It had been hours since Balin and Bilbo had disappeared through the tunnel, leaving the company with the mere promise of being back as soon as possible. As more and more time passed with neither Bilbo nor Balin showing up Thorin's gaze had grown piercing. At some point he quit pacing through the anteroom and settled himself on a ledge, peering straight at the tunnel's entrance. No offer of food or drink could draw his attention away. Even Dwalin had eventually left his post to join the company at the fire, though now and then he threw a worried glance at their leader. He would have given anything to know what was going on in this stubborn dwarf's head.

"You think Kili's alright?"

Ori's clear voice stood out against the babble of voices of those gathered around the small fireplace. Immediately the young dwarf clasped his hands over his mouth. He had not planned to draw everyone's attention with this simple question that was addressed solely to Dori who was sitting beside him. The murmuring ceased at once and the room fell deadly silent.

Gloin was the first one to speak after he took in a deep breath. He had talked to his brother after the barrel ride just before Bard found them, soggy to the bones and stripped of every belongings they had. The old healer had watched Kili stagger ashore, buckling immediately as his leg refused to support him. The arrow shaft was already snapped with the tip most likely still buried deep in the young dwarf's flesh. There had been no time to dig it out right then thanks to Thorin who had pushed them to move on quickly.

"Bind his leg, you have two minutes." Even now Gloin shuddered at the mere memory of the coldness in their leader's voice.

"If the tip is not removed as soon as possible, I can't guarantee he won't catch an infection." Oin's usually calm expression was alarmed but Thorin was already gone scouting ahead and did not hear the healer's words.

"I'm pretty sure they were able to get him help soon enough." He chose his words carefully. They all had seen their youngest member's abnormally pale face as he slumped down on the bench, defeat glowing in his eyes, his expression disbelievingly pained.

Nevertheless the others muttered their approval to Gloin's statement. Ori didn't seem to be much convinced but he did not dare to disagree as he looked over to where Thorin was leaning against the wall, his gaze as cold as ice.

He was back home in Ered Luin. It was barely after dawn and soft pink veils covered the blue sky as the rising sun shyly peeked up behind the distant silhouette of the misty mountains.The air was still cool but already full of humming and chirping as they stepped out of the door. Uncle Thorin had promised to teach them how to shoot today and so the two dwarflings had already been up for hours, though the sun had not even risen until now, and strained Thorin's nerves until he picked up the two child-sized bows along with his own and two quivers.

Fili lifted his head and eagerly sucked in the fresh air as the door fell shut behind them. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw Kili shiver in the fresh breeze and wrapping his arms around his torso. With a broad grin on his face, Fili strolled over and nudged his baby brother's shoulder playfully.

"Hey, Kee. You know what?" He said teasingly and Kili's big dark eyes darted up to meet the ocean blue ones of his brother that sparkled with mirth.

"What?" He asked, unable to hide the curiosity in his voice, wiping his nose with the sleeve of his jacket. Fili giggled.

"Last one to reach the lake is a fat lazy warg!" And with that the blond dwarfling sprinted off, ignoring his uncle's disapproving shouts.

"H-Hey, that's not fair!" Kili protested and ran after his big brother.

Though his legs were longer and he had a decent lead in the race, Fili reached the lake only seconds before Kili did. Laughing and panting heavily they both dropped down into the grass to catch their breath, letting the morning sun warm their faces. It was not long until a shadow stepped in front of them and Thorin dropped down on one knee to meet them at eye level.

"Now, you two done playing around?" His tone was serious but his eyes sparkled with cheerfulness and soon a grin broke out on his face as he pulled his nephews to their feet.

"Uncle Thorin is a lazy fat warg!" Kili stated with an expression of pure joy on his face before he burst into laughter again. Fili rolled his eyes and picked up one of the smaller bows, shoving the other one into Kili's hands.

"You stand like this" Thorin adopted a stable posture with his legs spread at the lenght of his shoulder range. He watched closely as his nephews followed suit and mimicked him.

"Your feet a little bit more apart, Fili – That's it. Kili you're doing great. A stable footing is an archers lifeline. Lose your footing, lose your aim, miss your target."

