Shorter update today with some much needed fluff.

Summary: The company of Thorin Oakenshield recuperate on the top of The Carrock...

While the view was quite lovely from the top of what Gandalf so aptly called The Carrock, I was a Hobbit and we were not agreeable to any manner of heights by any means. Being on the back of a bird was one thing but all of us just standing so close to the edge was just out of the question; the vertigo alone made me nauseous and I had to shake my head just at the thought of how comfortable the dwarves were at the edge of the giant structure.

As I sat down to watch the rest of the group pile their things together to see what we had in terms of supplies, which was quite a sorry sight to see given that we still had to travel to what looked to be a very, very far away lonely mountain, I flinched every so often as Oin tended to my foot. He did the best he could given that he lost his medical kit in the goblin town back in the mountains but using what water was in his waterskin and what salve he always kept on his person, he cleaned my cut, spread a thick salve on the wound itself, and bandaged it with a piece of cloth torn from his own shirt.

On one side of me sat Fili and on the other sat Bifur, both of whom refused to leave my side for anything as soon as they saw the full extent of my injuries. Fili was content to watch the simple process while Bifur fussed over me in a way that would even give Dori a run for his money, looking at my torn skirt and various cuts and scraps that Oin more than once had to stop and argue with him over the severity of. It felt nice being fussed over again and was made even better by the fact that it wasn't the Durins. I was welcomed and comfortable surrounded by the dwarves and they seemed to accept me in a way that was different than before.

I was no longer an accessory of the Durins; I was something of use and value entirely on my own because I had saved Thorin's life and held my own while in the mountains.

"Honestly, Bifur, it's only lightly bleedin'! The Hobbit isn't going to die!" Oin huffed out, his voice a popping sensation in my ear that made me giggle and look at Bifur, who still grumbled in his native tongue and signed to the elderly dwarf, "I'm not listening. I can't hear you. For Mahal's sake, it's not gushing everywhere!" Between the two of the older dwarves, I had a amusing time with their voices popping in my ears and tickling under my armpits but when they finally escalated into an all out argument, I couldn't help but laugh.

When I laughed loudly at how Bifur was fussing and how animated Oin was becoming by the very nagging of the toy-maker, I winced and clutched at my ribs. I wasn't even sure how I could have forgotten about them still being injured because ever since I was let down onto the Carrock, I felt them throb constantly. I was reminded of Fili's near constant presence when his hand covered mine, fingers tightening in worry and his blue eyes directed at me, "What's wrong?"

"I think I broke my ribs sometime after the Thunder-battle."

Fili's eyes widened and Bifur himself nearly choked on his own breath but before either of them could say anything at all about my injury, Gandalf interrupted from above us. All of us looked up, surprised to see him so close and wondering just how long he had been hovering and listening.

"Well, why didn't you say anything earlier?"

The sound I made was not proper and definitely not very lass-like either. I practically cursed at him jokingly before I just shook my head and rolled my eyes out my frustrations at the very question. Honestly, the wizard was crazy to even say such a thing because up until the goblins, he was decidedly absent and ever since his reappearance, everything afterwards went all rather upend.

So why didn't I mention my injury earlier, Gandalf? Oh, ya know, between the falling down dark tunnels and falling off dark bridges and nearly being eaten in dark caverns and then almost being murdered in the dark of the night by orcs... yeah, it just failed to cross my mind to mention my tiny ribs being just a wee bit cracked.

Gandalf, doing exactly what he always did best, seemed to just direct that all too familiar cheeky grin at me, those blue eyes glinting down on me in amusement. Being the wizard that he was, I knew he could tell what my thoughts were and motioning my two dwarven companions away from my side, he sat down and got comfortable.

"Close your eyes."

When I closed my eyes, I felt the sensations of the company's voices as they talked in the background brushing up against where I always felt them, but covering them like a blanket was a new one, a warm melting presence on my side that blossomed into a steady heat as it traveled outward. By the time I opened my eyes to watch the healing magic of Gandalf do its work, whatever spell he performed had become a soft, receding glow and Fili's eyes sparkled with the last traces of it before it disappeared entirely.

"Is she all better now?"

His voice was a nervous tremble on my bottom, to which Gandalf just replied easily, "Well, it'll still be sore for a bit but if she's careful about it, she'll be quite alright."

Breathing in deeply, it was just as Gandalf said; yes, there was still some residual soreness but other than that the sharp pain from before was gone. "Thank you very much, Master Gandalf."

Though Gandalf was finished healing the worst of my wounds, Oin was still poking about the various cuts I had and resigning myself to be fussed over some more, I sought to get comfortable. The sun was bright overhead and the wind from the high vantage point felt good ruffling through my messy, tangled curls; the rock beneath my fingers was warm from the sun's rays and more than once I drifted off to sleep because of how comfortable it was.

