Note: Italics is thoughts, unless specified otherwise i.e flashbacks or visions. / is timeskip

AN: I actually just wrote this chapter the other day. I was watching the Hobbit again and was very disappointed with myself on how I have been treating Thorin in this fic. So, in light of messing his character up, here's a Thorin chapter. Well, more like Thorin/OC chapter if I'm being honest.


THIRD POV

Alexa looked out into the night; Bilbo had left a while back as the coldness had gotten to him. But Alexa sat through it, the bitterness of the cold oddly soothed her, grounded her.

Not long after Bilbo had left, Alexa had gone back to the treasure room and once again tried to get Thorin to eat. It had almost been successful, but she had blown it. She had to just try her luck, didn't she?

/Flashback/

Leaving the ramparts, Alexa headed towards Bombur's designated cooking station. Grabbing two bowls, she filled both about halfway. Sending a sad smile to Balin, Gloin, and a few others that were still awake, Alexa headed back towards the treasure hoard and to Thorin.

Walking the now-familiar path, Alexa found herself staring at their leaders back once more. Instead of staying behind, as usual, she walked towards his form; the two bowls in hand.

"I thought I told you that I'm not hungry," Thorin muttered, his dark eyes set upon the gold.

"I know, but I care about you," She replied, her words causing Thorin to for the first time that day peel his eyes away from the treasure.

"So, here's some soup," she whispered, a hopeful smile growing on her face as she saw his eyes lighten slightly.

Thorin's eyes dropped from hers to the soup, and back to hers again. "Fine," he replied, going to take the bowl from Alexa's hands.

But before he could, Alexa retracted it till it was just out of his reach. "The sun is about to rise, I was wondering if you want to come and watch it with me?" she asked, hoping that Thorin wouldn't dismiss the idea and with it the food.

Thorin watched her closely, the darkness in his eyes expanding as he thought on her words. The sight caused a lump to form in the woman's throat; hoping beyond hope that she hadn't just ruined everything.

She observed as his gaze snapped back to the treasure, a possessive need filling him, causing him to forget all about her and the soup. "I will not part with a single coin. Not one piece of it,"

/End of Flashback/

Alexa gazed at the necklace Seren had made, her worn fingers gliding over the wings. A ragged sigh left her as silent tears ran down her cheeks. Closing her eyes tightly, she pressed the necklace to her chest, memories of her old life racing through her mind.

Training with her Master Ki-Adi Mundi, missions with Anakin and Obi-Wan, teaching the Younglings with Master Yoda, chasing Seren down the hallways, kissing Obi-Wan in dark halls and several other happy memories flashed before her eyes.

Her eyes fluttered open to stare up at the stars, as she wondered why the Valar had taken her from her world. Why out of everyone, they had chosen her. In ways, she was grateful. In her world, with everyone she knew dead, her and little Ben would be on the run for the rest of their days. But here, in Middle-earth, they were able to start a new life in peace. Able to live their lives without the need to constantly look over their shoulder in fear; wondering if today would be their last.

Still, she couldn't help but wonder why. Why her. Why wasn't she killed in The Purge? Why couldn't she have died during The Purge? It would've made things much easier. After all, you can't feel hurt or pain. You can't feel anything if your dead; but she's not.

"What is that?" The sudden voice made Alexa jump, her eyes snapping towards the owner of the voice.

"In your hand?" Thorin growled, storming towards her.

"Nothing," she murmured, her fingers wrapping tightly around the object in her grasp; not wanting to deal with a sick Thorin, not now.

"Show me," he commanded, a dangerous look in his eye.

Sighing, Alexa nodded and opened her palm to reveal her necklace. Holding the pendant towards the Dwarf, her eyes remained downcast; she didn't need him seeing her tears.

Had she been looking at the Dwarf, she would have seen his hostile expression drop and a more concerned one take its place.

His Durin blue eyes wandered over her form. It was only now when he really looked at her, that he noticed just how sad she was, and how tired she looked. He briefly pondered how had he failed to notice such a change.

"Oh," Thorin breathed, the single word making Alexa pull the necklace back to her chest; her eyes flickering back to the pendant.

She almost jumped once more as Thorin sat beside her, his broad shoulder brushing against her own. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, shocking Alexa.

Not looking at him, she shook her head. She didn't know if she could talk to him without her voice breaking. Instead of being angry with her, Thorin sighed and stared up at the stars. Silence fell over the pair, but it wasn't awkward, nor was it tense.

Almost hesitantly, Alexa reached out and felt the force around Thorin. A sharp breath left her as the darkness she had felt hours prior had virtually disappeared. The only traces that the gold sickness had been in Thorin were the faintly darkened edges of his aura.

Alexa did look at him then, no longer caring about her tear-stained cheeks. The Dwarf had rested back against the same stone as her, with his eyes fixed on the glistening stars. As she gazed over his form, she saw that the glint in his eyes had all but disappeared. It was like he was never sick.

Feeling her stare, Thorin shifted his head to look at her; a concerned expression on his face as his eyes ran over the remains of her tears. Glancing back to the stars, a sigh escaped Thorin.

