Contrary to belief there was a lass that Bilbo Baggins fancied at the Shire.

She was a quiet lass, determined and often times, when he had the time, he would visit the forge she quaintly named 'The FireFlower'. So the past few decades, when his mother and father were alive, she worked there. Young and involved in her work wiping the sweat from her brow.

They first met when Bilbo was sent to get the gardening tools fixed for his father. She greeted him with a bright smile that nearly stopped his heart.

"G-good morning." he managed to stutter out

"A good morning it is…" turning from the delicate work of a charm, "How can I help you?"

"Um you…are the blacksmith?" he asked.

"Aye." She nodded with a giggle, "Aira"

Bilbo swallowed and coughed, "ahem… B-Bilbo Baggins. Pleasure to meet you Aira."

She stared at him for a while… she wasn't quite the ordinary Hobbit. Her hair cut short above her ears, shorter than his hair. It was straight and a dark brown that turned red in the light of the forge and flames. And the light brought out the green flecks in her hazel eyes. If it weren't for her face and voice she could easily been mistaken for a man in her blacksmith pants and apron. It was an uncommon practice for a woman but it seemed to suit her. Her limbs slightly muscular from hours hammering, yet lean and-

"Well?"

Bilbo jumped, "Yes?"

"Did you come here to look around or did you need something fixed Mr. Baggins?"

"Oh um tools! Gardening …yes um tools…broken they are…tools to fix of gardening broke" He coughed awkwardly. Aira pursed her lips, her shoulders shook slightly. A few seconds passed. Bilbo's face was steadily headed to the color scarlet.

"Well I can get them ready in an hour or so." she smiled kindly.

"T-take your time!… I…um…so…" he rocked back and forward on his feet with his hands clasped behind his back, "So! H-how long have you been a blacksmith?"

"Of about a decade or so…still perfecting the craft."

Both shy of 25 at the time…Bilbo fidgeted.

"Um I don't mean to be rude…but… are you a hobbit?"

Aira smiled at him and Bilbo felt his cheeks heat up…must be the heat of the forge…

"Well my mother was a hobbit… my father was part man and dwarf. So half I suppose."

"Ah…" he nodded.

Then it was quiet.

Aira went back to work.

"Then I uh…suppose I'll be going… then…um-"

"You're welcome to stay Mr. Baggins…if you wish." Aira finished working on the delicate flower charm and began to work on the broken shovel he had brought in.

"I don't wish to distract you."

"Not at all…it's nice to have company."

~*~Present~*~

Aira had left The Fire Flower 5 years Bilbo sat outside smoking his pipe…pondering…

It's been a week since he received a letter from her… she traveled to improve her smithing skills at all who would teach her…

Her leaving was no surprise… she's done it before in the 25 or so years of knowing her. This, however, was the longest she's been gone from The Shire. He himself having assisted in making sure she had enough funds to get all she needed when, and if, she fell short.

His thoughts were interrupted when a shadow cast over him and he looked up at Gandalf the Gray.

"Good morning." He greeted.

He found himself reread one of her letters from the first year of her journey as he was in his room. They calmed him and the evening was nothing but calm:

Dear Bilbo,

I finally got someone to teach me a bit more about smithing! It's a very lovely place that sits on the mountain side… Bilbo you would love it here! There are elves! It's the last homely place in all of Middle maybe homely place east of the sea? That seems to work out better. Homely is Hobbiton- don't let the elves know that!

The style is a bit difficult but I'm slowly getting the hang of it…slowly. And finally!

Okay so I've had trouble the first few months as you know but now I'm learning the technique and improving my own. I hope you are well Bilbo. I hope you haven't been abusing those gardening tools!

Love,
Aira.

"The last homely house east of the sea, Imraldris… commonly known as…"

"Rivendell" Bilbo breathed taking a step forward.

At meal time Bilbo cleared his throat.

"Um…pardon me…Lord Elrond?"

The table quieted and Elrond smiled at Bilbo.

"Yes, Sir Baggins?"

"I was just wondering… um…" he cleared his throat nervously.

"Spit it out lad." Bofur chuckled.

"There wouldn't be… um…someone practicing blacksmith here?"

"Bilbo's a blacksmith too?" Kili asked catching the last bit of Bilbo's question.

