a/n: Once again, thanks to all the story followers and favoriters. Denpa-chu, ladybug213, Fantasy Narhwal of Rivendell, Mystic Myra 8, thegreatgrimalkin, and Momotte.

Thanks for all the kind reviews. You all really make my day, every time I read them I giggle.

I hope I didn't make you all wait too long this time for a new chapter.

When they were finished packing the things she'd bought, Holly moved to her suitcase and pulled out all the clothes she brought with her. She didn't have that much stuff to begin with as she'd only packed considering the two weeks she would spend with her aunt. And then she had planned on doing laundry at some point so really only packed for a week.

So in the end she packed everything she'd brought, just transferring it all to the duffle and backpack. The underwear, bras, and socks were smuggled into the duffle in a small lingerie pouch. Next came shirts and jeans. She didn't have anything other than jeans, so they would have to do. Two pair of shorts she doubted she'd ever wear. And she packed one hoodie while she planned to wear the other. And her small toiletries bag that would go in tomorrow morning. And the only shoes she'd brought had been one pair of athletic shoes.

"Well, that's it," she said as she zipped the duffle closed.

"Doesn't seem like a lot," Kili said. "Are you sure?"

"That's all I have," she said and shrugged.

"Well, maybe you can buy what you need once you're settled," Kili said. Holly noticed that Fili was very quiet during the exchange. She met his look.

"Do you think I'll be staying?" she asked Kili.

"I... ummm..." he blushed furiously and looked at Fili then down at the floor.

Holly frowned and wondered what he was thinking or what he'd heard or knew that she didn't.

It got her to thinking about traveling with everyone. All men. And then that struck her. All males. Traveling with all men. Little hairy men, but they were men.

Fili saw her go pale and she sat on the edge of the bed.

"Holly? What's wrong?" he asked, he could feel her sudden apprehension. He came and took her hands as he stood between her knees.

"I... nothing," she said and shook her head. Her gaze distant even though she looked directly at his chest.

"It is something," he said softly. "Tell me."

Her gaze flicked from him to Kili and back to him. She opened her mouth to speak but then closed it again. She looked away then back at him and opened her mouth once again.

"It's that... it's..."

"You can tell me," Fili said and cupped her cheek. His thumb brushed her skin.

"And me," Kili said and smiled.

Holly smiled and nodded. "They... you... are all strangers to me," she said. "And... men. And I'm not. I'm just..."

"Oh! No you shouldn't worry about that," Fili said, knowing exactly what she meant. "They're all very nice."

"Most of them like you already," Kili said and grinned.

"Most?" she sniffled.

"We can never be sure how Dwalin and Oin will react to anything," Fili said.

"Nor Bifur," Kili said.

"He's the one with the axe...?" she asked and motioned to her forehead.

"Aye," Fili said and sighed.

"What happened there?" Holly asked and wrinkled her nose.

The two exchanged a look and shrugged. "We don't know," Fili said. "A battle with orcs."

"Horrible thing," Kili said. "He only mumbles and speaks Khudzul."

"Khudzul?" she asked, the strange word stuck to her tongue.

"The dwarvish tongue," Fili explained.

Holly giggled and bit her lip as she nodded. "At least someone can understand him, I hope?" she asked. Fili and Kili both nodded. "Do you speak it?"

"Yes, some," Fili said.

Holly nodded. "I've never had much luck learning new languages," she said and shrugged, searching for something to talk about, really. She sighed. "It's probably time for bed. Anyone tired yet?"

"Yes," Fili said and nodded. He knew Kili wouldn't be too enthused about sleeping.

Holly chuckled softly and nodded. "I'll get blankets for you," she said and left the room.

"Kili, where's the bathroom?" Fili quickly asked. Kili grinned and pointed the way down the hall.

Fili passed Holly, she eyed him and nodded as he passed. He brushed his hands over her waist as he 'squeezed' by, even though there was plenty of room for them both without touching. Holly giggled, knowing his ploy.

Holly laid down the blankets for them with Kili's help. They each got a pillow, much to Kili's delight.

"I hope you take your boots off for sleeping," she said.

"We don't usually, not while traveling like we have been," Kili said. "But... I will tonight."

"It should be safe," she said. "I've locked all the doors."

Kili chuckled and nodded. He sat on the blankets furthest from the bed and took off his boots, then his thick coat and another layer, leaving him in a blue tunic similar to Fili's.

Holly busied herself turning down her bed. Fili's fur-lined coat and leather shirt still lay on the far side of the bed. She picked them up and noticed the bundle was very heavy for a coat and shirt. She frowned and ran a hand over the coat, it seemed hard in spots. She fumbled around and found a hidden pocket and pulled out a knife.

Kili laughed at her. "You've found Fili's arsenal," he said and grinned.

"How many knives does he have?" she asked as she found another one.

Kili shrugged. "A dozen or more," he said, still grinning.

