Chapter One: An Unexpected Arrival

Fíli led the way to a table in the corner by the hearth fire. He sat with his back to the wall so he could see the entrance and keep an eye on the crowd. His travel companions settled into seats on the other side, one dressed as a tall, thin man, one just another dwarf.

That's all we are now, me and Kíli. Just plain dwarves. Wandering dwarves, itinerant dwarves…vagabond dwarves.

Stop it, he told himself as his brother looked at him in silence.

"Feels strange being back here," he said.

Kíli nodded. Their tall companion peered out from under her hood, eyes wide at the strangeness of this place. She'd never been to the Shire and she was plainly out of her element.

Poor lass. She was many years older than both of them, but in all her life had never ventured outside the land of her birth. Everything was new to her, strange and foreign. It made her a bit vulnerable and Fíli had softened to her. He hadn't wanted to like this elf lady in the beginning—they both knew it. But he appreciated her bravery in sticking with them and they shared the common goal of looking after his brother. Kíli had always been a handful; now even more so.

Tauriel looked at him anxiously, her expression uncertain.

Hobbits, Fíli realized. The inn was full of them and they were loud, laughing, drunk, and lovably ridiculous. He saw Kíli take her hand in reassurance.

A buxom, smiling Hobbit lass approached. "What'll you have my good dwarves?" She smiled at them, looked a bit askance at the "man," then raised her eyebrows.

"Two ales each for my brother and I," Fíli said with confidence. "And your best wine for our friend, here." Fíli smiled politely and slid a silver Bree coin across the table.

She took the coin and bobbed. "Thank'ee lads. I'll send Myrtle over with the ales…" She whisked herself away. When Myrtle delivered four tankards and a goblet, and Fíli stopped her with a hand on her arm.

"Lassie," he said with a respectful nod. "Is there a likely lad to send on an errand? We've an old friend in these parts. Hoping he'll join us."

She flashed a nervous smile, then glanced about the public room. "Well, young Rudi…Rudigar, I should say…Rudigar might do it for a copper."

Fíli nodded and she hailed a young hobbit not fully grown and introduced the lad.

"Rudi, these travelers need a runner," she nodded and left.

Fíli put a small copper coin on the table and Kíli set a full leather pouch of pipeweed beside it.

Fíli smiled as kindly as he could. "Here's the job, lad. Take this up to Bag End and deliver it into the hand of Mr. Bilbo Baggins. Please ask if he'd care to meet old friends in the Green Dragon." Fíli nodded to his brother to indicate that the two of them were the friends. "Another copper for you when it's done."

The lad lifted the pouch and weighed it, approving the offering. "For Mr. Bilbo, sir?" The hobbit lad's curls bounced as he considered.

Kíli confirmed with a sober nod.

The lad grabbed the coin and took off, dodging hale gaffers on his way out. One old fellow, a miller perhaps, frowned at the lad, then looked back at Fíli .

Their eyes met. The old miller's narrowed. At the bar, a trio of farmers started a rousing tune about a randy red rooster.

Hobbits. Fíli kept his expression bland and turned back to his companions.

Kíli was reaching for his flagon. Tauriel sniffed her Shire wine with caution, then looked at it with pleasant surprise.

"Interesting," she said. "A bit plum-like."

"Give me ale, any time," Kíli said, shaking his head.

Fíli restrained himself from rolling his eyes. They were opposites, those two. But they had become inseparable. Go figure.

"As long as it packs a punch," Fíli raised his flagon. "I am more than happy to drink it," he declared, grinning as the other two joined him and they bumped drinks together.

"Here's to hoping our journey hasn't been for naught," he said. The two dwarves drank deeply; the elf sipped.

Kíli drained his flagon and came up for air. "Nicely hoppy. Yes! Shire ales use the best hops." He grinned happily.

Fíli smiled and agreed, setting his mug down with a thump.

Both ales later Fíli looked up to see that the messenger lad had returned.

"Mr. Bilbo, sir, says you are welcome at his home and insists you…" the lad stopped, eyes wide, considering the dwarves.

"What?" Kíli demanded.

The lad looked slightly frightened but adopted an air of recitation and cleared his throat. "Mr. Bilbo says: get your sorry backsides up the hill for a proper welcome...and says he assumes you know the way without getting lost..." The young hobbit's voice trailed off, as if unsure of the reception to such a cheeky answer.

Fíli snorted. "Ah. Well, that was never our problem." He smiled sadly. After a moment he slid the second copper to the lad. "Well done, lad. We'll be up shortly, then." He finished his ale as the lad made himself scarce.

Together, the three travelers stood, Fíli taking a moment to settle his footing and shrug the kink out of his shoulder. Kíli kept his weight off his bad leg as he stood, limping just slightly as they left, Tauriel ever-watchful at their heels. She was lithe as ever…just more shy and anxious.

Outside, the evening air was crisp and billowing blue-grey clouds to the north hinted at late winter rain. Leaving their ponies well stabled, the travelers made their way from the roundabout to the Hill, passing only a single gardener on his way down.

The little gate and the round green door looked much as they had on that late summer night almost three years past.

But so much was different. So much…

Fíli rang the bell, his brother and friend next to him.

"Hello! Hello!" The door opened to a happy voice, and then Fíli found himself looking into the startled eyes of someone he'd not seen in nearly three years.

"Bilbo," he murmured. He meant to bow, meant to give the fellow a big hug and laugh at the sight of him.

But for Fíli, seeing Bilbo again brought back the sudden pain of knowing their uncle was dead, that so much had gone wrong.

He stared. Blinked.

And Bilbo Baggins stood with mouth open in sheer disbelief, his snub-nosed face drained of all color. He took a half-step back, looked very puzzled, then hit the floor with a firm *thunk*.

**A/N Welcome to this NEW story co-authored by Summerald (me) who will be writing in Fili's POV and my fab writing buddy BlueRiverSteel, who will be writing in Kili's POV. We intend to alternate chapters as we develop this storyline. Please hop on over and visit our other stories, but in the meantime, welcome aboard! Please favorite or follow...chapter two will be along shortly!

Don't be shy-drop us a note as a review or PM! All feedback welcome!

Mahal's Blessings! Summerald and BlueRiverSteel!