Pray for the Broken

by The Emcee

The Battle is over. Thorin and Fili are dead and Kili is suddenly King under the Mountain. Thrown into suddenly having to grow up, he turns his unyielding love to Bilbo, who was his late uncle's consort. But were darkness once reigned, bad things followed. Kili/Bilbo, past Thorin/Bilbo

Title: Pray For the Broken

Author: The Emcee

Pairing: Kili/Bilbo, past Thorin/Bilbo

Rating: M

Summary: The Battle is over. Thorin and Fili are dead and Kili is suddenly King under the Mountain. Thrown into suddenly having to grow up, he turns his unyielding love to Bilbo, who was his late uncle's consort. But were darkness once reigned, bad things followed.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, actors, the fandom, or the lyrics.

A/N: This story has been on my mind for a while now and I've decided to finally write it. This is slash, so if you don't like it then please don't read (more importantly, don't complain that it's slash). There will also be mpreg in this one, so, again, if you don't like, don't read (or complain). The lyrics belong to Coheed & Cambria. Let me know what you think of this little tidbit. R&R. Enjoy!

~…~

The world looks better when you're falling.

Grace to comfort enough to crawling.

Divided we must pray for the broken,

no one can fix us.

We are, we'll always be the wronged.

The Broken, Coheed & Cambria

~…~

The Battle of the Five Armies was won. What remained of the orcs, goblins, and wargs turned tail and ran, heading for whatever dark crevice they emerged from in the first place. Many of their ranks were wounded; even more were dead, their mangled bodies fouling the very earth before the Lonely Mountain. Their disgusting blood pooled on the ground, for there was too much for the dirt to swallow in its already swollen state.

But orcs, goblins, and wargs weren't the only things littering the ground and drenching it in blood. Many elves, men, and dwarves had fought valiantly, and they had been butchered valiantly. Everyone had fought bravely and had demonstrated vast amounts of courage and strength; many were able to walk away. Most, however, were not. Much like the battle for Moria, the number of dead was so great that it was nearly impossible to grieve. The taste of victory was more bitter than sweet, for the price that was paid was truly a steep one. Quite a few men, elves, and dwarves looked lost as they carefully treaded around the bodies of the fallen. A heavy sadness fell upon them as night approached. The wind blew cold, harsh, and fierce, rattling the bare limbs of trees and chilling everyone to the bone.

There was no feast.

There was no song to sing.

The Battle was won, but very few were merry.

One did not need to count the cost; it was more than apparent if one merely looked around them.

Kili had never fought in such a battle before. He had not seen bloodshed and death and destruction prior to what he had seen all around him whilst the Battle of the Five Armies was raging on. All of the training he had had to endure paled in comparison to the Battle and not even he was foolish enough to deny that it had changed him. The carefree youth that had agreed to accompany his uncle and brother became nothing but a fading memory in the light of death and bloodshed. Seeing the bodies of the dead was enough to shift something within him, something that hadn't been ready to see the light of day, and Kili could feel his innocence and youth wash away.

However, it was seeing the bodies of his beloved uncle and brother that truly killed the remnants of the dwarf he had been when he had left home to reclaim Erebor. Thorin and Fili both looked so small on their cots in the tent, their eyes closed and their clothes and sheets stained red with their blood. Neither one moved nor would they. They had fallen during the battle right next to Kili, who had been too focused on fighting to pay any attention. Afterward though, it was hard to him to miss, especially since he had tripped over one of Fili's legs and had fallen right next to his uncle. That was enough of a fright to make him swear off drinking for the rest of his life. It also left him a sobbing mess that Balin and Dwalin had to pick up and haul into the tent.

He would never forget the image of seeing his brother and uncle lying dead on the blood soaked battlefield, their bodies mangled and torn and seeping their life's blood, for as long as he lives. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw them and it brought so much heartache that it threatened to tear him apart from the inside. Kili rarely left the tent; he refused to leave the man who had been like a father to him and the brother he had spent his entire life with.

What made everything worse was the fact that he was now the King under the Mountain. Uncle should have been King; Fili would have followed him had Uncle died and he survived. Fili had known far more about the position than Kili did; he had trained for it, had been forced to listen to Uncle's explanations and Balin's teachings. Kili, on the other hand, had no idea what he was getting into. As soon as Balin and Dain had brought the matter up, Kili had lost it. He wasn't prepared for Uncle and Fili's deaths; he wasn't prepared for such a battle as the one they had just fought; he wasn't prepared to take the throne. Nor was he prepared to bury his uncle and brother, yet he agreed, numbly, when Balin suggested that tombs should be built for the both of them. There was nothing he could do. No one could bring back the dead, not matter how much how much they were loved.

Loved…

Kili remained seated between his uncle and brother's cots, unwilling to leave them alone for one minute. That was when voices from outside caught his attention. His vision cleared and he looked around. Balin and Dwalin had left; only two guards were stationed outside; and Dain had got to check on his own kin. The issue of the payment due to the men and elves would be settled later, preferably by Balin who had far more knowledge and experience than Kili would ever gain in five life times, so if it was them they wouldn't be getting an answer out of him. And then the tent opened up and in stepped Bilbo.

Oh, Bilbo….

Bilbo, who Thorin had courted since the hobbit had saved his life from Azog, and had married the rightful King of Erebor only weeks ago in Laketown. Bilbo, who had been so in love with Thorin that he had been willing to sacrifice his own life to save the dwarf's, even if it cost him the one he loved the most. Bilbo, who Uncle had been furious at but who had loved him so much that he had forgiven the hobbit for the entire Arkenstone ordeal, which Kili would make sure would rest with his Uncle forever. Bilbo, who Kili had been in love with since the first night he had laid eyes on the small creature back in Bag End.

Now, eyes that had once shone so brightly with curiosity and wonder now held the deepest despair and sadness that Kili had ever seen. The Bilbo Baggins that stood before him was stuck a stark contrast to the Consort under the Mountain who had joined them so readily in battle a mere day or so ago. His clothes were dirty and torn. There were many cuts on his body, some more serious than others and still seeping blood. Bilbo's honey colored hair was matted with sweat, dirt, grime, and blood. And he looked like he was breaking. No, Kili knew for a fact that Bilbo was breaking, and that in turn broke his own heart, for while Bilbo had always and would always belong to Thorin, Kili would love him forever no matter what.

"Th-Thorin?" Bilbo managed to croak out as his bare feet carried him to the fallen king's side. His husband would never open his eyes again and as much as Kili mourned his uncle's loss, he knew that Bilbo would suffer more so than he had or still did.

Bilbo's legs gave over from under him and he collapsed on top of Thorin's shrouded body. His body shook violently and shuddered as he cried and cried, his sobs and screams forever embedding themselves into Kili's memory. Gandalf stepped inside, his face serious and drawn in sadness and mourning. The wizard did not speak; he merely sat down in a chair quietly and watched as Bilbo's broken heart rained tears on Thorin's covered body.

Kili wanted to do something for Bilbo. He felt compelled to comfort him, yet he wasn't sure if his own voice would be strong enough to speak words of comfort. Instead, he forced himself to his feet and made his way over to Bilbo. Like a child who had lost everything in the world, Kili wrapped his arms around Bilbo's fragile body and held him tight as more tears came to his brown eyes. Together, they cried and mourned and allowed their grief to flood the tent, both ignorant and uncaring if they were heard by the outside world or not.

