A/N: Finally the end of the first movie, it took me only 30 chapters :P talking about my ability to keep it short.
Bilbo hanged from a tree sure he was about to die. He was surprised of how few things he thought about in the face of death. And more surprised of how many of them were connected to Thorin and his hair. He felt silly while others dragged him up. Their hunt looked anything but harmless. In fact it looked worse than his worst nightmares.
The hoped existed, thin one that they'll find a way to survive, wizard was with them, now he may show of some of his power. But as trees went down his hope withered. As the last tree feel down and they all hung from it like decoration of sacrifice Bilbo looked at the faces of Orcs before them. To Bilbo they all looked the same. Horrifying. He thought that it's better to just let go and fall into abys than to let them be caught by those savage faces.
Bilbo thought only about escape, but of course Thorin though about fight.
"Pale Orc" words were whispered around Bilbo and he was terrified beyond all reason. Not the one that slayed Thorin's grandfather. As Thorin got up on a tree Bilbo realized what's about to happen. He understood that for Thorin there's no other way, but he inevitability of his defeat brought pain to Bilbo's chest that whipped out all fear. No, he won't do that, he won't just hang around here and watch Thorin walk towards his horrible death.
Bilbo pulled himself up and crawled his way towards the ground where Thorin already have engaged Pale Orc.
It was heart breaking to watch him be toss around as a puppet. Not Thorin, he doesn't deserve to go like that, not like that. Bilbo squeezed his dagger feeling helpless thinking how it is more of cheese knife than anything, that he's small, that he can't do anything to save him. But grandness that was Thorin looked so small in front of wargs and Orcs. They mocked him in language Bilbo couldn't understand. Through his tears Bilbo saw how Orc signals the warg to finish Thorin. That pushed Bilbo over the edge. He wasn't thinking of his weakness, or of his odds, only one thought remained in his mind. That was that he won't let that beast to touch his Thorin, no one of them will. He fought not thinking just striking, not noticing the pain.
He wasn't even surprised when he overcome that warg, he just stood in front of Thorin not knowing is he dead or not, but sure he won't let them touch him, that he'll die first.
Then others came in and they fought. Bilbo thought of them all that they are all already dead but then the eagles came and as they flew Bilbo watched Thorin's face hopping but convinced that he died already. All was in vain and he wasn't even brave enough to touch his hair and see how it feels under his hands.
When they landed he walked away from the rest of them to hide his tears, to compose himself, to prepare for the news of Thorin's death. He didn't want to be the one to see it for himself.
But then Thorin's voice came out.
"Halfling" he said with hoarse voice and Bilbo felt surge of joy that was like nothing he felt before.
As Thorin approached him Bilbo watched him gently hopping that now he'll have a courage to talk to Thorin, that Thorin won't think of him as…
"But did I not say that you would be a burden?" he said and Bilbo looked down nodding, of course he was, it was not like he saved Thorin, he just stood there to be slaughtered with others.
Bilbo didn't looked at him, he just listened to harshness of his voice feeling a certain kind of pain, but then his voice changed and Bilbo was pulled into sudden and unexpected embrace.
Bilbo returned that hug reluctantly feeling displaced and surprised. The embrace itself was like nothing he received before. It was warm on more levels than just body heat, it was like Thorin had enwrapped him in his acceptance and gratitude.
Soon the embrace was over but contact was still there as Thorin placed his hands on Bilbo's shoulders. Pain was gone from Bilbo's chest, but aching was still there so Bilbo turned forward to follow Thorin's absent gaze.
There it was, the Lonely Mountain. Watching it, with Thorin's hand on his shoulder Bilbo thought that it could get only better from this point on. He did earn Thorin's respect after all.
Do review, and encourage me to enter uncharted territory between movies where some action is on its way.