Alive - Fili Durin

1 || My dear Frodo

"My dear Frodo, you asked me once if I had told you everything there was to know about my adventures. And while I can honestly say I have told you the truth, I may not have told you all of it. I am old now, Frodo. I'm not the same hobbit as I once was. I think it is time for you to know what really happened."

Frodo Baggins, a lively young hobbit boy, walked into Bilbo's study carrying the daily mail as the old hobbit vigorously wrote something down.

"What's this?" Frodo inquired as he leaned over Bilbo's shoulder to sneak a peek of the drawing of young Bilbo next to a young Leona Baggins.

Bilbo jumped and snarled at the boy while swiping the pages away. "That is private. Keep your sticky paws off! It's not ready yet."

"Not ready for what? Was that aunty Leo?"

"Reading! And yes, it was."

"How is she?"

"She is well from what I've heard. Trying to keep her children from wreaking havoc at every turn. They have grown out of stick swords that's for sure." Bilbo rolled his eyes as he thought of his two nephews and his niece. Bilbo thought the mixing of hobbit and dwarf would create gentle-natured yet strong children - he was only half-right.

Frodo smiled as he reminisced on his times with his wild group of "dobbit" (hobbit/dwarf) cousins - as he lovingly referred to them as. The rambunctious older, and larger, children would always prefer to wrestle despite Frodo's protests. Frodo always preferred to read or go on hikes - he had fun with them anyway, despite the bruises and battle wounds he would return home with. The often scratched up blonde-haired, blue-eyed dobbits certainly stuck out in the Shire and caused mischief every chance they could. Frodo can still recall the many times their mother would scold them while telling them "go put those chickens back!" or "where did you get that horse!" The dobbit's father would always sit back and silently laugh at his guilty children and their distressed little mother. Frodo chuckled to himself. He did miss his cousins and his aunt and uncle.

Frodo was snapped out of his memories when Bilbo called to him. "What on earth are those?" referring to the letters Frodo brought on.

"Replies to the party invitation." Frodo looked through them and saw one that read 'The Durins.' "And it looks like we'll be hearing from aunt Leo sooner than expected." He smiled

"Ah! Good gracious! Is it today?"

Frodo nodded "They all say they're coming, except for the Sackville-Bagginses, who are demanding you ask them in person."

Bilbo scoffed. "Are they, indeed. Over my dead body."

"They'd probably find that quite agreeable. They seem to think you have tunnels overflowing with gold."

Bilbo made his way to a chest that was, indeed, overflowing with treasures. "It was one small chest, hardly overflowing. And it still smells of troll." He began to cover the chest and grab his silverware, searching for a place to hide it.

"What on earth are you doing?"

"Taking precautions! You know I caught her making off with the silverware once."

"Who?"

"Lobelia Sackville-Baggins! She had all my spoons stuffed in her pockets. Dreadful woman. Make sure you keep an eye on her after I'm... When I'm...when..."

"When you're...what?"

Bilbo side-eyed the boy. "It's nothing. Nothing." He continued parading around the house to find objects to hide. "What did Leo say?"

Frodo pulled out her letter and held the rest under his arm while he opened it and begin scanning the words. "Her and the dobbits will be in attendance. Probably on their way now I would assume."

Bilbo chuckled. "Probably stopped to take down a few trolls along the way."

"Or some dragons, most likely."

"If anyone could it would be the dobbits. Keep an eye on them for me will you? I don't trust those three around Merry and Pippin." Bilbo shot his head up and looked Frodo straight in the eye and pointed a finger. "Or the deserts!"

Frodo smiled. "I will keep an eye on them best I can. I'm only one hobbit." He kicked his foot gently against the ground and looked at his uncle. "You know, some people are beginning to wonder about you, uncle."

"Hmm?"

"They think you're becoming...odd."

"Odd?"

"Well, unsociable."

"Unsociable, me? Nonsense!" Bilbo held out a wooden sign to Frodo. "Be a good lad and put that on the gate."

Frodo took the sign that read 'no admittance, except on party business' and nailed it to the creaky gate as he was instructed. "Do you think he'll come?"

"Who?" Bilbo inquired nonchalantly as he sat on his bench and smoked his pipe.

"Gandalf."

"Oh, he wouldn't miss a chance to let off his whizz poppers. He'll give us quite a show, you'll see."

Frodo smiled in excitement. "Well then. I am off." he stated as he pulled a book from his satchel in his side

"Off to where?"

"Eastfarthing woods. I'm going to surprise him. Or the dobbits. Whichever gets to me first."

"Well, go on then. You don't want to be late."

Frodo begins to run off when he hears Bilbo shout to him, "if it is the dobbits first, make sure they are clean before they enter this home!" he smiles to himself and continues down the dirt trails of the Shire.

Bilbo settles outside on his bench to continue smoking his pipe and he remembers the adventure that changed his and his little sister's lives forever.

Bilbo chuckled and thought to himself 'He doesn't approve of being late. Not that I ever was. In those days, I was always on time. I was entirely respectable, and nothing unexpected...ever happened.'

The smoke from his pipe formed delicate rings that rose into the blue sky.

o o o o o o o o o

60 years earlier...............

o o o o o o o o o

A/N: the photo above was created by me but the picture of the girl is NOT mine (I couldn't find who it belonged to if anyone knows please let me know!).