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Enjoy!

/"It's After Three," He Said/

The crickets were having another solo.

The Company could not believe the story they had just heard.

They could not believe what their lass had gone through, what she had been forced to endure for the simple fact that she was dear to them.

They could not believe the way Bolg had been planning on using Sam against them.

They could not believe that she had survived all she had been through, that she didn't blame them for any of it, that she had been trying to protect them by keeping information from Bolg.

They could not believe their lass had survived Gundabad, when so few in history had survived it, had lived to tell the tale.

They could not believe she had escaped the most notorious orc stronghold in all of Middle Earth.

With the help of an orc no less, one that had somehow been changed by her presence, and had sought Sam's help in starting a new life.

And that orc had now saved her life again after having become a dear friend of Sam's over the course of their travels.

That they couldn't believe more than anything else.

The Company was just staring at Sam and Burb.

Balin, Gloin, Bombur, and Oin were all stroking their beards to keep their hands busy, their minds whirlwinds of thought and emotion, their hearts stuttering in their chests as they processed just how lucky Nori had been to find Sam alive in that orc camp, especially if Bolg was still looking for her, after everything that had happened, after escaping the spawn of Azog. Their eyes were wide as they looked at Sam in a different light, finally, truly seeing, for the first time, just what quality of person Sam was, how lucky they were that she was the woman that Gandalf had found, that they had taken along with them, because few others could have hoped to have survived, to remain sane, after all they would have been forced to face as a result of their quest.

Few others could have hoped to accomplish what Sam had, to become such an amazing young woman.

They had always known Sam was strong, that she was more durable than the average human woman, but they obviously hadn't given her enough credit for that, they hadn't realized just how much she could endure and still thrive.

Dori was wringing his hands from his spot next to Ori, now more worried for the well being of their lass than ever, knowing only some of what she had been through over the course of her year away. Sam's mental and emotional state was at the forefront of Dori's mind, even if she had had about a year to recover from her two months in Gundabad, and Mahal knew what else. His anxiety, however, was broken by the thought, some of his tension leaving his frame, of Sam complaining at him, again (it had been far too long since the last time, and he honestly couldn't say he wouldn't enjoy mothering her again), about him fussing over her too much, the image of her annoyed expression as he did so only bringing a slight quirk to his lips, giving him something else to focus on instead of his anxiety.

Ori had calming hands on Fili and Kili's shoulders, the youngest Ri just grateful that Sam was alive (because they couldn't change what she had been through, but they could help her heal, and that was enough for him, having her there and alive was enough for Ori) as the two princes stood fuming, angry at Bolg and even worried about Sam, Kili's heart hurting for his One. The dynamic duo was mad at themselves, full of regrets and should have's, for not fighting to be allowed to try and at least find Sam's body, to try and find more proof Sam was dead. They hadn't quite believed that Sam was dead, sometimes waking up in the camp and, later, Erebor, expecting her to be there when they woke up as Sam had always been for those six months they spent on the quest, only to wake up and find she was gone, that there was an empty chair at their table everyday, where she should have been. Every time that happened to them, when reality would come crashing in around them, their hearts would be screaming at them that it couldn't be true, but Fili and Kili had had no proof to the contrary, nothing to suggest that Sam was alive, anywhere, so they had just wallowed in their grief, instead of looking for Sam, instead of saving her from Bolg, like they should have done.

The fact that Bolg had survived the Battle should have been enough of a reason to go after him, but they had been so distracted, so grieved, it hadn't even crossed their minds...Guilt was already beginning to eat at their hearts, regret at their minds, all the things they realized they should have done apparent as their memories flashed behind their eyes.

Bifur had his arms around Nori and Bofur, and a hand on Dwalin, the older dwarf trying to remind the three, who were all as red in the face and angry and outraged as the princes were at their own failures and the crimes of Bolg, that it would not do to lose their tempers now, because what was past was past, and Sam did not need to see them so consumed by their rage so soon after having woken up. Bifur was worried that their anger might cause flashbacks for Sam of what she had been through, or trigger some other kind of adverse reaction, so he made sure he caught all of their eyes, including Fili and Kili's, and shook his head, nodding at Sam, and they all relaxed, getting his message, even though he could still see the anger and guilt in their eyes, and it would burn until they felt they had made it up to Sam.

And knowing just how high their standards for making things up to the people they cared about were, it would take a while for them to forgive themselves, no matter how quickly Sam forgave them.