"No! No." Bilbo piped up shaking his head.

"Why yes." Lord Elrond smiled, "Our intern blacksmith should be done for the day."

"Intern Blacksmith?" Thorin looked up, though his gaze was cold regarding the elven lord.

"Learning about how we forge our elven blades…for five years now." Elrond nodded to them and to Bilbo.

"I thought the way of the elves was secret Elrond." Gandalf spoke interested.

"Ah but they are only learning to improve their own skill. I find that drive admirable and I could not refuse."

"Uh um…" Bilbo fidgeted, "Could I see them."

"Why Bilbo… you seem anxious." Gandalf raised an eyebrow.

"Uh well…"his face was heating up.

"They should be on their way to us now for lunch."

"My apologies Lord Elrond" an elven man spoke, "she didn't want to change."

"Not to worry."

Bilbo stood on his feet.

"Bilbo?" Balin questioned as the Hobbit seemed to be shaking as he took a step forward.

"Well I was starving!" a familiar voice reached his ears, "And it's not like I'm dirty. It's just a bit of sweat."

Her hair had grown a bit, and was tied up. Still that dark brown color that looked auburn in the light. She was wearing her smithing pants that looked ready for a wash and a long sleeved blouse that was a bit dirty – you could see where the apron once was. Her gloved in her hand had little tears in from blade testing. She held them in her pale hands. Her skin was slightly tanned now, or had it always had that glow?

"You don't change do you?" Bilbo tsked.

The girl stopped. Her gloves fell on the floor as she cupped her hands over her mouth in shock.

Bilbo smiled stepping a bit more from the table.

"B-bilbo?" she whispered into her hands shaking.

"Good morning." Bilbo smiled.

"…A…" her voice cracked and she smiled, her hands lowered, "A good morning it is Mr. Baggins."

They stood there staring at one another before Aira started running and tackled Bilbo into a hug he had long since braced for.

A hug he gotten every time she had returned from her learning adventures.

"Your getting my waist coat dirty." He said teasingly as he frowned and she laughed cupping his face before kissing his forehead.

This was new.

Bilbo's face was bright red.

"I've missed you so much." She hugged him tightly.

"Is that Mrs. Baggins?"

Bilbo turned darker red as Aira turned pink.

It was then Aira noticed the company.

"I'm sorry… that was um unprofessional." She cleared her throat, "My apologies Lord Elrond, Mr. Baggins and um company." She bowed, since she wasn't in a dress to curtsy.

"Do not worry Ms. Aira… it is rare to see you smile like such outside your craft." Lord Elrond smiled.

The touching moment was cut off by a growl that came from Aira's stomach.

"And so the stomach monster spea- OW!" Bilbo held his arm. Aira had punched him, "your punches are actually hurting now."

"Good." She challenged him with a stern eye but her face broke out in a smile and Bilbo followed even as the company laughed.

"Why didn't you tell us you were married Bilbo?" Nori

"Aye and a lovely lass she is!" Bofur smiled.

"And a blacksmith at that." Fili and Kili nodded.

Bilbo was glaring at them and shaking his head.

"Um actually Bilbo and I are just friends." Aira spoke, her voice stiff and tense.

"R-right! Friends!" Bilbo nodded but not without glancing sadly at the girl who was now picking at her vegetables.

"Riiight." Bofur chuckled not catching the change of mood, "That was quite the reunion between friends eh Bombur?"

"Aye…" Bombur chuckled.

They snickered and Bilbo rolled his eyes.

"So you're a blacksmith Ms. Aira?" Balin asked from the other side of Bilbo.

She nodded shyly, "Ah yes. Been one for almost 40 years now I believe?" she looked at Bilbo.

"Sounds about right…we were just shy of 30 and you'd been one for about a decade."

"We should all introduce ourselves to Mrs – ah Ms. Aira." Kili winked.

"You know Aira's a dwarven name." Dori said thoughtfully

"She's got no beard though." Ori spoke.

"Ah my father was half dwarf and man… my mother was a full hobbit." Aira explained, "I'm more hobbit than dwarf but it shines in my smith work."

"What have you been making here?" Bilbo asked and smiled affectionately as Aira's eyes brightened. An expression that did not go unnoticed.

