Author's Note: A million thank yous to all of my reviewers and especially to Beloved Daughter for being so faithful in leaving them. Your favs and alerts and reviews make my day! I hope everyone's enjoying my little changes as well as Bella's thoughts and impressions.

Giants and Goblins and Gollum, Oh My!

Who knew such landscapes existed in the world?

Though perhaps Bella should rethink that.

Did any other Hobbit know such landscapes exist?

Not that they would care. She tried to take in everything she could see, committing it to memory. Her kinfolk would never see it, and even if the worst should happen to drive them out of the Shire, they would never appreciate the splendor in these vistas. No cultivated greenery softened the angles or cuts of rock. No fragrance of tilled earth or blooming orchards drifted on the afternoon breeze. Instead the stark and sometimes harsh beauty of nature at its wildest filled the world around her.

"Mistress Baggins?"

Bella looked around with a smile. "Master Dori," she greeted the Dwarf who had come up beside her.

"Mistress Baggins," Dori nodded, "I'm sorry to trouble you, but I wondered if I might make a suggestion? I wouldn't normally be so forward with this, but I feel it might be unkind of me to not mention it."

"Mention what, Master Dori?" Curiosity colored her voice. "I won't take insult, I promise."

"I certainly hope not," he grimaced, a hint of color darkening his cheeks. "It's just… Mistress Baggins, I don't think your attire will manage the mountains. Those passes and the weather they have..." He shook his head.

"Oh." She smoothed a hand down her skirt. The material matched that used by the farmers in the Shire. It was meant for hard work, but if Dori thought it wouldn't serve… "I'm afraid this is all I have."

"If you wouldn't find it too insulting," he began and then hesitated.

"Please," she encouraged him. "I'm open to suggestions."

"Well, I have some things of Ori's, things he outgrew before he ever had the chance to really wear them, and I could probably make some alterations which would make them serviceable." He grimaced. "If not exactly appropriate." A bit of a sigh escaped the older Dwarf as he looked over to where his youngest brother scribbled away in a journal. "How he's managing to still outgrow his things, I just don't know."

"What younglings do," she offered, "or so I've been told." He chuckled and she returned another smile. "Anyway, I would be happy with anything at all that you think might work. You are the expert here after all. On mountain passes, certainly, and likely on sewing as well." She giggled. "My mother despaired of me managing more than the simplest of stitches and buttonholes. I can manage repairs, but not such an alteration."

"You let me worry about that," Dori nodded, looking happy and satisfied. "I'll have you set to rights in no time."

Bella ended up being grateful beyond measure for Dori's foresight a few days later when they took the mountain pass.

Maybe she should be happy that the low points of this adventure meant being cold and wet. As long as that remained her fate, then she had nothing to worry about in regards to the dragon. They started up the mountain pass and the skies opened with a violent flash of lightning. Wind and rain lashed them in a ferocious game of tag as they chased each other around the mountains.

"Hold on!"

Thorin's shout echoed back through the crashing thunder. Hold on to what exactly? Bella pushed back against the rock, her eyes all but closed against the force of the wind and rain as it lashed through the pass. The path beneath her feet crumbled. A shriek tore from her throat as she began to fall, but a strong arm caught her and pulled her up. Dwalin did his best to tuck her between him and the stone of the mountain. With that little bit of extra shelter, she could open her eyes enough to catch the concern on Thorin's face.

"We must find shelter!"

"Watch out!"

She felt more than heard Dwalin's shout where his chest pressed against her shoulder. Her gaze moved along his line of sight and she felt her jaw drop as she saw an enormous chunk of rock hurtling through the air. It struck somewhere above them and pieces of stone came rattling down. Bella ducked back, not the slightest bit ashamed of trying to stay beneath the refuge provided by the Dwarves around her.

"This is no thunderstorm!"

Peeking around Bofur, she spotted Balin moving forward a step or two.

"It's a thunder battle!" he shouted, gesturing into the storm ahead of them. "Look!"

A colossal form, angular and squared off like the stone around them, heaved itself up from a nearby mountain and ripped a large chunk of its neighboring rock free to use as a projectile. One large arm reached back, the boulder in hand. Bella stared, no longer noticing the actual storm.

"Well bless me!" Bofur moved until he stood at the edge of the path. "The legends are true! Giants; Stone Giants!"

The figure threw the rock past them and Bella followed its flight to see another huge figure appear in time to be hit in the head with the thrown stone. Trolls, Orcs, and Wargs – those almost made sense to her. They fit in the world she knew even if she could not understand the evil impulses which impelled them to behave the way they did. But these! Would the entire mountain range come alive under their feet?

"Take cover!" Thorin shouted again, this time focused on Bofur as he stood exposed and more vulnerable. "You'll fall!"

"What's happening?" Kíli demanded. The uncertainty in his voice pulled at Bella, but she could not move.

"Brace!"

"Hold on!"

Distinguishing between yells proved impossible and she focused on keeping her balance as steady as she could, planting her feet as she might while walking across the top of a fence. Grim amusement welled within as she realized some of her tween mischief might actually prove to be beneficial. So much for all the warnings of the elder Hobbit about mischief being a useless waste of time!

