"Alright, I'll be there soon. Yes…Mhmm, yes. Okay, goodbye." Thorin hung up, his face taunt with worry, Billie stood up.
"What is it?"
Thorin let out a shaky breath, "My father," he said, running a hand through his hair, "my father just had a heart attack." Billie's eyes went wide, she laid a hand on his arm.
"Grandfather says he's started calling for me, I've got to go the home." He started striding towards the house and almost crashed into the porch railing. He leaned his head against it defeated. "I've got to get to New York." He whispered.
"Okay," Billie yanked out her cell phone and punched in a number.
"Who are you calling?" Thorin asked, starting to sit back down on the stairs, Billie grabbed him by the arm and hauled him to his feet.
"Bombor," She said, "you go inside and pack." Thorin stared at her for a second and then tromped up the stairs to do as she said. Bombor picked up on the fourth ring sounding still half asleep.
"Hello?"
"Bombor." Billie launched into an explanation and by the time she was halfway through, Thorin had come back outside. The front of his hair was wet and he had a duffle bag over one shoulder. He'd changed into nicer pants and as she watched whipped off his flannel shirt to pull on one that he had to button, Billie bit her bottom lip as he closed off the sight of his muscular chest one button at a time.
"I'm on my way," Bombor said in her ear. Billie jumped a little and went back to the situation at hand.
"Alright, he's ready for you. Thanks Bombor."
"No problem sweetie, see you soon." Billie hung and Thorin looked up at her from his own phone.
"I just booked a flight that leaves at five in the morning." He said, holding his phone under his chin and tucking his shirt into his pants.
"Bombor will be here to drive you soon." Billie told him, He nodded and they both sank back onto the stairs.
"Are you okay?" Billie asked after about a minute of silence. Thorin sighed, burying his face in his hands.
"I'm not sure," he admitted, looking up at her over the tops of his fingers, "I haven't spoken to my dad in," he paused to do mental calculations, "Nineteen years. He didn't come to Dis' funeral, he wasn't there when the boys turned, well any age really, and now this…" he trailed off, nervously clenching and unclenching his fists, "I don't know how to feel right now."
Billie didn't know what to say, maybe there was nothing she could say. Maybe this was one of those moments where words were useless. She reached out to his tight ball of a fist and grasped it in both of her hands, massaging it open and lacing her fingers through his. Thorin let out a shaking breath, his head hung heavy, his dark hair hid his eyes. They stayed like that until Bombor's headlight's appeared in the driveway. As one they stood up and still holding hands walked to the fry cooks car.
"I'll call you when I get in and let you know what's going on." Thorin said, as he put his bag in the backseat. Billie nodded, they still hadn't let go. Bombor watched them through the tinted window.
"Be safe," she said, forcing herself to pull free, but only so she could wrap her arms around him and then there they stood, holding each other tight. Thorin pressed a kiss against the top of her head.
"Look after the boys for me," he said into her hair, Billie nodded against his chest. Then she made herself pull away, made herself cross her arms and step back as Thorin got into the car. Bombor gave her a little wave as they turned around and drove away.
(…And then)
"Grandpa had a heart attack?" Kili asked over breakfast the next morning, Billie nodded pouring more Coco Krispies into a bowl than was strictly necessary.
"Bombor drove Thorin to the airport," she said, going into the fridge for the milk, "He said he'd call us once he got in."
"Are we going to New York too?" Fili asked, grabbing his fifth slice of toast out of the toaster.
"I'm not sure," Billie said, spooning the chocolatey goodness into her mouth, "We'll just have to wait and see."
"You know every year Grandma sends us Christmas stockings," Kili said, "Full of all the cool things she's found going with Grandpa on business trips that year."
"Really?" Billie asked. The twins nodded, "Has she ever been to visit?" A dual shake of the head.
"The disownment was apparently a really big deal," Fili sighed, "No Durin has dared talk to us since."
"Not even our weird cousin's in Idaho." Kili added, shoving a whole doughnut in his mouth. Billie's phone rang.
