'It's not outrageous!" Thorin yelled. She silenced the whole room, even the ones who had sided with her. "She has been through so much. We're just lucky that she woke up at all." Thorin straightened. "After everything that she's done for us you want her to be denied of such an important position."

Bofur frowned. "My queen," she said, "t's just that what yer doin is wrong. Bilbo isn't yer lover."

"She isn't anyone's." Thorin crossed her arms over her chest. "Besides, I'm giving her power, gold, a role of high respect. You know that after her memory loss we can't have her going back to the Shire. She'll just get lost and hurt herself." Thorin turned her head, looking at all of her company in the eyes. "And don't you remember what happened during the incident? You all yelled at her, called her a traitor, declared that you never wanted to see her again. A few of you said a few more course things."

A few of the dwarves paled.

"And in the beginning of the quest it wasn't just me who insulted her. Admit it, almost none of you held any respect for her until after she saved me from Azog's lackey."

She heard a few whispers. Some looked scared.

"And that's why I'm giving everyone a chance to start over."

The room hushed once more.

"We were all rude to her. All of us insulted her, made her feel like far less what she actually was, no is." Thorin eyed Oin. Even she could hear her perfectly well, having the same serious expression as everyone else in the room. "I want you to tell her how happy you were when she agreed to join us on the quest after letting strangers into her house, how excited she was to be offered a position. There was no Gandalf, and we do not bring the witch up." Thorin knew that if Gnadalf got into this plan all would be ruined. The old witch would drag Bilbo back to her Shire. Luckily, she had much more urgent business to attend to, and thankfully all the way across Middle Earth. "You were always kind to her. Some gave her extra scraps of food, others comforted her in times of need, others helped train her to fight, and others listened to her as she complained of the Shire. Tell her that she hated the Shire, that she was treated as less than other hobbits simply for being a little odd. Drill it into her head that she never liked her life there and was more than happy for an excuse out. You can blend some truth as well, but make sure it sounds good. Make it sound like how things really should have gone down." Thorin frowned. "She deserved better, and now we're going to give her what she deserves."

Ori raised her hand.

"Yes?" Thorin asked.

"Thorin," the young girl spoke, "what exactly counts as the truth?"

"Tell her of the trolls, but make sure that she is the hero, not Gandalf. Tell of the orcs as well, but we did not escape by eagle. Speak of Beorn. Mention Mirkwood and her heroic pursuits there, her amazing ways of getting past all those guards without being seen. You may bring up some of Lake Town if you like. Speak of her stealing Smaug's cup. But do not mention how we nearly fought a war. No word should ever leave your mouth of the Arkenstone. And never, ever tell her about what I did to her or I will kill you, ally of mine or not."

The dwarves nodded.

"And remember, you originally hated her just as much as I did." Thorin shifted her weight to her other knee. "We will say that she was in an accident, accidentally tripped and hit her head on something. You will not, however, imply that I caused it. She tripped and hit a rock." Thorin cleared her throat. "Do you understand me?"

Everyone nodded and said "aye". Really, what was their not to understand? A few even were still in shock at being reminded that they hadn't always treated Bilbo with praise.

Bilbo leaned into her touch. Thorin drew circles along her arm with her thumb, watching the hobbit look into her own eyes. It was silent and peaceful, and Thorin liked it that way.

Oin had just given Bilbo new bandages. Her head looked bigger under them. She had stopped mentioning an ache there, however, so she knew that she had started healing after waking up.

"Oin," Thorin said, "how much longer until Bilbo can leave the healers?"

The old dwarf paused. "She should be out in a week or two if she heals well."

Bilbo beamed.

Once Oin was gone, Thorin placed a hand into Bilbo's own and began to gently rub it. Bilbo closed her eyes and smiled.

Thorin had waited all day for these moments. Nothing felt better than simply being alone with Bilbo.

"Thorin," Bilbo said, "what is being queen of Erebor like?" Bilbo was always starting conversations whenever she pleased. Their visits were a mix of pleasant silence and conversations that Thorin could never quite expect.

"Why do you want to know?"

Bilbo opened her eyes. "I'm just curious." She pushed some of her orange brown curls out of her eyes. "Since you're gone doing it all day." Bilbo's eyes wondered to her lap.

"Well, I have to deal with rebuilding Erebor. It's getting bigger and better by the day, and many are back in work. I have trade to deal with, and with Bard and her people in Dale that's easy, but working with Thranduil? I'd rather gouge out my own eyes than speak a word with that woman."

