Summary: The time is 30 years after the first chapter. Smaug and Bilbo have a family and at least one headstrong child.

Thirty years later:

"Bilbo, she's gone!" Smaug seldom became upset; there were only a few things that could stir her soul, six to be exact. She was facing one of them right now, her beloved consort Bilbo Baggins. There other five were their children. Two beautiful girls and three handsome boys, all were dragon-kin. Their father Bilbo who had become a dragon-kin due to his love for Smaug and her's for him could appear as a normal hobbit, the form Smaug actually preferred or a dragon-kin. In the latter form he had small reddish gold horns that curled towards the back of his head and extremely strong gold colored, leathery wings. Bilbo also has a small amount of dragon magic which he had learned to use quite effectively thanks to Smaug's tutoring. She tended to believe that Bilbo used his magic in such a cunning fashion that he could hold his own with many lesser, full blooded dragons.

Their children had three forms each could transform into, dragon, dragon-kin and a slightly tall hobbit. A fact they used to their advantage when wondering the lands outside of Erebor. On more than one occasion a drunken human from Lake Town had made an crude remark to or grabbed the hand of what they thought was a cute harmless and helpless hobbit only to get a very rude awakening.

While Bilbo always gave the child in question a good talking to about safety and control; neither he nor the children ever mentioned it to Smaug. The rebuilt lake settlement would have been a pile of kindling if they had. Smaug cherished her family and would protect them to the last drop of the offender's blood. So when she couldn't find her oldest daughter Bella she was ready to burn, rip apart, crush and eat who or whatever had separated her from her child.

"Who's gone… what are you talking about?" seeing the look on Smaug's face Bilbo knew this was not the usual: the children hid half the gold again or why is there a herd of sheep in the great hall, mischief.

"Smaug, calm down and talk to me."

"Bilbo, it's Bella, I can't find her anywhere."

"But, can't you sense her?'

"No, she's blocking me. You know how headstrong she is. You try." Smaug was pacing back and forth in her human form.

"Smaug, settle down darling." Bilbo paused and reached out mentally to his oldest child who mentally smiled back. "I can sense her."

Smaug stopped cold and faced Bilbo, the hurt on her face melted his heart. He knew that his wife and oldest daughter loved each other but they had butted heads more than once as Bella grew older. Dragon young aged at approximately the same rate as hobbits or humans. Since they were vulnerable when very young, they could not take centuries to grow-up; instead they needed to become old enough to defend themselves as quickly as possible. Once they were what humans would call young adults their aging slowed down and they lived for centuries. Bella was 25 years old and was mentally and emotionally about the same as a hobbit of 25 or 30. She was not a child anymore and bristled when her mother treated her like one.

Now, she had left Erebor and blocked her mother from knowing. Bilbo knew that when she came home there would be some family fences to mend. His relationship with Bella and all the children was gentler than Smaug's. He thought they should explore their world and his Took side wanted them to have an adventure or two. Smaug on the other hand wanted to gather her brood safely together and have them stay put.

"Where is she?" Smaug's voice was quiet, too quiet. Bilbo knew she was about to explode.

"Sit down, dear"

"Bilbo, where is she?"

Bilbo pulled the love of his life over to a comfy chair and proceeded to push her into it and sit on her lap.

"Now Smaug, I don't want you to get upset. Well… no more than you already are."

"Bilbo?"

"It's our fault really darling, we talked about them so much and they are really seldom seen around here …. you know how headstrong she can be, just like her mother,'" he stopped to kiss Smaug on her forehead, cheeks, and then mouth.

"Stop that and tell me."

"I want you to promise that you will allow me to deal with this situation." Bilbo slid his arms around Smaug's waist and nibbled on her ear.

"Stop that and tell me, Bilbo."

"The youngest children are much too small to be left here alone and you know full well that if you go, the two of you will only argue. But I can reason with her." Bilbo outlined Smaug's ear with his tongue and felt her shiver as he slipped it inside.

'I…I am perfectly capable of..of reasoning with our child. Now stop that and tell me this instant!"

Bilbo held Smaug tightly and kissed her hard, exploring her mouth as she parted her lips for him. Then he drew slightly back from the kiss and whispered, "dwarves in the blue mountains."

"DWARVES!"

He kissed her again.

"DWARVES, YOU DID SAY…..DWARVES!"

He gently caressed her breast and kissed her again.

"IF YOU THINK!"

Bilbo returned to nibbling on her ear as he gently caressed her.

"…for one minute that I am…am…going to allow those dwarves near my family….then …you…you…oh...hmmmm...…sneaky little hobbit."

"Smaug, my love I will deal with this. You know Bella can handle herself very well. I'll leave immediately and bring our wayward little girl home. If I need any help, you will sense it... true my love.

"…sneaky little adorable hobbit." Smaug purred.

