Kili felt the heated tension even before he heard the raised voices drifting upwards from the downstairs kitchen. It had been a day and half since they arrived at Beorn's, two and half days since they had been reunited with Fili—who had been taken by Orcs during their journey to Rivendell almost a month ago. Kili had thought he would never see him brother again, and was even more surprised when Azog had presented his brother as a trade for Thorin's life. If it hadn't been for Gandalf, and for the eagles, they would all be dead. Kili could see feel the shock and the fear as he and in his mind's eye he could see Fili, being dragged away from him by the orcs. He could still see his brother's face and Kili was pulled down into the hole by Dwalin. He could still hear his brother's screamed as they had taken him away. And now he was back. But he wasn't the same. When Azog had presented him to Thorin, Fili had been bone thin, and his hair had been cut short, but worst of all were the burn marks on his face, arms and hands. Like someone had thrown him into a fire. His face was bloody, and his clothes rags. He barely had the strength to look up, let along fight for his life. It was a miracle that he had survived.

Kili winced again as he heard more shouting, and then the shattering of glass. Fili had not forgiven Thorin yet for allowing him to be taken by Azog, and for allowing him to be a bargaining chip in the search for the mountain. This was not the first fight they had, and it probably wouldn't be the last. Even though Fili tried not to show it, he had changed since the last time Kili had seen him. He absolutely refused to let anyone touch him, and he barely spoke a word—when he wasn't screaming himself horse at Thorin. Kili knew enough about orcs and their prisoners to know that something had happened to his brother, the burn marks on his face and hands spoke for themselves but it was hard trying to fix it when Fili wouldn't talk about it. Or even acknowledge it. Kili had since stopped trying to bring it up, hoping that Fili would come to him when he was ready to talk.

Silently, Kili cursed himself for not keeping a closer eye on his brother, and he winced as he heard another bang and then a shout. He got into the kitchen just in time to dodge an anger induced knife as it embedded itself int the wall three inches away from his face. He stepped away from the knife and turned his focus in on the fight happening in the middle of the kitchen;

Fili was standing against the counter, rage and fear distorting his face as his hand grasped for another knife to throw at Thorin, who had his hands up in the air begging for Fili to stand down.

"Fili-Fili please try to understand-."

"I don't need to understand. You left me to die. Just like how you left my mother. You don't care, you-."

"Stop. Fili just stop and listen to me-."

"No!"

And another knife flew through the air, barely missing Thorin. It hit the steel stove with a loud band, making Kili jump.

Kili looked up to see a startled Balin and Dwalin walk in through the other side of the kitchen, drawn in by the noise Fili and Thorin were making. Kili walked over to them in three strides.

"Grab them. Make them stop. We cannot have this. Not here." Kili whispered to them quietly. Their host, Beorn was still out in the woods. Who knew what he would do if he came back to find his knives all embedded into his wall.

Kili jumped into the rumble, successfully grabbing Thorin and pulling him out of the way just as another knife flew through the air while Balin and Dwalin pulled Fili away from the remaining knives.,

"Stop! Stop! Please. Get off me. Don't touch me-stop!" Fili shouted as he struggled against the dwarves holding his arms.

Thorin gave Kili a helpless look. "Thank god, Kili. You're the only one who can calm him down. Please, help me."

"What happened?" Kili asked

"We were talking, and then—I don't know—something made him upset. It-it-I don't know." Thorin tried to explain.

Kili nodded his head, trying his hardest to understand his uncle. He did not know much about what was happening between his brother and his uncle. Even though Thorin had raised them, he has not necessarily been present through their childhood. Kili felt much closer to Balin and Dwalin than he did to his own uncle. When they had lost Fili, it was Balin who Kili had consoled not Thorin.

"Don't touch me. Please. Stop. Stop. Stop." Fili was pleading, his eyes wild as he fought to escape the elder dwarve's grasp.

Kili then realized; Fili wasn't fighting them to continue to get at Thorin, he was fighting to escape. Kili stepped forward towards the three of them.

Fili met his eye and struggled to pull his arms from behind his back, eyes wide and pleading.

"Kili. Kili, tell them to let me go. Please. I'll be good. I promise. Please? I can't-please Kili..."

"Let him go." Kili said

"But-."

"He won't hurt anyone else. Not with me here. Give him some space. Let him go. Now."

Balin and Dwalin let for of Fili instantly. Fili remained still, panting slightly as he crossed his arms in from of his to keep his hands from shaking.

"Fili, are you with us?" Kili asked after he had calmed some

Fili looked around; from Thorin to Kili, to Balin to Dwaline. Hands shaking and eyes glassy, then he turned and bolted up the stairs and out of sight.

The small group stood in silence, and Kili took this chance to survey the damage they had done; one knife embedded into the wall, three bent knives on the floor, a very scratched up steel stove, the kitchen table was overturned, chairs skewed. Kili walked over to the knife and used both hands to pry it from the wall. He marveled at Fili's strength and aim. He revealed at the fact that if the knife had been just three inches more to the left, he would be dead right now,

Holding the knife in his hand, he turned around to Thorin.

"What happened? What started him off this time?" He asked

Fili had been...unstable...these past few days. One minute he was fine, and the next he was a mess. He was ashamed of his short hard, of his burnt skin, that he had allowed himself to captured. Kili tried to be there for Fili, but it was hard to see his brother so broken. The others had learned to tip toe around Fili, afraid to say something that would make him upset. Kili knew part of the reason why Fili was acting this way was because he thought Thorin had left him behind to be taken by the orcs. That Thorin had a habit of leaving broken things behind. It had been a rude awakening for Thorin when Fili had woken up and instead of being grateful that they had finally rescued him from the orcs, he had taken one look at Thorin and turned towards the wall, refusing to speak.

"We were talking, and something just snapped." Thorin answered

"It may be best for the two of you not to be alone together right now." Balin said, looking from Thorin to Kili and then to the door which Fili had fled.

Thorin nodded his head, "I just wish he'd..."

"I know. He will. Just give it time."

Thorin turned to Kili, "Kili could you...?"

"I'll go check on him. He'll be fine, I promise." Kili assured his uncle, and then he turned towards the dark hallway and started his ascend up the stairs towards his brother.

888

More should be up tomorrow! Please review!