The weeks of recovery for the three Durin's had gone by faster then Maura could have hoped for. Bilbo had agreed to stay until the winter chill was over. Maura was still traveling back and forth to Dale, attending to the wounded. It also gave her more time to think of the best way to tell Bilbo he would be returning back to the Shire without her. Once Thorin was finally strong enough to start moving around again. The first thing he wanted to do, was keep the promise he made to the people of Laketown. The Arkenstone had been return, which Thorin wanted nothing to do with. It was just another thing to remind him of everything he nearly lost. He asked the young woman to put it somewhere only she would know and to not tell any of them, including him where it was. It was risk he couldn't allow to happen again.

Unfortunately that wasn't the only thing the king has been dealing with. It hadn't gone unnoticed to him the way Kili had been acting out towards the healer. He understood his anger towards him, but not to her. All he knew was this had to stop now. But Kili wouldn't seem to give Thorin the chance to talk to him. Thorin eventually went to Fili, who at least was still willing to look at him and work things out. His eldest nephew explained that his brother was angry at Maura because she forgave him so easily.

Thorin was walking down the long corridor, he was looking for Maura. But at the same time he hoped he'd run into his youngest nephew to solve the issue between them. He just wanted them all to be a family again, like they once were, before all this happened. The king looked up when he heard the woman's voice and saw she was speaking to Kili...well trying to speak to him, but like always he kept pushing her away and Thorin could see the hurt in her eyes. The Dwarf king was still standing in the middle of the hall, seeing Kili heading right in his direction. Maura looked at the ground in disappointment before leaving to go check on the others.

"Kili, we need to talk." Thorin pressed.

"Not now." Kili hissed, elbowing Thorin in the chest as he walked by.

Thorin grabbed his nephew by the shoulder and shoved him into another hallway passage that appeared to be vacant. " Kili this needs to stop now." Thorin said calmly.

"I don't know what you're talking about Thorin." Kili retorted, trying to leave but the king wouldn't let him pass.

"Kili, you know what this is about and it needs to stop."

"Or what? You going to try and choke me to death too?" The young Dwarf challenged. Thorin clenched his fists at his sides and it took everything in him to keep himself calm.

"Kili. You have every right to be angry with what I did. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't regret what I did to Maura. And because of it, i'll have to live with it for the rest of my life! Knowing I nearly killed the woman I love, because I was weak and I let myself become blinded by greed and madness! But pushing Maura away just to get to me isn't right! I know you and your brother love her dearly. And she loves you both. Please don't treat her like this because of my doing."

"Did you threaten her? Is that why she forgave you?" Kili spat.

"I didn't threaten her Kili!" Thorin growled.

"Then what did you do to make her forgive you!?" The young prince snapped.

"WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO PROVE? YOU STILL THINK I'M MAD? BECAUSE I'M NOT!" Thorin bellowed, smacking the wall in frustration.

"I find that hard to believe." Kili returned. Suddenly Fili came from out of nowhere behind his brother and put a hand on his shoulder to stop this, but he shrugged it off.

"WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE TO CONVINCE YOU HOW SORRY I AM FOR EVERYTHING I PUT YOU AND YOUR BROTHER THROUGH! IT WAS NEVER MY INTENTION TO HURT EITHER OF YOU OR MAURA! BUT I CAN'T UNDO THE PAST KILI! I AM SORRY OKAY! IS THAT NOT ENOUGH!"

Neither spoke but continued to glare at one another. Thorin finally let out a sigh of defeat, realizing his nephew would never forgive him for this. "Do you have any idea what it was like for Fili and I, watching her cry herself to sleep every night after you hurt her? Everything you put her through. You treated her like she was an object, that you could just do what ever you wanted to." The king stopped at this and turned around to face both his nephews.

"I am sorry that I put you and your brother through this. Really, I am. And I hope you both can find it in yourselves one day to forgive me, for the terrible things that I've done. The last thing I expected from Maura was for her to give me the chance at a second try, and I couldn't just let it slip away. I love her and I promise you both, you have nothing to worry about. I'll never hurt her like that again."

Kili looked at the ground for a few moments. He could feel his eyes begin to water. His uncle really was back. The young princes walked up to his uncle and hugged him. Thorin looked over at Fili and pulled him into an embrace with his other arm and the three of them murmured their apologizes to one another.

It was late afternoon. Maura was in the healing quarters. Searching for supplies she needed to take with her when she headed over to Dale the next morning to check on her patients. The woman closed the cupboard and turned around and jumped.

"Kili. You scared me. I didn't hear you come in. Is everything alright?" She asked. Her voice laced with concern as she spoke.

"Maura. I came here to apologize for the way I've been acting towards you. It was unfair of me. I shouldn't have just accused you like that. I'm sorry. Can you ever forgive me auntie?" Maura couldn't help but smile as a few tears came down her face and she pulled the young Dwarf into a tight embrace and kissed his forehead.

