After Thorin left, Annie sat on her bed, hands trembling and cried. He knew, they all knew and they hated her for what she had to do. Did she even want to go with them? She thought of Kili and his kind smile, but then also how he had looked at her when she let him out of the barrel. The warmth in his eyes had vanished. She wished that she could explain to him what happened, to make him understand. She thought of the company as a whole, what did they know about having sons and daughters? As far as she knew none of them had children, or even wives. If they did, they never mentioned them. She didn't know what to do, part of her wanted to leave, to go back to Bag End and stay hidden there until she died, but another part of her urged her to finish what she started. She touched her locket, it felt hot in her hands, like red embers of a dying fire. "What should I do?" she whispered to the presence, who had crept inside the locket and stayed there. It glowed even brighter, and she felt something in her chest. A strong desire to see the Lonely Mountain, and an even stronger sense that she must finish this adventure. She thought of the dwarves, and how deep their memories were, and how deep their grudges went. They never forgave nor forgot what happened to them, they lost everything when that dragon came from the West. She would have given up hope long ago, but they didn't. They stayed loyalty their home, even if it meant risking everything they had. They came to face their foe, to reclaim their home and they weren't going to stop until it was theirs again. This gave her hope, and then she realized that if she ever wanted to give her baby peace, she had to forgive herself for what she did. She had to face her own dragon and reclaim her heart from this presence. Something about the Lonely Mountain called to her, "Maybe if I help then take back their home, I will find a way to take back my heart?she whispered out loud.

She was shaken out of her thoughts by a sudden rap rap rap on the door. Hesitantly, she stood up and walked towards the door, opening it a crack. On the other side she saw Kili, the last person she wanted to see in all of middle earth. "Good Evening" she whispered, she couldn't even look him in the eye, she knew he knew and was ashamed. "Good evening, miss Annie" he told her politely, "I wish to speak with you." she just nodded, then opened the door wider, " please" she told him, trying to keep her voice steady. All sorts of emotions were flowing through her; shame, anger, fear. He had been part of company that had tried to expel her, and now he was here in her bedroom. The stood in the room in silence, the tension was so thick Annie could feel it in the air, and the red presence wasn't being helpful as it thumped and flickered inside her locket. Finally Kili spoke;

"Did it really happen?"

"I -." Annie stumbled

"I trusted you with my life and followed you loyally. I think I deserve an answer." he told her firmly"

Tears choked Annie, rendering her speechless. She looked away from Kili, not knowing what to say. Finally she nodded, "I did it out of love." she told him, feeling like a broken record.

"I don't understand."

"How could you? You're just a dwarf, not -"

"Not what? Capable of loving, because I'm a dwarf?"

"I was going to say-"

"Ive killed many orcs, and goblins and other creatures but I would never in my life turn on my own kin."

"You didn't see the hate in their eyes, nor hear the words they called me. I didn't even have a name back then, I was an it. Just something they could use to barter with. And it would have been the same for her. What would you have done?" she tried to explain, but Kili just shook his head, he couldn't imagine a place where things like this actually happened. He thought of Fili, and desperately tried to put himself in Annie's shoes but failed.

"I don't understand. There must have been another way."

"Don't you think I know that? Fear just took over me. All I knew was that they could not have her."

"Do you regret it?"

She sighed, "Every single day."

"Good." he said coldly

Annie stared at him, Whatever happened to "We're a company, and that means we support each other?" shouldn't he be supporting her now, instead of yelling at her?

They stared at each other, each feeling the thickness in the air. The Kili turned towards the door. "It is late." he told her, then bid her goodnight and left, feeling fairly confused and very unsatisfied. He had gone in there with the intention of comforting the hobbit, but anger had taken a hold of him and caused him to lash out. He still didn't understand, and was beginning to feel like he never would.

Downstairs in the living room, 13 dwarves sat in deep thought. Even though they had listened to what Annie had told Thorin, and Thorin had decided that she would be coming with them, they felt afraid. None of them knew how to act around the little hobbit now that the truth had been revealed. Was she angry at them for trying to expel her? Was she going to be okay? Slavery was a foreign concept to them, for the dwarves had no reason to enslave others. They did not know of the horrors of this practice and it scared them to think of what she went through. And then there was the other thing, the one that was so horrible she had stopped Thorin from saying it's name. The concept of rape was difficult for even the oldest dwarf to understand, for this too was unheard of for the race of Dwarves. They had always treated their women with respect and all boiled down to whether or not Annie could preform her duties as a Burglar. How could they trust someone who didn't even trust them?

