So, here I go with another chapter. Thanks to those who follows this story, and I hope I'll recieve more reviews for this chapter, than the last.

Chapter 2

"Now we need some music", Thorin said as he sat down in Bilbo's comfortable armchair. "Get the instruments!"

Dori and Ori hurried out of the room, and soon they came back with a huge sack. Out of the sack they first dragged two small fiddles with bows. They gave them to Kili and Fili who sat down to check if they were right tuned. The next instrument up was a drum which was given to Bombur, while Bifur and Bofur each got their clarinet. Balin and Dwalin had each their viola, and Thorin was handed a beautiful harp. Nori, Dori and Ori found each their small flute which they had hidden in some pockets in their tunics.

All I could hear at first, was many different melodies, but then they became silent and everybody turned to Thorin. I curled up in the sofa, between Kili and Fili. It was then the first tone came. My attention turned to Thorin and his harp. All I could hear at first, was his harp, but then Kili and Fili joined in with their violins. Then followed Bombur, Bifur and Bofur, and soon also Nori, Dori and Ori. The living room was filled with a slow, tearful melody, and the dwarves deep voices. I closed my eyes and had to force back the tears.

"Far over, the misty mountains cold,

To dungeons deep and caverns old.

We must away, ere break of day,

To seek our pale enchanted gold.

The dwarves of yore made mighty spells,

While hammers fell like ringing bells.

In places deep, where dark things sleep,

In hallow halls beneath the fills."

They continued singing - verse after verse - until I lost the count on time. I only vague registered Bilbo who sat close to the door with a small cup in his hands. I closed my eyes. The melody enchanted me and took me to places I had never been before. I felt the dwarves grief as if it was my own. How it hurt them to be torn away from all they loved, and how they missed it so dearly. I opened my eyes. Tears ran down my cheeks. The melody had stopped, and first I wondered what they were doing. Then I realized that they were all watching Bilbo who had rose.

"And where are you going?" Thorin asked in a tone which told that he had guessed what Bilbo thought, even if I hadn't.

"Shouldn't we... get some light?" Bilbo inquired. His voice was thin and he sounded really scared.

"But we like the darkness", most of the dwarves replied. "The darkness is good when we're going to talk about dark things. It's still long 'til dawn."

"Yes, of course", Bilbo replied and fell down on his small chair again. He, however, missed it and ended up on the floor. I felt sorry for him, and quickly dried my tears before any of the others registered it.

"Silence", Gandalf said. "Let Thorin speak." Thorin put aside the harp and rose.

"Dear Gandalf, all you dwarves, Mr. Baggins and Ms. Baggins! We're gathered here in the house of our friend and conspirator, this glorious and brave hobbit – must the fur on his feet never fall off! And all honour to the wine and the beer he have given us!" He took a small break and glanced over at Bilbo, as if to see if there was something he wanted to say. By myself, I thought it was a bit hard to say 'he have given us', because the dwarves had literally emptied the pantries by themselves, meaning they had taken the wine and the beer by themselves too.

It looked as if there was nothing Bilbo wanted to say, so Thorin continued: "We're gathered here to discuss our plans, methods and tricks. Before dawn, we shall begin our journey which some of us – maybe all, except from our clever wizard, Gandalf – may never return from. This is a solemn moment. I guess that our measure is known to all of you, but it might be that our highly esteemed Mr. Baggins and maybe a few of our younger companions, like Kili and Fili, will get use of knowing how the situation is by now..."

That was his way to talk. In a few seconds it bothered me a bit that he hadn't mentioned something about me going with, but then I pushed the thought aside and glanced over at Bilbo instead. That poor hobbit was sitting there, trembling and totally pale. I frowned. A whimper escaped Bilbo, something that made all the dwarves including Gandalf jump.

"Bilbo!" I exclaimed, just as he fell over. I rushed over to him and knelt beside him. Quickly I searched for any sign of life. I felt a bit stupid when I found that he had only fainted.

None of the dwarves said anything as they carried Bilbo into the sitting-room, and left me there with him. I glanced after their backs as they returned to the living room and their dark discussion.

"It's quite easy to bring him out of balance", I heard Gandalf say. "He can get some strange attacks, but he is a nice guy, a really nice guy. He can be as angry as a dragon at a pinch."

