"There's no one out there, lad," Balin revealed as he reentered the house, "What did this person look like?"

By this point, Kili was shaking in his seat, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Ori had brought him a glass of water, but he didn't feel like drinking anything. Instead, he clutched the glass tightly to steady his trembling hands. Thorin had crouched down next to his nephew, glancing worriedly between Kili's white knuckles and sweaty brow.

"Kili. Who was following you?" Thorin asked softly, not wanting to upset the boy further.

Kili swallowed, looking from Thorin to Balin frantically.

"I don't know. They wore a dark cloak and hood. Their face was hidden, I c-couldn't see!"

Kili watched as his uncle and butler shared a suspicious look.

"But that's not the first time they've been here," Kili continued, "The same figure was outside my window last night."

"What?" Thorin asked, his voice incredulous.

"It was! One moment it was there and the next I looked, it had gone! I thought I had imagined it at first, but…"

Thorin studied his nephew for a few moments, unsure of how to handle this situation. There have never been any reports of a mysterious cloaked figure near his house before, but he could tell Kili wasn't lying. The boy was genuinely terrified.

Grabbing Kili gently by the arm, Thorin stood.

"I believe the best thing for you to do right now is get some rest. You've had a trying day after all. I'll have two of my servants keep watch tonight. If this strange figure shows up again, I'll know about it. I'll keep you safe, Kili."

Kili complied and let his uncle lead him to his rooms. When they entered, Kili stopped in the doorway and squeezed Thorin's arm in a tight grip.

"Cl-close the curtains. P-please," Kili stammered.

Thorin looked to windows where the last rays of the day were streaming into the room. Walking over to them, he looked out at the landscape. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary. In the distance was a dead tree; one Thorin had been meaning to have cut down. He watched as a raven flew out of the tree before drawing the curtains firmly together. He lit an oil lamp on the night stand and gestured to Kili who still stood in the doorway. Thorin drew back the covers and moved aside to let Kili sit on the bed.

"Is there anything I can get you?"

Kili shook his head. All the hunger he had felt previously had been pushed aside by fear. All he wanted to do now was forget. Sleep and forget.

"Very well," Thorin said, "If you need something, don't hesitate to come and get me. No matter the hour. My rooms are at the other end of the hall."

"Thank you."

Thorin smiled sympathetically at his nephew before leaving him to rest. When he closed the door behind him, he leaned against it heavily, dragging his hand across his face as he sighed.

Entering his study, Thorin wasn't at all surprised to find Balin there, sitting on the couch with a pot of tea.

"How is he?" the older man asked as he poured a cup for Thorin.

"I'm not sure, Balin," Thorin confessed, taking the tea gratefully, "He's most definitely terrified. Of what, I'm not certain."

"Well," Balin began, "Let's try to be rational about this. Kili has just lost both of his parents in a seemingly pointless but gruesome murder. He's had to leave his home and come live with his uncle whom he has never met before in a strange house in the middle of the country side. And just this morning he buried his parents. That's a lot for anyone to handle, let alone a young man. The mind is capable of conjuring a number of unimaginable things in times of stress and grief."

"Are you saying he's gone mad?"

"No. Just- he's dealing with a lot. People cope in their own ways and maybe this figure is a manifestation of Kili's sorrow and fear. Perhaps he just needs the time and guidance to overcome it."

Thorin pondered Balin's words as he sat down beside him. The idea certainly had merit to it but something just felt…off.

"What are you thinking? Come on, share your thoughts."

"I don't know what to think to be honest," Thorin admitted, "What you say makes since but Kili's terror was real. He was afraid for his life, Balin. I could see it in his eyes. What if…"

As Thorin trailed off, he looked up to the portrait of Frerin; his beloved brother who disappeared all those years ago. He wasn't sure why, but for whatever reason, he felt that what had happened to him and what Kili had just experienced may be connected…

Following his gaze, the old butler tutted.

"Don't tell me that you believe whatever Kili saw has something to do with Frerin."

"You know the tales just as well as I, Balin. It's always the young ones that disappear. There hasn't been an incident since Frerin and now Kili, a boy no-less, comes here and this…this thing shows up? Something's not right."

Thorin stared into the burning embers in the hearth, mulling over his thoughts. What if he was getting too caught up in this? What if the old superstitions were toying with his mind as well? What if Balin was right? He had to keep his head clear. He couldn't let his own grief and bitterness over the loss of his brother prevent him from aiding Kili if the boy truly was in need of help.

