A/N: Hey there! I know it's been a WHILE and I'm really sorry about that, but I really have valid excuses. I don't know if you're aware of what happens in Turkey, (about politics) but I can tell you this much: It is ridiculous and I'm miserable about what they do to my country. It takes all my inspiration away, I'm angry all the time. I've opened an empty doc and tried to write countless of times, but it's impossible for me to concentrate when everything is terrible. I can't stand the TV News, nor the newspapers. Twitter and Youtube got banned, for ****'s sake. And there was elections last week, which I was very hopeful about but I'm afraid to say that there'd been cheatings in the votes. Gah.

So, I'm back with a new chapter but forgive me if it doesn't meet your expectations. It's rather short, but to make it up to you it's only about Fai and Kili. I wanted to make them talk, without interruptions this time and I like what became of it. The conversation carried itself, as if I wasn't writing it. I'm slowly easing my way into writing again, thank you for all the support, reviews and favorites. It's been months and I'm still surprised that someone thinks what I write is worth reading.

I'm thankful.

summary: in the last chapter, we saw Fai and Beorn bonding. There were lots of cakes and cookies, but then suddenly Fai remembered the awful truth about the end of the book. Knowing the truth, she couldn't stand looking at the Dwarrows, and she may have given Kili hell. Just when they were out in the yard, standing so close, Beorn decided to interrupt in his bear shape.

Hope you enjoy the chapter.


"Watch out!"

The broken pieces and splinters of what once was a wooden door was raining over them as Beorn made such an entrance. Fai was dumbfounded for Beorn's bear state was much more frightening than she had imagined, or seen in the movie theater. He was twice the size of a fully-grown bear. But there wasn't a big difference to his original size, for he was already quite big before the shapeshifting. All of his skin were covered in fur, and his jaw was ferociously developed, crowned with rows of sharp, hungry teeth.

Mahal forbid we have a moment to ourselves, grumbled Fai in her head and started running, tugging at Kili's elbow impetuously. The Dwarf's eyes questioned her as he followed, not knowing where they were headed. Even though Beorn's yard was surrounded with a stone cloture, to their advantage the area was still pretty wide. Fai was trying to lead Beorn away from the house, where rest of the company was still sleeping safely.

"Of all the things we've put up a fight with, I never thought a bloody bear would join the party!" Kili grumbled, as he followed Fai with cranky expression on his face. Having fought more than enough in a really short while, it had come to that their boredom came before their fear.

The animals in the yard were no longer in peace and they were scampering away with all kinds of scared noises. Horses were on their hind legs, neighing furiously as Fai heard the cats hissing and shrieking with fear and rage combined. Beorn was confused, not knowing where or what to attack through the garboil. He just stood there, breathing heavily and showing teeth.

As Fai and Kili raced for their life for the hundredth time, right in the middle of all the chaos, the dark haired one seized the opportunity to be his spicy self right away. He quickened his pace and got ahead of the girl, then shot a cheeky smile over his shoulder. "See?" he yelled as he kept running at full steam. "I told you we could die at any moment!"

"And here you are, trying to make it sound like a good thing.." Fai ridiculed, and they sneaked around the house, heading towards the woodland behind it. At once, they heard Beorn's bellow over again. Thinking that he might have adjusted to the chaos, the miserable pair stopped running. They had to keep quiet in order to remain unnoticed, but it was pretty hard with plenty of leaves and twigs on the ground. It was then that Fai's hand were suddenly grasping thin air instead of the Dwarf's arm. She hardly restrained herself from swooping down on him; for he was reaching for an arrow. With her eyes bulged, she caught him in the elbow and spat out the truth whit her sharp whispering.

"You - can't - hurt - him."

"By the bats in Erebor," Kili grumbled, not being able to keep quiet as much as Fai did. "Can't even imagine why."

Tightening her grip around his arm to make him shush, she restively retorted. "He is Beorn, that's damn why. Now - move, let's nestle an oak."

The Dwarf stood there with his jaw dropped, without asking a question; he was way too confused to talk. He didn't move an inch until Beorn roared once again and Fai pushed him on the shoulder this time with a more troubled expression. Seeing her frightened was more than enough to set Kili in motion. Apologetically nodding, the heir became the one doing all the pushing and pulling. He took Fai by the arm and gently directed her among the trees. They were looking for a tree that could be climbed easily.

