A.N. This is actually a bit of a rewrite from the original chapter, because someone made a comment about Danica's reaction not being realistic, and I realized that they had a point, so I just adjusted a few things. ;) Hope this works out better!

A headache pounded behind her eyes when she began to regain consciousness. She groaned, her brows pulling together against the pain.

"Easy now. Take it easy," a voice spoke softly above her, and a warm hand briefly passed over her forehead. With the pain somewhat alleviated, she slowly blinked her eyes, noting the fire, and sounds of what seemed like a party in another room.

"Where am I?" she murmured, raising herself to an elbow.

"Safe," the voice assured. "We found you on the road, and brought you here, to Hobbiton,"

Now her eyes flew open. At first, she didn't want to believe it. It had to be some kind of a sick joke. But the details were too good. Everything was smaller, and she could see books with queer titles; "The History of the Shire: Hobbits and the Big Folk," "The Tale of Bungalow and Rosie," and "Hobbits and Ale: A How-to for Your Best Brew." There was a basket of apples by the front door, and an empty milk jar. By now, she knew who the voice was, and turned to look at Gandalf the Grey. He was sitting on the edge of a small chair, with his lit pipe in his hands, and a warm smile on his crinkled face.

"How are you feeling?" he asked kindly.

She put a hand to her head, trying to steady her still-wavering vision. "I'm not sure. A little queasy,"

"To be expected," he slid off the chair to kneel in front of her. He put both hands on her temples, and a cool, easy feeling trickled down her limbs. "Is that better?"

"Yes, thank you," with much of the nausea and dizziness now gone, she was able, with Gandalf's help, to stand. He was much taller than she would have thought, practically towering over her. Not that that meant anything significant; she was only a couple inches over five feet.

"What happened?" she asked, trying not to panic. "Why am I here?"

"You passed between worlds," Gandalf responded. "As to why, well…that is a bit of a story,"

"A bit of a story? What you have just told me, and what I have seen are impossible. Not unlikely, or improbable. Impossible. Part of me wonders if this is some elaborate hoax, but...I felt something,"

"Magic," he was so calm, but her anxiety was only growing.

"I can't be here. Please, I have family back at home. My cousin watched me disappear, and my parents..." their grief-stricken faces filled her mind, as well as Tiana's. Her breathing came faster and faster, and she began looking for exit points. "Please, send me home,"

Gandalf's face was sympathetic. "I am sorry, but I cannot. You were brought here for a very important purpose. Once that has been fulfilled, I promise that you will be able to return,"

Some of the anxiety turned to anger. "What purpose? I was brought here, against my will, without any thought to my wishes, or the toll this would take on my loved ones,"

He looked like he was about to ask him to explain, when a very small person walked in with a tray of tea and biscuits. Some of the steadiness Danica had gained back flew out the window. A hobbit. An actual, real-life, breathing hobbit.

"It is good to see you awake, Miss," the hobbit said. He seemed almost as uneasy as her. "I brought some ginger tea, and a couple of plain biscuits in case you were hungry,"

"Thank you," Danica replied weakly, falling back on manners that had been ingrained from birth.

"Ah, yes," Gandalf smiled after a moment's silence. "Perhaps we should begin the first of our many introductions. I am Gandalf, and this is our host, Bilbo Baggins,"

"My name is Danica MacKay," the response was instant, and she almost felt as if saying her name was sealing some kind of contract. "While it is nice to meet you, I need some answers,"

Bilbo's eyes widened a little, but he set the tray down with steady hands. "I am afraid only Gandalf can give that to you, Miss Danica,"

A sudden hush fell over the other room, proceeded by a stampede of footsteps. Startled, Danica jumped back toward Gandalf as a horde of dwarves crowded around the small sitting room. Their faces were familiar, yet not, as though she had remembered a long-lost friend wrongly. Through her fear and shyness, she took in each face, trying to match them with the ones in her head. At the same time, they studied her with a mix of curiosity and suspicion.

"Everyone, this is Miss Danica MacKay," Gandalf introduced, and then went through naming the dwarves one at a time. A couple of them really surprised her. Balin did not seem nearly as old as she would have thought, and all of them had full beards, though some were trimmed shorter than others. It did not escape her notice that there was one dwarf missing. One very important dwarf.

"So, you are the one to join us," Fili said with a charming smile. He was one of the ones with a slightly shorter beard, and both that and his moustache were intricately braided. "Not that I am complaining, but Uncle will not be pleased,"

Danica opened her mouth, but Gandalf spoke first.

"This was certainly not what I expected either, but she is the one who answered the summon,"

"Now hold on. I didn't- " a loud, firm knock silenced all of them.

