Darkness covered them soon as the night fell over them. They knew it would only be a matter of time until Thranduil would arrive at the mountain.

"Hopefully he'll draw the dragons attention to him...", Kili grumbled and glanced at Legolas. "Sorry for that.", he added but Legolas simply waved him off. He knew those dwarves would never like his father or understand his father. He himself was nearly unable to understand his fathers actions. He had the feeling that his mind was poisoned by that little piece of jewel that was hidden somewhere deep down in the mountain. That Arkenstone. Legolas knew the story of King Thror turning mad because of that stone.
He turned to look at Kate who was sitting at the edge of the cliff, overlooking the landscape. She stroked her belly absently. Many of the dwarves had been asleep for it was too long since they rested for a while. Fili, Kili, Legolas and Kate were the only ones not able to find any sleep. The brothers sat with their backs against the cold stone, polishing their blades while Fili stared into the darkness of the tunnel. Legolas sighed and stepped closer to Kate, kneeled down next to her.

"Maybe you should take some rest as well.", he said quietly and it was as if she snapped out of her daze and looked at him.
"I can't sleep, Legolas.", she whispered and he saw tears filling her eyes.

"I know but the baby needs to rest. It won't rest as long as you don't."

She sighed and her eyes drifted over the sleeping dwarves. She watched Thorin who was laying at the back of the little cave, facing the wall. She could see his calm breathing and knew he was asleep. A slight smile curled her lips as a warmth filled her heart.

"Maybe you're right, Legolas", she whispered and tried hard to give him a smile. He got up and held his hand out. She grabbed it and got up as well.

"Go to him...something seems to trouble him just as much as it troubles you.", the elf whispered and his eyes glanced at Thorins sleeping figure but his calm breath had changed and it seemed as if he was dreaming something, he twitched slightly and mumbled strange words. Kate walked over to him, let herself sink down facing him. She saw the movement under his closed lids and his brow furrowing. He mumbled again, it sounded like he was talking in his own language, in Khuzdul but one word repeated over and over again. 'Forever...'

She placed her hand on his cheek, gently rubbed over his beard, placed a soft kiss on his lips. She pressed herself closer to him, melted in his body, wrapped her arm around him and like on instinct, still asleep, his arm found its way around her, pressing her even closer, snuggling his face in her hair. She smiled and closed her eyes, listened to the sound of his calming breath. Still curious what he was dreaming about she soon managed to drift off to sleep as well.

"Please, pleeeeaaaase! Let me go with you!"

The little dwarfling followed his elder brother at a hurried pace. He was five years old, his brother was ten what counted still a very young child in dwarven years. The elder one strode through the huge hall, a small sword at his waist. He was dressed in black pants, a darkblue tunic and small leather-boots. His younger brother was dressed in the same colors for the reason that he desperately wanted to be like his older brother.

"No, not this time. I'm going to train with my new sword and I don't want to harm you.", the elder one said. The little one finally catched up with him, grabbed at his sleeve and tugged at him.

"Frerin, no!" He looked at his younger brother whose round, blue eyes watched him begging like a little dog that wants to grab a bone from the table.

"Pleeeease! I will show you something if you take me with you! I just want to watch!", he begged.

"What could you show me that's interesting to me?"

A smirk spread on Frerins face and he knew he had catched his brothers interest.

"I will show you when you finished training.", he replied.

Thorin huffed. "Yes and in the end you'll show me a dead lizard. I won't fall for that again!"

"It's a secret entrance!"

"A secret entrance? And where is it leading to?"

"Inside and outside the mountain."

Thorin sighed. "You have simply too much phantasy."

He turned away and left the mountain through the main gate. He knew little Frerin wouldn't leave the mountain alone and so he walked along the green meadow until he reached the training ground. He pulled his sword and whirled around, tried to hit one of the straw dolls but he tripped over his own short legs. He landed on his backside with a thud. He grumbled, got up again and flashed at his boots. "You dumb pieces of leather!", he growled and looked back to focuse on one of the dolls again. He raised his sword once more and rushed towards the doll, swung his sword and hit the doll right into the torso. A pleased smirk spread on his lips and he blew one strand of his thick black hair out of his face.

"So short but yet so much strength" a loud and deep voice spoke up behind him and he saw his father approaching him. A smile on his face. Thorin held his small sword loosely in his hand.

"My boots are so annoying!" he grumbled and tapped the tip of his sword against the leather.

"They annoy you? How can boots annoy someone?"

"They don't fit! I'm always stumbling over my own feet!"

Thrain laughed out loud and stepped closer to his son.

"As soon as you're old enough your boots will be even heavier, covered with fur and steel. Maybe I should let you train how to walk, my son."

Thorin looked up angrily. "Stop teasing me, father! I am able to walk!"

