Welcome to Book II! I just couldn't wait. Hope everyone likes it, enjoy. Also, some of the Khuzdul might change as I now have a lovely person helping me out.

Side Note: None of this belongs to me still

Chapter 1 Coming from Carrock

Three days. It had taken the company three days to climb down the massive rock structure the Eagles had left them on. One could suppose it had only taken less than two if taken into consideration their resting periods due to Thorin's injuries and much needed sleep amongst everyone. Helena had opened her eyes that night they had escaped Azog and Goblins, the color back to her normal blue-green but the bland stare that focused on them was more than worrying. She hadn't even taken notice of her state of undress when Dori presented Fili with his light overcoat and Ori's scarf to create a makeshift dress for her. Nothing could be done for shoes however, seeing as how they had lost all of their bags back in the cave at the Misty Mountains. Helena had to be carried, and the only ones who could go near her were Fili, Kili, and Thorin without her baring her teeth at them.

The Durin brothers took turns piggybacking the petite young woman, Thorin unable to do so because of his healing wounds. At night she would sit away from the others, next to one of the brothers, under Thorin's duster to keep her warm. No words came from her, barely a gesture was given as a response, and Fili had to coax the smallest amounts of food into her. When the company reached the forest below, Gandalf announced there was a river nearby to be used to clean themselves up.

Fili and Kili traded looks, knowing what the other was thinking, but unsure how to go about the task. While they all were in need of a bath, Fili was more concerned about getting his One clean. He was hoping that a washing would help her come forth from her trapped mind. He looked at her as she was on Kili's back right now, her arms limp around him and her head resting on his shoulder; eyes looking but not taking in anything. Agitated, Fili called out to his Uncle.

"Thorin!" The dark haired king turned from his conversation with Balin. "We are going to take her a different part of the river." Thorin nodded his head and Fili led his brother carrying Helena away.

The river was found easily enough, the sound of gurgling water leading them faster than they would have thought. The afternoon sun was high in the sky reflecting off of the clear blue water and the brilliant green banks of grass. Kili went to one knee about ten feet from the water and released the legs he was holding.

"Helena, nan'ith, you need to stand." He felt her arms tighten in response and he moved an inch, checking behind him to see if she was standing on her own. Arms dropped from his body as she stood, weaving slightly, with Fili at her side in case she was to fall.

Her eyes weren't on either of them at the moment, but rather at her feet which were bare in the soft grass. Both of the brother's eyes widened at the sight of her wiggling her toes in the earth. Though when they flicked their gazes up to her face, they saw no change from the emptiness from before.

"Come Ê khî, look at the water. Would you like to bathe?" Fili knew he was talking to her like a child, but in her state that was what she reminded him of- a small dwarfling unable to fully communicate yet. He had taken off his boots, socks, weapons, and over coat already in preparation. As he led her to the water, Kili took off the weapons he carried and placed them to the side before undressing.

Normally he would have hopped into the water naked as the day he was born, but right now he left on his small clothes. Kili went to the water's edge and rinsed his clothes off first so they could start drying as he washed himself. After laying the clothes in a sun filled patch of grass, he moved away from Fili and Helena down the stream but close enough to rush over if they needed help.

Fili had his hands holding onto Helena's, he stepped into the water. Her eyes watched unseeing as the water changed its course around the dwarf's legs. He watched as she toed the water before stepping in with both feet. He squeezed her hands to gain her attention. "You need to take off the robe so you can clean up better."

Her eyes blinked at him as he released one of her hands to pull at the scarf securing the overcoat. He kept his eyes on hers the entire time, noting the spark of emotion. While he wasn't sure what it was, he was glad to see almost any response. Letting go of her other hand, he removed the coat from her shoulders with his eyes still on hers watching for any sign of fear or fight. Fili tossed it and the scarf to the bank, assured Kili would take care of them when he was down. He wondered for a moment about taking his shirt off, but decided against it figuring the lightly rushing water would rinse it well enough.

