Air.

She needed air.

She tried to open her eyes but was greeted only by the flickering of a distant light. When she tried to gasp, she was choked by a burning in her lungs, and the realization but her.

Water.

She is in water.

She is drowning in water.

Frantically she waved her arms around trying to reach the surface of the water.

She could swim. In fact, she was very good at it. Her mother, being the protective and paranoid parent she was, began her daughters swim lessons at the age of four to ensure that she would always be prepared for any water involved emergency that might occur, but this was different.

In this, she was being held down.

In desperation she looked around to find any way to get out and managed to get a better view of her surroundings. The walls around her were white and the water it's self was shallow.

Bathtub.

She was in a bathtub, and she was drowning-being held down by, not one, but two large hands.

She opened her mouth at an attempt of a scream but only managed to release the last bubble of air that was left in her lungs. Her fingernails began scratching, tearing away at the rough hands placed against her abdomen in a struggling attempt at holding her flailing body under the water.

She heard a low voice mumble something and one of the hands lifted off her. A new sense of hope came to her but soon was diminished when the hand plunged back under the water next to her face and grabbed a chunk of her wet and tangled auburn hair, slamming her head down onto the bottom of the bathtub.

If she could scream she would have. Her vision began to loose its sharpness and darkness began to fill in the edges.

Desperate and scared to death, she began once again to grab at the hands and managed to slip her hand under one. It was rough and yet soft at the same time. And familiar. So very, very familiar.

No. No, it couldn't be.

Her hand wrapped around his, terrified that it was who she thought it might be, and just like she feared...there it was.

The feeling of the band around his finger was cool even in the heat of the scolding bathtub water. It was a cool feeling she had felt a million times.

When her mother died and his hand sat on her cheek as each and every tear fell.

When she got into the car accident and he help her hand as she was rushed into the ER.

It had always been there-just like it was there now.

But this time the cool didn't calm her like it had so many times. This time it caused a panic, so fierce and sudden that she stopped struggling. The shock seemed to hit her all at once and she was paralyzed. She couldn't move one finger in defense.

Everything seemed to get darker and further apart.

The walls of the bathtub appeared to melt away and the water was now murky and hard to peer through. Then she was sinking, further and further down.

But how? She was in a bathtub?

As everything around her changed yet the only thing that remained was the pressure on her stomach pushing her further and further down. The water became colder and colder, and a few times she imagined several small fish swim near her head, glance at her in curiosity, then swim off.

In one last move of agony she reached up as far at her arms would spread, but felt only more water.

She had never given up on anything. She never thought she would, but as her eyes blinked in the murk she let her arms go slack.

This is it. She thought, this is how I die.

Letting her eyes close for one last time, she imagined two large hands plunge into the water and grab her wrists, and for a second. She thought she felt her head fall back as she was lifted out of the water. There wasn't much time for her to wonder as a white light enveloped her and took her away.

It was dark. All so very dark.

When she imagined the after life she had never exactly imagined it as dark.

White, yes.

Pink, maybe.

Dark? No. Not even a little.

Yet here she was, in this dark, dark after life. The tingling started next. It started in her toes and worked it's way up her body; through her legs, to her stomach, hands, arms. The moment it hit her chest everything changed. Her body no longer tingled, but ached. Her chest seemed to explode with sudden life from within and she felt the bile rise to her mouth before she even recognized the sensation.

The dark was no longer dark as she began coughing the water out of her lungs onto the grass beside her head. She rolled onto her stomach and continued to spill the contents out, leaving a not so pleasant smell.

Once the coughing turned into labored wheezing, she fell back and opened her eyes to a new kind of white; different from that of the walls of her bathtub.

Clouds. White like cotton balls and floating in the air, silently passing over her head, and leaving a large amount of blue sky uncovered. She dared not move in fear of finding out this was just an allusion meant to make her think she was still alive.

"How cruel." She wheezed at the idea of something so peaceful after something so dreadful.

"Interesting. I have always thought of them as rather joyful things." Another voice chimed from the side. "Except for when they are dark and bring rain, of course." She started and jumped into a sitting position, trying to not pay attention to the throbbing pain on the back of her head. She let out a gasp at the sight of a tall man dressed in long grey robes, holding a stick in one hand, and a pointed hat on his head.

"Who are you?" She coughed, attempting to push herself away from the man and was stopped when her back hit hard against a ragged surface, and exhaled sharply when she turned to see she was backed against a tree. "Where am I?"

