A/N So, I guess next week the Thranduil/Bilbo I started will become my main fic, so starting then it'll be updated every Wednesday until completion. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this last chapter of this fic!

That night, we celebrated. It felt a little strange to do so, of course, given all the dead, all the suffering, but still I felt joy. All of my friends were well, having suffered only minor wounds that were easily treated, and Erebor was theirs again. It was over. I thought that over and over again, scarcely able to believe it myself; it was over. It was all over. I laughed to myself, very quiet and careful, as if too much noise, too much happiness, would shatter the illusion.

Smaug, back in the shape of a man, a few bandages wrapped tight around the few injuries he'd sustained and the few others he'd reopened, had me settled in his lap, hands clasped warmly over my stomach, head tilted back against the wall behind him while my own was settled against his chest. My dwarves had taken a while to stop staring at that, but now it was as though this was how it always was. I felt more at home than I had in a very, very long time.

We all spent the night huddled near each other; I don't think I was the only one afraid that the other shoe would drop and we'd realize the happy ending we'd found couldn't be. Smaug's hand was a comforting weight over me until morning, at which point, after a quick breakfast (and I would be so very glad when we got to replenish our food stores; I was so terribly tired of cram) he left with a squadron of my dwarves led by Thorin, and about half of Dain's, to go deeper into the mountain and start planning repairs.

I stayed back with the promise that I would be allowed in the next group, though I wasn't particularly happy about it, and conversed mostly with Fili, who'd been forced to remain in his brother's place because he'd been injured far more severely. I didn't expect he'd be able to take the makeshift sling and brace off of his arm for a couple of weeks at least, actually; his arm had been at an awful angle when Smaug brought us back to Erebor, broken, he said, when he was parrying an orc's heavy blows.

"I expect this place will be splendid, when the repairs are completed," I said, and he smiled, fond and oddly like his uncle.

"I do as well, Master Boggins. It's a shame I'll be able to help so little, though; Kili will hold it over my head for decades." I snorted; a rather un-hobbity noise, I know, but it seemed suited to the situation, and the dwarves did it often enough.

"Oh, come now-," I began, ready to tease, when a small cluster of Dain's dwarves came to us and settled, apparently wishing to erase the stark dividing line that had, without my notice, appeared between the Company and the new dwarves. I gave them the best smile I could manage, and they seemed a bit flustered. Fili glowered and that he was Thorin's nephew had never been clearer to me; no one who didn't share Thorin's blood could glower quite that much like Thorin. I bit my lip to hide the laughter.

"Hello. Master Baggins, is it? We'd heard that… that King Oakenshield's company contained a hobbit, but we didn't quite believe it. It's nice to meet you," one of the new dwarves said, voice quieter than I was expecting, almost nervous. Looking at his face, his beard was thin and short; were I to guess, I'd have placed him at about Ori's age. I supposed, at least, that it was nice to know that young dwarves were just as unsure of themselves as young hobbits. I chuckled, holding out a hand for him to shake, and he did so hesitantly. The others, about the same age as he, looked on with something like awe. Fili glowered harder and settled his undamaged arm over my shoulder.

"You as well, and don't worry so much; I can assure you that I never expected I'd end up here either!" I said it laughingly, and, however hesitantly, they joined in. I tried to draw them into conversation, but Fili remained stubbornly silent and only glared harshly until at last they, in something like terror, fled. I heaved a sigh. "Fili, that was very rude. They did help us get your mountain back." He shrugged, grinning again as if he'd never stopped.

"And so they get to stay in it, not harass our hobbit. I assure you that you'll get plenty of harassing from the nobles eager to get in good with you shortly; I figured I could spare you from it a little while longer." I raised an eyebrow, crossing my arms and very probably pouting at him.

"I don't expect I'll be getting that much attention, Fili. Besides, what's the trouble with me making new friends? They seem sweet enough." He looked at me as though he thought I were being very silly indeed (and I almost thought to be offended, after all the idiotic things he'd done and said with his brother over the course of this journey) then shook his head.

"Bilbo, you've kept this quest from failing many times over; they know that, and the nobles that come here will definitely figure it out quickly. Uncle respects you and values your opinion just as much as he does anyone else, and he's set to become king as soon as we can manage an official coronation. Kili and I adore you, and we're the heirs to that throne. You've got a dragon wrapped around your little finger, perfectly willing to do whatever you ask. It's going to be pretty obvious that getting you to like them will get them favoritism." Oh, dear. I was honestly a bit disturbed at how much sense that made. I'd had to deal with similar before, though; owning Bag End and having no heirs of my own was enough to assure that. Still, I far from enjoyed having such attention foisted upon me. Fili laughed at whatever he saw on my face, then. "Have I ruined your dreams of a peaceful life here, Bilbo?"

"Perhaps a bit, but I suppose I can forgive you, if only for your honesty. It has been some time since I've had to deal with such things, I'll admit, but I have dealt with it before. Besides, I expect with you all growling about it, I'll scarce have to worry over anything at all!" Fili chuckled, nodding faintly, and from there conversation drifted to lighter things again, the rest of the company not exploring with Thorin joining in with familiar ease.

Whenever a tiny cluster of Dain's dwarves managed to pluck up the courage to come over and attempt conversation (usually with me, and oh, but I would have to kill Fili for making me notice) they fell silent and set to glaring. Eventually, every last one of Dain's dwarves was as far from us as they could manage to get, generally not even daring to sneak a glance at me for fear of reprisal by way of harsh stares. I sighed to myself, half-amused and half-annoyed, honestly glad when Thorin and the rest returned, as if I thought that they, Smaug especially, would make it any better.

