It had only been a couple of hours since the company had barely escaped Azog and what was left of his pack of hounds. Bella was still unconscious, resting against Fili's chest. The Dwarf had ran over to her once the eagles started swooping in and taking out the Pale Orc's reinforcements. Fili could feel the top layer of his clothing, already soaked with Bella's blood that was running from her head injury. Kili hadn't let go of the young woman's hand since they had been lifted into the air on the back of the eagle, praying she would make it through the night but even as dawn approached he felt her hand go slack in his.

Fili was looking around frantically for the eagle who carried his uncle and finally found him up ahead. "Thorin!" Bella even though she was unconsciousness, she could faintly hear the sound of Fili's voice calling in desperation for his uncle. Once Gandalf was sure they were far enough from Azog and his ferocious beast's he gave signal for the eagles to drop them off on a unique rock that was oddly in the shape of bear, with stone steps leading down, surrounded by a river, it was better known as Carrock.

The eagles began circling above the rock. Thorin was the first to be placed on the rock and he laid their with no sign of movement. The Wizard was the next to reach the rock and climbed off the eagle and rushed over to Thorin's still form. Bilbo was just approaching as Gandalf called yet for a second time Thorin's name and he received no answer. The wizard placed a hand over the Dwarf's face and whispered an incantation. The leader eye's opened, blinking a few times to see he was no longer on the battlefield. Thorin thought back to the last thing he saw before everything went completely dark and his form went tense. " Bella?" his voice sounding rough as he asked. Gandalf looked up at the eagles as they continued to drop off the other members and flashed Thorin a sympathetic look and the Dwarf feared something worse had become of her after he fell unconscious. Hiding the pain he was in, the Dwarf forced himself to stand up, Dwalin came to his aid, seeing him struggling and he was shoved off. Thorin searched amongst his men and saw his two nephews were not among them. He was about to demand what happen to them when the last eagle landed behind the company. Fili jumped off first and the two brothers carefully carried her body off the back of the eagle and placed her on the ground.

Blood, that's all Thorin saw as he looked down at her still form. He hardly recognized her when Kili moved the strands of hair off her bloody face from the brutal orc attack. The young dwarf started shaking her by the shoulders, calling her name to wake her up, but she made no movement. Thorin was so lost in his own thoughts as to why the young woman had risked her life to protect him when she was already wounded because of his own doing and now because of it, it may of just cost her, her own life. Still in a daze, the leader barely felt someone shove by him as Oin came to Bella's side shoving Fili out of the way to look her over.

The company stood their in silence for the longest time, for Oin to tell them the final status of their friend. "Sh..she's dead isn't she?" Ori choked out.

" No, she's not dead!" Kili snapped. "Oin do something!"

"Laddie, I'm afraid they'res nothing I can do. She's lost too much blood. She most like passed on during the night. I'm sorry laddie." Oin pressed, placing a gentle hand on Kili's shoulder but he brushed it off. Thorin felt a lump in his throat. She was dead because of his doing. It was his fault she had been tortured by the goblins because he refused to reveal their intentions. It was his fault for the brutal attacked she received for protecting him for a second time. She risked her life for him and this is how he repaid her? By letting her die.

The dwarves slowly turned and walked away to mourn the loss of their friend. Bilbo could barely contain the tears that were coming down his face. Bella had been his friend since the beginning and the thought of her not continuing on with them sadden him. Thorin hadn't taken his eyes off her. Was this really happening? He whirled around and looked at the wizard. " Save her." He ordered.

"Thorin, my power does not work like that. I do not have the power to bring the dead back." Gandalf explained.

"You brought me back." He hissed.

"You were not dead."

" Bring her back. She didn't deserve to die like this!" Thorin yelled. Before the wizard could argue any further the next thing they all heard shocked them all. Bella let out a harsh cough, choking on her own blood. Fili ran over and quickly shifted her onto her side to help clear her airway.