The two dwarflings listened in awe and sucked in every single word of their uncle's lecture. Thorin nodded approvingly before he reached behind his back and took an arrow from the quiver.

Fili couldn't help but smile as he caught a glimpse of the fascinated expression on Kili's face, he followed the shining metal of the arrow head with his gaze. It was not the first time Fili had seen his baby brother getting obsessed with something but it was definitely the most intense of this sort of moments. A particularly valuable moment.

Then, everything became odd. It was as if the whole forest had fallen silent. Not a single rustle of leaves was to be heard and the soft breeze of the spring morning stopped so suddenly that Fili could almost see the air cease it's movement.

An unknown fear overcame him and he tore his gaze away from his brother to seek his uncle's advising eyes...

Only to find them staring at him hatefully, black clouds veiled the bright blue and dark shadows had formed on Thorin's face. The arrow's tip Kili had been so fascinated with only seconds before was pointed directly at them.

"U-uncle..." Fili's voice failed him as he heard Kili beside him whimper in fear. The gaze in Thorin's eyes was unbroken, unmoving. Then the arrow found it's target, broke through flesh, burying itself deep.

"Feee... Fili!"

Darkness.

"Fili!"

The smell of a hearth fire tickled his nose.

"Come on, laddie. You hafta get up."

Fili's head snapped up instantly from where it had been resting atop his arms on the bed where Kili still lay unmovingly. He blinked a few times and shook his head dizzily, the last scraps of the nightmare version of a memory slipping through his fingers, too fast for Fili to process as he drifted fully into consciousness.

"That's it, easy there." Bofur's voice was kind and soft but also had an edge of worry in it. He grabbed Fili's shoulders and pushed him back into the chair in a sitting position. Fili looked at him drowsily and Bofur offered a smile before handing him a bowl of what smelled like fish stew.

"Not even a son of Durin can survive without food, laddie." He stated taking a few steps back to look the young dwarf over. His usually shining blond hair was mat, his braids untidy and dark circles had formed under Fili's eyes for the lack of sleep.

Oin approached from behind nodding in Fili's direction.

"You should really eat this, lad. Food is not so easy to come by here. Also you'll need all your strengh when we move on."

Fili nodded in defeat. If we ever move on, he added in silence. In the last days his appetite had decreased constantly to a point where it didn't exist anymore and he had simply stopped eating. Worry about his brother's wellbeing was the only thing that filled his mind. Although they still had to tend to the wound left by the arrow head, the elf maiden had cleared his system completely of the poison. Kili's temperature, breathing and pulse were normal but he would not wake up.

Even Oin could find no explanation. It almost seemed as if Kili did not want to wake up. No matter what they tried, it had no effect on him.

And it drove Fili mad with worry.

He scooped up the last bits of the stew unenthusiastically and put the bowl aside, returning to his self-imposed task of watching over his brother, though Kili had not moved for hours now. Fili sighed desperately and fumbled Kili's hand out from underneath the blanket to hold it firmly in his own and squeeze it now and then as if that would bring him back to consciousness.

Bofur shook his head sympathetically and returned to Oin and Bain sitting by the kitchen table. It hurt him to see young Fili in such a state of desperation but there was nothing he could do other then offering him comfort he knew the young dwarf wouldn't accept.

Fili's eyes threatened to drift shut once more. Mahal, was he tired! But he forced them open again. He would not allow himself to fall asleep now. Kili needed him. He should not be alone when he woke up.

If he'll ever wake up.

Fili clenched his teeth at his own thoughts and balled his free hand into a fist so tight, that he drew blood. A single tear slid down his cheek

Why won't you wake up, little brother? I can't lose you...

"Lose your footing, lose your aim, miss your target."

Kili was his footing and there was no way Fili would allow him to slip away after all they've been through together. He won't miss his target.

"Thorin please, let me sit for just a moment. There's no need for such agitation."

The old dwarf almost begged, obviously exhausted as he made to sit down beside the others at the campfire. Bombur already held a bowl of stew ready for him and Balin nodded in appreciation before reaching out for the long-desired meal. Thorin, however, would have none of it. Ignoring the elder's complaints, he grabbed his arm roughly in a death grip and pulled him upright once more to meet his steel-cold gaze. Dwalin's form tensed as if he was ready to step in between if needed.