I suppose I at least didn't expect them, Smaug especially, to look quite so pleased at the state of things when they got back. I certainly didn't expect Smaug to offer Fili a grateful nod as he plopped behind me and settled me into his lap again.

"You have my thanks, dwarf prince." Fili inclined his head as if he understood and I wanted to give the both of them a good whack across the head. I wondered what I could have possibly done to be cursed with such beings for companions, then chuckled faintly to myself. The same thing I'd done to be blessed with them, I supposed. I tilted my head up and pressed a sweet kiss he seemed to appreciate greatly to his lips.

Time passed that way for a week, or a little more, until Smaug was completely healed and the mountain well on its way to repair. We'd already managed to clear away a good portion of rubble, actually, and we'd found a couple of rooms suitable for sleeping, along with the kitchens, for which I would be forever joyous as it meant an end to cram.

I'd settled into a routine when Smaug told me that he was leaving, and with those words, he shattered it thoughtlessly. I hadn't expected… well, I certainly hadn't expected he would want to stay, I supposed. He raised an eyebrow at whatever expression I was making, then gave the most long-suffering sigh I'd ever heard.

"Have you forgotten already, silly hobbit? I plan to go prepare my own mountain for you, and when that is done, I will return here to take you there. I simply think it safer for you here with your dwarves than alone in your Shire. Besides, I've a certain bit of trash to dispose of, if you'll recall, and again I'd prefer you not be with me when I do so." The Arkenstone, yes; it was easy to forget it in all the commotion. Thorin hadn't even mentioned it, after all, and I prayed it would remain so. I wondered if it was because he'd been pointedly kept from the treasury since the mountain was reclaimed, or if it was because Smaug had hidden the stone so deep within the mountain that he couldn't feel it, couldn't be corrupted by it, or if he just wasn't predisposed to the sickness of his forefathers. Whatever the reason, it was a happy thought, and I knew as much.

I threw my arms around Smaug suddenly, even he seeming a little surprised by it, but he certainly wasn't complaining; his arms were gentle and kind and warm around me. Home; the thought hit me again, very suddenly, and I smiled.

"I'll miss you," I said, and he stiffened, then relaxed, tilting my chin up and drawing me into a deep kiss with ease. I sighed against his lips, and the both of us were smiling when he let me go.

"And I you, Bilbo. I will return as soon as possible." I nodded, reached out and squeezed his hand once, then stepped away.

"Be well, my dragon." His eyes went wide, and I relished in being able to shock him. Understanding for what he'd meant when he called me his before had hit me suddenly, not very long before; this had seemed a good moment to reveal my knowledge, to show him that I understood and accepted and agreed. He laughed, shaking his head, and bent down to peck my lips one last time.

"Full of surprises, my hobbit," he said, "I will return." And then, with barely a breath spared to change into his dragon shape, he was gone.

He was gone for almost three months, and in that time, the dwarves and I nearly managed to complete the rebuilding, though there was still much to be done to return Erebor entirely to her former glory. Dwarves from all over, the families of my dwarves, had long since begun returning to the mountain; I still laughed at the very… memorable moment in which I'd met Thorin's sister Dis and she'd nearly choked me to death in her eagerness to thank me, after which she scolded her sons and her brother for nearly an hour for running off on the quest to begin with. It took much longer before she was actually willing to thank them, to congratulate them and express her pride, and I realized with wild amusement that Thorin's stubbornness was, shockingly enough, nothing compared to hers.

No matter how accepted and how happy I was during those three months, I wasn't entirely complete. I did miss Smaug terribly; I kept looking around, expecting to feel him behind me, to see him flicking away the dwarves he felt got too close to me, but nothing of the sort ever happened because he was off gallivanting to some mysterious mountain he called his own. I kept myself busy, however, focused on Erebor and the dwarves, and by doing that, I at least managed to stay sane.

When he did return, it was with no fanfare; he was unhurt, and we'd known he was coming for at least a half hour before he arrived because the guards had seen him in the sky. I still felt as if a massive weight was lifted off of me the moment he stepped in, dragon form shed at the door, and I was able to throw my arms around him again. I took consolation in the fact that he was just as happy to see me, and in the fact that even the dwarves looked amused by our reunion.

Even still, when Thorin suddenly came over and clapped a hand on Smaug's shoulder, expression dark and serious, I couldn't help but be a little worried. The two were far from friendly, after all, and I'd never ask it to be otherwise. Smaug didn't look particularly worried, though, not that that really meant anything beyond the fact that he knew he could beat Thorin in a fight if he had to do so.

"Look after him," the dwarf king said at last, before he wrapped me in a hug of his own, reminiscent of the moment on the Carrock when he apologized. My eyes welled; the rest of my dwarves piled into the hug, and I felt the faintest traces of dampness on my neck from one or the other of them. Smaug watched all of that with more patience than I thought possible, I assume because he knew I would soon be leaving with him.

"Don't forget to visit," Kili said.

"We'll want you to see this place when it's done," his brother continued, at which point all the other dwarves made certain to tell me what they wanted me to come back for, that they'd miss me, that they wished me well. I swallowed stiffly, blinking back more tears and grinning like a fool. I didn't think I'd ever be able to imagine a better group of friends, a better family, than them.

The time quickly came for me to leave with Smaug, however; I packed my little rucksack with the few things I owned and collected the small trunk of treasure Thorin had insisted upon, and left with Smaug at my side. When we stepped outside and he transformed to dragon again, allowing me on his back, I didn't question where we were going, knowing only that, wherever it was, it would be home. That, after all this time and after all I'd done, my ability to be so certain of that only made me smile.