But none of them could quite figure out why Bifur did not seem as shook up or surprised by Sam and Burb's tale as everyone else did, almost as if he had known from the beginning that Burb (who had made it obvious the caretaker was himself by telling things from that perspective) would get Sam out, instead of the other way around.

Burb observed all of this, and he knew Sam noticed it, but her eyes were only for Thorin at the moment. The king was wide eyed and pale at the back of the room and Sam was trying to figure out what his reaction was, how he felt about her now that he knew what she had been through.

If she had any chance of ever being forgiven, of having a home with her dwarves again.

The silence and fragile stillness that had settled over the room, despite the emotional upheavals going on in the minds of most of the dwarves, all of the Company caught up in their own thoughts as they looked over their lass anew for damage, Sam, her eyes flicking over the rest of her friends, away from Thorin, every few seconds, and Burb were gazing at the group of dwarves, trying to gauge what their reactions might mean for them, figure out what they were going to do now that they knew why Sam had left them, why she had been gone so long, was broken by Thorin.

The dwarven king pushed his way from the back of his group of friends and fell to his knees by Sam's bedside, his hands up, hovering over her bed bound form, eyes bright, unsure what to do, but feeling as if he needed to assure himself that Sam was really alright, that she was really here, that she really had lived through her horrible ordeal, because, in his worst of nightmares, she had been a prisoner of Bolg's in Gundabad. His mind had conjured horrible images of Sam being hurt there because of them, believing herself to have been abandoned by her dwarves and left to rot, that Thorin, in that moment on the battlements, had forsaken any friendship and love that might have been between them because of what she had done with the Arkenstone.

Thorin had always woken from those nightmares with her name on his lips, trying to tell her it wasn't true, that they loved her, that they missed her, that they would come and save her, and that he would never do that to her, that he was sorry for what he had done, and would never abandon her to that fate. He would tell her all the same things that he wished he could say to her in his waking hours, if only she had lived.

The fact that Sam really had been in Gundabad, and that she had survived a place so wreathed in darkness, in evil, terrified the king, and made him all the more grateful for her presence now.

Thorin had a myriad of emotions swirling in his eyes as he looked into Sam's pale and tired face, her eyes slightly wary, but still relieved, whether by his current willingness to be near her or the end of her ordeal, he didn't know. Thorin was simultaneously relieved, horrified, impressed, flabbergasted, and grateful as he slowly put his palms on Sam's cheeks (Burb tensed at this, still wary of Thorin, the scar on Sam's neck visible from his seat beside her bed, reminding him of just what this king was capable of doing to those he cared for, but Burb relaxed as he saw the way Thorin caressed her cheeks tenderly with his thumbs, the blatant show of affection enough to put the orc at ease, finally seeing some of the dwarf that Sam had described to him in the dwarf kneeling at her bedside), reminiscent of the way he had in the depths of Mirkwood, closed his eyes, and slowly, gently laid his forehead against hers, and let out a gust of air as he finally released the breath he had been holding almost from the beginning of her tale.

Thorin opened his eyes, the rest of the Company respectfully silent, though there was relief in all of their eyes at Thorin's actions.

Thorin looked into Sam's eyes, her jade eyes as bright as his own, happiness shining in them as she finally received some evidence that Thorin was glad to see her, and Thorin, finally, said," I am sorry, so sorry for all that has happened to you because of us, because of me. I am so sorry for betraying you, for hurting you, for not protecting you better, for not going looking for you, for abandoning you, for not standing by your side and trusting you the way you deserved," Sam's eyes began to water, tears beginning to roll down her cheeks as she listened to her friend, her king, she blamed him for nothing, but he blamed himself for everything, even when there was nothing he could have done, Thorin shook his head as he continued," I am so, so sorry, Sam, so sorry, for everything. I can never hope to make it up to you, to atone for my sins against you, to ease the burden of the memories you now bear," Thorin looked into Sam's eyes, a familiar determined look in his gaze as Sam mumbled her forgiveness, the lack of blame she laid on him, even as he knew she was trying to push back the memories that had been brought to the front of her mind by her tale," but know this, my lass, our dear, dear lass. You are home. You are safe, and I will do everything in my power, for the rest of our lives, to make sure nothing like what you have suffered ever happens to you again."

