Hello Everyone! It has been a LONG time since I have had the time to write. While my allegiance remains with Sherlock (which I have not abandoned, though I have not updated in a VERY long time – my sincerest apologies to those of you who know me for my "Sherlock Blindness" story, your loyalty is incredibly important to me and I hope that I will not disappoint you in finishing the second volume to that tale), I have always been a HUGE fan of Tolkien. I believe him to be a literary genius and in the past I had been quite disappointed that there were not more fan stories surrounding his works. Since "The Hobbit" movie's recent release I have discovered a new fan base developing around Bilbo and his relationship with Thorin. I am currently working on my own piece which is dedicated to their relationship, however, when the opportunity to write this tale came up I jumped at the chance to get outside my comfort zone and write something very different and new!

This work is a collaboration with AnimeAngel1300 who will also be posting this story on Devientart under her account anime13freak. It was AnimeAngel13 who got me back into the writing mode by presenting me with this collaborative opportunity. Essentially the entire setting/basic timeline and idea were hers and she has completely created and written the persona of FemBilbo. I principally write Fili and Kili as well as several other well-beloved background characters etc. This will be my first collaborative and genderbend fic and (while it might not sound like I've done much) it really is a 50/50 collaboration. So far, this has been a great journey for the both of us and I am very thankful to AnimeAngel1300 for inspiring me and getting me writing again (despite my INSANELY busy schedule). So, without further ado please enjoy… Finding Home.

Chapter I: A Joyful Reunion

Bilbo sat at her window staring out at the green, rolling, hills of the shire. It's inhabitants calmly living their lives and tending to their gardens. Bilbo couldn't help but think how boring life was; she would sit for hours in this trance, just letting her mind wonder to the now very fond memories of her grand adventure to help Thorin's company save the great and majestic Dwarven city of Erabor. Bilbo had been through so much and seen all the things of the larger world outside the Shire. She had returned, world-weary, and settled happily back into her quiet, clean and comfortable little hobbit-hole at Bag End. The relief she had felt at her return had been short-lived. She found that she had quickly begun to grow restless and feared that had outgrown her love of the Shire. The small-mindedness of the Shirefolk (their prejudices, their little knowledge of the world outside their safe green haven) began to irritate her. It was times like this, as she sat here pondering her exciting past and her stagnant present, when she wanted nothing more than the pack her things and run out through those hills into the vast land that was Middle Earth. It was a funny thing really, but for some reason Bilbo often caught herself thinking of Thorin. She thought of all the dwarves, of course, but most often it was the memory of Thorin that flooded her thoughts and made it almost impossible for her to focus on more important matters – as a respectable hobbit should.

Bilbo let out a sigh and then moved to the kitchen to make herself a tea. It was almost one in the afternoon and she had all but forgotten elevenses, and – she noticed with some surprise – she had missed lunch as well! She felt suddenly uneasy and nearly distraught with the realization that she could have forgone nearly three important meals without noticing. She decided to skip right to an early afternoon tea. Bilbo was about to let her mind wander once again when there was a loud knocking on her door. She made her way over and opened the round, green, door. Standing on her door-step was two people she thought she'd never see again.

"Kili-" a dark-haired dwarf exclaimed

"and Fili," his strawberry-blond counterpart added before the surprised hobbit could even open her mouth.

"At your service," the two brothers said in unison with a low bow. A grin lit up both of their youthful faces.

"Fili! Kili!" Bilbo cried with excitement as she flung her arms around them in greeting, "Whatever are you doing on my door step?"

The dwarf brothers chuckled at the warm greeting and affectionately squeezed her against them in return.

"Well, we were in the neighborhood-" Fili began

"Just passing by really - " Kili cut in cheerfully

"- and we thought we should pop over and say 'hullo' to our old friend and fellow company member," Fili finished with a wide grin.

Bilbo was overjoyed by the sight of young brothers and then remembered that they were still on her door step.

"Oh my, where are my manners? Do come in, I was just making tea, would you like some?"

"Yes please," Kili was quick to reply.

"Certainly, thank you," his brother added, remembering his manners despite the excitement they both felt.

They stepped inside (remembering to scrape their boots at the door… Bilbo was so very fond of keeping things neat and tidy, it would be a shame to ruin her fancy rug no matter how useless such an item appeared to them). They unstrapped their many weapons and dumped them unceremoniously on the floor next to the coat-rack there they placed their travelling cloaks. They caught each other's eye mischievously as an unsuspecting Bilbo disappeared down the hall to prepare them some tea.

Glancing around, they noticed that not much had changed in the six years since they had last stepped foot in the cozy little hobbit hole. On the wall in the living room hung a map very similar to the one that they had used to find Erabor; the brothers imagined that Bilbo must have copied it from memory. Somehow, her skill at re-copying the piece didn't surprise them as she had often poured over the original with Thorin throughout the long journey together.

"It looks like she might be missing our adventures brother," Kili said quietly after taking a turn of the room. He motioned to the well-kept sword laying out on display over the mantelpiece and – with hands clasped behind his back – re-examined the detail of the map on the wall that they had both been looking at only a moment before.

