A/N: Hello again everyone! So parts of the first section of this chapter I'm not too happy with, it doesn't seem to want to co-operate with me too much but oh well. I might go through and attempt to fix it again later but I really wanted to get this out there. If only I could do this for my other story, or my last couple of assignments. That would certainly be nice. I had my last day of Uni today, and weirdly despite everyone complaining about how they wanted it to be over... every was pretty calm about it. Very strange... It'll definitely hit wen we have our leavers dinner next Thursday, hours after I watch the midnight screening for BOFA... Totally not ready for the flurry of emotions will be heading my way!
Don't forget, I promised a happy ending :D
Special shout out to the followers and favouriters for the first chapter: CrazyFanGirl18, Meryem Schneyder, Silhouettes of Starlight, soytejana, Wraven, Stephanie Lou, Mira Meliandra and AnnaBanana90. You guys are awesome!
As much as it breaks my heart I do not own the writings or the characters of The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings, they are the wonderful and exclusive workings of J.R.R Tolkien
"FÍLI!"
"Kíli don't!"
Thorin threw himself at his nephew who was attempting to scramble to his feet and pinned him to the ground, trying to ignore his sister-son's wails as he looked at the spot where Fíli had stood only moments before.
"Fíli! Come on Fíli please! Dwalin!" Thorin yelled behind him as he dodged a flailing elbow "hold him! I have to get Fíli!"
"He's gone!" Dwalin growled as he dropped to his knees next to the pair and placed a hand on Thorin's shoulder "You can't help him. Thorin yer know how deep that lake is, and combined with the cold and the weight of his weapons… I'm so sorry lad but there's nothing yer can do."
"No!" Kíli wailed, still struggling desperately beneath Thorin's weight "No Fee, Fee please!"
Thorin tried to pass Kíli off to Dwalin, ignorant of what his friend was saying; he had to get to Fíli, he couldn't let him die. Using one hand to pin Kíli down Dwalin used the other to grab Thorin's arm and haul him back to the ground.
"Yer can't Thorin!" He roared in his friends face. "I've already lost one friend and I won't lose another!"
Thorin glared at his friend, nostrils flared in agitation before he turned and scooped his nephew up and wrapped his arms around him, cradling Kíli against his chest as he stroked the snow-cold hair with trembling hands and tried to ignore the pounding of fists on his chest and keeping his gaze fixed on the lake as he blinked away a single tear. He knew there was no way he could understand what Kíli was going through, losing your One was something very few dwarves ever recovered from and those that did had something else they could focus on; like Dís focusing on her sons. Thorin knew with certainty that if their lives had never been blessed with the boys he would have lost Dís long ago.
Kíli pushed at his uncle's chest desperately, twisting and squirming to try and break loose. "He's not dead! Please you have to help me get him! Uncle please he – FEE! PLEASE!" he screamed, struggling in vain to shake his Uncles hold. Fíli was still alive, he could feel the bond in his chest weakening but it was still there, why would they not listen?
"FEE!"
The moment the ice had broken beneath his feet Fíli had gasped in as much air as possible before plunging into to icy waters below. His chest contracted painfully the moment he went in, it was as though someone was attempting to squeeze the life out of him but still he struggled, trying to loosen his weapons from his back in order to swim up and break the surface; his only thought was to get back to his One's side.
But slowly the lack of air and the tightness in his chest began to overwhelm him; his sight began to gradually fade the further he sunk, and he realised that there was no way he was going to survive this, no way anyone could rescue him from his watery grave. Realising he couldn't hold his breath for much longer he closed his eyes, accepting what was to come.
"Goodbye my Kíli," he thought desperately, allowing his mind and soul to caress and pour as much love as he could into the bond with his brother, his One and everything for his final goodbye as he exhaled his last breath.
"Goodbye."
Goodbye my Kíli
Goodbye
Kíli let out a heart-breaking scream, his back arching as he felt the rapidly fading bond with his One finally break. His body slumped in his Uncle's arms as he lost his hold on consciousness, his breath hitching softly the only clue Thorin and Dwalin had that he still lived.
