They had been on the island for a week, and still, they found nothing. It was beginning to trouble her immensely. If the dwarves had done it for a living, they should have known the ropes, so why had they not found a single piece of fruit? Why had Thorin never accompanied the search party? Why did she have such a strange feeling in her stomach?

She passed him once, his face was contorted in frustration and his eyes were red. She wondered what could have happened to cause such a circumstance.

"Thorin," she started before he could walk too far from her. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, it's nothing." He said over his shoulder before continuing on his way to meet with Balin.

Regardless of what was said, Belle could not help the sinking feeling she carried.

The captain of The Company was not in a good mood.

Several factors contributed to this, stress, confusion, and fear.

He worried that perhaps his map was wrong after all. What if the Arkenstone, as well as the treasure, was not there? What if they couldn't keep up the lie?

What if all of this was for waste?

At that thought he angrily hacked through another branch, sending it to the forest floor. He had sent all but Gandalf, himself, Fili and Balin to scout for fruit, while they followed the map again, going through the same route again, and hoping that they would discover that they had missed something, that the treasure was there and that there was a purpose in going on the journey.

"Thorin, I have a question." Gandalf called as he gingerly stepped over a fallen tree branch. "Do you have any idea of who stole the stone in the first place?"

"An orc." He said curtly, pushing his way further in. Balin and Fili brought up the rear in silence.

"And uh, how do you know this?"

"Well," he turned, "Who else would be dull enough to steal from us dwarves?"

"They could not have been too dull, after all they did manage to break in and steal the stone."

"If it was a human, an elf or Mahal forbid a dwarf, they were bought off. It was last in the hands of orcs," His voice was dry and tense. What was wrong with him?

"How can you be so sure?" he asked skeptically, "After all, how did you get the map?"

"I got it when Azog killed my family," he snapped, and since the wizard remained silent, he took a breath and continued. "I first saw the Arkenstone in Azog's hand as he held it up to mock my grandfather. I do not know how it got into the hands of orcs, but nevertheless orcs have it, or had it. I found the map clutched in the hand of one of the slain. I grabbed it on instinct. This is the only lead we have, so I suggest we follow it."

Gandalf was quiet for several moments before saying "If in fact the Arkenstone is on the island, then we shouldn't assume that nothing is here to guide it. Keep an eye out for orcs or goblins, or even traps."

Thorin shook his head. "As if you even needed to-"

His back hit the rocky wall of the mountain. He nearly brushed it off and kept going before he looked to his left.

"There's a cave here." He said, and then pulling out the map he saw that he was very near, if not at the checkpoint they had been trying to find."

"So there is," Gandalf said as he came to stand beside the dwarf. He then turned to the others, "Come, let us find your treasure."

"Keep looking!" Bofur shouted. "It should be around here anywhere."

"What does the fruit look like?" Belle asked, putting her hands on her knees.

Bofur paused, twirling his mustache between two fingers. "Well, it can come in any color really, and the shape varies, though… it's generally…"

"Round?" Dori offered.

"Round, yes." Bofur said, and all the dwarves nodded in agreement. She put a palm to her face. "That could be anything. Why haven't we seen it yet? This island isn't terribly large."

Bofur avoided eye contact, shrugging. "Perhaps we're at the wrong island. That's happened a few times."

"I thought you did this for a living?" she asked.

"We dwarves do many things for a living," Gloin added from a few yards away, "Though we're not always good at them."

She crossed her arms. By now she could tell, something was off. Something was lie, and it was going to unfold itself soon, she just knew it.

"Is that Fili?" ten heads turned to see the blonde dwarf sprinting towards them through the brush.

"What is it? Did something happen?" Dwalin asked.

Fili nodded, and through heavy breaths managed to get out, "Treasure. It's been found."

Cheers erupted from all dwarves as Fili began to lead them away. Belle lagged in the back, slightly concerned, but overall puzzled.

'It's been found.'

