A/N: A slightly more interesting chapter than the previous one. We're about halfway through this fic. It won't be as long as "Castaways" I'm afraid, but there's still a few good things to come. This chapter turned into more of a thriller than I planned but I had a lot fun writing it and I hope you'll like it :)

CHAPTER ELEVEN

"You need to spend time crawling alone through shadows to truly appreciate what it is to stand in the sun."

Riley and Glorfindel spent the remainder of the journey to Dol Guldur mostly in silence. Both Legolas and Dwalin noticed something was off but neither of them mentioned anything, instead they kept the conversation matter-of-fact and to the point. Riley knew that kissing Glorfindel was a monumental mistake and one that he would regret forever. Yet, somehow he'd allowed himself to be overcome by curiosity and desire. How could he have allowed himself to be so foolish? Riley loved Bilbo Baggins and there was nothing in his heart that would change that. Now, because of his own stupidity and selfishness, he risked losing all of it because of one moment of weakness. Riley had began to lose count over the amount of dumb decisions he'd made lately and they were all weighing heavy on his conscience. Every now and again, he also caught the questioning glances from Dwalin and even though he didn't explicitly say anything, his opinions were made perfectly clear.

So, even though it was hard, Riley focused whatever remained of his mental strength on the mission ahead. They needed a plan for what they would do once they reached the fortress because truthfully they had no clue what was waiting for them behind the gates of Dol Guldur. The closer they got, the heavier Riley's heart became and the dark thoughts that occupied his mind grew louder. All his doubts repeated themselves in his mind over and over again, covering every angle of every decision he'd made over the past few months. Just like Glorfindel told him, it was stronger the closer to the source they came and once they were standing at the gates of Dol Guldur, it was almost unbearable.

"Oh, I hate this place." Riley said as he looked on the giant stone structure in front of them.

Almost immediately, all the memories of his last visit with Gandalf came flooding back. He remembered how they'd found Thrain frantically scuttering amidst the shadows. Then there were the orcs who'd made Dol Guldur their stronghold. Despite Gandalf's best efforts, not even he had been able to fight off the orc pack, which is what had led him to becoming imprisoned and then later facing Sauron himself in the shape of the necromancer. Even the Battle Terrors he had suffered after the Five Armies, was nowhere near as bad as dealing with the aftermath of the Necromancer and the Nazgul.

Riley realised how shallow and loud his breathing must have been when he felt Legolas put an assuring hand on his shoulder. He turned to his friend who smiled at him.

"We are in this together, muindor-nin," Legolas assured him. "No matter what we find on the other side."

"Aye," Dwalin agreed. "Until the end."

Riley cast a careful glance to Glorfindel who only nodded in response. Taking one deep breath, they walked in through the huge iron gates of the Fortress of Sorcery.

The first the Riley noticed though, was how quiet it was. It reminded him exactly of how things were when he was there with Gandalf. Except back then, they'd known it was a trap from the start. Riley wasn't sure how he knew, but his gut told him it was definitely empty. There were definitely signs that people had been there; burnt out fire pits, leftover food that had not yet begun to rot. There was also a lingering, foul stench in the air which made it difficult to not vomit. Whoever had resided within the walls of the fortress this time were human and not orcs. It seemed like perhaps there were more of Malhas' men than they'd first been led to believe.

It gave reason to worry about the bigger picture of it all. If they had emptied out the fortress, did that mean they had been warned about their arrival? If so by whom? The traitor residing in Rivendell. The lack of knowledge regarding the traitor in Rivendell was another growing reason for Riley's concern. Lord Elrond was made aware of course and had put Erestor in charge of speaking with the resident elves and conducting an in-depth investigation. It was done as discreetly as possible, as not to cause chaos or panic with the residents of Imladris. The more Riley thought about it, the more it made sense that the traitor was somebody who knew the Hidden Valley well and someone who knew about everything that had happened since Maggie's arrival. If Lord Elrond hadn't been able to see Estel and Maggie with his magic when they had first been kidnapped by Malhas, then someone from Rivendell must have known it would be his first move.

In his heart, Riley knew that nobody in their family was responsible, which meant that it had to be somebody who was on the outside but still close enough to be trusted. Somebody who knew Maggie well enough to know when she would be in her bedroom at night and of other intimate details. Someone who knew the ways in and out of Elrond's House very well and someone who they trusted.

There was only one name that came to Riley's mind.

Talathel.

