Kelwtim2spar - I definitely understand where you're coming from. Future chapters will definitely differ from the original. I just mainly wanted to set the ground work in the first chapters before changing it, so that it still made sense and was relevant and in keeping with the original. I do hope you like the following chapters, and that they are different enough for you to continue to enjoy the story :) Your friendly advice is always welcome here.

As we made our way out of Rivendell, the pit of my stomach was churning; I suddenly doubted the advice I gave to Thorin, whither to leave or to stay. Although he agreed with me, I still couldn't help but feel like I made the wrong choice. Perhaps Lord Elrond could offer more, perhaps not. We will never know.

"Be on your guard, we're about to step over the Edge of the wild. Balin, you know these paths, lead on." Thorin spoke. Taking the pathway on the side of the mountain, I stopped behind Bilbo as he turned to look back at Rivendell, almost longingly at what we were leaving behind.

"Master Baggins, I suggest you keep up." Thorin called from the front.

Continuing on the dreaded path, making our way across a narrow passage, a violent thunderstorm made our journey much harder.

"Alright, hold on!" Thorin yelled through the storm. It was hard to hear him, even with my hearing it was a struggle through the clashing from above.

As the lightning struck from above, I gasped as Bilbo slipped from my side, almost toppling over the edge. Bifur and I caught his shirt, pulling him back from the brink.

"Are you okay?!" I ask loudly. He was sheepish; he faced paled as he tried to catching his breath.

"We must find shelter!" Thorin called through the storm.

"Look out!" Dwalin yelled.

As we turned and looked up into the storm, I was shocked to see a large rock flying towards us at tremendous speed.

"Hold on!" Bifur called to us.

Every one of us press our backs against the stone wall behind, trying to get out the line of fire as the rock came hurling towards us, shattering into pieces.

"This is no thunderstorm! It's a thunder-battle! Look!"

I looked up through my lashes, moving the hair that had stuck to my face with the rain before I saw it... a stone giant breaking another took my breath away. Although we were in such a dangerous position, it was a remarkable sight to see.

As it threw another large rock towards us, it struck right beside my feet, cracking the stone where I stood.

"Kili, grab my hand!" Fili called to his brother.

Suddenly, the mountain we were on came to life, and began fighting with the other. We found ourselves separated from one another as we hung on for our lives. Time had passed and the giants settled down, the storm began to clear and the rocks began to settle back together. Reuniting us with each other.

"We're alright! We're alive!" Balin smiled as he and his kin were reunited.

"Where's Bilbo? Where's the hobbit?" Bofur yelled and frantically looked around for the missing hobbit.

"He's here!" I yelled as I peered over the edge of the mountain. He was hanging on with his fingertips, losing his grip more and more.

"Get him!" Thorin yelled.

Bofur tried to grab a hold of him, but it was pointless, he was too far down for anyone to reach.

I seized the moment without thinking and climbed down to reach him just as his fingers released from the mountains edge. Holding his arm, I clung onto the rock with my free hand.

"Come on, Bilbo!" I gasped as I held onto his arm as he reached up to the dwarves. "Grab him!" Just as he took their hands, my foot slipped from the rock below. I gripped to the rocks tightly as I tried to pull myself up to no avail. The rocks were exceptionally slippery due to the down-pour, making it harder for me to stable my feet.

Just then, as I managed to stable my feet I was grabbed around the waist and thrust upwards to the dwarves who grabbed my arms, pulling me to safety. I blew a sigh of relief that I was now on some stable ground. As I turned around, I saw Dwalin pulling Thorin up from the mountain edge as he looked down upon me on the ground.

Anger was written all over his face. Towards me, towards the hobbit, who knew, but he was not happy at all.

"I thought we'd lost our burglar." Dwalin sighed in relief as he released Thorin's arm.

"He's been lost ever since he left home. He should never have come. He has no place among us." He spat in distaste.

I turned to face Bilbo as he lowered his head, visibly hurt by his words. I got to my feet with the aid of Kili as Thorin inspected a cave up-ahead for shelter for the night with Dwalin.

"There's nothing here!" Dwalin called out from the back of the cave after inspection.