Bilbo laughed and Smaug knew he was right. Bella would be safe in almost any circumstance and Bilbo could deal with those ….. dwarves.

The Blue Mountains

"Good Morning my lady." Fili couldn't stop looking at the most beautiful hobbit he had ever seen. She was slightly tall for a hobbit and had the most beautiful curly, honey colored hair. Her eyes were a warm brown accented with flicks of gold. The smile she gave him thrilled him down to his toes. Something about her seemed familiar, but then every hobbit he saw always made him think of Bilbo.…poor, kind, sweet, little Bilbo, who had sacrificed himself for them all. Some nights he dreamt of the little hobbit and the last time he had seen him.

He and Kili had hugged and cried with Bilbo before their friend had given himself to that monster Smaug in exchange for the Arkenstone and a huge amount of gold to be given to the dwarves. Fili tried but had never truly forgiven Thorin for that day. They should have fought for their friend.

"Good Morning, Bella at your service." She smiled.

"Fili Durin at yours. I must say I am surprised to find anyone out this far from town. I love morning walks but most people here are more enthused by stone and metal than trees."

'So, you're Fili, one of the two dwarves that wanted to protect Papa', Bella thought as she took in the blond hair, handsome features and strong body of the dwarf. Yes she thought. 'I like you already Fili Durin, I have my whole life.'

"I am just traveling through the Blue Mountains. I've heard a great deal about the dwarves here and their kingdom. It is said to rival any in middle-earth. "
"It does indeed, Miss Bella, now that you're here." Fili grinned. "Are you traveling alone? Is your husband traveling with you?"

Bella smiled; oh she could just see her mother's face now.

"I'm alone and there isn't one."

Fili thought the grin on his face might actually split it in two, but he couldn't help himself.

"Are you from the Shire, Miss Bella… I didn't catch your surname?"

"Closer to Lake Town and I never gave it."

"Oh, a hobbit of mystery."

Bella smiled and walked closer to Fili. "Perhaps you could show me your town?"

"It would be my extreme pleasure."

Fili looked slightly surprised and very pleased when Bella took his hand and they started to walk towards town.

Bilbo knew flying was the fastest why to reach the Blue Mountains but he had decided to only fly at night. Being spotted during the daylight hours would cause too many problems. So during the day he stopped at inns, ate, slept and tried to come to grips with the prospect of seeing his dwarves again. His dwarves…they left him to what seemed like a horrible fate. He had forgiven them almost immediately. It was the only reasonable thing to do. Actually he had agreed to the trade rather than wait for Thorin to decide. He already knew what the decision would be and it would have been the right one. Lives had been saved…..still…..it hurt.

Bilbo closed his eyes, it would be dark soon and he'd be on his way. He could sense Smaug's mind calling to him.
Bilbo, how long before you're there? Have you heard from her?

Patience my love, no I haven't heard from her, but that's just Bella. It will be a few days yet, I am only flying at night.

Yes, yes of course that's for the best. But do hurry. You know how trouble prone she is.

Wonder where she got that from.

What! I am not. I..I…

Goodbye my love. Kisses.

Hurry there and then home I must see you both and know you are safe, my precious hobbit.

Bella and Fili toured the town. She was impressed with everything from the simplest to the extraordinary. Fili keep thinking, she was so like Bilbo finding joy in every little thing. They had lunch together buying cheese and bread at a shop and Fili invited her to come to his home for supper. He wasn't sure how to bring up the fact that he lived in a mansion or that he was the heir to the throne of Durin. But that was taken care of for him when several people bowed as he passed and finally one little dwarf shop keeper had called him "your highness". He gave Bella a nervous sideways glance and she just grinned and said, "Well, I wasn't born in a cave. I know who the Durins are, Thank you very much."

"You sound just like him." Fili said with a sad little smile.

"Like who?" Of course she knew.

"Oh, a dear friend who died long ago."

"Oh, I'm sorry." she said and meant it. Fili, looked so sad for a moment. She could just see him and his younger brother having to be restrained from fighting to save her Papa. 'Yes Fili Durin', she thought, 'I like you very much indeed.'

They walked in silence for a moment and then Bella saw a display of little toys in front of a shop and just had to look at every one of them. Fili's sadness lifted when he looked at her lovely smiling face and heard her delightful giggle.

When a dwarf meets his or her One, it is not a slow process. They know the moment they meet them. Oh, they may take their time to get to know each other and one or both may be too shy or too stubborn to admit it, but when it happens it happens and that's that. This bright, sunny day Fili Durin, heir to Thorin Oakensheld of the line of Durin, knew as surely as he knew the mountains, as surely as he understood the call of the deep places in the mines and the feel of metal being shaped in a forge. He knew that this lovely little hobbit was his One.