How long they stayed like that, Kili did not know. All that he knew was that hours had passed by before Gandalf laid his hand on Kili's shoulder. Numbly, Kili released Bilbo's sleep body, his eyes still leaking silent tears, and, ever so gently, he picked up the small, innocent creature and carried him to a cot that wasn't his own that must have been brought it hours ago. Placing Bilbo on it, Kili covered him up and watched him as he continued to cry before he turned to Gandalf. The wizard's eyes held great sadness, but it didn't compared to the utterly devastated look that had crossed Bilbo's face the moment he saw Thorin's body.

He knew that he needed to get rest himself and that there would be a lot for him to do come morning, but Kili wasn't sure if he'd be able to sleep. At least, he wasn't sure if he'd be able to sleep peacefully. But Bilbo was in the tent with him – his beloved was alive and as well as could be expected – and Kili forced himself down on his own cot. Darkness fell upon him sooner than he had expected and the nightmares that followed were far more gruesome than Kili had anticipated. That night was one of the worst nights of his life and there were more to come.

~…~

The next few days after that were absolutely horrible.

The dwarves who weren't helping with removing the bodies from the battlefield and helping to lay them all to rest worked night and day to build the most marvelous tombs Kili had ever seen. His uncle and brother deserved the best and Dwalin made sure that the tombs were the best. Just thinking about Thorin and Fili entombed caused a heartache so raw and rare in his chest that it threatened to consume him whole. It was the hardest thing he had ever had to endure; far more torturous than the spiders and elves of Mirkwood and far more painful than any wound he could sustain in battle.

Bilbo was just as bad, if not worse. Kili knew that Bilbo loved every member of the Company and that he cared about Fili and was distraught over his death. However, it was Thorin that Bilbo truly mourned for. He could see it in the Halfling's face, the utter despair and the hollowness that had settled in his soul. It frightened Kili more than anything because never before had he seen such a pure and innocent creature look so hopeless and alone. Surrounded by the Company and any other dwarves, elves, and men, Kili knew that Bilbo felt completely alone and separate from the world; it was how he felt himself.

After the tombs were completed, quite a few days after the end of the Battle itself, Thorin and Fili were laid to rest within the Royal Tombs of Erebor, alongside others of the Line of Durin. It was where they would have been put to rest anyway, but too soon, far too soon. While it wasn't right, there was nothing Kili could do. There was no way to bring back the dead; there was no way to fill the gaping, invisible wound their loss would forever leave behind. And it was a wound that he shared with Bilbo; it connected them together in a way that would bind them forever.

When the burial ceremony was over, Kili returned to his tent, feeling very old even though he was so very young. Bilbo was already in the tent, looking so small and so lost that Kili felt the uncontrollable urge to pull him into his arms and smother him with kisses, love him until the end of time, and allow no harm to happen to him ever again. Seeing Bilbo look like a shadow of himself broke Kili's already broke heart and without thinking he approached the hobbit, not worried that anyone would bother him for they had already been informed not to disturb him until the morrow.

"Bilbo…" Kili said softly. Bilbo's body jerked violently and he turned around, almost stumbling. There were tears falling from his already red eyes and he looked so thin and frail…

"O-Oh, Kili… I'm…I'm sorry…. I didn't mean to…. I was just…." Bilbo's voice stuttered and croaked, raw and rough from crying and barely talking for days. "This….this must be so…so very h-hard for y-you…." At his words, Kili's heart clenched. Even though he was so deeply mourning for his beloved, Bilbo was still worrying about him. It brought back the tears that he had cried numerous times before to his eyes.

"It's hard for both of us, I think," he said before he pulled Bilbo into a hug, squeezing him tight and never wanting to let him go.

Kili wasn't Uncle; he doubted that he'd be much comfort to Bilbo. Thorin had the ability to calm the hobbit with just one single caress or touch. He was no match for the fallen king, that much he knew, but he could still offer some comfort and relief. And when Bilbo returned his embrace, clinging desperately to Kili as though his life depended on, as though he would disappear from the world at any moment's notice, Kili's heart leapt for joy. Even though he knew that he wasn't the one Bilbo had fallen in love with, he could not stop his heart from beating like a rabbit's nor could he suppress the urges that were coursing through his veins, wanting to calm Bilbo down in every way possible. Every single way.

Pulling away, Kili looked into Bilbo's eyes, saw the same emotions that he saw whenever he looked at himself in the wash bin or a mirror, and before he could think, he bent down and pressed his lips to Bilbo's. For a moment, Bilbo kissed him back, his smaller body pressing against Kili's taller one. And then, he pulled away, an agonized scream ripping from his throat.

"No!" Bilbo's protest came. He looked so frightened and scared and lost that Kili's breath caught in his throat.

"Bilbo…I'm sorry," Kili said gently, holding his hands up in peace. Bilbo's chest rose and fell violently with every heave and pant.

"Thorin is…. Thorin is….!" Bilbo stuttered and tripped over his own feet and falling back onto Kili's cot.

"I know, I know. Uncle Thorin is your beloved and he's….he's….passed on," Kili said as he cautiously approached Bilbo, not wanting to scare him any further. Although he was still panting, Bilbo was starting to calm down a little bit, his chest not rising and falling as fast as it had been. "I know that you…that you don't love me…"

Something in Kili's voice must have struck a chord in Bilbo because the hobbit looked up at him with eyes full of sorrow and regret. Such a raw, anguished expression made Kili's breath catch in his throat and he couldn't help but think of how beautiful Bilbo truly was. He knew that he wasn't Thorin; he knew that he would never be Thorin, despite what Balin and the others will certainly attempt to do to shape him into such a strong and commanding presence, but there was something he could give Bilbo. There was something that he could and would willing give the being that his heart coveted the most above all others: relief. As one sided as his affections were, Kili could offer Bilbo relief from the horrible reality that threatened to suffocate them at any second.

"Kili…. Oh, Kili….I…I…I am so…." Bilbo shook his head, tears starting to return to his eyes. "I didn't….know. I didn't….didn't s-see." Kili sat down beside him and, gently and carefully, he took Bilbo's smaller hands in his own. When Bilbo looked him in the eye, Kili began to speak.

"I'm not Thorin and I never will be. You don't love me in that manner and I know that. But…but I can give you some relief from your pain…from our pain….if you let me," Kili told him gently, his eyes shining brightly with his own unshed tears.

"Kili, what are you…? A-Are you…?" Bilbo asked, confusion apparent on his face.

"What I'm trying to say is….well… Just let me love you, Bilbo. You don't need to return my affections, but just…let me. Please," Kili added, hopeful, his heart thundering in his ears the whole time.

Bilbo chewed on his bottom lip of a moment, thinking. Kili watched him as he did so and saw the emotions that crossed the hobbit's face. Pain. Sadness. Despair. Anguish. Uncertainty. So many… For a moment, Kili was afraid, afraid that he had ruined the one relationship he had cherished above most others. Only his love for his family surpassed it, and now, that only pertained to his mother, who wasn't there and wouldn't be for Mahal knew how long. When Bilbo looked back up at him, Kili's heart stopped beating. Slowly, ever so slowly, Bilbo nodded, his eyes full of fear and desperation and hurt.

