Chapter II~

What about Old Friends?

.::*::.

Gandalf tapped on the round green door three or four times before shuffling could be heard.

"NO THANK YOU! WE DON'T WANT ANYMORE VISITORS OR WELL-WISHERS!" an angry Hobbit sounded from behind the green door.

"And what about very old friends?" Gandalf inquired, loudly. The door opened with a loud creak and Nerys grinned.

"Gandalf?" the Hobbit asked in shock.

"Bilbo Baggins,"

Both of them started laughing and Bilbo stepped out of his little hobbit doorway.

"My dear Gandalf! Come on, come in!"

"Ahh, first…allow me to introduce Miss Nerys Jameson and Miss Aislinn Jameson. They are traveling companions of mine. You wouldn't mind if they joined us would you?"

"J-Jameson? As in—,"

"Yes, as in them," Gandalf murmured, only so Bilbo could hear.

"By all means, welcome…welcome," Bilbo smiled at the girls and waved his hands in a manner to urge them forward from the gate. Nerys went first and was followed reluctantly by Aislinn.

"Would you care for some tea? Or perhaps something a little stronger? I've still got a bottle of the old vineyard left. 1296…very good year! Almost as old as I am," Bilbo said, hastily. "And what may I serve for you, Miss Jameson?"

"Tea will suffice, thanks," Nerys answered. Bilbo glanced at Aislinn and she nodded.

"Same,"

He shuffled back into the kitchen aimlessly talking about something to Gandalf. The old wizard wandered around the corridor before bumping into the chandelier and then bumping his head into the doorframe above the little walkway. Nerys and Aislinn easily ducked under and looked around the sitting room. There was quite a large fireplace across a window and a large red wingchair beside the fireplace. Bilbo's desk had been scattered with maps, papers, books and parchment.

"Miss Jameson, do you mind fetching some bread and cheese from the pantry?" Bilbo asked, popping out from the kitchen. Nerys nodded and headed towards the pantry. She came back with a large sliver of cheese and fresh bread which she placed on the table.

"Mr. Baggins," Nerys said. "Would it be very odd for me to ask if you knew anyone else with the surname of Jameson?"

Bilbo stopped shuffling about and looked at Nerys in surprise.

"How on earth would you know that?" he asked, curiously.

"Oddly enough, I have one older sister named Emma and two younger sisters. One named Aislinn and my very youngest sister is called—,"

"Claire," Bilbo finished. "Bless me…I wondered the familiarity with you and Miss Jameson. How are your sisters?"

"Quite well, thanks," Nerys responded, with a small smile. "How did you meet them?"

"They came along with Gandalf one evening with thirteen other dwarves. But, I shall tell you the tale another time."

"Did you fancy one of them?" Nerys asked, grinning mischievously. "It's alright if you did, I won't say."

"I did for a little while, but she had fallen in love with one of the dwarves. We remained friends until she left Middle-earth." Bilbo told. Nerys watched Bilbo as he was lost in thought.

"It was Emma wasn't it?" Nerys inquired, grinning even more. Bilbo chuckled.

"It is quite strange to see you and Aislinn here and having Emma and Claire in my house sixty years ago and yet you are all around the same age."

"I have something of Emma's to give you. She left it in Erebor after she went home. I vowed that I would hold it for safe-keeping and one day that it would fall into the right hands again."

Bilbo shuffled about again and from his satchel, he pulled out an old leather bound journal and placed it into Nerys' hands.

"Oh my god," Nerys swallowed the knot in her throat. A wave of homesickness flooded through her as she thought of Emma and Claire. "Thanks,"

Bilbo smiled at her before going back to making a plate of food for him, Nerys and Aislinn. Nerys gladly dove into the bread, smothering it with homemade butter. Not long after, Gandalf and Aislinn had joined the table and Bilbo poured them all tea. As Nerys indulged in her plate of food, she began reading a small entry in Emma's journal.

"…I don't know why we've been sent to Middle-earth. I mean, I like Tolkien and all that but dreaming of adventures in M.E. is more of Nerys' area of expertise. She would love it here. Why couldn't she have come instead? I'm sitting by the fire at Bag-end. There are thirteen dwarves surrounding me and Bilbo and Claire. I'm going to put all of their names down now so I won't forget them: Balin, Dwalin, Óin Gloin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Ori, Nori, Dori, Fili, Kili and Thorin Oakenshield the leader of the Company. That's a mouthful. Anyway, Claire seems to be smitten with the Durin brothers and can't decide between the two. Poor Bilbo…he had a fit when the dwarves all showed up at his front door wanting him to come along on an adventure and then they also raided and pillaged his pantry. There is not a scrap of food left!

Nerys would be proud of me, I agreed to join the company! Let me say that Thorin was rather…unsettled about having two girls come along but he gave in. For some reason, I feel as though I pity him — no, never mind. I don't believe that Thorin is really capable of any emotions except for anger and bitterness. At least Claire and I aren't nearly as stubborn as Nerys and Aislinn. Thorin would throw a fit with those two in the company — and they would constantly argue, especially Nerys and Thorin. I think Nerys and Aislinn would be more suited to be in the Fellowship of the Ring I think…"

Nerys stopped reading and glanced up at the little crowd in Bilbo's kitchen.

"…right, Miss Nerys and Aislinn, I would greatly appreciate it if you came to my party this evening. You are most welcome."

"Thank you, Mr. Baggins, we would be glad to attend." Nerys agreed. After finishing his tea, Gandalf rose.

"There is some business I need to tend to in the Shire but I'll come back in the early evening."

"What about us?" Aislinn asked.

"You are most welcome to stay here. Temporarily…Frodo should be on his way home soon. I can tell you both more of how I met your sisters."

Aislinn perked up at this and her eyes widened.

"Wait… you met Emma and Claire?" she asked. Bilbo chuckled.

"Yes, I did."

"Have you any time to tell the tale?" Aislinn inquired. Nerys raised an amused brow at Bilbo and her sister.

"I suppose I must now that you ask it of me," said Bilbo. "But it is a very long tale. I do hope you enjoy it…"

.::*::.

Author's Note: and so for chapter three, now I will start with Emma and Claire's side of the story. Thanks for your feedback! Don't forget to review and tell me what you think! :)