Disclaimer: I do not claim to own anything.

Sorry about the long wait! Sorry that the chapter is short. It took me a bit to get the writer juices flowing again after the Holidays. Well after this chapter, I will start getting into more of the humor bits. Please excuse the sloppy writing, it has been a bit since I sat down and typed something. If there are any misspellings, please tell me. Thanks!

-Ambercoal

Fíli stared. Kíli ran his fingers through his hair and looked at his hand.

"Kíli,"

Fíli reached and took Kíli's hand in his. "Explain."

"I, I, I.." Kíli huffed.

A thought came to him. He had to tell Dwalin about his brother. He deserved that at least.

"If I am telling you, then I might as well tell Dwalin." Fíli nodded. "I'll get him."

His brother stood up and walked out of the little space they were sitting in.

Kíli sat there shaking. Everything was finally hitting him. It was always like this. When Fíli and Thorin had died, he hadn't fully realized it when he was told. He was too busy. But when he had got a moment alone to himself, he had broken down.

Even now, the thought that he would not see his brother in this life was terrifying. But, then he had. Or something. He was back. What if he failed. What if he had to see them die all over again.

He heard the heavy tread of Dwalin and the lighter one of his brother coming toward him.

He stared at the ground, his head in his hands. He felt Dwalin sit down by him. Waiting.

"What if I fail," Kíli whispered. Fíli started to ask what he was talking about, but Kíli continued. "What if you die again. What if. " Kíli trailed off.

Dwalin grabbed his shoulder. "Kíli." His former bodyguard/advisor shuffled forward a little.

"What are you talking about. Explain."

The no nonsense tone jolted Kíli from his thoughts. Kíli looked at his hands, "I think I traveled back in time."

He felt them start. He looked up. "I mean, you were both dead the last time I checked. And now I'm back. Back before the Quest even really started!"

"So that's why you were acting so strange this morning!" Fíli exclaimed."Saying this was the afterlife, and that Thorin Stonehelm was now king." Fíli paused. "Or something like that."

Kíli hummed in acknowledgment.

"Tell us," Dwalin said.

Kíli looked at the stars. Tauriel had always loved the stars.

"We went on the quest." He began. He saw their questioning looks, so he went on. "We won the mountain back."

Fíli grinned. Kíli sighed.

"We won it back, but, both you and Thorin died."

Kíli went on before they could interrupt.

"I was king, and well, a lot of things happened."

Kíli grabbed Dwalin's shoulder. "Don't. Don't let Balin try to reclaim Moria."

Dwalin shifted. Kíli realized he had not used the dwarrow name for those forsaken caverns. Oh well. The name Moria fit it better.

"Well, then as I said, a lot of things happened, and, well, I was king. I made Stonehelm my heir, never married. I was old. Very old. Amad died a few years ago, and."

He sighed. "I'm just so tired."

Kíli brightened. He looked at Fíli and Dwalin. "But now I'm back! And, I can do it over. I'll save you and Thorin. I'll get married. If she'll have me, and well," Kíli grinned the grin, the mischievous one of his childhood. "Fíli can be king this time."

They sat for a bit, then Dwalin asked, "What happened after the quest. Why should I not let my brother reclaim Khazad Dûm."

Kíli told an extremely short version of the War of the Ring.

Fíli looked thoughtful. "So the hobbit we are meeting will have a nephew that will basically save everyone?"

Kíli huffed. "Don't forget about his gardener. Everyone always underestimates gardeners."

Fíli laughed. "Well, what have you got yourself into this time brother."

"Don't tell Thorin. Or anyone really."

Dwalin shook his head,"He is the king. He deserves to know."

Kíli started. He still felt like he was the king. Even if he wasn't anymore.

"We don't need to heap more responsibilities on him. After the Quest. After the Quest, I will tell him, and Gandalf."

"Indeed." Dwalin rumbled.

The dwarf stood up. "Why not tell him now?"

Kíli scrambled to his feet. "Let's not. If we fail." Kíli shuddered, "If we fail, he doesn't need to know that, that, I..."

Kíli ran his fingers through his beard. He looked down. He had no beard. "Let's just. Not fail."

Fíli stood up and stretched. They had been sitting awhile.

"We should probably turn in." Kíli said. "What?" Fíli asked. "With no supper!" Kíli shrugged. He had gone without before, it was nothing to skip one meal.

As they trudged back to the camp Kíli laughed. At his brother's questioning glance, Kíli explained. "I am no longer king! I can woo the one I love, if she'll have me, I. Brother. I am free!"

Kíli felt joyous tears prickle on the edges of his eyes. Fíli put out an arm to hold Kíli back. "Wait. Why couldn't you marry the one you loved." Kíli looked away. "Ah, well. Unfortunately the dwarrow people would not have like my choice of a queen. "

Kíli's smile turned wistful. "Anyway, she never wanted to be queen in the first place. She wanted to see the world." Kíli sighed. "She wanted to live a simple life. Not a hard one as a queen of a different race." "Was she a human?" Fíli asked incredulously. Kíli smirked. "Not exactly.."

Fíli stopped walking altogether. "Brother. Not, an. "

Kíli was desperately trying not to laugh at Fíli's horrified expression. "An, elf? Really Kíli, really."

Kíli laughed.

"Why would you pick an ELF to fall in love with! She must have been twice as tall as you are."

"Oi!" Kíli yelped. "I'm not that short!"

The rest of the walk was spent with playful banter between the two brothers. Dwalin sighed and rolled his eyes. Apparently, there was an elf out there that Kíli loved. What joy it would be telling that to Thorin.

Have a virtual pixel cookie. (_) There are no chocolate chips.