Kili wasted no time. Leaning forward, he pressed his lips to Bilbo's in a soft, chaste kiss. It didn't stay that way though. Wrapping his hands around Kili's neck, Bilbo pulled him forward roughly, deepening the kiss. Pressing himself to Bilbo's body, Kili forced him to lie down on his cot and he covered the smaller body with his own. Quickly, his fingers removed the clothing covering the hobbit's body, tossing aside the torn and stained clothes as though they were dish rags. He kissed Bilbo as though tomorrow would never come, his tongue tasting him thoroughly as his hands caressed bare skin.

Bilbo's smaller hands unwrapped themselves from around his neck and started removing the clothes covering Kili's body. Soon, the floor around their cot was littered with articles of clothing and the sound of skin slapping against skin resounded throughout the tent. Kili kissed and licked and nipped at every inch of Bilbo's body, sighing at the small piece of heaven he was experiencing. In the back of his mind, he wondered if Uncle had ever felt this way while he was making love to Bilbo, but he pushed that away. Thinking about Uncle while he was pleasuring his beloved was not a good thing.

His fingers prodded at Bilbo's pucker while his other hand busied itself with pumping his cock. Listening to Bilbo's whines and gasps and moans of pleasure made him only haphazardly prepare him. But Kili didn't think that Bilbo minded so much, especially not when he sheathed himself completely into the smaller body. Oh, the sensation was phenomenal. Bilbo was so hot and tight around his cock that Kili cried out as soon as he entered him, unable to control himself. It was everything he had imagined and so much more.

It was so overwhelming and yet not enough. It was everything and nothing. It was relief and joy and pain and guilt wrapped into one. Thought went out the window as his thrusts became more frantic and his and Bilbo's cries louder. Bilbo's nails dug into his skin, causing him to bleed but only just. Kili didn't mind; the very slight – and it was very slight – feeling of pain that Bilbo brought him only heightened the pleasure he felt. A fire that had begun in his stomach started to overtake his entire body and he knew that he wouldn't last long. Being one who a penchant for mischief and tomfoolery, Kili had never had time for chasing after girls like Fili did, so taking Bilbo right here, right now, was a first for him.

And what a truly wonderful first it was. The sounds that were coming from such a small, innocent, and beautiful creature such as Bilbo were borderline pornographic and they made Kili thrust harder and faster. Seeing Bilbo's face contort in pleasure made Kili want to swallow him whole. Perhaps he would, but later though. A tightening in his stomach, combined with the invisible fire that had claimed his body, told Kili that he wasn't going to last much longer. Bilbo was the first one to come though, and his seed splayed his and Kili's stomachs and Kili's hand. Feeling the tight clenching around his cock, Kili thrust one last time into Bilbo before he too came, an animalistic growl escaping his throat.

And if Bilbo just happened to cry out Thorin's name instead of his own, Kili didn't hear it. Even if he had, he would understand. After all, he wasn't Thorin nor would he ever be. He was a mere substitute, but he'd rather be that than nothing at all to Bilbo.

~…~

A month passed and Kili knew for certain that he would never be a good enough king for Erebor and its people nor would he be the king that the Lonely Mountain deserved.

Leading the Company was hard enough; having to deal with Dain and his people, the elves of Mirkwood, and Bard and his men was a complete nightmare. While Dain had his own mountain, a few of the generals and warriors in his army used to live in Erebor and some wanted to return. Balin had to help Kili out tremendously because he had no idea what to do. Dain was family technically and he and his people had a certain right to return to Erebor, but it was nowhere near close to housing so many yet. Even though Kili knew that he'd need people to help restore and rebuild, he'd rather have people he was familiar with and could trust. He didn't know Dain or any warrior from his army nor did he trust them. Perhaps Uncle's hesitance at trusting others had rubbed off on him at long last. Or perhaps Kili was just losing his mind in all of the chaos that surrounded him.

The elves were, well, elves. Most of them were arrogant and obnoxious, but Thranduil was the worst of the lot. Had it not been for Balin's help again, Kili would've encouraged Dwalin to take an axe to the Elf King's head. However, as Balin had told him after the latest meeting with Thranduil, it was best to create a peace between the elves and the men of Dale in order to ensure good relations in the future. He understood that, but after asking his Council – or, the Company because, honestly, if there was to be a Council, it would be full of dwarves he knew he could rely on and trust – about how much gold he should give to Bard and the men of Dale, a lengthy argument broke out.

Kili sat there and listened as they all argued over how much gold was too much exactly and why they should even give the men gold at all. Balin wore the same look he had on his face back in Bilbo's hobbit hole in Bag End when they were all gathering the plates, forks, and knives to be washed and cleaned. Bilbo had tried numerous times to get everyone to agree on something at least, but he gave up after an hour or so. Honestly, Kili didn't blame him; he was half tempted on giving up as King all together for he was no good at it.

Bilbo looked better than he had a month ago. He looked healthier and he was even putting some weight back on, which was a good thing. When the Company had arrived at Erebor, Bilbo was practically skin and bones, so it was good to see him getting back to a hobbit's proper weight. But there was always a shadow on his face and a sadness in his eyes that never left him. Even when Kili took him in their bed chamber, there was a part of Bilbo that seemed worlds away, lost in thought and heartbreak and sorrow. Kili wished there was more he could do, but the only thing that would help Bilbo out was to bring Thorin back and there was no way to do that. Not even Gandalf, who had left a mere few days ago, knew what to do to help Bilbo sleep better at night.

"Why don't we just give Bard my share of the gold and assist him and his men in the rebuilding of Dale?" Bilbo asked, cutting off the argument that Gloin and Bifur were having. Every eye turned to him.

"Give up your share of that gold, Bilbo?" Kili asked him, uncertain. He had never heard of someone giving something like that up. But then again, hobbits were different creatures than dwarves. And it was Bilbo's gold, so he could do with it as he pleased.

"Are ya sure, Bilbo?" Bofur asked him.

"Yes, I am sure. If it will get you all to stop squabbling like children, then that is what I'll do. Besides, I have no need of so much gold. Not when I have everything I need right here," Bilbo said, sounding so sure. Kili knew better though; the one thing Bilbo wanted more than anything was Thorin.

"If you're sure, laddie, then that is what we ought to do. To respect your wishes and all," Balin said, giving every member at the table a stern look, almost as if he were daring anyone to say otherwise. No one argued, of course. They all knew that Bilbo had taken Thorin's death hard and that it would take time for him to return to normal, if that ever happened.

"I don't see why we could help the men of Dale out with rebuilding their city," Kili said. And just like that, it was decided.

"Then that's what we'll do," Balin said, giving Kili a supportive smile.

Kili didn't feel like a king, though. What he had said, he said as though he were just another member of the Company, as he had been back at Bilbo's hobbit hole. Perhaps he would be able to do this after all.

~…~

"Are you all right, Bilbo?" Kili asked as they entered their bed chamber.

It had been a long, hard day full of meetings about how the repairs to Dale were going and about finalizing the peace treaty with Thranduil the following day. Many of the dwarves from the Blue Mountains had started to return to the Lonely Mountain and that meant more people to assist in helping restore it to its former glory and more people to watch over and protect. That thought often made Kili feel as though he were going to throw up at any given moment and he hated it. But, he was kept busy with meetings, as were the other members of the Company. Bilbo included, of course, who seemed to be moving about quite stiffly. He had complained earlier in the day about his back hurting him, but he had insisted on staying for the meetings in order to ensure that things got done.