"And what about you?" she asked as she laid them both over the chair and set the knives on top.

Fili took his time in the bathroom. He was mostly poking around curiously. Playing with the shower and shower curtain. Opening drawers, checking out the mirror. Checking himself out in the mirror.

When he finally wandered back to Holly's bedroom, the blanket beds were made and Kili had taken up residence on one already. Holly was waiting for him. She excused herself right away with a little bundle under her arm.

Fili noted that Kili had taken off his boots and so Fili did the same.

"We get pillows," Kili said from his bed.

"We haven't had pillows in a long time," Fili said.

"Since home," Kili said wistfully.

Fili chuckled. "Do you miss it?"

"Pillows? Not really," Kili said.

"Home, do you miss it?" Fili clarified.

"Yes, when do you think we'll see it again?"

"I don't know," Fili replied. "Someday soon, I hope."

"Me too," Kili said and sighed.

Kili woke in the night, the blanket tangled around him. Confused. He blinked in the darkness and whimpered softly as he sat up and looked around.

He saw the lump of his brother on the floor and the big bed. He got up on unsteady feet and dragged the blanket with him to the far side of the bed and climbed up. He crawled on all fours to Holly. But he could never say for sure why he'd sought her out when it was always Fili he'd gone to, or Fili had come to him.

Holly leaned up on her elbow and looked at him in the darkness. Her hand snaked out from under the covers and she cupped his cheek.

Kili saw her eyes were blank in the darkness. Glowing white and blank. No color no pupil. Frighteningly blank, except Kili wasn't afraid.

His panting stopped, his heart no longer raced in his chest. He sighed and lay down on the bed, curled up in the blanket he'd brought with him from the floor. He sighed and closed his eyes.

Fili woke at the first sign of Kili's distress. He saw his brother stand and move to the bed dragging the blanket with him. And then Kili climbed up onto the bed. No words were exchanged when Holly leaned up and touched him, then Kili settled down to sleep as did Holly.

Fili frowned and waited, just to see what would happen next. Nothing did, but now Fili was restless with his brother sleeping so close to Holly. Fili felt quite out of sorts and left out. So he too dragged his blanket across the floor and climbed up into the big bed.

He sandwiched himself between his brother and Holly. If anyone was going to sleep close to his One, it was going to be himself. He lay with his back to his brother.

Holly woke with a start in the early hours. The room was just getting light and she could see the desk and empty suitcase she'd left open.

She shifted in the bed, ready to roll over. But she found something was wrong. Something pressed into her back and there was something over her, pinning her down slightly.

Moaning in distress, she wiggled around onto her back. Fili opened his sleepy eyes. Holly realized his eyes were very close to her, much closer than she had left them on the floor, still in his head of course, as they still were.

"Why are you in my bed?" she asked, her voice thick with sleep.

"Mmmm?" Fili asked and looked around. "I... don't know."

Fili's arm fell down to her waist as Holly pushed up on her elbows. She frowned seeing the dark haired lump laying down near the foot of the bed.

"Why is Kili in my bed?" she asked.

"You'll have to ask him that," Fili said and untangled his leg enough to push his brother with his foot between his shoulder blades.

"Awww, don't do that," Holly said, whining just a little. Kili moaned and shifted a little but didn't wake up. "Just... let's go back to sleep, it's not that important."

Fili sighed and nodded. He untangled himself from the blanket and moved to the edge of the bed.

"Where are you going?" Holly asked sleepily and yawned.

"Back to the floor," Fili said softly.

"You might as well stay here," she said and pulled her covers up. She patted the sheet underneath.

Holly didn't see the wide grin that spread across Fili's face as he climbed back in the bed and settled under the covers with her, his blanket forgotten. His brother forgotten. He scooted close to her.

"Mmm, good night, again," she said and kissed him on the forehead.

Fili chuffed and claimed her lips quickly before she could pull away.

"Good night," he said after the kiss.

It was much later in the morning when Fili woke again. There was something pressed hard up against his back and something draped across him. He looked down to see it was an arm. Holly's arm. He touched it lightly and threaded his fingers with hers. It felt so good being like this with her. Close. But they hadn't... hadn't... he flamed red at the mere thought of what they could have done. Be he wouldn't because it wasn't right. Well... if he had her permission it would be okay, but... maybe frowned upon by everyone else. It was complicated. He sighed.

Holly moaned from behind him. Then she stiffened and Fili could tell she was waking up. He looked over his shoulder.

"Mmm," she said. "Little spoon." Then she giggled.

"Little spoon?" Fili asked and frowned.

"Mmmm, yes, you're the little spoon," she said and stretched behind him. Fili moaned.

"What does that mean?" he asked, he could feel himself getting hard. This probably wasn't a good idea.

"Two spoons nestled together," she said. "They cup each other."

"Oh, or bowls?" he asked.

"Well... okay, yes that would work," she said and kissed his cheek.

