5. The Chance of a Lifetime

            During the time Bilbo was unconscious, I ambled into his kitchen to make him some tea—if the Dwarves didn’t think to drink all of that. Thankfully, there was some, so I made him a cup.

            “When did you get here?” a voice asked.

            I wasn’t startled by the voice. It belonged to one of the Dwarves, though which one, I wasn’t sure.

            “When you all were singing and nearly giving Bilbo a heart attack by throwing his dishes around the house,” I stated simply. I whirled around to notice the Dwarf was not alone. They were the two who moved Bilbo into the chair he was now slumped in. “By the way, I never got your names.”

            “I’m Kili,” said the dark-haired one. “And this is my brother, Fili.”

            “Well, I suppose I don’t need an introduction since Gandalf did that earlier when Thorin came. Thank you, by the way, for moving Bilbo into the next room. I still feel intimidating him like that was awful.”

            “That’s how Bofur is sometimes,” Fili said, shrugging. “You realize he meant nothing by it, right?”

            “Oh, I know he didn’t. He just thought it’d be funny, telling Bilbo such things like that to frighten him. The nerve.” My tone was bitter.

            “Are you married to Mr. Baggins?”

            “What?” I laughed. “No, I’m not. Did the ring make you believe it?” I glared at my wedding band. “No, we’re not together. I’ve just known him for a long time, that’s all.” My fingers tapped the side of the mug I held in my hand. “Well, I should go check on him. It was nice meeting you both.”

            Fili and Kili made a path for me so I wouldn’t have to wiggle through them. The Dwarves seemed to spread throughout the house.

            I found the room where Fili and Kili moved Bilbo into. I saw movement, so he must’ve just woken up.

            “You’re finally up, sleepyhead?” I teased him as I sat down in the chair opposite him. The fire was going. “You still look a little out of it.”

            “I feel it. You made tea?”

            “Yes, but it’s not for me.” I handed it to him.

            “Thank you.”

            “So…”

            “What?” Bilbo took a sip of the tea.

            “Do you plan on going with them?”

            “Lily—”

            “Bilbo, what walked into your house tonight is the chance of a lifetime! Here’s your chance to go on an actual adventure!”

            “I’m not going,” he said plainly.

            “And why not?” I crossed my arms over my chest.

            “I’m a Baggins of Bag End, there is nothing more to say.”

            “You’re also a Hobbit who craved adventure in his younger years,” I retorted. Bilbo glared at me with hard, brown eyes. “Don’t give me that look. I know he’s still in there somewhere, probably dying to burst out and take it head on.”

            “You seem more interested in it than I am.”

            “I am, and you should be as well.”

            “Then why don’t you go with them? I’m sure you’d be of more use to them than me.”

            “There are problems with that,” I told him. “One”—I counted off a finger—“Gandalf did not pick me to go with them. Two”—I ticked off another finger—“I do not believe they would accept a woman joining the group. Three”—I ticked off a final finger—“I can’t leave the Shire so suddenly. I can’t just pack up and leave Jack all by himself.”

            “But if you were in my position…?”

            “I would go in a heartbeat.” My voice was full of finality.

            “Lily, since when would the idea of you being the only woman amongst them ever stop you?” Bilbo snorted a laugh.

            A gruff voice cleared its throat. I looked to see Gandalf in the threshold.

            “If you don’t mind, Lily, I would like to talk with Bilbo,” he said politely.

            “Of course. I was just heading home anyway.” I stood up and leaned towards Bilbo’s ear. “Think it through; you might just change your mind. It’s not too late to go.”

            I was almost out the door when someone grabbed my arm.

            “You’re leaving so soon?” It was Kili.

            “It’s late,” I told him. “I have a home to get back to, and a husband.”

            “It’s a shame you can’t come with us.”

            “Why’s that?”

            “You seem like the kind of person who would.”

            I raised an eyebrow. “You think so?”

            Kili nodded. “I do. When you overheard about our quest, your eyes lit up. If anything, Gandalf should have sought you out instead of Mr. Baggins.”

            “I don’t think Gandalf knew of me until tonight.” I cleared my throat. “Well, thank you for the…compliment…but I have to go.”

            “Since I most likely won’t see you again, it was nice to meet you, Miss Petrova.”

            “The correct term you’re looking for is ‘Mrs.’. Call me Lily, Kili. No ‘Miss’ or even ‘Mrs.’ anything.”

            Without looking back, I slipped out of Bag End before any more of the Dwarves could stop me. As I headed back home, I tried to wrap my head around everything that had just happened.

Though I should have felt like going to sleep, my mind was running a marathon. To think, a chance at an adventure, and Bilbo didn’t want to take it! If it were me, I would have taken it instantly. I couldn’t believe he was using his ‘tame’ excuse to not go with the Dwarves and Gandalf to take back their home of Erebor.

            Though I may not be a Dwarf, I would certainly join them to help them.

            I didn’t realize how dazed I was until I found myself in the bedroom, already fit for bed. The bedroom was dark.

            “You were there longer than I expected.”

            “I know,” I said simply, blindly feeling for the bed. I crawled into it once I felt the sheets.

            “You’re awfully quiet, Lily. Did something happen?”

            “Yes, but it’s a long story. I don’t know if I have the energy to tell you it all tonight.”

            “Well, can you tell me a condensed version?”

            Mustering as much sense as possible, I briefly told Jack about what had gone on at Bilbo’s. Like usual, Jack stayed quiet, listening to every word that flowed out of my mouth. Of course, I realized the longer I was up talking, the more awake I became.