"No. I'm afraid I forced myself to do a little too much today. My back is protesting quite vigorously," Bilbo told him, wincing in pain as he very carefully eased himself into the chair he had claimed as his own. When he was fully seated, he shifted and gasped in pain. Kili was by his side in an instant, concerned.

"Should I call for Oin? I know he'd be able to help you," Kili asked Bilbo, his brown eyes wide and fearful, telling the world just how young he truly was.

"No, no. I don't want to disturb him so late at night," Bilbo said. "A nice, hot bath is all I need to sooth the ache." Kili wasn't convinced.

"If I told him that you needed his help, he wouldn't see it as a disturbance. You ought to know that by now. And how can a bath cure something like this?" he asked. Bilbo chuckled, but hissed in pain.

"You'd be amazed, Kili, at how simple things such as hot baths can cure ailments. At least let me try," Bilbo replied, looking up into Kili's eyes. He nodded stiffly and chewed his bottom lip.

"Okay, but if it's not better by tomorrow, make sure that you see Oin. Please?" Kili added.

"Very well, Kili. I will do that. But first, a bath," Bilbo agreed reluctantly and maybe it was the lighting, but Kili thought that he saw doubt and confusion in the hobbit's eyes along with the pain. It was almost as though there was something that Bilbo wasn't telling him.

~…~

"You went to see Oin today?" Kili asked Bilbo as soon as the hobbit sat down beside him at their dinner table. Bilbo looked exhausted and the fact that they were hosting a great feast for Thranduil and his elves didn't seem to be helping him out either.

"Yes, I did," Bilbo said. Kili looked at him and saw that he was very pale and every disoriented. It worried him, but then again, some of Oin's cures could be quite disorienting.

"Is everything all right?" he asked. Soon, he knew, he would have to talk to Bilbo about him possibly becoming Kili's consort. It was the position he would've help anyway had Thorin survived the Battle and Kili and Balin, along with the rest of the Council, thought it fit best to give Bilbo such a noble and honorable title. After all he had done for them, it was the least they could do, especially since he had given all of his gold away to Bard and his men.

"I'll…. I'll talk to you about it later, Kili," Bilbo told him, sounding as though he were about to be sick. Balin must have noticed it too.

"Everything fine, laddie?" the elderly dwarf asked. Bilbo nodded and Kili, hesitantly at first, took hold of his hand. He knew that Bilbo wasn't in love with him, but he would still be there for him nonetheless. Aside from wanting to do it, it was what Uncle would have expected.

"Y-yes, Balin. Everything is fine. I'm just…not feeling like myself," Bilbo admitted.

"Perhaps ye should eat somethin', then," Bofur suggested.

"No!" Bilbo said a bit loudly. A few heads turned to look at him, but the crowded hall was full of talk and laughter. Kili and the rest of the Company were looking at him as well, worry and concern etched on their faces.

"I-I mean no. I doubt that I'll be able to hold anything down," Bilbo said, his eyes briefly meeting Oin's before he looked back down.

"Perhaps you should go and lie down then," Ori suggested, his eyes big and round and still maintaining much of the innocent they had before the quest started.

"Oh, no, I don't want to be rude to our guests," Bilbo said, looking over at the table beside theirs at Thranduil and his own Council and advisors, most of whom looked uncomfortable and gazed down their noses at the dwarves. Well, whether they liked it or not, the peace treaty was signed and that meant that they were allies. Reluctant allies, granted, but allies nonetheless.

"Those bloody elves can shove off," Dwalin grumbled. "We can' have our burglar sick now can we?" A slight pink color stained Bilbo's cheeks.

"I'm not a burglar. At least, not anymore. And I wasn't very good at it the first time around," Bilbo said softly.

"Nonsense! Ya were th' best burglar we could've ask fer," Bofur told him.

"We wouldn't have reclaimed Erebor without you, Mister Bilbo," Ori added.

"It's because of you that we're all still here," Gloin said.

"And you help us out at the meetings," Balin said.

"I doubt I'd be able to do this without you, Bilbo," Kili told him softly. By now, Bilbo's face was tomato red and he looked as though he were either going to yawn and fall asleep or cry. Maybe a bit of both.

"Yes, well, someone needs to look after you lot and make sure you're not offending the neighbors," Bilbo muttered.

"If you won't go and rest," Dori injected, returning the conversation back to where it had started, "then perhaps you should have a cup of tea. Chamomile is the best for helping one sleep."

"Thank you, Dori. I think that that would be a good idea," Bilbo conceded.

An hour or so later, Bilbo excused himself from dinner and left the dining hall. The feast still raged on and it wasn't until much later that Kili was able to return to his bed chamber. He had escorts take Thranduil and his company to private rooms as the hour drew too late for them to travel. Balin made sure that they received comfortable rooms and had told Kili before he retired that he had to be up early in order to see them safely off. Although he didn't see why he had to – Thranduil and his elves could handle themselves – he agreed nonetheless. When he stepped inside his room, he was most relieved and, more than anything, he wanted to see if Bilbo was doing any better.

Looking up, he saw that Bilbo, freshly washed and in his night shirt, was propped up in bed, a book in his hands from Erebor's library, and although he looked exhausted, he was very much awake. He sat up straighter when Kili came in and gave him a small smile. It pained Kili that Bilbo rarely smiled as brightly as he once had anymore, but he knew and understood why. A genuine smile rarely graced his lips nowadays as well, the losses of both his brother and uncle still unbearably fresh in his mind. For a quick moment, he sent a silent prayer up to the gods that he was making them both proud.

"Is everyone situated?" Bilbo asked. Kili nodded and made his way to the large, luxurious bed. Sitting down, he began to take of his boots.

"Yes. Balin made sure that they received nice rooms. I'll have to see them off early tomorrow morning," Kili answered. "Will you be there? I'd feel better if you were."

"If I can manage it," Bilbo responded, not unkindly. Kili looked up at him.

"So, how are you feeling?" he asked. Bilbo sighed heavily and closed his book, placing it on the bedside table beside him.

"Tired. Aching. Confused. Worried. Amazed. Just to name a few," Bilbo replied. That only caused Kili to worry even more and it puzzled him as well.

"What did Oin tell you when you saw him today? Was it bad? How bad? Will you be okay?" Kili asked, his voice rising with every question. He had already lost his brother and uncle; he doubted that he'd be able to handle losing Bilbo as well.

"It's not bad. Well, not entirely bad, that is," Bilbo said, his voice soft and gentle and calming him down immediately.

"Then what is it, Bilbo?" Kili asked him. Closing his eyes, Bilbo took a deep breath before he opened them again and spoke.

"I'm pregnant."

The words hung thick and heavy in the air. Kili was stunned into silence; he could not even hear his heart beating, although he felt it doing so in his chest. At first, he felt a sense of pride and a spark of happiness. He had made Bilbo pregnant! Bilbo was going to have his child! But then, confusion set in. Bilbo was quite obviously male, so how could he be pregnant? Men could not bare children, only sire them. And even though he knew very little of hobbits, Kili doubted that male hobbits could conceive. Yet proof that they could was sitting in front of him.