Balin sighed, "All we can do is see how this plays out. We'll give Kili time to settle down and if everything turns out fine, we'll leave it that. If whatever this is continues, well, we'll just deal with it as it comes."

"Fair enough," Thorin agreed, "I just hope I'm doing the right thing, Balin. I've never raised a child. Well, he's not really a child any more, but still. I don't know how to give Kili what he needs."

Balin smiled. "Just be there for him, laddie."

Thorin felt a pang of guilt at that. He caught the implied meaning: be there for him now since you never bothered in the past. He had his reasons for keeping his distance. But that's another matter for another day. Right now, Thorin was all Kili had.

Balin stood and collected the empty cups of tea.

"Should I tell Bombur to start dinner?"

"No," Thorin declared, "I'm not feeling very hungry tonight."

"Very well, then."

"And Balin," Thorin called as Balin was leaving the room, "Ask Gloin and Dori if they would guard the perimeter tonight. Just for tonight."

Better to be safe than sorry.

"It shall be done."

Kili lay awake for hours. He didn't feel safe whenever he closed his eyes. He flinched every time the house popped or creaked. Tears of frustration slid down his cheeks. This was ridiculous. He just wanted to sleep! He was being paranoid. His uncle and Balin probably thought he was crazy. What if he was? After all, this nightmarish character had a knack for vanishing at convenient moments. And judging by his uncle's expressions, he hadn't ever heard of such a thing before. What if it really was all in his head? These past few weeks have simply messed with his nerves.

It's not real. It didn't happen.

Kili repeated those thoughts over and over, willing himself to believe it. He was strong. He could overcome whatever this was. He wouldn't allow himself to fall prey to his own mind.

Building up his courage, Kili slipped out of bed and stood behind the window. He had to do this. He slowly reached out, fingertips barely brushing the heavy curtains.

It's not real. Nothing's there.

Squeezing his eyes shut, Kili jerked the fabrics away from the window. Holding his breath, he gradually opened his eyes, afraid of what he might see.

Nothing.

He let out a sigh of relief. There was no one standing under the tree, no raven perched on a limb. His pounding heart lessened as he looked out into the night. He was safe.

Just as he drew back the curtains, Kili thought he heard a noise. A small creak as if someone stepped on an old floorboard. He stilled, listening for the noise again. After a few moments of silence, Kili brushed the sound off and turned around to get back into bed…and immediately wished he hadn't. Standing in the middle of his room was the shadowy stranger.

"Looking for me?"

Thorin was startled awake by a high-pitched sound. Rising up in his bed, it took his foggy brain a moment to register what he was hearing – screams.

Kili!

Not bothering with decency, Thorin darted out of his room in nothing but his night pants. He raced blindly down the dark hall before throwing open the door to his nephew's room.

"Kili!"

The oil lamp was still burning on the nightstand, casting eerie shadows about the room. Seeing the bed empty, Thorin spotted his nephew huddled on the floor under the window, knees brought up to his chest and hands covering his face. Thorin rushed to his side and instinctively pulled the boy into his arms.

"Kili, what's the matter?"

Kili looked up at the sound of his uncle's voice. He glanced around the room madly, looking for any signs of the cloaked intruder.

"He was here, uncle!" Kili wailed, "He was here in my room! How did he get in? He was standing right there! Where did he go?"

"Shh! Kili, calm down. You've had a nightmare."

"No! I haven't even slept at all! I wasn't dreaming! It was real!"

At that moment, Dori and Gloin came rushing into the room, having been alarmed by the screams.

"Is everything alright?" Dori asked as he stared at the pair on the floor.

"Dori. Gloin. Have you seen anyone around the house? Are there any open windows or doors?" Thorin demanded.

"No sir," replied Gloin, "We've been standing watch. No sign of any one anywhere."

"We can double check," added Dori, "If you'd like?"

"Please do."

Gloin and Dori turned around and bumped into Balin who fumbled to keep from dropping his lit candle.

"What's going on?" he asked the two servants as he peered into the room behind them.

"Seems young Master Kili has had himself a right scare," Gloin disclosed, "Thorin wants us to double check for any signs of an intruder."

"An intruder?!" Balin balked, "Well, get to it then."

As Dori and Gloin hurried down the stairs, Balin warily approached his two charges.

"Is everyone alright? Nobody was harmed?"