"Why, the edge of the shire, my dear." He said, and she looked at him as he gave her a kind, gentle smile.

Shire? Where had she heard that before?

She never had the chance to respond as a group of bearded men came crashing through some bushes, cursing and yelling insults at the leaved thorn bush. She let out a squeal of surprise and terror, and they all looked at her with wide eyes.

"Look there now, lads!" A voice called, and she connected it to a man with a strange hat, "she's awake and seems well enough!" And a few of the others nodded in agreement, some giving her questionable stares.

"Who are you?" She asked again, but if came out raspy and barely understandable, she pushed herself-with some difficulty-to her feet, clutching the base of the tree for support and lifted her head in an attempt to seem not as intimidated. "Who are you?" She managed again, louder and clearer.

The man who had just spoken stepped forward and removed his hat, "Bofur. At your service." He then Proceed to bow so low she thought his nose might have touched the ground.

She noticed just then how short all of the men were, except for the tall man with the pointed hat, who actually seemed to be taller than any human she had met. She had never been very tall, only 5' 3", but a lot of these men seemed just barely the same height if not shorter.

"Where am I?" She questioned, and the grey man stepped forward, drawing her attention and that of the other men.

"On the edge of the Shire." He answered with the exact same answer as before.

"I know that, but where exactly?" She questioned, and was met with confused and curious glances from the group. She glanced around once more and felt something off about the air. It was lighter than she was used to. More bright and clean compared to the stuffy crowded air she had lived in the past 4 years. "Where in the world am I?" She whispered, more of a question in which she expected no answer.

"Why, certainly there is only one Shire in Middle Earth!" A cheery voice shouted, and she turned her head to see another short man standing next to the other, this one was the shape and color of an orange, and had a braided beard that could easily be tucked into his pants. "Bombur." He said when they made eye contact, "At your service." He finished with a slight nod in greeting.

"Did you say...Middle Earth?" The last two words came as a hissed whisper, and the group in front of her all nodded eagerly. "As in The Lord of the Rings? And the Hobbit?"

"Not exactly sure what you mean there, lass, but seeing as we are on our way now to meet a hobbit, my guess is yes." Bofur said, and gave her a wide grin. Suddenly, it all made sense. The Shire. The place the hobbits lived in Tolkien's books, and in Peter Jackson's movies.

She had grown up on those stories. Tales of adventures, and journeys across dangerous lands. Of Frodo and Bilbo, and the ring.

"Oh no." She whispered backing away, and caught sight of the weapons they all possessed. A few swords here, an axe or two there. She held up her hand in defense, suddenly scared of what they might do to her. "Oh no, no, no, no, no, no. Stay back!" she said, as one of them took a small step towards her, and she almost tumbled to the ground when her foot caught a root. She quickly picked up a nearby stick, and held it in front of her, moving it around in an attempt of seeming intimidating. "Don't come any nearer. I have this-" She looked at her hands, "stick, and I am not afraid to use it."

Silence filled the clearing and all that could be heard were her soft footsteps against the grass, and the wind in the air, bringing in the occasional bird song. All silence was shattered at once, as eight loud, and hearty laughs filled the air, and one small chuckle from the tall man.

"What's do funny?" She demanded, not moving the stick anymore. The laughter just continued and a few of the men clung to each others shoulder to stay upright and standing.

"Now now," The grey man stepped forward and held up a hand to silence the bellows of laughter, but his mouth still contained a smile. Once the laughter was quieted to small chuckles and grins, he turned towards the girl. She moved her stick so that it was pointing at him. "My dear, do calm down, and let me introduce myself. My name is Gandalf-"

"Gandalf?" she said, eyes wide in realization, "Gandalf the grey?"

"Indeed." He responded and his amused smile turned into one of curiosity, and turned to give a view of the group behind him, "And this is part of my company. Allow me to introduce them, Bofur and Bombur, whom you have already met." He gestured to the two men and they bowed towards her. "Bifur." A man with an axe in his head grunted and she stared at him, wondering how in the world he was alive, "Oin, Gloin."

Two men, one with a large fiery red beard, and the other with a funnel type thing sticking out of his right ear, both bowed deeply to her, with an added, "At your service," at the end.

"And, Nori, Dori and Ori." Three men stood behind the rest and stepped forward all bowing.

The one with the star shaped hair, smiled brightly. "At your service." He said.

