THIS IS IT! THIS IS THE MOMENT WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR!

The house was silent. It was fueled only by anxiety and fear. No one was blind to the severity of the situation.

They waited.

Kíli continued to suffer. Fíli continued to comfort him. It was an unending cycle.

Sweet little Tilda decided that Kíli would benefit from a story. So she dragged a stool to his bedside, eyes bright in anticipation.

It was a tale their mother had told them as children. After she had passed, their father had carried on the tradition.

Tilda's singsong voice was only briefly interrupted by Sigrid's gentle corrections.

She told him of Beren and Lúthien. A Man and an Elf who were eternally bound in a forbidden love. Beren had named Lúthien 'Nightingale,' for her beauty exceeded that of all other Elves. Beren, in his attempt to win her father's trust, was killed. Consumed by her sorrow, Lúthien passed into the Halls of Mandos, unable to bear a life without him. Mandos was moved to pity by her grief, and brought them both back, granting them mortal life. They lived happily until the end of their days.

"I like this story." Kíli muttered, his pain momentarily forgotten as he smiled faintly.

"It is a sad story." Sigrid spoke softly, eyes downcast.

"But they were together in the end, were they not?" Kíli's voice was quiet. "That isn't so sad."

"No. I suppose it isn't." Her words were distant.

Fíli rolled his eyes, biting back a laugh. "You're such a romantic." He jested.

"'Course I am. It's why I have all the ladies." Kíli raised his eyebrows as he grinned. His playfulness was only betrayed by his anguished gaze.

Suddenly, Bain burst into the room, eyes wide.

"Where's Da?" Sigrid asked, standing as she saw the worry on her brother's face.

"He was being chased. I hid the Arrow… I didn't know what to do."

The roof creaked loudly as if weighted down.

"Did you hear that?" Tilda squeaked, shooting up from her chair and cowering near her siblings.

"Stay here." Sigrid opened the door, her breath misting as she stood in the cold air. "Da? Is that you?" They listened carefully as she called out. "Da?"

She screamed. She scrambled back into the house, an Orc reaching for her with filthy hands. She grabbed plates from the table, yelping as she threw them at the Orc.

Fíli stood, leaving his brother's side momentarily, ensuring his safety. Bard had protected Kíli. Now he would repay the favor.

He grabbed the sisters, quickly ushering them under the table, hoisting up a bench for their protection. Bain used another bench as a shield, thrusting it into the faces of the oncoming Orcs.

"Bain! Quickly!" He pushed the boy under the table, standing to defend them. Bain held his sisters in his arms. Fíli saw they were free from harm, and grabbed a kitchen knife from the table, releasing it into the nearest Orc. It screeched as it died.

More Orcs poured in, breaking holes through the ceiling.

Chaos ensued.

Fíli's attention alternated between his charges. The kitchen knives were sparse, so he resulted to fighting hand-to-hand. He wrested a jagged knife from one of his opponents, hurtling it into its eye socket.

That was when Kíli cried out.

Kíli scrambled back on the bed as an Orc dropped directly in front of him, brandishing a wicked blade.

The creature remembered the injured Dwarfling from the river, and grabbed his right leg in its hands, pulling him forward.

Kíli yelled as his leg was yanked viciously. Agony ripped through him as he desperately held to the bed sheets. But it wasn't enough, and his back thumped painfully against the floor as he fell.

Fíli had no other choice but to watch on in horror as he fought.

An arrow sliced through the air, burying itself in the center of the Orc's head. The creature dropped without a sound.

Tauriel had arrived.

She released arrow after arrow into the onslaught. Anger built within her as she fought. She traded her bow for her knives, easily bounding off of the wall, planting her blade in their skulls. Her killing strikes were precise and unceasing.

Then Legolas came. His white blades pierced the air, destroying everything.

The Elven warriors were a duet of grace and ferocity, completely unmoved by the numbers at which the enemy came.

Yet, there were still too many. One of the creatures evaded Tauriel's sight as she fought. It raised its weapon to her head, swinging it down in a fatal blow… that never came.

Tauriel turned just as the Orc fell, a knife in its throat. A young Dwarf tumbled to the floor behind it, a scream erupting from him as he clenched his hand around his leg.

She stepped back, her mouth opening in shock and worry as Kíli cried. She hardly even noticed the silence that fell at the demise of the enemy.

Many had escaped. Their cackles rang through the night as they scampered across rooftops. Legolas stood at the door, eyes meeting hers in anticipation. In trust. "We must go."

She didn't move.

Óin moved quickly to Kíli's side, placing his fingers at his neck, feeling his pulse. It was erratic as he struggled to breathe. Fíli was close behind, exhausted from the fight. But his mind alighted with worry and adrenaline at the sight of his brother. Nothing else mattered but Kíli.

"We're losing him!" The healer's voice rang through the room. Fíli fell to his knees as despair took his soul.

Tauriel hesitated. She was torn between loyalties. One resided with her lifetime friend. Her Prince. The one who had trusted her with his life.

But the other rested with Kíli. With his promise.

"Tauriel." Legolas knew. His voice was tight. He leapt from the precipice, bow taut as he ran down the Orcs. She watched as his shadow passed into darkness.

She stood between the door and the Dwarves on the floor.

Thumping footsteps trailed into her ears. She reached for the blades at her waist, shooting out the door, prepared to take down the oncoming threat.

Yet, there was no threat. Only a Dwarf.

She startled at what she saw in his hands. It couldn't be…

"Athelas." Her voice was raw as her heart filled with hope. She took the plant from his hands. "Athelas."

"…What are you doing?" Bofur looked at her in utter confusion.

She clutched the Athelas against her chest. "I'm going to save him."

FINALLY! I know, it's taken SOO long to get to this point. Tomorrow will be another update, I'm sure you already know what it'll be;)

Also, I will inbox all of you who have questions tomorrow also. I'm just really super busy right now, so it's taking me a bit to get back to you all. But it will be done:)

Review my loves!:)