He didn't care that she was a hobbit and not a dwarf. They all …every dwarf in the Blue Mountains owed the good life they now had to the bravery and sacrifice of a hobbit. Dis would want only her son's happiness, Kili ….well Kili was Kili and he loved everyone regardless of what race they belonged to…well except for orcs, trolls and goblins of course. The Council could be handled and as for Thorin, well he would be hard pressed to turn his back on yet another hobbit.

But what about Bella, Fili wondered. I was all well and good to consider how to deal with his family or even the Council but it meant nothing if Bella didn't agree.

'He really is cute', Bella thought. She wondered what it would be like to kiss him. Would his beard be scratchy, would he think she was too forward, would he return her kiss? Then there was the dragon thing. She was a dragon well the child of a dragon and dragon-kin. What would he think about her dragon form? The line of Durin didn't exactly like dragons and with good reason. THANKS MOTHER.

But they did like hobbits at least one hobbit, her Papa. If Papa changed into his dragon-kin form first and Fili didn't drop dead from fright then maybe he could accept her as his friend's daughter.

"It's nearly time for supper, would you like to stay with my family. We have plenty of room…I mean it's a mansion after all." Fili sounded a little embarrassed.

"Never, apologize for being rich, that's what my mother always says." Bella laughed.

"Sounds like a very bright person."

"Bright, why at times she practically glows like a fire. "

"You didn't have any bags or traveling pack or anything, did you?' Fili looked confused.

"Nope, I travel light, just flying right along."

Not quite sure what to say Fili decided his One could travel anyway she wanted and taking her hand they headed towards the royal mansion.

Dis and Kili were thrilled to see a hobbit in the Blue Mountains. Thorin was too, but the sight brought back the guilt that lived just below the surface of his life. Dis was pleased that Fili had invited Bella stay in the mansion, to Fili's total delight. Bella didn't think Thorin looked like the monster she had imagined him to be. He just looked sad every time he looked her way. She found herself feeling sorry for him, even wanting to tell him that Papa was alive but that was not her secret to tell.

Kili was as cute as Fili…well almost. During the first course of dinner she had come to think that Fili was truly handsome and very kind. By the second course she realized that she wanted to stay in the Blue Mountains and come to know this dwarf very, very well. About midway through dessert she had decided on the names of their first three children.

Bella looked into Fili's eyes and thought about their future, it would be wonderful, she saw the candlelight reflected in his eyes, the flame flickering, glowing….glowing red and gold …MOTHER! Their future would be about five seconds, just long enough for Smaug to turn Fili into a pile of ash! She had to convince Mother….. she would never be able to convince Mother ….but she had feelings for this dwarf. Papa could convince her, Papa could convince Mother of anything. So, now she just had to convince Papa. But Papa liked Fili…Fili had tried to save him from what seemed like a horrible fate. Truth be told Mother could well be a horrible….but not to Papa and really not even to her. Mother loves her, she wants her to be happy right…wants her to find a love like she and Papa have right, and…and with every passing second Bella was realizing that was Fili. Looking at Fili, suddenly all she could think of was a pile of ash with a few blond hairs on top. Oh, Fili, …...…oh Mother…...oh..

"PAPA!"

Bilbo, looked quite pleased with himself as he walked into the large dining hall of the mansion.

"Bilbo!" Fili and Kili said together and ran to hug him.

"Bilbo!" Dis fainted.

"Bilbo!" Thorin was out of his seat and holding Bilbo in a bear hug while crying, "Bilbo, forgive me, my friend, my poor friend, forgive me. I should have fought to save you. Forgive me."

It was just about that moment when Dis woke up and everyone suddenly realized that Bella hadn't said "Bilbo", she had said "Papa". Everyone turned to look at Bella.

"What?" she asked no one and everyone.

"Papa?" Dis, Fili, Kili and Thorin said in unison, looking from Bella to Bilbo to Bella and back to Bilbo.

Then Fili had a thought. He wished he hadn't because Bella was his One and he knew it. He knew that his family and people could accept a hobbit as his wife, but suddenly there was a fear growing in his stomach, curling its way up his spine and finally coming out of his month.

"Bilbo, if you're Bella father….who…umm...who...that is…umm...who is her….mother?" Fili asked in a small nervous voice.

Without the slightness hesitation, Bilbo very proudly announced, "Why my wife Smaug, of course."

"Dis fainted again.

Bella wondered if all dwarfs could turn that lovely shade of green that Fili had just turned.

Kili giggled nervously and Thorin was trying desperately to say something, his mouth was opening and closing but no sound came out; his brain had refused to co-operate.

It took a few minutes to get everyone off the floor, settled down and ready to hear how and why Bilbo was not only alive but married to a dragon and not simply a dragon …but Smaug.

Bilbo, told them the story, how Smaug had fallen in love with him and he with her. He explained what he was now and what Bella was, although they didn't seem to believe it until he transformed. This time Kili caught his mother before she hit the floor.