"Of course I can forgive you Kili." she whispered.

"Auntie can I ask you why? Why you decided to give Thorin another chance. After everything he did to you."

"Kili...I know I can't pretend what Thorin did, didn't happen. But I know that wasn't really him when he attacked me. And I have to believe if he had never been taken over by the dragon sickness, he never would have done any of those things to me. You're uncle is a good man and still is." She told him. The young Dwarf took a moment to let that all sink in and smiled at the healer and the two of them talked for a while longer before leaving the healing chambers and went their separate ways.

It was growing close to evening when Maura started making her way back towards the great hall. When she nearly walked right into the Wizard. "Maura my dear. I was wondering if I would be seeing you again before I leave." Gandalf told her.

"Leave? You're leaving?" She pressed.

"Yes. I'm afraid it's time." He stated, giving her a sad smile as he looked her over. " You look a little out of sorts my dear. What's on your mind?"

"Gandalf. Did Lord Elrond ever mention anything to you about our time in Rivendell?" She asked without revealing to much.

"Like what?" He replied.

"Well, it's just when we were there. Lord Elrond had told me that if I were to continue on this path. That it would lead me to my death? But yet I'm alive?"

"And being alive is a bad thing? My dear Maura I would think you of all people should know that even the smallest things can change the course of ones future. " He declared, raising an eyebrow at her with a smirk.

"But Lord Elrond has the gift of Foresight?" She countered.

"Even the very wise can not see all ends, my dear. Even Lord Elrond." The of them turned when they heard other voices coming down the hall. It was Balin and Bilbo.

"There's to be a great feast tonight, Balin stated, trying to convince the Hobbit to stay. They had stopped just on the other side of the entrance, where the makeshift bridge started. Bilbo looked at Maura, he noticed she hadn't packed and his heart sank as he realized the truth.

"You're not coming back are you?"

Maura stepped towards the Hobbit. With a shaky breath, she slowly took his hand in hers. A smile appeared on her face but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "No. I'm not. Bilbo, the Shire was never really my home. I learned that long ago, when I discovered I did not take any joy in the things Hobbit's do. My entire life, I have been surrounded by Hobbits and never really got to be around other Dwarves, until this quest and it finally felt like home. And Thorin needs me...and I need him. This is where I belong." She told him. Maura could see, the Hobbit looked as if he could start to cry hearing all this but it had to be said. " Bilbo...the only thing I will miss in the Shire is you, but this doesn't mean we won't see each other again." Maura pulled the young Hobbit into a hug, both hugging each other tightly as tears were shed. " I love you Bilbo."

"I love you too Aunt Maura." Bilbo turned to Balin. " Will you tell the others I said goodbye?"

"You can tell them yourself."

The Hobbit turned, and chuckled, seeing what remained of the company gathered at the entrance. " If any of you are ever passing Bag End, uh...tea is at 4. There's plenty of it. You are welcome anytime." The Dwarves gave a bow in gratitude. "Uh...don't bother knocking."

They all chuckled at that. Thorin had come through the others and stood by Maura and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. " Thank you Master Baggins for everything. You will always be welcomed among my people." He declared, reaching out an arm to shake the Hobbit's hand.

"Promise me you'll take good care of her." Bilbo stated.

"You have my word." Thorin promised.

"Ay! We'll protect this lass with our lives!" Dwalin proclaimed, the others cheering in agreement, causing even Maura and Bilbo to laugh through their tears.

"Bilbo. This is a letter in regards to my home in Bag End. Everything belongs to you now. But just in cause that terrible woman, Lobelia Sackville-Baggins tries to give you a hard time." She insisted, handing him the sealed letter. Bilbo nodded and turned to look at the Wizard who had moved to stand by a horse and pony.

Maura watched until Bilbo and Gandalf were too far gone to see. The others were starting to head back inside. Thorin had only gotten a few steps when he heard the healer sniffling and he stopped. "Maura, are you gonna be okay?" Maura nodded, wiping the tears from her face only for more to fill their place. The king saw she hadn't turned or even moved and he came over and stood in front of her and cupped her delicate face in his hands. " Maura, I promise. We can always visit him when ever you want." He told her.

She smiled up at her Dwarf. "You mean that?"

Thorin lifted a hand to stroke her hair. " Of course I do." The king pulled her towards him, until their lips touch.

"Ey! Are you two coming or what!? Were starving!" Dwalin bickered, causing the two of them to smirk.

"You hungry?" Thorin asked her.

"Starving."She replied with a grin.

"Welcome home, my love." The king whispered to her, intertwining his fingers in hers, walking back into the mountain to join their companions for a grand feast.