FOUR:

The Company stared sat Bilbo, seeking his bloodless face and the dark horror in his hazel eyes. He was hyperventilating and seemed frozen, eyes locked on the screen.

"Switch it off," Balin said and Oin fumbled to comply but the damage was done. Fili and Kili shared a look and made their way to each side of the Librarian, wrapping their arms around him in a furious hug. Bilbo was shaking, his eyes screwed closed and he was rocking, though he allowed them to wrap him in their embraces. Thorin rose, his appetite gone, and gestured to Balin and Dwalin. There was nothing he could do here and he headed to the small office that housed the computer cycling the surveillance cameras as the rest attempted to comfort the shocked young man.

"You couldn't have known," Dwalin growled as they slammed the door.

"I should have," Thorin told him sharply. "I…"

"Operational priorities are to get the subject away to a safe location and investigate," Balin reminded him sternly. "You-and we-were handed this case less than twenty four hours ago. The department have been handling it for days. If there was an omission in communicating with others back in the Shire, it was on their part, not yours. Bilbo was there as you spoke to his family and told them to get out. You rang the Shire PD immediately. In person. You have nothing to feel guilty for."

Thorin gave a small, bitter smile.

"We both know that isn't true, Balin," he said with self-loathing. "I should have realised Smaug would go for anyone connected to Bilbo, even a distant cousin…" He shook his head. "He's ahead of us on every front. How? And why?" He leaned forward and rested his fists on the desk. "Why is he so determined to torture this man?"

"Apart from the fact he likes pulling to legs of flies?" Dwalin suggested gruffly. Thorin frowned.

"This involves a lot of effort to scare…a nobody," he mused. "So why Bilbo?" He glanced at Balin. "Get Ori to rip that dating website apart. I want to know everything about it, about Bilbo and Smaug's interactions. Who joined when? From where?"

"Are you suggesting the laddie wasn't honest with you?" Balin asked. Thorin shook his head.

"I'm not sure he told us everything…because he was distressed," he said. "He may have overheard something, seen something…that Smaug thinks is dangerous." Then he looked up. "Get Bofur to talk to him. And Dori. They seem better at the…"

"Humanity?" Balin asked him.

"Empathy," Thorin winced. "Never been my strong suit." The older man sighed.

"We'll care for the laddie," he told Thorin calmly. "But we have to assume this location may not remain secure."

"Have a constant watch on Bilbo," Thorin ordered. "People who Bilbo gets on with. Fili, Kili, Ori, Bofur…they can help him until we can work out what is happening and relocate…" He nodded. "I need to speak to Bard…" He walked to the door and sighed. "Dwalin-check the perimeter. We're on our own here…" The big man nodded as Thorin walked out into the corridor…to see Bilbo advancing on him.

"You!" Bilbo yelled. Turning to face him, Thorin was taken by surprise when the librarian punched him in the face. "It's your fault! They should have been safe! Instead…" Rocked back slightly by the blow-which hadn't been that impressive, just surprising-Thorin stared as Bilbo glared at him and seemed on the verge of saying something more before he turned and stormed past. Thorin grimaced as Dwalin chuckled unkindly.

"You need to learn to duck,' he commented as Thorin glared at him.

"No," he said quietly. He had seen the anger, hurt and desolation in Bilbo's eyes, the grief at the loss of his cousins and it was a tsunami of emotions he could understand far too well. "No, he's just upset. No harm was done. He'll cool down…"

There was the bang of a door and everyone spun to glare down the hallway.

"Durin's Beard-he's gone outside!" Dwalin growled as Thorin spat a mouthful of curses.

"I take it all back," he growled. "He's gone insane! We have to get him back!" Fili and Kili sprinted up.

"Did you see Bilbo?" Fili asked urgently as the other three ran towards the fire exit. Kili ran after them. He glanced over his shoulder.

"I think he's escaped," he called as he vanished. His brother sighed and ran after him.

-o0o-

Bilbo had been utterly shattered.

Prim was dead.

Drogo was dead.

Frodo was dead.

The only people he actually cared for in the world had been stolen from him in one fell moment.

And it was all his fault. If he hadn't answered that match. If he hadn't messaged Smaug. If he hadn't gone on that damned date. If he had agreed to a second date. If he…

And then he had found himself wrapped in a double hug by Fili and Kili. It was something completely and utterly unexpected. Sure, they were young and brash and mischievous and frankly horribly unprofessional but they also seemed to have more compassion and heart than most of the others put together. Maybe it was because they were young and inexperienced that they hadn't yet had their hearts crushed out of them, that they still recalled what it was like to be human.

