"So ..." said Thorin smiling at me. "This is the Hobbit."

I nodded, I let him pass while I was looking into his eyes, and I closed the door. "Bilbo Baggins, at your service, your majesty." I bowed and I could not stop looking at him. The other dwarves laughed behind Thorin, but he kept smiling at me, then nodded and took off his coat.

"Thorin Oakenshield to yours." He left my eyes to focus on Gandalf. "Gandalf, I thought you said that this place was easy to find. I lost my way, twice. I would not have found it at all if it wouldn't for that mark on the door." Then he smiled at his nephews and cousins. I followed him with my eyes as Gandalf apologized for the location of Bag End, and he said something about he should have done a map or something like that, but I was not listening to him, I only had eyes for Thorin. I realized he did not have dark circles, and barely had gray hair, both became more evident every time we got closer and closer to the mountain, undoubtedly work of the disease... Thorin then turned to me, and I blushed like a teenager! He looked at me up and down walking around me. "Tell me Master Baggins …"

Then he was interrupted by Kili who was smiling. "He prefers to be call Bilbo, uncle."

Thorin raised an eyebrow and I could not help smiling. He kept looking me up and down. "Tell me Master Bilbo Baggins, have you done much fighting? Axe or sword, what's your weapon of choice?"

I still flushed, coughed and looked at him. "I develop better with a sword, much better if it is one proper of my size, of course." I said proudly.

Thorin again raised an eyebrow and I tried not to laugh at that gesture. "And how had you learned to use it? You look more like a grocer than a burglar."

This time, unlike the previous one, the other dwarves just smiled, but it looked like they were expecting for me to explain my self, just like Gandalf who was looking surprised at me. I bit my lip and looked down, what could I do? I could not tell them how were Dwalin and Thorin who had helped me a bit, and after the adventure was Lord Elrond and his sons who helped me handle the sword with ease. I turned to look at him and something occurred to me. It was not a lie of all but not the truth...

"Some years ago I accompanied a widower dwarf and his children to Ered Luin because they were lost, I did not have much to do..."

Thorin looked at me surprised. I had never seen him as surprised as then except when I stole the Arkenstone. "You traveled with a family of dwarves?"

I nodded, trying to think of a good story, after all I was the best storyteller of Hobbiton. "They were lost when they passed by Hobbiton. I was helping the harvest of some of my family when I saw them approaching. They came from... from the Iron Hills, and as I knew the road and the man had two children with him, I went with them."

Thorin kept watching at me perplexed. "How many dwarves were on that trip?"

I thought about it for a while. I could not say 13 because that could raised suspicions, so I divided our group in two.. "There were six: a widower, his two sons and three of his brothers. He was called... Theon, yes …" I bit my lip and I held my tears looking down to my feet, this time it seemed that my lip was going bleed. I'll should tell their history, tell their deaths, but as if they were other people, and that did not seem right. I heard whispers of other dwarves and I looked at Thorin trying to smile. "But that was long ago."

"Where is that Theon now?" Fili asked behind his uncle, and I shook my head trying to held my tears.

"Dead, Mister Fili, and there is no day in which I do not remember him." Everyone fell silent and looked at me with pity. Thorin looked at me and put his hand on my shoulder. I panicked and I tensed because I remembered the last time he touched me, when he wanted to kill me, so I removed it immediately.

"You are a very peculiar Hobbit, Master Baggins."

I smiled and took off my tears that were falling down my cheek. "I take it as a compliment, Mister Oakenshield." That made him smile and I was besotted watching him. Seriously, with that behavior I did not seem to be 130 years old!

Gandalf cleared his throat and made us both stopped looking at each other. "Thorin we should discuss our quest."

Thorin nodded and looked back one last time at me until he entered the room with the rest of the dwarves and the wizard. Fili and Kili grabbed my arms and they smiled.

"It seems like our uncle likes you" Kili said and Fili nodded.

"Yes, very few had been liked by our uncle at a first impression."

I blushed and looked down at my feet. "I-I do not think..."

Both brothers laughed and stroked my hair. "You keep it up." Kili said. "We would love to call you Uncle Boggins someday." And with that phrase they left, both laughing, and I was left speechless. Their... uncle? No, that was just a dream I had during the first quest and I certainly left it behind. That is what I thought...

I went to the kitchen and grabbed the food I had booked for Thorin. Upon my arrival, everyone was talking at each other and I approached to Thorin putting the food in front of him. "I figured you'd be hungry," I said giving him a huge smile.

"Thank you, Mister Baggins." Thorin said smiling at me and smelling the food. "I thought my family would have eaten all that was left."

I laughed and I watched as Thorin bit his lip slightly. "A good hobbit always makes a lot of food, especially for the leader of the Company. And by the way, just call me Bilbo. "

Thorin nodded slightly and lowered his head in respect. "Very well. Bilbo." Then he began eating.

My heart was beating really fast. I took a chair and sat beside him enjoying the small sounds of satisfaction that made Thorin while he was eating. Thorin finished eating while the others were whispering and I knew what would follow and disappointment will get in the response of Thorin.

"What news about the meeting in Ered Luin?" Balin said looking at Thorin who was mopping the plate. "They all come?"

"Yes, guests of the all seven kingdoms." Answered Thorin and everyone at the table smiled.

"And what about the dwarves of the Iron Hills? Is Dain with us?" The life of the party, Dwalin, had to ask that now that everyone had hope...