Annie stood in her room, eyes still on the spot where the dwarf had stood. She knew what she should do, but she didn't want to do it. She wasn't brave enough to tell them, but she knew the company deserved an explanation from her. Whatever Tharanduil had told them must have been laced with his own bitterness towards her.

Finally, when she felt that she could sit still no longer, she stood up and drew every ounce of courage that was left in her. She had to tell them, she could no longer bare this feeling of loneliness. She took a deep breathe, and then opened her door.

Even though it was late, she could still hear whispered voices from below, in the living room. The hearth still burned bright, and the flames flickered shadows against the walls of the guest house. As she walked down the stairs, she saw 13 heads turn her way.

"Good evening." she whispered, but no one answered. She took another breathe, the sense of comfort that she had felt earlier with the company had vanished. They didnt say a word as she walked down the stairs and stood infront of them, took another breathe than said:

"I don't know what Tharanduil told you, but I beg of you. Let me try to explain it for myself. And if you still cast judgement upon me, and wish for me to stay here I will." She told them, trying to keep her voice from shaking. Thorin's eyes finally met hers, and he nodded slightly, giving her permission to tell her tale. She then stood up straight and began:

" I was born into a life of were six of us: Ann A, Ann B, Ann C, Ann D, Ann E, Ann F and Ann G." Annie started, but then faltered, her voice wavering with tears and sorrow. This was too hard, for telling it would make it be real. She hated her past more than anybody, and dwarves stony presence weren't helping her. She looked up at the grim faces, eyes darting to each one. Only Balin gave her a small smilie. She shook her head and felt her eyes well up with tears, but steadied herself and continued "I will spare you the details, for they are so painful I cannot even look back for even a second to recount them" she whispered, "Please just try to have faith in that I loved my baby girl very much. Too much to watch her grow up in such a world of cruelty, as my mother did to me."

"Why didn't you tell the elves? Why did you let them assume the worst? They would have helped you if they knew the truth." Dwalin asked her

"I couldn't."

"Why not?"

"I had a bit in my mouth."

"A bit of what?"

"Metal." she answered, eyes flashing up and staring at the company. "Everything was taken from me that day; my daughter, my voice, my heart. Nothing is mine, I dont have a home, nor a family. That is why I want to come to Erebor, your company gives me courage, you all are a solid, earnest, hard-working, loyal bunch, but you're also very fixated on getting back what's yours. My heart was stolen the day I gave my baby to the heavens. Something about the Lonely Mountain calls to me, maybe if I can help you take back your home, I will find a way to take back my heart?" she told them, eyes darting to each face.

Even though Thorin had turned away, he still listened. He knew she spoke the truth, for he had seen the scars on her back and the fear in her eyes but still he felt deceived. He felt that the hobbit had lied to him for false pity. A dwarf doesn't easily forgive or forget.

After hearing Annie's story from her own lips, the dwarves felt slightly ashamed of their harsh judgement. Even though what she did was terrible, no longer did they think she was a murderer, nor a threat to their company.

Balin approached her, and held out his hand, an offering of understanding. "We're truly sorry, lassie for whats happened. It seems that judgement has been passed irrationally." He told he, and she nodded feeling slightly more comfortable now that there was a common understanding.

Thorin then stepped forward, "You have shown great courage, coming forth to us and speaking about what has happened. I am sorry for doubting you." he told her and she nodded.

His eyes flashed, "If I ever gain sight of any of those men, I swear to all the gold in Erebor that they will never see another day." and Annie saw the rest of the company nod. She felt tears prick her eyes, but these were not tears of sadness, but of gratitude. For the first time in a long while, she finally felt she had a support system, and even though she was still weary of some of the dwarves (Kili had not looked her in the eye since he had stormed out of her room the night before) she felt comfortable enough to continue on.

"I hope you still wish for me to be your burglar?" she asked them, hoping for a good answer. Even though they had judged her, and then tried to expel her, Annie felt that she needed to finish this adventure, not for them but for herself.

Balin nodded, and then the rest of the company did so as well. "Yes." he said with a smile.

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This was such a difficult chapter to write, I hope you enjoyed it! Please read and review, the next one will be up shortly!