Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations all characters find themselves in. Everything else belongs to someone else, thanks for reading until the end!

Note, the song they sing is based on the Rankin Family song 'The Mull River Shuffle'. Most if not all of you are probably too young to know the band, but they own the song save for the changes to the lyrics I made.

A Happy Ending

In the two weeks that followed all the dwarves involved in the conspiracy against the royal family were rooted out and punished for their crimes. Those who had been part of the original group, but who had broken away when it became apparent that Bilbo was not a threat to their king's happiness, were, for the most part, simply banished from the Lonely Mountain. Those directly responsible for the attempt on Bilbo's life, and Awl death were put to death immediately, the executions made public for all to see. And Bilbo could have done without witnessing that part, he'd used up all the anger and darkness in his heart slapping each of them before, but he'd understood that as consort he had to be there at Thorin's side. That to do otherwise would be to appear weak and unable to perform his duties.

And he was glad they were dead, no matter what that might say about him and his morals. Awl and Fai were dead, and both Narvi and Dolc faced months of pain and hardship, especially Dolc, as they continued to recover from their injuries from the fall. And while the floor crumbling under their feet hadn't been the traitors' doing, the fact that Bilbo had been so heavily guarded was, and so Bilbo laid at least some blame on them for that as well.

Not that his number of guards had gone down even now that the threats had been removed. Thorin had yet to get over how close Bilbo had come to losing his life, and for the time being the hobbit was willing to humor his husband, especially since the extra guards did make him feel a little better. Or they did when he wasn't horrified at the idea that any one of them could be called to give up his life for him if someone else attacked him in the future, that is. But Thorin had made it clear that they were there to stay for the foreseeable future, and so to make his husband happy Bilbo wasn't making a big fuss about it. Yet.

Because his husband loved him, Bilbo all but sang to himself in his head when he thought about it, the fact that he was constantly surrounded by other dwarves helping him keep his joy under wraps for the most part. Though he was getting some odd looks occasionally, Bilbo acknowledged, for kissing Thorin in public without warning or for any particular reason, and 'smiling' too much according to his nephews. But that was dwarves for you. They were so odd when it came to affectionate gestures.

But he wasn't going to let their opinions matter, especially since Thorin didn't mind and in fact had been showing his appreciate for all those kisses every stolen moment alone they could get.

Since the first time Thorin hadn't said he loved him again, but that was okay since Bilbo said it enough for the both of them, now that he knew his feelings were returned and not a burden. Because he knew that Thorin had meant it when he'd said it before. His dwarf was just not the sort to show his love and affection through words, and now that he knew his feelings were returned Bilbo didn't need to hear them again. Though he planned to prompt Thorin to say them every year or so, or just when he needed to hear them again after a particularly hard day.

As for his life as a consort, well apparently the whole slapping his would be killers thing had not only gotten out to the general public, but had seriously improved his standing in certain quarters. Which Bilbo didn't exactly improve of, since violence shouldn't earn him any special regard, but it was also nice to feel more accepted and wanted in his home.

So he had his people's respect for the most part, a new family and a husband who loved him, and his garden to stay in touch with his hobbit roots. All he needed was his boys to come home from their journey, and then life as Bilbo knew it would be absolutely perfect.

)

A couple months after the last attempted on his life, the gods willing, Bilbo found himself sitting on the small throne Thorin had had made for him, which had been placed beside Thorin's for when he joined his husband for court gatherings or the greeting of important guests in the main throne room. Bilbo had told Thorin he was just fine standing beside him when those events occurred, but he'd been overridden on that point. And admittedly it was nice to sit, even if the chair was far from the most comfortable thing Bilbo had ever sat on. That was the problem with living with people who cared more about the look and functionality than comfort. But at least they'd gotten them to add a cushion for his poor bottom.

Today they were meeting with a delegation from Mirkwood, which had not put Thorin in a good mood in the days leading up to it, but Bilbo had promised his dwarf a bath together, as well as a full body massage if he was nice enough to let Bilbo do most of the talking where the elves were concerned, and Thorin had agreed. Grudgingly. And only because Bilbo had given him a sneak peek the night before of what awaited him if he behaved, and made it clear Thorin would be punished if he didn't.

Though Thorin had most likely been right when he'd stated that Bilbo wouldn't be able to resist him for long. Resisting Thorin was just not a skill Bilbo possessed or was likely ever to develop. And they both knew it.

And since thinking about the night ahead of them made Bilbo want to squirm, and he didn't want to draw Thorin's attention to him during this talk, Bilbo forced himself to focus on the discussion underway until something new drew his attention from the dwarves and elves in the room, a lull in the conversation for just a couple moments allowing the new sound to reach his ears.

Not just his ears either, it seemed, since most of the others had turned their attention to looking around too, trying to figure out what they were hearing too.

