The human doctor had done all that he could. The dwarf upon his cot was unresponsive but he he still breathed and every once in awhile he would make a pained sound. The doctor spilled some more tonic against the orc axe embedded in the forehead working to soften the scab so he could treat the wound properly without reopening it.

"Excuse me, excuse me!" a voice huffed.

The doctor looked up from his patient to the two short figures standing in front of the small room's opening, a thin curtain pulled to the side. A round ginger dwarf and a thin brunette stayed at the entrance, having the wild looks in their eyes of the deep want to rush inside. The man sighed, he knew the look of family. It wasn't the color of hair or the shape of the face that dictated it to him, it was the distraught expressions, the pain in the voices that always greeted him day in and day out.

He took a rag from the side and wiped at his hands as he approached the dwarves. "Hail, master dwarves." He said in an alto voice. His well trimmed dark hair and beard set him apart from most in Bree as he cared for his personal appearance and by the condition of the run down wooden cabin he had to work in he had tried to keep it as clean as possible, which was probably the only reason why Bifur had not contracted an infection yet.

"Master Nori told me that he would send for Master Bifur's family. Are you them?"

"Yes, I am Bombur, this is my brother Bofur, we're his cousins." Bombur swallowed hard, his fat hands shaking a little. "We… we're the last he has."

The doctor nodded. He motioned for them out of the room, their sad, hesitant feet following him after they shared a second look back to the sleeping figure in the cot. He brought them to another room where there were second hand sofas and a few beaten chairs, all as clean as the doctor could make it. He went to the hearth, taking the iron kettle there and setting it over the flames as he set about making tea in an old cracked teapot that looked like it could barely hold air let alone water.

"W...what do we owe you?" Bofur asked, his tiny voice sounding much too loud in the quiet room.

"We shall discuss that at another time." He looked into the flames, his hands clasped behind his back. "I would like to first talk to you about your cousin's condition."

"Will he survive?" Bombur asked his hands on his queasy belly.

"It is hard to say. He needs time. If he wakes up then I believe he will."

"How much time?"

"Pardon?"

"How much time do you think he needs to wake up?"

"To be honest, he would be blessed to wake up within the next month. But I will need help in his care as I do have other patients that come and go."

"We can do that."

The doctor nodded taking the kettle away from the fire and pouring the water into the pot. As the tea brewed he simply stated, "I have a spare room that you may stay in. I would prefer him to stay within the confines of my home as his condition either digresses or improves."

"He'll improve, you'll see." Bofur was crushing his hat in his hands.

"In normal circumstances I would agree fully with you Master Bofur." The doctor poured the tea into mugs and handed one to each dwarf. "Unfortunately the grievance between his injury and his heart may prove difficult to him. Losing family, especially children and lovers can be the death of any man, dwarf or elf. To lose all at once…"

He trailed off, he didn't need to finish. Bifur may have lost the will to live after seeing his family slaughtered. His injury alone may never let him wake up, let alone his heart.

"As for payment," the doctor took a seat. He ran a hand over his head and rubbed the back of his neck. He very much tired, he needed a good night's rest.

"We don't have much money," Bofur nearly stammered. "But what we have it's yours."

The doctor fixed him with a calculating gaze. "Tell me, what are your professions?"

"I mine."

Bombur leaned forward after taking a sip of his calming tea. "I do woodwork."

The human nodded. "Give me the money for room and board, the rest you can pay off by doing repairs. I have a leaky roof, a few animals living under this building, several drafts and some furniture that needs tending."

The brothers shared a look. That much work with that much money… it was a lot for payment. Though, how his words came it sounded reasonable. There was little choice in the matter for them other than what the doctor dictated. They both nodded.

"Until Bifur is better, we're at your service." Bofur and Bombur stood up to give a proper bow.

A week later Nori was smoking his pipe, sitting on a crate outside the Prancing Pony. Bombur and Bofur had been working like slaves to that doctor. Bofur managed to get a small side job doing little things for a toy shop to earn enough money to supply Bombur for wood and furniture. Nori even got a few odd jobs to help them out, though he was worrying about Thorin and the little ones. Fili had been looking rather ill when they had left their company.