Then, a sense of panic began to creep in. For how long has Bilbo been pregnant? What if it's not even Kili's child? What if it's Uncle's? Although Kili wasn't ready to be a father – he wasn't even ready to be king! – part of him sagged in sadness at the thought that he, more than likely, wasn't the father of Bilbo's child. Even though he wasn't ready for a child, and probably would never be, he couldn't deny that he felt a jolt of excitement at the thought of being one. Kili had to be realistic though; Thorin was probably the father of Bilbo's child. They were, after all, lovers and had been courting one another before Thorin's death. Meeting Bilbo's gaze, Kili swallowed a lump in his throat before speaking.

"How far along?" he heard himself ask.

"About a month, give or take a few days," Bilbo answered him.

"How is it possible?"

"It's said that hobbits carry elf blood in them, and some of the lines have more so than others. Apparently, the Bagginses are one of those lines," Bilbo explained. "I've heard stories, but I never thought that they were true." Kili nodded and looked down at the bed.

"Is it….Uncle's?" he asked, hating how he sounded so young and vulnerable and defenseless. Bilbo's hand grabbed one of his own and squeezed it reassuringly it.

"I'm afraid that I don't know. It could be. But it could also be yours," Bilbo admitted. Kili looked up at him again.

"But you want it to be his," was what came out of his mouth. What he had meant to say was that he was probably right. Kili felt an enormous amount of guilt weld up inside his chest at the painful look that crossed Bilbo's face.

"I do miss Thorin. Every single day without him is hard, I won't lie about that. And I won't lie to you; I don't care for you as I do for him," Bilbo said. Kili nodded.

"I know that and I never asked you to. I wouldn't ask you to betray Uncle in such a manner," Kili said softly.

"And I thank you for that. But, Kili, I do care for you and I haven't…been with anyone aside from you," Bilbo told him gently. Kili knew that. He knew that Bilbo was loyal and faithful and everything he had ever wanted to find in a lover.

"I know, Bilbo," Kili said, suddenly feeling very tired and far older than he was. "So…where does that leave us?"

"Well," Bilbo began, somewhat hesitantly. "If you want…. You may not be..." He sighed and looked into Kili's brown eyes. "What I'm trying to say is that if you…if you want, you could still be the baby's…father."

Kili's eyes widened. Had…had he heard right? "What did you say?"

"There's half a chance that you may be the baby's father anyway, but even if you're not….even if it's Thorin's, you could still be like a father to it," Bilbo said softly. A smile spread across Kili's face and he reached out and grabbed Bilbo, pulling him into an embrace.

"I would be honored to help you with the baby, especially if it's yours and Uncle's," Kili answered. Bilbo scoffed half heartedly.

"It's nice to know that you'll put more effort in it if it's Thorin's child," Bilbo said. Kili pulled away, his brown eyes wide.

"That's not what I meant! I would work ten times as hard if it was mine," he said.

"Oh, so you'd belittle Thorin that easily?" Bilbo teased, a sly grin on his face.

"No, not at all! I would give all I had if Uncle's baby was growing inside of you," Kili swore as though he were giving an oath. Bilbo chuckled softly and leaned back into his arms.

"I'm only teasing, Kili. I know that you will do your best, just like you've been doing as King," Bilbo told him.

"I knew you were only teasing," Kili grumbled, but he held onto Bilbo and rubbed his back, hoping and praying he didn't mess things up.

~…~

"Oh, how quaint," Thranduil said lazily as he sat down at the Council table.

This was Kili's first actual meeting between both the elves of Mirkwood and the men of Dale since the Battle of Five Armies. From what Balin had told him earlier that morning, they would be discussing trading and what good would go where and for how much. Bilbo, who was now officially the Consort under the Mountain, was into his second month of pregnancy and he was sitting in his usual place beside Kili. The rest of the Company was there, of course, as they were his Council now and Kili felt reassured that they were there to support him and help him out. He doubted that he'd be able to go through with this meeting if they weren't there with him.

"What's quaint, Master Elf?" Balin asked Thranduil. Kili's heart was pounding in his chest and he could feel his hands getting sweaty. He wasn't ready for this. He was never going to be ready for this.

"Having a mere child rule as your king. I find it to be rather quaint," Thranduil said, a slow, cruel smile spreading across his lips. Kili had disliked him before hand; now he hated him. "Don't you think, however, that it'd be more fitting for the adults to discuss such important matters?"

"I am King under the Mountain, Thranduil. And although I may be young, you will give me the respect I've earned and deserved," Kili said. He thought his voice sounded small and child-like. Thranduil's smile did falter somewhat, though, so perhaps he had managed to sound more like a king than a child.

"What makes you believe you deserve such respect?" Thranduil all but hissed. Kili felt himself fidget in his chair and he was about to speak when Bilbo, surprisingly, cut him off.

"Kili managed to survive the quest to reclaim Erebor. He fought and survived the Battle of Five Armies. He helped Bard and his people begin the rebuilding of Dale and is still helping them as we speak. He has already begun the repairs to Erebor and still takes time to meet with Bard and yourself to negotiate trading and peace so that everyone may live better," Bilbo told him quite sternly, as though he were scolding a child. It made Kili's heart leap, knowing that Bilbo was doing this for him. Even if the Halfling wasn't in love with him, there was still love there, if not the kind that Kili wanted. "Don't you think that's enough to earn even a small amount of respect?"

Thranduil blinked a few times, his expression blank and closed off. It was Bard, however, who replied to Bilbo's question.

"Of course it does. And we appreciate all of the help you've given us," Bard said, nodding his head towards Kili, who returned the gesture. Out of Thranduil and Bard, Kili could say that he preferred Bard. "I, for one, would like to get this meeting underway. There is still much to rebuild, for both of us."

"Indeed there is, Master Bard. Thank you," Kili replied.

Thranduil didn't reply, but he merely inclined his head only just. That was enough for Kili though. Soon, the meeting was underway and the trading route and items were being discussed in detail. Although Erebor was still under repair, more and more dwarves were returning to the Lonely Mountain every day. There were miners and tinkers there now and they had begun sorting through the vast assortment of rubies, sapphires, emeralds, diamonds, and all other kinds of gems and jewels. All too soon, there would be mining and wielding underway and the great treasures that Erebor was famous for producing would be created once again. Peace between the elves of Mirkwood and Dale would only help Erebor and increase the rebuilding for both the Lonely Mountain and the city of Dale.

And yet, even after hours of discussion, Kili still felt greatly out of place in his position as King under the Mountain. Although Balin and a few of the others gave him nods of encouragement and looks of support, Kili knew that Thorin would have handled everything so much better than he did. Uncle always knew what to do, he always knew. Kili, on the other hand, never knew and that made all the difference.

~…~

"Bilbo? Bilbo?" Kili called out.

It was late at night and he had fallen asleep a mere few hours ago after falling into bed with his consort. For some reason, he had been feeling the urge to touch and caress and kiss Bilbo as though his life depended on it, so that's what he did. Even though Bilbo had been with child for almost four months and even though Kili knew that the baby was most likely not his, he couldn't help but want to love Bilbo the way that he deserved. He wasn't Uncle, that much he knew, but Bilbo had yet to complain about the way Kili loved him as compared to how Thorin had loved him. Surely that meant that Kili was doing something right for Bilbo would tell him if he wasn't doing well, wouldn't he? Oh, Kili hoped so. After all, he confided in Bilbo a great deal about anything and everything; Bilbo had to know that he could confide in Kili the same way, correct?