"It feels like an age has passed since I've stared at the stars," he murmured, his eyes glazing over slightly as he looked up into the night.

Alexa hummed in reply, her eyes straying from his broad stature to the stars. Breathing softly, she took the leap, "So I um, I haven't eaten yet. Do you maybe, um want to eat with me?" she whispered, a tinge of hope in her voice.

Thorin looked at her then, his eyes examining the woman next to him; whose eyes remained on the sky. "I'd like that," he whispered lowly, making her look at him.

Alexa watched as a smile spread across Thorin's lips, the sight an unexpected one. Her own lips couldn't help but twitch up in a grin as hope pulsed through her. Thorin wasn't completely lost after all.

"Well, I'll just be a moment. Don't go anywhere," she teased, quickly leaping to her feet before the Dwarf could change his mind.

Thorin watched her, a deep chuckle leaving him as Alexa pretty much ran down the hall.

Rushing through the halls and leaping down the stairs, Alexa bounded towards the makeshift kitchen. Quickly, she snatched two bowls, sidestepped Gloin, and almost knocked Fili over as she cut to the front of the line.

"No time to explain," she puffed, exerted from her sprint.

Frustration began to burn through her as she watched Bombur pour the soup almost too slowly into the bowls. Smiling in thanks at Bombur, Alexa weaved her way through the Dwarves and sprinted back towards the ramparts and to Thorin; hoping that he hadn't left.

Puffing, Alexa tried to steady her breathing as she approached Thorin's form, "Ahem!" she coughed, shoving the bowl of soup in front of him.

"Did you run here?" he asked, a teasing look on his face as he watched her try to catch her breath.

"Pfft no," she dismissed, landing heavily beside him; almost spilling her soup in the process.

A huff of laughter left the Dwarf, the hot bowl of soup in his hands. He grasped the wooden spoon and dug into the food before him, hunger almost consuming him. He briefly wondered how long it had been since he had last eaten before cramming more of it down his throat like a starved man. Seeing this occur, a small victorious smile crept its way onto Alexa's lips.

Digging into her own bowl, the woman began to eat the food before her; her hunger easing with every swallow. Without speaking, Alexa and Thorin ate the soup before them; their much lighter eyes only leaving the sight of the rising sun to help gather more soup onto their spoons.

It wasn't long before their bowls were empty, their stomachs were filled, and the birds had begun their routine chirping. Turning to Thorin, she smiled at his relaxed form; noting how the tension had left his shoulders.

Sadly, as they sat on the ramparts watching the sunrise, Alexa sensed the darkness in Thorin slowly return. Before she could say or do anything, she felt him move. Shifting her gaze to him, she watched as he stood; collecting both their bowls and placing them on a rock.

"I have not been very considerate of you and your feelings. Especially with your past, being as... Unfortunate as it was," Thorin began, the words making a sliver of hope rise in Alexa's chest. He was apologizing! He was coming out from the sickness!

"I wish to grant you the life you have earned and much more," he murmured, his words making the woman's eyes to grow wide. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Thorin," Dwalin's rough voice sounded behind Thorin, interrupting the Dwarf and causing Alexa's eyes to flicker from Thorin to him. An uneasy feeling grew within Alexa as she glanced at the Fundin brothers; awaiting their next words.

"With the search for the Arkenstone not going well. It would be best that we halt the search for a few hours, so we gather more food, as we are running low. Then we can go back to searching for the stone," Balin cut in, his light blue eyes fixed on Thorin.

At his words, the peaceful expression on Thorin's face diminished and a milky colour grew in his eyes. At the sight, Alexa's smile vanished, and a worried look replaced it. The darkness once more suffocated her as his aura grew twisted once more.

Ignoring Balin, Thorin looked darkly at Alexa, "And I will make sure that no one will take it from us," he growled, his tone much darker than before.

The Dwarf then turned to face Balin and Dwalin, "Join me in the Throne room. We must find the Arkenstone!" his voice was deeper and more sinister then she had ever heard, crushing her hopes. Without another word, Thorin left Balin, Dwalin, and Alexa on the ramparts; with Balin quickly following after his King.

A shiver left Alexa as the cold suddenly hit her at Thorin's departure. The hope she had held for him overcoming the sickness faded in her eyes as she heard Thorin bark out orders. His baritone voice echoed around the halls as he commanded the others to continue the search for the stone. The action only proved that nothing had ever changed. That the brief moment she had shared with Thorin was just that. Brief.

A shuddering sigh left her as she knew that the Thorin she once knew was gone. That another Dwarf now stood in his stead. A much darker, twisted Dwarf. That there was nothing, she could do but watch as he descended further into madness. At this point, his greed and blind ambition would be his death, not Azog the Defiler.

"Ye alrigh' lass?" Dwalin asked; his eyes on the woman's crouched form. He had made sure to keep a close eye on his King's and Alexa's conversation, just in case something happened.

"Yeah. Ju-Just give me a moment," she replied, a sad sigh leaving her as she stood; her eyes taking in the setting sun one last time. As the darkness settles in.