Acorn

We don't meet people by accident. They are meant to cross our path for a reason.

-Unknown-

It was the sight of a familiar barrel solitarily floating down the calm waters with an equally solitarily figure slumped over it that caught Bard's attention. The figure was small, and didn't seem to be moving, worried that it could be a child; he stirred his boat as close as possible and fished both barrel and body out. He laid the body flat on his boat floor, opened his mouth, finding nothing inside, Bard tilted the head back; keeping upward pressure on the jaw. He pinched the nostrils close with his thumb and forefinger, took a breath, covered his mouth over the other's and blow; watching out of the corner of his eyes for the chest to rise.

He blew twice before stopping, placing his hands on top of each at the center of the chest and pressed down a few times, when there was no sign of breathing; he did it all over again. Blowing into the child's mouth before pressing his back to chest and pressing down again, on the third time as he was blowing into the child's mouth, there was a sudden intake in breath. Bard moved back and rolled the now coughing child to his side to help the water exit better.

As he waited for the coughing to subside, Bard realized that the person he had rescued wasn't a child, at least he didn't think so, the face was child-like but the large hairy feet and sword told him to consider otherwise.

"Are you alright?" he asked when the coughing stopped.

The person jumped, and upon finally noticing him, scrambled back until he hit the post.

"It's alright" Bard reassured, "I mean you no harm"

The person blinked away the water dripping from his hair, small body shivering. Bard wanted to get him warm, but doesn't move closer, he isn't sure how the other would react to him being so close. With a tone he often used for his youngest child when she was frighten, he asked for the person's name.

"B-Bilbo" the person, apparently named Bilbo said.

"My name is Bard"

The one called Bilbo suddenly sneezed, finally giving in; Bard slipped off his coat and placed it on Bilbo's shoulders. Bilbo blinked, very much surprised, then after looking at Bard for reassurance; he slipped his arms through the sleeves and placed in on him properly. The coat, obviously was too big on him, sleeves fall over his hands and slipping off his shoulders, but he was warmer now and the scent didn't smell at all bad.

With him closer now, Bard got a better whiff of the other's scent, there was the obvious familiar smell of the lake but underneath it all was the scent of Omega. Bard held out his hand, after a long hesitation, Bilbo placed his hand in the man's and was helped up.

"Tell me Bilbo" Bard said after Bilbo was steady on his feet, "how did you end up adrift on the barrel?"

Bilbo's brow furrowed as he thought about how he came to be where he was, then his eyes widen.

"My friends!" he exclaimed startling Bard, "m-my friends! T-They w-were in the river a- and—" Bilbo trialed off into a whimper.

Moving closer, Bard placed his hand on top of Bilbo's head, and gently shushed him, "It's alright" he reassured, "we will find them"

Alive was something else entirely.

~.~

Fili watched as Dwalin dragged his struggling Uncle out of the water, and tried to keep him on the shore, the eldest Prince looked away and to the rest of the Company. Bombur and Bofur were having a time in keeping their cousin from jumping back into the water, their expressions one of pain. Dori had his youngest brother in his arms, speaking softly, Nori's hand was in Ori and Fili wasn't sure which one of them was shaking. Gloin and Oin were with his brother, Gloin had one hand on Kili's shoulder, Fili's usually happy bouncy sibling was somber, eyes dull as he watched Oin bandaged his leg.

"Fili"

Fili blinked when suddenly Balin was in front of him, like he and everyone else, Balin was soaked which made the elder Dwarf's expression of sadness and concern much worse.

"Balin" Fili said, voice tight and dry, eyes stinging but not because of the river.

Balin smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes, and he placed a hand on the prince's shoulder.

"There's nothing we can do" they heard Dwalin say, "Thorin!"

Fili and Balin looked and watched as Dwalin wrapped in Thorin in a type of bear-hug hold, the Alpha leader struggled until he let out a low whine and went limp against Dwalin.