He looked up at the sky, the clouds moving rather fast. It would be a clear night for them. He drew in a long breath of the smoke, blowing it out slowly. He was thankful that Ori never got sick, out of the three brothers it was Nori, himself that had gotten ill as a child. Almost cost him his life. It was a terrible sickness that he never wanted to see anyone go through again. Him and another child, his best friend Floki had gotten it. While he survived… Floki didn't. His insides turned to liquid and vomited out right before his eyes. It was a terrible memory.

"Nori! Udâd, Udâd, it's Nori."

The thief looked down the road spotting Thorin, his hand holding Fili's and the small blond holding onto Kili's. Beside him were two hobbits that looked, by their clothing as hobbits had a tendency to match clothing patterns with their mates, to be married. Thorin looked up from his son to Nori who gave a small wave as if to acknowledge that it was indeed him and not some imposter.

"Then go and greet him, but do not run." Thorin let go of Fili's hand letting the children go faster than him.

Nori smiled as Kili was torn between speed walking and running like a unbridled pony. Fili was only a little bit faster than Thorin, still looking a bit pale on his lips. Nori tapped out his pipe and stepped on the embers. He pocketed his pipe as he came up to the children, arms out. He crouched down and they hugged him, glad to see a familiar face on their first journey.

"How are feeling Fili?" Nori knelt, his palms rubbing of Fili and Kili's backs.

"I'm doing well. Thank you." He wrapped his arms around Kili, pulling him into a hug. "They didn't let us see anyone for a while."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"I could have gotten Kili sick. I didn't want to get him sick."

Kili made a miserable sound as he pushed his face into his brother's shoulder. The two clung onto each other as if confronted with bad news of the worst kind.

"Well, you're better now." Nori smiled.

"How is Bifur?" Thorin came up to them.

The auburn dwarf gave a sigh. He stood up and patted the children's heads. "Well some days, not well others. Once he woke from his sleeping state but slipped back."

"I see… Where is Bofur and Bombur now?"

"Caring for Bifur." He held up a hand before Thorin could ask. "They can explain."

The king nodded slowly. He then pulled out a small coin purse and handed it to Nori. "Please take the children to get a decent meal."

Nori jerked his thumb to the building he was next to. "Prancing Pony, best slop for a growing dwarf. It'll put hair on your chest, and your toes, and maybe even your palms."

Thorin only frowned at the thief who seemed impassive about it all and took Fili and Kili around the side of the building.

"Interesting company you keep." Bungo slipped his fingers into his jacket.

"I must agree with you Master Baggins." Thorin turned to Belladonna and Bungo. "I want to thank you again for your care and for accompanying us here."

"Not at all." Bungo smiled and shook Thorin's hand with a tight grip. "It has been a pleasure knowing you and your lads. They're going to grow up to be fine strapping men."

The king smiled a bit. "Thank you."

"Just remember, if you ever need to come this way again you're always welcome to stay at Bag End." Belladonna took Thorin's hand and shook it before she quickly let go and cleared her throat. "Forgive me." She properly curtsied only causing Bungo to laugh.

"You are getting better at remembering to curtsy my dear." The hobbit looked quite happy with his wife.

"Well I have to say young Kili certainly knows a lot about how a lady is to properly present herself. His mother must be quite the woman."

Thorin had to keep himself from clenching his jaw. "She was. Very much so."

"I'm sorry, forgive me, I was not aware she was gone."

The dwarf just waved his hand dismissively. "Do not worry yourself. As for your invitation to stay at Bag End, I very much appreciate it. If you are ever in need, please, send word to the Blue Mountains, Ered Luin, and I will come to your aid."

"Thank you very much." Bungo shook Thorin's hand once more. "Stay well, stay safe."

"May Mahal's hammer shield you."

He stood there, Belladonna giving one last curtsy before taking her husband's arm and walking off into the markets of Bree where they planned on some shopping then catching a caravan back to the Shire. He felt his heart yank in the direction of the hobbits. He took a step to follow them, something deep inside of him upset that he was letting them be so far from him. He closed his eyes.

He didn't know what was wrong with him. This whole time he had such a hard time being away from Belladonna and Bungo. It was not that their images haunted him, nor their voices plagued him. They just seemed… different, from all the other beings around him. The only similarity he had towards that feeling was with Fili and Kili and even then it was not quite the same. So different, so strange, it was an attachment that was unwarranted. An anticipation of something to come be it bad or good and there was that terrible fear inside of him that he would never know what the reason was.