Aragorn was sitting in a rocking chair in his and Arwen's nursery. In one hand, he was keeping his toddler, a son named Eldarion, upright while bouncing him on his knee. In his other hand, he was reading a letter. It was from Gandalf. The wizard's note read,

"King Aragorn, Son of Arathorn,

I am sending this from Rivendell. The fifth anniversary of our journey with The Ring is soon upon us. If I am correct, it will be exactly three months after you receive this letter.

On that day, I purpose The Fellowship reunite and have a reunion. I have sent similar letters to Gimli, Legolas, and Boromir. However, I have not told the hobbits. That would ruin the surprise.

I wish for The Fellowship to reunite in Hobbiton. It is the hobbit's hometown in the Shire. It is the loveliest place I have ever traveled to, and if my sources are correct, there will be a celebration at that time. Hobbits host the most wonderful parties, and I insist you experience it.

Please meet me and the others three days before the anniversary in Bree. I will be at the Prancing Pony.

- Gandalf, the Wandering Wizard"

Aragorn read and reread the letter. If this were true, he would have to prepare for the journey within the next week. While he wasn't completely sure where this "Hobbiton" is, he does know Bree's location and its distance from where he resides in Gondor. He will need to inquire Boromir to see if he received the letter as well. He would also need to discuss this with Arwen. Hopefully, she can both watch their child and their kingdom during his absence.

Three months had gone by, and it was almost time for the reunion. Arwen had agreed to take over for him, and Boromir had traveled with him. They were tired and their horses were tired, so when they saw the gates of Bree, they couldn't stop the boyish smiles on their faces.

The town was just how Aragorn had remembered it. Dark, bleak, sketchy. He had no idea why Gandalf wanted them to meet here of all places. He was half-tempted to return to his mysterious stranger facade, but he didn't. They entered the bustling Prancing Pony and were greeted with the shiny blond hair of a familiar elf.

Of course, Legolas stood out like a sore thumb compared to the rugged people of Bree. He was sitting at a six-chaired table with a cup of red liquid which was most-likely wine. A short, bearded man who was obviously Gimli sat to the left of him, and across from Legolas was Gandalf, who was smoking his pipe. The two men walked to their friends. Legolas was laughing about something Gandalf had said. Gimli looked up from his beer and potted the two, "Aye! And here we thought you lads wouldn't make it."

Aragorn slid next to Legolas while Boromir sat next to Gandalf. Aragorn said, "Of course, we couldn't miss such an occasion."

Boromir asked Gandalf, "So Wandering Wizard, why did you wish to meet here?"

Gandalf nodded and blew smoke out of his mouth, "Yes, well, I am the only one here who knows how to get to Hobbiton. It's best that we meet somewhere familiar and I guide us the rest of the way."

Legolas asked, "Makes sense. How far do we have left?"

Gandalf nodded, "It's a three-day walk from here. We will arrive just in time for the anniversary, and the hobbit's celebration."

Aragorn asked, "What are they celebrating?"

Gandalf smirked, "Let's not ruin the surprise. Though I will say, it has something to do with our little Peregrin Took."

Gandalf chuckled to himself. 'This will be interesting,' he mused.

Three days later, they were all on their horses and pony. They were walking along a dirt trail in the middle of a beautiful forest of green. The wind was subtle, and the grass swayed with it. Legolas wished Mirkwood could be so calm. His elven ears could hear the bubbling of a brook.

Gandalf announced, "We are entering the Shire. We will need to cross the upcoming river one at a time. They will have a ferry there. It's called Bucklebury Ferry."

Legolas asked, "And you're sure they'll let us cross?"

Gandalf nodded, "Yes, of course. It's owned by the Brandybucks, Merry's family. In fact, the entire river, named Brandywine River, is theirs. Also, I've used the ferry many times before. It may be old, but it holds me and my cart."

Aragorn mentioned, "And where will we go from here, Gandalf?"

The Old Wizard replied, "Then we will have arrived. The ferry leads to Buckland, which is where the Brandybucks reside. We will be visiting Merry first."

Gimli mentioned, "I haven't heard from any of the hobbits in a while."

Legolas nodded, "Neither have I."

Gandalf waved his hand, "Nobody has! They are always doing something. They keep me on my toes."