As if it was being looked for in the first place? Was that the true reason they were on the island? Was that why Thorin and Gandalf always traveled separately while they searched? Was that why no one had given her a definite answer? Could they really have been lying to her this whole time? She didn't want to believe it.

"What about the fruit?" she asked after them. A few turned, Dori being one. He grinned weakily and said, "We can get it tomorrow."

With that they all hiked back through the forest and to the beach, most of them chatting excitedly amongst themselves while Belle simply pondered her dilemma. She didn't want to believe that she had been lied to. After all- were these not the people that saved her life? They'd shown her excellent hospitality even though she had hurt them. Could it all have been a ruse?

The group was buzzing as they reached the beach to find that Thorin, Gandalf and Balin all kneeled around a single, dark wooden chest.

"What did you find?" Gloin asked, doing little to hide his excitement.

The captain slowly pulled the lid back to reveal a generous pile of gold, as well as a glimmering white stone. Several dwarves dropped to their knees in apparent reverence, a few moved closer to get a better look. Thorin simply held it in the air triumphantly, saying, "We have found the Arkenstone. We have found our birthright."

Several people broke out into smiles, others cheered and clapped each other on the back. Belle simply stood back, watching the commotion of it all. In the dwarves excitement they seemed to have forgotten their façade. Thorin's statement and their reactions to the stone was more than enough to confirm it to her.

And she thought they were fruit merchants.

"There seems to be a lot of gold in that chest," Gloin said, and Thorin nodded, smiling.

"You may split it amongst yourself. This gem is more than enough for me."

She watched as the gold was sorted into separate piles, and watched as Gloin inspected nearly each piece that came by him. An assortment of things were being pulled out, jewelry, trinkets or simply jewels. As Nori dug out a necklace and threw it into a pile, a single, gold ring was sent rolling away, across the sand and to her feet.

Now Belle was no thief. She had done some unrespectable things of course, but nothing that had been against the law. As she bent down to pick it up, feeling the satisfying weight of it in her hand, she couldn't help but rationalize taking it. After all, she had saved Thorin's life on one occasion- how much would anyone miss such a small and insignificant trinket?

She slipped in her pocket before her conscious could get to her. They had lied to her after all, she was no worse than them.

Except- what if they hadn't lied?

She cleared her throat. "So when will we be waking up tomorrow, you know, to look for the fruit?"

The group grew quiet, and her fears seemed to be confirmed.

"We've scoured the entire island," Nori said, "And we've nothing to show for it. Surely this gold will cover the costs?"

Thorin nodded. "It will. We will leave tomorrow morning."

From across the group she met the eyes of Gandalf, who seemed to be giving her a warning look.

"Nature is calling, I'm afraid." She said, though this time no one acknowledged her. With a sigh and a quick turn, she went to disappear into the trees. She walked for several yards. She was not as angry that they had lied to her as she was at herself for being so ignorant. She had thought that she could trust the dwarves, had hoped that she could. She thought that finally she had met those who she could call her friends.

She was wrong.

Breathing deeply, she closed her eyes. Of course, she would say nothing, and of course she would play along. She'd just have to put up with them for the next few weeks, and then she would be on her way. She only had to-

A large, rough hand pressed against her mouth, and another grabbed both of her wrists. She screamed, though the sound was muffled. An orc came from her left to tie her wrists together.

She continued to scream for several minutes.

No one heard.

"So," Thorin had just leaned back on his elbows, the Arkenstone sitting comfortably in his pocket. "Belle bought it?"

"I'd say so." Bofur said, "Though I think we should steer clear of the subject. She's seemed pretty suspicious lately.

Nori grunted. "The girl's been gone for twenty minutes now, and unless she's having some serious trouble-"

Gandalf stood abruptly.

"What is it?" Ori asked quietly.

Nori put his hands up. "It was a joke-"

"Thorin, you said that it is likely orcs took the stone."

The captain sat up. "I did. What of it?"

"That would mean that they were the ones who brought it to the island."

Thorin nodded, feeling the air around the group start to tense.

"But no one was guarding the cave, there were no traps set around or near it. It was almost…"

Fili looked up. "..too easy," he finished. "It's a trap."

