A/N: Oh wow, I am sorry for the long wait, but I got caught up with another story and life was busy as well. I hope you enjoy this update!

The moods were low once the company had found shelter in the house of Bard in Laketown. Their arrival had been tricky and, much to the misery of them all, quite fishy. Bard had smuggled them into the city by filling their barrels with stinky fishes.

Kili slumped down on a sofa, his face a grimace of pain, but Lili was aware that he tried to pull himself together as best as he could whenever his uncle cast a concerned glance at him.

Billy lay quietly in her arms, his breath had normalized again. And yet, Lili could not feel much relieved. The loss of her most precious heirlooms weighed heavily on her chest. The sword of her uncle and the Dragonhead of the North – both stolen by the Elves.
Anger crept up in her, her teeth gritted and for the first time she fully understood Thorin's hate against Thranduil. Once again she realized how different those Elves were compared to Rivendell or Valinor.

She winced as someone nudged her arm. She turned and saw Bard who handed her a woolen blanket. It was this very second she was aware that she was shivering, feeling cold from the journey through the water. She sent him a thankful smile and took the blanket.

"Let me help you," Thorin's deep, soft voice said while he wrapped the blanket over her shoulders, his hands lingered there for a moment as he pressed his lips into her hair. With a content sigh she leaned back against him, melting into his arm that lay protectively around her waist.

"Thorin—what will we do now? Without the helm we don't have a chance to defeat Smaug and any other enemy. And you know for sure that Azog is still on our heels. It will only be a matter of time until he finds us here," she whispered and cast a glance along the company, all of them quite miserable. She saw Bofur pouring some warm tea into cups and handing them out and with a smile she saw him lingering a bit longer while handing one to Sheera.

"We can't do much about it, Lili. The swords and the helm are gone. We have no weapons anymore. We have to keep on moving, no matter what," he cast a glance at Kili.

She sighed and pulled away from him, stepping towards the window. "What's that?" she asked and looked at him. Thorin approached her and looked out of the window. His face fell ever so slightly in shock. "That's a dwarvish wind-lance," he breathed in awe.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Bilbo said and made them both wince. The Hobbit was wrapped in a woolen cloak and sipped some hot tea as he stepped closer to them.

Lili watched Thorin intently; aware that he really seemed to be deep in thoughts as if he was thinking back to a time long ago.

"Well, he has," Balin suddenly stepped closer, "The last time we saw such a weapon, a city was on fire. It was the day the dragon came."

Sensing the sudden sadness of him, Lili took Thorin's hand carefully and squeezed it gently. She looked back at Balin as he continued,

"The day that Smaug destroyed Dale. Girion, the Lord of the city, rallied his bowman to fire upon the beast. But a dragon's hide is tough, tougher than the strongest armor," he cast a glance at Bilbo and then back to Lili, "Only a black arrow, fired from a wind-lance, could have pierced the dragon's hide, and few of those arrows were ever made. His store was running low when Girion made his last stand."

For a few moments, nothing else could be heard than the soft wind blowing outside of the window until Thorin mumbled bitterly,

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

Lili huffed quietly. "Do you really think it is that easy to shoot a flying dragon?"

Thorin sighed and stepped away from her. "I didn't say that, Lili. All I tried to say is—had they been more successful the destruction wouldn't have been so catastrophic.

Sheera could see that Lili grew even angrier. She stepped towards her and carefully took Billy on her arms. And that was a good thing to do, because once her arms were free, Lili raised them in frustration.

"How can you still blame other races while the dwarves are the only race really responsible for that misery? You were the ones hoarding gold, gems and other treasures! That's why the dragon came in first place. Everything might have been different if your grandfather would not have been so disgustingly greedy!"

The room fell silent; all eyes lay on her and no one dared to speak up. Thorin watched her completely taken aback.

"Why do you say such things? I did mean no offense against the Human blood in you," he replied confused and looked into her eyes. He knew she was still blaming herself for losing the helm and the sword, but why would she say such cruel and hurtful things about him and his family?

"You really don't understand, do you?" she snapped and folded her arms.

"Yes, you are right! I don't understand your problem right now! You were not there! You haven't seen it!" he snapped back.

"That's true! I haven't seen it, but I know very well that you wish it never happened. That's alright, Thorin, I understand that. No one wants something like this to happen but—"

Suddenly Bard stepped into the room, having overheard their heated conversation. "You might not have heard, but Girion hit the dragon. He loosened a scale under the left wing. One more shot and he would have killed the beast."

Dwalin was the first of the company who found his voice again. "That's a fairy story, lad. Nothing more," he chuckled and earned some agreeing nods from some of them. His gaze drifted to Lili who stood silently next to Sheera, her fingertips stroked gently over Billy's soft fur. He sighed and approached her, placed his hand on her shoulder and pulled her with him out of the room.

"What are you doing, Dwalin?" she asked confused and still a bit angry. She yanked away from him and watched him questioningly.

"You ask me what's wrong? Shouldn't I be the one asking you that question? What was that about?" he gestured into the living room again, signaling her that he meant her heated discussion with Thorin just mere moments ago.

She shrugged and remained silent. Dwalin stepped closer, aware that her eyes turned teary-wet. With a heart-wrenching sob she smashed against him, tears ran down her face while he closed his arms around her. Gently he stroked over her head.

"Ssshh—it's fine. Don't cry," he whispered and saw Bofur peeking into the room with a concerned look. Dwalin shook his head shortly and signaled him not to utter a word to Thorin about it. Not until he found out what exactly made her feel so sad.

