Ah, the time gaps just keep getting better and better. Sorry to leave you hanging, but everything is still in tow. Spinning in or out of control, but everything will be alright...more or less. Who am I kidding? This is sad...but soon there will be some joy.

I'm imagining the music from the movie The Crow called "Rain Forever" for this scene. It's sad and beautiful.

Chapter 10

"Don't leave me, Da," wept Fili in his chest, sounding so small.

"Oh, Fili..." Vili said softly, hugging him as close as possible to his heart, before finally breathing a promise in his hair, "Never."

Though they had not realized it, Thorin stood at the entrance of the tent, watching in solemn silence as father and son would embrace each other one last time.

Thorin had only left Fili in the tent alone for an hour, laying the sleeping dwarfling in his bed furs before stepping outside to get some air, only to realize with a start that the army of dwarves-or what was left of them-were arriving back to camp. His duties had pulled him away so suddenly that there was no time to think. He found Balin and Dwalin, ordering servants and soldiers all around to escort the wounded to tents or open fields for the healers to gather for treatment. Soon after, he ran into Dain, whom Thorin learned was now the new leader of the Iron Hill dwarves and gave his sympathies to his cousin for the death of his father. After a whole hour of exchanging reports and condolences, and stopping by a healer through Balin's insistence to have the small injury in his side treated, Thorin rushed back to the tent where Fili was sleeping...only to find his little nephew missing.

In a state of panic, Thorin rushed out the tent and told Balin and Dwalin to help him look for Fili without causing a state of panic. Balin was the first to ask Thorin where the little one would go, and that made Thorin realize with a start: to Vili. If there was anywhere his nephew wanted to go so badly, it was to see if his father was alright.

Feeling sick, Thorin ran to Oin's healing tent where he knew Vili was still laid in, Balin and Dwalin following close behind. When they reached it, Thorin told them to wait outside before he peeked through the flap and found Fili lying next to the wounded Vili, who now looked paler than Thorin last seen him. Father and son both had tears in their eyes as they spoke quietly to one another. The air smelled of ointments and Vili's blood.

Thorin felt his eyes mist up, his heart throbbing in his throat as he stepped further into the tent when Vili made Fili promise to be a good big brother to the new baby. When they whispered to love to one another. Thorin closed his eyes in pain as Vili and Fili lay there in silence, not saying anything else. Vili was as brave as his brother, Frerin, in his last moments.

When minutes had passed, Thorin let out a shuddering breath and opened his eyes, finding that Vili was looking his direction, his arm still wrapped around little Fili. His teary brown eyes were filled with anguish and resignation, but also love and gratefulness. Thorin realized now that Vili needed to see his son. To say goodbye.

He was suddenly glad that Fili disobeyed him and escaped the tent. He couldn't find the heart to lecture the dwarfling about it afterwards. What was done was done. Five year-old Fili was braver than Thorin had ever imagined.

Thorin then cleared his throat gently, and Fili looked up, his teary blue eyes widening when seeing his uncle. The little dwarfling looked away nervously, probably expecting his stern uncle to lecture him about running away again, but Thorin only shook his head and kneeled down beside them.

"Fili?" he said gently, placing a hand on his nephew's head, brushing hair out his face.

Fili looked up, his lip trembling. "I'm sorry, Uncle Thorin," he mumbled, before hiccuping.

"No, lad...don't be. Not for this." Thorin smiled sadly. "I should have known that there would be no stopping you." Fili smiled back, and Vili chuckled while coughing.

"How...is Dis?" rasped Vili, when catching his breath.

Thorin shook his head. "I don't know yet. She is still in the tent. I imagine it will be soon. That you will be a..." Father. The word was numb on his tongue when he looked Vili in the eyes with sorrow and Vili nodded sadly, but gave a little smile before wincing in pain.

Balin had then entered the tent, followed by Dwalin, both more somber when seeing Vili. When Vili saw them, Balin bowed his head to Vili. "We had hoped to see you, Vili," he croaked. "We had hoped that...I am sorry, laddie."

Vili gave the barest shake of his head. "It was...no one's fault...but my own," he said, smiling sadly. "I just...wasn't quick enough..."

