A/N: Here we go, I hope it's worth the wait :)
I'm back from traveling around Ireland and for some reason have found a LOT of inspiration for future chapters. Which is why I'll hopefully have them out of Rivendell by the end of the next chapter and on their way to the Shire. Can't wait for it :D

Also, thank you, and I mean all of you, for your wonderful reviews! You never fail to make me smile, get slightly damp eyes and to be generally very happy about this story and you liking it. Keep it up and I'll keep it up!

Disclaimer: Blahblah, not mine!

Chapter 10: Always

At first, Kíli really hadn't intended to wake the sleeping elf at his side and was merely admiring her hair, which was shining quite beautifully in the sunlight. But when he heard slowly approaching footsteps, his hand wandered form her head into her neck and, not knowing how to wake somebody relatively gently, he started to knead the place where her neck and her shoulders met. Oh, how he wished to continue his slow exploration of her body but he knew they'd soon be disturbed.

Just when he called out her name softly, she began to stir he noted with quite an amount of relief.

"Morning" he murmured, letting his hand glide from her waking form. Tauriel gave a soft noise of protest at the absence of warmth but when she raised her head and found him grinning at her, she smiled back.

"How are you?" she asked, the memory of yesterday's pain still fresh in mind.

"I have been better" Kíli answered with a shrug and before she could ask anything else he added "someone's coming."

Tauriel sat up in alarm, making sure to bring an appropriate distance between them – and just in time!
The elf who entered the room didn't seem very pleased with the presence of a dwarf in Rivendell if the look of barely hidden contempt on his face was anything to go by.

"Tauriel, you have been missed at breakfast" he said, ignoring Kíli completely.

"I…" Tauriel began but Kíli came to her defence before she could come up with an appropriate answer.

"Tauriel has been so kind to check on my first and was about to find some breakfast to share with me."

While Kíli was sure that Tauriel relaxed a little when he answered the elf, the other's features changed from contempt to a very obvious scowl. Clearly, they had finally found somebody who would gladly see the dwarf depart without being healed completely and who found the thought of even sharing a meal with a dwarf utterly disgusting. The elf's stony features turned sourer when Tauriel nodded and got up. While she left to room to find something to eat the other elf came closer to Kíli. With no small amount of annoyance he began checking the wounds.

Even though Kíli was a little amused at how the elf failed at hiding his feelings, he was glad that he didn't prod and poke at his wounds with the same amount of distaste as, he assumed, that would have been terribly painful.

When the elf was done, he finally addressed Kíli. Well, his words were clearly meant for the dwarf but he kept looking straight ahead, avoiding his patient's eyes.

"Lord Elrond will have to use the healing fire again later today. It is advisable to eat properly before the procedure starts."

Without giving the dwarf a second glance the elf left and Kíli found himself alone again, the dreadful thought of the healing fire creeping into his mind.

While he knew he didn't have another option he was still very anxious about it. After yesterday's treatment and knowing what was waiting for him, he felt an unbidden panic rising. Trying to keep his mind occupied otherwise, he carefully lifted the blanket that was shielding his wounds form the outside world and allowed himself a glimpse at his them. A shiver ran down his spine when he saw the burn marks. He knew he had never been pretty according to dwarven standards but those marks certainly didn't make for a glorious sigh.

With a defeated sigh he pulled the blanket back into place and waited for Tauriel.

The sight of her improved his mood significantly, especially, as she was carrying a try of food. After eating in peaceful silence for a while, Tauriel cleared her throat.

"What did the healer want?" she asked, dreading Kíli's answer. She hadn't been fooled by his smile when she had gotten back, as she saw a lingering shadow of fear in his eyes.

"They'll have to do it again," he answered with a small voice.
To Kíli's surprise Tauriel stopped moving, an apple half way to her mouth. The elf's eyes fluttered close and Kíli could have sworn that she paled a little.

"Oh" was the only thing she said before hastily continuing to eat her apple.

"What do you mean, 'oh'?" Kíli asked a little worried. Tauriel seemed unwilling to answer but the concern on his face urged her on.