Helena still hadn't noticed she was in her smalls, but her body had as Fili spotted goose bumps climbing over her arms. Grabbing her hands again, he tugged her down with him as he brought himself to sit in the shallow water, more so to him than her. When Helena sat on the river bottom, the water line reached just above her shoulders and her braids floated around her. They sat there until Helena removed her hands and let them float in the water between them. Behind her, he saw Kili had finished washing and sat at the bank after dusting the coat Helena was wearing and laying it next to his clothes. While his brother still hadn't dressed since his clothes were wet, Fili chose not to comment on it and cupped some water in his hands to pour over Helena's head.

Her eyes blinked as the cool water ran into them and he did it again. After the third time Fili saw another flicker of emotion in her eyes and watched as she repeated his action to him. A great smile crossed his face and he ducked down further so she could reach him. They took turns repeating this action until Fili stopped her. He tore off a piece of his undershirt and brought it to her face where her eyes were watching his hand. Fili gently rubbed the grime away from her face, moving down her neck and to her arms. He paused at chest, wondering the best way to wash the rest of her. His eyes flicked to his brother and Kili turned his eyes to the sky.

"Helena, I need you to stand so I can clean the rest of you."

Her eyes bore steadily into his and he didn't move until she held out her hands to his waiting ones. Once they stood, water splashing against her knees, Fili continued to wash the dirt away making sure to bring his eyes to hers every so often. He only felt her tense when he started to wash her legs and he did so as quickly as he could. He sat back into the water and she followed suit, watching him as he cleaned himself the best he could while semi-dressed. Once done, Fili stood and again held out his hands to her, leading her from the water to lay on the grass to dry, the warm sun beating upon their skin.

Helena was on her stomach to the right of him while Kili was to his left on his back. Fili had taken off his shirt and pants, leaving him in linen pants that went to his ankles. He had only done so once Helena had closed her eyes. A twig snapped nearby and both brothers tensed at the noise, only relaxing when Thorin stepped through the trees. The dark blue eyes took in the scene before him, nodding at them before turning and leaving. Fili and Kili both collapsed back to the earth, closing their own eyes in some semblance of rest.

A shuffling to his right pricked at his ears but Fili kept his eyes shut. When warm skin met his, he opened his eyes to see Helena had curled herself up like a puppy at his side. Hesitantly, he placed an arm around her exposed skin and held her close. The body under his arm relaxed and her breathing slowly evened out. The three stayed in the clearing by the river until Thorin returned near dusk to bring them to the camp that had been set up.

As the company travel the forest in the direction Gandalf led them, Helena slowly became more responsive. Not talking, but her demeanor was starting to show parts of her former self. She would sit with the brothers still, but instead of staring off into space she would play with their hair. On the fourth day after landing on Carrock, her robin had found them, its distressed calls reverberated around them when it landed on her shoulder. He barely left her space since then.

Their easy, but fast pace trek, didn't last long as Warg howls came to them one day. All of them turned to look behind them, they knew the Riders were far enough away due to the barely there sound of the Wargs, but close enough nonetheless. Gandalf rushed them on into the night, stopping them to have Bilbo check behind them. As Bilbo left, everyone fell to the ground to catch their breath. Fili sat on a rock, holding Helena bridal style as she had fallen asleep not minutes before.

"Ê bunumsi u'zagh."

Helena opened her eyes to the name she had been called once before. She wasn't laying down this time as she usually was, but leaning against a tree. Her eyes blinked rapidly as her mind started to clear and the events that had happened rushed her, breaking down the wall she had built against the memories. Her breath started to come out in gasps and she fell to the side, retching. A hand came to pull her braid away from her face and she flinched at the contact. She squeezed her eyes closed as the memories of what the Goblin King had been feeling coursed through her body once more, bile rising in her throat.

"Why?"

The question was uttered so devastatingly that Aulë couldn't bring himself to answer her. Instead he looked to Vána, who was on Helena's other side now.

"There are different answers to your question, young one. We couldn't stop what was going to happen anymore than you could. When the past is changed, the events taken place are changed with it, we were unsure of what was going to happen. What you were forced to feel isn't something we would have ever wished upon one we consider ours."