"No," said Balin, tears in his eyes. "This battle should never have happened...we should have never attacked Moria, filled with orcs as it was, for the price of cold mithril...but you have fought like a true protector among his people. We can never thank you enough for that, my prince."

Though Vili had no royal blood, he was as good a prince as any other. Even better, thought Thorin. To think that a few years ago, Thorin would have still been too stubborn to agree with it. That just because a lowly miner of the Blue Mountains married his sister, it doesn't make him a prince among dwarves. Now...Thorin could not have agreed more. Vili was ten times the dwarf he was, and his son will grow up to be the same.

"Thank you, sons of Fundin," breathed Vili. "For...your guidance...your friendship..." He then looked over at Dwalin. The large dwarf warrior's brown eyes were wet, but he said nothing. There were no words to be said. He merely nodded his head toward the blond miner, who nodded back. Fili, who was snuggled against his chest, looked like he was about to fall asleep from dried tears in his eyes.

"Alright," sighed Thorin, stroking Fili's hair. "It's time that he returns to bed."

"Don't wanna leave," protested Fili sleepily.

"He's right, son..." whispered Vili sadly, while Fili looked up to meet his gaze. "It's far...past...your bedtime...and I need...to talk to your uncle...You need rest...before meeting your...the new baby...Can you...Can you do that for me?"

"Yes, Da," croaked Fili, another fat tear escaping his eye, but then he smiled brightly. "I'll be the best big brother ever."

Vili nodded, before kissing Fili's forehead. Then when lying back, Thorin started to help a sleepy Fili stand back up when Vili lifted his hand until it cupped Fili's soft cheek. He wanted his son to remember this, that he loved his boy with everything he had and hoped that this will be enough to give him strength in the future. The miner studied every detail of the child's being: his glowing baby face, his small frame, his little hands, his bright golden hair that lit like the sun, and his mother's beautiful sapphire blue eyes that twinkled with childlike innocence, shimmering with sadness and many joys like the ripples of the sea, and the hidden strength of Durin...Even now, as he bled on the mat, he found it hard to believe that he helped create this beautiful little dwarfling. He would miss watching him grow up.

He was so proud of him. His perfect son. His baby boy. His little prince...

"My little lionheart," breathes his father, smilingly lovingly through his pain.

Trembling, Fili leaned into his father's palm one more time with his eyes closed, as if to savor whatever warmth was left in Vili for him to cherish in his mind forever. Then, slowly Thorin pulled him away and lifted his nephew into his arms, hugging him close to his chest as the little one rested his sleepy head, starting to fall asleep. Vili watched them with agonized tears running down his face feeling the empty spot where his son was, and his head fell back with a grunt.

Balin stepped forward, holding out his arms to Thorin. "I'll take him back, laddie," he said softly. "You and Dwalin stay here."

"Thank you, Balin," whispered Thorin, kissing the top of the now sleeping Fili's head before passing him over to the old dwarf. "Don't leave him alone. Please."

"You need not worry," assured Balin, cradling Fili. "He won't leave my sight."

After watching Balin leave with Fili, Dwalin stood next to entrance with his arms crossed, his stoic face forced. Nodding in thanks to him, Thorin turned back around to Vili, who was still still struggling for breath with the knife still stuck in his torso beneath the blanket. His brown eyes were hazed with delirium. "Thorin..."

"Shh, Vili," said Thorin. "Save your strength."

"There is not...much left to save...my friend," said Vili. He winced and shifted, before breathing out in a strangled tone, "I have wanted...to ask to two things of you...a promise...and your forgiveness..."

"Forgiveness?" Thorin frowned. "What possibly for?"

"For Frerin," croaked Vili, swallowing as a tear ran down the side of his face. "We...We were fighting together...against an orc...w-we were both knocked down...but the orc was...coming for me...and Frerin jumped in between us...the orc stabbed him instead of me..." Thorin's blood chilled at this when he recalled the huge orc holding Frerin up, impaled with its sword for all to see, before tossing him down the cliff like garbage. Then he remembered Vili tackling the orc while Thorin went to hold his dying brother.