Dori, the oldest of the three, gave her a weary look but added the same greeting as all the rest. Ori, obviously the youngest glanced at her with a timid smile and blushed when he added the last greeting, receiving the only smile in return from the girl as she observed his red cheeks.

"Well then," Gandalf said cheerily, looking around, "It seems that you know are acquainted with all of us, but we yet have the pleasure of learning your name." He finished with a look that told her they were waiting for a greeting inn return from this strange girl.

She glanced around at the group. She knew she should be terrified, and in shock, possibly even running away at the moment, but these short men-well dwarves- she remembered from the story, all seemed familiar to her. She had read the book before and seen the movie enough times to recognize this group as little more than half of the company of Thorin Oakensheild.

The feeling she had around them was familial. She knew them as well as the back of her hand. She just only hoped that they were as kind and respectful as she had seen and read of them in the movie and book.

She let the stick lower until it was touching the ground. She opened her mouth to respond but found that she could not. Her mind was blank as she tried to recall her name. Her light eyebrows knitted themselves together in confusion and for several seconds all that was heard to the dwarves was the sound of her dragging her stick across the ground in frustration at not being able to recall her name. Then she remembered, here eyes lighted and eye brows parted.

"Gwendoline Maize." She said, keeping a weary look on her face, "At your service." She bowed just like they all had, but kept her eyes on them the whole time.

"Well it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, lady Gwendoline." Gandalf said, with a deep bow of his head.

"Not lady." She stopped him, "Just Gwendoline. Or Gwen."

"Well then Gwendoline," He smiled, "Forgive me if I pry, but may I ask what a lady like yourself was doing drowning in a pond?"

Gwen's eye brows came together once again as she remembered the feeling of sinking, then the hands that held her down. And the ring that was so cool against her own skin. Her head began to throb once again and she shut her eyes at the pain, which caused a few tears to well, and slip down her cheek.

"No." she dropped her stick. "No, no, no. He wouldn't do that. He wouldn-" She hissed as the pain in her head inclined in strength, and she knew where it had come from. When he slammed her head against the bathtub floor. "He loves me. He wouldn't do that. This is just a dream." She opened her eyes and was met with eight pairs of wide eyes and one pair of knowing eyes. "This is just a dream; you are all figments of my imagination. I am just dreaming."

"Gwendoline-" Gandalf started, but was cut off but a jerking sob that came from the small girl in front of him.

"This is just a dream and any moment I am going to wake up. And he is going to be there. And he is going to say he loves me, and that he would never do anything to harm me and-"

"Lady Gwendoline!" Gandalf yelled, and she and the rest of the dwarves stared at him. She nodded knowing that she needed to calm down.

"Please Gandalf." She said and walked up to him. It was a dream. She couldn't be hurt in a dream. "Please you have to tell me what's happening. You're a wizard. You know things. Tell me how I can wake up."

"Lady Gwen-"

"Not lady." She snarled eyes red and puffy.

"Gwendoline." He sighed, "I don't know what you have had happen, but I can assure you, this is not a dream." More tears fell from the small girls Steel colored eyes. "Perhaps you should join us to Bag End, and there we will be able to discuss this."

"Bag End?" Her eyes seemed to lighten a bit. She had always dreamed of going to middle earth and visiting Bag End. Meeting Bilbo Baggins and all those characters. She just never expected it to be quite like this. "You're going to Bag End right now?" Her eyes widened; this was the very beginning. No, this was before it even starts.

"Indeed. Just a short little ways from here and I am sure Master Baggins would be kind enough to allow you to join in for supper." Gandalf's eyes twinkled with a mischievous light, "Those Hobbits have enough food in their pantries to last decades."

"Gandalf." A new voice chimed in and Gwendoline looked past Gandalf to see the white haired Dori giving the wizard a stern glare. "I am not sure that is a wise decision. He might not be willing to allow a stranger know of our-" He paused and sent a glance in Gwen's direction to check if she was listening, "-plans." He finished, making sure not to give too much away.

"He may not, but not to worry. I am sure Gwendoline here is a trustworthy and loyal soul, and we cannot deny a lady any help that we are able to provide, am I correct Master Dwarf?" He gave Dori a determined glare back. Know fully well how respected women were in dwarven culture.

Dori turned to the group of dwarves and they all began mumbling; a few nodding, some shaking their heads, and Bifur frantically making strange motions with his hands.