The sounding of Bilbo coughing in the small wash room to the right of the bed brought Kili out of his inner ramblings. Getting out of bed, he made his way over to the wash room and peered inside. Lying on the floor with his face turned towards a bucket was Bilbo, his body rising and falling with his heaves as he emptied his stomach. Oin had told them both that morning sickness could actually last all throughout the day and he had been right. Bilbo certainly hadn't been happy about it and had been, in fact, quite miserable for a while now because of it. So, yesterday, Kili asked Oin if there was anything he could give Bilbo to ease his suffering. Oin's reply was that it would take him a day or two to create one, but that it shouldn't be much of a problem.

"Oh, Bilbo…" Kili said softly before he entered the wash room and sat down beside the hobbit. Hesitantly, not sure if Bilbo even wanted Kili to touch him, he laid a hand on the smaller creature's back and began to rub it soothingly. After a minute or so, Bilbo's body relaxed and he turned his face away from the bucket.

"T-thank you," Bilbo said hoarsely, looking exhausted and drained. Kili's brow furrowed in concern. He hoped that Oin would have his medicine ready tomorrow, for Kili's mother, Dis, would be arriving with the final caravan of their people and was looking forward to meeting Bilbo.

"I'd do anything for you, Bilbo. Anything at all," Kili told him, his hand still rubbing Bilbo's back. Bilbo gave him a weak smile.

"I know you would, Kili. Thank you, for everything," Bilbo said, his voice sounding so small and weak that it frightened Kili and shook him to his core.

"How's the baby?" he asked, sounding small. One of Bilbo's hands went to his stomach and rubbed the small bump that was forming there back and forth.

"Doing well, I think. I definitely know that it's part dwarf for all of the trouble it's causing me," Bilbo joked, chuckling weakly. Kili gave him a small smile, his eyes lighting up.

"But you love us dwarves," he said. Bilbo snorted and shook his head, his damp curls clinging to his face.

"No, I do not. You're a stubborn lot who like to eat me out of house and home. And you're loud and obnoxious, which my sensitive ears do not like, not one bit," Bilbo told him. Kili laughed and continued caressing Bilbo's back.

"And you wouldn't have us any other way, would you? You knew we were trouble when the Company showed up on your door step, didn't you?" Kili joked. At the mention of the Company, Bilbo's eyes grew distant and he didn't say anything. Kili knew that he was thinking about Uncle then; he often grew quiet and distant when he thought of Uncle.

"Kili?" Bilbo said suddenly after minutes of not speaking.

"Yes, Bilbo?" Kili replied. Bilbo swallowed a lump in his throat before he spoke, his eyes shining brightly with tears yet unshed.

"Do you miss Fili?" he asked. At that, Kili's hand, the one that had been rubbing Bilbo's back, stilled for a moment before he continued his soothing motion. He hadn't been expecting that question.

"Yes. Yes, I do. All of the time. Whenever I laugh and smile, I can't help but think of what Fili would've said or done or how much he would've laughed at something someone did or said. I don't cry, not often anymore, but I do miss him fiercely and probably will until we meet again in Valinor," Kili answered him honestly for he did miss his brother greatly. More than anyone else; more than Uncle even, for Fili had been in his life ever since before he could remember.

"And you truly believe that you will see Fili in the after?" Bilbo asked him, looking distant and sad, so very sad, all at once. It made Kili's heart clench in pain and he scooted closer to the hobbit.

"Yes, I do," Kili replied. "Why do you ask?" Bilbo sighed and looked down.

"I wonder…if I'll see Thorin in the after. And…and if he'll even want to see me," Bilbo said, his voice sounding broken and distraught. Kili's eyes widened and he pulled Bilbo up and grasped his chin gently so that the hobbit had no choice but to look at him.

"What makes you think that Uncle wouldn't want to see you, Bilbo?" Kili asked. Bilbo looked into his eyes and he could see the overwhelming heartbreak that was there, that had never truly left in the first place.

"If he can see us, see everything we're doing, then he knows about you and I. Won't he see that as betrayal?" Bilbo asked, almost in tears. Kili knew that part of this was due to Bilbo's hormones, but that it was also something that had been bothering his consort for quite some time.

"I do not believe Uncle would see what we're doing as betrayal," Kili told him softly, his brown eyes never straying from Bilbo's. "I think he'll see it as me taking care of you and as you taking care of me. I think that he would be ashamed and angry if we didn't take care of each other because we're all that we have left." Kili leaned in and kissed Bilbo softly on the lips before he wrapped the hobbit in a loving embrace.

"Uncle would be rather cross with us if we abandoned one another," Kili added. Bilbo huffed a laugh and clung to him.

"I suppose that he would, wouldn't he? He definitely wouldn't approve of me leaving you here alone," Bilbo said softly. Kili rubbed his back and buried his nose in Bilbo's hair.

"Oh, he would be furious if you let me alone in Erebor to rule it right into the ground," Kili joked. Bilbo smiled tiredly.

"You're a fine ruler, Kili. You just need more confidence, that's all," Bilbo told him.

"You're belief in me gives me confidence, Bilbo," Kili confessed to him. Bilbo yawned and Kili smiled fondly. "Time for bed again?"

"I think that would be lovely," Bilbo said. Kili grinned and picked him up, carrying Bilbo like a bride out of the wash room and back to their bed. Bilbo squeaked and wrapped his arms around his neck.

"Kili!" Bilbo cried out in protest. But Kili merely laugh.

"Don't worry. I won't drop you. I swear," Kili said. Bilbo huffed at him, but there was a small smile on his face.

"You'd better not or I swear that I'll punish you severely for it," Bilbo told him. Kili arched a brow as he gently lowered his pregnant consort onto the bed.

"Oh, you will, will you?" Kili asked. Bilbo sighed and shook his head.

"Not like that, Kili. Goodness, no wonder you need me around. You'd be lost without me," Bilbo said as he crawled underneath the covers and made room for Kili. Kili climbed in after him and pulled Bilbo to his chest.

"Yes, I would be Bilbo," he said softly before closing his eyes and falling asleep, listening to the sounds of the hobbit's soft snores.

~…~

"We're going to need extra help on the Guilds, Sire," Dori said.

"All right. That's fine."

"I've managed to clean up the library and I've started documenting our journey. Oh, and I've written down the proceedings of the meetings and how Dale and Mirkwood are aiding us with our trade," Ori told him.

"Very good, Ori. Oh, did you document the peace treaty yet?"

"Yes, sir. It's ready to be signed during the next meeting."

"Good."

"Your mother is helping Oin and Master Baggins in the infirmary. Apparently, Master Baggins' back has been bother him a great deal. Besides, Oin said that he was due for a check-up, being seven and a half months pregnant and all," Balin said.

"I'll be down to see them after I'm done."

"The wielders have been havin' issues with the material the elves sent to us. Apparently, they're not used to fashionin' it or somethin' like tha'," Bofur told him.

"Tell them that they've had enough experience to know how to handle such materials, Bofur."