"No one is harmed," Thorin answered, "Not physically anyways…"

Kili had sunk into Thorin's embrace, burying his face into the man's bare chest, not caring that he barely knew him. He just wanted some comfort. Thorin kept a tight grip on his nephew, trying to bodily hold together Kili's shattered nerves. He looked up to Balin, seeking guidance. Balin caught the pleading look.

"Kili, can we get you anything? Tell us what you need, lad."

"I want my mom…" Kili whispered pathetically, ignoring the fact that he sounded six instead of sixteen.

Thorin's heart clinched at Kili's pitiful confession. Perhaps Balin was right. Kili was just having a hard time coping with his parents' death and once he made peace with the fact, all of this would go away. An idea came to him then and he nudged Kili off of him. What the lad needed was a distraction.

"Come with me, Kili. I want to show you something," Thorin said softly.

"What about the stranger?"

"I won't let them near you, Kili. Trust me."

Thorin pulled his nephew to his feet, surprised when he clung to his side, and shuffled towards the hall, Balin on their heels.

"I believe I've got this, Balin," Thorin said over his shoulder, "You may go back to bed if you wish."

Balin smiled and nodded before maneuvering down the stairs and back to his quarters. Thorin led Kili through his study and into his bedroom. He pried the boy off of him so that he could light a lamp, illuminating the room and revealing its massive size. Thorin went to his dresser then to a bookshelf, pulling out several small boxes along the way. Kili never took his eyes off of his uncle. Once Thorin had what he was after, he climbed up into his bed and motioned for Kili to join him. Hesitantly, Kili slid in next to his uncle, wringing his hands nervously.

"What did you want to show me?" he asked.

"These," Thorin replied as he placed a small wooden box with roses carved in the top onto Kili's lap.

Kili looked up at his uncle confused.

"Open it."

With tremulous fingers, Kili lifted the lid off and peered inside. Within the box lay an ivory comb, its silky white handle inlaid with gold. Under the comb was a pink handkerchief with a white "D" embroidered onto one of the corners. Beside the comb was a pair of pearl earring laying on top of a photograph. He looked to his uncle imploringly.

"These belonged to your mother," Thorin revealed, "Just a few things she left behind. They're yours if you want them."

Kili looked back down at the trinkets with wonder. He picked up the handkerchief, rolling the silk between his fingers. He pressed it to his face and took a deep breath. Years from storage gave the cloth a musty smell but underneath that was the sweet and subtle scent of the flowery perfume his mother used to wear. He then took out the comb, running his fingertips gingerly across the smooth surface. A strand of dark hair was curled around one of the teeth – his mother's hair. Next, he brushed aside the earrings and removed the photo. In the picture sat three children posing stiffly. There was no mistaking who these three people were. Thorin, who had been silent up to that point, leaving Kili to his thoughts, spoke up.

"We hated posing for pictures," he recalled, "but mother made us take one every year. Frerin and I used to tug at Dis' hair. We stopped once she turned around and smacked us. Right on the face, too!"

Kili watched as Thorin grinned at the memory. He placed the items back in the box and cradled it to his chest.

"Could you…could you tell me more stories? About you and my mom?"

Thorin watched as Kili leaned back against the pillows and looked up at him expectantly. He inwardly sighed as he took in the dark circles under the boy's eyes and the worry lines in his forehead. This is not how he wanted Kili's stay with him to turn out. He wanted him to feel comfortable and secure. Not anxious and scared. Situating himself on his own pillows, Thorin leaned back as well.

"Of course I will."

And so, Thorin started telling every story he could think of; about the time Dis broke a vase and blamed it on Frerin, and the time he started a food fight just as the dinner guests were arriving and even the time when Dis broke her ankle after falling off a horse and the stable boy- Kili's father- carried her inside. Thorin was relieved when Kili laughed softly at all the funny parts and asked questions if he wanted more details. On about his eighth tale, Thorin became aware of the sound of even, steady breaths. Glancing to his left, he saw that Kili had fallen asleep. He took a moment to enjoy the peaceful expression on his nephew's face. He stood up and tucked the boy in properly before moving over to lie on the couch. One night sleeping on the sofa wouldn't hurt.

Just as he settled in, there was a knock at the door. Thorin winced and looked over to Kili to make sure he was still asleep. Quietly, he walked over to the door, cracking it open slightly.

"Keep your voices low," Thorin ordered, "What is it you want?"

"We looked around the house, sir. No open doors or windows or any signs of a person. Just thought we'd let you know," Gloin reported.

