A Stark Predicament

Chapter 92 Arriving in the Shire

The next day after breakfast, those that were going to go to the Shire gathered around the teleporter. It was finally decided that the original Company would go along minus Balin who would stay behind and take care of the day to day business of the mountain along with Dis who was going to help him. Aside from the Company, The Stark siblings, Logan, Pepper, Bruce, and Natasha were all going as well.

Thorin checked his pack to make sure that he had everything that he and Alina would need, mostly it was money and clothes, but he packed some of Alina's favorite snacks just in case. Anything else they may need he could always send JARVIS back to come and get it. He looks to see if everyone was present, once he does a head count Thorin presses the button to the Shire on his Bracelet and the teleporter turns on. After everyone says their goodbyes they make their way through the teleporter. They all end up once again in the woods five miles just outside of Hobbiton.

"It's a five-mile walk to Hobbiton from here, do you think you can walk it, Lass, or would you like me to carry you," Dwalin asks Natasha.

Natasha rolls her eyes at Dwalin. "Baby, I'm pregnant, not an invalid, I can walk five miles without any problems," She tells Dwalin then kisses him on the nose.

Thorin wasn't even going to ask, he was about to pick Alina when she smacked him on the arm, "Don't even think about it, Thorin, I can walk just as well as Natasha."

Thorin gives her a sheepish look, then offers his arm, "Alright everyone, let us get underway."

Dwalin offers his arm as well to Natasha while Tony takes Pepper's hand while he has a pleasant conversation with Bruce about what he thinks he might find in the DNA of the Hobbits. Logan walks with Thorin and Alina, the whole time scanning the area for any danger. It takes about an hour to reach the outskirts of the small village and that was mostly Thorin's fault. He kept insisting that they stop and rest even though Alina and Natasha both kept telling him they weren't tired. Thorin was not taking any chances.

Once they got to the village they made their way up the little lane towards Bilbo's house, when they got there Fili and Kili were going to just waltz right in but Pepper stopped them.

"Ooh, let me knock on the door."

"But, Pepper, we don't need to knock on the door. Bilbo said we could just come in." Fili tells her.

"Please, Fili, let me knock," Pepper says.

"But-"

"Oh for Mahal's sake, let the lass knock," Dwalin tells the boys.

Pepper knocks on the door, and waits. The door slowly opens and there stands Mr. Bilbo Baggins himself in all his three feet of glory. Pepper covers her mouth in disbelief.

"Good morning, may I help you, Miss?"

"It's really you." Pepper whispers.

"I beg your pardon?"

Tony rolls his eyes and steps in front of Pepper, "Don't mind her, she's just fangirling over you. Hi, Bilbo, how are you?"

Bilbo looks at Tony oddly then his eyes light up when he finally realizes that it's Tony. He looks past Tony to see Thorin, Alina and the Company standing just outside his gate.

A smile breaks out over Bilbo's face, "Tony, Thorin, what in Middle Earth are you Alina and the Company doing here and who is this young lady? Well, don't just stand there come in, come in. You're just in time for second breakfast."

Bilbo steps away from the door to allow the others to come in. They each greet Bilbo fondly as they walk into his home. Alina kisses the top of his head causing him to blush. Once everyone is inside the Dwarves immediately head for the dining room to rearrange the room to fit everyone in it as they had done the last time. Dwalin leads Natasha into Bilbo's parlor so that she can sit down, she takes a seat and lets out a sigh.