Which he did right up until he was twenty eight the year of the fell winter, autumn had been unseasonably cold almost frigid, it was a sign of things to come a sign that was mostly ignored by the greater majority of the shire, but not by the Baggins' both belladonna and Bungo had been storing food for months and extra knowing bilbo was returning from an adventure with a few cousins in tow, those Took's loved to go with bilbo anywhere he went.
Soon winter set in, it was unbelievably cold it was two weeks into winter and still no sign of bilbo, two weeks more and the Brandywine river froze over, three days more and the wolves came, two days more and the orcs and goblins followed the wolves.
One night in the still and silent hours, the most terrifying screech was heard just down the lane from bag end, it seems the orcs and wolves had gotten inside one of the smials, based on the fact that most of hobbiton had taken their provisions and gone to Brandywine hall for safety and security, it was easy for belladonna to guess that the Footwin family had just been attacked, they were the first to fall, soon followed by the Drycott's and the Buxxon-Cotton's.
The day after the last nighttime attack, Bungo went out to make sure his remaining tenants were still alright, on his way back, relieved his friends and tenants were still alive and although scared, surviving none the less, a small Orc had been inside one of the smials and attacked killed and consumed Bungo, he wasn't far from home only fifty meters away, that night belladonna cried for she knew she had lost another.
Two weeks later the Rangers came and drove back the orcs goblins and wolves, bilbo and his cousins were with them, having made it back home he went straight for his parents room and found his mother a mess, her face was puffy from crying she was pale oh so pale and thin like she hadn't eaten in weeks, which she hadn't, "mum, mum what's wrong, mum where's dad, mum? Bilbo desperately tried to get his mother to answer his pleas but she was too far gone in her grief to listen.
Bilbo ran to Gandalf for help, he had come with bilbo and the Rangers to free hobbiton from the dark creatures that were attacking it, Gandalf rushed to belladonna's side, using hi abilities he brought her back to herself, she finally saw bilbo and fell asleep, bilbo was so worried he stay by her bedside and nursed her back to health, Gandalf stayed and helped, till one day belladonna said,
"bilbo my boy, bag end is yours now, it's no longer a place I can call home, forgive me, bilbo, I have to go away I can't stay here, im going with Gandalf back to rivendale, hopefully there I can find peace".
"I will accompany you mum, even if it's just to make sure you get there, I should have been here, I should have protected you both" bilbo said with a sob,
"no bilbo, your father knew the risks and don't you dare blame yourself" belladonna told her son in earnest, so bilbo belladonna and Gandalf packed up all belladonna wanted to take bought a cart and got a horse and two ponies.
Just one month after arriving in rivendale bilbo was on his way back to hobbiton, to take his place as his fathers son, he was now the head of the family, owner of old Toby farms and plantations, owner of bag end and landlord of hobbiton, each one not a simple task, each one a job he wished he could pass off, but for his father he would try.
Playing with his brothers beads, bilbo, took a deep breath and went about collecting the rent, having the destroyed smials cleaned and refurbished ready for use, he went over all the business for the old Toby plantations with his cousins who had been managing it at the farm in the south farthing, he visited the Thain (his grandfather, belladonna's father) to ask for assistance in learning how to be head of the family.
A few short weeks later and bilbo had everything under control, he had hung up his bow, sheathed his dagger, oiled his leathers (armour) and given up on adventures, he had settled albeit reluctantly at first, slowly but surely growing comfortable with the idea of being a gentle hobbit, although she only wrote occasionally, he wrote to his mother weekly, he felt as though he had lost both his parents, that she had moved on and forgotten him.
So life continued, each year a little easier than the last, until a certain menace turned up to offer adventure and intrigue, bilbo feared he was no longer that hobbit, after his mother stopped writing ten years before soon after his fortieth birthday, he gave up in his inquisitive and exploratory nature and opted for the simpler life, one where he couldn't get hurt, one where he was well respected and cared for.
So on this very fine morning whilst enjoying a pipe of the newest batch of old Toby (they'd been experimenting with flavour this one was lemon and lime, a fresh uplifting aroma, perfect to start the day), a man came knocking one he hadn't seen in twenty years, not since he took belladonna away to live with the elves, bilbo had become somewhat bitter over the last two decades, his lonely existence had embittered him toward both the wizard and the elves.
But nothing he hated more than the orcs and goblins that took his father and many of his younger cousins, "what are doing here Gandalf" bilbo said in a clipped tone, that had Gandalf on edge with concern, "why bilbo am I not allowed to visit a friend" Gandalf cautiously asked.
BIlbo scoffed "friend, tell me does a friend take what is dearest to you and corrupt it against you, does a friend never check to see you haven't fallen apart in dis pare and loneliness, no a friend stays with you and supports you, you are not my friend grey pilgrim" bilbo yelled at his one time friend whilst putting ot his smoke and storming back to his smial.
Gandalf's eyes were wide his mouth gaping at his friend, "bilbo please I am your friend I would never do those things, bilbo I took your mother and left her in rivendale up until a month ago I had not been back there, please bilbo open the door, bilbo, I don't know why she has changed, if I could fix this I would, please my friend, please" Gandalf begged at the other side of bilbo's front door.
Bilbo opened the door and hugged Gandalf the anger all gone, Gandalf held his friend who had changed so much, he no longer reflected a little warrior but a gentleman, not a look Gandalf liked on his young friend, not at all, "tell me my friend how long has it been since you left the shire, how long since you traveled the road merely because you felt like it?" Gandalf was already pretty sure he knew the answer.