Ereboreans were tactile-that much was obvious from his observations of the locals after he had moved to the city. In the Shire, there was a more formal, more genteel way of interacting-no less passionate or friendly in the privacy of one's home with close family but in public, appearance was everything. A firm handshake was about the limit or maybe a chaste kiss on the cheek of an elderly aunt but nothing more. Even the kisses shared at a wedding were chaste and brief. Yet for all their insular nature and strange customs, the Ereboreans were warm and touchy. Claps on the shoulder, a punch to the arm, one-armed hugs, head butts for greetings (how did that work without repeated concussion? Bilbo was still unsure)…every interaction seemed to be touchy. It seemed to be their nature and it was a wrench…but perhaps not that unwelcome. Secretly, Bilbo would rather have a little more human contact than less, as long as no one crossed any boundaries…

And Fili and Kili were warm. Their heat leached into his shaking body, chasing away the cold horror that had run through him and helping the initial shock to ease. He was still heartbroken and angry and shocked but he could think again. The hugs were tight but not too tight and he could feel their breaths against his skin. Fili shifted slightly.

"We're so sorry," he murmured quietly, so softly no one but Bilbo and Kili could hear. "Your family?"

Bilbo managed a slight nod, feeling the tears slide down his cheeks.

"We know," Kili added, his voice disturbingly serious. "We lost our parents…too soon…" His voice hitched slightly and he tightened his grip on Bilbo. "We're sorry," he added.

"So am I," Bilbo managed, his throat thick but the tightness eased a fraction by the words. He rested his head against Kili's. "Thanks." The younger brother shifted slightly.

"We're here for you, Bilbo," he murmured.

"We know we mess around," Fili added. "But we won't let anything happen to you. We promise."

Not wanting to call them out on the obvious impossibility of their promise, Bilbo felt a slight smile tilt his lips a few degrees. There was a surety in their words that gave him hope and he wanted to believe them. He really did. But there was only one person who held ultimate responsibility. He nodded.

"Thanks," he breathed as a cup was placed on the table in front of him. Bofur gave a tentative smile.

"Just as you like it," he said cheerfully. Bilbo was absolutely certain it wasn't, as it seemed to consist mostly of milk but he reached for it anyway as Fili and Kili released him and he took a sip of the horrible tea.

"Lovely," he managed politely. Then he took a shuddering breath. "So what happens?" He looked around.

"We have to decide if this was a security breach or something else," Oin explained.

"I'll check our perimeter," Ori offered and snapped open his laptop to log into the cameras from his laptop. Dori and Bifur headed downstairs to check the building as Nori glanced at the Librarian.

"Can we do anything?" he asked thoughtfully. Bilbo sighed.

"Warn my other relatives," he murmured. "Something that maybe should have been done earlier."

"That's usually Thorin and Balin's responsibility…" Nori commented as Bilbo suddenly felt a jolt of anger run through him.

The team knew who should have warned his cousins, should have made sure they were safe while they spirited Bilbo away to this Yavanna-forsaken location. They knew what should have been done. And maybe, if they had been warned before, they would still be alive…

He rose.

"Could I have a few moments?" he asked, anger boiling in his chest. "I just need to clear my head."

"Take as long as you need," Dori offered, his eyes sympathetic. But Bilbo's ears could catch the sounds of voices from the person he really needed to speak to, the person who dropped the ball and let his cousins get killed. Turning, Bilbo took off, hearing the creak of a door opening and seeing the object of his ire emerge into the dim hallway. Suddenly, he understood the meaning of the phrase 'seeing red' as he accelerated.

"YOU!" he yelled, drawing back his fist and launching himself to punch Thorin in the face. His head snapped back and he almost stumbled as Bilbo glared, vibrating with fury. "It's your fault! They should have been safe! Instead…" His throat tightened but he hoped he got his point across as he huffed a fierce breath. Thorin's eyes inspected him, something almost like sympathy flickering in the brilliant blue depths…and Bilbo felt rage wash over him once more. So he stormed away, knowing what he needed. He needed space, he needed solitude to just process and think through what had happened.

He found himself at the back door, a fire exit and without even thinking, he pulled it open and gently pulled it to, racing down the metal stairs of the fire escape before the automatic closing mechanism finally shut the door. But by now, he was across the empty car park and behind the electric substation, hidden from the cameras. In the Shire, all kids learned to move silently and secretly as a matter of course and he wove his way through shaggy bushes, clumps of weeds and random stands of buddleia and birch. Taking care not to bruise the weeds or leave a trail, he sneaked through and finally found a large gorse bush that he could scramble under, shielded by the prickles and dense leaves and finally, he sat on the dry ground in the space under the main body of the bush and wrapped his arms around his knees.