A scream filled the air, a very feminine one that sounded quite like a hobbit they had been traveling with.

Thorin got to his feet, and cursing loudly, he drew his sword.

"We should try to make a run for it!"

"What about the gold?"

"What about Belle?"

Thorin's grip on his sword grew tighter as her screaming came nearer, and soon enough several orcs appeared from the forest, each carrying a specific weapon, though at that moment Azog carried Belle.

How Azog had gotten there, he did not know. Nor did he care. It was all he could do not to storm forward in rage.

The pale orc took the struggling hobbit and lifted her up by the collar of her shirt, laughing as she tried to release herself from his iron grip.

He spoke, and Gandalf translated.

"The Arkenstone for Belle." He said quietly. "If you do not choose, she will die."

His hand found the stone in his pocket, and he pulled it out. Everything seemed to freeze.

He had worked his entire life for this.

For the very thing he held in his hands.

Would he let it go for a simple hobbit? For someone who meant little to him?

Of course, Belle was a good friend of his, but… the Arkenstone…

It was the dwarves' birthright. It was his birthright.

"Thorin!" Belle shouted, trying to kick the orc behind her. "Help me!"

He felt his fist clench. "Let her go!" he shouted.

Azog laughed and moved his hand to instead hold her by the neck. Belle choked. Gandalf stepped forward, staff in hand, though he was soon made busy as orcs swarmed him. The dwarves did not move.

It was all he could hear. Every dwarf and orc was silent, the only thing that anyone could hear was the sound of her struggling to breathe.

"Thorin-" her voice was hoarse as she spoke through gasps. "Thorin, it's just a stone!"

His looked down at the Arkenstone. Was it that- though?

A shout erupted, and his eyes shot up to see that Fili was barreling towards the orc. He tackled Azog, though did little phase him. The orc however dropped Belle, who let out a few weak croaks before going quiet. It was only when the orc threw his nephew against a tree that the company began to react.

Fili yelped, and Thorin rushed forward, sword in hand as he made a move towards Azog. The orc deflected his blade easily, and with a grunt he switched tactics, and went on the defensive, waiting for Azog to be careless and leave himself open.

The camp was in a ruckus. By now an all-out battle had awoken, though the orcs only numbered in the twenties, they could easily be defeated.

Azog swung, and he dodged. He brought his sword around to catch the orc in the hip, and it did.

He growled and stepped back, and after his eyes scanned the camp, he met Thorin's gaze one last time before turning and sprinting off into the brush.

It was then that he realized the battle was over.

His sword fell from his hand, and he glanced around. Fili was currently being administered to by Oin, so his next priority was Belle.

He found her lying in the same spot she had been dropped, though now Bofur and Bifur leaned over her, each poking her shoulders and saying her name loudly.

Thorin kneeled at her side.

"Belle?"

"She's been injured quite badly." Bofur said, gesturing towards the deep red coloring on her neck that would surely leave a nasty bruise. "She's breathing though. At least the poor lass isn't dead."

Gandalf was soon beside them. "How is she?" Thorin could swear he had never heard the wizard's voice so tense.

"She'll probably be alright." Bofur said, and the wizard sighed in relief. Thorin made a move to pick her up, but a deep voice soon stopped him.

"Don't you dare- Thorin!" Gandalf said, and all eyes turned to see what had caused the ruckus.

He rubbed his eyes for a few minutes before saying, "There will likely be reinforcements. Get everyone back on the ship. Dori, you take Fili. Dwalin can take Belle."

The company quietly went about gathering the gold and taking the injured on board. Gandalf waited until most were too busy to notice him talking to Thorin.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" the taller of the two hissed.

Thorin felt his ears color in both anger and embarrassment. "I'm just trying to help!"

"Help?" the wizard laughed dryly. "Belle nearly died. Fili could have as well. You put the person you care the most about and a good friend of mine in mortal danger today, just because you were too busy looking at that rock!"