"Yes, it appears she has neglected her garden and taken up reading," Fili replied, after returning from peering out the sole window at the wilted flowers drooping sadly in their neglected window box and tossing a glance over the desk which was piled high with papers, maps and half-read volumes of adventure tales.

A look of knowing entered Kili's dark eyes and the mischievous twinkle had not left them since the moment his hand had hovered over the round green door.

"It does not mean she desires to return," Fili warned quietly.

"No, but it means there is hope," the ever-optimistic Kili said with a sly grin.

"Here we are," Bilbo said, bringing in a tray with three, small, tea cups and a few cakes to go with it. She was so excited she almost tripped on her way to the sitting room. Composing herself she set the tray down and took a seat by the fire. She looked up at the two dwarves with a bright smile on her face.

"So, how have you been? How is everyone else? What about Erabor? And your uncle, Thorin? " Bilbo let out the steam of questions with an excited glint twinkling in her big blue eyes. Though the question that mattered the most was the final one which she had attempted to add with an air of nonchalance.

"Woah now, slow down!" Fili said with a chuckle. The wide grins on the still-youthful dwarfish faces were contagious.

"Yes, one at a time little hobbit!" Kili said, purposefully using the affectionate title Thorin had given her on their journey. "Our brains cannot remember all those questions at once!" Though neither of them had failed to notice the significance of Bilbo's final question.

Bilbo smiled and looked down at her tea at the sound of the affectionate nickname.

"I'm sorry, I'm just so happy to see you two. It's been a long time," Bilbo finally took the time to notice how much they had changed, "You both look older and your breads have grown! It funny that I expected you to be the same as last I saw you." Bilbo giggled as she said this.

The young men puffed up with pride at the mention of their beards. They were pleasantly surprised that a beardless hobbit would take notice such things. But then, Bilbo was no regular hobbit… she understood dwarfish politeness.

"We are also very pleased to see you," Kili said happily, as he took his cup of tea and began pouring a copious amount of honey into it.

"Though we must be honest," Fili said as he took his tea and began drinking it black. "We were not simply 'in the neighborhood'."

Bilbo looked at the two brothers shocked and confused, "Then why are you here?"

"Uncle sent us" Kili piped up despite having his mouth full of scone.

"We are here to deliver this to you," Fili explained and handed over a battered letter he had been keeping in the breast if his jacket. It carried the king's seal.

Bilbo felt her heart skip a beat at what Kili had said. "Thorin sent you?" She asked more to herself then to the brothers. She reached out her hand to take the letter. As she slowly unfolded it a thick piece of parchment fluttered the floor. She quickly stooped to pick it up. The letter was written in a strange hand that Bilbo did not recognize...

His majesty Thorin Okenshield, king under the mountain and rightful heir to the mighty dwarf kingdom of Erabor, requests your presence at the Ceremony of the Moon celebration being held this autumn on the night of the November full moon.

After fully unfolding the letter she realized that it was written in the king's own hand. She began to eagerly read its contents:

Dear Bilbo,

I would be greatly honoured if you would accept this royal invitation. As you are now aware, I have sent my nephews, my most trusted royal servants, to act as your defenders and guides over this long journey should you choose to accept this invitation. I would suggest that you bring everything you most desire and require for the journey… as you know, the path is long that leads from your quiet hobbit hole to my gates..

Should you decide not to come, your presence will be greatly missed. I will simply add that my previous invitations still stand; the gates of Erabor are always open to you and you are welcome to stay with us as long as you wish.

Forever your ally and friend,

Thorin

Bilbo read the simple letter a few times before smiling and looking up at the two brothers, patiently waiting for her to finish. "I will gladly accept this invitation," Bilbo stated happily, "Just let me pack and we can head out right away!"

"We are very glad to hear it," Fili replied with a little bow.

"We knew you would, of course," Kili replied cheekily. Fili elbowed him in the ribs and the younger dwarf cast a sharp glare at his light-haired brother.

"It would be our honour to escort you," Fili added.

Bilbo smiled, "Thank you."

Bilbo jumped out of her seat and rushed to her room. She grabbed spare clothes and stuffed them into her travel bag.

"Hey don't you want to finish tea first?" Kili called down the hall, but Bilbo was too busy with her mind on other things… She rushed to her cupboards to grab some food to take along on the journey.

"You know, we do not have to leave until sometime next week. You can feel free to handle your affairs as you would like, seeing as you will be gone for a very long time," Fili called, following her at a distance as she scurried through the little house.

"Yes, the journey will be four months at least… and who knows, maybe once you get back to Erabor you would like to stay a while."

Fili cast a warning glare at his brother, which only encouraged Kili further.

"Maybe you'll even decide to stay forever!" Kili added. Fili felt like strangling him.

Bilbo paused for a moment, "I'd like to leave now so that we can get there sooner. I'll take care of my business here and then we can leave this evening! It'd be nice to camp out under the stars!" she then thought about what Kili said… 'Stay forever?' What did Kili mean by that? She made a note in her mind to ask him about it later.