"I can feel it", she finally confessed, more to the apple in her hand than to him.

"What? How?" Kíli asked confused.

"I am not sure", Tauriel answered. "Our souls must be connected. When I healed you back in Laketown, I felt how your body was mending but it is much stronger now."

Kíli stared at her, a look of wonderment on his face.

"That… that's…", he started but couldn't find anything to say. He felt terrible for her.

Tauriel smiled at his lack of words.

"I'm sorry" he finally managed, his expression changing from surprised to guilty. "You shouldn't have to go through this", he added.

"Neither should you but there is no other way" the elf said. A look of determination settled on the dwarf's face.

"But I am the one who got wounded, not you. You should not have to suffer because of me!" he told her earnestly. It seemed hardly fair to him that such a wonderful creature as Tauriel should have to endure pain, even the slightest bit of it, because she was, for some reason, bound to him. She hadn't asked for this, well neither of them had. Still, Kíli was glad when her hand found his and she gently intertwined their fingers.

"Kíli, I would endure all the pain in the world, if it kept you alive. You are not responsible for this and neither am I. We do not know how things will be."

Kíli swallowed hard and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "I owe you so much" he murmured, his eyes locking with hers. "Promise me to get out of here when they start again", he suddenly said. "I don't know how bad it'll be today but I don't want you to be near me. Might make things better for you."

Tauriel raised an eyebrow. "And what would you have me do?" she asked, a little amused and a little touched by his determination to shield her as best as possible. Kíli shrugged and without a warning, the grin was back.

"You could practise shooting. Once I'm free to use my arms again we should have an archery competition and you certainly need the practise!"

Surprised at his answer, Tauriel laughed. The sound made Kíli feel oddly proud. Despite the pain he was involuntarily causing her he could still make her laugh.

"Don't get ahead of yourself" the elf warned with a smile still on her features.

The moment was gone too soon, though, as Gandalf entered the room, followed by Elrond and another healer.

"Tauriel, a word" the wizard said, smiling a short greeting at the pair. Tauriel let go of Kíli's hand a tried to give him a subtle not too obvious encouraging smile before leaving the room.

Alone with the elves, Kíli felt the happiness from earlier leaving his body in an instant. Elrond inspected his wounds as well, commenting on how much better they already were and, to his immense relief, explained that, if things went according to plan, this should be the last time they had to use the healing fire. Even though it was only a small consolation Kíli felt a little better hearing the elf say it and tried not to shy away from the ointment that would soon set his body on fire again.

Tauriel didn't know how long she managed to concentrate on shooting arrows. While she knew that Kíli had been joking, at least partly, she was grateful for the distraction but his screams still haunted her. Therefore, she was more than glad when Bilbo found her around noon, carrying some bread, cheese and a jug of water.

Expressing her gratitude, she settled down beside him and tried to ignore the dull throbbing in her midsection, focussing very hard on the bread in her hand.

"I have been wondering… " the hobbit started, looking at her somewhat shyly. Tauriel gave him an encouraging smile and he continued, "… if you could tell me more about your people?"

"About the elves of Mirkwood?" she asked, a little startled. While she understood that the hobbit had not met many elves, she doubted that the Mirkwood elves were particularly interesting. Nonetheless, she inquired what he would like to her.

"Anything, really. I don't know much about elves, you see, and I thought maybe, you could help me with that?"

"Well… I cannot tell you all that much for I am young in the eyes of my people but I can certainly tell you a bit about the history of my people." An excited nod from the hobbit urged her on. "A long time ago, the Mirkwood elves were a merry folk, before the shadow settled over our homeland…"

Bilbo was a great listener, Tauriel noted. He hung to every word she said and asked the right questions here and there, wondering about the fate of one particular person or another and the whole time he pointedly ignored how she corrected herself whenever she referred to Thranduil as her king, for he no longer was.

The more time she spent with the hobbit, the better she felt. While the pain didn't go away the hobbit proved to be a good distraction and a likable one at that. They spent a couple of hours trading stories about their people, customs and traditions and the elf found herself enjoying the company very much.

