Fili was the one to wake first. The early morning sun was shining through the large curtains and on top of Ella's dark brown hair. It had gotten this dark copper golden tint, Fili wonder why he hadn't noticed it before. She looked so beautiful when she was asleep. She looked peaceful and calm. Fili started to think about what it would be like waking up next to her every morning. He would love nothing more then that; he would never wanted to leave bed ever again. The way Ella laid against his chest made him feel safe and loved. Not like the love that his mother, uncle and brother gave him but like the love that only she could give him. He loved her and she loved him. Fili wouldn't let anything change that.

He softly stroked Ella's hand that was on his chest. Her hands were small and soft, unlike most she-dwarves but Ella wasn't a normal dwarf, she was his. She was perfect in her own way. He had to admit that she could be stubborn, protective and make your ears bleed at times but she could also be very fragile and scared and yet she could be the most lovely person al the same. She blamed herself for everything that happened not just to George but to everybody in the company as well. Fili could see it in her eyes from time to time.

Fili remembered the first time he saw her. Ella was lying in the grass with her arms protectively wrapped around George. Twigs and leaves in her messy brown curls and she looked like she had been through a fight. She wore her dark magenta tunic with dark leather trousers, a heavy leather jacket and dark green boots. He remembered Kili looking at him with confusion when he saw the green strip in her hair. They didn't really know what she was either. She was too small to be a human, she had no beard so she couldn't be a dwarf and she had no pointy ears so she was no elf. But in the end the brothers decided that she was a dwarf and they took her and George with them to Bag End.

Ella groaned when she turned her head causing the sun to shine in her eyes. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Fili smiling at her. "Good morning." She mumbled as she pushed her head against his chest. "Morning." He whispered and kissed her head. "Sleep well?" "Hmm." She sighed and it looked like she fell asleep again. Fili sighed when he heard footsteps running their way. The dwarves couldn't just leave the couple alone, could they?

"Wait George! You can't go in there!"

"But I want to see if she is okay."

Ella slowly forced her eyes open when she heard whispering voices in front of the door. Ella sighed and snuggled back into Fili's chest. "It's to early." She mumbled. "Why can't they just let us sleep?"Ella let out a deep breath and Fili softly chuckled while she got comfortable again. She wasn't a morning person unlike Fili.

"No George stop!"

"Ow Kili! Let me go!"

"No! Oin said that we should leave her alone."

"He didn't say anything to me and she is my sister!"

"But you were in the room as well when he gave us the order. So you cannot go in there! The only one who was allowed to go in was Fili."

Ella covered her head with her left arm trying to ignore the whispering fight outside THEIR door. "Please go away." She mumbled into Fili's chest. He didn't say anything he just softly stroked her arm up and down.

"What are you two doing?" A voice shouted outside the door.

"Shhhhhhhhh!"

"Now she gonna wake up!"

"Oin ordered us to stay away from her. She needs all the rest she can get! So I suggest that you listen to the healer and let your sister be!"

"But we just want to see if she is okay."

"You will do no such thing. Now go to the others, there is lunch in five minutes."

"No! I won't go anywhere without knowing that Elly is okay!"

"George stop being so stubborn and go to the others."

"But I want to see Ella!"
"I know but your sister needs to sleep."
"Can I just have a small look?"

"No."
"But I need to know if she is OK-HAY!"
"Why do you have to be so much like your sister?"

For a couple of seconds there was no sound.
"Fine."

Fili lifted his head when he heard the door open. Ella still had her head against his chest clearly trying to ignore them. "Go away." Ella said not turning her head. She didn't want to know who they were even though she recognized the voices. "It's to early!" "It's almost time for lunch!" Kili said surprised when Ella thought that it was early. "Go away!" Ella said cranky and turned her head. "Out! Before I kick you out!" "But Ella you have to see something really cool!" George said running closer to his sister. Before Thorin could grab him by his shoulder he was already trying to pull his sister out of her bed. "Come on, Ella." George said. "No." Ella said and pushed George away a bit. Ella scooted herself next to Fili, away from her brother on the other side of the bed. Just when I was comfortable. Ella though to herself, lying on a cold spot in the bed.

"Fili come on!" George said pulling Fili's arm. "Get your lazy ass out of bed!" George almost pulled Fili out of the bed. Fili had to push his arm against the floor to keep himself from falling. "Alright. Alright." Fili laughed and jumped out of bed. He was only wearing his thin shirt and his trousers and he quickly pulled on his boots but he dropped one when George dragged him to the door.

"Come here you!" Fili said laughing as he held George upside down and tickled him. George was screaming in laughter and kicking up his feet. "Put me down, Fili!" He scream laughed. "Sorry boy." Fili laughed and tickled George even harder. "This is what you get for waking me up." Fili joked and walked out the door with George hanging upside down over his back. "Oy Kili, can you get my other boot?! It's still in the room." Kili walked back into the room but he had to duck for the flying boot. "Well good morning to you too." He said with a smirk on his face and quickly grabbed the boot and ran toward his brother again when Ella reached for the candleholder on the nightstand.