Then there was nothing but silence.

As one, all eyes turned to the river, the river that claimed their Burglar; their Omega.

Fili whimpered.

Suddenly Ori yelping had all heads turning just in time to see an arrow be embedded into the branch Nori had used to defend him and his brothers. The man who attacked, quickly notched his bow and took aim.

"Wait!"

Fili's eyes widen and his heart stopped at the familiar voice and small figure stood in front of Nori.

"Bilbo!"

Ori was out of his brother's arms and wrapping his own around Bilbo who made a startled noise.

"You're alive" Ori breathed.

Bilbo stood in the Dwarf's arms, frozen, before he brought his own arms up and hugged Ori back. The Dwarf Omega made a soft noise, rubbing his cheek against Bilbo's before finally letting go and stepping back. Then Thorin is there, staring at Bilbo who squirmed and tugged nervously on his sleeve, making a surprised noise when the Alpha's big hands cupped his face. Slowly Thorin leaned and pressed his forehead against Bilbo's before burring his nose into the slightly damp curls and took a deep breath, after a moment of hesitation, one of Bilbo's hands came up and gripped Thorin's damp shirt.

"You did not tell me your friends were Dwarves"

The moment is broken, and all eyes look at the forgotten man, Thorin took a step back, one of his hands taking Bilbo's hand into his own as he glared at the man.

"It never accorded to me" Bilbo answered, his expression one of brief confusion.

"And who are you?" Thorin asked, teeth all but bared, instincts still sharp.

"He's Bard" Bilbo answered, "he saved me from the river and helped me find you"

"My apologizes for attacking" said Bard, "I saw the barrels, and thought you were thieves"

Balin's expression turned thoughtful, some of the Dwarves grumbled, going quiet when Thorin; after passing Bilbo over to Ori, approached the man. All eyes watched the two.

"Thank you" Thorin said, "for saving and helping our Omega"

Bard titled his head in acknowledgment, and after giving a soft smile to Bilbo, he went about collecting his barrels. A bit started when he was helped by the Dwarves.

"If I'm not mistaken" Balin said as he rolled a barrel to the nearby small port, "you're from Laketown"

"Aye" Bard said as they arrived at the small port where his barge was waiting, "I am"

"And that barge, it wouldn't happen to be available for hire would it?"

Bard doesn't say anything as he loaded up both his and Balin's barrel, making sure they stayed up right before turning his attention to Balin and the other Dwarves who had arrived, "I know where these barrel came from"

Thorin scowled, "What of it?"

"Whatever business you had with the Elves, it obviously didn't end well judging from the state of the barrels"

The Man loaded the rest of the barrel abroad, "No one enters Laketown but by leave of the Master. All his wealth comes from trade with the Woodland Realm. He will see you in irons before risking the wrath of King Thranduil"

The Company shifted, both nervous and impatient.

"If you can get us into the town unseen, we'll pay double" Balin haggled.

Next to Ori, Bilbo sneezed and sniffed, body shivering despite having the coat. Bard's expression softened. Then with a sigh, he nodded at Balin.

Bilbo and the Company climb aboard and soon they were off.

"Erm, Bard"

From where he stirring the barge toward his destination, Bard looked down at Bilbo who had folded and was holding out the man's coat.

"Thank you" Bilbo said.

"It is no trouble, however, I would feel much better if you kept it on for a little while longer" Bard said, "you are still shivering"

Bilbo looked at him, a bit surprised, before he nodded and put the coat back on; then after a look that was almost shy. Went back to Thorin and Dwalin, Dwalin grumbling about "smelly lake man" stinking up their Omega, Bard's lips twitched.

Meanwhile, Bilbo sniffed and huddled further into the coat, Gloin came up to him and lead him over to where had he been sitting previously. The Alpha settled Bilbo into his lap and wrapped his arms around him. It didn't take long for Bilbo suddenly feel warmer, warmer and a little sleepy.