"It's not like that!" Thorin said, though in the back of his mind he knew, it was very much like that. "I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt."

"Well I'm sure!" Gandalf said. "But that's no excuse. It was your own self-centeredness that caused this."

He said nothing.

"Thorin..." Gandalf's voice was pleading now. "Do not become your grandfather. It's just a stone."

"I'm sorry for what I did."

The wizard began to walk towards the ship, and the captain followed.

"It is not I that you should be apologizing to."

"Belle."

She was not allowed to turn, Oin had forbidden her to while he examined her neck, seeing if there was anything that could be considered permanent damage.

"Yes?"

"It's Fili," the blonde dwarf pulled up a seat beside her.

She met his eyes; feeling awkward since she could not move her head. "Are you alright?"

"My head's hurting like little else," he admitted, "But I'll be fine."

"Thank goodness." She said.

A few moments of quiet passed before she added, "And thank you."

Fili's eyes drifted to the floor. "I should have stepped in earlier. Everyone should have. I don't know what had gotten into us… It's just that Thorin wasn't moving, and we always follow his orders…"

He shook his head. "There's no point in making excuses now. Just know that I'm sorry for not helping you earlier. I think that we all are."

"I forgive you," she said quietly. "Though it was a terrible thing to do. I was afraid that you all would let me die."

He said nothing, and she released a heavy sigh, causing Oin to grunt beside her.

"It's alright, Fili." She said, "I'm just confused is all. I don't understand why you all did what you did."

The dwarf rubbed the bandage that was tied around his forehead.

"I don't understand either, and that scares me."

Thorin could not sleep that night.

He knew that he had to apologize to Fili and Belle, but both were being ordered to sleep by Oin, which gave him very little chance to do it that night. He vowed that the first thing he would do when he woke up was find them both and apologize.

However, in order to wake up, he first had to be asleep.

It was partially guilt over his mistakes that day that kept him up.

It was also curiosity.

The Arkenstone was sitting in a safe just across his cabin. Surely it wouldn't hurt to just look at it? To watch as the white glittered against the dark backdrop of his room?

He turned over on his side.

"It's just a stone."

The phrase was repeated in his head each time he thought of it. Thorin knew that above all else, he could not risk turning mad. He could not become what he grandfather had been. It wasn't worth it.

He would hide the stone away, he decided. He'd have Balin put it on the ship somewhere he could not find it. He would keep it in the back of his mind, but only there. He would not touch it, he would not speak of it unless someone brought it up. He couldn't risk his sanity for a stone.

"It's just a stone."

She had screamed that, he remembered. She thought that he would not save her. She feared that he would choose the stone over her.

Would he?

He didn't want to dwell on that. His own selfishness had nearly caused her death and had hurt Fili. He had made mistakes that day. Many.

Thorin stood and lazily put on boots. He could not sleep. He might as well take the nightshift. He moved quietly as he left his cabin and ascended the stairs to find Bifur, who stood fast by the wheel, not at all phased by his apparent lack of sleep.

"I can relieve you..." he offered, though trailed off as Bifur pointed at something in the distance. He turned his head and peered across the ship to see Belle, who currently stood in the life boat she was trying to lower off of the ship.

His heart dropped, and he was soon running down the stairs and across the deck. She looked up at the sound of his footsteps, and immediately began to move faster, though Thorin was quick to put a hand on the rope and stall her descent.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" she shot back, giving a harsh tug on the rope, though it was no use. He had a strong grip on it.

"Belle… You wouldn't survive a week on your own out there."

Her grey eyes looked away from his blue ones. "I'll be damned if I don't try."

"Why are you leaving?" he breathed and he wondered if she hadn't heard him. She did.

"Because you lied to me!" She hissed, whirling around to face him. "You did, didn't you? There was no fruit on that island. You weren't there for it. You came for your treasure and didn't give a moment's thought to anyone else's wellbeing. Because of you I almost died, Fili very well could have."

He stepped back. So she had figured things out after all?

"Please, climb back aboard." He said quietly. "I'll tell you everything."