Bilbo gasped. The look on her face was of pure terror. "You really mean that, Thorin?"

Thorin gently ran her thumb along her lover's face. "No, I don't." She laughed. "Though sometimes it feels like it."

Bilbo lay down. Thorin's hand played in Bilbo's hair, running her fingers through her long curls. Her hair shone in the firelight. "I can't wait until you recover."

"The same for me as well," Bilbo replied. She smiled up at Thorin. "Can you tell me a story again?"

Thorin groaned, but really she was happy to do so. "What do you want me to tell?" She pointed at one of the stacks of books on Erebor folktales next to Bilbo's cot. Ori had brought them over to read with Bilbo.

"I don't want to hear one of those stories again."

"Then what do you want me to tell?"

"Tell me about our quest."

Thorin smiled. "I can't say no to you, can I?" She searched through her mind of what to tell. Already she'd told of the more interesting parts of the tale, so now she decided to make something up of her own. It was slightly based on truth. "One day we had set up camp and you went and found an apple tree."

"An apple tree?"

"Yes. We were all hungry, so you decided to bring us some. Bombur didn't have to make dinner that night because you made so many."

Bilbo smiled. "Thorin, would you mind bringing me some? I don't like most of the food that the healers bring me."

Thorin leaned down and kissed her brow. "Of course. And I might just have a word with them about what they're feeding you. You deserve the very best."

When Thorin next looked at her, she was looking straight at her with pure adoration.

"Do you request anything else?" Thorin asked.

"You know that stuff that Ori keeps mentioning?"

"What?"

"Choco?" Bilbo paused and sighed.

"Chocolate," Thorin clarified. "Ori said chocolate."

"She makes it sound so good; I'd love to try it."

Thorin remembered seeing chocolate chip cookies in Bag End.

"Bilbo," Thorin asked, "do you remember what apples are? You've eaten chocolate before."

Bilbo looked ashamed.

"And if you don't," Thorin quickly added, "that's alright."

"No, I do know of apples. They're drawn a few times in some of my books."

Thorin smiled. "That's good. I'll bring you some tomorrow."

"Thank you," Bilbo said. She smiled up at Thorin. "I love you."

Thorin had been the one to first say those words to her, and at first she'd feared Bilbo parroting her words. But some of the stories Bilbo had read surely involved love, and surely she could apply those to what she experienced with Thorin, couldn't she?

Bilbo yawned.

"Tired?" Thorin asked.

"No," Bilbo said, but yawned again.

Thorin leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. "It's alright. I can leave early if you're tired. I don't mind."

Bilbo nodded. "Thank you." Her eyes shut and in a few minutes she was snoring. Only then did Thorin actually get up and leave.

Despite Bilbo being stuck in bed in the medical wings of Erebor, her days were always far from boring. She had lots of friends, twelve in fact. Every day they would come and visit her, and in between she would play solitaire and read books.

Ori would read books her. Dori would bring tea and the two would chat. Nori always had a trick up her sleeve, but she was kind. Oin would sometimes talk to her as she healed her, though Bilbo would practically have to yell back a reply to speak with her. Gloin would tell her stories of her daughter and husband. Dwalin would show her fighting techniques for when she was up and running again, though she'd doubted that Bilbo would have to fight again, remarking Thorin would jump in front of an orc for her. Balin would talk with her about various subjects, though most of it led back to the adventure. Bifur wouldn't speak to her other than a few Khuzdul phrases, small ones such as "Hello" or "Goodbye". She did, however, bring her flowers and carve things out of wood for her. Bombur would bring food; her cooking was delicious. Bilbo could connect with her because she too had lost her memory after falling into the Enchanted River. She had recovered it by then, however, and rarely spoke of it. Bilbo thought that perhaps it made her uncomfortable. Bofur would play her flute and make her little wood toys as well, along with telling Bilbo any story that she wanted. Fili and Kili always came together, and they'd tell her about their days, where more time was spending getting away from their duties as princesses of Erebor and doing something else.

Today, Ori brought her a new set of gloves.

"Thank you," Bilbo said, and put them on her hands. She already had a scarf around her neck that Ori had made her. The wool was soft and well knit.

"It was nothing," Ori said. "So, what did you think of the newest book that I brought you?"

"I'm only halfway through. Fili and Kili have started visiting me more and more."

"Fili," Ori said, "how is she doing? I don't get to see her much because she and her sister refuse to step into the library. Though that might be a good thing, because I don't want to be cleaning up whatever inevitable mess they'd make."