All the dwarves, Bilbo and I entered the cave. I done my best to keep a distance from Thorin as he sulked in the other end of the cave.

"Right then, let's get a fire started." Gloin clapped his hands together, but was quickly shot down by Thorin.

"No. No fires. Not in this place. Get some sleep, we start at first light."

"We were to wait in the mountains until Gandalf joined us. That was the plan." Balin protested.

"Plans change. Bofur, take the first watch." Thorin commanded.

"We should wait for Gandalf." I cut in as he turned around before walking off.

He stopped and faced me, his eyes cold and unnerving.

"I did not ask for your opinion." He growled.

I narrowed my eyes and walked away, shaking my head as I clasped my bow from my back as I headed for the entrance to the cave.

"Where are you going?" Kili asked from my side as I passed him

"I need air!" I replied as I continued walking.

"But-"

"Let her go." Thorin spoke over Kili, silencing him immediately.

I left the cave for a few hours that night, walking above over the shattered rock in the cooling air and misty rain. I was not wanting to get into an argument with anyone inside, let alone the arrogant leader, so I kept my distance for a while until things cooled off. The beads of the water that ran down my skin felt magical, soothing and grounding. Being in the elements always calmed me and this was no exception.

Deciding it was time to return, I walked down to the opening and stopped by the cave entrance as voices were muttering quietly from within. Peering round the corner, I listened in as Bofur was trying to talk Bilbo out of leaving.

"Back to Rivendell." Bilbo exclaimed.

"No. No. No. You can't turn back, now. You're part of the company. You're one of us." Bofur sighed. I knew his words to be true, for he was an honest dwarf.

"I'm not though, am I?" Bilbo sighed, slapping his hands against his thighs in exasperation. "Thorin said I should never have come, and he was right. I'm not a Took, I'm a Baggins. I don't know what I was thinking. I should've never run out the door."

"You're homesick, I understand." Bofur tried to reassure with a kind smile.

"No, you don't! You don't understand, none of you do, you're dwarves! You're use to…to this life, to living on the road, never settling in one place, not belonging anywhere!" Bilbo said, his words cutting right to the heart of the dwarf.

I too felt the pain of his words, as I too hadn't settled down for many, many years. Feeling like I didn't belong. Always on the road. So I could relate to at least something that the dwarves were going through.

"I'm sorry, I didn't…" Bilbo now realized what he had said as he looked to Bofur who looked deeply hurt by his words.

His lips were pressed in a tight line as he sighed, visibly saddened at his words. "No, you're right. We don't belong anywhere. I wish you all the luck in the world. I really do." He patted him on the shoulder.

"Anyway, you still have Gaylia. She'll be of great help." Bilbo smiled.

"I don't know… I think she may leave also. She does not seem happy here." Bofur frowned.

"She won't."

"What makes you say that?"

"Trust me…" Bilbo smirked, "She has many reasons to stay."

My heartbeat quickened at his words.

Did I? Did I really have more reasons to stay among the dwarves, other than for Gandalf's request?

Before I could give the matter much more thought, cracking from within the cave caught my attention. I rounded the corner and entered, much to the surprise of Bofur.

"Gaylia! You're back!" he grinned and Bilbo smirked. I looked into the cave and Thorin turned in his sleeping spot and looked at me, almost surprised that I had come back also.

"Something's wrong." I alerted them.

"What's that?" Bofur asked, pointing to the blade on Bilbo's waist. The bright blue hue shone from it as he pulled it out of the holder slightly and my eyes widened.

"We have to move, now!" I yelled.

Thorin narrowed his eyes at me before the ground beneath them began to crack open.

"Wake up. Wake up!" he yelled to his kin as he jumped to his feet, but it was too late.

The ground opened up and swallowed us whole in the matter of seconds. Trying to grapple onto any stray rocks I could to keep myself from falling was futile. I slipped into the cavern below with the rest, falling into the open basket below. My landing was cushioned by the dwarves underneath as they all groaned. I landed right beside Thorin, he looked at me with wide eyes.

"Goblins!" I told him as they descended upon us in the masses.