She scoffed and began to look through her supplies on the boat, presumably finding something to cut the rope with.

"Belle-" his tone was hurried now. "You'll die out there; and despite my actions today, I really don't want that."

Continuing on, she pointedly stared out at the sea, ignoring his words.

"I'm sorry Belle. What I did today was disgusting. I'm sorry."

She sighed and bowed her head.

With that Thorin pulled the boat back up, and as she boarded the ship he said, "We didn't go to the island to get fruit."

"I gathered that much." She said, avoiding his eyes.

"We came to find treasure, and more importantly, the Arkenstone, which is the birthright of my people."

She looked up at him, eyebrows raised. "That's not a terrible thing though! You could have told me that from the start. Why didn't you?"

He paused, and she continued.

"You didn't trust me to not tell anyone. You didn't trust me to not try and take it for myself. Is that what it was?"

Thorin nodded. "Yes."

Belle sighed. "Well I suppose that makes sense."

As she turned back to face the sea, he spoke up.

"Do you still wish to leave?"

"I may have been acting dramatic," she admitted. "I know I can't survive out there."

He nodded, feeling a rush of relief.

"Thorin…" she started, "Don't misunderstand, I'm not angry. Well- I am- but that's beside the point. When Azog was choking me, why didn't you help me? Why didn't anyone step forward?"

"I cannot speak for the others," he said, choosing his words slowly and cautiously. "Though they may have just been following my lead. The Arkenstone had to be protected. It is everything to us."

Belle laughed, though there was no mirth in it. "Oh, alright then. Goodnight."

She moved to go, but Thorin's hand shot out to grab her shoulder. "Belle, wait."

Turning back around, she gave him a questioning look. Thorin however, forgot what he was going to say next, because already the bruises around her neck were becoming visible. They would surely be prominent for a few weeks at least.

Seemingly on it's own accord, his thumb brushed against the glaring redness on her skin. He did not mean it in a sexual way, though she seemed to think he did, because immediately she grabbed his wrist.

"I'm sorry… I just..." Thorin pulled away, feeling flustered. "I'm sorry."

He began to walk past her, but she did not let go of his wrist, instead pulling him back before he could go too far.

"Can you tell me more about the Arkenstone?" she asked quietly, "If only to give yourself a better excuse for being a greedy bastard."

He hesitated, but his rational side urged him forward.

They stayed up for several hours in the small wooded enclosure that was the lookout, discussing dwarfish history, the importance of the Arkenstone and Thorin's history with it. He spoke of how his grandfather had set out to find it, and how the king of Erebor left the kingdom in ruins because of it. The more he said, the more she was convinced that the stone was bad news.

"After my father and grandfather died, I decided to try and find it, and so remained at sea." He said.

"And Erebor? How did it fair?"

"None too well." He said, "The king had left it in shambles. The prince, the prince's heirs, they deserted it as more and more riots took place. Now it's empty, I'm sure."

"The royalty of Erebor sound more like cowardly servant boys to me." She mumbled, drawing her knees up to her chin. "How could they just leave their kingdom?"

Thorin paused. "I'm sure it took a great deal of thought and compromise. I don't think that they intended ill."

"People rarely do." She said, "Continue on?"

"There's little more to say." Thorin said. "Everyone I've ever loved has left. All I have now is my crew and my nephews-" he paused. "nephew."

Her heart hurt terribly, and she buried her face into her knees.

"I'm so sorry Thorin."

"No, it's alright." He said hurriedly. "It was partially your fault, but it was also partially his, and mine." He paused, drawing small circles on the wood beneath him. "He's dead, and that will never change. All of this is just one terrible accident."

She sighed, finally finding the courage to look up and meet his eyes. They were red.

"I'm still sorry."

"I know," Thorin said, "And I forgive you."

She offered him a small smile, and he returned it, though his was strained and rather awkward. They sat in silence for a few moments before he spoke.

"And what of you, Belle? What's your story?"

Wondering where to begin, she started off with the topic she knew best.