"Don' forget tha' there's a meetin' t'morrow with Bard about the repairs to Dale," Dwalin said.

"I thought that they had most of it repaired."

"Tha' they do, but it's more 'bout when ya want to start selling merchandise and all o' tha'," Dwalin replied before he left.

Kili slouched down on his throne, alone at last, and sighed heavily. All day, he had been dealing with issues and problems that, honestly, the Company could answer and solve for him. Yes, he knew that he needed to have this sort of training and that he needed to conjure as much patience as he could, but that wasn't the point. He had told each and every one of them that he trusted their judgment more than anyone else's and that he'd be fine with whatever they decided. Balin had probably put them all up to it. Or his mother had. Probably his mother.

But Kili couldn't concentrate on such matters, not when Bilbo wasn't with him at least. He was too worried about his consort to focus on anything, which wasn't good before Bilbo wouldn't be with him during the meeting with Bard tomorrow. Bilbo's back had been bothering him for some time now, but it got particularly bad a few nights ago, to the point where tears would come to Bilbo's eyes every time he moved. Last night during supper had been the last straw and Kili, Dis, and Balin had helped Bilbo hobble to the infirmary, where Oin was just starting to get ready to go to supper. He had done his best to stop the pain, but it was a futile effort. In the end, Oin decided that since Bilbo was in the infirmary, he ought to stay there for his check-up the following morning. It was now approaching evening and Balin had yet to inform Kili that Bilbo was back in his room and as well as could be expected. Not even Kili's mother had come to see him and tell him how things were, which only made Kili worry even more.

He had a feeling, and he couldn't tell whether it was a good one or a bad one, that Bilbo's back pains weren't just that. For some reason, Kili couldn't help but think that there was something else wrong and that Oin and his mother just hadn't found it out yet. Or perhaps they did and Dis told Oin and Balin not to inform him. A deep frown wormed its way onto his face and Kili couldn't help but fidget in his seat. His entire body was on edge and he was having a great deal of trouble concentrating. If he were being entirely honest, Kili wanted nothing more than to march down to the infirmary and demand to know what was going on. However, he knew that he couldn't do that for he was the King under the Mountain and kings didn't act that they. They acted with utter surety and patience and vengeful wrath if they needed to.

If there was one thing Kili lacked greatly as King under the Mountain, it was utter surety.

The doors to the throne room opened up and Balin came in, looking pale and worried and urgent. Kili stood up at once and stalked toward him, knowing that something had indeed went wrong in the infirmary with Bilbo. He didn't know how he knew that; he just knew.

"It's Bilbo," Balin confirmed as he followed Kili from the throne room and down the corridor.

"How bad is it?" Kili demanded, his mind racing a mile a minute. Images of Bilbo pale and cold and all too still laying on a cot in the infirmary flooded his mind. It made him want to scream and shout and cry because after losing Fili and Uncle, he couldn't lose Bilbo. He just couldn't.

"He went into labor," Balin answered him, his concern a heavy weight in his voice.

"But he's only seven and a half months pregnant! There must be some mistake…" Kili said, practically running towards the infirmary with Balin on his heels. For a brief moment, Kili wondered if Uncle would be this worried about Bilbo's premature labor. And then he scolds himself; of course he would be, but he would still look and act strong. Kili was not looking or acting strong.

"There's no mistake, Kili," Balin told him. "Oin and Lady Dis both noticed the signs and have many healers with them right now to help Bilbo out. They will have to cut the infant out."

"Is Bilbo in pain?" Kili asked, knowing that the hobbit was but needing to know how bad it was. It must have been bad.

"Oin gave him a draught to help him," Balin replied.

"But is he in pain?" Kili was in no mood for beating around the bush. He wanted the truth, even if it would be painful.

"Yes, Master Baggins is in a lot of pain. Not even the draught seemed to help him," Balin said reluctantly.

At long last, they arrived at the infirmary. From outside the closed doors, Kili could hear Bilbo's heart wrenching screams and Oin yelling at the healers and his mother trying to placate the pregnant hobbit. Opening the doors, Kili marched into the infirmary with Balin trailing behind him. The scene before him was one he would never forget: Dis was soothing back Bilbo's curls from his face, obviously trying to comfort him as he screamed, his face pale and sweaty and his eyes wide with fear and knowing…knowing what? Healers were holding him down while Oin and a few of his most trusted assistants stood around him, a wickedly sharp knife clutched in the master healer's hand. But something was off with Oin; even during the Quest, he had never looked so determined, so pale, and so worried. When he caught sight of Kili and Balin he shouted at them.

"Out! No one's allowed in here until the baby and Master Baggins are both safe!"

Balin gently grabbed Kili's arm, but he refused to budge. He wasn't going to leave his consort alone in a time of such great pain and suffering. Bilbo was his everything, his best friend, his family, his one true love, and his greatest support and encouragement. And Kili had to protect him above all costs. That wasn't something he could do outside of the infirmary. No, he was needed here.

"Out, I said!" Oin yelled at him and this time, Balin grabbed him harder and dragged him from the infirmary.

As soon as they were outside the infirmary, the doors were shut tightly and locked. Kili screamed in outrage and pounded on the door. They couldn't do this to him! He was the king; he was allowed to be with his consort when he was in labor! Regardless of if the baby was actually his or Thorin's, he should be in there, holding Bilbo's hand and smiling through the pain of his hand being crushed by the hobbit's smaller one. It was his duty as king, as friend, as lover, and as protector of the tiny creature who had saved them all, who had saved so many lives even though the two they lost were worth more than all of the gold Erebor held. Bilbo was always there when Kili needed him; now, it was time to return the favor.

"Let me in! Let me in! He needs me!" Kili shouted in white hot rage and anger. Balin merely watched, worried and frowning deeply until Kili had yelled himself hoarse, had broken his hand from pounding on the infirmary doors too much, and was slumped on the floor in front of the doors.

"Oin knows what he's going, laddie. Have faith," Balin said, gripping his shoulder comfortingly.

"What if something happens?" Kili asked him, tears streaming down his face silently. "I can't lose him like I lost Fili and Uncle, Balin. I just can't." He heard Balin sigh heavily.

"I know, my King. But if it's his time…" Balin trailed off and Kili whipped his head to look up at him, his brown eyes alight with anger.

"Don't say that, Balin! Do not say such things," he growled viciously. Balin nodded and patted his shoulder.

~…~

Hours passed and no one told Kili or Balin anything. Bilbo's screamed had ceased long ago and that only worried Kili even more. He refused to budge from his position on the floor in front of the doors. When Balin had suggested that he ought to go down to the dining hall for something to eat, Kili merely shook his head and leaned against the door. All that he wanted was to know if Bilbo and the babe were both alive and well. No food or drink or sleep would deter him from leaving Bilbo alone. Uncle would have thumped him on his head rather harshly if he did so and Kili wasn't going to let his Uncle's memory down.

And then, the silence was broken by a babe's cry. Kili blinked and blinked again and still, the crying continued. Relief flooded him and a smile broke out on his face. Looking back up at Balin, Kili grinned and laughed like a drunken fool. Balin himself looked happy and relieved. The baby's cry sounded strong and was definitely loud and Kili knew without a doubt that he was a strong babe. A strong heir to the Line of Durin. One of the infirmary doors opened and Oin stepped out into the hall, closing the door behind him. Despite the babe's strong cries, he looked grim and pale and sad.

