I live! Haha hey everyone so sorry this took forever to post. As I'm sure many of you realized I was not successful in my plan to get an additional chapter done before going on my geo field camp. School got super busy at the end and then its really hard to write this story without any laptop and sometimes even without a phone. But its done now. Probably not my best work but I'm getting back in the swing of it. Hope you enjoy and I'd love to hear what you all think! Thanks for all the support!


Bofur didn't know what to make of Bard. He wasn't bad per say and he was fairly funny, but he wasn't part of the company and that made Bofur wary. Very wary. Especially with his reaction to them entering Erebor. Bofur knew exactly how easy it would be for Bard to mess up their plans should events go in any way similar to how the movie showed them. He certainly didn't trust Bard enough to think he wouldn't either. For all his smiles and laughter, Bofur did pay attention and he knew exactly how untrustworthy people could be. He knew the others, or at least the elder dwarves felt the same. They'd all felt the sharp sting of men's mockery and betrayal. Which was why he wished Thorin would try to be a little less pigheaded, but he knew that was asking a lot from their oh so very illustrious leader.

They didn't need to be friends and quite frankly he didn't think he wanted to be Bard's friend. Playing nice though, now that was important. Smile and joke and make them think you harmless. It was a method that got him through the ups and downs of life so far, he doubted it would fail him now. He just wished he didn't have to.

Bofur didn't have a lot of friends and those he did he considered on par with family. Without a second thought, he would die before allowing any real harm to come to them. Looking at his present situation he knew there were exactly two potential threats. Bard and the Ring. And right now he could only do something about one of them.


Bard was rather surprised when a dwarf slid onto the couch between him and Gandalf. He had a silly, floppy looking hat and an easy grin that reminded Bard of the friendly fishermen he'd sometimes pass out on the lake.

"Figured ye could use a bit o' company over here," he said ignoring the looks some of the others were throwing him. Bard didn't know why the dwarf had come over, they all seemed quite happy staying in their groups away from him. He didn't know if he wanted them to try to warm up to him. They were all still planning on setting a dragon on his town.

"Bofur by the way, I know there's a lotta names te remember," Bofur said smiling and Bard nodded, thankful he didn't have to ask. Bofur saw Bilbo smile at him and the simple act made him even more determined to go through with getting to know Bard. He just might not mention to Bilbo that it wasn't because he trusted Bard in any way. The screen lit up, distracting everyone from Bofur's new position.

Screen-Bard docked the barge and knocked over the barrels, the company spilling onto the deck. When he reached screen-Dwalin's barrel the dwarf rose up from the pile of fish, shaking in anger as he pushed away screen-Bard's aid. As the rest of the dwarves freed themselves from their fishy confines, screen-Bard approached an old man who was watching them with wide eyes. Pressing a few coins into the man's hand, screen-Bard beckoned for the company to follow him and gave the man the fish as well in exchange for his silence. The screen panned to show the company following behind Bard through the worn and dirty streets of Laketown.

[Bilbo:] What is this place?

[Thorin:] This, Master Baggins, is the world of Men.

"You make it sound like all towns of Men are in such disrepair," Bard said, unable to keep the contempt from his voice.

"Most are, and I've been to my fair share," Thorin retorted trying his hardest to keep his tongue in check. Bilbo's eyes boring a hole into his head made it easier to look away from Bard and stay silent. It didn't take long for the Laketown guards to see them, it was a miracle they had made it as far as they had. Bilbo knew exactly how quiet and stealthy his dwarves could be. The screen-company took off running only to be stopped by another guard. Unfortunately for this one, the company wasn't a big fan of running, the fourteen of them bowling him over and attacking his comrades. The guards went down laughably easily, especially since the company was only using mops and other random items within arms reach. A guard in fancy dress stopped as he entered the market area where the dwarves were hiding. Whoops and laughter went up from the watching company as the townspeople also pitched in helping hide the unconscious bodies littering the area. Bard really must've been joking when he said people didn't like the Master's men.

Screen-Bard stepped in front of the fancy guard addressing him as Braga while holding up a see-through slip, claiming Braga's wife would look lovely in it. Braga's teeth ground together, screen-Bard just riling him up even more while the watching dwarves howled with laughter.

"That's low- I love it," Kili said between laughs. Braga stormed off in anger allowing screen-Bard and the company to leave the marketplace without issue. A boy ran up to them, panting slightly. Bard smiled at the sight of his son.

[Bain:] "Da! Our house, it's being watched."

Screen-Bard looked back at the dwarves with a frown.