Aragorn asked, "Like what, Gandalf?"

The wizard smirked, "Well… Hobbits are like rabbits."

"How so?" The King asked.

Gandalf said, "You'll see."

Legolas shook his head, "Always cryptic with you, huh Mithrandir?"

Gandalf kept to himself and continued forward.

The group exited the forest and was dispersed into a meadow. A small white building stood next to a river, and a white raft-ferry lay next to it. Gandalf guided them to the ferry and showed them how to maneuver it with a pole. Gandalf and his horse sailed across first. After his horse was dispensed, Gandalf sailed the ferry back and traded spots with Boromir. The man dropped his horse off, returned, and next was Aragorn. After Legolas and Gimli, the group without their heavy horses sailed across and reunited with their animal companions. They hopped back on them and continued walking.

They reached a dip in a valley. They stopped, and Gandalf let the others take it all in.

They were staring at Buckland. There was a rather large hill in the center with smaller hills around it. However, they weren't normal. Were those windows? And giant round doors? A small garden patch?

In the distance, they could see a rather large amount of farmland. There were what they believed to be children plowing the fields until the group remembered hobbits are called "halflings" for a reason. Their looks of shock were no secret, and Gandalf chucked at their expressions.

Gandalf said, "Come along now. This is nothing. We haven't been to the heart of Hobbiton yet. Now, let's move."

The group made their way down their hill and into the valley. They passed many, what they assumed to be houses until they reached the largest hill-house in the middle. Gandalf got off his horse, as did the others. With ease, the wizard walked to the round blue door and knocked.

A few seconds had gone by until the rather large and intricate round door opened. A short woman with straight, dark brown hair, pointed ears, big hairy feet, and a white layered dress with a brown apron greeted them. She looked at the wizard, "Good morning, Gandalf."

He smiled politely, "Hello Madam Estella. Is Meriadoc home?"

She nodded, "Yes," she glanced at the others, "Who are the other big folk?"

Aragorn stepped forward and said respectfully, "Ma'am, I am King Aragorn of Arnor and Gondor. We are friends of Master Merry. We were on a journey together a mere five years ago."

"Ah," she realized, "You're the Strider he talks so much about. Please! Come in."

The Fellowship filed in. Boromir, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gandalf ducked as they entered. It was a perfect size for Gimli. Gandalf politely walked through the halls and into a rather large living room. The others were stuck in the entrance hall as they took everything in. They realized it was quite snug and cozy. Dare they say, they were slightly jealous.

Estella guided Gandalf to a thick leather chair. He managed to fit. She asked him, "I'll get Merry. Would you like some tea?"

Gandalf nodded, "Yes, please. Thank you."

After she left, the others managed to find their way into the living room area. It was large with dark wooden floors, light wooden walls, stained glass windows with blue curtains, four leather chairs and two green-colored couches that created a three-sided square, light wooden end tables between the chairs, a round gray fur rug in the center of the room, and a brick fireplace against the wall. Two more hallways emerged from the room; one led to the kitchen while the other led further in the hobbithole.

The others entered the living area as well. The other tools seat as well. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli took leather seats, and Boromir took a couch. Quiet, almost inaudible, footsteps could be heard down one of the hallways. A new but familiar face entered the living room.

"Isn't this a surprise!" Merry exclaimed.

Merry, much like the rest of the group, had not changed much. Though five years had gone by, he looked relatively the same, if not taller and possibly more mature. Actually, he looked a lot taller, at least Gimli's height if not more, which is very tall for a hobbit. Merry's eyes looked tired.

He smiled, "Sorry about the mess. Everything's been so hectic lately. Party planning is the worst."

Boromir looked around and thought, ' Mess? It looks spotless!'

Merry said, "I'm glad it's you all. When Estella told me I had visitors, I dreaded it would be more cousins."

Speaking of which, Estella entered the room from the kitchen with a tray of teacups and a pot. She went to Gandalf first and poured him a drink before she went to every one of them. After they had their drinks, she walked to Merry and said, "I'll continue the planning. You need to take a break."

He sighed in content, "Thank you, my love" She gave him a peck on the cheek before leaving down a hallway.

The others shifted in their seats. Gimli asked, "Is that your woman, lad?"

Merry nodded, "My wife, yes."