At first it was just odd background noise, echoing off the walls in a jumble that made no sense to Bilbo no matter how hard he tried to sort it out. And then slowly familiar words were caught here and there, and then finally, as the source of the sounds actually stepped into the room, it became apparent that the sound was singing, the singers four very tired hobbits, one now white haired wizard, and Arthur, his voice not nearly so loud or joyful as the others, though recognizable to Bilbo's ears.

"- up yonder it's old Gamgee
he`s having a few, he can hardly see
Wrapped his buggy around a tree
Someone call the Rangers

Raisin' the mug and ringin' bells
There's plenty of stories that they will tell
Some are born of true detail
And some are purely fiction."

Whooping with joy, and not behaving at all like a proper consort would, Bilbo couldn't have cared less about what anyone thought of him as he jumped off his throne and down the short stairs to start running towards the group still singing their hearts out, the elves parting ways for him as he barrelled towards them. And on some level he knew that Thorin was coming after him, naturally, but Bilbo's sole focus was on getting to his boys as he added his voice to theirs.

'Up spoke fine young Gamwich
At the dance got a fearful hammerin'
Today I'll stutter and stammer in
There'll be hell to pay come Saturday

Raisin' the mug and ringin' bells
There's plenty of stories that they will tell
Some are born of true detail
And some are purely fiction

There they write
By the light
Burning bright
Every night
Waiting for the fish to bite
Along the shores of Cocomaugh."

Barrelling into Frodo first, his most precious nephew finally back with him, Bilbo hugged him fiercely, Pippin and Merry glomping them as well to show their enthusiasm as they all stopped singing to hug the heck out of each other. Not that they cared about what a sight they must be as they all hugged each other hard enough to bruise, and then Frodo broke away long enough to drag the always shy Sam over so that Bilbo could give him lots of hugs too.

And then Bilbo hugged Gandalf as well, followed by Arthur, the latter embrace quick and dignified as one would expect given their audience, and then Arthur inclined his head and walked around the group of hobbits to join the group of elves who were watching the overly emotional displays of affection with slightly raised eyebrows.

Though the way Arthur's cousin Legolas was standing close to his father, and the hand Thranduil had on his son shoulder probably spoke volumes in elvish about how much the two had missed each other during their separation.

A clearing of a very familiar throat reminded Bilbo belatedly of his husband's presence behind him, which had Bilbo clearing his own throat as he whirled around, still beaming like mad because how could he not as he proudly announced that his boys had come home. So to speak.

"So I see." Inclining his head Thorin gave them a smile, though it was a bit tense. The reason for that being apparent when his next question was where Gimli was, obviously worried that something might have happened to his friend Gloin's son.

"Oh, don't worry about him. We ran into his dad on the way in and he stayed behind with him." Pippin's wide grin lit up his face as he assured Thorin that the dwarf in their small fellowship was indeed well. "I'm Pippin, by the way. Are we supposed to bow to you? Aragorn said we shouldn't have to bow to anyone after what we did, and you're family now that you've married Uncle Bilbo, but Gandalf said we probably should. Only we haven't yet."

Bilbo, Gandalf, and Frodo sighed in exasperation, while Merry whacked his cousin upside the head and Sam stuttered out an apology, enough of his meaning getting through to know that he was trying to excuse their behaviours by explaining that they didn't really know how to conduct themselves around royalty and Pippin hadn't meant any insult.

"It's fine. You're my consort's family, and therefore mine. You may call me Thorin."

"Excellent."

Shaking his head over Pippin's response, Bilbo introduced Thorin to each of his boys in turn, Thorin shaking each of their hands in turn before he excused himself to acknowledge the humans and wizard who'd also arrived while Bilbo turned his attention to thinking outloud as he assured his hobbits that he would make sure they had quite the feast tonight, as they obviously hadn't been eating nearly enough and he'd made some headway in teaching the cooks here how to make hobbit food. And he'd oversee the preparations personally.

"I've been dreaming of a bowl full of the Took family chili for months now." Merry informed him mournfully, his eyes shining up a little at the mere thought of it.

"Well you know mine isn't as good as your grandmother's, but I can make some of your other favorites, Merry. And I have quite the entertaining story about your new cousins, Fili and Kili, and their attempt to try my version of the family chili. It did not end well." A chuckle. "And of course I wanted to hear all about your adventures as well."

"I'd much rather hear the story of how you came to be the consort of a dwarf king, Uncle Bilbo." Frodo informed Bilbo before the others could start rhyming off all the foods they'd missed while they'd been away on their adventure, or the various thrills and perils they'd encountered along the way.

Glancing over the boys' shoulders in the direction of his husband, Bilbo beamed at Thorin when his dwarf turned his own head to meet his gaze.

"Well boys, it was a bit of a gamble, I'll admit. But the best one I've ever made."

The look Thorin sent in him turn made it clear that his husband agreed with him, one hundred percent.

The End