Thorin buried his face in his nephews hair to hide his tears from his friend; his nephew had lived, had been alive long enough to know what would happen, to feel his heart slow to a stop, to suffer before he was finally granted access to the Halls of his Fathers. Fíli had not been granted a quick death as he had hoped, instead he had been forced to cling to the hope someone would rescue him only to realise his family had abandoned him.
"We should leave here," Dwalin's quiet voice eventually cut through his reverie, forcing his tear filled eyes on the warrior beside him once more. "We need to get the lad home before he wakes, and before he gets sick."
He nodded, breathing in through his nose heavily as he wrapped his arms tightly around Kíli before standing, cradling the unconscious brunet to his chest and walking back up the slope whilst keeping his back to the lake that had stolen something precious from them all, fighting in vain against the tears that finally broke loose.
They walked in silence, neither Dwarf knowing what to say to the other in the wake of what had befallen them. How were they to tell Dís what had happened to her eldest child? How were they to face Kíli when there were no words they could say that would ease the loss he would have to live with?
As though he knew they were thinking about him Kíli began to stir. Thorin held his breath as he watched dark eyelashes flutter against pale cheekbones, praying desperately that he would fall asleep once more. Instead russet, tear-washed eyes stared up at him dazedly before they peered around and widened when Kíli took in his surroundings.
"NO! FÍLI! Take me back! UNCLE!" Kíli cried as he thrashed in Thorin's arms and Thorin struggled to keep his grip on his squirming nephew but it was hopeless.
Kíli tore himself from Thorin's grip and fell to his knees in the soft snow before scrambling to his feet in an effort to run back towards the lake. The moment Kíli lurched forwards Thorin caught him around the waist and hugged him to his chest, tightening his hold to stop him from escaping once more. Hearing his nephew's cries broke his heart, tears springing to his eyes as he pressed their foreheads together and wincing when Kíli's head connected painfully with his.
"Kíli please! You must stop this!"
"No!"
"Kíli! He's gone! I am sorry but there is nothing we can do!" Thorin begged with tears in his eyes. Kíli pulled his head back and gripped Thorin's jacket as he glared at him.
"Bring. Him. Back." Kíli growled furiously.
"I cannot."
"BRING HIM BACK!" Kíli screamed, shaking his Uncle by his jacket.
Thorin held Kíli's face between his hands and looked him in the eye. Kíli shook his head at the broken look in his Uncles eyes; his bottom lip quivering before he let out a sob and fell to his knees dragging Thorin down with him.
Kíli threw his arms around his Uncle's neck and buried his face in his shoulder as he cried, Thorin's arms coming up to hug the brunet back and offer whatever comfort he could.
"Kíli," Thorin asked quietly after several moments, "what happened?"
It took some time but eventually Kíli answered. "W-we came across an Orc c-camp," He sobbed into Thorin's shoulder. "We killed all the ones we could see but t-the camp looked like it was meant to h-hold over thirty Orcs. We were c-coming to w-warn you when I fell. I landed on the ice and F-Fíli – he…" Kíli bit his lip, whimpering slightly as he spoke next. "He m-made me grab his w-warhammer and pulled me in, only he slipped and ended out there then he -"
Kíli suddenly sagged in Thorin's arms, his entire body going limp in his Uncle's arms.
"Kíli?" Thorin asked as he lowered the brunet to the ground "Kíli!"
"He's done gone and made 'imself pass out." Dwalin said with a sigh as he came and crouched down next to his friend. "All that shock, rapid breathin' and no oxygen… I thought he was going to collapse sooner than what he did but he held on long enough."
The King in exile bowed his head in relief and let out a sigh. "Help me get him up" Thorin said quietly. Together the two friends shifted Kíli and eventually lifted him until he was resting in Thorin's arms, his head tucked into the crook of Thorin's neck.
They began making their way home in silence once more, both exhausted and too lost in their own thoughts to try and attempt any form of conversation. Kíli shifted only once in Thorin's arms, and Thorin tightened his hold on his nephew slightly before speaking quietly to the winter air.
"What do I tell Dís?"