The last thing Bilbo grabbed was Sting, which hung over her mantel piece. She slowly lifted it from its place and hung it on her belt. She felt that it was time for another adventure…. Bilbo didn't want to wait another second and for some reason she couldn't get Thorin out of her head.

"I honestly think you should take some time to think about this," Fili said gently.

Kili gave him a 'what-are-you-talking-about?' look.

"Kili is right," he continued, ignoring his brother, "You will be gone a very long time... perhaps you should let someone know where you're going... and... you should make sure that you have everything that is dearly important to you with you..." He struggled lamely. He knew that there was a great possibility that she would never again return to Bag End, and wished to ensure that she would not carelessly forget something she would grow to miss, "You never know what can happen to a place while you are gone. Please take tonight and reflect on everything and ensure that you have not forgotten something important," he finished.

"You see, no one is going to care where I am going." Bilbo stated without so much as a passing thought toward her nephew who was staying that night at the Gaffer's with his friend Samwise. Though it may have been selfish, she wanted so badly to just… leave. She had already grabbed her most important possessions, "If you insist we can stay the night here. I'll tell Gaffer, in the morning, where I will be going and that I may be gone for a while." Bilbo placed her bag by the door and lay Sting next to it.

"I think that would be wise," Fili replied.

"Very well, I'll make you both a bed to lie on." Bilbo assented and went to her room to find extra blankets to put on the couches so that Fili and Kili could be comfortable.

"Oh don't go to too much trouble, we are used to sleeping on the ground," Kili said lightly.

"If it is convenient for you, we will leave at day-break," Fili replied – ignoring his brother, as his mind lingered on Bilbo's impatience to be gone.

In the end, the brothers decided to share some cushions and blankets on the floor of Bilbo's living room as the couches were a little too small and cramped for dwarves. They said their goodnights to their lovely and distracted hostess and then lay down shoulder-to-shoulder on their makeshift bed and waited patiently in silence until they were certain she had actually gone to bed.

"This is excellent brother!" Kili said excitedly as soon as the candle in the hallway had been blown out.

"Calm yourself Kili, it means nothing," Fili replied sternly, trying to curb his brother's excitement.

"She cannot wait to be rid of this place! I think uncle's decision to let her return to the Shire – despite his feelings for her – was an excellent idea!" Kili went on as if his brother had never spoken, "I called him a fool at the time – I really thought he was throwing away his one chance… and he didn't thank me for my input either, oh no, but now I see this was all a part of his plan! She needed to come back to this quiet, sleeply, little place to realize that it wasn't meant for her here anymore."

"I do not believe any of this was planned," Fili said irritably.

"And now she can't wait to get back to Erabor! We should have known the great Kingdome of the Mountain cannot be seen by any soul without taking a hold on their heart," Kili prattled on. "This is excellent news! She will surely stay and then uncle will be himself once more."

"We do not know for certain that she will stay," Fili – the ever-practical one – replied. "Or that she will return our uncle's love."

"Did he talk to you?" Kili asked, suddenly in an uncharacteristically serious tone. He craned his neck a little to look at his brother.

"About what?"

"About his true feelings… his intentions," Kili replied impatiently.

"What he confided to me is none of your business," Fili replied stubbornly.

"Don't be like that!" Kili whined, "I have known for several years – ever since the day we reclaimed the mountain and thought the Arkenstone was lost to us forever – that he cared deeply for her. Though, he has never confessed it to me…. Has he finally confessed it to himself? To you?"

"His feelings and his plans are his own," Fili said honestly – for Thorin had made no such confidence to him, "Though if he truly cares for her – which I believe we all know that he does, as it is evident in his actions and his often-wandering thoughts that he is missing a part of himself – I believe the realization did not come to him until after she had left. He is not so great a mastermind as you think him, Kili. He is a great king and a fearless dwarf leader, but he is mortal."

"Whatever the cause or whenever the realisation occurred matters not. He is now aware of what plagues him and has taken steps to remedy the situation… and she had agreed to come!"

Fili shook his head. His incorrigible brother's optimism would not be kept down. "You do realize brother, that this may simply be a formality on our uncle's part," Fili said, though he was not at all convinced by his own explanation.

"If it were merely a formality he would not have sent us," Kili replied in a sharp whisper as if his brother were a complete idiot. "We are far too important. He would have sent a formal invitation by messenger and let the whole thing drop."

Fili remained silent for a while thinking about the truth in his brother's words and pondering over the day when his uncle had first approached him with this strange request. At the time, Fili had consented whole-heartedly to the simple task at hand, for something in his uncle's demeanor had told him this "messenger role" was in fact a very important mission… a matter of the heart and of great importance to his uncle and king.

"Try not to pressure them," Fili said finally.

"What?" Kili had almost fallen asleep.

"They are both stubborn and very… inexpressive…. If what you and I believe about their feelings for each other is, in fact, true, you're teasing and pushing may be enough to drive them apart."

Kili smiled widely, "Do not worry brother. I am far too careful for that."

Fili rolled his eyes and then rolled onto his side with his back facing his brother and fell sound asleep.