The following winter was one of the coldest since many years. It even snowed on some days. The children enjoyed the snow and built snow hobbits. But the older hobbits remembered the Fell Winter 30 years ago. Back then white wolfs had crossed the frozen Brandywine River and attacked the peaceful Shire. In the end Gandalf and the Rangers of the North had saved the hobbits and provided food. Many hobbits worried that the same might happen again.

Fili, on the other hand, enjoyed the snow. It reminded him of his childhood in Ered Luin. He had played with his father and later with Kili and Thorin. Fili groaned. He had to get over it, he could not linger in the past all the time. He hit the knife with his hammer a bit harder than he planned to. He needed a break to cool down his temper or he'd have to start working on the knife anew.

Fili stood at the window and was glad for the warmth his working place provided. Out of the window he saw that the chimney of Poppy's home had stopped smoking. He decided to go to the inn for lunch and suggest to start a fire in her home. He wanted her to feel warm and comfortable when she came home after a long day at work.

#

Poppy had been working all morning. She worried that the fire in the hearth had gone out and that her smial would be very cold in the evening. Luckily the innkeeper allowed her to go home before lunch to restart the fire.
She put on her coat and stepped outside the door. A few children were running around in front of the inn. Poppy smiled at them. When she was close to the Water, one of the children ran into her. She lost her balance and slipped on a sheet of ice and fell into the river.
The water was quite deep and like most hobbits Poppy couldn't swim. She screamed and paddled with her arms. But her heavy clothes pulled her under the water. Poppy didn't know what to do. She was scared and didn't want to die. She had dreamt of a future with Fili.

The children screamed as well and soon Daisy and Hugo ran out of the Green Dragon. They saw Poppy and wanted to help. But they were shocked and didn't know how. Hugo tried to catch her with a piece of wood but it was too short.

After a few minutes Poppy's arms and lungs hurt from the ice cold water. She couldn't move anymore. She envisioned Fili's smile one last time and then everything went black.

#

Fili walked towards the Green Dragon Inn. Suddenly he heard screams. He saw someone unconscious in the Water and Daisy and Hugo next to the lake. He paled when he realised that the person in the river was Poppy. He screamed and ran towards the Water as fast as he could. He pulled off his coat and jumped into the water. He swam to Poppy as fast as he could and pulled her out.

Fili was relieved when he realised that she was still breathing. He pressed her close to his chest and kissed her forehead. He wanted to bring her to Bag End as fast as possible. Daisy helped Fili to wrap Poppy in his coat and went with him. Hugo promised to send for a healer immediately.

After what felt like forever they finally arrived in Bag End. Fili brought Poppy to his bedroom. Daisy had quickly explained the situation to Bilbo and entered the room with lots of towels and a warm dress. She saw Fili shivering.

"Fili, you should put some dry clothes on, otherwise you'll catch a cold, too. I will towel Poppy off and dress her." Daisy patted Fili shoulder and smiled sadly at him.

Fili nodded, took some clothes and left the room.

Soon Fili entered the room together with Bilbo and Pimpernel Maggot, who was one of the Shire's best healers and midwives.

Daisy had put the still unconscious Poppy under the blanket. She looked distressed. "Pimpernel, I'm glad that you could come so quickly."

"Of course! Now let me have a look at her." The healer sat down on the bed and started to examine Poppy.

Pimpernel looked concerned. "She has gotten a lot of the ice cold water into her lungs. We will have to keep her warm and hydrated. Put her under the covers and keep the fire in the hearth going." She sighed "I will bring some herbs. Make a tea and try to make her drink it."

Fili looked at her and swallowed "Is there nothing else we can do to help her?"

Pimpernel shock her head "Unfortunately not more than I just explained, we can only wait and pray that she'll survive."

Fili closed his eyes and swallowed hard. He took a deep breath "Thank you, mistress Maggot! Bilbo and I will do everything for Poppy to survive."