Aragorn and Legolas shared a look. Legolas asked, "Why were we not informed? Did you have a wedding? We would have gladly attended,"

Merry shrugged, "We didn't know if any of you would have time. You all have very high statuses, so we were sure you were too busy. It was a bit chaotic for us as well."

Aragorn asked, "Why is that?"

Merry nodded, "After we got back, The Shire was under… new management. Orcs had taken over. Luckily, Sam, Pippin, and I knew how to fight them. Also, us hobbits can be combat-ready when need be. We combined the remaining hobbits and gave them bows. We had to drive the orcs out. After that, we needed to rebuild. It took us months to fix everything and to remove the bodies. And then there is the matter of our personal lives.

After the orcs were removed, Sam was reunited with his love, Rose Cotton. They wanted to be married as soon as they could, so we were still busy even after everything was rebuilt. At their wedding, I met Estella. We married a few months later."

Boromir exclaimed, "Wait! Sam's married too?"

Merry nodded again, "Yes, but like I said, we were incredibly busy and we were sure you were too."

Aragorn said, "We weren't aware of the orcs in your homeland. We could have sent aid."

Merry shook his head, "There was no need. We managed."

Before anyone could say anything else, a small blond curly head popped in from the hallway. A small hobbit child with large brown eyes, a yellow shirt, and blue overalls was trying and failing to stay hidden. Merry smiled at the boy, "It's okay, Faramir. You can come in."

The boy hurried over to Merry and grabbed onto his legs. Merry roughed his hair, "Everyone, this is my son, Faramir."

A pause of silence filled the room. Boromir said, "Y-you have a son? And you named him after my brother?"

Merry nodded, "We got lucky. Estella got pregnant on the honeymoon," he looked down at the boy, "Hey buddy. Do you remember that story I told you? The one about that evil ring?"

He nodded.

Merry crouched down to the boy's height. He said, "This is The Fellowship. They're the good guys that helped Daddy and Uncle Pip," he pointed, "That's Boromir."

The boy's face lit up. He let go of Merry and toddled to the man. He grabbed Boromir's legs and smiled, "I'm named after your brother!"

Boromir chuckled. He grinned, "Yeah, you are."

Merry shook his head. He said, "Faramir, where is Baby Esmerelda?"

He looked at his dad, "Baby Sister is with Mommy!"

He nodded, "Why don't you go see if she needs help with the baby?"

The boy nodded, "Okay," he turned to Boromir, "Bye-bye!"

He toddled off down the hall. Merry kept an eye on the little lad until he walked into another room, presumably to his mother. Aragorn stated, "Two kids? I can barely handle one."

Legolas realized, "That's right! You and Arwen had a son, yes?"

Aragorn nodded, "Yes. We've named him Elderion. He's about two years of age."

The elf replied, "Ah, an elvish name. Very fitting."

Merry shook his head, "Congratulations. They get better after a while, I promise. Faramir is a saint, but when he was younger, he was a little hurricane. I'm just glad his growth won't slow down until he's about nine. Could you imagine having a toddler for ten years?"

Gimli grumbled, "Try twenty. I haven't had children yet, but my cousins do."

Gandalf, changing the topic, asked, "How is your wife doing now?"

Merry replied, "She's pregnant with our third. She doesn't look like it, but after two births, I trust her judgment."

Boromir exclaimed, "Three children in five years!?"

Merry shrugged, "It's average. We're thinking of stopping at five then waiting a few years. We aren't sure."

Gandalf chuckled, "Yes, of course."

"Merry!" Estella called, "Please come watch the children for me!"

Merry replied, "Coming!" he turned to the Fellowship, "I need to go back to party planning."

Gandalf nodded, "Do not fret. We will be going to Tuckborough next."

Merry snorted, "Good luck with that. They're busier than we are."

Gandalf stood and placed his teacup/shot glass on an end table, "Of course they are. We will try. Thank you for having us."

"Anytime."

The Fellowship left. After they returned to their horses, Gandalf announced, "Now we will go to Tuckborough. It's across the ferry. That is where the Tooks reside."

Boromir nodded, "And where Young Peregrin is?"

Gandalf nodded, "Correct," he urged his horse forward, "Peregrin is the son of Paladin Took II. Paladin is the Thane of The Shire."