Gwendoline looked towards the wizard who gave her a subtle nod to encourage her patience. Gwen didn't know what she wanted.

She had dreamed of going to Bag End, and she wanted to go now. The possibility of such a thing stirred an excitement in her stomach that she hadn't felt in years, but somewhere deep in her mind, the cautious and more reasonable chunk that had been planted by her mother saw doubt at the idea of joining them. She feared her being present at this very important part in the beginning of the story would change the events and make something that wasn't supposed to happen, happen.

But this can help. Her mind reminded her, moments ago you were bawling at the idea that he would do anything to you. This could help you find the answers you need. The reasons behind what is happening.

Her excitement and worries were silenced when she heard a throat being cleared and she lifted her gaze away from the very green grass to the dwarves all smiling at her- Except for Dori.

"We will allow Miss Gwendoline to accompany us to Bag End if, and only if, the lady gives an oath, promising to keep any information she hears, a secret." Dori announced, and Gwen felt herself split into two opposing sides- The willing and excited and the cautious and unsure. Gwen was silent until she realized that nine pairs of eyes were on her, waiting for a response.

"Oh-uh..." She found herself torn between the possibility of adventure and answers and the possibility of changing one of the most well known works of literature. It did not take long for her childhood dreams and need for answers to win over. "I will make the oath, and join you." As she said it, a new hope seemed to grow in her, and all the dwarves saw it. The cautious glint disappeared and was replaced by a fierce determination. The tears that had been in her eyes mere minutes before were wiped away and the only sign that she had wept at all was a faint ring of pink around her eyes.

This is it. She thought. This is where I will find my answers.

"It is decided then." Dori said, with a slight scowl on his face as he turned to Ori, who was frantically writing in a small journal. "Ori."

Ori looked up, and a red hue appeared on his cheeks as he noticed every ones eyes fixed on him, but he stepped forward none the less and handed the small journal to Gwen who took it and read the words on the page;

I promise to keep all the information and facts that are heard

By my ears within Bag End, to myself and hereby swear upon

Mine own life that I will not speak a word of what is spoken,

Outside of the walls of Bag End.

Signed: _

Gwen looked up to see little Ori holding a small freshly dipped quill out to her ad she took hold of the fragile thing.

She had never written with a quill before. It felt rough and unsure in her hands and with the added excitement and fear, her usually elegant signature, appeared shaky and looked as if it were a child's attempt at cursive.

She handed the journal to Ori who tuned and placed it in Dori's hand. Dori lifted it up to his eyes glaring at the piece of paper with a suspicious intensity. After glancing from the paper, to Gwen, and back, he gave a defeated sigh. Quickly he tore the paper out of the journal, and ignored Ori's gasp as he handed it back to the young scribe. He took the paper, folded it up, and placed it gently in a pocket.

"Everything seems in order." Dori grumbled and turned to start walking through the bushes they had first appeared from, "but he is still going to be very unhappy." He mumbled. "Gandalf."

The group all smiled and Gwen released a breath she had no idea that she was holding in. Gandalf grinned at the young girl and nodded.

"Very well. We must be going, or else we will be very late." He announced to them all and turned to follow behind the group making their way towards a path that had a long line of small ponies Gwen had not noticed before.

Gwen grinned in pleasure and tried to ignore the aching in her heart as flashes of the past that she needed answers about, flashed through her mind.

As the group all positioned themselves onto the small horses, Gwen followed Gandalf to the front of the line.

"Quickly now!" Gandalf called behind him to where Gwen and the eight sat, and the ponies began to move forward. "I am not fond of being late."

Gwen grinned at his words, "But Gandalf." she called, and he turned to look at her, eye brows raised in question. "You are a wizard and Wizards are never late. They arrive precisely when they mean to."

A smile appeared on his lips and a small chuckle made its way out, as he turned to look forward once again.

"Quite right, my dear." He said, and she grinned back, "Quite right."

Hello!

So this is my very first fanfiction, ever! I am not exactly new to fanfiction per say, I am mean, I am an avid reader of fanfiction, but after reading so many, I started to get my own ideas and thought, "Eh, why not." So here I am with my very first fanfiction!

I love the Hobbit with a burning passion, and am a huge fan of the characters and romance and all that jazz so decided to put it all together.

Anyways! Hope you all enjoy! Please rate, follow, fan, etc.

Thanks!

-Natalia