A fanfic about Kili and Tauriel from the movie The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. If you decide to read, please keep in mind that this is my interpretation of the characters, of their personalities and agendas. This follows the movie up until the point where Kili says "You cannot be her. She is far away. She.. She is far, far away from me. She walks in Starlight in another world. It was just a dream. Do you think she could have loved me?" After which he moves to take her hand. I'm going to have it that at that point he passed out, and a little after that is when this picks up. R&R, and I hope you enjoy.

The credit for the original characters of The Hobbit goes to Tolkien, of course, and the plot and characters in the movie to Peter Jackson. I don't claim to own anything other than the words written below.

Tauriel had feared that she would be too late, that the poison would have run it's course long before she was able to reach Laketown. Upon setting eyes on the young Dwarf, the She-Elf feared she was right. Yet somehow, the Dwarves had managed to obtain the very herb she needed to heal him. It was nothing short of a miracle, and one that came just in time.

Kili had passed out soon after, and they had settled him on a small cot. The other Dwards, Fili, Bofur and Oin, as well as Bard and his children, had gone out to see what could be done around the town, leaving Tauriel to guard him. She found it a bit funny, that they had assumed she would stay with him. Then again, she was quickly finding that the Dwarves were much wiser than her Elven kin had made them out to be.

It was so, that she was now perched as far from him as the confines of the small house would allow, however her keen Elven eyes never left his face. Tauriel didn't doubt her abilities as an Elf to heal, yet she still found herself worrying that she had somehow failed and Kili would once again fall under the effects of the poison. These thoughts were irrational, and they troubled her. More than anything, however, his words thrummed in her ears. She had been mentally examining them, tearing them apart, for over an hour now, and still couldn't make any real sense of what he had meant. Of course he hadn't even been in his right mind, she told herself. It was merely the nonsense of an ill man. And yet the words surrounded her mind like shackles, unwilling to release her until she had discovered their meaning.

"You cannot be her. She is far away. She.. She is far away from me. She walk in Starlight in another world. It was just a dream… Do you think she could have loved me?"

The words had been broken, but beautiful, just as he had been laid out on the table in front of her. Kili, rather tall for a Dwarf, with an inner light that rivaled the stars. She wondered if, perhaps, she reminded him of a lost love. Lost to the world he had nearly found himself in. It made sense, as much sense as anything could, but she couldn't imagine he had met many Woodland Elves. Tauriel, with all her Elvish pride, didn't even entertain the thought that she could even remotely resemble any Dwarvish maiden. Maybe he really had been talking about her, and in his poisoned state of mind thought himself to be hallucinating. But then, she hadn't been far away from him. Laketown wasn't even a full days travel from Mirkwood. There was, of course, height difference, but that seemed a ridiculous thing to trouble himself with at such a desperate time.

Then there was the explanation she had been truly trying to deny all along. That being what they were, and Elf and a Dwarf, they were lost to each other. In two separate worlds that could never reach the other. That the young Dwarf felt as she did, that there was something to be found between them, something that could grow to be full of beauty and light.

But even if this were true, that Kili returned her budding affections, he had been right. She was in another world. Peace was barely obtainable between Dwarvish and Elven kind, such a union was a ridiculous thought. The fact that even a part of her yearned for it was shameful. She knew what the king, and what her dear Legolas, would have to say about her feelings. Should she ever dare to express them. What she wanted was impossible, disgusting even. The fact that an Elf, even a lowly Sylvan Elf, should want such things with a Dwarf? It was unheard of.

A low moan roused Tauriel from her thoughts, and she darted to his side. A delicate, long fingered hand moved to sweep the thick hair from his dampened forehead. She performed the action without thinking, and with more affection than one would expect from and Elf. He looked better, she thought. More of his color had returned, and as his eyes struggled open, she saw they contained much of their former light.

"Kili? I am here. Tell me what you need."

The Dwarf gazed up at her, confusion dotting his expression. He lifted a hand, much as though he meant to cup her face. However, he was still greatly weakened from the poison, and his arm fell back to his side before he was able to do so. "Tauriel? What.. Why are you here?"

It felt as though her heart plummeted far past the pit in her stomach, and she drew her hand away from him. "Do you not remember?"

He stared up at her, looking almost conflicted, before giving a weak shake of his head. "I do not."

