A quick update on Fili and Bilbo's day this chapter. Thank you to everyone who has followed, favored or reviewed. I hope that my attempts continue to amuse you. This update is of a more somber tone before return to Kili, Ade and Tomtom.

Fili shoulders dipped in frustration and weariness. The young dwarf had held such hopes this morning. Yet, the two companions could find no sign of Kili or even his barrel. They had found a multitude of rodents, snakes, turtles and frogs. Now the sun was sinking in the west and it would be time soon to find a camp site.

Bilbo's mouth was a thin line. He couldn't remember a day spent in such quiet with a dwarf since this adventure had begun. However, he said little other than a word or two of encouragement during the day. The hobbit was also covered in muck and mud from searching along the river's banks. Hobbits were tidy creatures. He longed for a hot bath and clean clothes. Yet he never muttered a word of complaint. He was the one who had decided to go along with Fili.

Fili stroked his beard and as his red rimmed eyes took in the landscape. He had not slept in days now. The exhaustion was catching up to him.

"Over there, at that outcrop. We will make our camp for the evening." Fili ordered and Bilbo nodded. Bilbo began the short hike up the hillside. The outcrop of granite stones would provide enough shelter for the two.

It wasn't until the sun had set and the winds grew blustery that Fili and Bilbo had a real conversation. Fili had decided they would not risk a fire. It was only the two of them and he had no desire to attract any attention. They were out of the wind so it was warm enough to sleep. The two sat with their backs against the cold stone looking down on the river below through the oaks and pines. Their bedding was laid out but neither had made a move toward the blankets. The skies grew clouded and the stars hidden from their gaze.

Fili had eaten what Bilbo had set out before him. It was mechanical. He did so without tasting or enjoyment. Fili performed it as he would any other mundane task. His eyes were haunted.

Bilbo just could not stand one more moment of the dwarf's quiet misery, so he began to hum a soft tune. It was calming to Bilbo. Something to steady his own emotions after such a rough day.

After Bilbo was done, Fili took in a deep breath and leaned more into their stony shelter. "That sounds like a song our ma used to sing to us, really Kili. He could be a fussy baby."

Bilbo smiled. "It was. I mean it is a common lullaby for hobbits, that is. My own mother would sing it to me. It gave me great comfort when I was a wee lad. Kili was a fussy child?"

"Yes, he couldn't help it."

"Why? Why couldn't he help it?'

Fili rubbed his eyes with his fingers. "Kili was born too soon. As a result he has always been a bit small for his age. We were lucky he even survived his first year. But my little brother was a fighter. In many ways he is more than a Durin than I. Kili lived in spite of the fears of the healers."

Bilbo was glad to had Fili talking. He did not know how dwarfs dealt with grief. The hobbit realized that they were probably very stoic about it. However, Bilbo believed that Fili needed grounding in the living Right now, that meant talking.

"Was he sick a lot then?"

"Kili was born the day our father and grandfather perished in Moiria. Our mother went into labor upon the news of their deaths. I did not even get to see but a glance of his small head for the first few weeks. They did not want me to become attached to one more person who would just die."

Bilbo could not help himself. He patted Fili's arm. Fili did not remove it so Bilbo let it rest there.

"After a month I could no longer stand the curiosity. I snuck into my mother's tent during the night. Everyone was asleep, but not Kili. He was in his basket." Fili smiled now at the memory of it. "Kili was sucking on his fingers and his feet. His feet were constantly kicking. It was as if he couldn't wait to get out of his bed and explore the world. He looked at me with those large bright eyes and smiled." Fili sighed and looked at his hobbit friend. "I became a big brother in that moment. Even thought I'd knew I'd get in trouble, I couldn't leave him. So I sat. I touched his hair, his tiny fingers. He shoved mine in his mouth."

Bilbo laughed. "Dwarf appetites. You're not too picky even at that age."