Bilbo laughed. From what little she knew about the girls, they were very mischievous, royal heirs or not. The healers all gave a collective groan whenever the girls would come visit Bilbo. "She and her sister have been doing well."

Ori was turning slightly pink. "Has she mentioned me at all?"

"Actually yes, a few times."

Ori grinned. "Really? What did she say?"

"That she hoped to see you."

"Really?"

Bilbo nodded. "Really."

Ori grinned.

"You should knit her something."

"You really think so?"

"It wouldn't hurt to try."

"But what?"

"I really liked that scarf you made me, so maybe one of those. Or perhaps a hat to keep her head warm. Not everyone has bandages keeping their heads heated."

Ori laughed. "Yes, I think a hat would do. Who knows who Fili would choke with that scarf?"

Dori came to fetch Ori later, but sat down and watched Ori knit while talking to Bilbo. She was going to be opening up her tea shop again soon and hoped that Bilbo would be able to come.

"Oin said that perhaps I can come in a week or two," Bilbo said.

The two brightened.

"That's great, Bilbo!" Ori said. "You can come to the library and Dori's tea shop!"

"Not unless Thorin hogs her," Dori said.

Ori laughed.

They all chatted of the various things that Bilbo would do. After a while, Ori put her scarf down and drew a picture for Bilbo. It was of her raising a sword to fight.

"Did I really look like that?" Bilbo asked.

"Your hair was probably a bit messier," Ori admitted.

"I love it," Bilbo said. "Thank you."

Her other friends didn't come that day, surprising Bilbo. She almost asked Oin what happened, but realized the old woman probably didn't know that much.

Bilbo learned later, however, when two Thorin's and Fili and Kili walked in. Bilbo's jaw just about hit the floor.

"My brother is the one with the slightly longer beard," Thorin said.

Bilbo laughed. "Oh, your brother… Yes, you mentioned him before."

The dwarf looked younger than Thorin, with only one or two streaks of gray in his hair. "The name is Dis. You must be the hobbit that I keep hearing all about. Bilbo, is it right?"

"Yes." Bilbo said. She sighed. "I wish I could get up."

"It's fine," Dis said. "Thorin explained to me what happened. Take all the recovery time that you need."

"Thank you," Bilbo said.

"He just came today with a whole group of other dwarves on a caravan from the Blue Mountains today."

"Aye," Dis said. "And what long travel that was." He stretched his arms. "I'm glad to be back home in Erebor." He wrapped his arms around his daughters' shoulders. "So how are my two little girls doing? How many orcs did you kill?"

"Lots!" Kili said.

"At least thirty combined!" Fili said.

Dis chuckled. "Perhaps, perhaps."

"Well how many orcs did you kill in your younger days?" Kili asked.

"About fifty," Dis said.

"Did he really, Aunt Thorin?" Kili asked.

"I have no doubt." Thorin said. "Though it certainly compares nothing to Bilbo when she helped save me from Azog. And to think, in the very same night I killed the damn creature."

"I remember that!" Kili said enthusiastically. "You clean took off its ugly head!"

"Really?" Dis had an eyebrow raised.

"Of course," Thorin said. "I finally had to rid the world of the foul creature."

"It was amazing!" Kili said. She was in pure awe at her aunt.

"She'd been so shocked at what happened but she took the advantage she had.' Fili added. "She put that orc in her place."

"Yes," Kili said, "six feet under."

The two laughed.

Dis turned to Bilbo. "So, you helped save my kin and Erebor." He bowed. "I am ever indebted to you, Bilbo. May you and Thorin live long together."

Bilbo turned red. "Well, thank you very much, Dis."

Dis eyed the two. "I believe that I should be going. It seems you two have more pressing concerns right now." He pulled his two boys out of the room. "You two simply must show me Erebor."

When they were gone, Thorin pulled something out of her pocket. "I sent someone to buy it for me today in Dale." She placed it in Bilbo's hands. It was a small, wrapped gift box.

Bilbo tore the cover off and looked inside. It showed small brown pieces in little ruffly paper containers. "Is this chocolate?"

"Yes," Thorin said.

Bilbo picked one up. It was cool to the touch and smelled good. She brought it to her mouth and took a small bite. It had a sweet flavor to it, and soon Bilbo had finished off the whole thing.

"I love it," Bilbo said. She looked up at Thorin and smiled. "Thank you." She grabbed aother one and put the whole piece in her mouth.