He buried his face in his knees and quietly sobbed. Primula and Drogo were his favourite cousins, the only people who spared him any consideration after he became asocial and withdrawn after the deaths of his parents. They understood his qualms, his desire not to be pressurised into courting 'some nice girl', not to become the meat for family gossips and his wishes to follow his heart. He loved ancient languages, ancient legends and travel…all of which made him an outcast in the insular and highly conservative Shire. But Prim and Drogo never judged him, always inviting him round with no pressure, making him Frodo's guardian and godfather and checking up on him as if he was a brother, not a cousin. Losing them was almost as bad as losing his parents.

And his hand hurt from where he had punched Thorin.

He had punched the officer in charge of his safety.

A perverse satisfaction welled in his throat, quickly replaced by shame. Of course, Thorin had messed up…but there were other officers who were on the case…Bard, for one…who had explained to Bilbo, after he had found Myrtle, that he would need expert protection and that the whole department would do everything necessary to protect him. And while Thorin and his excessively loud and badly-mannered team were looking after Bilbo, surely Bard and his team could have given the heads-up to the Shire and Bilbo's relatives?

He stifled a groan. He owed Thorin an apology.

The slam of a car door astonishingly close to him had him freezing and he wondered with cold realisation, if he had made a huge mistake. He could hear heavy steps crunch on the gravel a few yards behind him and he scarcely dared to breathe as a second set of steps matched the first.

"Our friend was right."

The voice was cold, fierce and cruel and Bilbo felt his blood turn to ice.

"Out of the way, good lines of approach…but a long way from help. And only the Company here to protect him."

The second voice was no better-it had a harsh, rasping quality but sounded just as cruel.

"He won't see it coming. They believe this location is secure. Just as he didn't see what happened to his family."

Both men laughed, a sound that sent more chills down Bilbo's spine.

"Bolg and his enforcers will be here within the hour and then we can finally take him down and haul him before the Master." There were chuckles that inspired no confidence.

"Okay-let's go to rendez-vous three and wait for the reinforcements," the first voice said and the steps moved away. There were the sounds of two car doors slamming and a car driving away. Bilbo scooched down and peered under the bush but there were no signs of anyone else there. So he scrambled out and sprinted back towards the substation, hearing the assortment of cries of 'BILBO' growing closer. He burst through the line of brush and dodged behind the substation…before he slammed straight into what felt like a brick wall.

Which turned out to be Dwalin. Looking up wildly, Bilbo gave shuddering sigh.

"We have a problem!" he gasped. Dwalin grasped his arms tightly, his face twisted in an angry scowl, his eyes snapping with anger.

"Yes-you really shouldn't run away because…" he began in a growl but Bilbo shook his head.

"No-they've found us,' he gasped. Dwalin frowned. "Smaug's men! I heard them! They'll be here in an hour!"

"What?"

"We have to get out of here!" Bilbo told him urgently. Dwalin frowned more and then nodded.

"We need to get you back inside and tell Thorin," he decided as they headed back towards the warehouse, with Dwalin not letting go of the Librarian's arm. The Company had scattered through the grassy area behind the warehouse and Bilbo could still hear calls for him, even though he was found. Dwalin paused, then gave a loud and piercing whistle, then three more. The shouts stopped and there were the sounds of bodies moving through the bushes.

"Not exactly stealthy," Bilbo couldn't help commenting. Dwalin snorted.

"And you are?" he challenged the Librarian. Bilbo nodded as they headed swiftly for the stairs back up to the door.

"You didn't find me-I found you," he pointed out. "Look, I was raised in the Shire. Kids-we're called faunts there-spend most of their time outdoors and we learn to vanish so not even our parents can find us from three feet away. If I hadn't wanted to be found, I wouldn't be." Dwalin paused and then nodded.

"So why did you punch Thorin?" he asked in a mildly amused voice. Bilbo cleared his throat as he sped up the stairs.

"Because I blamed him for the deaths of my cousins," he admitted quietly. "I thought he should have stopped it."

"He'd agree with you," Dwalin pointed out gruffly. "But he's not Mahal. He won't give up trying to protect you, Master Baggins. Just try not to make it harder for him." Pausing at the door, Bilbo sighed.

"I needed space. I need quiet. I needed to feel like I was home once more and remember my cousins," he said slowly. "Sorry." But Dwalin clapped him on the shoulder.