Tauriel took a step back, her expression blank as humiliation swept over her. She was an Elf. A lowly Sylvan Elf, perhaps, but and Elf nonetheless. And she had dared allow herself to feel for a Dwarf. Whether his words had been the ramblings of an ill man mattered not. It could now be as though it had never happened, and while disappointment churned in her stomach, she told herself it was for the best.

...

Kili remembered.

How could he not? He doubted the sight of her was one he would ever manage to forget. She had been magnificent, standing over him and chanting in her Elvish tongue in such a way that commanded the poison out of him. He had never seen anything to awe inspiring, and doubted he ever would again. He imagined the beauty of Tauriel to be unmatched, in this world or any other, and after that moment held no doubt in his mind that it was true. As the barrels had floated down the river, he had thought he'd never see her again. A thought that shouldn't have burdened him as much as it had. And yet she had been there, saving him once again. Of course he had managed to ruin such a beautiful thing, his young, foolish tongue getting the better of him.

Of course Kili remembered. What he had meant was, why was she still there?

But Kili had decided that it would be best for both of them if he couldn't remember. Best for everyone, really. It would spare Tauriel the pain of having to explain that she was an Elf, and he a Dwarf. He knew what they were, he knew it was ridiculous. But there was just something about the She-Elf that had shaken him to the very core since the first time she saved him.

This way was better. It spared him more humiliation, made things cleaner. Tauriel could move on with her life without worrying about a lovesick Dwarf pining for her attention. She could tell the story of how a Dwarf confessed his love for her, and all the Elves could have a good laugh about it for a few centuries. And he would hold Fili at knife point until he swore never to speak of it. It was better this way. And as Tauriel backed away from him, surely relieved, he stopped himself from reaching out. From begging her to stay and never leave his side again. Kili didn't think for a moment that she could possibly want that as much as he did.

"The arrow which marked you was poisoned. Luckily, I arrived in time to heal you before it's effects were fatal."

"How did you know?"

Tauriel turned away from him, beginning to pace the length of the room. "After the initial attack was over, Legolas and I captured an Orc in order to interrogate him. During the questioning, he revealed that they had managed to strike one of you with a poisoned arrow. I knew that you had been hit, and came to find you."

"Why?" Tauriel merely gave him a quizzical look, and after a minute or two of her pacing in silence, he tried again. "Why would and Elf care about about the life of a mere Dwarf?"

She paused, turning just slightly to look over her shoulder. "I did not want you to break your promise."

Kili stayed silent, and she resumed her pacing. They stayed that way for several minutes, the sound of her barely audible footsteps accompanied only by the gentle creaking of the house. Finally, he could take the silence no longer. "Where are the others? My brother, Fili. Bofur, Oin. Where have they gone?"

"About the town. To gather supplies, or information, I am not certain. I imagine they will return so-"

The house shook, dust and bits of the broken roof showering down on them. What sounded like thunder rolled from the mountain, and Tauriel froze.

"No."

She began darting wildly about the house, occasionally throwing bits of clothing at Kili. "Get dressed, if you can, and hurry."

He obeyed, moving himself into a sitting position with some difficulty. His joints were sore and stiff, which wasn't anything unusual, but he was also weak. Still, moving as quick as he could, he donned the many layers of his Dwarvish clothing. "What is it? What's happened?"

The Elf stilled, gripping the table with pale knuckles. Kili had never seen an Elf like this, and he imagined it was the closest they ever got to actually panicking. "Your kin have awoken the dragon. There isn't much time." As the horror of what she said sunk in, Kili seemed to find new energy, and finished dressing with surprising swiftness. He managed to ease himself off the cot, but couldn't quite stand without leaning against this. Tauriel noticed this, and searched the house until she found a walking stick, which she threw to him. He caught it, barely, and moved slowly but surely to where she waited by the door.

"What are we to do? How are we to fight a dragon?"

Tauriel gazed down at him, her eyes seeming to search him for an answer to his own question. "We can't. Not alone." Leaving the house, she started off down the crowded street at what he imagined was an agonizingly slow pace for an Elf, and entirely for his benefit. The townspeople were in terror, no strangers to the stories of thunder from the mountain. "You are too weak to fight, Kili."

