It was funny how everyone always forgot the aftermath of the battle. In the movies and books it's always the excitement of the fight. Very few ever went into the reality of the pain and devastation that was only found in the cleanup of a battle. The first time Percia had truly been disillusioned to the greatness of battle was after the Labyrinth fiasco. They'd lost too many of their own that day. It just got worse after that, all the way up to the war with the giants. She lost count of how many burial shrouds they had burned.

At least here her skills were coming into use. Thranduil had been less cooperative, Dain even more so, when Bilbo relayed Percia's message. However, Bard and Gandalf's insistence insured they moved the wounded where she needed them. They had even been kind enough to separate the worst wounds from the rest, regardless of race.

Once she got there she simply stepped into the water, ignoring the skeptical looks of the Elves and the downright suspicious ones from the Dwarves. Without prompting her armor changed into something reminiscent of healer robes. They had some kind of markings on them, though she didn't recognize any of them. The others must have because they became very quiet.

Slowly but surely she made her way through those needing to be healed. Some took longer than others; some she could not do much aside from ease their pain. In the end she did manage to save more than would have been had she not been there for the after math. Men that thought they would lose an arm still had two. Dwarves worried about the use of their hands had full mobility, and Elves sure they would never walk again were up and about in a matter of hours.

Thank the gods she was able to replenish her energy from the water itself, because by the end of it she was exhausted. Surprisingly through it all she hadn't seen one member of the Company. Then again the camps were near chaos.

The Dwarves and Elves had both pitched tents in various areas of the field, helping with clean up and the lesser wounds. The men of Dale were working to get the dead out of the city, laying out those meant to be buried and throwing the Orcs in a pile to be burned. The leaders were all together in one of the main tents, Gandalf likely forcing them together to come to some sort of agreement. After today she wouldn't blame the wizard if he used his staff to 'expedite' the decision making process of some of the leaders.

Now that she had finished with her task she changed back to the clothes she had worn at the start of the journey. They were ripped and soiled, but better off than they could have been. They certainly embodied how she felt.

Needing to get away and think she made her way back to Ravenhill. It was the least likely place for anyone to come looking for her. Since everyone had been accounted for, there was no reason to go up to the ruins, at least not any time soon. If she had to deal with one more overly thankful person or wide-eyed look of awe she'd scream.

She really couldn't find it in herself to be surprised when she found her Hobbit friend sitting on one of the large boulders overlooking the field, Dale and Erebor. Carefully she maneuvered over the frozen waterfall to take the seat next to her friend. Neither said anything for some time as they stared out over the landscaping.

"I imagine it will be quite beautiful once they get everything back to working condition," Bilbo finally murmured.

"Probably, though it'll take years," she agreed half-heartedly.

"At least they are all alive to see it," he added sadly. "I would have liked to have seen it. But that's not possible now. For either of us I suppose. You'll be going home and I'll be going… well back to the Shire."

"I'm not going home," Percia stated dully.

"What? But… I know Thorin is mad at me, but surely he will let you find what you came for in Erebor," Bilbo blustered in an adorable manner. "You saved his life! He should…"

"I already found Kora," she interrupted the Hobbit before he could get going in a full-blown tiff. Cute as it was she didn't have the energy for it now. From the corner of her eye she could see Bilbo staring at her in confusion. "Kora was stuck in Smaug's scales. After getting the people to Dale and warning them of Azog's army I tried to go home." She wouldn't apologize for leaving before the battle. This was not her world; she'd had no reason to stay. "However, between worlds the one trying to harm my family managed to catch up to me. I had to make a choice. In order to save my family and my world I sent Kora back, and brought my enemy here, which allowed me to defeat him." She let the words sink in for a moment. "Now I am stuck, with nowhere to go."

Bilbo just blinked at her for a long moment, clearly not sure what to say. He turned away in thought before seeming to come to a decision.

"You can just come home with me then," he stated resolutely. "I did promise to show you the Shire if you stayed."

"I can't ask that of you…"

"You're not," he cut her off. "I am offering. Besides, I don't think I want to wait for Gandalf to be ready to travel back, and I could use the company."

"You sure?"

"Absolutely."

They shared a small smile before going back to gazing at the world before them. The next morning the two slipped away from the camps, heading back to the west. No one saw them go, or wished them well. In time some would wonder if they had imagined the two beings that had helped save three kingdoms. But a few knew the truth. They were real. They were members of Thorin Oakenshield's company. They were dear friends who had no idea their true value to those left behind. They were heroes.