Disclaimer: I do not own The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, or any associated characters or concepts. Quotes in this chapter taken directly from The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien.

Summary: On the way to the Undying Lands, Billa Baggins is eaten by a time-traveling sea monster. She wakes up in her 33-year-old body and realizes she has a chance to change everything. Unfortunately, Thorin has a tendency to run around shirtless, and Dis thinks she has improper designs on Fili and Kili, but if she can convince the Shire that Dwalin is a dance teacher, things might be okay.


Chapter 48

If the great dwarf king-in-exile got down on his knees and told Billa he loved her ardently, forgave her every fault, and that it was his truest desire to marry her, well, Billa would never tell what passed between them.

If the time-traveling hobbit princess threw her arms around Thorin and told him she adored him, she loved him, and that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, well, Thorin would treasure those words secretly in his heart forever.

As for why no one looked at all surprised when Billa and Thorin showed up the next morning with courting braids and beads in their hair and clasping each other's hands, well... Nori had always been watching in the shadows, from the very beginning. Why should this be any different?

After Mr Robin Longlocks had been thrown out, and Balin had made himself scarce, Billa and Thorin spent several minutes pressed up against each other and kissing each other silly.

Thorin, for his part, had known his feelings to be true. He'd pined for her all winter, and been thoroughly mocked by his siblings and friends for being so distracted by thoughts of her, even as her name was whispered around the settlement with respect, curiosity, and relief. While others would have required payment after fulfilling the contract, Billa had made a bold show of trust by sending along the entire shipment of blankets, corn, wheat, and other staples after Thorin had completed only half of his side of the deal. When he explained to Dis and Frerin that he had told Billa this was not the dwarven way of doing business, and Billa had insisted his honor was guarantee enough that her payment would arrive in the spring, Dis had sat down heavily (on a chair bearing one of Billa's cushions - they were quite popular!) and blown out a long breath.

"Thorin," Frerin had said gravely, "Billa is either an idiot, or she loves you dearly."

Thorin hadn't been sure whether to be offended, or pleased, or both. He had chosen to redirect the conversation

"With the oldest and youngest among us already safely ensconced in the Shire, and the addition of these supplies from Billa, how well will we last the winter? What else needs purchasing?" He'd asked.

Dis had dug through the files in Thorin's office, where she had held sway for months during his absence, and ran the numbers.

She'd stared at the result, glanced up at him, and ran them again. And again. As she was running the number for the third time, Thorin began to sweat. He'd thought the supplies and gold would go a long way to easing their suffering this winter - had he gravely miscalculated?

Then Dis had blown a long, low whistle of amazement.

"Well?" He'd demanded, hiding his anxiety behind frustration. "How bad is it?"

"There's nothing," Dis said incredulously.

"What do you mean, nothing?" Frerin said, his thoughts immediately flying to the hunger, starvation, cold, and poverty the dwarves had suffered in winters past.

"Nothing else we need!" Dis had breathed. "When we left for Bree, we knew it was our last chance to make a bit of coin and try to survive the winter. With the supplies you've secured through your alliance, there's no such thing as surviving through the winter. We'll be thriving through it. Thorin, this is incredible."

Frerin had relaxed, Thorin sighed blissfully, and Dis smiled.

"The more I hear of Lady Billa Baggins," Frerin said cheerfully, "the more I'm convinced she's too good for you Thorin."

Thorin had snorted and sent Frerin a rude gesture, which Frerin returned gleefully and with more enthusiasm.

After the first taste of her blackberry tarts, that first morning in the Shire, Thorin had started to fall in love. After a winter spent in near-luxury, with plenty of hot meals, warm blankets, gold left over for medicines, and occasional blackberry pastries made with preserves she'd sent, the rest of the dwarves were half in love with her too. There had been no lack of well-skilled volunteers to help finish Billa's order of shields and swords - and Frerin had returned to the forge after decades away to forge over a thousand arrowheads as well, as a gift from the line of Durin to the House of Baggins. Along with the courtship gifts Thorin had spent months preparing, Dis, Fili, and Kili had also prepared gifts.

They, along with everyone who knew Thorin well enough to approach him, began the less-fun habit of offering him unsolicited advice on courting Billa, which had quickly become exasperating, as he didn't even know if she'd be happy to see him in the spring, or if their ardor would have cooled. He hoped it hadn't.

After verifying her own feelings, he had planned to take his time with a slow, sweet courtship. As tends to happen in Billa's presence, his plans had fallen apart.

Now, in the present, in the Shire, in the entryway of Bag End, wrapped up in her arms - Thorin was a very happy, very well-kissed dwarf.