I had read enough stories to understand that Gandalf exaggerated quite a lot, 'cause I had never seen Bilbo that angry. Beside me, the 'dragon' had began to awake. I quickly went searching fore something he could drink. On my way back to Bilbo, I stopped to hear what the dwarves were saying.

"Do you really think he'll be useful?" I heard Gloin ask with doubt in his voice. "It's good that Gandalf says that he's a brave hobbit, but when the time comes, will one whimper like that be enough to wake the dragon and his whole family, and then we'll get eaten, all of us. If it hadn't been for the mark on the door, I could swear that we'd came to the wrong house. As soon as I saw him standing there on the doormat, tripping, I began to wonder. He looks more like some village shopkeeper than a burglar."

"Not good", I muttered to myself and hurried over to the room where Bilbo was. Unfortunately, I was a bit too late to stop him, and he crossed the corridor and entered the living room again. With a sigh I placed the glass on a small table and rushed after him. The dwarves hadn't spotted us yet.

"You know", Bofur said, "even the girl have more courage than Mr. Baggins."

"You said it", Dwalin chuckled and turned to Thorin. "Maybe we should take her instead?" Before Thorin got to answer, Bilbo cleared his throat. I tried to make myself smaller than I was, standing there behind Bilbo. He had got the whole rooms attention. I couldn't understand what was going on with him.

"You'll have to excuse me, but I can't pretend not hearing what you just talked about. I won't pretend to understand what you were talking about, but I think I'm right in understanding that you don't think I'll be useful in such things. Just wait! I have no mark on my door. It was new painted one week ago, and I'm sure you've came to the wrong house. As soon as I spotted your faces outside my door, I got suspicious. But please, behave as if there really was a mark on my door. Just tell me what you want done, and I'll do it, even if I have to go from the east side of the sun, to the west side of the moon, and fight some beast in the wilderness. I once had a great-great-great-greatgrandfather-uncle, and his name was-"

"Yes, but that was long ago", Gloin interrupted. "I'm talking about you. I can tell you that there is a mark on your door – a mark which is quite normal in our trade, or it was: Burglar searching for job, a lot of excitement and good paying – like that it could be said – or you could say treasure hunter instead of burglar, if you like that better. There are a lot who likes it better, but to us it's the same. Gandalf told us that there was a man like that searching for a job here, and that he would begin right off, and that he had a meeting here Wednesday by dinnertime."

"Of course there is a mark on the door", said Gandalf. "I made it myself, and with a good reason. You asked me to find the fourteenth companion in this expedition. I chose Mr. Baggins. Don't come and tell me that I've chosen the wrong man and the wrong house, 'cause then you can stay with thirteen and have all the bad luck you want, or you can go home and continue with your work there." He stared at Gloin, who made himself as small as possible. Bilbo opened his mouth to say something, but then Gandalf turned his face to him and stared out from under bushy, white eyebrows. Bilbo closed his mouth.

"Can I... say something?" I whispered. My eyes moved to Thorin, 'cause I knew Gandalf wouldn't allow me to. Thorin nodded, and I took a deep breath before I said it. "If Bilbo won't go, then I can go instead of him."

My eyes flickered from Thorin to Kili. He gave me a smile and thumbs up. I felt a bit braver. Then my eyes moved back to Thorin who frowned at me. "This is going to be dangerous, so I can't take with a woman who can't protect herself, and I don't think any of the others want you as a burden."

"But I want to go with!" I had no idea about where I got the courage to say that from, it only came.

"This is no trip for small, pretty women", Thorin replied in a hard tone.

"I can fight!" I clenched my fists. For a few seconds Thorin was silent.

"How can I know that you're telling the truth?"

"Uncle", Kili suddenly interrupted. "I and Fili can do it."

"Do what?" Thorin questioned annoyed.

"We can protect her. To us she won't be a burden." Thorin stared at the two youngest of the dwarves.

"Then let it be so. Welcome to our company, Rosie Baggins." Then he turned back to Gandalf. "But I won't take her all the way. I'll leave her in Esgaroth, so we still need Mr. Baggins."

