FIVE:

Bilbo froze like a rabbit in the headlights and stared with shock as bullets flew around him-before he was tackled to the ground. He hit the floor with a groan and winced, the breath knocked out of him as bullets continued to hail about him. He flinched as one ricocheted off the tarmac a few feet to his right. Thorin scrambled off him and threw himself back before he hauled Bilbo behind the car, his pistol in his hand.

"Keep down," he growled as the Company began to fire back at the approaching SUVs. Cringing, Bilbo pressed his hands to his ears as he watched Dwalin fire his shotguns one-handed as if they were toys and Balin shoot with a fierce intensity. Fili and Kili were hunkered down, blasting away and Bombur seemed to be handling a machine gun as if it was a toothpick. But behind them Nori, Bofur and Oin vanished through the door into the main body of the unit that the warehouse masqueraded as where the other vehicles were parked.

"Only three cars," Balin called as Thorin fired fiercely at the nearest SUV as it sped past, smashing the passenger window.

"More than enough with us pinned down," he growled. "Only one way out of this location."

The attackers spun round and aimed straight at them, bullets still flattening against the car.

"Fili, Kili-get him back!" Thorin ordered as he fired again, smashing the windshield of the leading car. It spun and impacted the second one. "Dwalin, Balin-get the others away."

"But you…" Dwalin protested. Thorin scowled and jerked his head as Bilbo found himself lifted and bundled into the back seat of the car by Kili as Fili slid into the driver's seat.

"This isn't getting back!" he protested as Fili turned the key and jammed the stick into gear.

"No-it's getting away-and diverting the attackers to let the others get away!" he told Bilbo as they lurched forward. Kili grabbed Bilbo and pulled him flat as bullets flew around them. They shot between the SUVs, leaving Thorin to duck back into the building, a look of fury on his face.

"I'm pretty sure this isn't what Thorin meant," he suggested as they lurched round a corner and gunned the engine.

"Sometimes you gotta use your initiative," Fili assured him, grinning.

"Though the point of his mission is, I believe, to keep me safe, not use me as bait to lure the people who are trying to kill me away from the people who are supposed to be protecting me!" Bilbo pointed out, clutching his plastic bag urgently. Kili popped up and leaned out of the window, firing at the first car which was fishtailing after them.

"Ah. Then we may have a small problem," he acknowledged as Fili skidded them sideways and into another small road.

"Do you actually know where you're going?" Bilbo asked him.

"No-but neither do they," the blond officer told him with a mad grin.

"Try the satnav maps function," Bilbo advised him, peering up and hearing the sounds of bullets hitting the bodywork. Kili lunged forward and fiddled with the navigation system as he crawled into the passenger seat. The screen lit and both officers cringed. "What?"

"Dead end ahead," Fili said as they roared into a car park behind a bowing alley.

"Go that way!" Bilbo suggested, poking his head up to scan the surroundings as they circled, two SUVs spinning around with them in a crazy game of 'follow the leader'.

"That's a gate-and a kerb…" Kili pointed out.

"A very big kerb," Fili agreed.

"Just do it!" Bilbo snapped, checking with the screen. "Beyond the kerb is a car park for the movie theatre and then the main ring road…"

"This is going to be a bump," Fili warned as they sped forward…just as the third SUV arrived…and tried to ram them. Fili wrenched the car sideways and Bilbo swore he could almost feel the breeze as the SUV missed them by inches. He looked across and saw four men, all scarred and studded with piercings and staples raising their weapons. He ducked down as Fili slammed on the brakes, causing the SUV to overshoot before he peeled away and launched at the kerb. The whole car jolted and Bilbo wondered if they would just crash but instead they slammed down onto the dividing sidewalk and then crashed down again onto the car park on the far side. Kili whooped.

"Knew we could do it!" he yelled.

"Knew I used to have a spine," Bilbo grumbled as they raced across the car park and barrelled out onto the ring road.

"They're still following," Fili announced in a more serious voice. "We haven't lost them…"

"Now might be a good time for the rest of the team to turn up," Bilbo told them pointedly as the SUV's closed. "Or to drive faster…" Kili glanced back at him and nodded as they surged forward. "And did you actually have a plan?"

"You mean beyond grabbing you and leading them away?" Kili asked him.

"Maybe you should check with Thorin?" Bilbo asked them pointedly. "Or maybe tell him where you are?" They dinked from lane to lane, dodging among the light traffic as the SUVs closed. Kili grabbed his phone as it rang. He grimaced as he recognised the number.

"Thorin!" he said warily.

"Where are you?" the familiar voice growled.

"We're on the Esgaroth Road," Kili reported.

"Is everyone safe?"

"Um…we're alive…"

"And the Gundabads?"

