Author's Note: I own nothing.

20 Down River

The current was quick, as Bella had hoped it would be. One thing she hadn't counted on though was the gate at the top of a small waterfall that led out into the river proper. There were fewer guards here but they still closed the gate in time to stop the dwarves escape. They thought they were done for until one of the guards fell from the rampart, a black arrow through his skull. Bella drew her little sword, which she'd nicknamed Sting after what the spider had screeched at her, and it was a good thing she had because she was the only one armed when the orc leaped at them. She swung her little sword which was glowing like a beacon and somehow it slashed through the things torso sending it toppling into the river. Fili snatched up the Orc's fallen weapon and joined her in the defense of the others, pinned as they were under the small bridge where the river was gated.

Kili took matters into his own hands, leaping from his barrel and dodging to the bank and up the stairs snatching up a fallen elven blade as he went. He slashed down a few Orcs as he went and just made it to the lever that controlled the gate before he cried out in pain, a black shaft blossoming from his leg. Several cries sounded from the dwarves as an Orc advanced on their fallen companion. But the elves seemed to have realized that their gates had been breached, an arrow sprouted from the orc's eye sending him toppling into the river. Kili struggled back to his feet and managed to yank the lever down to open the gate. He rolled off the rampart and fell back into his barrel, screaming as the arrow snapped off. None of them had time to check on him though as the gate fell all the way open and the current snatched up their barrels sweeping them down and out of the woodland realm. They were followed, the Orcs trying to cut them off at every opportunity. Bella clung to the nearest barrel one handed, not even sure who was in it, as water rushed past. She caught glimpses of the battle, of Tauriel, Legolas and a few other elven guards whose names she'd never learned, chasing them and slaying the Orcs on the banks. Her other hand had a death grip on Sting as the current grew faster and faster

She was half drowned by the time it slowed again and the dwarves managed to pull themselves out of the river. One of them pulled her out of the river by the back of her pack and she spat water. She managed to sheathe Sting, though the sheath at her side was full of water and squelched unpleasantly as she placed the sword back into it. A laugh sounded behind her.

"You are either the luckiest being I've ever met, or the maddest." Bofur's voice called laced with laughter. Bella tried to blow her soaked hair out of her face with little success and shook her head. Dwalin stepped up behind her and pulled something out of her pack. Bella blinked. It was a blade, clearly elven in make. It must have been what struck her pack back in that cellar.

"I would say lucky." Dwalin said shaking his head and holding out the knife to Thorin who stepped around him and brushed Bella's hair out of her face.

"Are you alright?" He asked and Bella nodded.

"A little waterlogged but I think I'll be alright." She said with a slight smile. He returned her grin.

"Good." He leaned forward capturing her lips with his. She squeaked as a few of the other dwarves whistled. Thorin pulled back looking amused at the blush on Bella's cheeks. He nodded and turned back to the others suddenly all business.

"We need to get moving." He called.

"Kili's hurt." Fili called and Bella snapped into action as Thorin's expression grew concerned.

"We have an Orc pack on our tail. We need as much of a head start on them as we can get. Five minutes to treat our wounds then we need to move." Bella was already ripping what was left of her spare skirt apart lamenting that everything in her pack was now soaked and torn from the combined efforts of the knife and the river. Once she had finished helping Oin bandage Kili, and retrieve the black arrowhead from where it had been jammed in his leg she stepped back over to Thorin, a blush rising in her cheeks again.

"What now?" She asked.

"We need to find a way to cross the Long Lake, we don't have time to go around or we'll be run down by Orcs certain as the sun rises." Thorin said. Ori had pulled off his boots and was dumping the water from them when Dwalin spotted a shadow moving. A few arrows flew, knocking what few weapons they had from their hands. It turned out not to be an elf as they'd feared but a man, their luck seemed to be on the rise. He was a bargeman of Lake Town and as it turned out for the right price a smuggler. They loaded onto the boat with the barrels and the man pushed the boat off into the lake. Bella frowned, she hadn't been on a boat before. Bofur raised an eyebrow at her as she inched away from the edge of the boat.

"What's wrong lass?" He asked and she shook her head, looking slightly green.

"I've never been on a boat before." She admitted and they all stared at her. Bifur laughed.

"Lass, can you swim?" Dori asked, true concern in his voice. She shook her head but had decided that speaking was not the best of ideas at the moment. The dwarves all shook their heads at her.

"All that and she can't swim?" Bifur asked incredulity clear in his strange words.

"Thorin, she's mad." Dwalin said but he was grinning as Thorin looked at him incensed. "I like her." Dwalin said before taking a seat. Thorin let out a snort smiling at Bella who rolled her eyes at him, not having understood anything that had been said. The dwarves gathered at one end of the boat to go over their assets few as they were, Bella decided that moving was overrated and stayed where she was. After an hour or so a fog had fallen over the lake and their progress had slowed significantly. Their captain frowned as he checked a few things stepping around Bella who smiled apologetically.

"I would move out of your way sir but I fear if I do I will be sick." She said and the man cracked a smile.

"You are not in my way little Mistress." He reached into a pouch on his belt and pulled out a wrapped candy. "Here it will help. My youngest daughter suffers boat sickness sometimes too." He said holding it out to her. She smiled and took it, unwrapping a piece of peppermint taffy. He frowned. "I must say though, I have never met a female dwarf before, you are not quite what I expected." Bella laughed.

"I'm afraid you still have not met a female dwarf sir. I am afraid my father would rather despair of my manners at the moment." She said with a much more friendly smile. "I am Bella Baggins and I am a Hobbit." The man looked thoroughly confused. Bella stifled a laugh. "I believe the more common term for my kind is Halfling but it is not a term we prefer." The man nodded.

"I am called Bard, a man of Lake Town." He said before glancing over at the others. "And they are?" Bard asked a bit suspiciously. Bella glanced over at her companions just as the fog cleared enough for them to catch their first real sight of the Lonely Mountain, of a home most of them had not seen in sixty years, and at least three of them had never really known. She could just make out their faces from where she sat. There were tears in Balin's eyes, Dwalin looked wistful Oin had clapped a hand to Gloin's shoulder, Fili had wrapped an arm around Kili's shoulders. Dori and Nori both had hands on Ori's shoulders and Ori was gazing up in awe. Bofur glanced at Bombur both of whom were grinning. Bifur's shoulders were shaking. When Thorin glanced back at Bella his eyes too were damp. Bella smiled at him before glancing at Bard.

"The best companions one could ask for." Bella said, knowing that while it did not really answer Bard's question it was the honest truth.