Ch 2 What's Going On?

"Did-did you guess by how they look?" Ellie ran her eyes down the Thorin lookalike, wearing clothes like those in the movies.

"Of course not, I can see it. But the outfits did help." Kat shut the door behind her and set Bilbo down to hop away. "Is this your emergency? You have multiple hot men in one house you don't know what to do with them?"

Ellie was about to pull out her hair. "How do you know who they are? How is this possible? Is this a dream?"

Kat patted the shorter girl on the head, "I have no idea." She turned to Thorin and eyed him up and down through her rain spotted glasses. "You and the other one have a different aura, that and you look just like the guys in The Hobbit. While I'm not sure how this happened, I can sure assume. Ellie, I have a feeling you already have but are refusing to acknowledge your findings."

"That's because this can't happen! It's fiction!" A yowl filled the air and Smaug ran past them again in the other direction, Kili right behind him. "Leave my cat alone!" Ellie pushed the brunet as he ran by and Kili slammed into the wall.

"Whoa, calm down. He wasn't going to hurt the animal." Fili held up his hands and slowly approached the girl whose house they were apparently intruding upon. "Kili was only excited. Now, what are you two talking about? Where are we?"

"You're in Washington." Kat offered as she took off her coat and hung it up.

"In Middle Earth? I don't recall such a region." Thorin said while frowning at the new female. "Where is actually is 'Wash-in-tin'?"

"Because there isn't," Kat answered again. She watched the two younger… well dwarves wouldn't be the right word for them now… men move to stand next to the one who looked shockingly like Thorin. Or Richard Armitage. Whatever, she could appreciate a handsome man. What she was trying to figure out was how they were here since she could see was that they didn't belong. "Well, I have no idea where to go from here. Ellie, you have food, right?"

Ellie stared at her friend, "Of course I have food. What about-" She was cut off by a loud bark. Then another.

Thorin looked around the dwelling to figure out where it came from. "You have hounds?"

Clearing her throat uncomfortably, Ellie tried not to look in the direction of her yard. "I have two dogs."

"Actual dogs?" The Thorin lookalike continued to question.

"Of course! What else would they be?" Ellie felt her ears burning as she silently begged for them not to ask for the names.

"Uncle, there's something odd about this home." Fili said looking around while Kili moved his eyes from Ellie to look around himself.

Thorin did the same, looking away from the other newcomer and frowned, wondering what was different about this building that caught his nephew's eye. Then it dawned on him, other than the number of curious items in the vicinity, there were no candles or torches as a light source. Instead it came from the ceiling above them and looked nothing like a flickering flame. The frown turned into a scowl, "Are you a witch?"

"Wrong person."

His eye swung to the female with honey blonde hair. "You're the witch?"

Ellie and Kat watched as an odd expression crossed his face before he stepped over to his nephews. Then as he reached across himself at the waist before a look of fury and panic set into his posture.

"You took our weapons. Who are you? Where are we and how did we get here?"

Fili and Kili remained where they were and watched their Uncle demand questions from the two females. Neither of them wanted to interfere. Something was amiss and they knew it, but couldn't put their finger on. They eyed the brunette female who was looking extremely stressed. Fili took initiative again.

"Uncle, I don't think they did anything to us."

"Then where are we and how did we get here? What is the last thing either of you remember?" Thorin still stood in front of Fili and Kili, protecting them.

"How the bloody hell should I know? You're the ones that appeared in my study!" Ellie shrieked before the other two could answer, barking following her accusation.

"Maybe you should let them in from the rain." Kat suggested while nudging Ellie towards the door.

"Don't move!"

Ellie turned back, "What are you gonna do? Yell at me more?" She whirled back around and stomped off.

Fili and Kili stepped up next to their Uncle. "Stop being mean to her, she didn't do anything." Fili said softly.

"How do you know?"

"She's scared of us." Kili answered definitively and Fili nodded in agreement.

"Would you know think with your heads for once. Where are we? Who are these people?"

"I'm still here."

Three sets of eyes landed on Kat and then widened at thundering steps and barking coming down the hall. She neatly stepped back against the wall so not to be bowled over as a german shepherd and golden retriever skidded across the hardwood and stopped in front of the three men. No barking or growls or threats, just intense staring between dogs and men.

"Um, good boy?" Kili offered up.

"Balin, Dwalin, fuss."

The dogs sat and tongue lolled out of their mouths, water dripping off their coats that Ellie hadn't been able to rub off before they ran past her. With a sigh, she tugged on her hair and looked at the three men staring in disbelief at her dogs. "Are you hungry?"

"How are they dogs?"

Ellie groaned at the shouted, excited question. "Because they are dogs, not people."

"Dwarves."

"You aren't helping Kat."

"I'm not entirely sure why I'm here, other than maybe for him."

Thorin blinked in surprise at the finger pointed at him. "You're the one behind us being here?"

