Hello there! So, this story has been nagging at me for a while, but only recently have I been able to set an actual plot and storyline. I was going to wait until I was done with my other story, An Unexpected Love, but I've just finished the first chapter and I can't wait any longer! This idea has always interested me, ever since I first read The Hobbit. Don't get me wrong, I am a huge book fan, but I wanted to try something different with what Tolkien wrote. This is sort of a test chapter, to see how well it goes. I might have to put this one on hold for a little while, in order to finish AUL, but who knows. Feel free to let me know what you think, and I hope you enjoy it! Please forgive me for any mistakes there might be.

All familiar characters/places belong to J.R.R Tolkien. I am simply adding and putting my own spin on things!

*Note: the beginning of this story takes place in S.R 2911, when Bilbo is about 19, Fili is about 52, and Kili is 47. To put that in perspective, in human years they would roughlybe about 12, 18 and 17. I am going off of one source for my calculations, so if you don't agree with ages, just know that they are all very young. Bilbo is about how old Merry was when he went with the Fellowship. Just to give you an idea.

Introduction

Bilbo Baggins was an entirely respectable hobbit of the Shire. The only son of Belladonna and Bungo Baggins, young Bilbo was a scholarly hobbit who loved books and maps. The prospect of going on an adventure, without ever having to leave the safety and comfort of his armchair, pleased him beyond measure. He never imagined that anything spectacular or out-of-the-ordinary would ever happen to him, nor did he want it to. All of this could be said, and was, until one day, by will of a rotten ferry, Bilbo was suddenly thrust into the world; alone. His parents no longer there to guide him through adulthood, the young hobbit, who had yet to even reach of age, was forced to learn the ropes of life by himself. That is, until yet another curve was revealed in Bilbo's path; two dwarflings and an abandoned baby. From the moment he laid eyes on them, Bilbo knew that his life would once again be changed forever. But this time was going to be different. He could feel it. This time, he was going to enjoy the unexpected turn of events. If he only knew what lay in store for the future...

Chapter One: Wolves and Sticks

"Bilbo, sir?"

Bilbo sighed, closing the book he was reading with a loud thump.

"Yes, Posco? What is it?"

The little boy, though only a few years younger than Bilbo, trembled in fear at his cousin. Wringing his hat between his fingers, he hesitated, trying Bilbo's patience.

"What do you want, Posco? I am quite busy."

"I-I'm sorry, Bilbo, sir. I was just lettin' you know that I finished with the garden. All the weeds are good and gone."

Bilbo nodded his head, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Very good. Run along now; I'll make sure you are compensated for your work."

A moment passed, but there was no movement from the little hobbit. He stood fast, twitching and jerking his hat every which way it pulled.

Bilbo peeked through his lashes, and found that Posco was indeed still standing in front of him. Had he not just told the child to run along?

"Posco? Is there something else?"

Posco shook his head, slowly, then began nodding vigorously, his words tumbling from his mouth like a well spewing water.

"It's just that-well, you see sir, m-my papa wanted to invite you to s-supper, next Thurday. Papa said it would be good for you to get out, since everythin' that happened with M-Miss Bell and Mister Bungo a-and-"

"Don't you ever say those names to me again, Posco Baggins! I won't have it! You tell your father it was a gracious offer, but I already have plans for that evening. Now run along, and don't make me ask you again!"

Bilbo's sudden outburst had Posco immediately dropping his head, a squeak escaping his small figure as he scrambled for the door. Slamming it shut behind him, Bilbo stood, trembling, as the silence descended around him. He felt the tears begin to prick his eyes, threatening to spill and never stop.

"It isn't fair. It's not fair." Bilbo whispered to himself, over and over. "Why did you have to go? I'm only a child myself...I-I miss you, mama. I wish you were here. I'm all alone..." Bilbo eyes focused on the portraits hanging above the mantle, on his parents smiling down at him. He would never admit it, not to anyone, but in that moment, standing alone in his empty hobbit hole, he felt more like a child than he ever had before.

Shaking his head, forcing the tears back, he declared to himself, "I am going for a walk. The fresh air will do me some good. Yes, good, good, good."

With that, he grabbed up his coat and walked out his door, taking a deep breath of the early evening air. As he made his way down the path to his gate, Bilbo replayed the incident that just occured in his head.

You really have gone and made a fool of yourself, Bilbo Baggins. I should go and apologize to Posco and Polo for being so rude. It's not their fault I can't hold my temper...