They made their way to Tuckborough. The door of this giant hobbit hole was yellow. Gandalf knocked on the door. An exasperated Pearl opened the door, "I don't care who you are or what you want. WE. ARE. BUSY."

After she promptly slammed the door in his face, Gandalf sighed, "This is to be expected," he turned back to The Fellowship, "No matter. We'll see him at the celebration. Now we will go to Bag End."

They continued on their journey. As they made their way deep into Hobbiton, The Fellowship couldn't help their gawking of the town. It was all so pretty. Children ran between homes, fathers and help tended to farms, sometimes with their wives.A shimming lake In the middle of the town in a field next to a large tree, they saw hobbits rushing to and fro with flowers, ribbons, and tables. Gimli noted, "I've never seen such a cheerful party."

Gandalf chuckled, "Be patient. It hasn't started yet."

They walked along the center of Hobbiton. The others were stunned silent as they felt a breeze sweep across the grassy lands that seemed to be bouncy with life. They stopped by one of the nicest homes there. It had a large garden and a green door. Gandalf said, "This is Bag End."

He dismounted his horse and knocked on the door. It creaked open to reveal a very pregnant hobbit woman with long curly blonde hair, brown eyes, and a green aproned pinafore dress. She leaned against the arm and took a breath. Her hand rested on her protruding belly, "Gandalf, what a pleasant surprise."

He nodded, "Rose, it's wonderful to see you. Is Samwise home?"

She shook her head, "He's plowing the fields now. Would you like to come in until he gets back?"

He nodded, "Yes. I do have extra company, I'm afraid."

She said, "I know," she looked past Gandalf and landed on the ranger, "You must be the Strider that Sam and Merry seem so fond of."

Aragorn agreed, "Yes ma'am."

She nodded, "Good. Please, make yourself at home."

All of the company shuffled inside. Gandalf remembered the chandelier and ducked. Aragorn, however, did not. It looked almost exactly the same as when Bilbo had resided in it. The only difference was that the map room had been replaced with a nursery, with four cribs he might add. One could clearly see in it, which made it easier to keep an eye on the children. Two of the beds had sleeping babies. From previous visits, Gandalf knew that Frodo's old bedroom had been filled with small children's beds as well. He stepped forward and almost stepped on a corn husk doll. He would need to be more careful.

Rose waddled to a large comfortable brown armchair in the den and heavily plopped down. She sighed and rubbed her baby bump. Gandalf took the only other chair, a matching one of Rose's. Around the den, more children's toys were scattered about. A toddler with small tufts of blonde hair and brown overalls sat on the floor playing with wooden blocks. Gandalf couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his lips. He turned to Rose and said, "When are you expecting, my dear?"

She sighed, "I haven't a clue. I'm about ready to pop!"

He nodded, "And how are your other children?"

She waved her hand, "They're well. The older ones usually help me with the younger. Sam is a dear of course; he's already taught Elanor, Frodo, Rosie, and Merry how to help with the garden. The older ones should be with Sam."

The others scrambled their way into the den. Without a place to sit. They had to remain standing. Legolas, after tearing his eyes away from the nursery, said, "You and Master Sam have quite the home."

She nodded, "Yes. We have Frodo to thank for that."

He asked, "What do you mean, ma'am?"

She furrowed her brows in confusion, "Don't you know? Frodo left Bag End to us. He left the Shire with Mister Bilbo."

Before Legolas could ask, Gandalf clarified, "Bilbo is Frodo's cousin."

A door creaked, a back door that led to their gardens and farmland, and a rush of feet ran inside. Four small hobbit children, two boys and two girls, rushed to Rose. The girls had dresses. The boys had pants and shirts. Two of them had blond hair, one had brown, and one had red. They were all covered in dirt. A blond girl ran to her mother, "Mom! We got the food for Mister Pippin's wedding!"

The Fellowship gave each other a confused look. They all thought the same thing, ' Pippin's wedding?'

She smiled, "That's great, Elanor. Go clean now. You're all filthy!"

The girl nodded, turned, grabbed two of her siblings' hands, and ran off, the fourth one following behind. Sam followed behind them. Much like his plethora of children, he was also covered in dirt. He had a white rag and was cleaning off his hands. Sam yelled, "Gandalf! What are you doing here?"