Yawning, Bilbo cuddled closer and wondered if he had time for a nap.

~.~

When Bilbo emerged from the barrel of fish, a look of disgust, Bard gave the Omega an apologetic smile as he lifted him out the barrel and used the sleeve of his returned coat to wipe off the slim and scales from Bilbo's face once the Carrier was on his feet.

"Can I hit him?" he heard Dwalin growl.

He doesn't wait for an answer as he disembarked; he gave the dock keeper a coin to keep the man's silence, before leading the Company further into Laketown. He nearly to the market when his son is running toward him, he is alarmed when he sees that his child is alone.

"Da!"

"Bain, why are you by yourself?!" Bard said as he took hold of his son's arm, "where are your sisters?"

"At the house" Bain answered, "Da, the house is being watched…who are they?"

Bard doesn't answer, worried about how he was going to get thirteen Dwarves and a Hobbit into his house now. Suddenly he comes up with an idea, it wouldn't be pleasant and no doubt he would be yelled out, but it'll work.

"Are you sure I can't hit him?" Dwalin said to his brother when the Bard told them of his plan.

Ignoring that, Bard sets his plan in motion, leading his son and the Company through the market and around a few houses until he get to his destination. After he tells the Company what to do and wait for the signal. Bard and Bain head back to the market where they proceeded to purchase items that honestly, they needed for the house.

"That was a foolish thing you did" Bard said as he waited for his purchase to be wrapped.

"But Da, our house—"

"Then you should have let your sister come warn me" Bard said quietly, tone harsh. "or used the system we had set up. You know the Master has his eye on you. You could have been caught by Alfred or one of the soldiers"

Bain flinched at the thought and his father's tone, while Bard sighed. He didn't want to be so hard on his son, but he needed his son to understand the danger. The danger of being the only male Omega in the town, and the desire of the Master, though his son had two more years before he was of marrying age; it didn't matter to the Master. Bard knew the man's soldiers had orders to capture his son, should the opportunity arise.

"Here you go Bard"

"Thank you" Bard said, taking the package, "come on" he then said to his son who quietly followed.

"….I'm sorry Da" Bain quietly said after a long walk of silence, "I didn't mean to leave the house alone, but—" Bain trialed off, making a low distress sound.

Bard stopped, wrapped an arm around his child and pulled him in closer, rumbling. "I know, I know" he soothed, "I just worry"

Bain made a soft noise, taking in the scent of his father, brows furrowing when he caught the scent of another Omega. Figuring it must have come from their…guests, Bain dismissed it.

"Come" Bard then said, "your sisters are no doubt worried"

And their guests were probably getting impatient.

~.~

Bilbo really wanted a bath, preferable using a year worth of soap, something must have shown on his face because some moment later, Bard's oldest child, an Alpha female of all things! Sigrid approached him with a clean set of clothes and directions to a room that was separated by a hanging sheet. Thanking the young woman, Bilbo headed over and behind the sheet, he found a waiting bowl of hot water and a rag. It wasn't a bath, but he felt much better than before after he wiped himself down and changed clothing. Though he felt his nose had become stuffer and there was the beginnings of an headache.

When he emerged from behind the sheet, he asked where he could put his dirty clothing and they were taken away by Sigrid to who knows where. With nothing much else to do, Bilbo started making his way over to Ori who had just gotten a new set of clothing, when he stopped and backtracked.

"Kili"

Kili looked up from his injured leg that was throbbing to Bilbo, green eyes filled with worry.

"I'm alright" the Alpha reassured.

Bilbo glanced at his leg, then up at the Dwarf's face, his bite his bottom lip before speaking, "No, you're not" he said, "has Oin looked at it?"

Kili nodded, "He couldn't do more then wrap it at the time"

He expected Bilbo to ask why he wasn't asking Oin to check over his leg now that they were somewhere more stable, instead, Bilbo went and brought the elder Alpha over.