Fili allowed a slight grin. "It was a magical moment right until Kili let loose with the stinkiest shit I had ever smelled in my entire life."

"Worse than troll dung?"

"Well, maybe not that bad." Fili was really lost to the memory. "I was the big responsible brother of 5. So when Kili started to squirm, I figured I had better clean it up. I was determined to stay so I did not want him to cry. Of course, I had no clue what I was doing. The moment I opened his diaper, he sprayed me with pee." Bilbo's laughter interrupted Fili. "Not of a word of this tale to Kili mind you. Or he will be shooting his arrows at me until I resemble a hedgehog."

Bilbo held up his hands in surrender. "Not a word. I swear." He was very pleased with how much Fili was chatting. His mind was on his brother, not his brother's loss.

"Anyhow, I will just leave it to your imagination and spare you the rest of the grisly details. His nurse and our mother were not too pleased with the results. I ended up in a bath and got a good scolding. After that though, they allowed me to see him. We have not been parted since until now."

Bilbo patted his arm. "You are a very good brother indeed, if you were willing to change his diapers."

"No, not really. I soon learned that whenever Kili really kicked his feet, he was dirtying his diaper. I tried to disappear at those moments." Fili's voice trailed to almost a whisper. "He is lost, maybe dead."

"You cannot blame yourself. It was an act of nature."

"Oh, no Master Dwarf. I do and will. I should not have been playing jokes while we were still in the river."

"Twaddle." Bilbo exclaimed and stood up. Fili's eyes tracked his sudden agitated movement. "You are as bad as Thorin." Bilbo pointed vaguely in Lake-town's direction. "The two of you cannot take responsibility for the river's flow. It was an accident." Bilbo moved backed toward Fili while shaking his head. "Kili is probably somewhere, this very second, blaming himself for the whole mess as well. You three are a matched set."

"You think him still alive?" Fili's voice betrayed his desparation.

"The question is do you? Do you still have that same feeling, even after this day?" Bilbo asked.

"I do." Fili would not believe his brother dead until he found a body.

Bilbo nodded his head. "Then I do as well. Kili is alive. We will not give up hope. We still have the other side of the river to search."

"Yes, we do". Fili rewarded Bilbo with a tired grin. He understood what the hobbit was doing. Fili appreciated it. "Come Master Hobbit and rest. You need no longer fear that I will succumb to melancholy on this night."

Bilbo shook his shaggy mane. "Oh no, it is you who shall sleep first Fili. You are about to fall over as it is. I will keep watch and you shall sleep this night. No arguments. Lie down." He gently pulled Fili toward his bedroll.

Fili snorted. "Now who is the stubborn one? Master Burglar you sound like a Durin yourself." However, the blonde dwarf moved to rest inside his sleeping blankets.

Bilbo shrugged. "No, I am not. I am a sensible, responsible hobbit of Bag's End. Although you dwarfs have probably ruined me of that reputation as well."

Fili rested his head on his left elbow. "Have we ruined you Bilbo? Has our quest for Erebor harmed you beyond repair?" Fili wondered the same for himself.

"No, of course not, I have no regrets about joining this company. Put that from your mind my friend. I was only teasing." Bilbo soothed.

"I am sorry Bilbo. You've done a remarkable job of adapting to all of us. I know that we dwarfs have a reputation as a difficult lot."

"Difficult is not the word I would choose. But I thank you for your kind words. You and, "Bilbo paused for a second. "Kili have been very friendly to me." Even now it was impossible to think of one without the other.

"Uncle was the worst though, but you showed him, you showed all of us. You are a brave and loyal friend, Bilbo. We have made it thus far because of you."

"Nonsense. We have all played our roles. Team effort, I believe." Bilbo grew uneasy with the praise. "Now get to sleep. We have a long day ahead."

"Wake me in a few hours. I do not want to carry a sleepy hobbit as Bomfur has." Fili teased.

Bilbo rolled his eyes. "Sleep."