"So stop complaining about your boots. Think like this: Your boots are part of your body. They can never be too big or too small, they can't prevent you from walking, they don't make you fall. You fall because your legs are still a bit too short for whirling around like a little whirlwind whenever you got a sword in your hands."

Thrain stroked his sons hair and winked at him.

"Anyway, where is your brother? He was looking forward to watch your training.", Thrain looked around.

Thorin lowered his eyes. "I forbid him to come.", he admitted sheepishly. Thrain raised a brow. "Forbid? Why that?"

"He would only distract me, I have to concentrate."

"Thorin! There is nothing more wonderful for your brother than watching his beloved older brother training with his sword! He adores you so much."

"I know...", he mumbled.

"Come on, inside and apologize to Frerin! And afterwards you'll take him with you."

Thorin grumbled, but followed his father into the mountain.

"Where are we going?", Frerin asked while walking along his brother, out of the mountain and into the warm light of the day.

"Down to the river. We can play warriors and fight with branches if you like.", Thorin replied.

"Yeeees!", Frerin called happily but was nearly unable to keep up with him. His small hand grabbed the slightly bigger one of Thorin which was not that much bigger and he held on tight to it. Thorin looked down at their hands and smiled. He loved his brother really much. He couldn't imagine a world without him, even if he was annoying sometimes.

He picked up two branches they could use as swords. Thorin threw one of the branches at him which he catched with both hands.

"You're doing good, and someday you'll be able to catch a sword like this. Only with one hand.", Thorin said with an acknowledging look. Frerin smiled from one ear to the other. They began to circle around each other until Frerin leaped forward and hit Thorins branch.

"Not bad, little brother.", he said and whirled around, hit Frerins branch and sent it flying through the air until it dropped into the river.

"Nooo! Not again!", Frerin called and sank spitefully to the ground. He crossed his arms and legs and sulked.

"That's not what you should do on the battlefield.", Thorin laughed and shoved his little brother so he fell over on his back.

The little one pushed his foot between Thorins legs and let him drip and fall to the ground as well.

"That was unfair! Just you wait, dwarf!", he called playfully and began to tickle his brother.

"No, no! P-p-please no! Stop! St-stop! You are...no! You're a dwarf as well!", the little one managed to call out still chuckling.

They rolled along the shoreline, laughed happily and scrambled with each other. As they broke away, they rolled down on their backs, trying to catch breath again. Frerin looked at his brother.

"Thorin?"

"Mmmh?"

"You're my best friend ever. The best brother."

Thorin looked at him, a smile on his lips. "You, too, Frerin."

"And we'll always be together, right?"

Thorin took his younger brothers hand, squeezed it gently.

"Forever..."

He jolted awake with a start. His breathing came fast and his eyes were searching in the dark. Kate looked up at him so did Kili and Fili.

"Thorin? What's wrong?" she asked and tried to calm him down by pulling him into her arms again. He slowly calmed down again.

"I was so blind. So blind...", he mumbled. It seemed as if he was still in some kind of sleepy state but Kate saw a new determination in his eyes. They were glowing brighter than ever before though she also saw he must have cried a little in his sleep for she was aware of those wet lines on his cheeks.

"What do you mean you've been blind?", she whispered. Now the rest of the Company was awake as well.
"What happend?", Dwalin asked concerned. Thorin looked up at his men, his eyes rested on Kate again.

"I know a way inside..."

She frowned. "We already have a way inside...and it's leading directly to the dragon."

"No...I mean...there's another way in." he replied causing Balin and Dwalin to look up.
"Laddie, there is only this way. The main gate is closed." Balin said quietly, uncertain if their leader was on the edge of becoming mad somehow.

"Thorin, what way are you talking about?", Kate asked again. He got up, pulled Kate with him. They walked closer to the edge of the cliff. The moon was still high in the sky. The Company followed them.

Thorin gestured down into the direction of the main gate. "Down there...only a few feet from the right of the main gate. Hidden with a boulder, there was a door. A wooden door. The gate may be sealed but there had been only three in Erebor who knew about this. Frerin showed it to me once we were dwarflings. And then there was my father, he once saw us slipping out of the mountain through that entrance but he never closed it. So...they are both...both...dead. I'm the only one left to know about that entrance and I forgot about it all those years. Until I had that...dream tonight. I remember...Frerin said we would always be together...I'm certain he made me dream tonight for I hadn't dreamed for a long long time. He's still there...my brother he's still with me...somehow." His voice faded, tearstained. Kate pulled him into her arms, stroked his hair, placed a soft kiss on his forehead.

"We will go seek that entrance with the first light of day, alright?" she whispered, turned to look at the Company who watched in silent agreement.

Thorin slowly nodded, buried his face in the crook of her neck and cried while the images of his brother circled through his mind. His younger brother who had died in his arms.

Hope you like it!