"Kili's leg is hurting him" Bilbo told the Medic, before he settled down and cuddled up close to Kili.

Kili felt his cheeks get warm, but he didn't complain, which was odd. Usually he hated it when he was fussed over, especially now. He didn't want his brother, or worse his Uncle to think he couldn't handle it.

"Hmm" Oin said after unwrapped the bandage and saw the wound.

Bilbo sneezed.

Oin gave Bilbo a considering look before going back to the wound, "I'll see if our host has any herbs" he said after poking and probing, and turned to do just that, "for the both of you" he then mumbled.

~.~

"I did not know, that women could be Alphas"

From where he was in the kitchen, helping Oin grind up some herbs; Bard blinked and looked in the direction of Bilbo and Ori. Surprised and bewildered he looked over the rest of the Company for some clues and found that they themselves didn't look surprised. Instead they looked sad, angry and resigned.

"They can" Ori said after a moment, "in fact, Dwalin and Balin's mother was an Alpha, yes?"

"That's right" Balin nodded, "as were Gloin and Oin's mother"

"Do Hobbits not have Alpha women Mr. Baggins?" asked Sigrid

"…It's mostly Betas, and some….Alpha men"

Bard's brow furrowed at Bilbo's tone, something wasn't right, and the way the Dwarves were acting only made him more curious and suspicious.

"And Omegas?" asked Bain

Bilbo is silent, and everyone waited on an answer, each with very different reasons.

"We're….rare" Bilbo finally answered.

"Perhaps" Bard said when his son opened his mouth to ask another question, "we should hold off the question until later, I believe there was a request for weapons"

The Company didn't take the second-hand weapons well, mostly the Alphas of the group, Bilbo was too busy cuddling up and dozing on the other Omega Ori, shoulder; who, after hearing more grumbling. Scowled at them.

"You lot are being very rude, yes, we paid him" Ori said as he stood, giving the dozy blinking Bilbo an apologetic look before looking back and giving each of the Dwarves a very disappointed look, "for transport and weapons, he has done that and beyond what is expected of him. Besides all of us at one point have done with less"

"That is true" Balin agreed, "we have done with less, perhaps we should take what is given"

Thorin huffed, sighing, Balin pulled the Pack Alpha aside, "Thorin" he whispered, "be reasonable"

Bard froze, out of the whole Company, Bilbo, Balin, Dwalin, and Ori were the only names he knew. The other Dwarves had been very quiet about their own. This wasn't surprising considering that they were a suspicious race in general and that the Company was obviously trying to keep a low profile. That being said, the name Thorin sounded very familiar and made something like dread lodge in his chest.

So after pouring the crushed herbs in a cup then the heated water, he gave it to Bilbo who thanked him in a sleepy voice. Bard smiled, he looked over at his eldest who was now helping Oin with the injured Dwarf's leg. He goes over to Bain.

"Don't let them leave" he whispered to his son.

Bain looked confused, but nodded and watched his father leave.

~.~

"Absolutely not!"

From where he was sitting next to a sleeping Bilbo, Bifur watched with amusment as Thorin and most of the company tried and very much failing to get Bain to move so they could leave and raid the armory. The Omega was firmly standing his ground and was not budging. His eldest sister was giggling quietly while his youngest looked on bemused. Bifur wondered if he should point out that they could just use the toilet again, and then decided that this was too much fun.

"You can't leave" Bain said, "it's too dangerous"

Thorin grumbled and looked to Balin for help, the older Dwarf sighed and stepped closer.

"Laddie—"

"You could get caught" Bain said before the Dwarf could speak more.

"We won't" Dwalin tried to reassure.

"But you could" said the Omega.

"And then who'll look after Bilbo?" Sigrid spoke up.

The Company looked over at Bilbo, who wheezy breathing filled in the near uncomfortable silence that had fallen.

