Bofur awoke in the bed alone; his waking fingers reaching out behind him and finding no warm body next to his own.

"Bilbo?" He called gently, forcing himself to sit up. Their bedroom door was closed and the distant sounds of chatter and clanging pots could be heard.

Bofur made a surprised sound; usually, after a night like the one they'd had, he'd often wake with hobbit nestled in his arms or firmly into his back.

Pulling on a robe that Bilbo had gifted him last year at Yule Time, Bofur headed into the kitchen, greeted by his smiling brother.

"Mornin' lover!" the younger dwarf bellowed, earning the approving laughter of the other three, "And how are you this fine morning?"

Bofur stared from his sibling, to the others, and then behind his shoulder before asking:

"Where's Bilbo?"

Nori, smoking his pipe, cleared his throat and said: "Out."

"Whaddya mean, out?" Bofur asked in a loud yawn, "Did he say where?"

"The market," Dwalin explained, "Apparently the ham we devoured while the two of ye were…well, we ate it."

Groaning, and taking the cup of coffee Bombur handed to him, Bofur sat with a loud plop next to Nori whom chuckled at the sight of him.

"Got some?" Nori asked, picking at his finger nails with a dagger once more and giving Bofur a wicked smile.

Bofur shrugged; "Do ye really want to know?"

"No!" Dwalin spat, then cringed.

"Oh, I doubt it's no more disgusting than some of the tales you've told about your dalliances with women!" Nori pointed out with a laugh.

Bofur took part in the laughter and early morning conversation; yet as he sipped his coffee, his worry deepened. It wasn't like Bilbo, regardless of the condition of their pantry, to leave without waking him first.

"Eat up!" Bombur insisted, "You look too thin for a dwarf!"

Bofur looked down at the plate his brother had presented to him and, while it looked delicious, he couldn't bring himself to pick up his fork.

"I think…I think I'll get me self dressed first," He explained and got up and hurried into the bedroom before anyone could protest.

He's mind was in a flurry; Though last night it seemed that all his worries had been put to rest, even still, the dwarf was troubled greatly.

"At least eat a little before you go runnin' off!" Bombur protested, "It's a new recipe I'd love to have ye try!"

Bofur waved his hands; "Save it fer me!" He called over his shoulder as he opened the front door, "And keep Dwalin away from it until I get back!"

"Hey!" Dwalin began to argue but Bofur had slammed the door behind him before another word could be heard.

"Oh…" Bofur breathed, stopping in his tracks and spying Bilbo with someone else who was leaning limply upon the mail box, and he hurried over to them.

"Frodo Baggins? What on earth are ye doin' here?" Bofur demanded, kneeling down on one knee and looking the young hobbit over, "Where's yer kin?"

"He ran away," Bilbo explained flatly, "I found-or rather-he found me in the marketplace."

The little hobbit looked nervously at the wide-eyed dwarf, and offered a faint smile. "I don't want to live over at Brandy Hall any more."

Bofur couldn't help but chuckle and he patted the boy on his shoulder; "Well…it would have been nice if ye had given us a heads up first!"

"Bofur," Bilbo seethed, "We are not supporting this! He has to go back! They must be fraught with worry!"

"I don't want to go back!" Frodo whimpered, and then looking desperately at Bofur, he leapt into the dwarf's arms and began to sob.

Exchanging worried glances, Bofur picked the tiny hobbit up and with Bilbo nodding, carried him inside Bag End.

With the dwarf's back turned to him, Bilbo quickly hid the letter he didn't want Bofur to ever see, into his trouser pocket.