"Kíli!" Now Fíli's worry drew her attention, but before she could make any attempt to move this time she felt the ground beneath her shift. It moved! Fíli shouted again. "Grab my hand! Kí-!"

The next chunk of time passed in a blurry nightmare of rain, thunder, and lightning. It proved almost too much for Bella to cling to the Dwarves around her who appeared to be able to remain connected to the earth no matter what happened. Then everything seemed to solidify and she could feel the wind pushing against her as the piece of mountainside under their feet rushed towards the unmoving rock in front of them. Time slowed, as if some great hand reached out and held back the clock of the stars. A jut of stone faced her across the diminishing space and she could almost taste the death awaiting her. Almost without thinking she pushed towards Bofur, her body reacting as her mind froze in the terror of the moment. The gap slammed closed and she found herself scrabbling for a place in the small empty area formed by the ledge and two walls. She fell too close to the edge. Her hands could not manage a grasp and she felt herself slip.

Bella screamed, but the sound became lost amidst the deafening battle still raging around them.

"They're alive!"

She heard the yells above her and tried to drag in enough air for another scream as she clung to the cliff with her fingertips.

Then she could hear Bofur. "Where's Bella?"

Ori appeared at the edge and lunged for her hand, but she slipped, falling a few feet before she managed to snag another small outcropping of rock. More of the Dwarves tried to reach her to pull her up, without success. Then Thorin swung down beside her. What is the idiot doing? Half of her mind choked in gratitude at no longer being alone while the more sensible half would rail at the Dwarf if she had breath enough to speak. Thorin gave her enough of a boost for the others to pull her to safety.

Then he slipped.

Her throat closed as a new fear shook through her, but then Dwalin managed to pull him up. Everyone seemed to sigh with relief. Her weapons instructor turned to her. "I thought we'd lost our burglar."

"She should never have come!" Thorin bit out.

Bella whirled on him. "Don't you start!" she snapped. They glared at each other, a spark of reluctant admiration in his face as irritation flashed in hers. "I'd like to see anyone – even a Dwarf – keep their footing when they try to avoid being smashed into a piece of rock while being thrown across a mountain pass because they're standing on a moving giant!" She waved a hand at the Dwarves who shared the harrowing ride with her. "They were fortunate enough to be directed into open space. I was not." Her hands came to rest on her hips. "So I don't want to hear one word about how I should never have come. I will not have it! Do you hear me?"

Twin snickers met the question and she turned her ireful gaze on the boys.

"We spotted a cave!" Fíli announced, focusing on his uncle and avoiding her look.

Kíli nodded, looking above her at Dwalin. "It's just ahead. Doesn't look too deep, but it should hold us."

Thorin gave his nephews a sharp glance that she could not quite interpret. "Let's go," he ordered, also sidestepping any further argument with her. He followed as Fíli began leading them down the path.

Dwalin gave her a small push, so she ended up behind Thorin with the tall Dwarf following her. Bella continued to mutter under her breath about stubborn and thick headed Dwarves, keeping her voice down to avoid being heard by the entire Company. The stiff set of the shoulders in front of her and the low chuckles behind her, however, indicated the Dwarf king and his best warrior could hear every word. She tried to feel embarrassed about that fact, as it was hardly proper behavior, but for the life of her – Baggins or no – she could not find it in her to be so bothered.

"Here we are," Kíli announced, and Thorin nodded his approval.

Glóin dropped a bundle of wood on the floor and she spared a moment to wonder how in Yavanna's name he managed to have dry wood after that ridiculous journey through the storm. She gave up after a moment. It did not seem to matter as much as the idea of being warm and dry once more. He seemed to feel the same, rubbing his hands together with a grin. "Right then! Let's get a fire started."

"No, no fires in this place," Thorin announced. "Get some sleep. We leave at first light. Bofur, take the first watch."

I simply must find something to smack him with. She rolled her eyes, but dug out the driest clothes she could find and stepped back into the shadows to change. As had become their habit, Dori and his brothers created a solid wall of backs that allowed her more modesty than she might have had. Not that any of the Dwarves ever gave her cause for alarm, but she found the courtesy quite charming.

"Thank you," she murmured, slipping past them and back to her own blankets.

"Of course, Mistress Baggins," Dori offered a genial nod. "Of course. Never a problem."

Sleep eluded her. After tossing and turning for much too long, Bella rose from her blanket and made her way closer to the mouth of the cave. Stealthy Hobbit footsteps meant none of the Dwarves stirred as she passed, but Bofur smiled as she came up beside him where he stood watch.

"Trouble sleeping, lass?" he asked, fiddling with his pipe.

"Do you think he's right?" The question popped out of Bella's mouth before she knew she planned to ask. She suppressed a wince. If Bofur of all people agreed with Thorin, it might break her resolve to see the quest through to whatever end.

His brow furrowed. "Who?"

"Master Thorin," she clarified. "About me being here, I mean. How he thinks I don't belong."