"She has a point" Bofur said finally.

There were murmurs of agreement, none of the Alphas were comfortable with leaving their sick Omega alone, even more so if they got caught and imprisoned.

"Perhaps" Balin cleared his throat, "we should re-plan"

Thorin looked away from Bilbo, then with a sigh nodded.

"You are right"

As Thorin, Balin, and Dwalin discussed what to do, Kili limped over and carefully settled next to Bilbo, the Omega made a soft sound before turning over and snuggling up against the young Alpha. Cheeks flushing slightly and ignoring the small teasing grin Bifur was giving him, the young Prince turned his attention to the rest of the Company. While his Uncle and cousins were quietly trying to come up with a new plan the others of the Company had scattered about. Ori was writing in his red journal that had remarkably survived the journey thus far, occasionally the Omega would look in their direction with a worried frown before going back to the big red book.

Dori was redoing an oddly completive Nori's hair; Bombur was talking with Sigrid, mostly likely about food. Bofur was smoking in a corner with Gloin and Oin, His brother was using one of his many knives to show Tilda how to hold and use it; Kili has a feeling Bard would approve.

"Are you sure about this Thorin?" said Balin, gaining Kili's and most of the Company's attention.

Thorin nodded before looking at Bard's children, "Tell me about the Master of Laketown"

~.~

When Bard returned, he had honestly expected the Dwarves to be gone, not Thorin preparing to speak with the Master.

"While I admire using the Master's greed against him" Bard said after Balin explained what his leader was about to do, "you can't, you can't go into that mountain. You'll bring death upon us all!"

Thorin paused and looked at the other Alpha, "You will not stop me" he said

Bard could try, he knew, but he was vastly outnumbered, and there were his children to think about, "You have no right to enter that mountain" he said in one last desperate attempt.

"I have the only right"

~.~

The Master was more than happy to accommodate the Company after Thorin had presented the Beta with a jeweled ring that he had pried from Gloin, and promised more should the man give him aid. He even proved the herbs needed for Bilbo's cold, though it seemed nothing would help Kili's leg.

"I will have to leave him behind" Thorin thought with regret that night as he watched the Company celebrate in the new lodgings and food that was provided.

Honestly, he wanted to leave Bilbo behind, safely with Bard (he had seen the way Bain had shivered at the mention of the Master), but Gandalf had made good points when he had brought up their burglar being a Hobbit. They were quiet on their feet, something the Company had discovered on multiple incidents. And the scent thing he wasn't so sure about, as any unidentifiable scent would arouse Smuag's suspicion, if the Dragon was alive that was.

"I'll have Bilbo bath before leaving" Thorin thought looking over at the small Omega who was quietly cradling his drink with Kili, looking much better than earlier.

Bilbo had yet to stray far from his youngest's side, something that Omegas often did when one of theirs was injured or ill, and though he knew it was most likely instinctual, Thorin couldn't help but approve and feel a little relief that Bilbo was slowly becoming more and more like an Pack Omega, their Pack Omega.

The Pack Alpha made his way over and sat on the other side of Bilbo, lips curling up when Bilbo didn't jump or even blink at him. Still, carefully he leaned closer and nuzzled the blonde curls, a deep rumble erupting from his chest. When he pulled back, he pressed a little closer and was pleased when after a long moment; a hand came and gripped his sleeve.

~.~

The day they leave, Lake Town's people see them off, the Master gives them a speech and they are four members less.

"Alright?"

Looking away at the horizon the bottle was sailing to, Bilbo looked over his shoulder at Ori.

"I'm a little nervous" Bilbo whispered.

"We all are" the Omega whispered back, "even Thorin"

Bilbo looked at the Alpha sitting at the head of the boat, face expressionless; he then looked back at Ori with a raised brow.

"Deep, deep, down he is" Ori smiled, laughter in his voice.

Bilbo giggled softly.

~.~

"What have we done?"