The old wizard grinned, "For Peregrin's wedding, of course."

Sam chuckled, "You're never one to miss a party," he addressed the others, "My friends! What a wonderful surprise!"

Aragorn laughed, "Sam! It's nice to see you again," he looked down at the toddler with the blocks, "Married with children, are we?"

Sam nodded, "Yes. I married my Rosie almost as soon as we got back. We've been very fortunate! Mister Frodo's home is very spacious with plenty of room for family." He tracked dirt on the wooden floors as he walked to Rose. He placed a hand on her belly, "We're having our seventh."

If Aragorn had a drink, he would have spit it out, "Seventh?"

Sam said, "Yes. Let's see…" he counted on his fingers, "We have Elanor, Frodo, Rose, Merry, Pippin, and Goldilocks." He leaned down and kissed Rose on the cheek. He replaced his hand on her bump, "If it's a boy, we're naming him Hamfast after my father. If it's a girl, it'll be Daisy." Rose giggled in happiness.

Rose lifted Sam's hand off, "Dear, please go bathe. You're covered in dirt."

He sighed in acknowledgment, "Yes dear." He wandered into the hobbithole. He needed to make sure his children were clean too.

After he left, Boromir asked, "So Gandalf, what is this about Master Pippin's wedding?"

Gandalf flashed a smug grin, "That's the surprise! Peregrin turned 33 last summer. He's officially an adult and is now eligible to be married. He met this lovely girl at Merry's wedding." They could almost feel the excitement radiating off the old man. He said, "They've been planning this wedding for the last three years!"

Aragorn wasn't sure what to say. He racked his brain until he arrived at, "At least we will be able to attend this one," he shook his head, "And here I am, a king with no wedding gift."

Gandalf advised, "Do not worry. Your company is enough of a gift," he turned to Boromir, "Especially you."

Boromir didn't know what to say. Gandalf could swear he could see a blush creep on the man's face. The wizard wanted to make it worse. He informed him, "Remember Merry's son Faramir? They agreed their first sons would be named after you and your brother. Merry's first son is Faramir. Peregrin's first son will be Boromir."

The man was touched, to say the least. Boromir could practically feel his heart swell, for what had he done to receive such an honor? He wouldn't know how to thank the hobbit.

The Fellowship remained with Sam and Rose until it was time for the wedding. The children and Sam were cleaned. They were dressed in white and brown. They all had white bracelets made of flowers. The adults had flower bracelets as well.

The Party Field and the Party Tree were decorated with white, yellow, and blue streamers. Bouquets of flowers of all colors were tied to wooden lantern posts and wooden tables with ribbons. A white lattice wedding arch was at the end of the field. It seemed that hundreds, perhaps thousands of hobbits were lined up with just enough space between them to create an aisle. A group of eight hobbits stood away from the crowd. Each had an instrument. An older, fat, hobbit man with receding curly gray hair stood at the arch. Aragorn and company stood next to it. Every one of the men was holding a small bouquet of white flowers. Rose and Sam stood by with most of their children except for their eldest, Elanor. Merry, Estella, and Faramir were nowhere to be found.

The hobbit band started to play, and the wedding began. First came Estella, Elanor, and Faramir down the aisle. They all had white dresses and shirts. Estella held a woven basket filled with yellow petals. The children took fistfuls of them and scattered them.

The next that came was Merry and Pippin. Pippin was wearing a dark blue, velvet, layered suit. His curly auburn hair was adorned with a yellow, blue, and white flower crown. His right arm was linked with his cousin's left arm. Merry had a brown and green suit; he did not have flowers on him. As they approached the wedding arch, Merry stopped, gently reached forward, and bent Pippin's head down. He placed a kiss on his forehead and told him, "I give you away. Take care of her." After this exchange, Merry smiled at his cousin before stepping to the side with the others, leaving Pippin at the altar to wait for his bride.

Finally, a woman with messy, curly, brown hair that had been attempted to be wrangled in a low bun started down the aisle. Her long-sleeved dress was white with a matching blue ribbon on the waistband. A flower crown matching Pippin's sat atop her head. She clutched a bouquet of yellow and blue flowers. She walked her way through the aisle, and other hobbits made cheerful comments about her beauty. She reached Pippin and stood next to him in the aisle.

