A few days later Poppy was on her way home from the Green Dragon Inn when it started raining and thundering. She didn't want to be alone and decided to ask Bilbo if she could stay with him like she had done during the storm two years ago.

She had just arrived at his gate when a huge downpour started. Poppy was wet to the skin within seconds. And as if things could not have been worse she slipped on the steps to the door and hurt her knee. Poppy winced in pain but quickly stood up and rang the bell.

Fili was sitting in one of Bilbo's armchairs and read a book. He wondered who might want to visit Bilbo that late but quickly opened the door. To his surprise it was Poppy.

He immediately led her inside the living room. "Poppy, it's nice to see you, though I have to admit that I wasn't expecting you in the middle of the night." Fili smirked. She looked so funny with her hair sticking out in every possible direction, but was still very handsome.

He saw her frown and quickly fetched some towels from the bathroom. Poppy grabbed one and started to dry her dark brown curls. "Thank you so much, Fili! Is Bilbo at home, too? I had hoped that I could stay here with him until the storm has passed. I, I don't want to be alone." Poppy mumbled. She looked scared.

"Bilbo is visiting family in Buckland. He left the day after you visited him. I thought you knew." Poppy shook her head and shivered, so Fili continued to speak "But of course you may stay here with me if you wish. Let's see if we can find some dry clothes for you before you catch a cold."

"Thank you! I'd like to stay if this isn't too much of a problem for you." Poppy smiled.

Suddenly Fili noticed the dirt on her dress and hands and a small puddle of blood on the floor. He gasped "Poppy, you're injured. What happened to you?"

Poppy looked down and noticed the blood, too. "Oh, I didn't notice! I fell on the stairs. I'm so clumsy!"

"Ah, I see! I thought that someone had hurt you." Fili laid his arm around her waist and helped her to the next chair. "Wait here. I'll try to find a dress and some bandages."

Fili hurried to one of the many rooms and soon returned with a yellow dress, several bandages, a cloth and hot water. He put everything on the table and kneeled down in front of her. "May I have a look at your knee? We should clean the wound." Fili blushed. The situation was a bit awkward. It would be inappropriate to start undressing her, but he had to have a look at her knee.

Poppy smiled and nodded.

Fili carefully pushed up her skirt. Her skin was very soft and she shivered slightly under his touch. His heart skipped a beat and he hoped that Poppy didn't notice. He cleaned the wound with care and wrapped a bandage around her knee. Fili wanted to put a kiss on the bandage like his mother had done when he was a dwarfling. But then he remembered that she was a grown up woman and blushed as red as a tomato.

To hide his embarrassment, he quickly took another cloth and started to clean Poppy's hands. He chuckled silently. Her hands were tiny compared to his and especially compared to her huge feet.

Fili cleared his throat. "Good! I hope it'll heal nicely. Can you walk? You can change in my bedroom if you want."

"Thank you, Fili! Yes, I think I can walk." Poppy answered. She took the dress and walked to the room Fili pointed at.

Soon the young hobbit lass was wearing a warm and dry wool dress that had belonged to Bilbo's mother. Fili had also made some tea and now they were sitting on a fur in front of the fireplace. Poppy seemed to be in deep thought and shrieked every time the thunder could be heard. Fili worried about her. Suddenly she started to cry.

Fili moved closer and wrapped his strong arms around her. It hurt him to see her like that. "Shh, shh, it's ok. Nothing will happen to you." Poppy buried her face in his hair and cried. It had been such a long time since someone had held her in their arms. Fili simply held her and rubbed smoothing circles on her back. "Do you want to tell me what's wrong? It may help to talk about it." Fili tried not to sound too curious.

After taking a few deep breaths, Poppy looked up and said in between sobs "3 years ago there was a huge thunderstorm over the Shire. I was alone at home. My parents and siblings were on their way to Dwaling to visit family. I couldn't go because I was sick. 3 days after they had left, I was told that the lighting had struck into the house where they had stayed for the night and that they burned to death... I couldn't even bury them properly."

Fili pulled her ever closer against him. "Oh Poppy, I'm so sorry! I thought that something might have happened to your family. You... you looked so sad when I asked about bothering your family a few days ago. And you seemed to live alone. But I never thought that something that horrible might have happened." Fili whispered with tears in his eyes. She simply nodded and continued sobbing into his hair.

After nearly two hours only the rain could be heard outside. Poppy had finally fallen asleep in Fili's arms. He gently picked her up and carried her to his bedroom. He put her under the covers and placed a soft kiss on her dark brown curls. She looked so peaceful now. Fili wondered if the Valar had let him survive the battle, so he could make her happy. With one last glance at her, he blew out the candle and left the room.