"I figured as much," Thorin sighed, "Thank you both. You can quit guard duty and get some sleep if you like."

"Thank you, sir." They replied in unison and left the way they came.

Thorin returned to the couch and checked on Kili before closing his eyes for the night.

The next few days were a challenge. One night of sleeping on the sofa turned into four. Kili would not sleep in his own bed and Thorin didn't have the heart to make him. He refused to go outside, not even to visit his parents' grave for fear that the hooded stranger would return. He wouldn't go near a window unless the curtains were closed and he, under no circumstance, would enter his room alone. The first time he tried sleeping in his bed again, he broke down in hysterics. He was always antsy; nervously glancing over his shoulder, tapping his fingers against his knees. He ate very little and Thorin and the other servants were beginning to panic.

"This has to stop, Thorin," Balin stated one evening while sitting in Thorin's study. Kili was soundlessly asleep in the next room.

"If the boy keeps this up, he'll be joining his parents sooner rather than later."

"What would you have me do? This is a sickness of the mind! It cannot be mended like a wound of the flesh!"

Thorin ran his fingers through his cropped hair. He was failing as a guardian.

"I suggest we call a doctor," Balin proposed, "A psychiatrist to be exact. Kili needs some sort of counseling for these problems."

"You make the arrangements, then," Thorin sighed, "We have to at least try it."

"I'll get on it right away," Balin confirmed, "You get some rest."

Thorin stood as Balin did and entered his own quarters. He was surprised to find Kili awake, looking at him fretfully.

"What's wrong, Kili?"

"Am I insane?" Kili asked so softly that Thorin barely heard it.

Thorin exhaled harshly through his nose and sat beside Kili, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

"No, Kili. You're not insane."

"Then why are you sending for a crazy doctor? They'll send me away! Don't let them send me away!" Kili plead.

Thorin wrapped his other arm around his nephew and pulled him to his chest.

"Hush. You're not going anywhere, Kili. This doctor is only going to talk to you. He'll help you and I decide what to do so that you can get better."

Both we're silent for a moment until Thorin became aware that his shirt was becoming damp under Kili's face.

"I'm sorry," Kili sobbed.

"Oh, Kili," Thorin sighed, "There is nothing to be sorry for."

When the tears had stopped, Kili pulled away from his uncle and fell to the bed defeated. He hated this – feeling weak, pathetic, childish. But he was so afraid. He just knew the cloaked figure would show up again and the wait was killing him. He almost wished it would return so he could find out who they were and what they wanted. So he could find peace. That's all he wanted. Peace.

Thorin pinched the bridge of his nose as Kili settled. The boy looked as if he had given up and he was worried as to what might happen next. The sooner the doctor could arrive, the better.

Thorin was finally able to fall asleep on the couch only to be awoken hours later by a light breeze rolling across his cheek. He sat up, wondering what had caused the sensation when he noticed his curtains fluttering. The window was open. He jumped up. Why was the window open? Perhaps Kili had gotten hot in the night. But that was unlikely, considering Kili wouldn't set foot near a window. Had Balin been in here? But why would he open the window?

Had someone gotten inside?

Thorin got up to shut the window, peering into the darkness before closing the curtains. He glanced in his bed to see that Kili was still asleep before heading out towards the servants' quarters. Along the way, he looked to see if anything seemed out of place- a missing trinket, a cracked door, a moved rug. Nothing.

When he reached Gloin's door, he knocked on it frantically. The burly man answered quickly, a befuddled expression on his face.

"Master Thorin? What is it? Has something happened?"

"I need you get Dori and have a look around the house. The window inside my rooms was open and I did not do it, nor do I think they opened on their own."

"Someone's inside?"

"We'll find out, now go."

Thorin then went to Balin's room and repeated the story, asking Balin if he'd stay with Kili while he joined Gloin and Dori.

After a thorough search around the house and in the barn and stables, no sign of an intruder was found. They ended their hunt just as dawn broke along the horizon. Thorin was stumped. Who would break into a house and not take anything?

Returning to his rooms, he found Kili was awake and talking to Balin. He smiled when he saw Thorin enter.

"Good morning, uncle!" he piped.

Thorin froze in the doorway and gaped at his nephew. Kili was…smiling?

He cleared his throat and approached the pair warily.

"Good morning, Kili. How are you feeling today?"

"Quite well, actually," he answered before furrowing his brow, "On second thought, I am rather hungry. What's for breakfast?"

Thorin and Balin turned to each other perplexed.

What was going on here?