When I was finally deemed fit for casual strolling around our humble Carrock abode, I gratefully took it since Fili was now talking to Kili in a circle that made of them and the brothers Dori, Nori, and Ori. Sometime between Gandalf and Oin tending to me again, Bifur retreated to fuss over his cousins and I didn't want to interrupt that either. Near the edge of the great rock, Thorin and Dwalin sat side by side and I had the urge to join them just because I felt I could actually do so now. I didn't feel like staying back by myself like I used to do in the days before.

Confident about my plan and needing to stretch my legs, I stood and felt the pop of my back before I wandered over to where the two intimidating dwarves sat, the closer I got the more obvious it was that they were talking about something in Khuzdul. As soon as they heard me approach, they switched over to Westron and I heard them discussing various things about how to get more provisions and which direction in the land below we could travel through.

Not wanting to interrupt their conversation, I silently sat down next to Thorin, humming gently in the back of my throat when his large hand casually went from his lap to slide along my lower back and rub soothing circles. It was a huge change from what was the normal happenstance before, our leader being distant at every step and brushing me off and not even initiating any affection in public. Whatever changed between us from my saving his life or proving that I was capable of handling myself on our adventure so far seemed to ease his mind and allow him to open up slightly. He was still quiet, just as I knew he always was, but now he did not keep himself reserved from me.

Maybe in the days to come when we were on the move such moments would change but from what I could tell by his current actions, it would be nothing like how we were in the Misty Mountains.

As Dwalin and Thorin talked about the journey and eventually veering off to more personal topics that had them both chuckling softly, I leaned my head down against the soft fur of his coat and closed my eyes, relishing the familiarity of how their voices brushed along my cheek and along my back, arms, and legs with every inflection of their chattering.

How long the company just sat around not bothering to move from the Carrock, I could not say but when I was woken gently from the rocking of a casual nudge on my right, I looked around and saw that the sun was lower in the sky. "Hm?"

"I asked, if you would mind removing your jacket and skirt?"

I pulled away from Thorin's warmth, confusion and cheekiness getting the better of me, "How ever did you hide from me for so long that you were an exhibitionist?"

He scoffed at the very idea and motioned with his head, "Ori has offered to mend your clothing for you. Given the state of it, I would say that it's an offer not to be refused."

Even as Thorin's voice trailed like soft touches along my neck, my eyes found Ori's form on the other side of the Carrock, and just as if he noticed me staring at him, he perked up and turned to where Thorin and I sat. Cheerfully, he waved in greeting, a faint flush of red on his cheeks and I smiled back at him, a wave gladly returned. "No, I don't think I'll refuse it."

I sprung up from my spot and unbuttoned my jacket, seeing as I did so that Thorin too stood and began to shrug off his heavier coat; just as I got my jacket off, Thorin took it from me and motioned for me to turn around so that I was facing away from the group. I couldn't see what he was doing but when I felt the heavy weight of his coat on me, I looked back, "Giving you some privacy."

He explained simply and it was then that I realized that his bulky form blocked me completely from the rest of the company and now with his longer coat over me, even my legs would be covered from sight. I nodded at the polite gesture, thanking him gratefully though before I could sit back down, he stopped me. His leaned forward, his eyes boring down into mine before they gestured downward.

"Your skirt as well."

His voice stroked sensually up my spine and I nodded dumbly before I clumsily started to unbutton it; my fingers fumbled and I felt my heart race when Thorin stepped closer and brushed my fingers away, taking the task upon himself to finish. As I felt those fingers at my waist, with the way his eyes watched me, I found my memories going back to when we were in Bag End and his gaze ensnared me. I wanted to follow those hands of his when he knelt down to let me step out of my skirt but before I could do anything more, he was walking away to give the articles over to Ori.

Never before had I been more grateful for the layers that a Hobbit lass wore, happy to retain some of my public decency because my petticoat somehow hadn't been torn when Thorin grabbed onto it that night and from the bloomers I wore. I sat back down on the edge of the Carrock, willing myself not to look down and definitely wishing that I were somewhere with a nice hot bath as an option. I stunk and my clothes definitely needed a good washing.

When Thorin returned, I was a little surprised to see that Oin followed him, fussing about how bothersome Thorin was and how stubborn he was being; as soon as Thorin sat down, he turned our most stoic and solemn leader to face him and began to dab and clean his face with water and rub a salve mixture on it. I couldn't help but giggle at the sight of Thorin practically pouting, turning his face this way and that to try and avoid Oin's fingers.

"Stop yer fussin', laddie."

"It stinks."