"I-I tried to avenge him...but I merely wounded the monster before...before he too stabbed me...where you can see..." He coughed. "He was going...to-to torture me, kill me slowly...but I was saved...by a Ranger in a skull mask..."

"What?"

"It was him, Thorin," rasped Vili, his eyes darkening. "The dwarves...in Ered Luin...call him Udrig-Rakhas...the orcs...personal assassin...for the service of evil...of Azog...by others, he is the Hunter...because he has hunted and killed many...for decades now...He is a servant of the orcs...and yet he beheaded...Frerin's murderer...my murderer...a spawn of Azog...before he would touch me again..." He chuckled bitterly. "Of all things to thank...for my being here...I have to thank him. A murderer...and I am perhaps...the first to see any good...in that man-orc..."

"Perhaps, or perhaps he was merely not interested in you, and you got fortunate," growled Thorin. Then he took a deep breath to calm down before taking Vili's hand. "You are not at fault, khazash. If you truly respect my brother, then respect that he died protecting his best friend. It was reckless and stupid, but Frerin always followed his heart more than his head."

Vili's face very pale and he licked his dry lips. "I failed to grant him that wish..."

Thorin looked down at him sadly. "Would you have me lose another brother?"

Vili smiled up at him, squeezing his hand. "There was a time...when you would rather...shave your beard than...call me your brother..."

"Much has changed. I still regret all the years I had held any resentment towards you. For envy, for a bitter grudge…..I only hope your forgiveness for my hardened heart still stands."

"Aye….of course it does…"

Then his smile became strained. "Thorin," he said pleadingly, "will you look after them? My children...Dis…I know….you will be the next king…..of your people….but you will be all...they have now...please..."

Thorin nodded, swallowing. "They will always have me," he breathed, his eyes starting to blur with tears. "I know my responsibilities. I know the burdens that will grow heavier in my conscience...but I have always taken care of my sister and your son is like my own. I can never be a father to your children...but I swear to you, I will raise and protect them with every fiber of my being. They will be loved, protected, and formed into fine, healthy dwarves." Thorin looked him in the eye and whispered, "One day when I will see Erebor claimed, Fili will be the greatest king in generations to come. The Lion of Durin. He will be your legacy, Vili, son of Krilli."

Vili nodded, and whispered, "Just be good to them...I ask for nothing more. Take care of them...Be a father to them...until we reunite...in peace...my brother...my king..." He grasped Thorin's hand more firmly to express his sincerity. His breath caught and laid back to keep fight, whimpering slightly. "Don't let me sleep yet...until I see them..."

Thorin nodded, struggling to hold back his tears. "You will see your babe," he croaked. "You will see them soon...just hold on..."

The flaps suddenly burst open, startling Dwalin into lifting his axe at the intruder, causing Miss Ari to screech slightly in alarm.

"Durin's beard, lass!" exclaimed Dwalin, lowering his axe and Thorin jumped to his feet, his heart pounding.

"Ari, is Dis alright?" he asked hoarsely. "What's going on? Tell me!"

The dwarrow dam saw in him, relief appearing momentarily in her features, before she merely just rushed around him to collect more towels, saying with a tremble in her voice, "My lord, thank Mahal you're here! You must come with me!"

Thorin grabbed her arm and turned her to face him. "Tell me what's wrong! Is it the baby?" he demanded, fear stabbing his heart when seeing Ari's expression. "Is Dis-"

Ari shook her head, pulling away while holding the towels in one hand, while running her other through a collection of flasks before selecting one. "She passed out in the middle of labor, just woke up five minutes ago, but the midwife said there's a breach, making the birth harder, and Oin told me to..." She looked up at Thorin pleadingly. "Dis is sick, Thorin. She's very weak...delirious and...and against all protocol, I believe she needs the strength of a family member to help her through. She calls out for her husband, but then she calls out for you..."

Ari reached over and grabbed his arm urgently. "She needs you, Thorin. Now."

Fili said good-bye to his father, and now Thorin has made a promise of his own. He will be there for his family more now, even if his duties are going to make it harder. You all know the Bible phrase, "The Lord giveth, and the Lord Taketh?" That's the next chapter. I'll update soon.