God I hope I'm wrong, Riley thought as he carefully treated along the corridors of Dol Guldur. He knew Elrohir had recently taken to spending rather a lot of time with the elf-maiden and he couldn't help but wonder if it was all part of her plan. To nestle her way into their lives so that they would not question her loyalty to them or to Elrond. Seducing one of his sons was certainly the right way to go about it, especially as Elrond himself was too busy focusing his attention on Maggie. It was the perfect plan, really and Riley was surprised he hadn't thought about it before. The silence deeply unsettled him and he could feel the tension still hanging in the air. Even Legolas looked uncomfortable, which was saying something because hardly anything scared the Prince of Mirkwood.

"I don't like this," Dwalin said. "Why's it so quiet? It must be a trap."

"It is no trap, Master Dwarf." Glorfindel assured him "There is nobody here."

"Where are they then?"

Riley wondered the same thing. It made no sense at all and that's what scared him. Then, something caught Riley's attention and when he turned around, he faced a corridor he was sure hadn't been there a moment ago. A memory stirred in his mind and he found himself recalling his nightmares of running through Dol Guldur and the voice that called out to him. All of a sudden, Riley felt his spidey-senses tingle and he began to run down the corridor, shortly followed by Glorfindel, Dwalin and Legolas.

"Dad!" Riley called out, "Dad! Where are you!"

After a few moments of calling out to his dad and not hearing anything, Riley started to feel as if perhaps this had all been a ruse and a foolish idea to begin with.

Then suddenly, he heard a voice call back to him.

"Riley!" came an all too familiar voice from the end of the corridor. "I'm here!"

It was almost as if Riley's heart jumped out of his chest and he stopped breathing for just a second. Years had passed since he last heard his father's voice, yet there was no doubt in his mind that it was the same voice belonging to the man who had raised him and Maggie. The man who had told them stories of Middle-Earth since they were far too young to understand its significance. Their father was alive.

The voice was unmistakably familiar but even so, Riley held his breath until he was close enough to let the torchlight illuminate his face.

At first, Riley stood still for a few moments when he saw his father, sitting on the floor and chained to the wall. He was there in flesh and blood, but in that moment, Riley was struck by fear because there was still a very real possibility that this could all be a trap. Maybe their dad wasn't there after all and this was simply some kind of magical disguise? Somehow though, Riley knew that wasn't the case, but there was only one way to find out for sure.

"Holy shit...dad?" Riley whispered as he ran up to his father.

Even though it had been years, his father still looked the same as he always had. He had long dark hair, which was slightly messier than it usually was. His usually trimmed beard was now rather bushy. He still had the same kind and wise eyes as he'd always had and when Riley crouched down next to his father, he knew it was really him.

"Riley?" Amandil asked with a tired voice "Is it really you?"

Riley nodded and tears immediately began to well up behind his eyes. "It's really me, dad," he said "Jesus, let's get you out of these."

"Allow me," Dwalin offered and in one carefully calculated movement, he swung his axe and broke off Amandil's chains.

As soon as Riley had taken the rest of the chains off Amandil and helped him back up his feet, he threw his arms around his father. He didn't care that the others saw him crying like a small child and he didn't ever want to let go of his father again. The fact that he was there at all was nothing short of a miracle and he had so many questions that needed answering. For now, Riley felt as if he was a little boy again seeing his father for first time in a very long while.

"I have so many questions," Riley said when he finally let go "How is this possible?"

"I know you have questions," his dad said "They will be answered, in time."

"My Lord Amandil," Glorfindel interrupted "We must leave, I can sense something arriving."

"I feel it too," Legolas agreed and grabbed one of his arrows. "A Blue Wizard approaches."

Voices echoed amongst them and every time Riley turned around, he heard a new voice calling out to them. The steady sound of footsteps reached his ears and along with Glorfindel, Legolas and Dwalin, they formed a protective shield around Amandil. A new figure emerged from the shadows and Riley didn't have to guess twice about who it was. The long, white beard, blue cloak and a pointed blue hat made it unmistakable. It was one of the infamous Blue Wizards. One of the Istari who were part of Gandalf's order, yet few people knew of their whereabouts or what had become of them over the past few thousand years. One thing was for sure and that was that they were no longer part of the forces of light.

"You will not hurt my father!" Riley threatened. "You'll have to kill me first!"

"Why else do you think I am here, boy!" the Wizard mocked

As Alatar raised his staff, a flock of birds appeared and surrounded the blue wizard. It was followed by a blinding white light and a loud booming voice. At first, Riley thought it was Gandalf but to his surprise, he saw the familiar face of an old friend he had also not seen in a very long time. The flock of birds should have been a giveaway, really.

"Radagast!" Riley couldn't believe his eyes. "What are you doing here?!"

"Gandalf asked me to keep an eye on this place," the Brown Wizard replied "We have been suspecting activity here for quite some time. You must leave! I will handle Alatar, we are old friends after all."

"We can help!" Riley told him. "There is strength in numbers!"

"Go! Now!" Radagast commanded "I am sending you away from this place!"