"For Mahal's sake, is this treatment really necessary Thorin?" Balin groaned as his tired limbs protested against the exertion. Stumbling to his feet, he looked Thorin in the eye and what he saw concerned him. He knew that look in their leader's eyes for he had seen the same spark of madness in both, those of Thorin's father and grandfather. Though it was not more than a small flicker, Balin frowned at the foreboding that filled his mind. Then Thorin began to speak and his voice was as cutting as a blade and as deadly as the morgul poison, it sent shivers down even Dwalin's back.

"The Arkenstone, where is it?"

Balin sighed, he had expected that to come. And though the burning in his cousin's eyes tightened it's grip around his heart he would have been happy himself, if he could give him an answer.

But he could not.

"Thorin, I only just dropped him off. Bilbo is most likely still searching for it." He shook his head ans smiled softly, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"What did you expect? That he walks in and trips over the Arkenstone by chance after only a few steps? You know that's not going to happen. If Smaug-"

"Shut up!" Thorin released his grip on the dwarf's arm and turned his back to the company. Seconds passed and no one dared to speak up for they feared to be ripped in half by their leader's mere infuriated glance.

"I will not have one of you ever question me again."

With a sad shake of his head, Balin settled himself beside his brother, exchanging worried looks with Dwalin. Ori ducked his head at the harsh words and Bombur forgot to swallow his half-chewed stew. They all looked at Thorin in utter disbelief. Up until this point their company had been more like a family than anything else. They respected each other and nearly every decision was made together.

"I am the rightful king under the mountain and all of you will do as I say. If you don't, you will be expelled."

With that, Thorin walked further away from the fire and into the shadows where he once again began to pace untiringly.

Eventually the company resumed their conversations but they were weighted down by the latest outburst. No one laughed or told funny stories, there were nothing but dim voices whispering in the growing shadows of the anteroom, hoping that Thorin would overhear them.

At first no one noticed the hurried footsteps sounding out of the tunnel where Bilbo had disappeared hours ago.

"Well that was one helpful advice!" Bilbo spoke to himself while decending further down into the darkness of Erebor. He had noticed that the shadows left him alone as long as he babbled on and on. At some point the hushed words coming out of the hobbit's mouth didn't even make sense anymore but Bilbo couldn't care less as long as they kept the fear from creeping up on him.

"Maybe I should try pig riding one day, sounds like a lot of fun." How could he have forgotten to bring a torch, he couldn't even see his own hand in front of him, leave alone where he placed his feet. More than once he stepped onto something sharp and despite his robust sole hissed in pain. One hand on the wall beside him and one reaching out in front of him he slowly made his way through the tunnel.

"But then my clothes will most likely get dirty and I do not appreciate dirty clothes, not at all!" He turned around a corner and almost cried out in relief as he saw light not far ahead of him.

"Easy now, if the treasure chamber is ahead, so is the dragon." He reminded himself and came to an sudden halt. Doubts started to gnaw at him. Did he really have what it took to accomplish this task? He was no burglar, just an ordinary hobbit, not even one of the strongest or tallest, what could he possibly do? He was not meant to be here in the dephts of a mountain that was posessed by a dragon. This was madness! What had become of the unhurried halfling that liked to enjoy a late but extended dinner in a cozy armchair in front of the fireplace? He had sentenced himself to death!

I cant't do this.

Bilbo staggered back a few steps before his back hit the wall behind him. He swallowed hard as he imagined being pinned against this wall with Smaug the Terrible towering in front of him and then the burning sensation of the dragonfire. He squeezed his eyes shut against his own imagination but he could not will the pictures away for he knew they could come true every second now.

I should not be here. I can't do this... I can't...

You signed the contract. Some brave voice in the back of his mind addressed him in a half-mocking tone. You can not back down now. Bilbo forced his eyes open once again and took a shuddering breath.

The voice was right. He signed the contract, his duty lay with the dwarves and their quest of reclaiming their homeland. More than that, he wanted to help them because they never had a proper home while he himself had been comfortable in Bag End for half his life. That just wasn't fair.