"Bella. You're alive." Kili cried joining his brother side as he took her hand. Bella gave a weak smile as she rested against Fili. Fili went to move her into a sitting position when she whimpered in pain as she went to clutch her leg that Azog had snapped. Oin was back at her side, examining her leg.

"What happened?" Thorin asked in concern.

"Azog, had her pinned on the ground and snapped her leg. While you were out cold." Kili explained rather harshly looking at his uncle. Thorin never felt more guilty then he already was when he heard his enemies name being responsible for this. Oin saw the bone sticking out of the skin.

"I need to set the bone back in place. I'm afraid this going to hurt Bella." Oin explained.

"Oin, no. Please don't." Bella pleaded weakly.

"Hold her still. I can't have her move when I do this." Fili held her close as Kili took her hand and told her to squeeze his hand as hard as she could. "Someone needs to hold down her other leg." Oin said next. Thorin knelt down on the ground beside her and both him and Dwalin held down her leg. Oin began to apply a bit of pressure onto her leg as he tried to set the bone back in place. Bella screamed as she struggled to move. With her one free hand she tried to smack Thorin off of her, but he grabbed her hand and held it, ignoring the pain he felt as she dug her nails into his skin. Oin reached into his one satchel that is always attached to him and pulled out some material to bind her leg.

"We should move to lower ground." Gandalf insisted.

"Is that wise to move her right now?" Dwalin protested pointing at Bella who was resting on the rock, covered in Fili's cloak to keep her warm.

"Azog and his pack will be searching for us as we speak. It's best we keep moving. At least make it down Carrock and rest for the night." The wizard informed. The dwarves agreed and Thorin and Dwalin carefully picked up the young woman and they began the descend down the stairs.

The company set up camp for the night, near the river. Thorin was the only one still awake, feeling way to guilty to find rest. He walked down to the water and soaked a piece of torn cloth he had torn off his own tunic. He managed to find a bowl in what supplies they had left and he filled it with water. Thorin sat beside the half-breed, wetting the cloth again and began washing away the blood from her face, revealing the bruising and swelling she received from the beating.

"Why did you save me?" Thorin growled lowly. " Your lying here, nearly beaten to death because of me." Thorin cursed himself. He was a coward for allowing this to happen to her. " You were foolish to think of running off that tree."

"Would you have rather me let you die." Bella hoarsely replied. Thorin widen his eyes, not expecting her to hear him.

"Yes. It's what I deserve after what I let happen to you. I was a coward." He hissed.

" Since when do you feel responsible for the choices I make?" She challenged. " You've never cared before."

"I never said I cared." Thorin growled, trying really hard not to raise his voice at her.

"Then why are you sitting here right now. Feeling guilty for the state I'm in? Because I'm a woman."

"BECAUSE I NEVER WANTED YOU TO GET HURT BECAUSE OF ME! IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR!" Thorin shouted at her, getting up from the ground.

"Again! Why are you feeling guilty!?"

"BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT YOU ALRIGHT! BY DURIN YOU ARE THE MOST STUBBORN WOMAN I HAVE EVER COME ACROSS!"

"What's going on?" A few of the dwarves questioned, waking up to the leader and Bella arguing.

"Nothing go back to sleep. All of you." Thorin ordered. His men looked at him for a second longer and then went back to their resting spots, except for two of them. " That mean's you too." Thorin informed, looking at his nephews.

"Bella are you alright?" Kili asked, still glaring at his uncle.

Bella gave a weak smile. " I'm fine boys. get some rest." she assured them. Both brothers glared at their uncle one last time before laying down near the fire. Thorin sat back down across from her. " It's not necessary for you to continue to look after me and feel pity for me."

"I'm not going anywhere Bella. Go to sleep." He said calmly this time.

"No."

"Like I said. Your the most stubborn woman I have ever come across."

Bella glared at him for the longest time and turn her head to the side and felt herself slightly smirking and closed her eyes.