I sighed and closed my eyes in some seconds. When I opened them again, Kili caught my gaze. He smiled and moved a bit so there became enough space for me to sit between him and Fili. I quickly glanced over at Gandalf, and then at Thorin. They were both silent, watching me carefully. I bit my lower lip, and then I hurried over to the other side of the room and sank down between Kili and Fili. I could feel Thorin's eyes darting between me, Fili and Kili. Everything was silent.

"So", said Gandalf. "Let's now move on to other things. I was the one choosing Mr. Baggins, and more there isn't to be said about that. If he says he's a burglar, then do he is, or he'll become it when the time is right. There is more about him than you know, and a lot more than he know by himself. It might be that one day you'll thank me. Well, dear Bilbo, get the lamp so we can get a better look at this."

As Bilbo went to get the lamp, and the old wizard found a piece of parchment, I got the feeling that they already had forgotten about me.

"This, Thorin, was made by your grandfather Thror", Gandalf answered on some excited questions. "This is a plan view of the Mountain."

"I don't understand how this can help us", Thorin said disappointed when he had glanced quickly over at the map. "I do remember the Mountain and the landscape around it. I know where Mirkwood is, and where the huge dragons breed."

"There's drawn a red dragon on the Mountain", Balin informed us – something which was totally unnecessary. "But I guess it won't be hard to find him, even without this – if we ever get so far."

"There is a place on the map you haven't seen", Gandalf interrupted something which could've been a depressing conversation. "There is a secret entrance. Can you see the rune on the west side, and the hand which is pointing at that exact rune? It's a mark for the hidden door to the corridors which leads to the underground halls."

"There might have been a secret entrance once", Thorin said, and I wondered if he wanted to be the pessimist of the company, or if he really wanted to reclaim his kingdom, "but we don't know for sure if it's secret any longer. Old Smaug have lived there so long that he for sure have found out everything about the cave."

"Well, it's quite sure that he's done that. But, he can't have used it for ages."

"Why not?"

"Because it's too small. The runes tells that it is half meter high in the entrance, and that three dwarves can go side by side in, so it's impossible that Smaug has crawled through a corridor in that size", Gandalf replied, and I had to remind myself that I wasn't allowed to go with them so far. In fact, there was no need for me to stay in the living room any longer. "Not even when he was only a small dragon, and at least not when he eat so many dwarves and humans from Esgaroth."

"It sounds huge", Bilbo piped. I sighed. This would be a tiresome discussion, especially when I had guessed most of it already. Therefore I rose from my place and made my way through the dwarf-filled room. There were other, more useful things I could do.

"Where are you going?" Fili asked after me. I turned with my hands on my hips and glanced at him and Kili. They were both looking in my direction.

"There are a few other things I would prefer to do, instead of sitting here. I'm, after all, not going with you any longer than Esgaroth." I turned to Bilbo. "If there is something you need, I'll be in my room." Then I exited the living room and hurried toward my own room.

It was a relief to let myself fall down on the bed, close my eyes and take a deep breath of air somebody else hadn't breathed out a few seconds earlier.

I must had fallen asleep for a while, 'cause when I opened my eyes, everything was silent and there was no light coming from any of the rooms. I sat up and shivered. The window to my own room had been open, and the night air was cold when it bit my naked shoulders.

I rose and went out of the room. I could hear the dwarves sleeping in different rooms along my way to the exit door, and I counted thirteen. When I passed the living room, I peered in and spotted Kili sleeping on the sofa. I frowned when I saw that he had nothing (like a pillow) under his head, and that he had nothing to cover up with. Then I felt my face soften and I walked over to him, took a pillow from a nearby chair and gently lifted his head to put the pillow under. I had expected his hair to be rough, nearly like the fur of a goat, but to my surprise it was soft. A small smile made it's way onto my face when my eyes moved to the dwarf's sleeping face. Then I quickly glanced around to find something to cover him with. I decided that the dark green blanket had to be okay, so I took it and carefully put it over him.

I smiled and watched his face. He and Fili were nearly like some kind of brothers, even if I hadn't known them for long. Suddenly I jumped when I realized that Kili's eyes were open, and that he was watching me carefully. I felt myself blush and turned my gaze down. "I'm sorry", I muttered before I rushed out of the room. I heard him sit up, just as I exited the house. I felt ashamed. I had been staring at a man I nearly didn't know. What was wrong with me.