"Thorin!" she exclaimed, picking it up, "Hey," she said, into the phone.
"I just got in," Thorin told her, "I'm on my way to the hospital right now. Grandfather sent the car for me."
"He has cars to send?" Billie asked, Thorin laughed.
"I told you they're rich," he reminded her.
"Yeah, but I didn't have a firm grasp on exactly how rich," she said, "are we talking like Donald Trump or Scrooge Mcduck?"
Thorin laughed again, she never wanted to stop making him laugh.
"Listen, we're almost there so I'll call you after I see Dad." Billie smiled.
"Alright, we'll be waiting to hear from you."
"Bye sunshine."
"Bye Thorin." Billie hung up, both Fili and Kili were staring at her. Kili had a look on that could only be described as devilish.
"You're blushing," he told her. Billie put both hands against her cheeks, they were red hot.
"You like him don't you," Kili continued. Fili leaned forward suddenly interested.
"None of your business," Billie insisted, going to the sink to wash out her bowl.
(Meanwhile…)
The car pulled up in front of the hospital, Thorin tried to get out himself but the driver got there first. Damn, for an old man this guy moved fast.
"Thank you Greg," he said.
"I'll wait right here for you Sir," Greg croaked. Thorin strode through the hospital doors, behind him the sounds of the New York City traffic faded as he approached the silver haired man standing stiffly by the front desk.
"Grandfather?" Thorin asked. The man straightened up and looked him up and down severely.
"You look awful," he said, coming forwards, "what they don't have showers in Hickville, USA?" There was a long moment of silence and then the old man's face softened and he wrapped his arms around Thorin.
"It's good to see you again Boy," he said.
"It's good to see you too Grandfather." The older man straightened up and sighed.
"It doesn't look good son," he said, "he's been fading in and out all morning. Calling out for you and your sister in his sleep." Thorin followed him towards the elevators.
"He hasn't woken up at all?" he asked. Thror shook his silver head.
"Your mother is with him," he said, "it'll do her good to see you."
The elevator doors opened and they stepped out into the ICU. An older woman waited in a row of plastic chairs opposite the elevators, she burst into tears upon catching sight of them.
"Thorin!" she cried, running forwards to cling to his jacket, "Oh Thorin!" Thorin folded her into an embrace.
"Hi Mom."
(Meanwhile….)
"THORIN!" Billie was reading on her camp bed when Iradessa came to track her boyfriend down. The irate blonde stormed through the front doors high, heels pounding so hard it was a wonder she didn't go through the newly restored floor.
"He's not here," Billie said, sitting up to glare at her.
"Yet I see you are," Iradessa clomped over to stand in front of her, hands on her shapely hips. "Why are you always here?"
"I live here," Billie stood up too, she stood a good 6 inches shorter than the other girl in those shoes.
"Still?!" Iradessa exclaimed.
"I'm not going anywhere," Billie told her, "Thorin invited me to stay for, what did he say again, oh yeah, for forever."
"Where is he?" Iradessa growled.
"He went home, his father had a heart attack."
"Why didn't he tell me he was going?" Billie shrugged.
"Maybe you didn't cross his mind." Iradessa let out a little hmph! and turned on her heels to stalk away.
"If you hear from him you had better call me!" she said over her shoulder. "Or you'll be sorry you didn't!"
Billie picked up her book again and settled back down to read, "Psychopath," she mumbled to herself.
(…And Then)
Thorin punched in Billie's number on the hospitals phone, he would have used his own but it was dead.
"Hello," she didn't sound half asleep which was surprising given that it was almost three in the morning her time.
"Billie," Thorin tried to keep the shake out of his voice, his Dad had gone in his sleep a half hour before. Thorin hadn't gotten to say goodbye, he hadn't realized how much he wanted to make amends until this moment. He should have tried to keep in contact, even if his father wouldn't have spoken to him, he should have tried.
"Thorin," Billie's voice brought him back to reality, "What is it?"
