The next morning all the Dwarves slept late. The house given to them by the Master of Lake Town was huge, large enough that everybody could have their own room, a luxury the brothers Li had never had. When the company woke they found food waiting for them, Balin and Dwalin decided they would help make some new tools and weapons as thanks for their hospitality.

Nobody dared to disturb Bilbo, for all they cared he could sleep all day if he wanted to. Eventually though, his two very proud brothers couldn't wait any longer and tip toed into the room. Bilbo was curled up, sound asleep, despite the fact it was already lunch time.

His face was slightly flush and at that sight both Fili and Kili went into a nervous panic.

"He's got a fever!" kili exclaimed.

"Oh no what if he's serious ill!"

This noise of course woke the sleeping Hobbit and he rubbed his eyes and coughed slightly which made both of his brothers worry even more.

"Relax boys." Oin chuckled, "He's exhausted and he's got a cold, that's all. Here, drink some tea."

"Thnang you." Bilbo sniffled.

"So, he'll be fine right?" Kili asked worriedly.

"I'b righ here." Bilbo complained, "It's just a cold."

"You sound like you have berries stuffed up your nose." Fili giggled, earning him a smack over the head from Thorin.

"Leave him be." the king rumbled, "We will be staying here for a while so there is no rush. Bilbo can rest all he wants."

"No going outside for you." Oin nodded, "Three days bed rest and you will be fine."

Bilbo's face fell a little at that, no doubt he wanted to go out and explore Lake Town like the others.

"Worry not! We'll keep you company little brother!" Kili grinned, "We didn't want to go out anyway."

"You're lyinb." Bilbo croaked, but he smiled.

"Yeah well, what are ya going to do about it?" Fili teased, "Come of Kili, let's go get our sick little brother some soup before he coughs up a lung."

-oOo-

Images flashed before Bilbo's eyes so fast they made his eyes ache. A gold covered room, fire, a shining jewel, a dark figure, Gandalf and other wizards in a dark castle, a great yellow eye...

The images themselves were disturbing enough but the sounds that came with them were even worse, roaring, yelling, screaming fro so many angles Bilbo was sure his head was going to burst from the sheer magnitude.

It was all swimming in his head, he couldn't concentrate on anything. Then one image took over, it was Thorin, it face livid with rage that Bilbo had never seen.

"You traitor! You get out! Leave never come back!"

"You are not my son!"

Bilbo felt a sharp pain in his head, causing him to cry out and clutch at it with both hands. It was as if something snapped, that had been a vision, his last vision. He didn't know how he knew, he just did.

"Bilbo!"

He opened his eyes and found Thorin looking down on him. There was no anger in his eyes like he'd seen only moments ago, only concern but the vision was fresh in his mind. He couldn't help himself, he screamed, scrambling backward so fast he fell over the other side of his bed.

Thorin looked both shocked and very concerned now.

"Are you alright?"

"I-yes." Bilbo breathed, it was just a dream, just a dream... he tried to convince himself.

"Did you see something?" Thorin asked, helping him to his feet.

"...No." Bilbo lied, "It was just a nightmare."

-oOo-

The time spent in Lake Town was wonderful, Bilbo nearly ate his weight in food the first few meals, which resulted in him vomiting over the edge of a bridge at one point.

"That's what you get for eating three entire pies!" Kili had chided.

But of course the time of relaxation and healing couldn't last. They didn't want to burden the people of Lake Town too long especially after they showed them such wonderful hospitality. Thorin made a vow to himself to make sure to send them some sort of thanks when he could.

They left the town via boat, it took almost a full day to cross the colossal lake, a time in which nobody was particularly happy. Dwarfs were not built to live on the water and they all found themselves feeling nauseous as the boat rocked.

When they touched down on the banks they thanked the men who'd given them fresh supplies and turned toward the mountain. It was close now, less than a days walk away, the mountain loomed over them.

Thorin felt as if there were a stone in his throat that no amount of swallowing could dislodge. They walked in the same silence that had accompanied them through Mirkwood, only this time fear wasn't the reason. For the elder Dwarfs it was awe at being so close to their ancestral home, for the younger it was because they were finally seeing the place they had heard so much about.

The forest was short, it took only a day to emerge on the other side, where the ground was dusty and the remnants of roads could be seen. Bilbo looked up in awe at the huge derelict statues of the Dwarf kings of old, it would take a lot of effort to fix them. Of course the huge door could be seen even from here, tightly closed, they would not be getting in that way.

"So now we wait for Durin's day." Fili breathed, "Tomorrow."

"What if we're not in the right place at the right time?" Kili asked nervously, "What if we can't find the door in time?"

"We'll find it." Thorin breathed, sounding strangely dreamy, "We will have to scale the sides in search, but we will find it."

Crossing the desolate land that used to be the city of Dale was haunting for Bilbo. The ruins of the city, barely standing, burnt and decaying, the fields were overgrown and wild now. He almost tripped once, when he turned to see what he'd caught his foot on his stomach twisted, it was the burnt remains of a child's doll.

He couldn't help but wonder, very few people survived from Dale, did the child burn? Were they crushed by falling debris? Did they survive? Were they still living now?

"Come on, lad." Bofur hushed, pushing him gently, "This battle is long over."

They made camp on a small outcrop on the side of the mountain before splitting up to look for the door. Bilbo understood Kili's fear, Dwarf doors were often invisible to those who did not make it. How would they find this secret side door?

Bilbo climbed, he fit through cracks in the stone, he shuffled along edge after edge but still he found no sign of a door. There was no yell of triumph from any other members of the company either, he could feel himself beginning to despair.

Tired, Bilbo rested his face against the cool stone of the mountain, the sun was setting, they'd run out of time. Suddenly a sound caught his attention.

Crack! Crack!

He looked and a few feet away from him was a thrush, in his beak was a snail and it was hitting the rock face. This in itself wasn't odd at all, but the fact that the sound echoed was. Behind that rock was hollow, there was a pathway...

"Father! Thorin, I've found the door!" He cried excitably, "I've found it! I found it!"

The others came scrambling up the rocks as fast as they could, except Bombur who'd fallen asleep looking for the door some time ago.

"Where is it?" Thorin asked quickly, "I don;t see anything."

"No, neither do I." Bilbo smiled, "But listen."

Quickly he rapt against the stone, the same hollow sound echoed through the air.

"We just need to wait a little longer..."

No sooner had the worlds left his mouth and the sun was setting, the last light of the year, Durin's day was upon them. With a grinding of stone the rock face seemed to shift, a tiny key hole appearing in the centre of it. Without hesitation Thorin took the key from around his neck and fitted it into the hole with a click.

Bilbo stood back as the stronger of the Dwarfs leaned against it, slowly shifting the door until it slid open, sending years worth of dust swirling into the air.

They'd done it.

"Smaug's in there." Kili breathed.

"So is the Arkenstone." Thorin added.

"And out city." Dwalin contributed.

Bilbo took a deep breath.

"Well then, I'll see you all soon." He cut in with determination, "This is what I came along for after all, I'll find his weak point."

"Be careful." Thorin implored him before whispering in his ear, "Remember that gold isn't worth more to me than your life."

Bilbo gave him a nod and drew his sword, though deep down he knew it would do little good against a dragon.

"Wish me luck." he grinned and then took his first steps into the darkness of Erebor.

I really hope Bilbo get sick and pampered by the Dwarfs in Lake Town in the Desolation of Smaug, just like in the book.