"Same. And still following!" Fili called.

"Take the turning towards Laketown, Dockside and the Piers and we'll meet you there!" Thorin ordered them.

"Gotcha!" Fili said as Kili stared at his phone. Thorin had ended the call.

"He's gonna kill us," he commented but Fili gave a grin.

"No-just some light maiming," he replied, though his brother was looking downcast.

"Or banishment," he mumbled. There was an awkward pause and they lurched across two lanes of traffic and turned a sharp right. Bilbo frowned.

"Banishment?" he repeated as Kili nodded.

"Thorin accepted our applications to work with the Company even though we're young and inexperienced-though we have warriors' hearts," he revealed. "But he made in plain that if we messed up or put any of his men in danger through stupidity or recklessness, he would terminate our probation and send us back to regular duties."

"You have to understand-for Ereboreans-to be banished from an assignment is shameful," Fili added in a sober voice, though they accelerated and almost squashed a duck waking across the road. "It is the gravest dishonour. It should lead to us being shunned, maybe even exiled from our family…"

"Thorin would never do that," Kili murmured. "He promised…"

"Thorin? What about your other family…?" Bilbo asked, cautiously sitting up.

"Thorin is our only direct family," Fili said in a toneless voice that Bilbo wished he hadn't heard. These lads were younger than he had been when he lost his parents and the way they said the words indicated that whatever had happened was some time in the past…and bad. "The Company have kind of adopted us as well…"

"I won't let him," Bilbo found himself saying, not just because he was suddenly feeling intensely protective of the two young officers. Memories flashed up of the two wordlessly wrapping him in a double hug when he was so broken up about the explosion, the presumption the last members of his family he cared for were dead. They had known. Yavanna, they had known-and they were far too young for that knowledge. "We will work it out out…"

"Docks ahead," Fili announced as they turned off the road. Kili glanced in the mirror.

"We still have our friends," he said and reloaded. Bilbo ducked down.

"Any plan?" he asked desperately.

"The others!" Fili announced as they skidded onto a strip of cobbles running in front of converted warehouses that now appeared to be expensive restaurants, bars and apartments. Bilbo peeked and saw a jeep, a battered bright blue saloon and family compact roar past, the various members of the company leaning out of the windows and firing away at the following SUVs. Fili carefully crashed through a line of tables, took out a bill of fare shaped like a chef and demolished three planters before they skidded onto the actual dockside and started scattering pedestrians. Half jumped into the water of the docks with a few pausing to shake their fists before leaping for their lives.

"I always wanted to visit Bree Dockside-it's supposed to be a great place for a night out," Kili mentioned as they skidded past a huge bollard made of iron that was half as wide as their car.

"Or they would be before you lot destroyed them," Bilbo grumped, hearing screams and snatching a glance back. Two somewhat battered and shot-up black SUVs had appeared racing after them. Fili muttered a curse in Ereborean which sounded very impressive and skidded round, demolishing a pizza kiosk. It promptly caught fire.

"You're not…" Kili said, grinning. Fili grinned back.

"I am," he confirmed and floored the gas pedal, launching them straight back at the oncoming vehicles. Both officers were firing wildly at the fast-approaching cars and Bilbo wondered precisely how this was protecting him…as Fili dodged at the very last moment and one SUV slammed directly into a bollard. It flipped and then toppled into the dock. The second spun round-just as the jeep exploded through a seafood restaurant and broadsided it, flipping it directly into the docks. Thorin and Dwalin leapt from the jeep and approached the water. There were a few shots fired and finally, silence fell. There was a pause and the other two cars trundled along the dockside to join them. Fili slowly drove back to park alongside the jeep and switched off the engine. He sighed.

"Time to face the music," he said and clambered out, with Kili beside him. The pair shared a look and then stood by the car, staring at the ground. Trembling, Bilbo slowly clambered out. Bofur was at his side in a second.

"Are you okay, Bilbo?' he asked, his tone concerned. Wordlessly, Bilbo nodded, making a few deep breaths.

"Um…I seem to be alive…" he admitted. "Which may or may not be a shock. I'll let you know when I finish therapy…" Bofur grinned.

"Thank Mahal," he breathed.

"But definitely not these two," Dwalin growled. "What were you thinking?"

"I doubt any serious thinking went into that manoeuvre," Balin added, his tone stern. Fili and Kili's shoulders slumped and the Librarian could see that they were preparing themselves for bad news. Suddenly, he felt a surge of annoyance.

"Excuse me,' Bilbo cut in, his tone suddenly determined. "Is this really the place to conduct an inquest? I just note that we're standing in the middle of a rather nice and now flattened French restaurant with loads of people standing around and I suspect the people with guns have friends?" There was a pause and Thorin nodded.

