Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. Please don't sue me I'm poor.

Four weeks after the battle the bodies of the elves were returned to Mirkwood, the dwarves were buried in stone and the orcs were burned. Thranduil and Bard were still camping out waiting for their payment from the dwarves. The dwarves said they would do nothing until their King was well enough to give the order and continued to keep people out of the mountain. Thorin and his nephews were still in bad condition despite some of their wounds starting to heal.

Bilbo wondered around the elven camp helping Tauriel to hand out food and medicine to the elves. One thing Bilbo learned while he stayed with the elves was they were not angry at him. They seemed to have forgiven him when he handed the Arkenstone to their King to bring peace and they appreciated his help with healing and gathering supplies. Sometimes he would get visits from Ori and Bofur telling him how they and the Durin's were doing. Bilbo was shocked to learn that Bifur had lost his axe and could speak again. Bilbo would have liked to go and have a conversation with him but he still feared leaving the safety of the elven camp. Bofur told him that the dwarves were still split between thanking Bilbo for saving Thorin and blaming him for everything. When he became depressed he often thought about going home, but he promised that he would stay with his friends until they were well.

After handing out what supplied he could Bilbo went for a walk. He found Bard staring out at the lake where the remains of Lake Town were. He thought about walking away but Bard turned around.

"Bilbo" Bard said.

"Hello Bard. Didn't mean to disturb you" Bilbo said.

"You haven't. Come join me" Bard invited.

Bilbo sat down next to him and asked "How are your children?"

"They are...fine" Bard replied.

Bilbo noticed Bard's pause "Are they really?" he asked before thinking.

"...No. I just said that for my own sanity" Bard confessed sadly "They are hungry and cold. Like everyone else"

Bilbo's ears drooped at this. He should have guessed that was the case. Everybody was starving, even the elves were at their limits. As he looked down at the remains of Lake Town he had an idea "Bard you don't suppose any supplies survived, do you?" he asked.

Bard looked and Bilbo and said "I do not know, but I have thought about it. If we were to take a small party of men and elves we could search. But I don't think anybody is up for it"

"I will go with you" Bilbo said.

Bard gave a small smile and said "I knew you would, but the others..."

"Tauriel will come and I'm sure Thranduil will tell a few of his people to come along" Bilbo said with encouragement.

"I will come dad"

Bilbo and Bard turned around to find Bain coming towards them.

"Bain my son, you make me very proud" Bard said "You're a better man than most, even those who are older than you" he said with pride in his voice.

"Much better than Alfrid" Bain replied.

"Alfrid? The greasy man who followed around the ex-master of Lake Town and then tried to suck up to your father?" Bilbo asked.

"That's him" Bain replied.

"What ever happened to him?" Bard asked.

"We found him in a trolls mouth wearing women's clothing" Bain answered.

Neither Bilbo nor Bard seemed to care about Alfrid's death and asked no further questions. The three of them made their way back to camp to ask Thranduil for his help.

"I will send Tauriel and four others with you that is all I can offer. If your efforts prove fruitful I hope you will share your bounty well" Thranduil said.

"Thank you Thranduil" Bard said.

Bilbo had noticed the friendship between the two Kings. He knew more than friendship was starting to blossom when he smelt their hormones starting to act up when they were close to each other.

After they asked Thranduil for help Bard asked his people for volunteers. Most looked to afraid and depressed to go back to their former homes but a few brave volunteers stepped forward.

After making a few preparations a team of five elves, eight humans and one Hobbit made their way to what remained of Lake Town. They were able to use the boats that were left at the side of Lake to cross the water. There was hundreds of pieces of driftwood floating on the water that used to be homes. The wood thumped against the boats causing a few of the men to turn away from it.

Eventually they made it to the old board walk of Lake Town. Surprisingly quite a few of the board walks were still strong enough to walk on.

"Be careful where you tread" Bard warned knowing that one wrong move would cause them to fall into the icy water.

"Where should we start?" Tauriel asked.

As Bard looked around he sighed "I don't suppose it matters. As long as we find anything we can use"

They all agreed, split up into pairs and went in separate directions. Bilbo went with Bain. Bilbo and Bain walked around cautiously and peered into any building they could.

"Find anything?" Bain asked.

"Nothing" Bilbo replied with droopy ears.

"Should we search where the ex-master used to live?" Bain asked.

"That sounds like a good idea" Bilbo replied. Bilbo remembered how large the ex-masters home was. Surely they would find something.

The two of them came to the ruins of the ex-masters house. Surprisingly some of it still remained standing. Bilbo went in first to make sure it was safe for Bain. When he was sure it was safe he let Bain know. They searched high and low and found nothing, until Bain saw something shiny. He picked up the object and his eyes widened.

"Bilbo I found a gold coin" he said.

Bilbo took a look and noticed a second coin on the ground "Bain look! It's a trail" he said pointing to the gold scattered across the floor. As they followed the gold they picked it up. The gold led them to a basement filled with more gold coins, gold items, firewood, blankets, wine and various other supplies.

"We've hit the jackpot Bain" Bilbo said excited "I'll go get your father" he rushed out of the room and back outside. He gathered up the rest of the group and told them what he and Bain had found. They followed him back to the room and started to pack their bags full of the supplies. They took everything they could to the boats and went back to the camp. When people saw what they had found they were more than eager to help carry them back to the camp.

"I'm glad your trip was successful. No doubt people will want to go back and search even further" Thranduil said.

"Indeed" Bard replied.

"The gold you found can be taken to nearby towns to pay for food and other supplies" Thranduil said "You should send people you can trust. I will let two guards go with them"

"Thank you. I know some good men with families they want to help. I can trust them" Bard said.

Thranduil smiled at him softly and went to gather two of his guards to accompany the men Bard would send. Thranduil gave them horses and a cart to carry what the supplies.

Bilbo helped Tauriel and Bain hand out the supplied they had found to the elves and men. Later that night Bilbo settled into his nest exhausted and sleepy. It had been a hard but good day. The supplies they had found had put a smile on many of the people's faces and it made Bilbo feel good about himself. He felt like he was starting to make amends for his part in the destruction of Lake Town and if people were going to go back tomorrow he would go as well.