One Day You'll Know

Chapter 2- Very Old Friends

Gandalf literally walked right past the sign on Bilbo's gate. Noelle certainly would have too. She hoped that Bilbo would be happy to see her. What was he like after all these years? He was a hundred and eleven tomorrow. What did he look like?

Gandalf went up to the green door and pounded on it with his staff. After a moment came Bilbo's voice.

"No thank you! We don't want any more visitors, well-wishers, or distant relations!"

"And what about very old friends?" Gandalf asked.

Bilbo opened the door. He definitely looked older with grey hair, but no older than seventy. There was no way he was going to pass for a hundred and eleven! "Gandalf?" Then he peered behind Gandalf's shoulder and gasped a little. "Noelle?"

"Hey Bilbo," Noelle said with a shy smile.

"Bilbo Baggins!" Gandalf knelt down and Bilbo went over to hug him. "My dear Gandalf!"

"Good to see you. One hundred and eleven years old. Who would believe it?" Gandalf said.

Bilbo turned to Noelle. He had obviously gotten a bit shorter over the years, because Noelle had to bend down to hug him. Before, Noelle hadn't been thatmuch taller than him.

"Noelle? How is this even possible?" Bilbo asked, tearing up a bit. "Is Bern here too?"

"No, she's not," Noelle answered. Suddenly she remembered. She needed to ask Gandalf about Bern- and home.

"I wonder, how is she?"

"I don't know," Noelle said glancing at Gandalf. "Unfortunately I haven't seen her since the day I left."

There was a moment of silence.

"Well, come on. Come in!" said Bilbo brightening up. "We can discuss this over tea? Or maybe something a little stronger? I've got a few bottles of the old Winyard left. 1296. Very good year. Almost as old as I am!" He took Gandalf's hat and staff, then ran off into the back yelling about something.

"Just tea, thank you." Gandalf walked backwards, hitting his head on the chandelier above the front door. Then he turned around and slammed his head on the ceiling. He groaned in pain.

Noelle giggled a little bit. "When are you going to stop doing that? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Thank you for your consideration," said Gandalf, who was beginning to wander into the next room. He was rummaging through some papers on Bilbo's table. Noelle was about to go and scold him, when she saw what was in his hands.

The map. Of the Lonely Mountain. The same one Thorin had used all those years ago. Why Bilbo had it, Noelle wasn't going to bother to ask. It's not like the dwarves were going to need it anymore.

"Gandalf? Can I ask you something?"

Gandalf put the map back on the table. "Of course."

Noelle hesitated. She was afraid to ask- afraid of finding out whether time really hadpassed at home. "Is Bern ok?"

Gandalf smiled. "She's doing well, if that's all you wanted to know."

Noelle nodded. "It is." But she breathed a sigh of relief. If Gandalf said Bern was doing ok, then she trusted him.

They went over to Bilbo's tiny kitchen. Noelle sat down at the table in front of the oven. Gandalf sat across from her.

Suddenly there was a pounding on the door.