A/N: Getting positive feedbacks make me want to dance all day. Thank you for the support!
This chapter is longer than others, for my intent was to expand the story more. A tad of excitement is waiting for you! :)
Disclaimer: I only own Fai and nothing more.
"No, you can't come in!" Fai screamed in agony. She was lying on the bathroom floor in an awkward position and couldn't get up. She was trying to wear her Lord Of The Rings t-shirt inside out just in case but lost balance before sticking her left arm out of the sleeve and fell. Two young dwarves waiting outside heard the noise and attempted to go in there, but she protested.
"Well, you can't get up by yourself, can you now?" Kili shouted from behind the door, shooting a silent grin at his brother. Fili was more gentle though, "All right, my lady, but one of us really have to get inside and help you up."
Shit, Fai thought, being awake for 10 minutes and already messing up. In the mean time she was struggling to pull her damn arm out, but it was bent from her elbow which made impossible to move it, leaving her with a wrist got stuck in the sleeve. And somehow, she managed to make it worst by knocking over the bucket with her leg while floundering on the floor. She was soaking wet now, wonderful.
The little scream she let slipped made Kili lost his patience. "I'm coming in, you better not be naked." Mischievously winking at his brother, he opened the door and got in.
Of course you had to be the one to see me like this. Perfect. "Close the door behind you, I'm embarrassed enough." Fai grumbled, without looking at him. Kili did as he told and kneeled beside her quickly. He then supported her back with his arm and made her sit.
"Are you alright? Did you hit your head again?" He asked, trying to make eye contact while all he saw was lots and lots of golden hair in every direction.
"No, not this time but- can you.. Help me with my hair first? Since I've got one arm stuck in my sleeve and you know, the other one.." She couldn't move the other arm because of their position of Kili kind of hugging her to keep her back supported. Young dwarf kept hugging her with one arm and gently pulled the hair from her face.
She forgot about the humiliating stucked arm situation for a second and blown away by his touch. Did everything not to blush this time, since her face was fully exposed and there was nowhere to hide, and looked him in the eye for the first time. That was when Kili noticed she had grey eyes.
"Uhm, now my arm, please?" said Fai, when he paused for a moment. A silent and suddenly quickened Kili held her hand from the wist and gently freed it from the shirt.
"Thank you."
"We have to find you new clothes, tho. These are all soaked. And apparently I have to dry my cloak as well." he said smiling.
So the cloak she had slept under was his. She couldn't believe it, one moment she was in another world trying to study somehow, and in the other she was under a cloak that belonged to the most-charming-dwarf-ever.
After wearing some clothes they had fixed her, and sneakily getting rid of her favorite t-shirt forever for the sake of her staying, she nervously settled in front of the fireplace. No one tried to talked to her, the dwarves were too distracted by the food and Gandalf was not around. They must be thinking of her as a passerby, as a local of the Middle-Earth, for that matter. They weren't thinking that something had to be done about her, so she was welcomed and her presence didn't seem weird to them. She would getter better by the morning lights, and just like that, she would leave. If only they'd known..
Considering she knew how that was all going to go, Thorin must have been on his way and there was no way he'd accept her to the company. In fact, even if he did, she didn't know if she'd fit in.
It was no longer books and movies anymore, she has never swung a sword before, nor she ever shot an arrow. There were real creatures out there. There was real trouble coming their way. And she knew it all.
The thing is, she really knew it all. In a moment of pure enlightenment, she bounced in her seat.
"Where's Gandalf?" she then cried in utter panic. Even though they hadn't been introduced properly, Balin kindly looked at her and answered. "The Wizards's outside, smoking his pipe."
Fili and Kili were both looking at her questioningly. Not wanting to alarm anybody, she asked for their help with her eyes. And seconds later she found herself wrapped in his cloak again. They were walking towards the door, her arm wrapped around his shoulder and him supporting her by the waist. "Is everything alright, did you remember something?"
"I just need some air. Take me to Gandalf."
She found Gandalf on the sofa, blowing the smoke out in very detailed shapes. There was a beautiful moon, and he seemed rather calm. But then again, who could say what was on a wizard's mind? He turned his head and looked at them when Kili seated her beside the Wizard gently and left his cloak on her. He greeted Gandalf with a little smile and bowed his head, before quietly heading back inside.
Fai was freaking out. She knew Gandalf from the books. But she was never in the books and that upcoming conversation had never written before. So she didn't know how he would react, she wasn't even sure whether she should tell him or not. But apparently she was short on other choices and that was the only thing she could do in order to survive. Although, how could you tell someone that you've been reading their past, their present and their future your entire life, and you know exactly what's going to happen. More importantly, would anyone believe you?
Living in a world where you know everyone and their stories, their ancestors, their deaths, even.. She could happily pass out again, but Thorin might have come any moment, and Shire was the safest place that she could talk about this nonsense.
"We need to talk, Gandalf." she said, as if they've known each other for life. Gandalf's eyes fixated to her, curious, yet somehow knowing some important stuff was coming his way.
"I really don't know how to say it, so I'm going to say it as it is. I know everything."
Apparently, Gandalf was highly amused by her bold statement. "That's quite modest of you, don't you think you little lovely lady?" he said in utter joy.
She was having a moment with Gandalf and hadn't got the time to embrace it, swearing to the way her luck works, she tried to break it down to him once more.
"I know everything about you, and Middle-Earth, and the reason why this house is filled with dwarves tonight. I even know what will happen a hundred years later from now. I know the fate of everyone in that room, Gandalf, you have to listen and I can prove it."
