Last time on 'A Baby Story';

"Let this be Gandalf' problem" you suggested. "Bilbo survived his earlier childhood without a tragic accident so why should something happen to him now? I say we take the children to go for a nice swim in the fountains. Who is with me?"

The dwarves abandoned their crafts immediately and circled around you.

"Are we really going swimming?" little Ori asked you with bright, big eyes.

You nodded. "Aye, I think we all need a break. Everyone who doesn't want to come can stay behind. I think Lindir still needs some help with cleaning up the breakfast table."

Before you were able to walk off towards the fountains, you heard a low thump and running feet. Bilbo grabbed your hand and walked with you for his swim.

"I don't want to help to clean up your mess" he whispered to Bofur.

The happy little group walked away to their relaxing afternoon. Behind the window stood a dwarven child, stubbornly watching the group walk away. He wanted to apologize but not yet. For now he wanted to sulk and think things over.

And maybe, in all honesty, he wanted to take a swim as well.

So Thorin snuck out of the window and followed them.

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Every time he stepped on a twig and it snapped, he froze in horror. For some reason though, no one noticed that he was following the small company from a distance.

He huffed. That is how they would all end up dead without him. They would simply continue on their journey without worrying about who or what was following them. How could Dwalin and Gandalf not pay any attention to their surroundings?

Thorin figured it was a good thing he was disobeying you. He would protect you.

So he kept following you from a safe distance. His eyes didn't leave your moving form. He would surpress the need to growl whenever one of the children would take your hand.

That was his to hold and only his.

When they had returned to their normal forms he would 'accidentally' pierce them with his sword in a spar. That would show them.

Especially the hobbit turned out to be rather clingy to his wife. He didn't even want that creature to come with them on his important quest. And now he was touching the king' woman without permission.

If he was there he would hold both your hands. Keeping them for himself.

All of a sudden he saw the group of children running and shouting. He tried to see where they were going but the bushes were slightly too high. He couldn't see what it was that had them excited.

His patience was running thin.

Forgetting that he was currently hiding as to not get punished again, he stepped out of his hiding spot. He just needed to see what was so exciting. 

Finally he saw what they were running off to. A beautiful, large lake awaited for them at the end of their path. The glistening water promised a relaxing afternoon that would cool them down for as long as they wanted.

Scattered near the edge of the water were some rocks. Great rocks to jump off and into the water.

Jealousy arose in Thorin' veins. In front of him, the grown-ups had found a spot to sit down. They were watching the children carefully from the grass. 

He saw how you turned to Dwalin. "It is such a shame that Thorin had to act up. He could have been out here with us" you spoke sadly. You looked back at the guest chambers that towered over the trees.

"Don't feel bad lass, it was his own choice." Dwalin rubbed the back of his bald head. "What did he do exactly?"

Thorin saw how your lips curled up to a smile. "Ah, right, I haven't told you yet." You sat down on the blanket that one of the elves had spread out. "Him and his nephews were planning on raiding the kitchen for dessert. I grounded him and let them go."

Behind the bush, Thorin carefully followed the conversation. He leaned forward to hear everything better.

"-perhaps that could have been an option as well. Yet I can see why you would ground him for that. He hasn't been the easiest child to deal with" Dwalin said.

Thorin glared at him through the leaves.

"I know. Maybe the problem is that we just don't understand each other. We have only been married for a couple of years." You looked down at your hands. "There was something he said that I don't understand" you finished in a quieter voice.

Dwalin looked down at you. "What was it lass?" he asked gently.

You sighed heavily. "He said something about not wanting this to fail. Or not wanting to ruin this? Do you know what he meant by that?"

A sharp pang of guilt shot through Thorin' heart. He was so focused on you that he didn't notice that he was spotted. It was only when he looked in Dwalin' direction that he saw his old friend looking straight at him.

Thorin' eyes widened. He was in big trouble.

Dwalin kept his eyes trained on his best friend. "Maybe you should ask him, lass. I think that the wizard transformed the lot of them because they needed to learn something. Thorin included."

"You mean that he needs to learn how to share with me?"

The dwarf shrugged. "It is not my place to tell you what each dwarf needs to learn. They need to figure it out on their own." He gave a slight nod in Thorin' direction, only for the dwarven child to see.

"And it is not just the transformed dwarves that need to learn something" Dwalin added.

You looked up at him, your face blank. "I know" you spoke softly. Suddenly you got up. "I think I am going to go back to check on Thorin. We should try to talk about things and maybe he can join us here."

Dwalin nodded. "That is a great idea lass. Just check on Bilbo first. You are the only person he will listen to right now." He turned around to watch the playing children. "It might give some the chance to return to the place they were left."

Thorin didn't continue to watch. The hint was clear. He had been given some time to hurry back to his room. 

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After making Bilbo promise that he wouldn't go diving that deep again, you decided that it was time to check on Thorin. The hobbit child would probably be safe for a couple of minutes.

Besides, Lord Elrond had joined whoms glare did wonders for the hobbit' behaviour.

Him being there would give you just enough time to have a talk with your husband. As long as you didn't think about all the stuff Bilbo could get himself into... you could take as much time as you needed.

To your surprise you found Thorin still in your shared bedroom. 

He was sitting on the bed. The dwarf smiled at you as you entered the room. 

"Thorin, we-"

He put up one hand to silence you. "I would like to offer you my apology. I should have explained myself when you asked me to." He took a deep breath before continuing. "You want to know what I meant with 'I don't want to ruin this'?"

You slowly nodded, taking a seat on the nearby chair. "Please."

Thorin walked closer. He didn't meet your eyes. "You are more than I hoped you would be when we married. Everything that I wanted for in a wife, I found in you. I never thought I would found a woman I could love as much as you."

For a moment, he paused.

"I love you" his voice was a high pitch, due to his current age, "and I don't want to give you a reason to leave me. Yet every time I close off from you I create this gap or something..."

He sighed, frustrated. "I just don't know alright! I am trying!" Tears stung in his eyes.

Normally he would be able to control himself. But being a child at the moment, he couldn't. His emotions were a lot more intense in this fase than they were when he was an adult.

You got up from the chair, hugging him tightly. "I promise you that I will never leave you. All your actions and words will always stay with me. Everyone, including me, knows how much you love me. And I love you."

He wrapped his small arms around you as far as they could reach. In the past few days he had felt this love a few times before. These were the first times he allowed himself to feel it completely.

"I am sorry" he said, getting snot and tears on your dress.

A comforting hand ran over his back. "It is alright my beloved. We can work at this together. I won't push you when you close off from me. And maybe you can try to talk to me a bit sooner after you have calmed down."

Thorin nodded. "Aye, we can have Balin set up a contract for that" he agreed.

You laughed, ruffling his hair. "Please stop setting up contracts for everything we agree on. We know what the other wants, and we can stick to it without a contract."

For a moment his eyes narrowed, but finally, he gave in. "Alright. If that is your wish. Then that is how we'll do it."

"And now we should join the others. They are swimming in a lake nearby. Would you like to join them?"

He accepted your offered hand and together you made your way down to the lake.