"That isn't good," Balin mumbled unsure of how they would get around this. He couldn't help thinking that they had perhaps found the worst person to smuggle them into Laketown. Then again, something had to be off about a person willing to sneak thirteen dwarves and a hobbit into their town, when they had only just met them. Worst option or not, there was a good chance Bard was all they had. Balin hoped their mistrust of the man was unfounded.

The screen switched to Bard and his son walking back to their house. A fisherman dropped down his eyepatch when he saw the pair, knocking his staff against a nearby wall. Two boys ran out, one hitting a contraption that sent a bell ringing. Another man lit his pipe at the sound and two men switched sides as they fished next to Bard's house.

"That is so inefficient," Nori said aghast at the subpar spying practices.

"You would know," Dwalin scoffed. Nori nodded not at all put off by the tone of Dwalin's words.

"Of course I would. I thought you were bad at this whole smuggling thing. Turns out you learned it from somewhere," Nori looked back at Bard who frowned but said nothing at the insult.

Screen-Bard pulled an apple out of the bag he was carrying, tossing it down to the fishermen and telling them he was done for the day. Inside the house, his daughters were waiting for them to return.

Thorin couldn't help how familiar the scene was to him. How many times had he come home to his sister and nephews late only to have both boys tackle him as they told him how worried they were? Or come back to them asleep in the living room because they had insisted they stay up until he came back and failed miserably? He knew he wasn't the only one begrudgingly touched by the simple display.

Screen-Bard told Bain ushered Bain away, telling him to get them in. The company leaned forward, curious as to how they would get in without being seen. When Bain stopped next to the toilet and knocked three times, groans went up through the room. Bard grinned as screen-Dwalin rose up from the toilet bowl, though it was quickly wiped away as he threatened Bain. The boy didn't seem to take his words seriously grinning slightly as screen-Dwalin pulled himself up out of the water. Screen-Bilbo was next to come up, shaking and mortified. Current Bilbo shuddered at the situation as well, not looking forward to this at all. He hoped Bard would come up with some other plan if they still had to sneak into Laketown. Bard's eldest daughter, Sigrid, looked back her father in confusion as the company continued to climb into their house. Tilda was next to her a smile on her face.

[Tilda:] "Will they bring us luck?"

Screen-Nori came up next, his hair sopping and full of leaves. Several of the dwarves started laughing at his misfortune and Tilda's words, Nori just grumbled to himself and pat his hair.

The screen switched to the whole company milling about in screen-Bard's living room, wrapped up in blankets Tilda was passing out. Screen-Bilbo was the only one to thank the young girl, something he was going to rectify no matter what. Thorin looked over at him at his huff of irritation, not sure what had his hobbit upset and just hoping it wasn't him.

A window was shown, screen-Thorin looking out it with a haunted look. Atop a wooden tower sat a weapon any dwarf would recognize with ease. Thorin felt his throat constrict, anger flooding his veins at the sight. A hand patting his arm made Thorin relax a little, Bilbo not looking at him but leaving his hand where it was. Screen-Balin began to explain what the weapon was and why they all looked so awful at the sight of it.

Bard and Gandalf were both shocked as the screen shifted to show Smaug descending on Dale, but the company only shifted uneasily wondering when they would finally be free of these terrible flashbacks.

[Balin:] "The day that Smaug destroyed Dale. Girion, the Lord of the city, rallied his bowman to fire upon the beast."

Bard couldn't believe what he was seeing, horror not even begin to describe what he was feeling as Smaug swooped down and burned Dale. The screen showed Girion, dressed in full armor leading a group of archers as they shot at Smaug. Bard wanted to look down, already knowing that his ancestor would fail but he couldn't look away from the carnage. Screen-Balin continued to narrate, telling of the difficulty of killing a dragon. Bilbo thought it odd that few black arrows had been made, though he didn't dare bring it up at such a tense time. Maybe later, once everyone had settled down a bit. If such a thing ever happened.

The screen showed Girion loading a black arrow into the wind-lance and aiming it at Smaug. It was hard to see the dragon rapidly flying above the town through the thick smoke and when Girion shot the arrow merely bounced off Smaug's scales. Even knowing what had happened, the disappointment at Girion's failure was felt by all. Screen-Balin told how Girion's store of arrows was running low as another arrow was loaded. Girion drew back the wind-lance, aiming as carefully as he could. The arrow flew through the smoke and air, striking Smaug once more in the chest, but it too slid off his scales harmlessly. With that they were back in screen-Bard's living room, Thorin still staring out the window.

[Thorin:] "Had the aim of Men been true that day, much would have been different."