With a suddenness that once again had her jumping, the dwarves all began congregating in the foyer. Bilbo followed Gandalf, looking entirely unsure about the whole situation. A couple of the dwarves gave her warm smiles, but she remained frozen in the sitting room. When Gandalf opened the door, she realized she was in view of the foyer, and darted closer to the fireplace, hiding behind Ori and Bifur.

"Thank you," Thorin said, and, with a start, Danica realized it was the deep voice she'd heard in St. Lucia. Her pulse skittered, and her knees went weak. Never before had she experienced such a strong reaction to no more than a voice.

"Forgive my late arrival. With the rain, it was difficult to see, and I thought I heard someone in distress. Thankfully, it was a false alarm. So, this must be our burglar,"

"Well, that remains to be seen," Bilbo responded hesitantly.

Thorin made a low sound in the back of his throat. "Indeed, it does,"

"Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our Company; Thorin Oakenshield," Danica assumed there was some kind of acknowledgement of the introduction, but couldn't see anything.

"And where is our final member, Gandalf?"

Danica's eyes widened. Fili's words echoed in her mind, and though she knew she was being a coward, she didn't want to face the anger and disapproval she knew would be in Thorin's eyes. Besides, she still wasn't sure she would do whatever it was they wanted her to do. A gentle hand on her arm had her flinching slightly. Bifur smiled kindly at her, and he guided her out to the foyer. He spoke in Khuzdul, clearly introducing her.

All eyes turned to her, but she only felt Thorin's. The icy blue was no surprise to her, but the jolt down her spine was. Everyone was completely still and silent as Thorin and Danica stared at each other. He was certainly taller than the rest, as had been described in the book. In fact, he may have been an inch or two taller than her. His hair was braided away from his face, and waved over his shoulders. At first, he seemed completely floored at the sight of her. His eyes widened, and his jaw dropped ever-so-slightly. For a moment, she thought he was going to take a step toward her, but then his eyes narrowed. Whatever he'd felt before evaporated to cold fury.

"Gandalf," he growled. "Is this some kind of joke?"

"She was a surprise to all of us," the wizard stated calmly.

"She's a woman,"

Anger broke the spell Danica had fallen under, and had her clenching her fists. The tone Thorin had used was so cold, dismissive, and condescending.

"That she is," Gandalf said, unable to hide the small bit of amusement. "However, the summons was very specific. No matter what anyone thinks or feels, she is the person most capable of helping us on this quest,"

"Wait a second!" Danica called. "Everyone just hold on! I haven't even had a chance to accept the fact that I have been transported to another world, let alone consent to any of this. None of you are having too much trouble swallowing travel between worlds, but this is all new to me, and I have yet to be told what is going on. And though I would prefer not to be judged as useless at first sight," she aimed a withering glance at Thorin, "I have zero fighting experience, and obviously have no provisions or equipment on me,"

The moment she brought attention to her dress, she realized it was a mistake. It had no sleeves, was held up by straps around her neck, rode low on her chest and back, and hugged her torso. The tea length may have been modest in her world, but here, it was just as scandalous as the rest of it. Heat crept up into her neck and face as some of the more polite dwarves cleared their throats and looked away. Fili and Kili, on the other hand, gave her flirtatious winks. Thorin just continued to glare.

"I made sure to take the liberty of bringing extra clothes and provisions for whoever would be joining us," Gandalf said. "For now, why don't we all go back into the dining room. I am sure both Thorin and Danica are famished, and we can give Danica the details she needs,"

They made their way after Gandalf to the dining room, with the girl purposefully waiting for Thorin to pass her. It seemed that some of her bravado had left her, as she looked down to avoid his gaze. Just as well, he wasn't comfortable locking gazes with her, either. To be honest, he wasn't comfortable with her existence in general. When she'd yelled, he realized that it was her voice he'd heard on the road; the person he'd thought was in distress. He kept all this to himself as they sat, and Bilbo brought in some soup, and the remaining biscuits. Dwalin made sure Thorin had a mug of ale, and the girl took the cup of tea their host offered.

"Now then, to business," Gandalf began. "The truth is, Miss Danica, that we are on a quest, and someone else with knowledge of the future is doing everything they can to make sure it fails. I am deeply sorry for the traumatic way in which you were brought here, but we need a guide, of sorts, to tell us what we would have originally done, so we may take a different path,"

Though it seemed impossible, the girl's face went whiter than before. Bilbo quickly left, then came back with a blanket, which Fili helped drape around her shoulders. She took a deep, steadying breath, then spoke.

"Who is this person?"

Balin passed Thorin a subtle glance, but the girl's attention was on Gandalf, who kept his composure.

"We are not certain. All we know for sure is that they have already alerted a pack of orcs, who are on their way to the Blue Mountains to cut off the dwarves,"

"And nearly did," Thorin grumbled. "A few of them managed to ambush me on the road. Another reason for my tardiness,"

"Ye seem to have come out of it well enough," Dwalin teased, causing others to chuckle.