Riley was about to protest again but Radagast mumbled words in an ancient language and when his staff reached the stone floor, the earth shifted beneath his feet and suddenly, Dol Guldur faded away from around them. When Riley opened his eyes again, he was lying on the grass, near a familiar path that was not far from Rivendell. What the hell, Riley thought as he pulled himself off the ground.

"Teleportation," he guessed. "Well, that's new."

Theo refused to fall asleep that night and Maggie had tried everything but nothing worked. All he did was cry until the only thing Maggie could do was cry herself. Tauriel had kindly offered to look after Theo with Kili so that Maggie could sleep, but Maggie politely declined. If she were to be comfortably in her role as a mother, that also meant she would have to learn to deal with the more difficult moments alone. While she appreciated the help she was offered by the others, she also didn't want to take it for granted.

So, when it was late in the evening and Theo still wouldn't sleep, Maggie picked her son up in her arms and decided to try a different method. As always, the corridors were quiet, except the gentle roar of a nearby fireplace. The dark used to frighten Maggie, but after spending so much time sleeping out in the dark with the dwarves and wandering the hallways of Elrond's House. There was nothing within these walls that would hurt her.

A part of Maggie wondered if perhaps Elrond was awake but she resisted the urge to go see him or Fili. She was definitely in the honeymoon phase of a new relationship and if her waking thoughts weren't with Theo, they often strayed to her two partners. Her and Fili had finally been able to have an intimate moment of their own. It was absolutely incredible and even Fili was rendered speechless afterwards. Naturally, there had been no small amount of teasing from Kili and indeed also Oin, once they noticed his increased good mood. Even Elrond had joined in the banter, which surprised Maggie as well as everyone else but it was welcome.

"Come on, Theo." Maggie pleaded "Please sleep. Mummy isn't sure she can stay up all night."

Theo responded by crying more, as if to tell Maggie she would be staying up whether she was able to or not. After all, it was in the fine print that came with motherhood. In Theo's first week, he had been good at sleeping. So good that he almost had Maggie convinced it would continue that way. Her own naivety proved her wrong and as she rocked Theo back and forth, while walking down the corridor that would take her past the kitchen, he was still crying.

"It's okay baby boy," Maggie whispered but she could still hear the desperation in her own voice. "God, I wish you could speak and tell me what is wrong."

Maggie suddenly stopped in her tracks, as the sound of voices reached her. She immediately recognised one of them as Talathel, but the other was a bit more difficult to place. As she listened to the conversation, Maggie thought Talathel sounded a bit frantic, which was unusual because she was always so calm and composed.

"I am not certain how much longer this pretence will hold." Talathel said, her voice was a whisper but Maggie was close enough to hear some of the conversation.

Thankfully, Theo had stopped crying, almost as if he knew that any noise would surely give away their hiding place.

"They are already suspicious," Talathel said "Erestor and Lindir are keeping an annoyingly close watch on me. I have been unable to get close to them."

Them? Maggie wondered who Talathel was trying to get close to, but there was also a part of her that did not want to find out. The new tone in Talathel's voice was one that made her deeply uncomfortable. For all these months, Talathel was somebody who Maggie trusted. She had become a good friend to her when things were tough and she had helped her give birth to Theo. Maggie has shared personal details of her intimate relationships because other than Tauriel, it felt good to have another woman to speak with. Now, it seemed like Tauriel was not who she claimed to be and Maggie knew then that she was the traitor they were searching for.

"Then you must find a way," said the second voice. It belonged to a man. "We are running out of time and our master's patience is growing thin. Tell me your heart has not softened towards them? Do not forget your place in this, she-elf! You are blood bound to our Master's will!"

"I have not forgotten!" Talathel snapped. "And I will carry out my part! Which is more than can be said for you!"

"Careful." the male voice taunted, "Your emotions are showing."

Maggie's heart was racing, because she knew who the second voice belonged to. It was Malhas who was out of his cell. Why would Talathel let him out and how had they passed the guards? Then, as if the timing couldn't be worse, Theo began to cry again and when Maggie heard footsteps in her direction, she saw Talathel's figure appearing just as Maggie stood in the doorway to the kitchens. At first, Talathel seemed surprised to see Maggie but then her face softened.

"Lady Margaret," Talathel said "What are you doing up at such a late hour?"

"Um, well Theo couldn't sleep" Maggie replied, trying to hide the fear in her voice. "So, I thought we would explore. It works for me and I thought it might work for him, but not such luck, I'm afraid."

It was strange, Maggie thought, but she was sure Talathel seemed almost nervous. As if seeing Maggie had somehow caught her off guard.

"It is a cold night to be exploring" Talathel told her calmly."Come, let us get you and Theo back to bed."