The fat hobbit who was acting as the officiator, Paladin Took, announced, "Welcome, friends. We have gathered here today to witness the most joyous occasion, the merging of these two hobbits. We have all been waiting for this day, and what a lovely day for this occasion." He looked at Pippin, "My son, Peregrin Took. Would you like to change your vows?"

Pippin nodded. He gazed deeply into the woman's eyes, "Diamond, I have never loved another as much as I love you. I promise to treasure you and provide for you always"

Paladin nodded. He turned to Diamond "Diamond of Long Cleeve, would you like to exchange your vows?"

She smiled and addressed Pippin, "Peregrin. I was happy when I first saw you. I was happy when you asked me on a date. I was happy when you courted me. I was so happy when you proposed. I am so happy now. I wish for our happiness to follow us for the rest of our lives. I promise to make you happy as you have made me happy."

They gave each other teary laughs.

Paladin asked Pippin, "Do you, Peregrin Took, take Diamond of Long Cleeve as your wedded wife, to have and to hold, through sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

"And do you, Diamond of Long Cleeve, take Peregrin Took as your wedded husband, to have and to hold through sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

Paladin announced, "By the power invested in me as the Thane of the Shire, I now pronounce you Mister and Missus Peregrin Took! You may kiss the bride."

The two quickly kissed and cheers erupted from the crowd. Diamond held Pippin's hand with her right hand and tossed her bouquet with her left. Surprisingly, Boromir was the one who caught it- not that he meant to. It was just heading towards him and he acted on instinct. He grumbled; he'll never hear the end of this.

The party afterward was exploding with activity. The band was playing, piles of food were lined on tables for a buffet, children were running around playing, adults were drinking, and hobbits of all ages were dancing. Aragorn, Boromir, Gimli, Legolas, and Gandalf stood near the tables. Boromir was still holding the bouquet, and Gandalf had a plate with a slice of cake. Sam was with them as well. His children were with Rose and Estella if they weren't running around with the other hobbit children. Sam had a large mug of beer.

Pippin and his bride held hands as they walked to the group. Pippin cheered as they approached, "I can't believe it! You're all here!"

Aragorn smiled, "Congratulations, my friend."

Pippin replied, "Thank you," he exclaimed, "Oh! Everyone, this is my wife, Diamond. Diamond, this is The Fellowship."

She curtsied, "I've heard so much about you."

Aragorn lifted the hand Pippin was not holding and politely kissed it, "It's an honor to meet you, madam."

Nearby, Merry jumped on one of the tables. His beer splashed slightly out of his mug. He called out, "Gather 'round!" After everyone had their attention on him, he continued, "I never thought I'd see the day when Peregrin, my dearest and most favorite cousin, would get married. He was one of the worst troublemakers the Shire had ever seen! Diamond, you have your work cut out for you," he laughed and raised his mug, "To Pippin and Diamond! May they be as fortunate and frivolous as Sam!" A mixture of laughs and cheers filled the field. The adults took a swig of their drinks. Sam, with the Fellowship, felt his face burning with a blush.

Boromir laughed as well. The party resumed around him. He watched the merriment with pure glee. Two hobbit children who both looked near the ages of ten, though they were most likely twenty as Boromir realized as they were hobbits and not men, ran past him. He looked about and saw the very pregnant Rose again. She was talking to a hobbit woman and Estella. They were all holding babies, presumably Rose's. A toddler sat at her feet. He looked away. Hobbit children seemed to be everywhere. They were climbing the Party Tree, eating at the buffet, or playing tag. The man turned to Gandalf and said, "Wizard, I think I finally understand."

Gandalf ignored the cake in his beard and asked, "Understand what, Boromir."

"How hobbits are like rabbits," the man answered, "They're very, huh, fertile."

Gandalf chuckled, "Yes they are." He looked at the sky, "It'll be getting dark soon. It's time for my fireworks."

Boromir and company enjoyed the rest of the evening and stayed in Brandy Hall when night fell. They could understand why Gandalf liked the Shire so much; it was peaceful and happy. They made plans to visit again in two years' time; five years had been too long to visit their friends. Also, if the Fellowship took bets on how many children they would have by that time, well, the hobbits didn't need to know that.