"You are called for." Gandalf said, leading Bilbo into the tent behind him. Thorin Oakenshield was laying on a cott covered in injuries.
"So you are alive! I was beginning to worry about you when they said they hadn't found you." Thorin said upon seeing Bilbo.
"It'll take more than a knock to the head to end me." The hobbit said. He went to the dwarf's side and sat on the ground beside the cot.
"I feared I wouldn't be able to apologize for my behavior earlier." the king said, attempting to sit up. Bilbo gently pushed him back onto the bed when he groaned in pain.
"You need your rest, Thorin." Bilbo said quietly. Thorin looked at him for a few moments before slowly holding his hand and drifting into an unpeaceful sleep. Bilbo was surprised when Thorin pulled him onto the cot and against his side in his sleep. He struggled against the dwarf's heavy arm but found it impossible to get up.
"Well Mister Baggins, it seems you're stuck until he wakes." Gandalf chuckled before leaving the tent. Bilbo sighed and settled against Thorin's side, allowing sleep to claim him.
When Thorin woke up, the first thing he was aware of was an unfamiliar pressure against his side. He looked and saw that Bilbo Baggins was snuggled against him with his own arm around the little hobbit. The dwarf king didn't have it in him to wake the hobbit, as he looked more relaxed and peaceful in his sleep than Thorin had seen him since the beginning of their quest.
He laid there in silence, periodically looking down at Bilbo to see if he had woken or not. After he had been awake for a while, Gandalf walked into the tent. The wizard smiled fondly at Bilbo's sleeping form.
"The company are anxious to return to Erebor as soon as you feel fit enough to be carried, Thorin. They want to have you and the other wounded in proper rooms to treat you." Gandalf said quietly, to avoid waking the hobbit.
"As soon as Bilbo wakes, then." Thorin replied.
"If I'm not mistaken, he had fallen asleep soon after you pulled him onto the bed with you, and that's been hours ago." the wizard said, smiling. Thorin's eyes widened when the wizard revealed that he had pulled the hobbit onto the bed himself. "Why so surprised? You don't really think he would have climbed into the cott on his own? He's far too timid when it comes to contact for that."
"Well the moment he wakes, I want us to set out." Thorin said, changing topics. Gandalf ducked out of the tent again to tell everyone. Thorin gazed down at the sleeping hobbit again. He still couldn't get used to seeing pointy ears sticking out of the short curly hair, or the lack of facial hair. Of course there was also the fact that the hobbit was shorter and more delicate than any dwarf could ever hope to be.
It wasn't long before Bilbo stirred. Thorin immediately pulled his arm from around the hobbit. Bilbo slowly opened his eyes and blinked quickly when he realized he was face to face with the dwarf king.
"Oh dear. I'm terribly sorry, Thorin. I didn't mean to fall asleep on you." Bilbo said, jumping up.
"It's quite alright, Bilbo. Though you should prepare to be leaving. it was decided we would set out as soon as you woke." Thorin said, uncharacteristically smiling. The hobbit hurried to find Gandalf to let him know that he was awake.
Later when they reacked Erebor, the wounded were settled into the best rooms, while everyone else found the best they could. Many of the rooms had been ruined while Smaug had been there, but everyone still managed to find rooms. Bilbo surprised everyone when he insisted on having the room closest to Thorin. When asked as to why, he simply said it was because he had a fair knowledge on healing and didn't sleep as heavily as the dwarves did so he could help if Thorin required anything throughout the night.
The next day, the dwarves that were capable started rebuilding the destroyed parts of the Lonely Mountain. Bilbo attempted to help, but was sent to tend to the wounded when he proved to do nothing but get in everyone's way. The hobbit went around checking on everyone before heading to Thorin's room. He knocked before entering quietly.
Thorin was sleeping, but it looked like he was in the middle of a nightmare as he kept twitching and jerking around. After a moment, he screamed, sitting straight up and his eyes opened wide. Bilbo stood in the doorway, unsure of if he should leave or stay and try to comfort the king. Thorin was panting heavily, but calmed down when he noticed Bilbo in the room.
"Is everything alright?" Bilbo asked.
"Yes, master Baggins. It was just a bad dream." Thorin replied. Bilbo rushed to the bed and plumped the pillows so the king could sit and rest his back against them.
"Do you need anything? I can bring you food, or bathe your wounds if they are bothering you." Bilbo asked.
"Actually, Bilbo, I think I would like for you to tell a story to me." Thorin replied. So Bilbo told him stories that were often told to children at bedtime in the Shire. He noticed that for once, the dwarf seemed to hang onto his every word.
They both lost track of time until another dwarf came in bringing supper for the both of them. Thorin had some kind of meaty stew, while to Bilbo's delight, the dwarves had made honey bread for the hobbit. They sat in silence while eating. Once they finished, Bilbo excused himself and took the plates to the kitchen to be washed before returning to his own room.
Meanwhile Thorin laidback in his bed. Being alone had never bothered him before, but since Bilbo left his room, the silence was too much. All that ran through his head was memories of the battle and the fallen dwarves. He growled in frustration before bellowing for Bilbo to come back. The hobbit came running through the door.
"What' wrong, Thorin?" Bilbo asked.
"Will you talk to me until I sleep? All I keep thinking about in the silence is the battle." Thorin requested. Bilbo settled into the chair beside his bed and began telling stories once more.