"Their fighting skills left much to be desired," Thorin responded, giving a half smile to his right-hand man.

"Are we safe here?" the girl asked nervously. "If someone knows of the quest, it's likely they know where and when it begins,"

Bilbo's eyes widened, but Gandalf nodded.

"We should be alright. We purposefully rushed our departure, so they would be caught off guard. When did we start in the tale you know?"

"Sometime in April,"

"Which gives us two months' head start," Balin said with a sigh of relief. "Perhaps we have more luck than we thought,"

Thorin doubted it, since their supposed "guide" was nothing more than a small woman in a skimpy dress, who was still struggling with her new surroundings. While Gandalf filled Bilbo in on what exactly their quest entailed, Thorin watched her. She was obviously shy, until incensed, like she had been earlier. He supposed there was a kind of strength and courage in that, but worried that was where it ended. Her frame was small and sickly, and she was a bit too pale. Despite that, she was beautiful. Beautiful in a way that stirred him. Her light, honey-brown hair had been curled down her back, and around her shoulders. There was a gentle, pure sweetness about her soft features. But it was her eyes that caught one's attention the most. They had caught his the moment he saw her. They weren't very large, but their clear, grey color was piercing, and deep as the ocean. When they landed on a person, it felt as if she could see their soul. She was dangerous.

"You forget, the front gate is sealed," Balin said in response to something Kili had said. "There is no way into the mountain,"

"That, my dear Balin, is not entirely true," Gandalf raised his hand, holding a large, aged key.

All other thoughts and concerns flew out of Thorin's head. "How did you come by this?"

Sadness darkened the wizard's eyes. "Your father. I found Thrain in Dol Guldur, kept prisoner by the Necromancer. He gave me this, and the map to give to you. Forgive me, but I could not save him,"

Grief struck Thorin hard. He took the key as Gandalf offered it, and tightly wrapped his fingers around it, closing his eyes against the emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. Knowing he could more easily use anger, he let it drown the grief.

"Once we have taken back the mountain, we will destroy this Necromancer," he vowed.

"Do not waste time on something beyond your power," Gandalf warned. "He will be dealt with by those more able to stand against him. We all have enough to worry about with a pack of orcs and a dragon,"

"More than just a pack," the girl said softly. When everyone looked at her, a little red rose into her cheeks, but she continued. "At the end of this quest, if you succeed in taking back the mountain, an entire army will attack it,"

A small uproar followed her words, only calmed when Thorin yelled in Khuzdul. "We knew this quest would be more complicated than originally expected, as there were already rumors of such a battle,"

"Rumors from- " Kili barely started his angry rant before seeing the dark look in Thorin's eyes. "….from an unreliable source,"

The girl noticed the interaction, with her eyes narrowing slightly. "What else have you heard about the future?"

"Nothing," Gandalf replied. "We received a threat that even if the mountain was reclaimed, it would not be held for long, and that the foot of the mountain would be bathed in the blood of dwarves,"

A loud thump had them all looking behind Thorin, to where the hobbit had collapsed to the floor. Thorin gave Gandalf a sideways glance full of doubt and disdain. The wizard grimaced, then got up to help Bofur move the hobbit to an armchair. Everyone began to file out of the dining room, going their separate ways to sip their ale, or finish the dishes. Sensing a lull in the energy of the group, Thorin looked to Balin and Dwalin, and suggested a song. Within a few moments, everyone was adjourning around the fire, instruments in hand. Fili brought Thorin's harp over, and they began to play.

"Far over the Misty Mountains cold…"

As they sang, the hobbit slowly awoke, and the girl made her way to the doorway. Throughout the song, Thorin felt her eyes on him. He looked up, and she was leaning against the door jam, still wrapped in the blanket. She looked relaxed, until she realized his eyes were on her as well. They held each other's gaze, as they had in the foyer. The moment the song ended, she pushed away, and walked back to the kitchen, out of sight. At least she hadn't passed out on the floor any time that evening.

"I will sign your contract," the hobbit declared suddenly. "You have thought of me as weak and useless, and I intend to prove you wrong,"

Some of the others gave enthusiastic comments, but Thorin moved closer, eyeing their would-be burglar.

"You must be sure," he said. "This is a dangerous quest, and it is likely not all of us will live through it. You may not return to this cozy home of yours,"

The courage faded a little from Bilbo's eyes.

"That goes for you as well," he raised his voice, prompting the girl to come back into view, her eyes wary. "This is no place for a girl, and you could become a liability. We need to know that you are committed to this quest, and to training while you are on the road. Gandalf says there is no way to return you to your world right now, nor can he find a more…appropriate guide. Therefore, we must find a way to make this work. Do you understand?"