Ever the stubborn Dwarf, he protested. "I am no-"

Tauriel stopped so abruptly that Kili nearly ran into her. Pivoting, she kneeled so they were at eye level with each other. "You are, Dwarf. You can barely walk." Her voice held only a note of impatience, sounding more concerned than anything. "But you are not useless. We cannot fight this dragon alone." Kili was at a complete loss as to what she meant, but continued following her once she took off again. They flowed through the crowd, the townspeople parting to make way for them once they spotted Tauriel. Soon they were standing on the steps of the Master's house, and Tauriel turned to face the crowd.

"People of Laketown!" Those passing closest to the steps halted, turning their attention to the demanding presence of the She-Elf. However, the rest of the panicked crowd continued on their way. In a quick, calm move, Tauriel drew an arrow. She sent it sailing just over their heads, and it stuck soundly in the nearest building. It got their attention, surely enough, and she lowered her bow. After a minute everyone had stilled, except for those still flowing in from the side streets.

"People of Laketown, the dragon has awoken." A murmur started in the crowd, quickly growing in volume, but silence fell once again when Tauriel held up her hand. "We must prepare for the worst. You have all grown up on the stories of the destruction once caused by the terrible Smaug. Let me tell you something; nothing any of you could possibly imagine would even come close to the devastation the great beast is capable of. He has been angered, and Laketown has no true way of defending itself from his wrath." Tauriel paused, and the townspeople took the opportunity to begin talking amongst themselves. All Kili could do was stare, in awe of her even with the current disaster at hand. "I have sent word to my people, the great Elves of Mirkwood, and they will come to your aid." Kili raised a skeptical brow at that, for last he knew Elves didn't have a way of communicating with their minds, although he couldn't say he would be surprised if they did. "Prepare those who are unable to fight and send them across the lake. Use every vessel you can find. Once that is finished, those of you who remain must gather in the armory and prepare yourselves. Laketown, is in danger." She stepped down, heading off again and motioning for Kili to follow. He hobbled along, a bit faster than before, and managed to stay at her side.

"When did you send word to Mirkwood?"

"I haven't. Yet." Giving him a sideways glance, she barely hesitated. "That is what you are going to do."

Kili stopped dead in his tracks, looking at her with disbelief painted on his features. "I'm going to do what?"

Looking a bit impatient, she kneeled down once again. It was beginning to make him feel a bit like a child, a feeling he was familiar with having around Thorin and Fili. He couldn't say he didn't like being able to look her directly in the eye for a change. "Kili, you can't fight. But someone needs to get to Mirkwood before the people of Laketown do, and reason with the king to allow them within our borders. It isn't guaranteed they will be safe there, no one knows how far the dragon will go. It is their only chance, and if someone does not convince the king.. They will not be welcome." Her expression conveyed quite clearly what that meant, but Kili was still doubtful of her plan.

"Your king will not listen to me, he would not even listen to Thorin! In his eyes I am no different than the very dirt he walks on. What is to stop him from killing me?"

Tauriel's eyes held grief, but her answer was steady. "Nothing. But you must try, Kili. You are their only hope."

She was right, and Kili knew it. Selflessness was not a common virtue among the Dwarves, but cruel they were not. After a moment of deliberation, he gave a short nod, and the pair took off down the docks. Tauriel snatched what appeared to be a child's cloak from one of the merchant stalls along the way. When they reached the lake's edge, she pulled him aside and insisted he put it on. "You will leave with the first barge, disguised as a child. When you reach the other side, you must make haste. While even in your weakened state you will travel faster, being alone rather than in a group with women and children, but even then it won't leave you much time to reason with the king. Be clever. Keep your emotions in check. He will not be pleased to see you, and even less so at your request. Surrender immediately, or the guards will kill you." All the while she was talking, she had been straightening the cloak, making sure it covered him and tucking all of his dark, tangled hair into the hood. "Keep the hood low, and your head down, or someone will see your beard."

There was an almost playful look in her eyes, and he couldn't help but retort. "I know how to hide, Tauriel." What she did next shocked him, so much so that he didn't really react. Leaning under the hood, she placed a soft kiss on one of his bearded cheeks. At the same time she reached a hand into his cloak, securing a small blade in his belt. "There may still be Orcs lurking." To anyone else it would have looked as though she were merely kissing the cheek of a child, and he wondered for a moment if that's how she viewed him. A love struck child.

"Be safe, Mellon."