Bilbo blinked in surprise. While in his daydreaming state, if you could call it that, he had walked all the way to the edge of Hobbiton. The sun was now low in the sky; he must have been walking for hours. As the trees began to clump together, Bilbo allowed himself to enjoy the breeze that made the grass wave, and the sing-song voices of birds flitting around.

"Stay back!" A voice rang out, shattering the peaceful air and sending a flock of birds darting into the sky. A loud growl answered the demand, and Bilbo felt his heart drop. Grabbing up a fallen branch, he hurried towards the sounds, his hands beginning to sweat and his mind whirring. What was he going to do? He wasn't a fighter-

"Kee, watch out!"

There was a whimper, another growl.

That was a child's voice. Hurry up Bilbo, you slug!

Bilbo quickened his pace, before he suddenly burst into a small clearing, his stomach dropping at the sight. Before him stood a large wolf, facing a small child wielding a sword.

A sword? Where on earth did he get that? That is entirely unsafe...

Not now, Bilbo.

Behind them, another little boy cowered behind a tree, holding something close to his chest.

"Stay back!" The little boy, who had blonde hair coming to his ears, yelled again, swinging his sword in front of him as the growling wolf tried to find a place to attack.

"STOP!"

Bilbo's shout surprised even himself as the wolf turned and began pacing towards him, it's lips curled back over mangled and blood-stained teeth. Bilbo gulped, not noticing the blonde child's wide eyes as he edged towards his friend, hushing the crying boy.

"Why don't you try picking on someone closer to your own size, pup?"

Was he really taunting a wild animal with names?

Brandishing his branch, Bilbo stood tall, but on the inside he was terrified. The wolf, seeming to have had enough, decided it was time to put an end to all of this playing with his food. Crouching to spring, Bilbo had only a split-second before the large animal was leaping for him, his claws and teeth gleaming with a malice.

Bilbo shouted and closed his eyes, thrusting his branch forward. It stopped with a sickening sound, and ripped from Bilbo's hands. Peeking out of one eye, he squinted to see the wolf lying on it's side, it's breathing shallow and almost non-existant. His branch protruded from the creature's chest, a swell of blood pouring out of the wound with each breath. The sight made Bilbo sick to his stomach, and he gagged.

"Here. You should put it out of it's misery." A small voice said beside him, and he jumped, seeing the blonde boy holding out his sword. With a shocked expression, Bilbo accepted the knife, looking between it, the boy, and the wolf. When he made no move, the little boy sighed. Taking back his sword, all the while trembling, he knelt next to the beast and proceeded to end it's life. Shutting his eyes tight, the boy wiped the blood from his blade on the grass, ignoring the pungent stench that began to overcome the clearing.

"A-are you alright?" Bilbo asked, his mind still reeling from everything that just happened.

"I'm fine. But my brother, he has a scratch. I don't think it's too bad, but it looks a little deep."

Bilbo turned to the boy still cowering behind the tree, and slowly moved toward him, so not to scare him.

"It's alright, I won't hurt you. I want to help you. Your brother said you were scratched; may I see it?" His voice was quiet and light, which seemed to work on the little boy, because he stepped out, glancing at his brother.

"It's alright, Kee, he's going to help. Right? You won't hurt him?"

The concern was so obvious in the boy's voice that Bilbo smiled.

"I wouldn't dare, I promise. You're dangerous with that sword of yours; I wouldn't want to get on your bad side."

The little boy quickly hid his weapon behind him.

"I wouldn't hurt you, unless you were attacking Kili."

Bilbo smiled again, reassuring the boy.

"So that is your brother's name? Kili? What's yours?" The boy called Kili let Bilbo reach out and take his arm, examining the long but rather shallow cut. He sighed inwardly with relief.

"I'm Fili, son-just Fili. Is it bad?"

Bilbo thought for a moment, then proceeded to rip some of the hem of his shirt to wrap it around the slightly bleeding wound.

"He should be just fine, as long as we get it cleaned out as soon as possible." He stood, and suddenly there was a child wrapped around his legs, clinging to him as though to never let go. Bilbo looked down in surprise at Kili, but smiled. That's when it hit him; these were not just any children.

"Wait a moment-are you boys dwarflings?"

Fili nodded, Kili gripping Bilbo's legs tighter.

"If you don't mind me asking, what are you doing all the way out here? Are your parents somewhere nearby?"

Bilbo thought it to be an innocent question, but the look on Fili's face told him to ask no more about it. With a growing worry and confusion, he changed the subject.

"Well, it's getting very late, and I don't really fancy being stuck out here for more wolves to come. What about you?"