It took them only six seconds to hop on a branch when they heard Beorn for the third and the loudest time. Not sure of how they achieved such thing, Fai quietly pointed upwards by a slight nod with her chin, and they climbed higher on the oak to reach its safer and thicker branches. Also, they hoped to get a better view of the yard and the house.

When they settled on their places, Fai decided to climb on trees more often. The sky and the ground was wide open before them, but the leaves were enough to cover the pair up which made their spot even safer. She could see Beorn wandering around the garden, calmer than before but still wild enough. The animals were absent, they were just as good as finding hiding places. Fai shuffled on the brach a bit to find her balance, and turned her face, facing the young and very confused Dwarf.

"So yeah," she whispered, trying to find the best way possible to explain the deal "I guess Gandalf thought that you don't need to know, as long as you lads followed Beorn's rules you would be fine."

"We didn't need to know what?" Kili grumbled. He didn't like it when things were decided before he could even say his own opinion. Nobody was asking him anything since the beginning of this journey, things were just- happening and he had to roll over. It was making him feel useless and being useless was a touchy subject. And adjusting to things without putting up a fight was not something he was delighted of.

Fai immediately sensed his restlessness, actually it was impossible not to. Holding his gaze, she silently huffed. Gandalf didn't want to tell the truth because he couldn't afford another quarrel with Thorin, he knew that there was no way the stubborn king would be okay with sleeping in a skin-changer's house. There wasn't a secret conversation between the Wizard and the girl or anything like that, she just knew when Gandalf kept his mouth shut about any shape shifting and it wasn't her place to let the Dwarrows know. Well, it was too late anyways.

"It isn't about you, Kili, please don't sulk." the girl begged, her silvers eyes searching for a sparkle of peace in the prince's eyes. "Gandalf wanted to keep it a secret. Imagine what would happen if he just blurted out that our host is actually a ferocious bear. We were injured and needed shelter, so he did his best and found us one."

"But I don't even know what's happening!" Kili desperately snapped, his whisper broke into speaking at some points. "I don't even know what he is."

"He is a Beorning, a skin-changer." Her gaze were turned on Beorn, who kept wandering around in the yard, sometimes getting angry at a bird or the wind and wildly striding away. He buried his claws in the trunk of a distant oak once or twice, and every time he looked around Fai unwittingly held her breath. "He is not responsible for what he can do in this state, see, he is not the man who makes us honeycakes every morning. That's why he wanted to keep us inside the borders of his garden."

Her heart was aching for Beorn. When he wasn't a bear, he was one of the kindest people she'd ever known. Imagining how devastated he would be if he were to hurt any of his animal friends, she felt even more sorry. Also it was weird looking at a bear and to know that he actually was a man. Being an ordinary human in the Middle-Earth herself, she once more realized how unbelievable everything was. Every once in a while, disturbing 'what if all this is a dream's were still haunting her, but with each day passed the image of Earth was fading more and more from her memory.

"And how come you know?"

In the middle of all of her miserable thoughts, Kili's interrogation was not helpful at all. Fai hated it when lying was a necessity. Keeping here eyes fixated on Beorn who then clawing the cloture, she began to fabricate. Not looking at his eyes was definitely a wise decision.

"Beorn told me himself in one of the days I was helping him around. And I understood why Gandalf might've kept it a secret."

Kili sighed in trouble and set his sight on the house. He wondered if it was possible for the company to still be asleep after all the fuss. Hoping that no one would went out to check on him and Fai, he kept quiet until hearing her sniffing.

"What's wrong?" he asked, surprised by the misty-eyes before her.

"Nothing," she sent away a tear that was about to be formed. "He is my friend, you know. Weird to see him like that."

And just when the girl began to think it was also weird that no one came after them, she saw a shiny white head sneaking out from a window gap on the roof. It was Gandalf and his gaze were prowling around, obviously looking for a sign of the missing. Fai wondered what was he expecting to see, foot steps or dead bodies? After a minute, he quickly retreated and the window was no more open.

"Did he see us?"

