Chapter 9
Finding Out and Thunder Battle

I woke up to sunlight hitting my face. The memory of last night coming back to me as I felt breathing on my neck and strong arms wrapped around me, holding me close to a strong chest. I turned and was greeted by the peaceful sleeping face of Fili. I smiled as I ran my hand across his check. I was playing with his mustache braids when a hand grabbed my hand. I looked up to meet beautiful blue eyes, looking at me. His handsome smirk was plastered on his face.

"Morning." I said, snuggling close to him as he pulled me closer to him.

"Morning, beautiful. I can get use to waking up with you in my arms, but I'm suppose to be the one waking up first." Fili said, kissing my nose.

"Blame the sunlight. It woke me up." I said, poking his nose, earning a chuckle from him.

"When we get to Erebor, we won't have to worry about the sun if we don't want to." Fili said, kissing my lips. I melted into the kiss and pulled him closer to me. Fili pulled away. "We should go before they send a search party and they find out this way instead of us telling them." I nod in agreement. I found that someone had set clean clothes out for us and a white dress was set among the clothes. I slipped it on and Fili helped me tie the back. Fili took my hand and we walked down the path towards Rivendell. We found the others talking about where we went. Kili was the one that spotted us first.

"There you two are. We were just about..." Kili stopped when he was the two braids in both mine and Fili's hair. The others saw also and I saw Thorin frown, deeply. Kili ran towards us and pulled us into a hug. "Its about time you two got together. I'm so happy for you." Kili kissed me on the check as the other dwarves came over to congratulate us. Thorin hung back with Dwalin. Bilbo came over and everyone went quiet.

"Do you love her, Fili?" Bilbo asked.

"I do, sir." Fili said.

"Then you have my blessing. Just don't hurt her or you'll have to deal with me." Bilbo said. Fili relaxed and I squeezed his hand.

"Thank you." Fili said. I hugged my father as Thorin approached.

"Thank you, father." I said.

"I just want you happy and I can tell he makes you happy." Bilbo said. I smile. Thorin clears his throat.

"I don't approve." Thorin said.

"But Uncle." Fili said, but Thorin held up his hand.

"Until she proves herself and earns my trust, you both don't have my blessing." Thorin said. I saw the hurt on Fili's face and quickly pull him into a hug as Thorin leaves.

"I'll talk to him, laddie. I'm happy for you two." Balin said, putting a hand on Fili's shoulder.

"Thanks Balin." Fili said. Balin leaves. The others decide to throw a party tonight before we head off in the morning for Erebor.

"Come. Let's go explore." I said, pulling Fili and Kili off to go explore Rivendell.

Balin's POV. I found Thorin standing one on the many balconies.

"You hurt Fili's feelings. Its been clear through the entire journey that they have fallen in love." I said.

"She still hasn't proven to me in my eyes that she is part of the Company along with her father." Thorin said.

"She's showed loyalty and the ability to defend herself with that bow and arrow when we were being chased by wargs and orcs. She's as skilled as Kili. She's a good match for Fili." I said.

"She's a peasant though and not a dwarf." Thorin said.

"It wouldn't be a first. There are half elf, half humans and some dwarves have mated with humans, but never a hobbit. There is always a first. It will break Fili's heart more if you try and separate them." I said. Thorin sighed at my words.

"Only time will tell." Thorin said as laughter filled our ears and I smiled seeing Fili and Kili training Bell in one of the gardens with her new sword.

"Looks like she's a fast learner when it comes to sword fighting. She'll earn it. She's earned everyone's elses trust. Just not you." I said, putting a hand on his shoulder and left to join the others.

Bell's POV. I blocked an attack from Fili with my sword.

"Good. For a first timer, your actually catching on fast." Kili said with a smile. Fili's handsome face was smiling. I knew he was proud. I turn and use my leg to kick his feet out from under him and point my sword at his chest.

"Don't get so distracted, love." I said. Fili chuckled and I held out my hand for him. He took it and I helped him get to his feet. It was nearly sundown.

"Let's just hope you don't stare at the orcs like you did with me and kill them instead of helping them up." Fili said, pecking me on the lips.

"I won't." I said.

"Let's head back so we can join the party." Kili said. Fili and I walk hand in hand. I went to change into my clothes that I wore here for the trip out of here. I head back to find the dwarves burning furniture and cooking meat over the fire. I found Fili and Kili sitting on a couch and Fili pulled me into his lap as the dwarves talked and smoked. Kili handed me a plate of food as I relaxed against Fili's chest. Fili and I shared the food.

"Bombur!" Bofur called. I watched as Bofur tossed a sausage to his brother who was sitting on a stand. It was sounding like it was gonna break at any moment. Bombur catches the sausage and then the stand collapsed from under him. I joined the laughter as we laughed. Kili and Nori helped Bombur stand up. Fili kissed my check. I curled up into his arms after the food was ate. Thorin came in and looked at us.

"Time for everyone to get to bed. We leave at early light. Gandalf's orders." Thorin said. Fili and I head to our bed and curl up together with my head resting on his chest. I fell asleep as I felt lips brush my forehead. I woke up to soon with Fili shaking me awake.

"Sorry, beautiful, but Thorin wants us to get moving." Fili said. I stretch and then help him roll up our bedrolls and pack them away. Fili and I walk hand in hand to the courtyard with Kili where some of the others were waiting for us.

"Everyone here? Good. Let's move out." Thorin said.

"What about Gandalf?" Bilbo asked and I soon realized that our wizard was not with us.