"Why give me this gift if it would harm me?" Helena whispered, still in the same position as she continued to feel sick.

"It was never intended to harm you, nâthu amê. No gift can ever be perfect and true in its nature, for there is good and bad in the world and everything that is done will come with both."

"Can you take it away?"

The two Valar looked at each other. "We don't have that ability, only Eru does as he is the one that bestowed it on you." Vána explained.

Helena took a deep breath and sat up. Vána handed her a water skin which Helena took gratefully. She notice the both of them sat next to her watching her intently. "What?"

"When are you going to speak to your One again? It has been days since you had become lost in your mind." Aulë asked of her.

"How long?"

"Almost a week and a half."

Helena was quiet as she examined the water skin still in her hands. She hadn't recognized the passing time from them escaping the Goblins or what had happened. She realized looking at her hands that her arms were bare and took notice of what she wore. Her eyes widened as she recognized Dori's coat and Ori's scarf at her waist, her arms and legs were showing more than they had in years.

"You lost your clothes to the Goblins." Vána said softly, "Along with almost all of your company's belongings."

Her breathing became irregular as she stared at the scars on her arms in remembrance.

"You need to wake your mind up Helena, staying this way isn't good for anyone. We can only bring you out of it in your sleep, you need to go to your One, let him help you heal." Aulë grasped her chin, "Please do this for us."

"Why would I want to wake up, to remember everything again?"

"We have another gift waiting for you, one I promise you will like more than the others we presented you with."

At her torn look, he let go of her face. Vána grabbed one of her hands and placed two new gold flowers, wrapping her fingers around them. "To replace the one taken from you and another to give to someone else. Please try and wake up, no one deserves to be alive without truly living."

Helena looked at the flowers in her hand. "What are these good for if the luck they hold doesn't work?"

"It will come to you in time. Take them, please."

She raised her eyes to the woman at her side giving a pleading expression and nodded. "Will you let me go now?"

Vána sighed and nodded herself. A hand came into Helena vision and she was unprepared for the touch that came to her head nor the want of forgiveness that rushed through her as her vision darkened.

Fili adjusted his grip on Helena as Bilbo made his way down the rocks to where they were waiting to hear his report.

Dwalin stepped forward first. "How close is the pack?"

"Too close. A couple of leagues, no more, but that is not the worst of it."

"Have the Wargs picked up our scent?"

"Not yet, but they will; we have another problem."

Gandalf interrupted, "Did they see you? They saw you!"

"No, that's not it."

The wizard smiled "What did I tell you? Quiet as a mouse. Excellent burglar material."

Bilbo looked exasperated at the following chuckles and that no one is hearing him out. "Will you listen- Will you just listen? I'm trying to tell you there is something else out there."

Everyone stopped and looked at him with worry, Gandalf being the first to ask, "What form did it take? Like a bear?"

"Ye..." He paused and looked curiously at Gandalf. "Y- yes. But bigger, much bigger."

Bofur turned to Gandalf in disbelief. "You knew about this beast?" He watched the wizard turn away. "I say we double back."

Thorin shot down the idea. "And be run down by a pack of Orcs."

Gandalf spoke up from where he was standing. "There is a house, it's not far from here, where we might take refuge."

Thorin leveled his stare at him. "Whose house? Are they friend or foe?"

"Neither. He will help us, or he will kill us."

Dismay was apparent in all of their faces. "What choice do we have?"

A roar split the evening air, coming from the bear Bilbo had seen. Gandalf's face turned grim, "None."

I was briefly worried about how people would react to how I'm writing Helena in her after shock, but decided if someone doesn't like it they can stop readying. Trauma does crazy things to a persons mind, be glad I didn't have her with multiple personalities. Anyways, I think we will stay at Beorn's for a few chapters. Gotta have time to heal.

Ê khî- my one

nan'ith- sister

Ê bunumsi u'zagh- roughly means 'my beautiful warrior'

Nâthu amê- daughter of mine