"You tell me, I'm not the one with night vision, all I could see was a shiny tangled ball of hair and beard."

Even the constant whispering couldn't keep them away from bickering. Realizing it, both of their grouchiness dissolved into a little smile, and after that genuine moment, Kili broke the silence.

"Fai," he whispered this time softly, for the first time that night. "Aren't we going to talk about- you know?"

Of course he had to remind her. The realization poured down from her spine like icy cold water once again, and Fai held on to the branch tighter than needed. That familiar resonance were back in her ears, and she didn't like being able to hear her own pulse. But beside all the things she hated, she hated the knowledge most. If there was anything, anything on Middle-Earth to erase how the Dwarrows will die from her head, she wouldn't hesitate even for a nanosecond. Would pounding her head on tree trunks be enough to make her forget everything?

It was torture, and Goblintown would be pale in comparison. Remembering his exact fate again, looking at him was grueling. So she nailed her glance to her hands instead, and said nothing to the Dwarf in return.

"But this is ridiculous!" he protested, trying to have her attention. "Hear me out, I wasn't joking back there? I think it's proven that we could die any moment, you can't be worried all the time?"

Oh I am so going to, Fai thought, still insisting on looking away. She began to feel like her mood was matching with Beorn's.

Of all the things, being hugged was the last thing the girl was expecting, yet it was what she got. Kili's arms were wrapped around her tightly, and she wanted to jump off of the tree instead of sitting there in his arms, surrounded by his agonizing scent that once was a source of joy. But he was there, holding her tightly on the branch of an ancient oak.

"I won't let anything happen to any of us," he stated naively. "Trust me. Dwarrows always look out for each other. Multiply it by thirteen, and add a brave Hobbit and a mighty Wizard."

When she couldn't help but let a little smile out, he pulled her closer and jokingly whispered. "Add yourself twice, you reckless nutjob. Bet you'd be jumping on him at full steam with your blades drawn out, it he was an actual bear."

Too bad there wasn't enough room to punch him on the shoulder.

But good thing he held her tightly, because when one of Beorn's giant bees appeared out of thin air she could fell down from fright. Reflexively swinging a curse, Fai looked at the creature questioningly. It was looking like it wanted something, and then suddenly she figured out what.

A rolled up note was dangling down from one of the bees limbs, tied with a piece of rope.

"Not a volunteer to touch him." she firmly remarked, and left without a choice, Kili reached out to get the parchment.

"Gandalf," he mumbled, and read the note.

All fourteen are safe and sound. Better wait till he shifts again before coming out from wherever you are.

"Never thought I'd get a note via a bee." she mumbled, and heard Kili's chuckle. The bee left once his work is done, and Fai leaned her head on the trunk with a huge yawn. "Also wonder how does he know that we're safe."

"Staying out now, huh?" Kili said with sarcasm dripping from his voice, and slowly rolled his neck over his shoulders in a circle. "What a change. I was just getting used to the comfort of a home again, even if beds are out of hay."

"We've slept on rocks, lazybones, I think you can handle a tree very well."

"You are not the one to do the mocking here. Even Gandalf sensed your recklessness that he needed to sent out a bee."

"Oh, shut it already."

Fai didn't know why, but the bickering felt different than their usual ones. Maybe it was from being alone instead of rushing around, or maybe it was the reason that they weren't actually bickering. They didn't know how to communicate properly, so figured doing what they do the best might help, they kept playfully ridiculing each other. The burning pain in her heart was still present, but there was nothing she could do about it and she tried to cover it up. She tried to enjoy the moment with him, for it wasn't a thing that happened too often. Little moments like that were the pauses of her journey, where everything stopped and they were allowed to talk and laugh. The pauses mostly contained an element of danger, but in their condition it was too much to ask of a moment that is purely free from life risking situations.

"Whenever I feel like the worst is behind, something else comes up." Kili mumbled, pensively toying with the piece of parchment in his hands. "This is one of the good ones though. Wonder what will happen next, I mean, you think you've seen everything after a while."

"The worst is never behind, we still have a bloody dragon to fight!" she said, following Beorn with her eyes. He was trying to free his stucked claw from a wooden bench. Then wrinkling her nose in displeasure, Fai added. "Shit, it rhymed."

