Bilbo was dreaming. He was dreaming of a different life in a place called Middle Earth. He was a Hobbit on an adventure with 13 dwarfs to reclaim their homeland. He remembered saving Thorin's life on the cliff, then helping the dwarfs escape from Mirkwood. The riddle game he had with Gollum to gain the ring. Tricking the dragon, stealing the Arkenstone, Thorin banishing him before reconciling with him as he died in his arms. He had confessed his love to the King, but they couldn't save him. Then, he woke up.
He was in a hospital. He knew what the ceiling of a hospital looked like. Being a cop he was shot before and frequented hospitals. He heard beeping, indicating the machine that monitored his heart. He took a deep breath before opening his eyes. His vision was blurry, but he could make out the shape asleep by his bed. It was Thorin Oakenshield, King Under the Mountain. "Thorin?" he rasped out. His throat felt terrible.
Thorin thought he heard his name and jerked awake. When he looked to the bed, he saw Bilbo's eyes were open. "Bilbo, thank God," he said before leaning down and kissing Bilbo. "Thank God, you're all right."
"Smaug?"
"He's dead. Bard shot him in the head." Bilbo nodded before gesturing to his mouth. "Do you want some water?" When his Hobbit nodded, Thorin immediately got the water cup on Bilbo's tray and brought the straw to his lips. Bilbo took a small sip before taking another one. Thorin set the cup on the tray and kissed Bilbo's hand. "I love you so much, Bilbo. Don't you ever do that again." Bilbo chuckled before groaning in pain.
"Don't make me laugh," he said. Thorin chuckled as he ran his hand through his hair. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," he said. "All I can say is thank God I had Oin at the house. Though, your partner Legolas seemed to be well versed in medical knowledge."
"Legolas did two years of med school before dropping out."
"Why?"
"To piss off his father and to honor his mother. She was a cop and was killed in the line of duty," Bilbo said before Thorin stood up. "Where are you going?"
"I'm going to get the doctor." Thorin left the room to get his doctor, who just happened to be Legolas' father, Thranduil.
"Welcome back to the land of the living, Detective Inspector Baggins."
"Thanks, Doc," Bilbo said. Thranduil checked his eyes, his heart rate on the machine before looking at his chart. "So, what's the verdict, Doc?"
"You'll live," Thranduil said. "As if there were any doubt. I am one of the best surgeons in this establishment," he added causing Bilbo and Thorin to chuckle, but Bilbo grasped his side. "Yeah, your side is going to hurt for a while."
"How long was I on the table?"
"A couple of hours," Thranduil said. "How's your pain? One to ten."
"It's about five."
"Well, I'll have a nurse check on you in ten minutes," the doctor elf said as he signed off on something on the chart. "By then you'll be up to ten," he added before ducking out of the room.
"Doctor," Thorin spoke up causing Thranduil to turn around. "Thank you," he said causing the former elf king to nod his head to him before heading back to finish his rounds.
Thorin headed back to Bilbo's bed side and sat down. "Are you okay?" Bilbo asked.
"Smaug couldn't touch me," Thorin said. "Don't you ever do that to me again, Bilbo Baggins. You hear me?"
"I've been shot before. It comes with the territory of being a cop," Bilbo said. "However, you never have to worry about me launching myself at an Orc any time soon." Thorin chuckled before grabbing Bilbo's left hand which was free of an IV line, brought it up to his lips and kissed it.
"I fear my stubbornness may have rubbed off on you," he said causing Bilbo to chuckle. "Can you ever forgive me?"
"For what?" Bilbo asked.
"Dying on you," Thorin said and Bilbo scoffed.
"It couldn't be helped. You were wounded."
"I should have said something sooner instead of... making a dying declaration."
"Don't worry about that now," Bilbo said. "We have each other and apparently we've had a four year relationship that we've just rekindled." Thorin chuckled as he kissed Bilbo's hand.
"I love you with all my heart Bilbo Baggins."
"I love you, too," Bilbo said.
"We just need to get you better." Bilbo chuckled as Thorin stroked his hand. "Why don't you get some sleep, hmm?" His Hobbit nodded before drifting off to sleep and he placed a soft kiss on his forehead.
Ten minutes later, a nurse arrived just as Bilbo woke up in pain. She administered the proper dosage and ten minutes later, Bilbo was sleeping pain free again.
Thorin headed down the waiting room where he knew the Company was waiting for news on their Hobbit. Fili and Kili were the first to see him and stood up from their chairs. "How's Bilbo?" Kili asked.
"Is he going to be okay?" Fili asked.
"Yes and yes. Dr. Greenleaf is a fine surgeon and Bilbo is expected to recover," Thorin said.
"Told you," Legolas said putting a magazine he was reading down. "Now that that news is out of the way, I'll head back to the station and spread the word." He grabbed his jacket and began to walk out of the waiting room, stopping at Thorin's side. "Tell Bilbo I'll come back around to check on him, on one of my father's days off," he said causing Thorin to chuckle.
"Did the stalking up in Scotland not go very well?" he asked.
"It didn't even get off. He canceled on me."
"I thought it was his idea," Ori said and Legolas shrugged, putting on his coat. He shook Thorin's hand before leaving the hospital.
"There's something you're not telling us, laddie," Balin said.
"Bilbo has his memories back," Thorin said with a smile. Kili's smile grew and he went to take off down the hall to Bilbo's room, but his uncle stopped him. "He is sleeping, Kili. You can all come back in the morning when he's rested."
The next morning, Bilbo was up and laughing with the company the first minute of visiting hours. Kili and Fili stuck to his side like glue. They had their uncle Bilbo back. At some point it got too noisy and Dr. Thranduil kicked them all out. Thorin visited every day.
First, they would go for a walk, first with Bilbo in a wheelchair pushed by Thorin and when he was strong enough, he would walk the halls with Thorin at his side. After about a month in the hospital, Bilbo was released. Thorin insisted on him staying as his London home while he recuperated, but Bilbo insisted that his cottage in the country was just as good. Which was why Thorin was now driving Bilbo home. The Hobbit was silent as the Dwarf turned onto their country road. "You okay over there, Bilbo?" Thorin asked.
"Yeah, I'm good."
"Any pain?"
"No, I'm fine," Bilbo said looking over to him. "You don't have to keep asking me questions, Thorin. I'm not going to break because you hit a bump." Thorin chuckled as he pulled into Bilbo's driveway.
"Home sweet home," he said before turning off the car. Bilbo was unbuckling his seat belt as Thorin got out of his car and headed to his side to open the door. "Take it easy," he instructed as Bilbo pulled himself out of the car. He let out a relieved sigh as Thorin put his arm around him and helped him walk up the sidewalk. Thorin used his key to open the front door and he led Bilbo into his cottage. "I had Fili and Kili taking turns feeding Myrtle," he said.
"I'll have to send them a thank you card," Bilbo said as Thorin helped him sit down on his sofa.
"I'll get your bag from the car," he said before leaving Bilbo in peace. Myrtle meowed as she jumped onto his lap. Bilbo set his head back and closed his eyes. When Thorin came back into the cottage, he found his Hobbit fast asleep with his cat on his stomach.
For the next few weeks, Bilbo healed under the watchful eyes of Thorin and Oin. He regained strength in his left arm thanks to his rehab sessions. His side healed faster than his arm. He went back to work after a full week at home, but he was restricted to desk duty.
His relationship with Thorin blossomed however, despite the chief finding out that he and Thorin had started back up again. Thorin managed to convince him other wise with the successful demonstration of Fili's new bullet proof vest. Things were looking up for Thorin and Bilbo and the rest of the company.
End of Chapter IX