A short story to fit a mood, this has waited to be written since I first saw the film.
Disclaimer: I neither own nor profit from these characters - that honour belongs to JRR Tolkien and Peter Jackson
Italics denote flashback

In the lee of the cliffs, sheltered on two sides by fallen rocks and on the third by trees and shrubbery, the band of fourteen intrepid travellers had made their camp for the night.

Thirteen of them, Thorin Oakenshield's company of dwarves, were used to this rough and ready life, living from day to day by their wits and skills handed down through generations. The fourteenth member of their company lay apart from the others, wrapped warmly in his blanket, pretending to be asleep.

Bilbo Baggins was a Hobbit – or more precisely a Baggins of Bag End – and under the cover of his pretence he was unhappier than he had ever been in his whole life.

It wasn't just that he missed his hobbit-hole, his excellent stores of good food and the comforts of hearth and home, nor was it that he felt he had been tricked into believing he was meant to be here, for that was exactly what Gandalf had done, no – it was the hurtful and dismissive way their leader had spoken to him.

Thorin had taunted him about his naivety, and made no secret of his conviction that they were carrying a hobbit that would be as much use to them as dead wood. The younger dwarves had taken this as permission to tease and taunt him.

"D'you hear that, Bilbo?" Fili had asked in a loud whisper, as the rest of the company settled for the night.

"Hear what?" Bilbo tried to quell the fear in his voice.

Meanwhile his brother Kili had crept around until he was hidden in the shadows behind their unwilling burglar, and on cue let loose with a blood-curdling howl.

Bilbo leapt up, tripping and stumbling over his feet in an effort to get away, and yet all he succeeded in doing was falling into the fire and singeing the hair on his feet.

The brothers hooted with laughter, as did Ori, while one or two of the older dwarves chuckled into their beards.

Moving quickly, Balin lifted the smaller hobbit free of the burning embers, brushing the hot ash from the other's skin and tutting loudly at his compatriots.

"It's okay….it's…. really, it's okay…" Bilbo stammered, embarrassed and ashamed.

"No lad, it's not okay." Balin spoke to the hobbit but his gimlet stare was bent on the two young perpetrators of the jest.

"Please…." It was a pained whisper. "I don't want any fuss…."

"You've done nothing but fuss since you joined us." Thorin's scathing tones silenced all around him. "You miss your books and you miss your bed, you miss having two breakfasts to start the day, and five more meals besides! You haven't the common sense of a day old dwarf; tell me master Baggins, what use are you if you scare so easily? How can we place our faith in such a coward?"

A heavy silence hung over the company. All the colour had drained from Bilbo's face, and he felt the stares of several of the older dwarves.

Balin recovered first, stepping towards his prince, a look of undisguised sorrow on his face. In return dark eyes beheld the kindly older dwarf, boring into him as if to dare him to be insubordinate, but the white haired dwarf had known their leader from the cradle onwards and was not easily deterred

"Thorin," he said gently chiding. "You used not to be so cruel."

"I used not to be a nomad either," came the snarled response, "nor prince of a rag-tag army of thirteen." Turning his back on said army, he waved a vague hand. "Bofur, you'll take first watch, Dori, you next and Bombur – we'll have breakfast at dawn. Now, let's settle camp for the night, we have a long journey ahead of us."

In silence they had all moved to obey, and now Bilbo listened to the snuffles and snores of his fellow travellers as he lay in his solitary nest.

As the moon rose, clear and full from behind the trees it shone directly into the hobbit's face, and he gave up any pretence at sleeping, quietly getting to his feet and moving across to sit on a rock, looking skywards, his blanket draped warmly around his shoulders.

"Would you take a pipe with me?"

Bofur's voice, quiet beside him, made Bilbo flinch slightly, and he looked enquiringly into the friendly eyes that glowed in the moonlight.

The dwarf dug a spare pipe from his bag, and filled it, offering it to the small hunched figure.

"Thank you." Bilbo's own voice was little more than a whisper, more through fear of incurring Thorin's wrath than waking the two nearest dwarves – Kili and Fili.

They sat in companionable silence while the pipes burned, but as the tobacco finally came to an end Bofur heard a trembling, heartfelt sigh, yet before he could enquire the reason for it his companion spoke.

"He was right, I miss my home and the comforts there. I'm cold and I'm tired, to say nothing of hungry and, well, yes and frightened." Bilbo's eyes remained fixed on the moon's cold yet friendly visage.

"It's surely not that bad?" Bofur tried to lighten the mood. "You have us…"

"I have no-one." Bilbo countered. "I'm alone and lonely, I'm a reviled figure of fun, and I wish….I truly wish this quest were over."

"If you feel so strongly Bilbo, then why do you stay? Why haven't you turned for home? You could, and few here would blame you."

Bilbo turned to look at the dwarf, and Bofur was shocked to see tears glittering those wide, guileless eyes as the hobbit laid his reasoning before him.

"I cannot go home because Gandalf has put so much trust in my ability to help you. And if that wasn't enough, I heard…" he paused, swallowed, and forced himself to continue. "I heard your song – it almost broke my heart. When I woke and you were gone, I realised I couldn't let you down."

"But this isn't your fight."

"Yes it is. I can't go home my friend, because you have no home and until you do it just wouldn't be right."

Turning away Bilbo gathered himself and his blanket, and returned to his chosen sleeping area. Wrapping himself up once more he closed his eyes, falling asleep so quickly that he failed to hear Bofur's parting words.

"Thank you Bilbo Baggins, your grace and kindness will become a legend greater than any tale could tell."