"You are correct," he growled and extended his hand. Fili handed the keys back. "In the back. This isn't finished. Balin-with me also. Dwalin…?" The big man went and patted the front of the jeep.

"She's built of sterner stuff," he confirmed. "Let's go, lads!" Thorin walked to Bilbo's side and inspected him.

"You are unharmed? Truly?" he asked briskly and Bilbo nodded.

"Shaken and probably on for a massive dose of PTSD someday but physically, I'm okay," he replied and Thorin exhaled in what sounded suspiciously like relief.

"I apologise," he said sincerely. "I had no idea they would pull such a foolish stunt…" Biting his tongue that both as their commander and their Uncle, he should have a much better handle on them, Bilbo sighed.

"I think…they were trying to protect you and the others," he admitted. "Not that I approved of being turned from protected to bait but I understand the motivation. And I suspect they may have been trying to impress you." Thorin's eyes widened.

"Why on Arda…" he muttered as they walked to the car.

"Maybe because you're all the family they have and when all is said and done, they're still young men who want your approval," he said and scrambled into the back. This time, Kili was sitting in the middle and Bilbo slammed the door, leaving Thorin to consider his words. Calmly he clambered into the driver's seat and glanced in the rear view mirror.

"Balin-we'll head for High Pass and then…" He sighed. "Gairurukhsgirin. It's deserted and hopefully no one is watching some dead settlement."

Bilbo made the mistake of looking up in time to meet Balin's eyes in the mirror and winced. The oldest officer looked as if this was the worst idea in the world but what could Bilbo do? So he sank down in his seat and stared out of the window as they pulled off the dockside, past the burning pizza stand, wrecked restaurants and the burning wreck of the third SUV. Even more, it hammered home to realisation that this game seemed to be for keeps.

oOo

After three hours, Bilbo was wondering if maybe handing himself over was an option. Sitting crammed in the back seat of an absolutely silent car was doing terrible things for his mental health and the tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife, fork or spoon. Thorin was concentrating on driving-a good deal more safely than Fili, Bilbo willingly admitted-but he was silent, his gaze locked on the road. He was clearly paranoid because he had already doubled back on himself twice and cut across country to the extend they had found themselves driving through a field and arriving in a rather irate farmer's yard by the pig pen before they had found their way back onto the road. There was no way to prevent random observation of the roads but with the man yelling at them from his quad bike and three farm workers racing up with pitchforks, Thorin seemed satisfied there was no obvious pursuit.

Balin was actually dozing and the lads were sitting stock still, their tension palpable. Neither was speaking and they both looked as if they were hardly breathing but there was little Bilbo could do…and then he realised there was.

"Okay, this is ridiculous," he announced. "There's a cafe a mile ahead. Pull over. I need to stretch my legs, have a cup of tea and some lunch. This is far too stressful to be cooped up with you all scowling at one another."

There was an awkward silence but Thorin nodded,

"We need more gas anyway," he conceded. "And I am certain the Company won't object."

Bilbo snatched a look at Kili at his side and-as expected-the young man looked relieved at the prospect of getting out of the sour atmosphere in the car for a few minutes. Certainly, the Librarian was aching to get some fresh air and a good cup of tea and he was relived when they pulled into the little rest stop. As Thorin pulled up by the gas pump, the rest clambered out and headed for the restaurant and store, seeing the other cars emptying. Bilbo made a bee-line for the restaurant, arriving at the counter and ordering a large pot of tea, a baked potato with beans and tinned tuna and the apple pie and cream. And then he sat gratefully at a six person table and closed his eyes, allowing the tea to brew for a few minutes.

"Busy day," Bofur said, grinning and sitting beside him. He was clutching a bottle of beer and a ticket for some food. Fili and Kili joined them, both with hot chocolates and packets of cookies-though they both hastened to reassure Bilbo they had ordered proper food as well. Ori joined them with a mug of bright purple fruit tea and an oat muffin as well as a bowl of thick meaty soup and a huge hunk of farmhouse bread and butter. The others populated the tables around them, chatting reasonably quietly for the Company and calling out when their orders were called. Bilbo smiled gratefully when his food arrived and poked his potato with a smile before tucking in. He hadn't really eaten breakfast and was starving. After all, his father had always told him that any problem seemed less hopeless on a full stomach-true Shire thinking if he ever heard it. But there was no dispute that he felt better for the food.

Thorin was last in, having paid for the gas for all four vehicles and Bilbo watched him just order two mugs of black coffee before trooping to a table well away from the Company and slumping in his seat. He cast a questioning look at the others. Bofur shrugged.

"Not the most sociable, our Thorin," he explained around bites of his pie. "Sometimes he needs his space." Fili and Kili nodded in unison.

