I have returned! But not with a vengeance...In fact, my stories might be put on hiatus. Hopefully temporary hiatus but it's hard to say right now. Still, here's the next chapter. Enjoy!

The day before the tea party, Alicia had a large family of kids to help serve. They made so much noise that Alicia was already inwardly grimacing at the idea of getting allthese kids, who seme to be on some kind of feild trip, to sit still enough to eat and not make too big a mess.
The few adults there certainly didn't seem bothered in the slightest as they kept envious calm demeanors as they delegated.
Alicia had never before made so much soups, cut so many slices of pies or refilled so many glasses of apple juice before. But that was not the worst of it. The worst was when the dreaded cat lady, Lobellia, came in with her kids. Alicia was not sure if tey were all hers or if she was watching some too. But her merciles demands to have 'exactly two bites of tangerines in each child's plate', and to split half orange juice, half water to dilute the strong tangy taste' was really grating on Alicia's nerves. Not to mention that her little group of 'angelic handfulls' were really just moknies in clothes. There wsn't really any way Lobellia could have known Alicia worked there, but the hobbit lady certainly took advantage of it!
Alicia took some comfort in seeing that she was not the only worker peeved at the chaos of today.
During the day of the scheduled tea party, Alicia thought she'd try to dress a little nicer than a bar maid, and maybe bringing a nice deser for the two to enjoy. Alicia bought an apple pie from the inn and went down to go see Bilbo. Food seemed to always be a nice gift as far as hobbits were concerned so It's not like she could go wrong with the treat right? Well, unless he didn't like apples or already had too much pies in his kitchen already.
Wait, did presenting food have someother hidden meaning she didn't know? What if she could be inadvertantyly trying to impress Bilbo and he took it as her trying to ask for a date or something? Or what if it was an insult to bring food to the Host's house implying that he didn'tknow how to provide for his geusts? Was she over thinking this? Of course she was. Alicia rolled her eyes at herself at her silly thoughts, strolling down the bright road until she saw her familiar friend lounging against a tree, humming his own tune. His features brightened a little more at seeingher approach.
"Good afternoon Miss Alicia." He greeted.
"A good afternoon to you too Mister Bilbo. Look I brought some apple pie if you like. If you don't that's fine too really I just thought it would be considerate to bring a little something. It felt a little awkward showing up empty handed and all-"
The Hobbit went through three different reactions from her justifications. Deleighted, confused and now amused. He chuckled and waved it off. " That's quite alright Miss Alicia really. It's a kind thought thank you. It shall be a nice compliment later." He held out his hands to take it from her. "Allow me please."
Alicia smiled and obliged as he kindly took the parcel from her to free up her hands.
"What do you think of the Shire thus far?" Bilbo started the conversation lightly.
"It's a beautiful place. I don't think I've quite seen so much green before. I usually see blue where I'm from unless you go further inland." Alicia recalled. " It is such a peaceful place."
" Really? Where you from if I may ask?" Bilbo asked.
"The ocean." SHe said simply, earning another odd look from the hobbit.
"The ocean? As in straight out of the water?" he inquired. " I'd expect to see fins and gills on you otherwise." Bilbo joked.
Alicia snickered lightly. " You're right. Heh, no I'm from an island called Zephyr in the Sundering Sea."
"Zephyr.." Bilbo hummed. " No I have never heard of the place. Is it before or after the Undying lands?"
"The Undying lands?" Now Alicia was echoing him. " I'm afraid I've never heard of that place either, though I've seen some maps that point in the general direction. But my island isn't on a map I've ever seen while being in Middle Earth either. I suppose I'm somewhere between the two? Maybe even further?"
Bilbo pursed his lips as he held open the gate to his home. " How sad. it sounds as if you're in quite the predicament. If none of our maps can show you the way home, and am I correct in assuming you do not know the way by memory?"
"Yes." The islander admitted. Once steppig inside his little gate, she had stopped suddenly at the sight of the garden that was spread about his home. At the front all the plants were in pots, small sprouts or wide blooimg flowers that lived better in the pots were organzied in a way that allowed him to reach every one. "What beautiful plants you have. I've never even seen some of these even in plant encyclopedias." Alicia awed at the colorful variety. A pleasant smell wafted up to her as she approached them for a better look.
Bilbo seemed to puff with pride at the compliments. " AH yes. I do quite enjoy my garden. Once they've matyured enough in the pots, I take them to decorate my fence in the back, or near my garden." Bilbo tilted his head as he pondered aloud. " Hmm, being from an island I can only imagine you must have flowers exotic to that of the Shire too."
Alicia smiled to him. " Yes, indeed we do. Many of our flowers are two toned in color in an ombre' style, with leaves that are like rippling fans or long grass." SHe turned back to gently touch one of his brightly blooming flowers. " Your flowers here have bigger heads and are single toned. What are these?" She pointed to the ball of yellow pedals beside her.
" That is called Dahlia." Bilbo said near her. He smiled proudly at his collection. " It was a favorite of my mother's too."
Alicia's smile stretched a little more. She could tell that he was very close with his parents by tge way he smiled in fondness at the dahlias in front of him. Near the round green door of his home was another pot. In it was one long straight stem with only a few leaves on it. "And what is this one? Or rather what will it be?"
"Ah, that is an acorn tree sprout." Bilbo answered. " I collected the acorn during one of my...travels, and I brought it back as a keepsake and reminder. One day I plan to plant it just over my hill." The hobbit's head craned upwards to gaze just at the roof of his home, no doubt to imagine where exactly the sapling would go. There was a subtle change in tone between the mentioning of the different plants. This time he spoke of the acorn tree with a meloncholy undertone, and eyes that looked distant. She wondered what the real situation was, but chose not to inquire in something that wasn't technically her business.