"I must apologize for not telling you of the caravans and that they would probably arrive soon. It is my fault, and today you must have been very confused to why no one visited you."

"Dori and Ori visited me this morning."

"It must have been before the caravans arrived, or it had been because they'd had no one to greet." Thorin walked over and sat on the chair placed next to Bilbo's cot. She reached down and kissed her brow. "I both had to go and look for my brother and greet the incoming dwarves. I shall warn you of when they next come."

"Thank you," Bilbo said.

Thorin smiled down at her. "You seem to be recovering well to me."

Bilbo blushed. "Thank you."

"Bilbo," Thorin said, "I've been meaning to ask you, but when you recover, would you like your own chambers or would you move into mine? If you want your own chambers for a short time, I can understand that."

Bilbo sighed. She hadn't thought of this. Thorin had told her earlier to not worry about her memories, and she didn't really have to because the company did everything the best that they possibly could to make her remember. Ori drew her pictures, other members sang songs from their quests, and all of them told stories. All of them had a personal touch to them, but Bilbo still listened to them none the less.

"I'll move into your chambers, if you'd like." Yes, she did like Thorin. She was the first person there for her when she woke up, the person who always told her the best memories, and the person who made her feel most comfortable in Erebor. "I want to experience what we felt on the quest." She sighed. "Thorin, I know you tell me that it's alright if I don't remember, but I really do want to know. I love you and I want to remember our first kiss, when you courted me, when we first made love. It seems unfair that you're the only one who can remember it. Don't you ever wish that I could?"

"Bilbo," Thorin said, her tone completely serious, "do not ever feel bad for not remembering. You had no control over your memory loss, and you can function without it." Her voice softened. "I don't want you to hurt yourself trying to remember."

Thorin had said the same thing when Bilbo had nearly broken down crying after hearing Oin mention that she might never recover her memories.

Thorin placed a hand on her arm. "But I promise to recreate things as best as I possibly can." She shook her head. "No, I shall make it better." She smiled. "You'll love it, Bilbo." She rubbed Bilbo's arm.

Bilbo ate her chocolates, Thorin rubbed Bilbo's arm, and the two sat in silence. Just as Bilbo began yawning, Thorin got up to leave.

"Thorin," Bilbo said, "thank you."

"Oh, it was nothing. I could get you some more chocolates for you tonight. And I would have gotten you some apples, but they were out of season."

"No," Bilbo said, "it's not about the food, though I am quite thankful." She looked directly into Thorin's blue eyes. "I want to thank you for coming and visiting even after your brother has just arrived."

Thorin leaned down and kissed Bilbo on the nose. "Bilbo, my brother can wait. He already has his hands full with his two sons. For all I know they really could be showing him all of Erebor."

Bilbo laughed. "Thorin, when I recover, will you show me Erebor?" After everything she'd heard about the city she was anxious to see it.

"Of course," Thorin said. "It'll be the most beautiful sight that you've ever set your eyes on." She ran a finger across one of Bilbo's curls. "Sleep well, Bilbo."

"Alright."

"I love you, Bilbo."

"And I love you, Thorin."

Bilbo began to see lots of more little hands and feet during her visits. Bombur had a lot of children, and the Ur family didn't hesitate to show them off. Most of Bombur's children tended to take after him in weight, and all were adorable. All of them were amazed at the stories the three had to tell. They all admired Bilbo.

"I want to be just like you when I grow up." Dera, one of Bombur's youngest dwarflings, said. She hopped from one foot to the other. "I want to be a burglar who fights dragons!"

"Did you kill the dragon?" another one of Bombur's girls asked. Her eyes were wide.

"You'll have to ask someone else." Bofur said. "Bilbo wasn't that great."

Bilbo rolled her eyes and Bofur laughed.

Oin was proud to show off her niece Gimli, but not nearly as proud as Gloin. Her husband came with her. Gimli was a good lass who listened long and hard to the stories of Bilbo. Gloin did make them ridiculous and did tell that Bilbo killed the dragon. Needless to say, the adoration of Bombur's children was nothing compared to Gimli's, and she refused to believe that her mother was exaggerating the truth.

Fili and Kili came less often, usually coming three to four times a day, now usually only once or twice if they were lucky, and almost always Dis came with them. He was a kind man, with many embarrassing stories to tell about Thorin. Whenever Bilbo mentioned them she would go red and remark that she wished her brother didn't have such a good memory of Thorin in her younger days.

