Tauriel was shivering when she awoke.

"Kili?" She lifted her head from where it rested in the dry grass, and squinted out at the sun-drenched lands surrounding her. The Desolation of Smaug. Fear twisted her insides; there was no one in sight. She struggled to rise from the ground. "Kili!"

A pair of rough hands reached for her and pulled her back down amongst the grasses, and she found herself looking at familiar dark brown eyes, a long nose and black hair.

"Kili!" She gasped and clutched at the armour-plating on his shoulders. "You are you! I mean...you are here! I see you. I mean-"

"I have my body back." He finished for her, smiling. His eyes did the same, crinkling in the corners.

Tauriel reached up to smooth the tiny crinkles and grinned fiercely. "Your chest; is it beating? Are you alive?" Without waiting for a response, she moved her head to his chest and listened.

"I think so," he said, rumbling with laughter. "I know I'm breathing."

A faint reassuring thudding sound told Tauriel that he was truly alive. They had done it. They had defied the stars, and they were alive. She rose again to look at him, and found herself wanting to laugh and cry.

He lifted his hands to frame her face, and ran his thumbs back and forth over her cheeks. "Can I hold you?"

She smiled through a sob and then nodded furiously. He slowly pulled her into his arms, and she did the same, burying her face in his shoulder and hiding a few more tears.

"You smell like the forest," he said in her ear.

"I miss the forest," she confessed impulsively while inhaling his scent of earth and fire. "But not as much as I have missed you."

"I know," he soothed. One of his hands came up to touch her hair. "I know."

They heard footsteps approaching them. After a long moment, Kili leaned back, held up three fingers and started counting down. Slowly and quietly, Tauriel pulled the dwarves' bow from over her shoulder and fitted an arrow to it.

She rose up and fired a warning shot at the intruder just as Kili ran to meet him with his sword. They both stopped at the same time, recognising the intruder's face.

Tauriel lowered her bow. "Fili."

Fili lowered his axe, gaped at her and then gaped at Kili. "You did it. You did it you mad, brilliant, beautiful elf!"

Before Tauriel or Kili could speak, Fili knocked his brother sideways with a rough bear hug. Suppressing a smile, Tauriel went to put the arrow away, and found herself being tackled off balance as well. Fili laughed, squeezed her waist tight and gave her a little shake before letting her go. Kili managed to laugh and look annoyed at the same time.

"Now Kili, I didn't mean anything by it," reassured Fili, slapping Tauriel on her back, hard. "She's as good as my sister-in-law now and I have a lot to make up for. You have to let me treat her as one of our own, eh Tauriel?"

"Yes, do." She smiled and thumped Fili on his back a little too hard. He winced satisfyingly and gave her a knowing grimace. She could get used to this.

Kili glanced around. "This is the Desolation of Smaug. How did you find us here?"

"Long story short, Tauriel wanted to sleepwalk and I agreed to protect her," said Fili. "She was struggling at first because she was locked up. She kept climbing the walls."

"Locked up!" Kili scowled in the direction of Dale. "Why would they do that?"

Fili shrugged. "They think she used black magic on Bard."

Kili looked at Tauriel. "Why would they think that?"

"Oh I don't know...because he was possessed by a young dwarf, maybe?" Fili answered for her.

Tauriel put the bow back over her shoulder. "How did you get me out? I made those cells inescapable."

Fili pointed a thumb at his own chest. "Those guards had no chance holding onto their keys. I let you out and you went on your scary way."

"Did anyone see me?" she asked, a little embarrassed.

"Only half the town and most of the guards put on the gate. But I protected you from them all and without killing anyone!" he said, looking smug. "I can see you taught them some tricks, Lady Elf, but those men need some more in-depth training. They're not going to be able to keep out a small army the way they are."

Given that she'd only been in Dale for a couple of seasons, Tauriel thought they were doing remarkably well. Still, she was glad that Fili had no trouble keeping them at bay. "My hero. Any spiders to worry about?"

"None that were interested in us." Fili relaxed his stance. "Now what? Where are we going? Under the Mountain?"

Kili shook his head. "We'll need a plan first. Thorin told me that Dáin plans to kill you for the crown."

Tauriel shifted her weight. "Before we go anywhere else, I need to return to Dale and do some tale swapping with the King first. I owe him a great deal and he deserves to know what happened."

Fili looked doubtful. "We should go with you, but do you think Bard will allow us to see him? Or is he just going to have us locked up and you tried as a witch?"

Kili's expression darkened. "He's not going to get the chance. Either he agrees to talk or we leave."

She looked uncertain. "He is a private man, and he will be angry, but there is a chance he will want to listen to what we have to say."

"Then we'll try," said Kili. "And see if we can piece the whole story together with him."

They checked their weapons, Tauriel loosened the string on the bow, and they moved at an easy pace towards the gates of Dale. Every now and then Kili would stop to enjoy their surroundings, or sometimes just study a plant or a rock he'd seen. Tauriel found herself doing the same, appreciating that she was once again in the land of the living.

Fili took the front position as they entered the city gates, and they all kept their weapons ready for an attack. Tauriel's damaged ears were still able to pick up whispers of the word 'witch' as they walked through the town. But no one dared to confront them, not until they reached the steps up to the Great Hall.

Guards formed a clear line between them and the entrance to Bard's home. A few stepped back to let Bran and Bard come forward. Bran had his sword out and pointed it at Fili.

"Surrender your weapons," ordered Bran. "And hand over the accused witch."

Kili bristled. "After all the things she did for you."

Bran stiffened. "Surrender your weapons!"

Fili grinned. "Afraid I might fight off all your men once more? I didn't kill them before; I won't promise that again."

"We came here in good faith to speak with the King," said Kili. "But I can smell fear on all of you, and I will not submit my weapons to ignorant fools."

Bard placed a hand on Bran's shoulder and came forward. He was dressed in an odd mix of old and new clothes. Tauriel met his eyes. His brow furrowed and he looked away. He seemed confused, and nervous.

"Let them through," said Bard. "I will speak with them in private."

Bran glanced warily at Kili. "Your Highness, I think-"

"That it's time for breakfast. A good idea Bran," finished Bard with a glint in his eye. "Our guests will join me, while you will send your men about their day. That's not a suggestion."

The men cleared the area, and that was when Tauriel saw it; the completed witch's pyre near the stairs.