"Sure, yeah." Maggie agreed and they began walking back towards Maggie's bedroom. Her mind raced at a million miles per hour and she wondered what course of action to take. She knew she had to tell someone, especially if Malhas was set free. "Umm...Talathel, to whom were you speaking just now?"

Talathel raised an eyebrow. "You must be mistaken, it was just me. It seems you are perhaps more tired than you think. Babies have that effect."

"Uh huh," A strong feeling of unease began to take shape in Maggie's gut and for reasons she couldn't quite understand, she also felt very afraid. Theo had finally settled down in her arms and they kept walking in silence.

I need to do something, Maggie thought. It became increasingly clear to her that Talathel's intent was to harm her and also Theo. She also knew that Talathel could sense her fear, which probably meant she was aware that Maggie had heard the conversation with Malhas. Elrond, Maggie thought as she held Theo closely to her. Elrond if you can hear me, Theo and I are in big trouble. Talathel is the traitor. Malhas is out of his cell. Code fucking red.

"You know what, Tala." Maggie said, "I think I'm good from here. I can find my way back."

As Maggie was about to quicken her pace, Talathel grabbed her arm. In a frozen moment, Maggie stared at the elf-maiden in front of her and for what seemed like ages, nothing happened until Maggie snatched her arm back from Talathel.

Then, Maggie Spencer ran for her life.

She clutched Theo in her arms as she ran, letting her adrenaline take over. Maggie took a sharp left turn, which led into a hallway she wasn't too sure where it lead. Nevertheless, her flight or fight response kicked in and her heart was racing fast as Theo kept crying. She hoped Elrond somehow had heard her SOS, because while she had no powers of telepathy, a part of her hoped that their connection meant he would hear her. Talathel's footsteps closed up on her and Maggie knew that as a human, she stood absolutely no chance of out-running an elf. Maggie knew she should have stuck to more familiar paths because she soon found herself at a dead-end.

"There is no point in running, Maggie." Talathel said. "Give him to me quietly and this will not hurt."

Her voice was deceitfully gentle and while Theo still cried, she tried to soothe her frightened son. It was difficult to stay calm when she was terrified herself. Elrond, she thought, where are you guys? Before Maggie knew it, Talathel was in front of her, reaching out to Theo but Maggie turned her son away from her.

"I won't let you have him!" Maggie shouted "You'll have to kill me first!"

Talathel's voice changed to something much more sinister.

"Very well then," Talathel reached for something hanging from her belt. "Have it your way."

The next few moments happened so quickly, Maggie barely had time to register them. It only took Talathel a swift movement to grab Theo out of her arms and she cried out. Then, Maggie's motherhood instincts took over and she took a step forward to grab Talathel's wrist in an attempt to take Theo from her. The brown-haired elf was much quicker than Maggie and freed herself from her grasp by twisting Maggie's hand. She heard the muscle snap in her hand but the pain was nothing compared to the fear of losing her son. Maggie ducked and they continued back and forth, each of Maggie's attempts thwarted by Talathel's much more superior agility. Just when Maggie thought she had a chance to grab Theo, Talathel pinned her against the wall with her elbow.

"Please don't take him," Maggie begged as tears began to well up behind her eyelids. "He's my whole world and he has done nothing to deserve this."

"Do not move, traitor." Came Elrond's sudden voice and Maggie felt brief relief as she looked up and saw both him and Erestor behind Talathel. "Give up the child and your death will be swift."

For a moment, Maggie thought Talathel would actually surrender, given that she was outnumbered. She was about to open her mouth and speak when suddenly, something cold and sharp pierced through the lower part of her abdomen, just below her belly-button. First, Maggie gasped and then there was an intense tingle, like a severe electric shock. Next, Maggie felt a heatwave through her whole system, so intense it was nearly unbearable. It was only after the rush of heat that Maggie actually felt the pain and saw her hands covered in blood as she looked down. It didn't take long before the whole world began to blur and slowly fade around her. She heard voices shouting, the sound of a body falling to the ground. Theo was crying in the distance and as Maggie tried to make sense of what was happening, she felt the weight of her own body give in and she collapsed into the arms Elrond. There was utter chaos around her as she heard Erestor shouting orders and guards running through the corridors, no doubt to find Malhas who was on the run. The last thing Maggie saw was the blurry but familiar shape of her brother running towards.

Behind her brother though, was a face Maggie hadn't seen in a very long time and it made her wonder if she was truly dead or dying.

Her father couldn't possibly be alive.

That's when Maggie blacked out.

To be continued….

I know, I know! I'm sorry! I did promise every other chapter wouldn't be traumatizing but this one kind of wrote itself. It's not as long as the others but more intense than anything. What did you think? Let me know!