Bard wanted to argue against him, men were not the only ones who fought against the dragon that day. They were not the ones to blame for the dragon in the first place. Seeing Thorin leaning into Bilbo's touch, head bowed and body tense, made Bard stop. Now was not the time for such an argument. Screen-Bard didn't have his reservations, asking if Thorin had been there in a bid to learn more about his guests. Unsurprisingly, screen-Thorin lied. Bain spoke up, stopping screen-Bard from being able to say anything, mentioning the loose scale Bard had told him about. Scoffs and laughter mixed with screen-Dwalin's own derision, dismissing the idea as a fairy tale.

"It's not, Girion did weaken him, it's not a fairy tale," Bard said annoyed at their disbelief.

"Whatever makes ye sleep better at night," Dwalin replied and Bard wanted to argue back but screen-Thorin was moving, confronting screen-Bard and his attention was drawn away from those around him.

Screen-Thorin was demanding the weapons screen-Bard had promised them, Bard frowning as he wondered what weapons he could possibly have for them.

"What's wrong with you?" Bofur asked seeing Bard's confusion.

"I-don't exactly have any weapons," he said realizing that everyone was looking at him.

"But we paid you for weapons,"

"I'm just telling you what I know," Bard said trying to placate them even though he knew it wouldn't help at all. Screen-Bard took the stairs down to the lower part of the house and looked around warily. He pulled on a rope, dragging a bag out of the water. Idly Bard wondered where that had come from. There was nothing of the sort there now.

The screen switched back to show Balin, Thorin, Fili and Kili talking together in hushed voices. Fili found himself focusing more on his brother's pained expression then the conversation itself, the worry making him squeeze Kili's arm harder. Noticing his brother's worry, Kili leaned further against him, nearly knocking the two over. The shift in weight shook Fili out of his thoughts as he pushed Kili back.

Thorin was watching the pair, already knowing what would happen if they didn't reach the mountain in time. He had also noticed screen-Kili's less than healthy look, worry eating away at him. Knowing his nephew was likely dying while his screen-self was barely paying the boy any attention sent a cold spike through his heart. Screen-Bard's return broke him out of his thoughts.

The package contained what Bard had expected it to contain, items that were definitely not what the dwarves would consider weapons. The outrage of those watching was quieter then he'd been expecting. Gandalf shook his head at their reaction, how could they have expected anything else? Those on-screen were even more upset, looking at the weapons as if they had insulted their entire family. Screen-Bard answered their questions on what the items were, knowing full well that those were not the answers they wanted. Bard would have found the situation funnier if the anger wasn't directed at him. Next to him, Bofur was fairly quiet looking at the items with an unreadable expression.

"Well, suppose those'd do in a pinch," he said and Bard wondered if he was supposed to hear him with how low he had talked. Even so, he was thankful at least one dwarf saw the potential use of the makeshift weapons, though his on-screen self was just as angry as the others.
Screen-Gloin stopped the question asking, angrily reminding everyone of just what they had paid for. The company threw the metal onto the table, the clashing nearly drowning out screen-Bard explaining that there were no weapons outside of the armory.

"No," Bard said as screen-Thorin and Dwalin looked at each other.

"Then you should have given us actual weapons," Thorin said, gaining nods from several others.

"I thought your goal was to not end up in irons?"

"Our goal is to get into Erebor, how do you expect us to defend ourselves with what you gave us?"

"Oh, I just thought supposedly skilled dwarves like yourselves could make do. Besides no number of weapons can defeat Smaug, what does it matter?" The room was quiet, the reminder of their inability to kill Smaug weighed heavily. Screen-Balin's voice broke through the tension. Bard huffed, catching Bilbo's eyes as he looked back at him with an apologetic smile.

Screen-Balin was trying to ease the tension within the room, reminding Thorin that they had made do with less and that they should just leave. The declaration that they most certainly would not be leaving didn't add any points in Bard's favor.

[Bard:] "There's spies watching this house and probably every dock and wharf in the town. You must wait till nightfall."

Thankfully his reasoning was enough to calm them, Bilbo didn't think he could deal with too much more of this awful tension. The company started settling down to wait for night to fall. Screen-Kili sat down with a wince, looking at his bandage once he was sure no one was looking.

"Why are you being so stupid?" Fili asked, hating the fact that his brother was trying to hide his injury from everyone, even him. Kili shrugged not really wanting to answer and say that he just wanted certain people to be proud and think he was tough enough. Especially when that certain person was right behind him. The worried look on his uncle's face as he saw screen-Kili's injury made him rethink how good his idea was.

Screen-Bard walked out onto his porch, thinking deeply as he mouthed Thorin's name. His eyes lit up as he looked toward the Lonely Mountain. Bain opened the door at just the right time, screen-Bard whirling around.

[Bard:] "Don't let them leave."

And he was off, running down the steps and into Laketown, the watching company wondering if they were finally done for.