They were silent for a bit, not ready to get up. Fili's body had calmed down.

"Fili, can I ask you a question?"

"Mmm, yes," he said softly. He stroked her arm again, his fingers trailing up and down.

"Why me," she said.

"What do you mean?" he asked and rolled onto his back. Holly's arm rested across his chest now. He looked up at her.

"Why do you want... to be near me?" she asked. She certainly couldn't ask him why he'd gotten an erection last night. Her face flamed at the thought of that, as nice as the thought was.

Fili moaned and closed his eyes and shrugged. "Because..." he sighed.

"Because isn't an answer," she said and raised herself over him and looked down at him.

He reached up and cupped her cheek. "Do I really need a reason?" he asked. "I just... want..." He bit his lip. How could he possibly tell her that Mahal was involved. Of the Amrâl, of the naiflisi that bound them? That she continued to glow? It was something she wouldn't understand. If it was happening to her, she wouldn't be asking his reasons. She wouldn't need a reason.

"You want what?" she asked.

He sighed. "You," he said and smiled that smile that tipped up one side of his mouth. And that was the truth. He did want her, in a very bad way. A very desperate way he'd give almost anything for.

Holly melted because that smile was for her, she leaned down and kissed him. Fili moaned and shifted under her. She could feel another of his erections between them.

She knew without a doubt it was for her, as was the one last night. Fili hadn't made any excuses to not answer her. It was just 'because' and Holly knew it wasn't just because he wanted a place to put his dick. If it had, he would have done it already.

Holly slid her hand under Fili's shirt, touching bare chest. Letting her fingers slide through the dusting of hair, skimming over one flat nipple. Fili panted against her lips. He moaned.

She raked her nails lightly down the middle of his chest and down his stomach. Fili squirmed and groaned. His stomach muscles twitched, and she raked back up.

"We- we shouldn't," he said softly and put his hand on hers, stilling her. He bit his lip.

"Mmm, you're probably right," she said. She knew it was too fast too soon. And she didn't want to come off as an easy conquest for him, even if she was almost positive Fili was still a virgin. She sighed and withdrew her hand.

Fili was reluctant to make her stop. He didn't want her to stop. He wanted more. He wanted to touch her. Feel her soft skin under his palm.

He knew she was throbbing as he was. The naiflisi. He could feel her throbbing with him, how she was wet for him, and he knew that was how it should be. He moaned.

Holly liked the way Fili felt beneath her. The way his stomach muscles had flexed when she touched him. She rested her hand on his stomach now, though there was now a layer of blue shirt between their skin.

"We hardly know each other," Holly said softly talking herself out of her state of arousal, trying to convince herself to be reasonable and not jump into anything.

"Yes," Fili agreed.

"We should get to know each other better," Holly reasoned, talking herself down from the small thrill she'd gotten from touching him. It was silly, she knew. Touching a man's chest shouldn't have been so exciting. But it was. Especially because she'd felt his erection against her thigh. She bit her lip.

"Yes," he agreed and nodded.

She moved over him again, pressing him down into the bed. Fili's eyes flared wide in surprise. Holly grinned wickedly down at him and hovered so close her breath brushed his lips. "I'd very much like to get to know you better," she said softly against his lips.

"Mmm," he said in reply. "Yes."

Holly's response was to kiss him, long and hard. With tongue.

Then Holly was up and off the bed and out the door. Fili lay there, stunned and silent. He could hear her padding barefooted down the hall and then the bathroom door close.

"You should tell her," Kili said from the foot of the bed.

"Were you listening?" Fili asked and kicked at his brother. Even though he was upset with his brother, he had an ultimate feel of giddiness that he knew was coming from Holly.

"I couldn't help overhear," he said a smile was in his voice.

"And why are you in her bed?" Fili asked of his brother.

"I... I was having another nightmare," Kili confessed softly. "She helped, brother."

"Did she?" Fili asked.

"Aye, I felt... peaceful," he said and sighed.

"You slept almost through the night," Fili said and sat up to look at his brother.

Kili looked up at him and grinned. "Aye," he said. "But really, brother. You should tell her."

"What do I tell her?" Fili asked and ran his hand over his hair.

"Just... tell her that you... about..." Kili said and sighed. "She's your One, she needs to know about that."

"Yeah, it's... obvious they don't have them..."

"Do you think there was a mistake?" Kili asked.

"Hush! Don't ever say that," Fili hissed. "Mahal doesn't make mistakes." He closed his eyes. He had to trust that Mahal didn't make mistakes. He had to trust that Mahal would make Holly understand.

Naiflisi - throb together (khuzdul)

a/n: sometimes I have to take khuzdul phrases and use them for my purposes. Naifilisi literally means 'throb together', why they would have this word in their lexicon, I do not know. But for my use, it means more than that, it means they can sense it in each other and they know when the other is primed for intimate contact.