I sank down on the bench and put my face in my hands. I swallowed when I heard footsteps coming toward me. Then someone sat down beside me.

"Rosie?" The soft question nearly made me cry. The way my name was said, as if it was the most precious thing in the world. It felt as if my heart was about to burst out of my chest and disappear down the road.

I removed my hands from my face and rubbed my shoulders instead. A warm blanket was put around my shoulders. My head snapped up and I stared surprised at Kili. He smiled and his dark brown eyes twinkled. A small smile appeared on my face. "That's better", he said, still with that smile. "No reason to look sad or embarrassed. We're friends, right?"

"I think so", I replied and pulled the blanket closer around myself. It was warm after it had covered Kili. For a while we only sat in silence. "Why-"

"Do you-" We glanced at each other and I blushed. "You first", Kili quickly said to cover the embarrassed moment.

"Why did you say that you would protect me?" I whispered, still blushing. He glanced surprised at me.

"I thought you wanted to come with", he said and sounded a bit hurt.

"Yes!" I exclaimed, already feeling a bit guilty for making him feeling hurt. "It's just that it really surprised me that you, of all persons said that you would protect me during the journey."

"What do you mean about 'you, of all persons'?" Kili asked with a frown. I bit my lower lip. That was the reason why I nearly never said anything. I always ended up with making other persons angry or feeling hurt. For some seconds I thought about it.

"Please, excuse me for saying this, but you look... mischievous..." I didn't dare to look up at him, afraid that I would see a hurt and pained expression.

"So you think I look mischievous", he said after a while. "Maybe there's a reason for it." When he said that, my head snapped up. His eyes were twinkling, nearly like the stars above us. I began to wonder if he was planning on something. But before I got to ask him, he grabbed me, turned me over on my back and began to tickle me. First I was too shocked to do anything else than try and stifle my laugh, but then I tried to fight him.

After a few seconds we both fell off the bench, each of us trying to hold the other down.

"What's going on here?" a voice asked. Kili clasped his hand over my mouth and made me lay still on the ground. "Kili?" Beside me, Kili sighed as he recognized Fili's voice. Kili rose and helped me up.

"You know", he said and turned to Fili. "For a second I thought you were uncle Thorin." In response, Fili snorted and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"So..." His eyes darted between me and Kili. "What were you two actually doing?"

"He attacked me", I said. Kili's eyes were wide and surprised as he glanced at me. I grinned. "Yes, you began to tickle me without warning. You attacked me." Then Kili too grinned. Fili shook his head, but he smiled.

"Let's go inside. The other's will be up soon, so maybe we should prepare some breakfast", the oldest of the siblings suggested. I nodded. "And Rosie", Fili grinned, "welcome to the family." I froze as Kili laughed and followed his brother. Then I ran up behind them with the blanket around my shoulders.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Only that you're already as good as a younger sister to both me and Kili", Fili replied. It made me laugh.

"Nice to know brothers", I said. Kili laughed again. Then he dragged me in between himself and Fili. "Siblings in everything but blood?"

"Right", Kili and Fili replied when we entered the house. I sighed and dried away the grin which was on my face, before I went to the pantries to see if there was something there to eat. To my surprise, they were all filled.

"Kili, Fili?" I asked. "Weren't these totally empty yesterday?" They appeared behind me and glanced into one of the pantries. They both grinned, just as before. Then I shook my head. "I don't think I want to know how they got filled. Let's just prepare the breakfast." I turned and went toward the kitchen we had used the day before. "Could you bring some food?"

As they began to bring in the food (not without making jokes), I began to put plates on the table. I decided it would be best if I put something aside so Bilbo would have something left when he awoke (whenever that would be). Slowly the kitchen got filled with tired dwarves, but after something refreshing they were a lot more awake. They even began to make jokes around the table.

"Okay", Thorin said and rose from the table. Everyone became silent, and I turned to look at him. "If everyone's finished, then we should get going." He took up a letter and reached it to me. "Make sure Mr. Baggins gets this. Prepare yourself for a long journey, and remember; I've warned you. You can still turn around if you want." His eyes were hard and cool when they met my brown eyes. I bowed my head. Why didn't he want me to come with? Then I nodded and took the letter.