Thorin drew Sam into a gentle hug, and a cheer was drawn from the Company, all anger and worry forgotten, so glad to see their Company was whole again (save a certain burglar they would need to get in touch with, they could just imagine how red in the face and annoyed he would be with them when he found out how long Sam had been in Erebor, the mental image of an enraged Bilbo Baggins only further brightening their moods) and that everything was right with their world again, while Burb beamed at the two friends now reunited, the dwarves pledging themselves to the same promise Thorin had made, all of them unwilling to lose their lass again.

Sam buried her face in Thorin's raven mane, hugging him tight as Thorin did so too, though more gently in light of her injuries, and wept for joy and relief, for having her friends back, her family back, for having a home again, and for finally getting the Thorin she cared so much about back.

After a few moments of holding each other, Sam pulled back and, smiling at Thorin, a bright smile they had all missed dearly, the typically grumpy king smiling gently at her, Sam pressed her forehead to Thorin's again, just so glad to have her family back, then turned to Burb.

Sam beamed, happy tears on her face, at the orc from her spot in Thorin's arms, and Burb beamed back, his white teeth gleaming brightly in the light, happiness in his eyes (mostly at seeing Sam truly happy again, something he had never really seen before, as she had been somber, with a longing in her eyes, for much of the time he had known her, because he was sure this would be one of the last times he saw her, unless a miracle happened and he, an orc, was actually allowed to stay in Erebor), and Sam said," Did you hear that Burby? We're home! We both have home again!"

Cue the dwarves not quite looking so happy again, disgruntled looks on their faces as they looked at each other, not sure if they agreed with what their lass had said to the orc, whether they wanted Burb to stay in Erebor, even though he had saved Sam's life, and given aide to Oin in helping prevent future deaths from orcish poisons. They really couldn't find it in themselves to begrudge Burb some kind of reward for his help, for being a pleasant guest, but, honestly, they just did not necessarily want to offer him a home in Erebor.

Kili and Bifur seemed to be the only ones that seemed to agree with Sam at all.

Kili because he was grateful for Burb saving Sam's life, for ensuring he really didn't have to live the rest of his life devoid of the woman who had earned his heart, and because he realized that Burb could never live amongst his own kind again, and really didn't want to doom someone who obviously didn't deserve it to a life alone, on the edges of society.

Bifur...he had reasons yet to be revealed.

Thorin turned and looked at Burb, whose face had fallen as soon as he had seen the reactions of the dwarves to what Sam had said, the orc knowing he would never be as welcome as Sam hoped, that he would never be allowed to live in Erebor, to remain at Sam's side and live a life like no orc had lived before, one full of all the things he had never known.

Thorin scowled at Burb, his face contorted in a unhappy scowl, once again studying the orc with his piercing blue eyes, and, though the dwarven king's gaze was much kinder than it had been the first time they had met (partially because he still had Sam in his arms, her presence tempering his previous perpetual bad mood, as well as keeping him from acting too rashly toward Sam's friend), more considering (if unhappily) than judging, Burb knew he would never be allowed to live in Erebor.

Sam reared back, tears still on her face, not letting go or pushing away from Thorin, but still glaring around at her friends, now as angry on Burb's behalf as she had once been on Bilbo's, the dwarves not meeting her gaze and looking a little guilty (though glad to see Sam's fire was still as bright as ever, even if her arms were beginning to shake and she was obviously tired), and then Sam looked at Thorin.

Thorin looked at Sam, tearing his gaze away from the orc he had been considering, whom now sat, resignedly, looking at nothing, ignoring everyone, even as his ears were cocked in Sam's direction, and, though Sam saw no outright rejection of what she had said in his eyes, she also found no support for Burb either, so Sam reminded them why they should be grateful to Burb as she looked around at them, looking at each dwarf individually and meeting their eyes as she said," He saved my life. He got me out of Gundabad. He made sure I survived my injuries. He helped me get here, to warn you all about the coming threat, and then Burb saved my life again."

Sam's fiery gaze dared any of them to say anything to contradict her, and was about to justify allowing Burb to stay in Erebor for more reasons than just that he had saved her life, when Bifur said something that had the entire Company, except Sam and Burb (who didn't speak Khuzdul), staring at him.

/Blunt the Knives, Bend the Forks/

Alright, I hope y'all enjoyed that.

And a big thanks to YinYangWriter! Your review on chapter four is what inspired the moment between Sam and Thorin! I hadn't known how I was gonna have those two make up when you made that comment, but, ever since I read it, ideas have been bouncing around in my head and eventually transformed into this. ;)

Reviews are always appreciated!

Now I wonder what in the world Bifur said...hmmmmm... :)