As Bilbo recovered, she was allowed to get up and walk. She was a bit shaky at first, but soon got used to it. Everyone came and congratulated her. Her head wound had healed as well, and there was only a scar covered by her hair. Bilbo did not touch it out of fear of hurting herself.

The children all crowded around her room the day before she was set to leave. All of them, not just Gimli and Bombur's children, but also all of their friends all came in and demanded to hear of Bilbo's stories. She told them everything that she possibly could, and many times other dwarves came into help her. There were certainly a lot of questions that needed to be answered, and Bilbo couldn't even answer most of them. This was just as much of a learning experience for her as it was for them.

Thorin woke up covered in sweat. She had dreamed the same nightmare that she'd been having for months, ever since what happened. She was staring at Bard and Thranduil, the Arkenstone resting firmly in the hands of the poor archer woman. Thranduil stood beside her, completely blank faced.

And Bilbo, Bilbo had just stood up to say that she had stolen the Arkenstone. And Thorin, Thorin had gripped her hands around Bilbo's neck and squeezed. Bilbo had screamed, though the sound was muffled, and Gandalf had yelled at Thorin to let her go.

In the background, her company had yelled vile words at Bilbo. Dis would've been agered by his daughters if he had heard just what they'd said, though Thorin also realized if Dis were in the same situation it was extremely likely that he would've done the same to Bilbo.

And then Thorin had thrown her down out of anger. Thorin had stood over a small cliff near the main gate of Erebor. Bilbo, now free of Thorin's grasp, screamed. It hurt Thorin's ears.

It wasn't until Thorin saw Bilbo bleeding, however, that she snapped out of her gold sickness. She ran down and started to yell for immediate medical attention, and then told the men of Dale and the elves that she would meet all of their requirements. Two days later, when Dain's army arrived, they had to pass out gold rather than fight. A battle was avoided, Bilbo the only one hurt.

Gandalf had reluctantly left, but in the end had thanked Thorin for snapping out of her gold sickness.

And the dream had moved, in the way that dreams do, faster, showing Thorin sitting beside Bilbo's bed when she would not wake up. She'd fed Bilbo her dinner every night herself rather than letting a healer do it. For so long no one had known when Bilbo would wake, and, though Thorin vehemently denied it, if she would wake. Her nieces stood in the corner, wondering if their aunt would ever be okay. Thorin didn't know what exact night it was because it was like every night during the period where Gnadalf was gone and Bilbo was half dead. Thorin would wonder how she could do this to the person she cared so much for, the hobbit that she loved. And she had been angry, angry that the hobbit she'd loved had stolen her Arkenstone. But in the end she'd shown that she cared more about a rock than Bilbo, the very dear hobbit who had saved her life multiple times.

And the dream had moved on to when Bilbo had woken up. Bilbo hadn't been the best looking at the time (though by now she looked wonderful, finally recovered and able to live in Erebor as she should and not just trapped in the healing chambers), but it was the most beautiful thing that Thorin had ever seen. Thorin had stood over her in shock.

"Who are you?" Bilbo asked. She looked down at herself. "Who am I?"

And the lie had come out quickly. It had been a quick idea, but an important one. Only after Bilbo fell asleep a few minutes later did Thorin go and immediately inform her company of what exactly they must do and say around her.

Thorin turned her head. Bilbo was curled up with her head to Thorin's chest, asleep. Thorin wanted to run her fingers through Bilbo's soft hair but stopped herself. Bilbo needed her sleep.

On her finger was a diamond studded engagement ring. Thorin had given it to Bilbo earlier after she'd officially moved into Thorin's chambers. Thorin's chambers was a term used loosely, as very few of the things actually fit Thorin's taste. It had been designed for Bilbo's use, with some of the things that Bilbo liked at Bag End. None of them were actually from Bag End of course. There were a few paintings made of gold and gems of various scenes of dwarven history on the wall, however.

Thorin closed her eyes again. Bilbo was safe, and she would soon be a queen's consort. It was better that way, it really was, then being her enemy. Thorin promised herself that if Bilbo wanted anything from her, so long as it didn't hurt her, then Thorin would give it to her. She really did want to make up for the awful quest that actually happened, not the far too happy quest that all her company and Thorin drilled into Bilbo's head.

But really, what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

Thorin did press a small kiss onto the top of her head. Bilbo didn't stir, and Thorin smiled. It certainly was better to love someone than to hate them.

I plan on trying to update soon.