"The Shire does sound like a great place to live" she commented on one of Bilbo's tales about the forests surrounding the Shire.

"Well, I do hope that you will accompany us further and have a look for yourself!", he exclaimed. Tauriel bowed her head in a gesture of agreement.

"That is my intention, Master Baggins", she said, which seemed to delight the hobbit.

Together, they made their way up to the healing chambers and while Bilbo seemed hesitant to enter with her, he let himself be pulled into Kíli's room. Tauriel knew that Kíli wouldn't be awake and she feared seeing his unconscious form again. He had looked so lifeless the day before and it hat scared her more than she liked to admit.

"How is he?" Bilbo asked the elf once they had settled down on either side of the sleeping dwarf. Kíli looked a little less pale than yesterday, Tauriel thought, which she decided to treat as a sign for his improving condition.

"I think better than yesterday. When I checked the wounds earlier, they had closed up quite well."

Bilbo nodded and seemed content with sitting at the sickbed, pondering whatever was on his mind. He didn't notice the internal struggle that Tauriel was fighting, wondering whether it would be acceptable to take Kíli's hand. She was quite sure the hobbit had caught on to something but wasn't sure to what extend Bilbo understood their relationship. Maybe it was better not to tempt fate. He would find out for sure sooner or later anyway but it occurred to her that it might be safer not to let him know just yet. Therefore, she occupied herself with carefully cataloguing the movements of Kíli's breath.

After all the talking they had done, both, the hobbit and the elf, enjoyed the friendly silence they shared and it lasted for quite a while until the hobbit declared his intention to have dinner with Gandalf, who, apparently, wanted to speak to him about a matter of importance. When Tauriel asked what it was, the hobbit shrugged and admitted he didn't know.

Once again on her own with the sleeping dwarf Tauriel dared to have another look at the wounds. She hadn't spoken to Elrond that day but she assumed and hoped that no news from him were good news and indeed, when she moved the blanket she saw that even the wound on Kíli's abdomen was sufficiently closed. While she wasn't a great healer she possessed enough common sense to understand that his body would still need resting but would be able to do the rest alone.

Holding the blanket with her left hand, she used the right one to caress the scars and burn marks with light fingers. She really hoped they weren't hurting him anymore. Her line of thought brought her back to the conversation she had with Gandalf this morning. Apparently, Bilbo had told the wizard how he had found her and while she knew that Gandalf did not judge her and Kíli's relationship it made her uncomfortable to discuss it. He had simply repeated what Lord Elrond had already told her – it is unheard of – and proceeded to stress the potential risk they were both in, as the wizard doubted that their feelings would be met with acceptance among their people. Tauriel had argue that Fíli, Kind under the Mountain, could probably convince his kin, or at least some of them, that maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't be the end of Middle Earth if his brother pursued a relationship with an elf but Gandalf had shattered that hope all too soon. He may be a King and he may accept his brother's choice in companion but that does not mean his folk is any more willing to understand. That was what the wizard had said. And while she knew that he was right, in fact, had known it all along, it wasn't pleasant to hear. She knew that she would never return to Mirkwood, not that she wanted to, but a part of her had hoped, for Kíli, that they could, one day, return to the mountain.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a faint groan and her eyes darted to Kíli's face. His eyes were opening slowly and he was blinking against the light in the room. Carefully, Tauriel let go of the blanket and folded her hands in her lap, waiting for Kíli to wake.

"Not very pretty, eh?" His rough voice made her wince a little, as even his smile could not betray the pain he seemed to be in.

"You're alive, that's what matter", Tauriel answered softly. His smiled seemed to grow a little when he replied.

"Couldn't get much worse anyway", he murmured and the elf's brows furrowed in confusion.

Kíli reached out for her but couldn't life his hand much, as pain soared through his body. Moving was not an option, then. Still, her hand found his and he noted the expectant look on her face.

"Among my kin I've never been considered… attractive", he explained and to his satisfaction a tiny scowl formed on the redhead's face.