"He doesn't think that," the miner scoffed. She went to argue, but he shook his head. "His mouth got away with his temper. Something he does a rare good job with, if you've noticed. Does the same to the Wizard, yeah?" A cheeky grin creased his cheerful face. "You can't turn back now. You're part of the Company – you're one of us."

"Am I?" she wondered. "Sometimes-."

A strange clanking sort of noise caught her attention and she stopped to look around. Her gaze crossed both Thorin and Dwalin's and she flushed as she realized they must have heard her words to Bofur.

"What's that?" Bofur asked. When she glanced at him, he gestured towards her waist.

No, towards the sword belted at her hip. Bella pulled it out of the scabbard just enough to see the blue glow emanating from it. Gandalf's words from the troll hole came back to her: "It will glow blue when Orcs or Goblins are nearby." Her breath caught. "Oh, no."

The clanking noise came again.

"Wake up!" Thorin shouted. "Wake up!"

The floor gave way beneath them. Bella fell with a cry and felt herself sliding along a rough slope of some kind. She tumbled along rocks and stones, taking on all kinds of bumps and bruises as she went. A hard hand grabbed her arm and she felt herself pulled against another body which curled around her, shielding her from the worst of the impacts. The final landing jarred every bone in her body, but her Dwarf shield again seemed to take the brunt of it.

Thank goodness for Dwarves being as hard and enduring as the stone from which they had been carved.

She looked around to meet Dori's gaze. His concern pulled a tiny smile from her, but she never got the chance to speak. A horde of hideous, sore-riddled Goblins swarmed up and attacked them. Despite the Dwarves attempts to fight them off, the Goblins managed to disarm them and then began to drag the Company away. Dori pushed her behind him and Bella ducked down, drawing on every Hobbit trick she could to stay out of sight. The tricks worked. The Goblins pushed and prodded the Dwarves, but not one touched her. She crouched as low as she could and then became motionless, doing nothing to draw their attention.

Her gaze met Nori's as he glanced back over his shoulder.

Bella waited, letting the Goblins and their captives get far enough ahead that she could follow without catching their attention. Or so she hoped. When they seemed far enough away, she pulled herself to her feet and drew her sword. The bright blue blazed in the darkness like a beacon, flaring as if in desire to take the fight to the creatures of darkness.

She took a deep breath.

And another.

Then Bella began to creep across the first bridge, staying low and watching for any creatures headed her way. She reached the first landing without a problem, pausing to try and check the next stretch ahead. Everything looked clear enough and she stepped forward.

A small Goblin dropped down on the bridge in front of her and charged. They exchanged a few sword blows. Bella managed to stay alive, a tiny corner of her mind making a note to remember to thank Dwalin if they managed to get out of this mountain in one piece. Then the Goblin jumped on top of her. She was not sure what it was trying to do, but she managed to throw it off. It went careening over the edge of the bridge into the darkness below.

Bella could not hold her balance and followed.

Another tumble down rocks and stone battered and bashed her. She managed to tighten her grip on her sword, the automatic motion keeping the weapon with her as she fell. How far down she slipped and slid, she could not guess, and one final stone struck her temple a glancing blow.

The blackness overtook her and she knew nothing further.

Not until she blinked open heavy eyes to find herself on the ground staring at large mushrooms. She lay still, trying to determine what had happened. Something on the others side of the patch caught her eye and she realized it was the same Goblin. It lay there, movements sluggish, and she waited. She felt too battered to take on another fight unless she had no other choice. Her sword had landed beside her, and she spared a moment to wonder if Dwalin would be proud at how well she managed to retain his teachings. A different sort of movement caught her attention and she shifted her gaze.

What in Yavanna's name was that?

The newcomer looked thin and gangly and like nothing she had ever seen or heard of before. A few wisps of hair floated around its head and its face seemed filled with huge eyes. The ears and the feet seemed familiar for some reason, but in combination with everything else she could not decide why.

"Yes. Yes. Yes! Yes!" The creature examined the Goblin, a sense of satisfaction coating its voice. Then it gave a harsh sort of croaking sound. "Gollum. Gollum."

It began to pull the Goblin away by its feet. The motion must have woken the Goblin fully because it began to thrash and flail about. The other creature….the… What should she call it? The…Gollum creature bashed it on the head. As her sword continued to glow blue, half hidden by herself and some rocks thank goodness, the Goblin must have only been knocked unconscious.

Something fell as Gollum…that name would do as well as any other for now she supposed… Anyway, something golden fell as Gollum began dragging the Goblin again. She could see it glinting in the dim light.

"Nasty Goblinses," Gollum muttered. "Better than old bones, Precious; better than nothing."

Bella waited until she could see no further movement and then she rose, retrieving her sword and turning to follow the creature. She could see no other way out save straight up, and she was no Goblin to scale sheer walls. The gold glint drew her eyes again and she bent down to pick it up.

A ring.

A gold ring.

She stared at it for a moment, but then heard Gollum singing somewhere up ahead of her. Tucking the ring into her pocket, she took a deep breath and set out to find where this new path might lead her.

Out, please Yavanna, let it lead me out!