Bilbo cleared his throat as he opened the door. He walked inside and sat the pie on the table. Behind him, Alicia closed the door. She turned and marveled atthe beautiful and homely sight about her. She smiled at how everything was so, round in shape.
"First time seeing a hobbit's smial too?" Bilbo smirked from the archway to his kitchen as he watched her.
Alicia offered an apologetic smile. "Yes. sorry for staring. It's a lovely home."
The hobbit merely chuckled. " Thank you Miss Alicia. Please do make yourself comfortable. I'll have tea ready in a moment. I thought a nice cheese stuffed chicken lunch with fresh honeyed rolls and mixed vegetables would be a good choice."
"Oh that's sound wonderful. May I help with something?" she offered.
"oh no no. I have everything taken care need only kick up your feet and relax." Bilbo called out in return. The hobbit seemed quite excited to have a guest over. Perhaps he didn't often get visitors. Zinnia's words echoed in her head as she thought about this. 'Mad old baggins'. He didn't seem all that crazy to her. At least not now anyway.
Looking around she could easily tell he was a fellow of goegraphy. He had books stacked on te ground or shoved on bookshelves, chests that didn't seem to want to close and papers that had maps drawn on them.
" You must love to travel." She said.
"Hm? Oh well. I've always had a love of maps, ever since my mother was around. She always brang back keepsakes during her travels and of course, the most detailed maps." Bilbo answered. " I no doubt got the interest from her."
"Do you travel a lot?" she asked as bilbo served tea and buiscuts on a tray and sat across from her.
"Not nearly as often as my mother, wonderful lady, but yes I have been outside the Shire."
The hobbit nodded with a light smile on his face. "A part of my heart will always be here in the Shire always."
Alicia glanced at him side long. WHat an oddly nostalgic thing to say. " Are you planning on leaving anywhere again?"
She noticed he was quiet before answering. " Yes. Soon, I shall be venturing to a few friends' home."
Alicia wasn't sure if it was a good idea to press it. Maybe if she used a more tactful approach. She smiled and complimented the tea.
"I rather enjoyed adventures myself. My friends and I used to go on smaller ones when we all had the time."
"What made you want to come to Middle Earth?"
"That was completely accidental." She started. " We were just suppose to go on a camping trip, but then it took a turn for the worst." She explained all what happened with the orcs, her friends, the ship and right up to reaching the Shire with the rangers.
Bilbo was quite attentative as he listened. His brown eyes wide with interest as she spoke.
"You don't sound like you were very frightened." he asked at the end.
Alicia merely gave a small shrug. " Frightened? Not that often as I expected to be I guess. Worried, yes."
Bilbo had a contemplative look on his face. " And what now? Are you going to try to get back home or make a new life here?"
At this, ALicia's shoulder's dropped. " I, I really don't know. I don't feel in a big rush to go home, as I know what's there already. This place is new to me, and I'd like to know more about it. That may sound weird or ridiculous I know.."
"Not at all." Bilbo interupted her. " An adventerous spirit, not so uncommon amongst Men. You should take the chance of discovery while you still can. Worry not about what others think too much unless it happens to warn of dangers of course." He only half joked.
Her eyes flickered up to him from her tea cup. Both had fallen silent until Bilbo spoke again. " You have the most curious eyes I've ever seen. Does everyone where you're from have such peculiar purple eyes?"
"Not all have purple." She answered casually, then with a small smile, " The people from my home are known to have colorful eyes."
On that note she did think more about just how, different, she was. She had a gold/olive skin tone, was tall for a woman and more muscularly built, her hair was a dark brown curly top, and of course, even her accent was different. She must stick out better than a sore thumb.
It wasn't nearly as important as her first train of thought to her though and so she asked. " If you don't mind my asking, is that why they call you Mad old baggins? Doesn't seem to be a very good reason to consider you crazy."
"Ah, well partly. The other part was becuase I actually went on my own adventure. Oh excuse me a moment." Bilbo got up to check on the meal before coming back. "My mother was very respectable around the Shire and so despite her adventures they still treated her with a polite respect for the most part. Then, a year ago I decided to go on one and I come back to see I was presumed dead and all my wares being auctioned off! Hmph!" The hobbit bristled comically before sitting back down.
"Oh, and for that now you're considered, unusual?" Alicia asked in disbelief.
"To a human that is nothing un-ordinary, so I understand your confusion." Bilbo offered a patient smile. " Things are different amongst us hobbits is all. So yes. I am considered, a 'less respectable hobbit' for it. Anything even slightly unusual is generally frowned upon and avoided for a ranger to investigate instead. The rangers are hired to help keep The Shire safe you might have noticed."
" Do you regret going?" Alicia asked in a softer voice before taking another sip.
"I certainly do not in the slightest. Respectable reputation be stomped upon." Bilbo answered, sticking out his chin proudly after pouring another cup.
"It was not just an adventure, a quest unlike any I have ever read in my books. One that certainly taught me a great deal about experiencing life rather than just reading about it. It's nicer to have real friends rather than heroes in a story." He stated, though it was obvious there was sad notes in his story.
"What kind of quest? What happened?" She couldn't help but ask.
The hobbit's hazel eyes went misty and sad as he looked back up. " A quest to take back what was unjustly stolen...and It failed."

dun Dun DUUUUN! It failed?! Don't beat me, I know that's the last thing we want to have happen to everyone, but if you know me then you know I looooves me some unexpected twists. And this one is a doozy of a twist I know. So You have a wonderful week/rest of the week and see ya next time.