As I sat and watched the two of them bicker and nag one another, Oin fussing and Thorin whining at the treatment, I felt that this really was going to be an amazing adventure from here on out if this sight would become a staple of it.

"So where are Fili, Kili, and Dwalin?"

It was something that I noticed when I was shrugging off my jacket, the fact that the brothers and Dwalin had disappeared off to who knew where with the wizard in tow.

"Off hunting. They climbed down a bit ago."

Thorin replied, even as he grimaced and tried to turn his head away from Oin's fingers; abruptly, the old healer gripped onto his jaw and pulled him back into place so that the two were eye to eye, "I'll do the body next if yer don't behave."

As threatening as the healer was, he was no match for the hunting party's gallant return, cheering and bowing victoriously with their arms full of their bounty. Just as Thorin heard their voices, he was up and away from Oin, a swiftly disappearing navy blue figure that was eager to help with dinner preparations that while not usually something that required his attention, he was only to happy to volunteer it.

Despite Oin grumbling about how difficult and stubborn Thorin was, he too went over to help the others build a fire from what kindling and wood they gathered. I followed him over but as soon as I went to see if I could offer my help as well, Fili swooped down to kiss my cheek before he started to get to work on the skinning of whatever he caught. When I looked down at his bounty, my mouth watered with the thought of us actually having hot meat, a furry trio of bunnies held tightly by the ears.

Just as quickly as he kissed my cheek, Kili was kissing my other one and I blushed at the surge of affection that I got from all of the Durins in one day all while in the presence of the company. It was nice to see them so attentive but at the same time, I was embarrassed and a little overwhelmed by it now. "Oin's going to tell you to keep off that foot, Bilbo."

Kili playfully pushed me back, fingers teasingly tickling my sides even as his voice pinched playfully underneath my bloomers. I giggled from those damnable hands and tried to swat them off but before I knew it, he was shoving me down and giving me his water skin. "Drink up, we found a nearby river."

I was next to Balin now and from the glint in his eye, I could tell he was enjoying himself as he watched Dwalin unload a deer from his shoulders and set it down on the Carrock's cooling surface. After Thorin dragged it off, we watched as the Kili and Oin busied themselves making the fire that we would need to cook our dinner while at the same time, Fili and Thorin set to work skinning the rabbits and the prized and much fawned over deer.

"They look happy."

My head turned to look at Balin, the brush of his voice against my cheek gentle and kind.

"Hm?" I inquired, wanting him to say more if it would give me even the tiniest of insight about the very men that I felt so attached to. Balin glanced at me briefly before nodding his head in the direction of the dwarves, "Fili and Kili were always kept pretty happy but with Thorin, it's just nice to see that again."

My eyes stared as Thorin skinned a rabbit expertly, his face a look of concentration but just as Balin said, he didn't look disturbed or upset in any way. He was just relaxing while in the presence of his company, peaceful and yet alert for any trouble that may come our way. "So, all of this is okay?" I motioned around, a vague gesture to indicate all of us.

Balin nodded, understanding instantly, "Oh, quite so. It's common enough for a dwarf or lass to take multiple partners into their home just as long as it makes them all happy. You'll get no objection from us here," His eyes found mine, "least not anymore since you saved our King's life."

I blushed hotly from such praise and hid my face away from him in the fur of Thorin's jacket.

"Mistress Baggins?" The sensation of strong fingers against my cheek and the formality of my name made me look back at Balin, "We could never thank you enough for that. Once more, I am at your service." He bowed his head to me and I returned the gesture, always willing and eager to repay anything granted to me. 'As I am at yours."

He smiled at the newly started fire, "Then I only ask that you continue doing what you're doing. The guilt of losing our home and the burden of reclaiming it will feel easier if you're there to help him through it."

I nodded because that was what I wanted to do and that was what I was determined to see through to the end. Balin and I talked about more trivial things after that, waiting for dinner and enjoying the warmth of the fire even though the sun was almost set. That evening we ate splendidly for the first time in what felt like ages and we shared stories and laughter as easily as any company that had been together through thick and thin for ages past.

On my right was Balin and on my left was Thorin and the brothers, the presence of companionship overwhelming even as Bofur acted out tales of his poorly timed scuffles with the law.

When we all slipped off into bed, bedrolls scarce from losing our supplies, Fili and Kili once more settled around me to sleep like before. Thorin shooed off the need to sleep, promising that he would take first watch but then slip down next to us when it came time for the second watch to switch over. Because the night was colder, Fili and Kili huddled around me closely, their arms wrapped around me tightly but even before we allowed exhaustion to take us, Thorin laid his coat over us and made sure that we were tucked in.

Thinking of Balin's words, I closed my eyes wanting to sleep, and hoped that my dreams would be peaceful.