What civil conversation there was to be made was very little as soon their guests began to tire and wished to go.

"It's boring here!" Little Lotho griped as he kicked his large feet dramatically, "Let's go home mum!"

Bilbo looked over at Bofur who shrugged from his chair and inclined his head before mouthing: 'Let them.'

"Eh, I know you all are ready to leave but we've got to discuss a certain matter," Bilbo explained, pained at seeing Bofur's disappointed gaze.

"I don't see what there is to discuss in the first place," Lobelia offered coldly, "So you're…roommate's shop was vandalized. It has nothing to do with us."

"Agreed," Said Otho with a grunt, "Imagine my surprise when you showed up Bilbo! With your wild accusations!"

"It was no accusation," Bofur pointed out smoothly and with his eyes staring hard at the elder hobbit, "Very often yer boy makes it a habit to pass by me shop and offer up whatever ugly face or obscene gesture he can think of if he sees me!"

"Well, I don't see why our boy would do such things!" Lobelia protested before her husband could speak, "That is, if you've never provoked him in the first place. Have you?"

"Is a smile and a wave to the boy considered rude amongst ye folks?" Bofur asked dryly, "Oh and I don't He has any animosity toward me. I think ye teach him to feel, such toward me, because I'm so closely affiliated with Master Baggins."

Lobelia huffed and slammed the point of her umbrella so hard into the floor, Bilbo new there would be a small dent in his fine wooden floor forever.

"Please!" Bilbo pleaded softly yet sternly, "Let's not let this matter get out of control. Lobelia, and Otho, it's not so much that your boy…threw the rock and shattered the shop window…what bother's me is what he wrote on the stone before hand."

"I didn't write anything on any stone!" Lotho declared, crossing his arms and pouting, "I wasn't any where near that stupid toy store any ways!"

Otho hummed and inclined his hand at his son; "There you have it! You've got the wrong hobbit."

Bilbo sighed and looked at Bofur who looked back at him, just as flustered.

"I hate to do this," Bilbo offered softly, "But, Lotho, I saw you near the shop that day; as did Master Bofur."

"Well, give us proof of that!" Lobelia demanded, stamping the tip of her umbrella into the floor again, "If you can't, I wouldn't be surprised that it's just another of your lies!"

Bofur groaned and rubbed his eyes; "What reason does Bilbo have to lie?" He asked, "It's not like he's demanding ye pay fer the damage~"

"Even if he did we would not pay anything!" Otho bellowed, and he rose to his feet when Bofur did.

"Exactly! Our son is a good boy!" Lobelia declared rising to her own feet and joining her husband, "And after being silly enough to go on an adventure with his type…I'm sure you've got plenty of money to pay for the replacement."

"Yeah!" Lotho chided and rose to his own little feet.

"Oh fer the love of…Bilbo just show 'em the damn rock!" Bofur spat, and stormed from the den against Bilbo's protests.

"Y-you k-kept the rock?" Lotho asked suddenly, "Why would you do that?"

Bilbo, feeling deep pity for Lotho again, sighed as he went to a nearby hutch and opened the top drawer.

"Because Lotho," Bilbo explained as he pulled the wrapped evidence out, "This issue must be dealt with."

"The only issue I see is you trying to cause us more trouble than we need!" Lobelia spat, waving the point of her umbrella about wildly.

"Actually," Bilbo confessed, "I'm sparing the lot of you. Because if I were to show this to the sheriff-he unwrapped the rock and held it out for all to see-then you and Otho would be paying a hefty fine."

Otho snorted after he'd leaned in close to observe what Bilbo held, and plopped back down in his chair.

"So?" He asked, throwing his hands up in the air, "How do you know for a fact my boy did that?"

Lobelia, smirking, turned her back and strolled over to stand beside her seated husband; "Any body, and I mean any body, could have written that! There's been much…talk about that fellow, eh, Bobbit…and you."

Little Lotho, looking rather pale, began to gnaw the finger nails of one hand, while his other hand picked at his face feverishly; Bilbo observed him for a moment before requesting: "Would you mind, sending your boy into the kitchen? I'd rather discuss this adult matter away from a child."

"Um…M-mister Bofur?" Lotho asked when he found the dwarf putting away dishes, "Mister Bilbo sent me to help you."

"Tell ye what," Bofur replied without turning around, "Why don't ye help me with putting away this lot o' dishes, and then I'll fetch somethin' sweet fer ye. Do ye agree, lad?"

Lotho hesitated, looked over his shoulder, and with the promise of a treat well within his grasp, he nodded eagerly.

"A'right," Bofur said with a smile, "C'mon then, and hand me the plates o'er there. You hand them over and I'll put them where they need to go."

For a few moments, Bofur talked while Lotho listened; any attempt to get the child to join him in casual conversation was proving fruitless until, when he placed a cup in its rightful place, Bofur said gently:

"I'm sorry yer Da' popped ye like that. Ye didn't deserve it."

The apology came so suddenly, that little Lotho almost dropped a plate; Bofur caught it easily and, after rolling it down his upraised arm and then popping it off his shoulder, he caught it with his other hand, and set it delicately in the cabinet.

"Wow!" Lotho gasped, "That was neat! Are you a juggler or something?"

Bofur chuckled and shook his head; "It's only somethin' we dwarves do," He explained cheerfully, "Instinct. Do ye like jugglers?"

Lotho hesitated and looked down the candle lit corridor leading to the den; "Eh…Mum and Dad…they don't want me to talk to you."

"Oh," Bofur sighed, "I see. Well, what do you want to do? Do ye want to talk to me?"

Lotho nodded very slowly and met Bofur's soft eyes. The young hobbit couldn't help but grin as Bofur did the same. But as quickly as it came, the grin vanished suddenly, and Lotho's eyes welled with guilty tears.

"I'm sorry about the window," Lotho said as he choked back sobs, "I…I just…Mum and Dad are always saying~"

Bofur leaned down and wiped the tears off of the boy's cheeks.

"Why'd ye not own up to then? The moment it happened, I mean? And what on earth possessed to write on it what ye did?"

Lotho sniffled and wiped his nose on his sleeve; "Mum and Dad…they say things about you and Mister Bilbo," He explained in a whimper, "They say that you two are…odd. Daddy uses that word all the time too!"

Bofur chuckled and made his way over to the kitchen fire place. "Many say yer family is odd as well," He countered, "The difference between you and I is that I'd never have chucked rocks at yer windows. And, honestly, I don't think yer proud that ye even did it. Am I right?"

Lotho nodded: "I was just…" He started to explain, but trailed off not knowing what to say.

"Ah, I see," Bofur mused, "Ye were tryin' to honor yer family then? Make them proud?"

Lotho nodded again; "They told me that you stole jobs away from hobbits when you opened your toy store and that Bilbo is gonna make you the heir of Bag End."

Bofur chuckled at Lotho's innocence and misperception; "Actually," He corrected, "I give Hobbits jobs. Recently I've had to employ hobbits to make deliveries to neighboring villages or I have them pick up supplies I need. And I'm only…a long-term house guest, not an heir."

Lotho sniffled and watched as Bofur pulled down a jar, opened it, and held out his large hand; waiting for the boy to come and take the cookie from him.

"Thank you," Lotho said as he took it tentatively, "I really am sorry about the window."

Bofur smiled; "I know ye are lad," He replied, "Hopefully now, you'll come in and say hello next time."