"I-I... I will think about it again, and I'll make sure Bilbo gets the letter." I swallowed. I could feel Kili and Fili's eyes on me as I rushed out of the kitchen. I put the letter into a small pocket in the apron. My hands were shivering. I rushed to the living room where I fell down at the sofa. I pressed my hands over my chest. The pain felt much stronger, and it was then I realized that when Kili and Fili came into my and Bilbo's house the pain hadn't been so strong. It was as if it had weakened in their presence, and now when I had distanced myself from them, the pain became stronger again.

I suppressed a sob. For a while I only sat there. Then I rose and went to the door. Without really thinking about it, I quickly glanced over to the hooks where the coats and cloaks were. I was about to continue into the kitchen when I froze. I turned back to the hooks. They were empty, and the weapons were gone. My eyes widened and I felt the pain grow inside me. I ran to the door and pushed it up. As shadows in the early morning I spotted the last dwarves disappear down the road. They had left without even a good bye.

At the same time...

"Why did uncle Thorin act so cold towards her?" Kili whispered to Fili as they hurried after the rest of the company.

"I don't know..." Fili replied. Kili glanced back at the hobbit hole. His expression was hurt and sad. "Look where you put your feet." Fili grabbed his upper arm and stopped him from tripping.

"Sorry", Kili muttered. They continued in silence for a while. "Even if I didn't get to know her properly, she was like a sister to me."

"Me too", Fili said with a small nod. They were totally silent, and the other dwarves weren't sure how to react at this.

"What's wrong, laddies?" Bofur finally asked. The company stopped and Kili and Fili got everyone's attention. Kili glanced away, but they could see his hurt expression. Fili's eyes met Thorin's, and in those brown eyes Thorin could read what bothered the two youngest. Thorin turned away. He didn't know it would hurt them so much. He didn't even know that they had became so good friends with the girl.

"Maybe we should tell them", Fili told Kili. Instead of answering properly, Kili folded his arms. "I can tell them if you don't want to." Kili didn't answer this time either. Fili turned to the rest of the company who by then had became really curious about what was wrong with the two siblings, and especially the youngest of them. "It's about Ro-"

"Don't..." Everybody, included Fili, turned to Kili. He had closed his eyes, but they could see that his lower lips was slightly trembling. "Don't tell them."

"Kili?" Fili asked soft. Kili took a deep breath and shook his head.

"Let's continue."

Back in the Bag End...

I tried not to feel the pain as I washed the plates after the dwarves breakfast. I could feel the tears prickle in my eyes again. It didn't matter. No one would see them. Bilbo was still asleep, Gandalf sat in the living room, humming and smoking on his long pipe, and the dwarves... they wouldn't return. They were gone, and I had made my choice. I would never see Kili and Fili again. Siblings in everything but blood. The words rang inside my head. Tears ran down my cheeks.

I heard Bilbo's steps in the corridor. "Are they gone?" he asked. I kept my back to him and nodded. It felt as if my chest was on fire. Everything hurt, but most of all my heart. My hands trembled as I went to wash the table. I heard Bilbo and Gandalf talking in the living room. Just then I tripped. There was nothing to trip over, I just tripped. With an exclaim I fell. My chest had to be on fire.

"Rosie!" Bilbo sounded distanced, and I couldn't see neither him nor Gandalf. In my mind, there were only space for two faces. One of them had long, golden hair and brown eyes, and the other had long, dark brown hair and dark brown chocolate eyes. If I hadn't had that pain in my chest, my heart would probably have skipped a beat. Brothers, I thought.

I didn't hear what happened around me. My arms and legs wouldn't move. All I could do, was repeat two names, and one of them was more important than the other. Kili. Brother. Soul mate.

So, what do you think about this? I hope you hae enjoyed. Now I have a few things to say.

1. I'm not going to upload anything for about two weeks, since I'm going away, and I don't think I'll get internet.

2. I won't upload again UNLESS I get at least three more reviews. I really appriciate them, and even if I have a few followers, I want to know what you think about it. Therefore, please R&R.