"Dad's gone," Thorin cleared his throat, "the funeral is in two days. Mom wants the boys to be there. Grandfather booked you all a flight tomorrow at 10."
"Alright, I'll drive them to the airport in the morning."
"He got you a ticket too Billie."
"What? Why?"
"I asked him to, I could really," Thorin cleared his throat again, Billie's heart went out to him, "I could really use a friend right now."
Billie's throat went tight, oh Thorin, she wanted to hold him close and let him cry as he was clearly trying not to, she found herself nodding.
"Okay, We'll be there soon. I'm- ," her throat constricted even more, "I'm so sorry Thorin." Thorin rested his forehead against the wall.
"Thank you," he said, rubbing the back of his wrist across his streaming eyes, "I'll – I'll meet you guys at the airport alright?"
"Okay, see you then. Bye Thorin."
"Bye."
(…And Then)
"We're flying first class?" Billie asked, looking at the ticket she held in amazement.
"Apparently Great-Grandpa doesn't skimp," Kili said appreciably. They stood by the security line waiting for Fili to finish saying goodbye to Elann, the way they were carrying on you would have thought he was going off to war, not to his grandfather's funeral.
"Will you get a move on!" Kili grumbled as the couple kissed for the eighth time, "He'll be back in a week!" Billie laughed and then to her horror saw a familiar blonde figure coming towards them rolling a bright pink carryon suitcase.
"Oh no," she whispered, "Please don't be her. Please don't be her."
It was her.
"What, are you doing here?" Iradessa asked, coming to a halt right in front of them. Kili's grin turned demented, Billie could only imagine what hell he could cause for this nut bag on a plane, actually that was a lie. Her mind couldn't match his madness. She decided to try and set a good example.
"We're on our way to Thorin's father's funeral," she said. Even though A: Duh, and B: Given Iradessa's reaction that had been a rhetorical question.
"I know what they are doing here," she said pointing to Kili and Fili who had come over with Elann still in tow, "but why are you here?"
"Thorin asked me to come."
"Well you aren't needed," Iradessa told her, "I'm going. So I'm sure he'll be fine."
"Did Uncle Thorin ask you to come?" Kili asked. Iradessa rolled her eyes.
"No, but I'm his girlfriend, of course I'm going to go be there for him."
"Sounds to me like he doesn't want you to hold that title anymore, he just doesn't know how to tell you it's over." Kili pointed out. He started to push Billie and Fili towards security.
"Who asked you, you little turd?" Iradessa cut in front of them, never noticing that Kili took this as an opportunity to shove a pair of travel scissors into her back pocket. Then a zippo lighter and an unmarked bottle of clear fluid into her carryon front pocket.
"Bye Fili!" Elann called. Fili turned around to blow kisses at her.
"Love you!" he called, Elann beamed at him.
"I love you too!" Kili rolled his eyes up to the skylights above them.
"Please shoot me now," he begged the heavens.
(…And then)
Thorin was waiting with the car outside the airport. He hugged both the boys tight and then Billie. She studied his face as he helped put their bags in the trunk, he looked like he hadn't slept since he left.
"Thorin!" Iradessa came storming towards him looking rumpled and furious. Billie supposed she would have been upset too if she had been subjected to a full body search at the hands of the TSA. Kili started giggling madly.
"Iradessa?" Thorin looked confused, "What are you doing here?" Iradessa turned a shade or two lighter than her suitcase.
"What do you mean what am I doing here?" She put her arms around his neck, Billie clenched her fists. "I'm here for you." Thorin detangled himself from her grasp, Kili's giggles got more hyena-like.
"We have to be getting to my mom's place," he said, edging towards the car, "Thank you for coming but it really wasn't necessary." He herded Billie and the boys into the vehicle and started to shut the door.
"Wait!" Iradessa called, but it was too late. They were already driving off. Kili dissolved into full out melt down laughter. Fili smiled at his uncle.
"Smooth," he commented. Billie suppressed a grin. Thorin leaned his head back against the seat and sighed.