"Why would you say that? Wounds gained in battle are honourable!" She argued.

Kíli would have liked to shrug but decided it was better to avoid motion, so he settled for a brief explanation of dwarven ideas of beauty.

"In battle, aye. These scars are the work of elves, though. 'm glad that I'm alive but some might consider it … wrong."

Tauriel had to admit that she was a little shocked at that. Yes, she'd been aware of the stubborn hatred and mistrust their people held towards each other but that? It seemed a bit too much to her.

"And, well… I'm taller than most, have no beard…" Kíli trailed off, hoping she wouldn't notice the blush creeping into his features. Back in the Blue Mountains nobody gave him so much as a second glance. If there was someone a dwarrodam had been interested in it had always been his brother Fíli. Fíli, who fought with knives, was good with an axe, had a glorious beard and was not as abnormally tall as he was. Kíli had, of course, learned to cope and had stopped caring at some point but somewhere, deep down, it still stung.

"Are beards really that important?" Tauriel ask, a tinge of amusement finding its way into her voice. Her bewilderment made Kíli smile, she noted with relief.

"Hmmm… we all have beards, they're considered the most important feature, really", he explained. Tauriel shook her head. Sometimes, those differences all but confused her. Of course she had noted the dwarves fondness for long and well-tended beards but apparently, there was a lot more to it.

Without giving it much thought she let go of Kíli's hand and lifted her own to his cheek, gently caressing his stubble. He seemed to enjoy her touch and relaxed into her palm.

To her surprise, Tauriel had to admit that she enjoyed the feeling too. Of course she had touched him before, when they had shared a kiss, but now that she was focussing on the feeling, it was different, exciting.

"I… like it" she whispered, finding delight in the little smile he gave her.

With Tauriel caressing his cheek and daylight slowly fading, Kíli found himself drifting off to sleep again, welcoming the blissful darkness where the pain still inhabiting his body was reduced to a dull throbbing.

The next time Kíli woke up, darkness surrounded him and his body felt like it was burning up on its own accord.

"Tauriel?" he called out, hoping the elf was still there. Slowly, he lifted his hand and searched for he elf. His relief when his fingers brushed a strand of long, silky hair was short-lived, as a new wave of pain made him gasp. He didn't like waking the sleeping elf but the pain was threatening to take over and become unbearable. His hand found her shoulder and he shook her awake.

When Tauriel finally woke, Kíli was close to crying out loud. Earlier that day Elrond had warned him that something like that might happen but it hadn't prepared him for the pain.

"Tauriel… Wake up" his voice urged her to alertness within moments.

"What? Kíli?" she asked, sleep still in her voice.

"Fire" he gasped out, hands suddenly clutching his stomach. Tauriel's eyes widened as she understood and she hurriedly got up to find one of the pots Elrond had left in the room. Coming back to Kíli's bed she had already unscrewed the lid and was about to apply some of the cooling ointment to the sore skin around the wounds when Kíli's hand stopped her. His grasp on her wrist was almost painful but when she heard the whimper that escaped his lips it was forgotten.

"Kíli, I need you to let go off me" she coaxed gently, hoping he'd understand her. More pitiful whimpers were the answer but the grip on her hand loosened and she set herself to work. Once she had finished dabbing the mixture on his skin, she went to find some potion that would help him sleep.

Carefully, she brought a cup to his lips and even though his nose wrinkled in disgust he gratefully sipped the potion. As soon as she had guided his head back onto the pillow, his eyes were fluttering shut.

"You always save me" he murmured, the hint of a quirky smile on his lips, before drifting off to sleep.

Tauriel watched him slumber and hoped that he wouldn't feel the pain anymore. Thankfully, it couldn't have been as bad as before as she was only feeling a hollow echo of it herself, but he had been through too much for her liking, especially in these past few days. Reaching out to brush some of his long hairs out of his face, she let her hand linger at his cheek for a moment.

"I will always be there", she vowed, both, to herself and the sleeping dwarf. Maybe it was just her imagination but she liked to think that a small smile graced his sleeping features when her words left her lips.