He could see her jaw clench in anger, but she withheld any sharp comments. "Perfectly," she ground out. "Did you have a contract for me as well?"

The almost-mocking tone she used had him clenching his jaw as well.

"I told him that a contract would not be necessary," Gandalf said, stepping between them. "The summon I cast acts as a kind of contract. It would have only brought someone with a kind and willing heart, who would be sympathetic to our need. You will not be able to return home until the 'contract' is fulfilled,"

The girl looked at all of them, except Thorin, and sighed. "There really is no other way, is there?"

"I am afraid not," Gandalf admitted somberly. "The risk is too great,"

"One more thing," Thorin said before the girl could acquiesce. "You would become a member of this Company, which would keep you in close quarters with all of us. I must have your assurance that you would not seek out some form of romantic dalliance,"

Her jaw dropped, and her eyes widened in shock. "I beg your pardon?"

Balin approached her, his gentle nature automatically easing some of the tension. "Forgive us, Lass, but we do not know you, or your history, and you will be the only female among us for many months. Considering the nature of this quest, emotional, and physical…ah, complications would be dangerous," he waited for her nod before continuing. "Are you married, or attached to someone in your world?"

When she shook her head, Thorin wasn't sure what it was he felt, and tried not to think too hard on it.

"I was, for a time, but not anymore," she replied. "But I can tell you that I have no interest in 'romantic dalliances,'" this she aimed at Thorin with a bit of a glare. "I know, better than any of you, what the perils of this quest are. This is not a game to me, and, as I do not wish to die, my focus will be on getting everyone through this alive,"

"Why?" Fili asked. "We know Gandalf's spell was supposed to bring someone who would help us, but what are your personal motivations? What is in this for you?"

Something softened in the girl's face as she looked at Fili. "Nothing, except to keep you all alive, and keep this world from falling into darkness. I may not know any of you personally, but I know of you, this quest, and this world. It may seem strange, but the tales I know of you, and this world are very close to my heart. Someone is threatening the future of this world, and I cannot allow that. Besides that, you deserve to have your home back, and I will do what I can to help,"

A heavy silence followed her words. Thorin saw Gandalf smile, along with Balin, and a few of the others. He, himself, felt a cloud of doubt and shame. Though still unhappy about the prospect of her joining them, he could see that her intentions were pure.

"Alright then," he sighed, then walked over to sit next to Dwalin, who looked about as happy as he felt. Much to their surprise, Bilbo set his face in determination, grabbed his contract, signed it, and handed it to Balin.

After inspecting it, Balin smiled at both Bilbo and Danica. "Welcome, both of you, to the Company of Thorin Oakenshield,"

There was some clapping and cheering, and then Bofur and Nori began playing some cheerful tunes. The girl caught Gandalf's eyes, and led him out to the front porch.

"What do ye suppose that's about?" Dwalin asked.

Thorin remained silent, watching from the window behind him. The girl looked to be explaining something, getting increasingly distressed, until tears began sliding down her cheeks. Gandalf put his hands on her shoulders as she cried, and then patted her cheek. Once she smiled and wiped away her tears, they came back in. Gandalf sat on a bench in the sitting room and pulled out some new leaves for his pipe. The girl sat at his feet, and smoke from his pipe soon wafted around them. When the smell reached Thorin's nose, he shared a look with Dwalin. It was the kind of smoke often used for hysteria, and soldiers who had seen too much on the battlefield. He would have to speak with Gandalf.

For now, he let the others play a couple more songs before announcing that it was time for everyone to sleep. Bilbo did his best to make room, and brought out every pillow and blanket he owned. One of the guest rooms was given to the girl, and everyone else just bedded down where they could. Thorin made his way to Gandalf, who had sought solitude on the front porch. It had begun to rain, but the eaves provided enough coverage to stay dry.

"Will she be able to handle this?" Thorin asked.

The wizard sighed through his nose. "I believe she is stronger than even she thinks. Do not worry, she will be fine. She handled the evening better than our poor burglar,"

An unfortunate truth. "You realize the trust I am placing in you by allowing these two to join us?"

"We need them, Thorin," there was a hint of admonition in Gandalf's tone. "You need them,"

Thorin looked bitterly out at the rain, and thought bleakly of their two new members. "We shall see. What if you are wrong about her? She could make things even worse, especially if she joins our adversary,"

"You looked into her eyes. Do you think she would do that?"

"I cannot be completely sure," he answered honestly, feeling more troubled than when he'd walked out.

Gandalf looked down at him, his brow thoughtful. "What is it about her that vexes you so?"

Thorin glanced back to the house, thinking about the jolt he'd felt when he'd first seen her, and hearing her voice before that. "I wish I knew,"