            “And he said he didn’t want to go!” I ranted to Jack. I had just told him about Bilbo refusing to go on the journey. “I tried to convince him to go, but I don’t think I got through to him.” I sighed.

            “You sound pretty heated on the issue,” Jack said quietly.

            “I am.” I snuggled into his side. “It’s the opportunity that I would dream of having come to my door.”

            “Would you have gone if the chance presented itself to you like it did to him?”

            “No.” I wished my answer was the opposite.

            “Why not?”

            “I have you. I have a home here.” I yawned. “It wouldn’t feel right if I just left you.”

            Jack couldn’t continue the discussion further, because I was soon out cold for the night.

                                                                        *      *      *

            A rowdy, rapid knocking on our door was our alarm the next morning. I was the first to be woken up by it. I looked at Jack, who had thrown a pillow over his head to muffle the noise. I grimaced. Sure, leave me to answer the door when I wasn’t any happier than he was about the rude awakening.

            Yawning, I pulled myself out of bed and dragged myself to the door. The knocking was almost frantic, like there was something important the person wanted. Who on earth could want us in the morning? Nobody ever came bashing on our door in the morning, let alone at any time of day really.

            “All right, stop your knocking already!” I yelled at the door before I opened it. “You better have a good reason for waking me up this morning!”

            I blinked my eyes slowly to see Bilbo dressed and ready. His chest was heaving, he must’ve run here. In his hand, flapping in the wind, was a long parchment—the contract, I realized.

            “Bilbo?” I rubbed my eyes. “What are you doing here? We were still sleeping.”

            “Sorry, but listen! You’re right; it’s not too late to go on an adventure.”

            “You changed your mind?”

            “I did.”

            “And you felt the need to come running down to my house and knock excessively on my door just to tell me this?” I put a hand on my hip.

            “No, I ran down here to tell you that you’re coming with me!”

            I yawned. “What are you talking about?”

            “Don’t tell me you forgot our pact, Lily,” he said, surprised.

            My brain started to wake up. The pact we made when we were teenagers? Bilbo remembered the pact? My heart beat in joy. I felt like bursting into tears of happiness at the moment, but I was still waking up.

            “I didn’t,” I whispered. “But I can’t just go with you.”

            “Why not?” Jack questioned me. I looked over my shoulder to see him coming to join us.

            “You know why,” I told him. “I told you last night.”

            “Lily, go with him.” Jack rubbed my arm. “Don’t let me hold you back.”

            “But you—”

            “Love, you said you wouldn’t go on adventure because you didn’t want to leave me alone. I’ll be fine here on my own; don’t make it sound like I’m dependent on you for everything.”

            I blushed.

            “I won’t leave the Shire, I won’t leave you for another woman, and I’ll have Remy to keep me company.”

             I giggled a little bit.

            “You don’t need my permission to go with him, but I’m telling you that you should. You’ve waited for this time to come a while; I’ve seen it in your eyes.”

            Bilbo cleared his throat. “Lily, you have to decide now. They already left, and if I—we—don’t leave now, we’ll never catch them.”

            “Well, sadly, I think I’ll have to take Remy from you, Jack,” I told my husband. “If Bilbo and I are to catch the Dwarves, there’s no way we will if we run there.”

            Jack chuckled. “I’ll still manage, love. You get dressed and I’ll get him ready.” He kissed my cheek.

            While Bilbo sauntered out to wait with Jack, I dashed into the bedroom, throwing on a brown blouse and trousers. I made my hair into a braid. I felt so rushed that I only managed to smash an extra outfit in my knapsack.

            Giddy, I barreled out of the house to see Jack finishing up with Remy. Bilbo held the reins, stroking Remy’s muzzle, though he had to pull away so he wouldn’t sneeze on my pony.

            “There,” Jack said, satisfied. “Just hope he didn’t bloat out, otherwise you’ll be in trouble.”

            “Are you sure you’re okay with me doing this?” I probed one last time.

            “How many times do I have to tell you?” Jack grabbed me into a hug. “I’ll be fine. I’ll be waiting right here for you.” He pressed his forehead into mine.

            “I’ll hold you to that.” I kissed him deeply. “Just don’t miss me too much, all right?”

            He chuckled. “I’ll try my hardest not to.”

            “Lily,” Bilbo cut in, rather impatiently.

            Jack and Bilbo helped me get into the saddle. Jack aided Bilbo next. He held the contract firmly in his hand with an arm looped around my waist.

            “Be careful, love,” Jack told me.

            “I’ll be back before you know it,” I assured him, smiling. “You better hold on tight, Bilbo, Remy can run!”

            I wheeled my pony around, and with a small squeeze, he took off. It was as if he knew we weren’t just riding within the Shire’s borders. Like I said, like me, Remy lived for adventure.

            Bilbo had an iron chain around my waist. I laughed at his uneasiness.

            “You better keep that grip the entire time we’re like this,” I yelled to him. “We aren’t going to slow down anytime soon. And don’t lose that contract; I don’t want to have to turn around to fetch it! We’re running late as it is.”

            Remy barreled through the Shire with fresh energy. I was glad I had pulled my hair into a braid, otherwise poor Bilbo would be eating my hair right about now. I squealed in delight as Remy navigated through the Shire.

            “Where are they now, do you know?” I yelled over the wind.

            “They’re probably on that trail in the woods,” Bilbo told me. “Are you sure we’ll get to them in time?”

            “Bilbo, never underestimate a girl and her pony.”

            To prove my point, Remy’s hooves galloped faster under us.

**It looks like the pact still remains. I found that rather sweet, how he remembered, after all that time.**