"They're teaching me how to handle mythril. It's one of the best materials for armor. Right now I'm making small mythril things like daggers and such until I can get better – by the end of the year I should be making long swords for tall folk… before you know it I'll be making chainmail!"

"That's wonderful! You'll have to make me some gloves so I don't get hurt while gardening"

"Of course Bilbo. First thing I'll be trying to make." Aira looked at him softly.

"How long have you been in Rivendell lass?" Dwalin asked which surprised Bilbo a bit. He had been quiet except for the complaint earlier about the lack of meat in the meal.

After a small pause she answered, "…by the new year it'll be 6 years I've been away from the Shire."

"And when you come back you'll show them that a lady can be just as good as any man." Bilbo nodded to her, "Show them in Bree too, you will." He spoke proudly.

Aira laughed, "Yes! Especially those prats in Bree."

"But why the Shire? Did you have a forge there?"

Aira nodded to Fili, "The FireFlower. Just a ways down the road near the river."

"Was it alright to leave your things there?"

"Oh it's safe… most of my things are in Bilbo's house anyway. – We learned the first time I went off."

"Yes those Sackville-Baggins nearly tried to auction off Aira's things." Bilbo frowned.

"They did though." Aira frowned as well.

"Well I bought them all." Bilbo scoffed. The others glanced at one another before looking at the two. Even Gandalf chuckled.

"I am sorry about that Bilbo… " Aira sighed.

Bilbo just shook his head, "Don't worry about it….I'd do it again before you can say second breakfast!"

It was Thorin who spoke next, "You've left the Shire many times?"

"This is the…7th time I believe. Usually it ranges from a few months to a year or two. This is the longest I've been gone."

"Don't you want to settle down Ms. Aira? –" Bilbo slowly turned his head and waved his arm at Kili telling him to stop, "Make a little Hobbit family?"

"If I could…" her voice was soft, her smile weary as she explained, "I can't bear children which makes settling down pointless."

Fili elbowed his brother roughly.

"My apologies Ms. Aira for my nephew's words" Thorin spoke.

"Don't worry. It's not a big deal." Aira grinned.

"Sorry about earlier Bilbo…" Kili apologized.

"It's alright… I'm fine and Aira is fine about it. We've been fine for more than enough years."

"Why don't you marry her?" Oin asked, "You'd have to be blind not to see how much you two are in love."

Bifur muttered and nodded in agreement.

"We are…or were." Bilbo smiled.

"So she is Mrs. Baggins?"

"…Just call her Aira. She doesn't like being called Mrs. Baggins." Bilbo snapped.

"…" No one said a word for a good moment…

"Sorry" Bilbo apologized, he was smoking his own pipe now, "we were married in our late thirties…we eloped about 3 years earlier… it was a bit improper." Bilbo chuckled, his eyes glazed with nostalgia, "But when it was official…-after…things…" Bilbo paused choosing his words carefully, "She stopped wanting to be called Mrs. Baggins since we couldn't have children…that's when she started leaving the Shire to go learn about blacksmithing. And I've helped her as much as I could, every step of the way…I still see her as my wife and I still love her, dearly. But all I can do now is support her until she comes back home."

"…you're a good person Bilbo." Ori spoke quietly.

"And good man and husband." Balin nodded.

There were nods and voices of agreement.

"Don't you miss her?"

Looking at the fire, made of elven furniture, Bilbo smiled, "Always."

Author's Note:

Hello!
Feel free to correct me on whatever needs to be corrected: character personality, speech, etc. I'm just basing this off the movies. I've seen Lord of the Rings as well (at very young age, yes...precious) and my memory says there is no Mrs. Baggins...
I really need to read the books...- I actually should be doing my homework- but at the moment I have an unhealthy obsession with The Hobbit...*epic procrastinator here* and so I'm writing fanfiction. Good bye life.
So I do hope you enjoyed this one shot. It was on the verge of being a multiple chapter story but it's good now and I'd like to avoid ruining a good thing. And just like let your imaginations go... go imagine stuff.
Yes. Snape moment.
I've read those books, yes.

Constructive criticism welcomed, as well as opinions and whatever it is you wish to say. REVIEW! :)