"You're welcome, master dwarf! I will bring the leaves for the tea later. Goodbye!" Pimpernel and Daisy left the room.

Fili sat down on the bed and took Poppy's hand. He cupped her face with his other hand. "Please Poppy, you have to wake up! Don't... Don't leave me!" Fili sobbed.

Bilbo quickly went to him and wrapped his arm around the dwarf's shoulder. He wanted to cry, too. But he had to be strong for Fili.

A few hours later Pimpernel brought the herbs for Poppy. Bilbo made the tea and helped Fili to get the liquid down Poppy's throat.

Poppy's condition didn't change during the next three days. Fili never left her side and made sure that she lay comfortable and warm and that she drank enough.
Pimpernel came everyday to check on her. She always left with a sad expression on her face. Fili heard her and Bilbo talking in the hallway. Pimpernel worried that Poppy would die if she didn't wake up during the next few days. Tears streamed down Fili's cheeks. He had lost his family and now he would most likely lose his beloved Poppy as well.

Bilbo entered the room with a bowl of stew and smiled at Fili "Here, I made some stew. You should eat something, too."

"No, thank you. I'm not hungry." Fili shock his head and wiped his tears away.

Bilbo suddenly looked angry. "You have to eat! You don't help her by making yourself sick as well."

The young dwarf reluctantly took the bowl and nodded. "Bilbo, I heard you and the healer. Do... Do you think that Poppy will die? I cannot live without her. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her." Fili stifled a sob "I dreamt of a future with her. We were old and had white hair. We enjoyed the peaceful life here. We sat in her garden surrounded by our children or maybe even grandchildren." Fili trailed off and a single tear escaped his eyes.

Bilbo looked at the dwarf in despair "Fili, I don't know if she'll survive, we can only pray to the Valar. I hope your dream will become reality one day. Though it's quite impossible." Bilbo bit his tongue.

Fili looked at the hobbit in shock "What do you mean?"

"Umm, that's not important now." Bilbo answered and swallowed when Fili suddenly started to yell "Tell me the truth! What secrets do you keep from me? Is Poppy going to die? Tell me! Now!"

Bilbo had never seen the young dwarf like that. He somehow reminded him of Thorin. "Fili, please calm down. I don't have any secrets. It's just... Umm, do you know how old hobbits can grow?"

Fili shock his head. "No, I don't. And I don't understand why that's relevant at the moment."

"Of course it has nothing to do with Poppy's sickness. But I'm afraid to tell you that your dream will never come true, even if Poppy survives." Bilbo said.

Fili frowned "Bilbo, I'm sorry! But I still don't understand what you mean."

"Very well, Fili. I'll tell you." Bilbo took a deep breath. These last few days had been very straining for the young dwarf and now he would most likely crush his dreams. "Umm, well, the average age of hobbits lies between 95 and 100 years. Poppy may still live for another 60 or 70 years but not longer."

Fili's eyes widened "Only 70 years? That's nothing! I'm going to be 153 then. That's still young for a dwarf." He sighed in distress. "Oh Mahal! I never thought about that." Another tear rolled down Fili's face. He lightly brushed over Poppy's face and hair. "Please wake up! I love you so much. We have only such a limited time together... Please wake up! I need you!"

"Fili, I'm sorry!" Bilbo said.

"No Bilbo, you don't have to be sorry. Non of this is your fault. I'm glad that you told me." Fili tried to smile, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

Bilbo wanted to help the young dwarf. "Fili, you're right. You have only a limited time together. Why don't you ask her to marry you when she wakes up? You said that you love her and that you want a family with her. And I know that she wants the same. Why wait much longer? You should make the most of every second you have together."

Fili's face brightened up a little bit and he patted Bilbo's shoulder. "That's a wonderful idea, my friend. I worried that it might be to early for a wedding. But you're right. I will propose marriage to her when she wakes up... If she wakes up."