Kat smiled at the accusation was clear in his voice. Not that she blamed him. No one could explain how they came to Washington, even if she could see the difference between the three men and others. "Of course not."

Thorin jammed a hand angrily through his hair, eyes roving the house for clues. Then something brushed up against his legs. Looking down, he saw the golden dog pushing up against him.

"Balin, leave him alone."

Blue eyes flew up to meet ones similar to his, smatter of freckles across her nose caught his attention. Then he saw her smirk before meeting her eyes again.

"Would you like food?"

"Don't offer them my food."

Kat laughed and set the cane she was holding against the wall before walking away. She knew Ellie's home well enough not to use her blind stick. Unless she rearranged it. Oh well, she'll find out. Hearing a sigh behind her, Kat knew her friend had followed. Instead of trying to find her way around the kitchen, she sat in one of the chairs at the island. She couldn't help but smile at the huffs that came from Ellie as she slammed items in her kitchen. The dogs had followed their owner and laid down on their beds in the corner.

Fili looked at his brother and then Uncle. "Are they offering to feed us?"

"I'm not going to say no." Kili took a step forward and was caught by Thorin's hand at the back of his shirt.

"Stop. We need to discuss our next steps."

"I thought it would've been obvious, I'm hungry."

Fili shook his head, a feeling that Kili wasn't talking about just food was strong. "Even if we eat, she still has to get everything together. You can wait."

Kili almost pouted as he straightened and turned back to them. "What other steps of a plan were you talking about?"

Stepping closer to them, Thorin lowered his voice. "What is the last thing you two remember?" The brothers frowned at each other in thought. Thorin saw it both in their eyes and spoke for them. "It's hazy, isn't it? Like you can't pinpoint a moment." It had been on his mind since he woke, trying to figure out where they were and what was going on.

"That doesn't make sense. We were on our quest, we got to the mountain, and Smaug…" Fili's frowned deepened. "He died? Right?"

"I think so…" Kili's voice trailed off. "Where did she say we were again?"

"Washin-tin." Thorin muttered.

"Never heard of it." Fili said rubbing his beard, eyes in the direction of the kitchen.

"Neither have I."

Kili took another step towards where the girl had gone. "What else needs to be discussed?"

"Whether we should leave now or later, finding out exactly what this place is…"

"If they are single."

Fili slapped his brother on the head.

"Oh, come one, you saw them. And I know you felt something." Kili insisted, pointing at Thorin. "I'm young, not an idiot."

The other two Durins looked at the other, not acknowledging what Kili had said. They stood in silence with Kili edging towards the kitchen until Ellie came back out and stopped at the doorway with her arms crossed.

"Are you done plotting?"

Kili smiled brightly, "We did no such thing. Do we get the pleasure of eating your food?"

Ellie eyed the brunet up and down. "It isn't much, but it should fill you up."

"What about something to fill you up?" Kat called from behind her.

"Shut up!" A blush flared across her cheeks and Ellie spun around. "Well, come along."

Kili immediately ran into the kitchen before Fili or Thorin could catch him, following at a more sedate pace. There was a variety of food spread on a counter where Kat was sitting, food on a plate in front of her. The youngest Durin was already sampling all the food within reach and Thorin had to bite his tongue to yell at his nephew. How did he know the food wasn't poisoned?

"The food isn't poisoned."

Thorin blinked at the seated young lady in surprise. He hadn't said that out loud. Did he?

"Your expression gave you away. Don't worry, Ellie doesn't want to kill you. Maybe send her animals after you, but that's all." Kat turned to Kili who was throwing food onto a plate, moaning in delight. "Don't choke."

Something unintelligible came from his mouth full of food and earned Kili another slap from Fili. He swallowed and spoke again, "Death by food wouldn't be terrible."

Ellie rolled her eyes and grabbed a sandwich, remaking a cup of tea for herself. She still wasn't sure this all a dream induced by fanfiction reading and she was asleep on her laptop. Until she was sure, this would remain a dream. Or nightmare. Her eyes caught those of the man who looked like Fili staring at her curiously. "What?"

"You say you aren't a hobbit?"

"Yes?"

"So, then a Dwarf? Or a really short woman?"

Ellie's mouth dropped open as Kat laughed. "Excuse me? I am not short, I am 5'7". That's average for a woman."

"What is 5'7"?" Fili asked.

"Oh my God."

"Those are words for a more exciting moment than this."

"Kat, I swear to your Gods I will hurt you."

Kili came up next to her and measured the differences between them. "Can't be more than a heads length. If you are average for a normal woman, then we would be…" His hand not holding a plate hovered above Ellie's head while he became thoughtful.

"Impossible." Thorin insisted, still standing where he was before. "That would mean we are the size of men."

"Well, yes."

This made all three freeze again and look at each other. What was going on?

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