"When he's in one of those moods, it's best to steer clear," Fili advised.

"Which we may or may not have made worse," Kili confessed with a wry smile. In that moment, the young man he first met returned and Bilbo felt himself smiling. Then he glanced over at Thorin and sighed, then rose and walked to the counter, ordering a plate of stew and potatoes. Then he returned and refilled his mug of tea, putting in only a drop of milk and gathering his apple pie and cream.

"I need to have a quiet word with him anyway," he said with a smile and walked over to sit determinedly opposite Thorin. The woman from the kitchen walked up and-at Bilbo's assent-placed the plate down in front of Thorin. He looked up to refuse but the woman had already walked away.

"I owe you an apology," Bilbo interrupted him, seeing him take a gulp of his black coffee from the second mug. The first, on inspection, was already empty and the Librarian sighed. "And that is no proper meal." Thorin sighed.

"Is this how you apologise?" he asked dryly.

"In the Shire, yes," Bilbo replied without shame. "Apologies are always accompanied by food-preferably home made though I couldn't see you dropping me off at someone's house for a couple of hours just so I could bake a cake…" Against his will, Thorin felt his lips quirk up in the hint of a smile.

"You guessed correctly, Master Baggins," he confirmed. "I shall repay you for…"

"Insufferable Ereborean!" Bilbo snapped. "Accept the food in the spirit it was offered. You need to eat-and rest, I'll wager." Thorin frowned. "Even if you didn't look wrecked, I know you were on guard in my room last night. And I don't take you for a man who sleeps on duty." Slowly, the officer grabbed a spoon and took and mouthful of the stew, humming in appreciation at the thick gravy and the tender meat and vegetables.

"Thank you," he mumbled.

"I really am sorry," Bilbo added as he swallowed the mouthful. "I shouldn't have punched you. It wasn't fair-or right." Thorin speared a potato and bit it savagely.

"No," he said. "But I understand. You had lost people you cared for and you needed someone to blame."

"But you didn't send the parcel…or the bomb it contained," Bilbo told him. "Those things take time to set up, don't they?"

Damn.

"Yes," Thorin confirmed, chewing the potato.

"More than a week?"

Double damn.

"Sometimes."

Bilbo stared at him.

"How sometimes?"

"Almost always," he said, dabbing his mouth with the paper napkin and taking another slug of coffee. He was too caffeine- and sleep-deprived to deal with this right now.

"So he may have been setting this up before we even met?" Bilbo asked him quietly.

"There is no evidence of that," Thorin replied, falling back on the stock answer.

"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence," Bilbo retorted.

Triple damn.

"It is a possibility but at present we have to deal with what we know we are facing," Thorin told him, spooning in another mouthful and chewing too fast. "Fact: you met with Smaug eight days ago. Fact: you declined a second date. Fact: he bombarded you with texts and unwanted gifts. Fact: he broke into your apartment and opened your mail. Fact: your cat was killed in a way that could only be interpreted as a message. Fact: Your cousins received a parcel addressed to you that should never have rightfully been delivered there and their home was destroyed by a powerful explosive device. Fact: the Gundabads attacked the safe house suggesting some breakdown of security within the department since they found it far too quickly for my liking. Beyond that, all else is supposition."

"I still shouldn't have blamed you for their deaths," Bilbo told him quietly. Thorin laid down his spoon.

"I do," he admitted. "I should have anticipated that bastard would find someone who you valued to hurt. It's the way he works…" There was a pause as Bilbo absently took a bite of his apple pie.

"How long have you been after him?" he asked in a low, toneless voice.

"Twenty five years," was the bald reply. "He's cautious and dangerous and very hard to get a trail back to. You are the best lead we've had for a decade. I am not going to allow anything to happen to you…because you are the best hope we've had of bringing him down since…" And then he shook his head and took another mouthful of his stew.

"You can't blame yourself," Bilbo told him quietly. "I don't. I was angry but I wasn't being fair."

"It's forgotten," Thorin told him. "Just please don't run off again. Losing you would set us back another decade…and I'm not sure I have another decade of this chase in me." He sounded exhausted and Bilbo nodded.

"You have my word," he said as Thorin's clear blue gaze swept over him with an approving look. "This place you're taking us-is it safe? Balin looked less than enthusiastic…"

"It's safe-for now," Thorin told him. "But once it wasn't and the Gundabads do know the location…though it's highly unlikely they would believe we or anyone would seek shelter there." Bilbo sighed and took another bite of his pie.

"Somehow, I think I'm not going to enjoy this," he said.

-o0o-

A/N:

Gairurukhsgirin = Goblin Town

Thank you to The Dwarrow Scholar.