"My mother was a lovely woman, though incredibly spirited. She'd often go against societal norms and do things others would deem dangerous or strange- though she never went too far."

He nodded.

"I suppose I took after her in that sense. Though I tried to be respectable like my father, I couldn't help but make mistakes. By the time they had both died, I was nowhere near respectable. I'd be at taverns every other night, I threw away my inheritance on ale and gambling. I bought things I didn't need. I lent money to the wrong people. I kissed Ned Bolger at a party. I ruined my entire life all because I was bitter.

His eyes widened, and she wanted to laugh. She should have guessed he wouldn't deem her as the rebellious type.

"Why were you bitter?" he asked slowly.

Belle thought for a few moments, before quietly saying, "I'm going to sound incredibly self-centered… but I felt forgotten. My only two friends had died, leaving me alone with a great deal of money and no one to spend it with."

"In that respect, very few people thought of me after they died. My mother was always the talk of the town. My father was the most prestigious person you could imagine. Once they were gone people had less to talk about, less of a reason to visit. I was always "Bungo's daughter," or "Just like Belladonna". Who was I after they were gone? Just a rich woman with very little friends. I wanted people to notice me; I wanted to make a name for myself. I thought that if I had enough recognition I'd be happy. So I did stupid things."

She gently hit her forehead against her knees in a sign of frustration. "So many stupid things. I made a name for myself, though it was not in the way I had wanted. Everyone thought of me as a hooligan, a misguided child, or a black sheep of the Baggins family. I was never Belle."

"That's where my story ends. I decided to work for my aunt, I wanted to get out of the Shire. I wanted to forget all that I had done. I then ended up on your ship, and a great deal of things have come and gone since then."

They were quiet for several moments, and then Thorin turned to her.

"What do you have planned when we take you back?"

Her response was nearly immediate. "I want to go to a city of men and find work. I could easily be a servany or a messenger in Minas Tirith. I just want to make enough money to start over. I want to be my own person- and I want to be proud of that person."

Neither said a word for the next minute or so, until Thorin suddenly sat back.

"Did you take a share of the treasure?"

She froze. Could he have known? She should have told him the truth. She wanted to. But the weight of the ring in her pocket was so comforting, it was nice in a way.

"No."

Thorin reached into the pocket of his shirt and pulled out a glittering white necklace, covered with gems that shined like the stars. He handed it to her. "Here, use this to get a head start once you get to Gondor."

She pushed his hand back. "Thorin, I can't."

"Why not?"

"I didn't earn this."

He rolled his eyes. "Don't act like you're too good to take it. I know the worst about you now. If you don't take it I'll find a way to sneak it into your things when you leave."

She gave him a playful glare before holding her hand out, and he let it pool into her palm. As she began to pull it around her neck, the captain smiled, though this smile was not strained or awkward, it was a genuine, peaceful smile. It made her heart skip.

"You should get some rest," his voice broke her thoughts.

"You as well," she said, getting to her knees. There was a pause, and before she could think, she was already leaning forward and pressing a gentle kiss to his cheekbone.

With that she stood and left, feeling entirely too flustered to look back and see Thorin sitting with his mouth hanging open for several moments.

A/N

Hey! Sorry that update took so long. I was just finishing up another fic, as well as trying to plot out the rest of this one. I feel like it won't be terribly long, maybe fifteen to twenty chapters. Thanks for everyone who's read so far! We're starting to see a bit of romance develop… Though Thorin pissed even ME off as I wrote this. I wonder if I should have been nicer to him? I don't know, I felt like I was just being true to the Arkenstone's influence, at least in the movie-verse. In the movies he's already going crazy at the thought of finding the stone. While I'm a die-hard book fan, this will have many movie verse elements.

Alsooooo next chapter will have a great deal of angst and hurt/comfort. Like a lot. Ugh.

So let me know what you thought! I just spent the last eight hours typing this up… so a review or two would make my day, also, sleep is for the pansies.

I'll try to post again by this Saturday, after that the schedule will be back to its normal every weekend basis.

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