They slept on the rocky outcrop, the hard stone dug into Kili's side but he didn't dare roll over to try and get more comfortable. Not with such a sheer drop so close by.
He had only managed to doze really, unlike his uncle and brothers who were all snoring softly. He lay there heavy lidded, slowly watching the green light move across the stone as sleep continued to elude him. The sound of shifting gravel caught his attention, even a few years ago this would have cause him to leap to his feet, sword at the ready but he was stealthier than that now. Instead he let his eyes flick to the left, where the sound was coming from. Under heavy lids, he still looked asleep.
It was Gollum, slowly creeping down from the rock he'd been sleeping on, reaching out to Bilbo! He was going to take the Ring while his brother slept!
"Hey!" Kili roared, Thorin the lightest sleeper, who was closest to Bilbo immediately spotted what Kili had seen and leapt for Gollum.
Bilbo yelped in surprise as Thorin flew over him and rammed into Gollum, the poor ringbearer was almost crushed under the two as they fought. Gollum put up a decent effort, biting, scratching and even spitting but Thorin had the clear advantage in strength and experience and soon the creature was on the ground being pounded by the King's fists.
"Stop it!" Bilbo screeched, "You can't fight here, you could knock any of us off!"
He rushed forward and tried to separate Thorin and Gollum only to stumble back and only just stop himself falling off the ledge. However, this didn't stop him shakily trying to stand once more.
"Bilbo don't!" Kili insisted, his yell distracting Thorin from pummeling Gollum more.
"You're exhausted." Fili noted seriously, coming to kneel at his youngest brothers side. Bilbo was panting, as if just standing up took a great deal of energy, he refused to meet anybody's eye.
"It's that damned Ring isn't it." Kili sneered, "It's draining the life right out of you."
How he hated that thing, Kili wished he could smash it into a thousand pieces.
"He's right." Thorin sighed, "There must be a way we can help you, share the load some how."
Bilbo stiffened.
"You see! You see! Gollum was right! Didn't Gollum tell you master!" Gollum yelled with a scowl.
"What does he mean?" Fili asked, looking back at Bilbo who had gotten back on his feet.
Kili didn't like the look he had on his face, it was cold and filled with a mixture of betrayal, sadness and most of all, rage. At first Kili thought he was glaring at Gollum but then realized it was Thorin he was directing his hate at. At first he couldn't figure out why but then he realized, Bilbo didn't know Gollum had made the first move, he had been asleep. In his eyes, he'd simply seen Thorin and Gollum rush at each other, Thorin had even leapt over him. Bilbo must have thought Gollum had stopped Thorin from taking the Ring not the other way around.
"No, Bili it's not what you think-!"
"Don't call me that!" Bilbo yelled, "Just go! You should never have come after me! I know it's just the Ring you want anyway don't bother pretending otherwise!"
"No! We care about you!" Thorin argued, "We have never tried to take it for ourselves you know that!"
"You just did!" Bilbo screeched sounding slightly manic, "I saw you! All you've ever cared about is treasure! All of you! You've never really cared about me, I've always been an outsider!"
"Can't you see that Ring has twisted you up inside?" Kili pleaded, trying to approach his brother only to have Bilbo glare at him.
"They just wants to trick you!" Gollum hissed.
"It's him who's trying to trick you! He tried to take the Ring for himself!" Thorin yelled, "We're your family!"
For a moment Bilbo glanced from them and back to Gollum a few times, looking confused, like he didn't know who to trust anymore.
"Shut up! Shut up!" Bilbo covered his ears with his hands, "All of you!"
"Take it off." Thorin asked gently, "Bilbo you have to take that Ring off, it's driving you mad, you've been wearing it for months...It's too much to bear."
"And I suppose you could bear it better?" Bilbo hissed, looking at Thorin with venom in his eyes, "You think I'd fall for a trick like that?"
"No that's not what he meant-"
"Don't you two start as well!" Bilbo growled before pointing an accusing finger at Thorin, "I know perfectly well you're on his side!"
With that the Hobbit began storming back up the stairs without them.
"Go home." He snapped, "I don't want you here and I don't need you."
'Oh Bili...what's happened to you?' Kili blinked back tears.
Gollum gave them all a grin, he knew they could do nothing to stop Bilbo now and more importantly, there was nothing to stop Gollum anymore.
"What do we do?" Fili asked Thorin quietly, "We can't go with him but we can't just leave him either."
Thorin looked at them sadly, Kili got the feeling he had no idea what to do either.
Sorry about the shortness of this chapter but I need to take a vote on what happens next.
I can't decide whether I want Thorin, Fili or Kili to follow Bilbo into the depths of Mordor and up the mountain. I'm leaning more towards Fili or Kili, because Thorin was more the focus of the first story but it's really up to you guys.
:) Tell me which one YOU would most like see accompany Bilbo the rest of the way and which two you would rather come to the rescue with Gandalf. the next update will be pretty quick seeings as I've got the basics all typed up I just need to know what characters I'm going to work with.