A/N: It's time to settle what happens! We'll see where this goes, but hopefully it'll only be one more chapter.

Primula had just settled in her favorite chair when someone began banging on her door. They're going to tear that door down! And I just painted it too!

"Who's there?!"

"The Prince's Company! We are here searching for the lad of the Prince!"

"Mother that's them! They're here for me! They're here to take me to my prince!" Tigerlily jumped up from her stool, dropping her plate of scones onto the floor carelessly. She began teasing her hair and dusting off the crumbs from her bosom, kicking Azealia awake.

"What? What's going on? Did you eat my scones?! Mother!"

In the cellar room, Bilbo lifted his head and moved to the door. He pressed his ear against the rough wood, hearing the muffled voices coming from the front. He bit his lip and began to pray to whatever God would hear him. When he opened his eyes, he saw his prayer's were answered.

The little thrush had a pin clenched in his beak.

Primula ran and yanked the door open, fidgeting with her skirt. Balin and Ori stood before her, Dwalin holding the red coat over his arm. Behind them were the other Company members, all of who eyed the hobbit warily.

"Good afternoon, Madam. We heard that you have among your household a lad who will fit the coat of the Prince's lost beloved," Balin recited from his parchment roll.

Her smile turned into a scowl and she crossed her arms. "I'm afraid you are quite wrong about that, Master Dwarf! My beautiful daughters are the only ones here. But my eldest Tigerlily did drop her coat at the ball! Thank you for bringing it back!"

Dwalin dodged her attempt to snatch the coat from his grip. He stopped her from attempting again with a cold glare. "If ye ain't got a lad here, then we'll be leavin'."

"No! No! I swear that coat is hers! She dropped it on our arrival and a slimy little thief stole it! It is hers," Primula lied, motioning the dwarves in. "Come! Let me prove it to you!"

As the Company reached the doors of Bag End, Mirabella and Hannai arrived at the palace doors of Erebor.

Once their carriage had come to a halt, several guards helped them out and immediately escorted them through the crush of curious dwarves. All wanted to catch a glimpse at the ladies who had caught the eyes of the Durin princes. Several merchants shoved their wares in the girls' faces, shouting that they had the finest jewels to drape them or the softest silks to dress them in. Up ahead, the crowd was parted by the Durin family.

Fili had run out ahead of his uncle and mother, his eyes searching the approaching hobbit lasses. Mirabella sucked in a breath of air, her stomach churning at the site of the pale Fili. His braids were disheveled, and his frame was leaner than what it had been but a few days prior. It looked as if he had run his hands through his hair carelessly for hours on end. The sight of him hurt her heart, tears welling in her eyes. She broke away from Hannai and began running.

Fili stumbled back as she collided into his arm. He tightly wrapped his arms around her and tilted her chin up to him. Blinking back tears, he choked out, "It's you. I'm not dreaming, am I? You're really here. Thank Mahal, you're here, Mira."

"Yes, yes, I'm here. I'm here with you, Fili. I'm so sorry but we had to leave. We had to protect him—"

"Where is he?" Thorin boomed, glaring down the dark-haired lass. Mira shrunk against Fili, her usually sharp tongue suddenly quiet. Fili held her tightly against him, glaring at his uncle. The older dwarf then turned to Hannai, who hesitated to approach the furious man but stepped forward, nonetheless.

She curtsied and stayed low. "Your Highness, it's a complicated tale—"

"I don't care! Where is Bilbo!"

"Uncle!"

"He is at Bag End," Hannai stammered. "We didn't mean to cause all this commotion, but we had to protect him. Let us explain please, your Highness."

"You will explain once I'm back with him," Thorin growled out at the shaking girl. He turned away and headed towards his mount.

"He's out of his mind with worry over Bilbo. Not that he's wrong. We've all been worried," Fili admitted. His gaunt features took a somber tone and he held Mira closer to him. He looked at Hanna and sighed. "You need to see Kili. He's never had the best of health and being love struck has made him a turn for the worse."

Hannai wavered momentarily then straightened up. "Take me to him please."

Oin had locked Kili in his bedchamber. Several guards had to be stationed there after the prince had broken out the first time. More were added after the second time.

Then they had to take his arrows after he began shooting them at the door.

It was the only thing that would keep the stubborn prince in the room. The healer had left to make him another sleeping drought and it was about twenty minutes before the dwarf got bored and began trying to pry the door open with his arching bow.

Until Hannai opened the door and they both tumbled into a heap on the stone floor.

"Kili! What are you doing you're supposed to be resting!"

"Hannai! They found you! You're here! Why are there two of you? And blurry?"

"Get in bed, you idiot!"

It took Thorin far less time than it should have to reach Bag End. Perhaps Mahal had finally shown him some mercy at last.

He headed down the well-worn path, a thrush hopping along in front of him. He tried to shoo the bird away, but it just looked at him in disgust and just trotted further down the path. Thorin could've sworn that the bird winked at him with that oh so familiar twinkle in its' eyes.

It's the sleep deprivation. Or food deprivation. Or just Bilbo deprivation.

"Fine, fine, take me to Bag End then!" Thorin grumbled, glaring at the amused bird. Though perhaps he should have been more concerned with the fact he was engaging in a conversation with a bird (if the twitters being fired at him were forms of communication), the Durin prince finally reached Bag End.

It was not what he imagined the home of his beloved hobbit looking like. Sure, the home was well manicured, the flowers blooming, the front door painted. But there a was an air of sadness that hung around the place. Birds didn't chirp, bees didn't buzz around the flowers, and no neighbor lived close enough to enrich the area with their presence. It was as if everything was frozen in a tableau of faint sadness.

Thorin stepped up to the door and knocked loudly.

I'm taking him as far from here as I can.