Kili whimpered, shaking his head furiously. With some hesitation, Bilbo leaned down and picked up the little dwarf, who immediately buried himself in Bilbo's chest.

"Please don't leave us out here. I don't like the dark." Kili whispered.

Odd, I thought that dwarves enjoyed the gloom..

"Of course I won't leave you out here by yourselves. You know, I'm afraid of the dark as well." Kili lifted his head, staring at Bilbo with wonder.

"Really?"

"Really."

Kili had a small smile.

"What's your name? Mine's Kili, that's Fili."

Bilbo laughed, the little dwarf growing cuter by the second.

"I know that silly, you already told me. My name is Bilbo, Bilbo Baggins."

"What are you?"

"Kee! That was rude." Fili gasped in horror. Kili immediately shrank back into himself, mumbling, "I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to be."

Bilbo grinned at him, reviving the smile he had moments before.

"It's alright, Fili, I don't mind. I am a hobbit, of the Shire. I think dwarves call us halflings, if that helps."

Kili's eyes widened in recognition, and he bounced in Bilbo's arms.

"You're a hobbit! I've always wondered what you looked like. I thought you'd be taller." He frowned as he looked Bilbo up and down, making his brother groan.

"Kee, shut up."

"It's alright, Fili, honestly. Now, what do you say we go back to my home, then we can see where your parents are."

Kili nodded enthusiastically, but Fili hesitated.

"I wouldn't worry about our parents, Mr. Bilbo; we don't have any."

Bilbo froze, turning to Fili with growing concern in his eyes.

"You don't have parents? What happened to them?"

Fili bit his tongue and looked to the ground. Bilbo decided not to push any further; at least not at the moment.

"Nevermind, we can talk about that later. Now, let's get out of these woods, hm?" He bounced Kili and tentatively stuck out his hand for Fili. The dwarfling hesitated again, then slowly reached up and took the hobbit's hand. They turned to leave, when Kili suddenly cried in indignation.

"Wait! Fee, we can't leave her here!"

Fili's eyes grew wide as Bilbo frowned in confusion.

"'Her'? Who?"

Fili rushed over to the tree Kili had been hiding behind and crouched down, picking up a small bundle. He carefully made his way over, and Bilbo gasped. In the dwarf's arms was a small baby, wrapped in a white blanket.

"Oh..."

Bilbo set Kili down and took the baby from Fili's grasp. Situating his arms into a comfortable position, Bilbo stared in awe at the bundle.

"I hid her behind the bush when the wolf came. I didn't want him to hurt her." Kili smiled proudly at the baby, pulling a face to make her laugh.

"This is a hobbit child...what is she doing all the way out here?" Bilbo muttered to himself.

"Bilbo, can we leave now? It's getting very dark, and I'm hungry." At that, Kili's stomach promptly grumbled.

"Yes, let's go right now, come on. Here, Kili, take my hand, Fili his other. Stick close."

All the way back, Bilbo couldn't tear his eyes away from the little baby sitting in his arms. A mix of joy, worry, confusion and slight anger rose up in him.

Why would anybody leave these children all by themselves? How could they? It's not right, not at all!

As he opened the door to his home, he smiled at the boys reactions. They both scampered in, heading straight in the direction they thought the kitchen would be.

"I'll be right back; Fili, could you hold her please?" Fili took the baby dutifully and smiled, pulling faces at her as his brother did.

Bilbo disappeared down the hall, then returned moments later holding a cradle and some proper bandages. He placed the baby into the cradle, then proceeded to properly clean and bandage Kili's scratch.

"There you are Kili, good as new! Now, who would like some fish? It won't take very long to make, and there's plenty for all of us."

"Fish!" Kili cried happily, and his stomach growled in excitement. Bilbo laughed, grabbing the ingredients needed out of the pantry.

"Alright, fish coming right up!"

As he began preparing supper, Bilbo was struck with a sudden thought. Just earlier, he was wallowing in grief and yelling at poor, unsuspecting children. Now, he was fixing a fish for himself and two dwarflings, who were currently entertaining a newborn hobbit baby.

Glancing again at the paintings over the fireplace, he smiled to himself. "Maybe I won't be so lonely anymore now..."

So, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Sorry, I know Bilbo was being kind of a jerk, but that's just where I kept going. He will definetely act better in the rest of the book. And I hope no one is too disappointed with Fili being the one to kill the wolf, I just wanted to give you guys an idea of what to expect later on. I think that's all for now, so goodbye!