His hand wandered to the small vest pocket and his fingers slipped into the soft fabric until they reached the cold metal band. The touch was calming and embracing and Bilbo felt himself relax to the point where his fear almost vanished completely. The ring was the answer. How else could he get in there and out again alive? If Smaug was unable to see Bilbo, he could not be killed, right? He almost expected the ring to answer him as he took it out of the pocket and turned it over in his fingers a maniac grin spreading unnoticed over his face.

"You will protect me, won't you, my precious?"

Of course the ring did not answer him but in the calm silence that followed his words Bilbo found the agreement he needed. He pushed himself away from the wall, willing himself to take one, two, three determined steps towards the tunnel's exit and suddenly he was out of the darkness.

The hall he stepped into was amazing. Amaizingly big, amazingly wide... amazingly empty.

As if in a dream Biblo exited the tunnel and found himself on top of a great staircase. The steps to his feet lead down into a large hall with rows after rows of pillars carved out of the stone and polished to glow in the dim moonlight that filtered through several openings in the ceiling high above and from numerous balconies. Bilbo's breath caught in his throat as he was stunned by the beauty of the place. The handiwork was delicate and seemed so pure and magnificent that Bilbo's mind refused to believe that is was made by mortal hands and out of simple stone. And this was just one of many halls in the dwarven kingdom. Little could he understand now why it had been so important for Thorin to come back home.

However, all the beauty could not hide the fact that the hall was completely empty, though Balin had confirmed Bilbo that he would find the treasure chamber in this place. No dragon was to be seen, not an ounce of gold to be found, left alone some great white jewel. Was this the wrong place? It couldn't be. Balin had told him exactly where to go moreover it had not been that hard to find. Turn left, then walk ahead until you turn right. You'll see the light ahead. Take care, lad.

So if this was indeed the treasure chamber, then where was the treasure? Where was the dragon that should be guarding mountains of gold and silver? Shining jewels and shiny things of all sorts. The smell of the "dragon dung" Nori had mentioned earlier was almost unbearable. There was no doubt, this was the right place.

Realization hit him like a fist to the stomach and Bilbo reeled a step backwards.

"He's gone." He breathed out as he spun around, taking in the whole surrounding area.

"He's really gone!" He skittered to a halt, feeling dizzy all of a sudden. He had to go back and tell them. Tell them that Smaug the Terrible no more posessed Erebor. Tell them that they could come and rebuild the home they so long craved for.

Never had he thought he could ran that fast through the darkness. He did not allowed himself to rest until he could hear the muffled voices of the company in the anteroom. His lungs were burning and his feet most likely bleeding but he forced himself on until he could see the soft glow of the campfire. Gasping for air he reached the tunnels end and nearly run Thorin over as he came to a halt and collapsed to the ground for his feet would not carry him any further. Eight pairs of eyes immediately darted towards him as he tried to catch his breath enough to speak.

"H-He... He's gone!" He managed to get out eventually.

Thorin's face suddenly lost all colour as the blood froze in his veins. The rest of the company had struggled to their feet, gathering aroung the halfling, those who were not rooted to the spot in shock offered Bilbo a comforting clap on the shoulder but no one said a word.

"What did you say?"

Thorin's voice was hoarse and small as is he did not trust it to not shatter under the weight of his words. Bilbo frowned. He had expected the king to be relieved once he found out that the biggest threat was taken off them. But Thorin seemed all but amused.

"Smaug has left the mountain."

A/N: Uh-oh.. so who's surprised now? Me not (of course 'cause I wrote the story :P) So maybe you will think now: Oh so the dragon is gone now, huh? This is going to be boring as hell! But...nope! I intend this story to be interesting and intense, there are going to be a lost of angst moments so stay tuned! Maybe now the title of this story gets a little bit clearer, just to say ;)

Please let me know if there are mistakes (as already mentiones, I'm not a native speaker and I'm trying my best)

Also reviews make my world go round and if you have written your own story already you will understand me if I tell you that they really encourage me to keep writing, so please review to let me know what you think!

Stay tuned for the next chapter!

Love :3

Thaye