampage' to Kíli, who laughed aloud.

"You're all insane!" he shook his head, but inside his heart was beginning to sing.

They were coming with him. They were all coming. Kíli's family were coming to Erebor with him.

Fíli's eyes were shining. Bilbo's grin was brighter than the Arkenstone. Dís' smile was as strong in her eyes as it was across her lips. Bofur was beaming with his hands entwined in Frodo's. Nori was smiling – not smirking, not sneering – smiling.

And Kíli was happy.

And then that perfect moment was broken, because life would never grant him peace without terror. With absolutely no warning, something launched at Kíli from a nearby cabinet, attaching to his collar with needle sharp claws.

Kíli let out a rather unmanly shriek as the kitten clung to him for dear life.

"By Mahal, you weren't joking!" Dís' eyes widened. "Kíli, I'm ashamed of you. You're afraid of kittens?"

"No, I was just startl- Ow, ow! It's in my hair! Fíli, help!"

Unfortunately for Kíli, Fíli was laughing so hard that he was currently useless.

"Here…" Bilbo tutted, removing the blasted creature from Kíli's back, only to deposit it in his son's arms. "Just look at it, alright?"

Kíli did so, if only to prove that he was not scared of kittens. He was not scared of kittens; he was not scared at all…

The wide eyes stared up at him – it was the same tortoiseshell feline that had attacked him earlier.

He scowled at her. "You are a very, very rude cat. It's not nice to attack people."

The creature just stared up at him, blinking innocently. He could not help but smile – her eyes did look a lot like Frodo's.

"Look, look, Kíli's not scared anymore!" Pervinca gasped in delight.

"I was never scared!" Kíli protested instantly. "Only unnerved. And it's all Saradoc's fault, anyway."

"Poor baby." Saradoc crooned unsympathetically. "Who's up for lunch?"

A cheer rose up among those gathered and Kíli carefully gave the kitten back to Pearl.

"So, over your phobia, Kíli?"

"Go away, Bilbo. This is all your fault."

"My fault?"

"Rivendell, remember? You told everybody – they would've forgotten otherwise!"

Bilbo snorted. "You started it."

Kíli shook his head with a little laugh. Rivendell felt like a lifetime ago. As he sidled in to take the place next to Merry at the table, Kíli looked around at his large family. They were all laughing (at him, probably, though he did not care. What did it matter if they were happy?) and for the first time in days the tension had eased out of their faces. Pippin was giggling freely again, and Pervinca's hair was braided across the top of her head once more. Nelly's smile shone and Pearl's eyes had regained their twinkle. Merry was teasing again while Frodo's clinginess was all but invisible.

The fire in Esme's eyes was reignited, Saradoc was once again at ease and Paladin had reverted back to his easy smiles and laughs. Ellie's sense of humour had returned.

Everyone was healing, and Kíli was healing too. As he waited for the meal to be cooked, Kíli wondered if maybe, just maybe, they would hit a stroke of luck this time and be granted a little bit of lasting peace.

And there we have it, the end of another chapter, a happy one this time! That's about as angst free as I can get so I hope you enjoyed it. I hope it didn't seem too silly. Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed it, leave a review if you can!

Since I'm yet to decide on a nickname (they're all so good!) the contest is still technically open if you want to give me any more suggestions for Pervinca. The nickname itself will come in within the next two to three chapters when it becomes possible with the plot.

Thanks for reading, please do let me know what you thought if you can/feel so inclined.