Thorin lowered his head and sighed. "They will not come." All dwarves released sighs of disappointment and I looked with pity at Thorin. "They say this quest is our and ours alone …"

"That's not fair..." I whispered and all the dwarf looked at me, which made me blush a bit because I thought I had spoken lower.

"You're right, Mister Bilbo." Said Thorin looking at me.

To change the subject, Gandalf spoke. "Bilbo, could you bring a little more light?" I nodded, took a candle and stood beside Gandalf, closer to Thorin who had not stop looking at me like if he was studying me. "Far to the east, over rangers and rivers, beyond woodlands and wetlands, lies a single solitary peak.." Gandalf pulled out the map and we all looked at it carefully. I had memorized after returning from Erebor.

"The Lonely Mountain. Erebor. "I said looking at Gandalf who nodded.

"Aye, Oin has read the portents, and the portents say it is time." Gloin said, proud of his brother.

Gandalf started to somke and Oin continued. "Ravens had been seen flying back to the mountain, as it was told. When the birds of the old return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end."

I nodded, and without asking Thorin gave me a chair to sit down. I smiled at him grateful and looked at Oin. "But ... Smaug may still be alive …" And he was, but I could not tell them.

"Smaug the terrible... chiefest and greatest calamity of our age... Airborne fire-breather. Teeth like razors. Claws like meat hooks. Extremely fond of precious metals..."As Bofur spoke, I looked to Thorin who was fidgeted and turned pale, so I stopped Bofur.

"Yes, I know what a dragon is, I may be a hobbit, but I had read a lot about them."

"I'm not afraid!" Jumped Ori. I could not miss the smile that escaped from Dwalin as he spoke. "I'm up for it. I'll give him a taste of the dwarfish iron right up his jacksy!"

"Sit down!" Dori said while all the Company agreed with him his little brother.

"The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us, but we number just thirteen, and not thirteen of the best, nor brightest." Balin (the joy of the garden, brother of the life of the party) spoke, and made several dwarves feel insulted (even if Kili should not be...)

"Hey! Who are you calling dim?" Said Ori and everyone started to talk at the same time.

"We may be few in number. But we're fighters, all of us! To the last dwarf!" Fili said with energy, then Kili spoke.

"And you forget we have a wizard in our company, Gandalf will have killed hundreds of dragons in his time."

I could not help laughing when Gandalf shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "Oh, well. No, uh, I...I wouldn't say..."

"How many then?" Asked Dori. I looked at Thorin who was looking curious, and Gandalf seemed he was going to die from the smoke he had inside. "Well, how many dragons have you killed? Go on, give us a number!"

All dwarves cried out and tried to make peace, but Thorin jumped and screamed. "Enough! If we have read these signs, do you not think others will have read them too? Rumors have begun to spread. The dragon Smaug has not been seen for sixty years. Eyes look East to the mountain, assessing, wondering, weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people now lies unprotected. Do we sit back while others claim what is rightfully ours? Or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor?"At that moment I felt very proud of him. Thorin had always been a natural leader.

"You forget" continued Balin, lowering the mood, as always. "the front gate is sealed. There is no way into the mountain."

I smiled and looked at Gandalf before he had even speak. "That, my dear Balin, is not entirely true." He pulled out from his pocket the key Thrain.

"How came you by this?" Said Thorin with disbelieving eyes.

"It was given to me by your father by Thrain, for safekeeping. It is yours now." All the company looked as Thorin grabbed the key, and I smiled. Then Fili spoke and I learned of the wisdom of the line of Durin.

"If there is a key, there must be a door." I felt like I should clap sarcastically.

"These runes speak of a hidden passage to the lower halls."

Then Kili and I talked at once, smiling. "There is another way in." Thorin smiled and nodded. I kept talking. "Lord Elrond sure can figure out what you do not know, Gandalf."

Gandalf as if he had not heard me continued. "The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth, and no small amount of courage. But if we're careful and clever, I believe that it can be done."

"That is why we need a burglar" Said Ori at me, and I nodded.

"That's why I'm here, right?"

"Exactly, Bilbo. You will be the one who will get into the mountain. "I nodded to Gandalf. I had already done it once, and I could do it better this time. Before I could answer Thorin coughed.

"We can not forget that Smaug may be alive. Mister Bilbo... I do not want you to enter without going protected."

I stared at him with my mouth open. The last time, Thorin was not concerned for my safety until shortly after Azog attacked him.

"I-I can protect myself." I said, not knowing what else to say.

"I do not doubt it, Master Baggins, but it's still a dragon, and you are much smaller than even a dwarf."

I stared at him and put my hand on his arm. "Looks can be deceiving, Thorin. I do not ask you to guarantee my safety nor to be responsible for my fate. Trust me on this, Thorin. "

Thorin sighed and looked at my hand on his arm, I swear he looked sad. Shortly after he looked at Balin. "Give him the contract."

Balin gave it to Thorin who gave it to me, crestfallen. I pretended to read it while the other dwarves talked among themselves. Thorin looked at me as I read the part that made me so long before faint, but this time it did not. I had faced Smaug myself, I was not afraid. I grabbed a pen and signed it, smiling at Thorin. "I'm ready for another adventure."

Thorin gave the contract to Balin still looking at me, and he confirmed my signature. "Everything in order. Welcome, Bilbo Baggins, to the Company of Thorin Oakenshield!"