The brown headed one smiled at her remark. Even though they were weary and trapped on a tree with a Beorning waiting downstairs, it was surprisingly nice and a part of him didn't want Beorn to shift back so soon. He liked being alone with her, too bad that it required a deadly event to be so. This time though, neither of them were injured - which was such an achievement - or not really in danger, as long as they managed to keep it down.

"You never told me why you went out. I know my excuse, I was after you. So what was yours?"

Seeing the cornered expression on his face, Fai felt a beam of joy. Let's see what it's like to be the one asking the questions for once, she thought, this is going to be fun.

Kili toyed the worn out parchment for a little while longer before giving her an evasive answer, without making eye contact.

"Sleep's not a friend of mine."

"Sleep's your best friend Kili."

"I never had a best friend."

Over his dramatic respond, Fai looked at him with wide open eyes before protesting.

"Of course you have?"

"Brother doesn't count."

Fai had read Hobbit, and also seen the movies so she knew they didn't contain any information about the life in Ered Luin, but still, she always imagined Kili like the friendly little bastard he is, so of course there had to be some pals waiting for him back there. Close friends who admired him, loved him, worried sick about him. Close friends, and maybe even a girl. The image of another girl near him annoyed Fai, but being annoyed was even more annoying, so she quickly tried to collect herself.

"Don't tell me there isn't a bunch of people waiting for the heirs of Durin back home."

"Mother is waiting and she counts for dozens. But for friends, I tell you, I had any. My life revolved around the remaining family members and the stories of old. Thorin always had something for us to do, a training of this, a lecture of that and so on. Also we weren't fond of leaving mom alone, so, not a perfect environment for making friends now, is it? Of course I like the people back there, both the elders and the young lads, but there's one certain something that always bothered me, so I guess the real reason why I don't have any close friends is different."

The way Kili talked about her mother was weird to Fai, like all the other family stuff was, but it warmed her heart. Every time he mentioned her, the tone of his voice was changing and it was clear even when he was whispering. She imagined a very young Kili, galloping around Dis's skirts with his lovely smile. She was willing to imagine further, for it was adorable but when the Dwarf kept up with his words, she stopped and directed her attention to him again.

"It's the whole prince thing, I guess. There isn't even a kingdom, but you know how Thorin is respected as the King under the Mountain. As for is nephews, we are counted as princes and when people talks to you, there is always this distance. It was like that even when we were kids. It has been bugging me all the time. How can you make friends like that?"

Fai playfully smiled.

"Ooh, come to think of it.. I may have crossed the line for - uhm - once or twice don't you think, your highness?"

"Yeah, you yelled at me multiple times, and also there's name callings and couple of punches here and there. Maybe I should have your head cut off."

"And instead you saved my life." she reminded, meaning the incident with the Dunlendings, maybe with the Trolls too.

"Well.. You saved my life too, so I guess you're off the hook."

Keeping herself balanced on the branch, Fai managed to pull off a half reverence and Kili rolled his eyes. Shortly after, she got serious again and held his gaze in a thoughtful manner.

"You know," she mumbled, "Before this journey I would've told you that you didn't miss anything by not having friends. I thought people sucked and friendships were overrated, but what do I know anyways, coming with you guys showed me I was dead wrong. I was missing out on so much."

The urge of talking to him was dangerous. Fai wanted to talk about her life, her disappointments, her hopes and her interests but a) they literally belonged in two different worlds and most of her interests were absent in Middle-Earth and b) she couldn't really talk to him without telling lies at some point. Even giving this much detail bothered her, for it might lead him to ask questions but in the meantime she felt lighter with every sentence she formed. And a part of her was craving for more and more. She wished to sit on that branch for days and tell him about everything, and when they finally get down, for him to not remember anything. Yeah, Fai thought, that would be amazing.

But he didn't ask any questions, instead, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder again. And she didn't fight the urge to lay her head on his shoulder.

When Kili spoke, it was the last thing she heard before finally falling asleep.

"It's alright though, isn't it? We both know what it's like to have a friend now."


E/N: Review if you like. I really need to know this one does not suck. Honestly, I could use a little encouragement.