The wizard was looking troubled now. Someone else might've been burst into laughter by now, but he was no ordinary person. The things she said seemed truly overblown, yet, he was a Wizard and lived long enough to learn not to prejudice. He straightened his back and looked directly into Fai's light grey eyes.
"This definitely makes our night a tad more complicated than it already is.. Why don't you reveal your mystery, for I have seen many more of it to this day. Maybe we can figure it out."
It was the reaction Fai couldn't dare to hope for. She suddenly felt calmer. Holding on to Kili's cloak tighter, she told the tale of her arrival, intentionally leaving out the part with fan-fictions and her splendiferous crush with one certain dwarf.
"...and then you've found me, and brought me here. I still think this could be a dream, but that option rapidly fades away each second." she finished and looked the wizard in the eye.
"Tell me about this Tolkien fellow." Gandalf required. It surprised her that he was talking normally and asking about Tolkien like she just didn't tell him something that could be one of the weirdest tales ever. "Is he a wizard as well?"
For the first time that night, she didn't try to contain herself and start giggling. "By your definition, no. But in where I'm from, he really is like a wizard to us. I mean, he basically created a world, different races, countless languages and- and now- I'm not sure if he created them from scratch."
Gandalf took a deep drag from his pipe and eyed her intensely, as if he was trying to read her mind. She tried to remember if she'd ever read such thing in the books. Could he really? She wished for it to be true, for he'd know she's saying the truth then.
"Maybe 'your proof' can help us. Are you willing to tell?" he said, while blowing a huge smoke-castle out of his mouth. She knew exactly what to do, but it took a couple of minutes to remember the exact words.
"When your last guest comes in that door tonight, his first words are going to be, 'Gandalf. I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice. Wouldn't have found it at all had it not been for that mark on the door.' " Fai recited, hoping she had remembered it right for the perfect impact.
"This is a decent pledge. However, don't be offended if I have Oin checking up your head one more time for any injuries from the fall." he said, and it was ambiguous whether he's joking or not.
"You look tiny dear, trust me, you have to eat." Fili insisted. He was trying to make her hold a huge plate filled with food enough for 5 people.
"Oh, please, if you knew me then you'd know I'm the last girl one Middle-Earth who could be considered a lady. Just, call me Fai." she said smiling, the braids in Fili's beard were looking even more beautiful when this close.
"And there is wine also." interrupted Kili, throwing himself next to her in the chouch, without even spilling a drop. "Oh, that I can accept." Fai said, holding the cup from he handed and took a huge sip. It wasn't that unbelievable to be in Shire anymore, however, being surrounded by dwarves, especially the dark haired one on her right was really a challenge. When his fingers brushed hers while handing her the wine cup, she felt her cheeks reddened. Somebody should really had to get a grip on this blushing thing.
"So what will happen to the lass, if she never remembers anything?" she heard Bofur asking at the dinner table. Pretended as if she didn't hear, and took another sip of wine, this time even bigger. She also saw Fili and Kili exchanging glances. Glance all you want, but I won't be left behind, that Thorin thing must prove Gandalf right and he'll figure out what to do. I won't watch them leave in the morning. I'll stalk them if i have to.
"I think you should get some sleep, no- The time you've spent passed out doesn't count as sleeping." said Kili, taking the wine cup from her hands and slightly touching her fingers again. Dark circles were appearing under her eyes, and she was looking pale.
"I think I'm not the one you should worry about, look at this little fellow there, your friends should give him a rest.." said Fai with a smile. Her eyes followed Bilbo in the room, he was bouncing around like a mad person. Oh, you lovely man, you've got a lot to encounter. Little hobbit was storming around and a confused, shy Ori was tailing him with a plate in his hand.
"Excuse me. I'm sorry to interrupt, but what should I do with my plate?" said the dwarf oh-so-naively that made her want to hug him. Before he could finish the sentence, Fili stood up and took it from his hands.
"Here you go, Ori, give it to me."
When she saw Kili standing in front of the kitchen door, she thought he actually teleported himself. Fili threw the plate like a frisbee and Kili caught it. He immediately passed it on to Bifur, and he caught it without even looking. It was cooler than the movie's. In no time, almost all the tableware Bilbo owns was in the air, flying around in different directions.
She heard Bofur having fun with Bilbo about the knives and Kili started the song. She still couldn't believe she was there.
"Blunt the knives and bend the forks!
Smash the bottles and burn the corks!
Chip the glasses and crack the plates!
That's what Bilbo Baggins hates
Cut the cloth and trail the fat!
Leave the bones on the bedroom mat!
Pour the milk on the pantry floor!
Splash the wine on every door!
Dump the crocks in a boiling bowl;
Pound them up with a thumping pole;
And when you've finished, if they are whole,
Send them down the hall to roll!
That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!"
Bombur was eating the remaining crumbles in the plates while Bofur played the clarinet, even Oin was singing along using his ear trumpet. Balin was almost the best thought, making plates jump back to the kitchen, with another plate in his hand. And his expression was just priceless. Fai couldn't see the rest for not being able to look away from Kili.
The song ended and she stopped breathing immediately.
Three resonant knocks heard, as she expected.
Gandalf locked eyes with her and revealed the obvious.
"He's here."
In a moment, everyone was at the door, even Fai, leaned against Kili. And Bilbo opened the door. She was trying brutally to hold herself together. Thorin Oakenshield was standing there, looking weary, yet solemn.
"Gandalf," he said, "I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice. Wouldn't have found it at all had it not been for that mark on the door."
Gandalf looked at Fai and she had neither seen nor read about that kind of a glance till that very moment.
E.N: This is a long one, hope I didn't make any mistakes. Feel free the review, they are encouraging me to keep going. :) enjoy!
