A/N: Hi! Thanks to the people who reviewed on the last chapter. Your kind words make me happy :) . This chapter is set while on the quest and is based on the part in the book, where Fili and Kili almost drown in the river. This is mostly Thorin's reaction. Durin family feels. In my mind Thorin would have been very close to his nephews while they were growing up and still close when they were grown up. I think he would have distanced himself slightly from the boys for the quest though. Enjoy and please leave a review.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit. All rights belong to J.R.R Tolkien

The rain was getting heavier and heavier as the company of Thorin Oakenshield trudged on. It was nearing evening when Thorin brought them all to a stop declaring they needed to find shelter, start a fire, have supper and rest for the night. Mutters and grumbles filled the air as everyone squinted through the rain trying to scot out some sort of cave or cover. It was then that Dori spoke to the group in a slight panic.

"Where is Gandalf? Where is the wizard?"

The company turned to the back of their group where Gandalf had been for the day, and they had assumed he still was, only to find that indeed he was not there anymore.

"I suppose he had things to do other than trot around on ponies in the pouring rain for hours on end," grumbled Gloin.

"He did not sign to be part of the company. He only agreed to help us but he may leave when he wants," sighed Balin wearily.

"Just when a wizard would have been useful too," muttered Nori still searching for a sheltered spot they could eat and spend the night.

"We will have to make do here," spoke Thorin trotting his pony over to the side of the path under a clump of trees after deciding there was no proper shelter nearby. Everyone slowly clambered off their ponies and pulled them towards where Thorin was standing.

"Oin, Gloin. Try get a fire going," Thorin said to the two brothers who both nodded and began gathering sticks of wood from the forest lining the path. Thorin sighed and lent against a tree. This was not ideal or what he was hoping at all. Where is that blasted wizard when you need him? Thought Thorin. His eyes swept over the company. He saw Oin and Gloin having no luck with the fire, Dori and Nori fussing over Ori and how damp his clothes were, Dwalin was taking the break to sharpen his axes, Bifur and Bombur were looking at meal options and Balin and Bofur were talking to Bilbo who seemed to be quite miffed about the weather and the wizard having left them. Lastly Thorin's eyes landed on Fili and Kili who were huddled together talking quietly off to one side. Thorin's expression softened at the sight of his nephews. Even when miserable and wet those boys always made Thorin feel more hopeful. When he saw Fili shiver slightly he wanted to go over and offer his spare cloak to them but he had promised himself he would not coddle the boys on this quest. For one, he did not want to show favouritism within the company and for another he knew they wanted to prove themselves to him, although in Thorin's eyes they had nothing to prove. He would be proud of them no matter what. Just as Thorin was turning back to his pony, to check what the rain had spoiled in his pack, a sudden whiney arose from Minty, the pony who carried the majority of their food supplies, and she suddenly bolted from the clearing they were standing in. Before Thorin could even step forward though two dwarfs darted past him, sprinting after the runaway pony.

"FILI! KILI!" Thorin yelled but his voice was drowned out by the heavy rain and the two young dwarfs continued their chase. "Come on. We must follow them." Thorin called out to the rest of the company, mounting his pony and cantering out from under the trees. In a moment the rest of the company too were heading back into the rain. They all headed down the path Minty, Fili and Kili had taken, calling out to them and constantly wiping drips of rain out of their eyes. Theirs shouts however came to a stop when a loud splash sounded from the river accompanied by two yells of surprise and pain. Thorin stopped dead, his heart pounding. He knew the voices of those yells better than he knew himself and his blood ran cold when he processed their meaning. Fili and Kili were in danger.

"Search the river," Thorin called out to the company and he was shocked to hear his voice come out strangled and shaking. The silence was then broken as air filled with the shouts from the company calling out to the youngest heirs of Durin. Thorin himself had dismounted his pony and was hurriedly walking downstream trying to catch sight of his sister's sons. This had not been what Thorin planned. He had wanted to arrive at Erebor with Fili and Kili at his side as he opened the door and showed them their real home. He wanted to live a long life with them and know that when his reign was over it would be safe in the hands of his eldest nephew. He could not lose his heirs. They were everything to him, his light out of darkness and the two beings that made up his heart. Just as he was starting to panic, having not seen sight him, Dwalin's voice rang loud and clear over the rain.

"Thorin. Their over here." Thorin was running to the spot he heard Dwalin's voice come from in a flash. In the dark he could just make out two bodies being pulled out of river by Dwalin and could see Gloin and Balin receiving them. Then small whimpers met his ears and he sighed with relief. Whimpers meant alive and conscious and at the moment that was all he could ask for. With that fact now in his mind he slowed down to a walk until a small sentence met his ears.

"U-uncle. I w-want m-my Uncle," Fili's voice broke Thorin and he quickly sped up his pace until he was at Balin and Gloin's side.

"P-please. I want Uncle Thorin," Kili spoke. Thorin turned to Gloin and Balin.

"Give me my nephews," he said. His tone was so serious Balin and Gloin hurriedly handed the boys to Thorin and stepped away. Thorin knelt down pulled Fili and Kili into a tight embrace. He could feel them shaking in his arms, their teeth chattering and sobs escaping their bodies. They were obvliously cold, but Thorin could feel their fear. They were scared.

"Shh little ones." Thorin said softly and he felt them relax slightly knowing whose arms they were in. "You're fine. It will be alright. I have you now. Nothing will hurt you now." He repeated over and over to the young dwarfs and he felt them slowly stop sobbing and letting out steady breaths. As felt them still shivering against him he pulled off his fur lined coat and wrapped it around the two of them.

"I'm so sorry Uncle," said Fili into Thorin's shoulder

"We just wanted to help and get Minty back. But when we got hold of her she pulled us into the river and we only just managed to get a hold on to a tree branch," said Kili shakily.

"You have nothing to be sorry for my boys. I'm just glad you are safe and in one piece," said Thorin pulling them closer still. "Don't do that to me again," he mumbled so only they could hear as he pressed their foreheads together. Slowly Thorin with his arms around Fili and Kili, along with the rest of the company made their way back to the cover of the trees where thankfully their possessions still lay on the ground. As Thorin grabbed his extra cloak and wrapped around his nephews he whispered to them "I love you little ones."

"We love you too, Uncle Thorin" they mumbled back tiredly.