"Ella come on." Thorin said. Ella thought that he had gone to but apparently she was wrong. Ella didn't make a sound and pulled her blanket over her head. Two seconds later she heard Thorin's heavy boots walking across the floor towards her. Her woolen blanket was thrown off of her and she tried to curl up in a ball as much as she could without hurting her back. She was so happy that she had a bandage around her torso. "Up!" Thorin said walking away. "Food in five minutes." "No." Ella said grumpy looking up before her shirt was launched into her face. "Five minutes!" She heard Thorin shout with a chuckle in his voice.

"No wait, come back!" She shouted towards the door. Thorin walked back into the room again. "What is it?" He asked soft. "I cn't gt t f bd. Y hv t hlp m p." Ella said into her pillow. "Ella you have to speak up, I can't understand a thing your saying." "I said that I can't get out of bed and you have to help me up." She said raising her head from the pillow. Thorin picked up her blanket as he walked over to Ella and placed in on her bed but Ella quickly pulled in over herself again. "Don't take away my blanket again." She mumbled with a small warning tone in her voice. "Ella you have to get up or you won't sleep tonight." "Do I really have to?" Ella said. "My back is killing me." Thorin sighed and put hand in her hair and held her braids in his hand, just like his mother used to do when he was a young prince and didn't want to get out of bed or when he was sick or injured. Thorin froze at his action and pulled his hand out of her thick braided hair. What was he thinking? Don't go there. He thought to himself. "Let's get you up." He cleared his throat awkwardly and pulled blanket away again.

Ella sighed and carefully placed herself on her elbows. Thorin grabbed her by her side and lifted her up. Ella let out a small scream and she bit her lip. Once standing, Thorin help her with getting her shirt on. It was a lot harder then it sounded because of Ella's injured shoulder and back. Once dressed Thorin got a piece of fabric and tied it loosely around her neck so that she could place her arm in it. "Now lets go get some food." He said with a small smile and they walked out of the room.

Ella stopped in the dining room when she saw dogs and horses and sheep setting the table. Ella giggled and jumped up and down when she saw a grey dog standing on his back paws while he was carrying a plate with food. "You can't have one." Thorin said serious. It was like he read her mind. "What? How did you-? Please?" she asked with puppy eyes. "No." "But why?" "I already got my hands full with you." That was the last thing Thorin said to her before he placed himself at the table. Ella said no more and she placed herself next to Fili and Kili.

"And why are you out of your bed?" Oin asked who sat across her. "Your back cannot heal if you walk around all day." "I'm fine Oin." Ella said with her mouth full. "Really I am." "You still did not answer my question." Oin said raising a brow. Ella heard Kili and George snickering beside her. "Why do I have this feeling that you two are a part of the answer I want?" Oin said looking at Kili and George. "Why do we get the blame for it?" Kili said with his hands in the air. "Thorin was there too!" George said sitting in the same position as Kili. Oin looked at Thorin. He was about to say something to Thorin when Ella interrupted him. "Oin! It's fine. I'm awake now so it doesn't matter any more." Oin sighed. "Alright but I want you to finish you food and go back to bed. I will have to check your wound again."

"So you are still here?" Ella quickly turned her head towards the deep voice. "Not eaten by wargs or orcs or wicked bears I see." He looked at Ella. "Do we know who this guy is?" Ella whispered a bit scared in Fili's ear. "It's alright." Fili said leaning into her. "That is Beorn. This is his place." "And I see that the female has awaken too." Beorn said frowning his eyebrows. Ella turned her head to Beorn and gave him a smile. Gandalf stood up and introduced her. "Beorn this is Lady Ella-Ryan, daughter of…?" Gandalf gave Ella a quick look. "David." Ella said. "Daughter of David. Please call me Ella." Ella said standing up with the help of Fili and Kili. "At you service." Ella said with a smile bowing a little.

Gandalf waved to Thorin and Company to leave the room. "Grab your weapons." Thorin said. "Training outside, now." He stood up from the table. "Not you." Thorin said to Ella. Fili grabbed her shoulder and his hand slid down her arm grabbing her hand. "Yell if there is anything. We'll be right outside." He gave her a kiss on her hand and cheek and he left with the others.

Ella started pulling her shirt when the others left the room. This was very uncomfortable. Stupid habbit! She thought to herself and looked at her shirt. "How is your back?" Beorn asked with his deep voice. "Alright I guess." Ella said soft shaking her hands. Beorn looked quite scary with his long black hair and his big black beard. "So she is the earthling that you had told me about?" "That she is." Gandalf said with a nod. Even Gandalf had to look up at Beorn. "Are you sure?" Beorn asked the wizard with a brow raised. "She doesn't look like much."