Thorin repeatedly looked left and right, thrashing his head for a chance to spot his burglar.

It was hard to do this considering he was trying to keep his limbs from threatening orcs, as well as keep his balance in that stupid barrell.

Not to mention try and keep the whole company together, while escaping from the elves.

But the burglar, always the burglar, stayed on his mind. He was looking back to see if poor little Bilbo had finally made it into a barrell or was still holding on to someone else's for dear life.

He was still searching when they had slowed to a stop, away from both orcs and elves, and were beginning to unload themselves.

When he counted his friends and didn't notice a cute blushing face amongst them he bellowed,"Where is Master Baggins?"

All alert in an instant, the company scanned the area around them even checking in other barrels.

"Maybe he is still back there."

"Nay. I thought I saw him with us the whole time."

"I saw him on his own barrell maybe he didn't flow as fast."

"The elves took 'em."

"What about the orcs."

The whole company spoke in a jumble and Thorin's panic-stricken face began to get red watching his company get nowhere and talk over each other.

He yelled, "Enough. Let's go back up and find him."

He turned around quickly and began to walk with all thoughts on his mind.

Orcs. Elves. Torture...he could have drowned... And it would be all Thorin's fault. If he had just left him alone in Bag-End or forced him to stay in Rivendell this wouldn't have happened.

Deeply over his shoulder he commanded, "Search the waters. Make sure he has not drowned."

Saying those words made his throat burn and eyes water but he kept moving faster and faster scanning the water until he felt a hard hand hit his shoulder.

He turned around and faced Dwalin his faithful friend staring at him with a sorrowful look.

"Thorin. We can't go back. It's too dangerous."

Dwalin uncharacteristically shuffled his feat and said sadly, "Master Baggins is probably gone. And by slim chance he is still there, we can not risk this journey for him."

Taken aback beyond words Thorin stared at him wide eyed and never felt such a strong urge to smack someone across the face. He looked over Dwalin's shoulder to spot a half-embarrassed and half-agreeing company behind him. Heads bowed to the ground and tossing the dirt around with their feet.

He turned his head back to Dwalin.

Coldly he said, "Is this what you all want? To turn your back on Bilbo? After all he did for us?"

He faced the whole company completely now, "How many times did he come saving us? And running back for us? When he could have been long gone. And what do we do in return? Invade his household. Damage his pride. Insult his culture. And now we are leaving him to die?"

They stood there so quiet that thier breath didn't even make a sound.

Balin spoke softly, "We know this. But Thorin, the odds are against us. Don't you think Bilbo would want us to keep going?"

Thorin hissed, "You speak as if he is dead."

Again the company gave him a single solemn look.

Thorin shook his head as he fought a tear back remembering how much he had actually done to the poor hobbit, when Bilbo deserved none of it.

And what he really wanted to do deep down and really should have said versus what he did and done.

He wished he cradled the hobbit in his arms and sat with him discussing their home lives. Watching his smile and his tiny dimples as Thorin made the smaller man laugh. Or feeling Bilbo's gentle breathe as he slept under Thorin's arm.

He would do it all over if he could. But he can't. So it's the future he is trying to make better...Unless it's too late.

Thorin turned and faced his friends fully with drippy eyes and a pale face, "I cannot leave him."