Disclaimer: The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, all characters, places, and related terms are the sole property of J. R. R. Tolkien's estate, and Warner Brothers, New Line Cinema, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and WingNut Films.

Reflected in the Mirror

"We're sorry, Mister Baggins!" Sam Gamgee apologizes; his eyes are alight with worry and remorse.

Clicking his tongue, Bilbo spares at glance to the fauntling clinging to his leg before refocusing on Frodo seated on the countertop, and finishes treating the lad's bloodied knee.

"I told him it might not be the best idea," Sam goes on.

"I'm sorry, uncle!" Frodo cuts in. "We really wanted a snack! And Mrs. Proudfoot's apples are the best! Sam can't climb trees, but I can. I thought the branches would hold my weight and—" he breaks off, drawing in a long breath.

Bilbo drops a kiss on the freshly bandaged knee before lifting the fauntling down to the floor.

Frodo pouts up at him. "We didn't mean to get in trouble, make you worry, uncle."

"Awfully sorry, sir!" Sam adds.

Fixing a stern look on the two, Bilbo places a hand on each of their shoulders. "So next time you will be more careful? And ask Mrs. Proudfoot for permission to take her apples?" the older hobbit asks.

"Yes, uncle!"

"Yes, Mister Baggins!"

Bilbo smiles faintly. "Good Fili, Kili."

"What?" Frodo says, his nose twitching.

The older hobbit freezes, staring into space.

Sam tugs lightly on his sleeve.

Blinking, Bilbo glances about the room before his gaze settles on the little hobbits. "Ah, sorry," he murmurs quietly, his voice wavering.

"Uncle?"

"Sorry. Frodo, Sam." The smile he offers is terribly sad around the edges, failing to reach up to his dim green eyes.

"Why did you call us that?"

"Never mind," he assures them, smiling wider. "Now you go along and play."

The two fauntlings shrug and quickly hug him before skipping off, chattering excitedly.

For an endless moment Bilbo stares after them, their laughter carrying him back to another time and place. Squeezing his eyes shut, the hobbit can almost feel being sandwiched between two large solid bodies, and hear humor and fondness in teasing voices, "Mister Boggins!"

"How similar they are…," he whispers. Drawing in a shallow breath, fighting back tears, Bilbo slowly returns to cooking luncheon. Even after all this time he still misses Fili and Kili horribly.

THE END