"Oin? What's happened? Is the baby all right? Is Bilbo?" Kili asked him, rising to his feet. Oin sighed heavily and looked down for a moment before he looked back up. Their eyes locked and there was an undeniable and heart breaking truth in the older dwarf's eyes. Kili shook his head back and forth as tears came renewed to his eyes.

No, this couldn't be happening. It just couldn't be happening!

"I am so sorry, Kili. Truly, I am. We…we tried everything we could. Every salve, every technique, every operation…everything. Bilbo did not survive the birthing," Oin said, his voice caught in his throat as he finished. He looked so regretful and so sad.

"No…It…it cannot be…" Kili said. His knees gave way underneath him and he would've fallen to the floor in a heap had it not been for Balin catching him in time. Tears flowed freely from his eyes and everything seemed so blurry and yet oh, so clear. That was when Kili realized that Oin was covered in blood, a lot of blood. Too much blood. Bilbo's precious life blood.

"If you would like, you may come in and see him…and the babe," Oin said softly, dabbing his eyes with a clean corner of his apron.

Kili couldn't speak; he couldn't do much of anything except nod. With Balin keeping him steady, Kili followed Oin into the infirmary. A few of the healers were busying themselves with the babe, who was wrapped in blankets while others were cleaning the blood off of the floor and…and cleaning Bilbo's unnaturally still and lifeless body as well. A choked sob escaped from Kili as he caught sight of Bilbo and his mother, who had been sitting beside the hobbit, stood up and rushed over to him. Embracing him, she ran a hand through his hair and hushed him, like she had done so very often when he had been a small dwarf. He returned her embrace, clinging to her as though she had the ability to solve all of life's problems.

"I am so sorry, my darling boy," Dis said, her voice sounding hoarse and grief-stricken. She had liked Bilbo and the two of them had gotten along quite well, so the loss had to be taking its toll on her. But not as much as it was taking on Kili.

She let him go and Kili, feeling numb and disoriented, walked towards Bilbo's bedside. With wide, brown eyes, Kili stared down at his consort, who look so unnaturally pale that he almost blended in perfectly with the bed sheets, most of which were stained red with blood. His lips, his soft, pink lips, were tinted a bluish-purple color and his hair looked silky and wet. Kili was struck with how doll-like Bilbo looked. Grabbing his hand, Kili was stunned with how cold and stiff it was. Kissing the back of Bilbo's hand, Kili stared down at Bilbo, feeling numb and dead inside. Why…why did Bilbo have to die? What had he done that was so horrible that he had to die giving birth? It wasn't fair…it just wasn't fair! Fili and Uncle had died during the Battle and that had been painful enough. But Bilbo…

For how long Kili remained at Bilbo's side, clutching his cold, lifeless hand, he did not know. But the gentle cooing of a new born babe caught his attention and he looked up to see his mother holding him. It was a boy, wrapped in blankets of blue, who had black curls and Thorin's startling bright, blue eyes. He was Thorin's and that small realization only broke Kili's heart even more. Yet, he also felt a great love well up inside of him at seeing the new born child. Although the child was not his, Kili loved him automatically and knew that he would do his best to make him the happiest child in all of Middle Earth. A small, sad smile spread across Kili's face as he watched his mother holding the infant. Dis looked at him and gave him a smile filled with sadness and love.

"Bilbo…Bilbo passed on before he could name him," Dis told him. Kili nodded and tears slipping silently from his eyes and down his cheeks.

"He…he told me that he has…had," Kili choked out before he continued, "a cousin, a favorite cousin, back in the Shire named Frodo." His mother nodded in understand.

"Then Frodo he shall be named," she said softly. "They would be proud."

Kili didn't need to ask who 'they' were. He already knew.

~…~

Bilbo's tomb was as beautiful and as lavish as Uncle's was. He had been, of course, placed alongside the rightful King under the Mountain and the ceremony had been extensive and beautiful. Kili held Frodo throughout the entire thing, cuddling and cooing the tiny creature in his arms whenever he left sad or lonely or whenever Frodo would start to fuss. Needless to say, he was cuddling with his heir quite often. His mother and Balin and the entire Company mourned deeply, with tears a constant presence and eyes rimmed red. All of Erebor was there and mourned for the loss of their consort, and even Bard and a few of his men and Thranduil arrived to show their respects and give their condolences. Gandalf, of course, arrived not too long after Bilbo's death, before his burial, and was unnaturally quiet and sad as the loss of his friend.

No one mourned as deeply as Kili, however. No one ever could. Except, of course, Thorin, but he was already dead.

After almost everyone had left, Kili and the Company had remained. They talked about Bilbo, about how he had saved their lives, about how far he had come from being a mere 'grocer' to the savior of the Lonely Mountain. And little by little, they all left. Gloin first, who had a family to look after. Then Oin, who had duties to perform in the infirmary. Bombur left after Oin, as he was needed in the kitchen to prepare for supper, and then Bifur, who had helped work on Bilbo's tomb and who wished to be alone. Dori and Nori left not too long afterwards; Dori being needed in the Guilds and Nori who just needed to get away. Dwalin remained with Ori until the younger dwarf was swaying on his feet, sad and tired and heart broken by the death of his friend. Bofur remained for about an hour or so after that, but eventually left, tears still shining bright in his dark eyes and his head bent down, his hat in his hands. Balin was the last to leave Kili alone with Frodo in his arms, patting his back gently and telling Kili that he would come to fetch him for supper, as both he and the babe needed to eat. Kili hadn't eaten in days and it showed, but he couldn't bring himself to do so, not with Bilbo…not when he was…

Kili pressed a kiss to Frodo's forehead, his soft, black curls tickling his face. He smiled down at the infant, who was sleeping soundly in his arms. With a soft, half laugh, half choked sob, Kili caressed the babe's face and spoke, "You'll be happy. I promise. You'll know all about your fathers, Thorin and Bilbo, and about your Uncle Fili. You'll be proud of them and I know that they're proud of you."

When Balin came to fetch him, Kili was kneeling in front of Bilbo's tomb, rocking Frodo back and forth as the baby cried for nourishment. Leaving Bilbo behind in that dark, cold place was the hardest thing he had ever had to do.

~…~

Kili reigned as King under the Mountain for many, many years. He had seen good years and bad years. He had fought off the remains of the goblins and orcs as they came to the Lonely Mountain to seek their revenge. He had seen his most trusted advisor and friend, Balin, pass away at a ripe, old age. He had seen Dwalin and Ori marry and opened a trading route with the Shire, who helped bringing gardening and flowers and fresh vegetables and fruits to Erebor while Kili ensured the hobbits' protection from dark forces.

And he had watched Frodo grow up into a strong, proud heir to the Line of Durin. He knew without a doubt that Uncle and Bilbo both would be proud of Frodo and he hoped that he had created a legacy that would last throughout the remainder of Erebor's life time. Kili had come so far, had grown so much, but he had always remembered that which he had lost and he awaited the day when he would be reunited with his brother, his uncle, and his one great love in the after with hopefulness and happiness, knowing that he would find true peace with those whom he had love and were no longer with him.

~…~

The End

~…~