"If you need time, tell us and we can try to give you space safely,' he said with unexpected understanding. He shrugged his leather clad shoulders. "We may look like…a random selection of guys but every man here will do what needs to be done to complete the mission. No matter the cost." Bilbo paused.

"Sounds serious," he commented.

"We've buried friends and colleagues," Dwalin said evenly. "Never lost a witness though." Bilbo stopped dead and the sense of foreboding crashed over him once more.

"What is going on?" he demanded. "Just who is Smaug?"

"Pretty much the worst person you could have angered, laddie," Balin said, approaching quietly from the office. "He's the Boss of the Firewyrm Crime Syndicate, the worst of the worst. A man who kills, maims and destroys for fun."

"Oh why couldn't he have put that on his dating profile?" Bilbo groaned. Then he shook himself. "They've found us." Balin frowned.

"How…?'

"I heard them…there's a small road right at the back of the brush. They know we're here!" Balin nodded.

"Go to the communal room. Collect your things on the way," he said sternly. "We'll be through in a moment." Bilbo nodded as the two brothers faced one another.

"Thorin was right," Dwalin murmured.

"I wish to the Maker he wasn't…but it makes sense," Balin sighed. "Though it makes our job a hundred times harder…"

Bilbo snatched the chance to brush his teeth and wash his face on the way to the communal area with his sad plastic bag of belongings. Despite the lack of clean clothes, he was feeling more human and slid into a seat cheerfully as the Company assembled. Thorin was the last to walk in, his face locked in a scowl. Bilbo cringed at the small bruise on his cheek that was definitely his fault but Thorin sat opposite him, his eyes locked on Bilbo's face.

"Dwalin said there was a problem," he said without preamble and listened as Bilbo explained what he had heard. There was a silence after he finished speaking and everyone shared worried glances.

"Bolg," Bifur growled, his fingers tracing the jagged scar over the left side of his head.

"Within the hour," Nori murmured. "How did they find us?"

"We were betrayed," Thorin rumbled. "Our friend was right. That was what he said?" Bilbo nodded.

"Where Bilbo vanished to was a blind spot," Ori added. Balin frowned.

"How did we not know about this?" he asked thoughtfully. The youngest officer blushed.

"The safe house was checked last month and all equipment and security arrangements were confirmed and upgraded," he reported. "I should have double checked but in the middle of a mission we couldn't have everyone out so I could ensure every inch of the perimeter was covered as the department said it was and…" Balin patted his shoulder comfortingly.

"You're right, laddie," he reassured him. "The error wasn't yours." Thorin's scowl deepened.

"No-but someone has made a serious mistake,' he murmured. "Do we have any clue how long they have had us under surveillance?" Ori shrugged.

"We can't see the area at all," he explained. "If Bilbo hadn't gone for his…walk, we still wouldn't know. But I guess they could have-and have been-watching for some time…"

"So the location is completely compromised," Dwalin growled.

"And someone tipped them off," Dori added. Bofur frowned.

"Is anyone else thinking that something doesn't smell right?" he asked rhetorically. There were nods all round.

"Grab your belongings and get to the cars now!" Thorin ordered, rising to his feet. "Balin, Dwalin-suggestions?"

"Off grid," Balin said promptly as the others rose and scattered to grab their equipment.

"Nothing the department knows about," Dwalin added. Thorin gave a reluctant nod of agreement.

"We have to vanish completely," he decided. "I know where we can go. Grab your weapons."

Bombur and Dori hastily threw food into large bags as Bilbo rose, his pulse galloping. This seemed like a hideous nightmare that just kept getting worse and worse…and the only thing that seemed to make sense was the very Shire-like way the two officers were securing provisions. Weirdly, it was something every one of his relations would have recognised and it stabbed another pang of pain through his chest at the knowledge he would never see Prim and Drogo again. He crushed it down fiercely.

"Can I help?" he asked but they shook their heads.

"Be ready to move," Bombur told him and then he flashed a reassuring smile. "And don't worry-no one will starve."

"Well, that's a relief," Bilbo commented. "We may be shot or blown up but at least we won't starve…" Bombur's grin widened and he winked before he turned back to ramming more food into the bag.

"Time to go," Thorin announced as the others reappeared. He was carrying a black duffle bag and Dwalin, walking behind him, seemed to have a shotgun slung over each shoulder. Immediately, the Company was on alert, game faces on as they faced their leader. "Bilbo-you're with me…Come…" Nodding, he followed Thorin as the Company sped down the stairs and towards the cars. There was a beep and suddenly Ori was yelling:

"THORIN!" …just as three black SUVs with darkly tinted windows swung round the corner and bullets began to zing around them…