~:~ Astrid ~:~

"Oh, she's so beautiful," Dis cooed, holding her new niece in her arms. "Even if she was an accident, you two did a wonderful job again."

Bilbo smiled proudly and looked at his dwarf who was trying so desperately to stay awake. He went to him and stroked his forehead. "Thorin, love. You've done a lot today. Go to sleep. She'll be here when you wake."

"'m not tired," he said sleepily. "What if she needs me?"

"If she's anything like Myrida, she won't be needing you for a while," Bilbo replied softly. "Go to sleep, Thorin. You won't be any help to her if your not well-rested."

Thorin grunted and closed his eyes. "You're having the next one," he muttered before he drifted off.

Bilbo kissed his forehead and closed the door quietly behind him, joining Dis and the rest of the Company in the common room.

"How is he?" Dis asked, still holding the baby.

"Tired," Bilbo answered. "This one was really hard on him." He sighed but shook off the memory of seeing his husband in true pain during labor.

"What's her name?" Oin asked.

"Astrid."

"A beautiful name," Ori sighed happily.

"Aye, she's very beautiful, lad," Dwalin agreed. "Thorin named her?"

Bilbo nodded to the warrior then looked to Dis. "For Yavanna's sake, Dis, let everyone else see her," he laughed.

"Oh, but she's so perfect," Dis argued, holding Astrid close to her. "She looks like you-"

"-Except she has Uncle's nose," Fili said, crinkling his own nose. "Poor lass."

Dis elbowed him. "Hush, you have your own child to worry about. He might have Kili's brains."

Fili rolled his eyes and went over to his lover who was cradling their infant son. "Don't listen to her, Kee. He'll be as strong like you."

"I'm sure your mother meant no harm by it, Fili," Bilbo tsked. He took Astrid from Dis who was probably never going to let the others see the new baby and handed her to Ori.

Nori cooed, looking over his brother's shoulder. "Another little one to spoil."

"Not too much," Bilbo reminded him.

"But Thorin spoils them too," Nori and Bofur argued (they're the ones who have spoiled Myrida and Frerin the most).

"Against my wishes let me tell you," the hobbit said.

"Oh, but children deserve to be loved, Bilbo," Dis sighed, gazing at Astrid over Ori's other shoulder after having pushed Dwalin out of the way. "More than anything."

"Dwarfs," he muttered under his breath.

"When is the celebration?" Kili asked.

"Whenever Thorin is up to it," Bilbo replied. "Maybe tomorrow. I was going to try to convince him to stay in tonight, but he is quite stubborn."

"Is he still chubby?"

Bilbo gave the young dwarf a look. "Excuse me?"

"Is Uncle still chubby?"

Dis whacked him upside the head. "He just birthed his daughter, you idiot," she said exasperatedly. "You were a little heavier when you had your first son."

"Yes, and I'd appreciate it if none of you mention Thorin's weight any time between now and ever," Bilbo informed the lot. "He's very touchy about that seeing how Astrid was an accident and he didn't have enough time after Myrida to lose the baby weight. I made mention to it a few weeks ago and well, I think you know how that went."

The dwarfs nodded in understanding of the extremely hormonal pregnant dwarf Thorin had been.

"Where are my other children?" Bilbo asked the room, knowing someone in the Company had them.

"They're with Frerin," Dwalin answered. "Would you like me to fetch them?"

"Yes, please," he nodded quickly.

Dwalin elbowed Dis who was still watching Astrid from over Ori's shoulder. "Dis, go get your brother."

She turned and narrowed her eyes at him. "Why?"

"Because you're not letting us see the wee babe," he reasoned.

"Bilbo," she tried with the hobbit.

He shrugged and held up his hands. "He does have a point."

"Oh, fine," she groaned. "But I want to hold her again when I return."

"After Frerin and the children see her," Bilbo called after her as she scurried from the room.

"Let me hold her," Bofur said beside Ori.

The dwarf handed her over and Bofur's eyes lit up and his smile grew. "Oh, you are a wee special child."

"I'm going to check on Thorin," Bilbo announced before slipping into the bedroom. He and Thorin have had two kids already; he's learned to trust the dwarfs with them.

The dwarf king was snoring softly on the bed and Bilbo fought the urge to join him. He'd either wake him or fall asleep and abandon his company. He sat at the edge of the bed and watched his husband sleep. As much as he regretted getting Thorin pregnant again so soon after Myrida was born, he knew it was all worth it to see their beautiful child out in the world and his tired husband wanting to be close to her. He leaned and kissed Thorin's brow before joining the dwarfs outside.

Dori was holding Astrid when he returned. The mother hen in him was showing again as he refused to let Nori hold her and kept Ori at bay. He held her for a few minutes then giving her to Balin.

Truth be told, these dwarfs were smitten with her as well as Frerin and Myrida. These wee dwobbits had all of them, especially Thorin, wrapped around their fingers.

The front door opened and Dis and her brother with Myrida and Frerin in tow entered. Myrida, less than three, reached for Dwalin from her uncle's arms.

Cat calls and wolf whistles were heard as the warrior took her from the other's arms. "Shut it," he grumbled gruffly to the others before cooing cutely at Myrida.

Bifur handed Astrid to Frerin (Thorin's brother) and he immediately fell in love with her as all the dwarfs did.

"Oh, she's so amazing, Bilbo," the dwarf said in awe. "What's her name?"

"Astrid. Thorin said it reminded him of the stars," Bilbo replied with a smile.

"How is he? My brother?"

"Tired. He's resting now."

Frerin, not having much experience with small babes and not wanting to learn right now, handed Astrid back to Bilbo. He sat down beside Dwalin who was letting Myrida play with his beard.

The hobbit took a seat next to Ori and called his son up. The boy looked at the new babe. "This is your new sister," Bilbo said softly. "Her name is Astrid."

"She's pretty," he smiled. "She looks like you, Papa."

"Yes, she does." Bilbo watched his son go quiet for a moment and he knew he was going to ask about Thorin. "When Daddy wakes up, we'll go see him. Alright?"

Frerin nodded and leaned against his papa, looking at the little baby in Bilbo's arms. "Papa?"

"Yes, dear?"

"You still love me, right?" he asked quietly.

Bilbo's heart clenched and he gave his new daughter to Dis who was more than happy to hold her again. He gathered Frerin in his arms and kissed his head. "Of course I still love you, my baby. You were my first little one, and I'll always love you. Forever."

"Promise?"

"I promise," Bilbo smiled.

He looked around the room. Bofur and Bifur were, most likely, discussing new toys for the children. Bombur and Balin were speaking about the celebration and its feast. Gloin was telling Frerin the Older about his wife and his son Gimli. Dis, Ori, and Nori were cooing over Astrid. Dwalin, Dori, Fili, and Kili were on the floor playing with Fili's son and Myrida. Ah, this is the life Bilbo has come to had.

And he wouldn't trade any of it for the world.