"I—I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said those things—"she sobbed. "But—but he said that everything might have been different when the Men had shot the dragon. Erebor might not have fallen. Don't you see what that would mean?"

"To be honest—no, I don't understand," he replied and broke the embrace to look at her. She brushed her tears away and sniffled quietly.

"We might have never met. If all these things didn't happen, I might have never met you. Never met Thorin and never experienced true love and learned that dwarves are not like my father," she explained calmly. "Speaking of him—where is he?"

Dwalin chuckled. "I tied him up in the toilet."

She giggled and pinched his forearm. He smiled at her and ruffled her hair a bit. "Do you really think Thorin would wish that you have never met? He loves you, Lili. After everything we've been through, everything the two of you had been through—his love for you is true to the bone and if he said something that gave the impression he would not—then he did it unnoticed. It was not his intention, believe me."

"I know. Oh Dwalin, I don't know why I overreacted so much. It's just—I feel so different since our flight from Mirkwood. I feel—moody and melancholic. As if something deep within me changed, but I cannot quite describe it," she sighed and leaned her forehead against his chest again.

"You two should talk before our journey continues," he finally said and placed a kiss on top of her head and broke the embrace again. "And now let's go. I still don't d trust that fisherman," he grumbled and she nodded silently and followed him.

"Tomorrow begins the last days of autumn," Thorin mumbled upon seeing them enter again. His gaze met hers for a second, silently signaling that they needed to talk in private soon. She nodded shortly and lowered down on the sofa next to Sheera again.

"Are you alright?" the blonde girl whispered and handed Billy back to her.

"Yes—it's fine," she replied and listened when Balin spoke up,

"Durin's Day falls morn after next. We must reach the mountain before then."

Kili shifted a bit, his face still written of pain. "And what if we do not? If we fail to find the hidden door before that time?"

"Then this quest has been for nothing," his brother replied in frustration and slumped with his back against the wall and sighed heavily.

Before anyone could say something else, Bard returned with a package which he placed on the wooden table in the middle of the room. The Company approached him curiously while he opened the package and revealed a bunch of hand-made weapons. Dwalin picked an axe up and examined it quite in disgust.

"What is this?" Thorin grumbled and picked another strange weapon up.

"It's a pike-hook. Made from an old harpoon," Bard explained.

"And this?" Kili asked picked up another one and examined it carefully. Lili saw a layer of sweat on his forehead and knew he was more ill than he gave away to them.

"That's a crowbill, we call it, fashioned from a smithy's hammer. It's heavy in hand, I grant, but in defense of your life, these will serve you better than none," Bard explained once more, sensing that these were not quite the weapons these dwarves had expected.

Thorin and Dwalin exchanged a disgusted look and Gloin growled, "We paid you for weapons. Iron-forged swords and axes!"

"Clearly this must be a joke," Bofur added and dropped the weapon he had picked up before back onto the table, followed by the rest of them.

"I do believe these are really better than no weapons," Sheera suddenly spoke up from the sofa. "You can go and fight with your bare hands—or with at least a weapon in hand. It's your decision, but if I were you, I would take it."

"Plus, Bard is trying to help as best as he can. Without him we might be caught already by the Master of this city. Pay him a bit of respect for risking his reputation in this city," Lili added calmly and looked up at Bard who sent her a small smile and finally back to Thorin who seemed to ponder her words.

Bard sighed heavily. "They are right. And you won't find better outside the city armory. All iron-forged weapons are held there under lock and key."

Once again Thorin and Dwalin looked at each other out of the corner of their eyes, as if already hatching a plan.

"Thorin," Lili said and got up. "Why not take what's been offered and leave? Please, let's leave now."

"You're not going anywhere," Bard suddenly said, surprised about the name she had used just mere moments ago.

"Was that a threat?" Dwalin growled and stepped closer.

"There's spies watching this house and probably every dock and wharf in town. You must wait till nightfall," he replied harshly and saw relief in some of their eyes. "And I do believe you have still quarrels to settle," his gaze drifted between Thorin and Lili before he left them alone again.

Dwalin patted Thorin's shoulder. "He's right. You should go and talk to her."

Thorin nodded and approached his love, taking one of her hands in his. "Let's go somewhere private," he said and led her out of the living room and into the kitchen where they lowered down on a bench near the window.

"Lili, what have I done that hurt you so much?" he asked carefully and tried to look into her eyes, aware that she avoided his eye-contact. He reached for her chin and made her look at him.

"I am sorry. I overreacted completely," she whispered with tears in her eyes. "I shouldn't have said all those things about your family. It was wrong. I didn't mean it, please Thorin—I don't want to lose you. I need you—"

"Why should I leave you? Just because of those things you had said? Do you really think that can destroy the feelings I have for you? You are my heart and my soul, Lili. We are meant to be together. I need you, too," he replied and leaned his forehead against hers.

She smiled and kissed him tenderly. "I think I need you more—"

He chuckled. "Why's that?"

Carefully she took his hand and placed it on her belly. "I am not sure. But if it's true—we will need you."

A/N: Is she? Or is she not? :P Who knows? Anyway, I made a decision regarding that story. There will be two more updates until I finish this and will write a "part 2" once the third movie is released in December. Yes, I know, that's a long wait but it is really necessary for the idea I have for this story.

Thank you so, so much for your support and I will already apologize for the cruel cliffhanger I will write at the end of this story. *please don't kill me* :-D