DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE HOBBIT
This chapter was more of a interlude of sorts. hope you all still enjoy.
Bilbo pulled open the door slowly and peered into the room. Thorin lay propped up on pillows, his dark and silver hair loose and tumbling over his shoulders onto his chest. On either side of his bed Fili and Kili sat in chairs, their bodies splayed onto the covers, with their faces turned towards Thorin. Bilbo watched the mix of emotions that played over Thorin's face as he gently stroked the heads of his nephews as they slept, tired out from their nightly vigils over him. Pride, anger, pain, relief but mostly love; yes lots of love poured from that usually gruff visage.
When Thorin had fallen in the Main Hall of the mountain, Kili had been the first to get to him. Bilbo, who was with Bofur, had seen the dark haired Prince, give a short cry of horror and all but flung Frodo in Dwalin's arm and took off at a sprint. Bilbo watched first in confusion and then in fear as Kili grabbed onto Thorin, screaming at him to stay awake. He rushed to help Kili, knowing that Frodo was definitely safe with Dwalin. He arrived just in time to see Legolas press his palm to Thorin's chest and began rattling of a string of elvish. Aragorn had sprinted up soon after and he, Kili and Legolas had lifted Thorin and carried him off to the healing rooms. Balin apparently had informed Gandalf and Lord Elrond as to what was going on. But it was Fili that suffered the most, for he had to deal with all the new arrivals before he could get time to see how Thorin was doing. Thankfully Hamek was there with him and between them both they got the crowd settled fairly quickly.
It was still late evening before Fili stumbled into the healing rooms, looking like he was about to collapse. In fact he did collapse into Kili arms and had burst into tears when Lord Elrond told him that Thorin had been poisoned. Bilbo had seen what Kili's poisoning had done to Fili's nerves and on hearing that Thorin also had been poisoned, seemed a bit too much for the blond. Yet they both remained by Thorin's side for the entire of Lord Elrond's healing craft, Kili stroking the soft golden locks as Fili lay against him his face half buried in Kili's chest.
The poison in Thorin's system was the same that was used for Kili, so Lord Elrond was able to draw most of it out quickly. Still for the week that followed, Thorin drifted in and out of consciousness and pain. All of the members of the company volunteered to watch over him, so he was never left alone. But it was really Kili, Aragorn and surprisingly Legolas accompanied by Gloin's son Gimli, which took most of the watches.
Bilbo sighed and just then Thorin looked up and caught his gaze. He nodded to Bilbo and beckoned him. Bilbo shook his head and gestured to the two sleeping dwarves, but Thorin shook his in answer and called Bilbo in again. Bilbo sighed one more time and came in, padding softly on his bare feet. He stood beside Thorin and looked down at the bed. Kili's mouth was open slightly and he looked adorable. But Fili's face was pulled into a tight frown and his lips were upturned. Thorin kept shiftly his gaze from one face to another.
"I can always tell how they are feeling when they sleep," he said in a low voice. Bilbo gaze him a small smile.
"Tell me Bilbo," he asked, "Why is it that the ones I love the most, suffer the most because of me? Maybe I should have never taken them from the Blue Mountains. Maybe I should have just been content." Bilbo shook his head.
"I don't think you could have done that," Bilbo said equally soft, "You were meant to come and rule this Mountain Thorin. And you would have died on the Battle Field if it had not been for these two. Besides the blood of Kings runs in Fili, he may not believe it, but he is meant to rule over people. So stop your worrying Thorin. Things are as they are meant to be and will turn out as they are meant to turn out." Thorin gave him a look between a grimace and a smile.
"You have been spending far too much time with those elves and a particular Wizard, master Baggins," Thorin growled. Bilbo chuckled and looked back to the sleeping dwarves.
"They love you very much," Bilbo told Thorin.
"I know," Thorin replied and went back to stroking their heads. Bilbo heard the unspoken, 'and I love them' just as clearly as if Thorin had said it out loud.