"He's stalling us and we're gonna meet him in the Mountains. Let's go." Thorin said. Fili and I walked together with Bilbo as we head up a path to the Hidden Passage. Thorin stopped and turned to us. Bilbo and I stopped to look one last time at Rivendell.

"Be on your guard, we're about to step over the edge of the Wild. Balin, you know these paths, lead on." Thorin said.

"Aye." Balin said.

"I hope I can come back in the future." Bilbo said.

"I'm sure you will. I hope I will." I said.

"We'll find out someday." Bilbo said. I smile.

"Master Baggins and Miss Baggins. I suggest you keep up." Thorin said. Bilbo and I sigh and head towards the entrance. I caught up to Fili and Kili. Fili took my hand and we walked. Fili and Kili continued telling me stories of their childhood as we got closer to the Misty Mountains.

"Your mother sounds wonderful. I hope I can meet her after the quest is complete." I said.

"She is and I'm sure she'll love you. She probably will pound sense into Uncle if he doesn't like you by then. She's the only one that Uncle is terrified of and can put him in his place." Kili said.

"I like her already." I said, earning a chuckle from Fili.

"She'll be joining us as soon as Erebor is reclaimed. So you'll meet her then." Fili said, pulling me close to his side.

We reached the Misty Mountains two days later and started to climb. On our second day of climbing. It was thunder and lightning and rain pouring down on us. I had the hood of my cloak up as I walked between Fili and Kili. Both had their hands on my arms to make sure I didn't fall as the path got smaller as we went. I bit my lip. Bilbo was between Dwalin and Bofur.

"Hold on!" Thorin called from up front. I heard a yell and turn to see Bilbo almost fall as Dwalin and Bofur caught him just in time.

"Father!" I call.

"I'm fine." Bilbo called. Fili's hand tightened on my arm.

"We must find shelter!" Thorin yelled.

"I couldn't agree more." I said.

"Watch out!" Dwalin yelled. I look up to see a massive boulder hurtling through the air and collide with the mountainside above us. Fili pushed me against the wall and covered me so I wasn't hurt by debree that fell on us.

"What's going on?" I ask. Fili looked at me and I saw worry and fear in his eyes.

"This is no thunderstorm, it's a thunder battle! Look!" Balin said, pointing in the distance. I look and saw a huge stone giant rear up from a nearby mountain, ripping a massive boulder from the top of the Mountain.

"The legends are true." I said, remembering reading about them in my books.

"Well bless me, the legends are true. Giants, Stone Giants!" Bofur called.

"Take cover, you'll fall!" Thorin said.

"What's happening?" Kili asked. The giants throws the boulder far in the air as another stone giant appears behind us and the boulder hits it in the head. I scream as the rocks beneath our feet begin to give way. Fili shoves me into Kili, who catches me as a crack appears between us.

"FILI!" I scream as he is moved away from me and Kili holds onto me tight.

"Hold on, Bell." Kili said. I had tears in my eyes as I saw that half the company was on one leg and the others were on another. We were on a stone giant. A ledge comes close to us and Kili helps me jump onto it and I stumble but he catches me.

"Thank you." I whisper.

"Your welcome. Can't let my brothers girl get hurt." Kili said. Everything was a blur, but I remember Fili's group's leg crashing into a wall and my world fell apart.

"No! No! Fili!" Thorin yelled.

"No. Fili! Father!" I call. Kili pulls me and we run to the spot. We found the Company laying on another ledge. All alive.

"We're all right! We're alive!" Balin called. Kili and I pushed by Thorin as Fili stood up. I tackled him in a hug and bury my face in his chest.

"I thought I lost you." I said.

"A stone giant couldn't kill me, love. I'm alright." Fili said, kissing my forehead. I yelp as Kili collided with us and I was squashed between the brothers. I smile and let them go to find Bilbo, but couldn't find him.

"Where's father? Where is he?" I ask. The dwarves frantically search for Bilbo.

"There!" Ori said. He was hanging off the edge of the cliff by his fingertips.

"Get him!" Dwalin said. Ori dives onto the ground and tries to grab Bilbo, but Bilbo slips and falls another few feet. I try and go help, but Fili holds me back.

"I don't want to loose you. Uncle is gonna save him." Fili said, holding me close as Thorin swings down on the cliff next to Bilbo and boost him up and the others pull him to safety. Fili lets me go as Dwalin save Thorin from falling and I ran to Bilbo and throw myself in his arms.

"Its alright, Bell. I'm alive." Bilbo said, hugging me. I saw Fili go over to help Bombur up.

"I thought we lost our burglar." Dwalin said

"He's been lost ever since he left home. He should never have come. He has no place amongst us. Along with the woman." Thorin said. I felt my heart sink as Kili glares at his uncle. "Dwalin!" I help Bilbo up and others up as Thorin and Dwalin look over a cave that they found. Thorin tells Gloin no fire and that we were leaving right away.

"You gonna be alright, father?" I ask.

"Yes. I'll be fine. Go be with Fili. You both had a scare." Bilbo said, kissing my check. I head over to Fili, who had our bedrolls set out. I pull him into a kiss.

"I'm glad your alive. I feared the worst when your leg crashed into the wall." I said.

"You won't loose me so easily, love. Let's get some sleep." Fili said, pressing a kiss to my lips and I returned it. I fell asleep nestled in his arms.

AN: Sorry for the long wait. I finally had some free time. Karl Urban was the nicest guy I met and he signed an Eomer picture I got. I had fun. I'll update as soon as I can. Next chapter is GoblinTown.