Author's note: As always, thank you for your replies to the previous chapter! I'm sorry if Nimwen's death came as a shock to you, but for me her story ended where it did and I had to let her go. But, on a brighter note, our favourite couple is reunited and there are so many issues left to explore before this story can come to its conclusion. Hope you enjoy this chapter which is part action, part fluff.

Dislcaimer: I don't own The Hobbit.

Chapter XVI

Unmoving, Finn cowered in the shadows. He did not dare to take his eyes off the entrance to the fortress for a second, ready to jump into action the moment when Kíli and his brother - hopefully accompanied by Tauriel - would step through it. It had been a while now since the two dwarves had gone in to rescue the lovely, fire-haired elf and the young Dúnedain's limbs were beginning to grow sore and his eyes tired, the adrenaline that had fueled him for a while after managing to actually hit an orc with an arrow slowly ebbing away, leaving him exhausted and weary. But he would not move, determined not to disappoint the young dwarf-warrior who had shown him nothing but kindness on their journey together.

With all of his attention focused on the task at hand, Finn did not immediately notice the older, slightly terrifying dwarf next to him heave himself off the ground and take a couple of steps. When he did, he jumped up, too. "What are you doing? We were supposed to wait here for them."

Dwalin turned around and glared at him, which made Finn feel rather uneasy, but he refused to back down nevertheless.

With a low growl, Dwalin glanced over his shoulder to where Fíli and Kíli had climbed the walls of the fortress earlier. "Something's wrong," he muttered. "It's taking too long and I'm not going to sit by idly while my king's heir and his foolish little brother are getting themselves killed."

Finn stepped up next to him. Below the dwarf's gruff attitude, he could sense some genuine anxiety for his two younger kinsmen. "Now I don't know Fíli very well," he said to Dwalin, "but I have been travelling with Kíli for a while now, and I trust that he can accomplish this mission. And if he asks me to stand guard for him, then that is what I'll do."

Dwalin looked up at him with raised eyebrows. "You're a decent lad," he grumbled after a while. "But you know nothing of the world. And neither does your tutor, whom you have such faith in."

He hoisted his axe onto his shoulder and moved to head out into the open. Finn knew that, despite his advantage in height, he would not be able to physically overpower the ferocious dwarf, but had just made the choice to try and stop him from leaving their hideout nevertheless, when the ground beneath their feet rolled – a low, menacing grumble which Finn could feel resonate even inside his stomach.

Dwarf and boy froze in place and looked ahead at the fortress. Since they had taken up their position, there had been a steady current of orcs making their way out through the large, iron gate. Finn had assumed that the reason behind this was the distraction they had previously created – now he could see though that there was smoke coming out of the main gate and the various other openings in the front of the tall, rocky structure. He swallowed and glanced at Dwalin, his heart filling with dread. "D- do you think it is possible that we set the place on fire when we dropped that crane into the pit earlier?"

As if in answer to his question, the main gate suddenly emitted a reddish glow and then, with a loud, crashing sound accompanied by a burst of flames, spit out three familiar figures staggering blindly into the night. Finn would not have needed Dwalin's bellowed command to follow him to make him charge into the night, his sword drawn. From the corner of his eye, he saw that he and Dwalin were not the only ones running for the small group, orcs coming at them from all sides, forcing them to stop and take up a defensive position.

"Kíli!" Finn yelled at the top of his lungs, hurling the dwarf's bow and quiver into his direction once he was close enough. Kíli caught both rather effortlessly and fired a couple of arrows at their aggressors in quick succession while Dwalin and Finn caught up with their small group. Upon drawing closer, Finn noticed that both Kíli and his brother were simultaneously shielding and supporting Tauriel, who appeared exhausted and slightly disoriented.

Skidding to a stop when he reached them, Finn imitated Dwalin and took up position next to the dwarves, their backs to each other. "What now?" he called over his shoulder, his heart beating fast in his chest. This was why he had come – to fight like a man, like his father. But now, facing the mass of orcs descending upon them, he had to admit that he was more than a little scared.

When no one answered, Finn shot a glance behind himself and saw Kíli exchange a look with Fíli, a silent communication passing between the two brothers. Fíli frowned at whatever it was that Kíli was asking of him with his eyes and opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by Tauriel, whose voice was weak, but resolute as she addressed Kíli. "Don't you dare try sacrificing yourself to save me. I will not leave your side."

To prove her point she raised the sword she was carrying – an orcish blade from the look of it. Her stare was defiant and Finn admired her for her resolution – he could see though that she was struggling, the blade trembling slightly in her hands. Kíli stared back at her for a long moment, his gaze dark. "Stay together!" he finally barked at the others, having no choice but to give in to Tauriel's plea.

Taking a step back, they all stood closely together, their shoulders almost touching. Dwalin stood to Finn's right and Kíli to his left. "There's too many," Finn called out, gripping the hilt of his sword more tightly. He had more confidence in his abilities with the sword than with the bow, but still, the five of them against dozens and dozens of orcs seemed like a very bold, if not mad venture.

"Too late to retreat now," Dwalin yelled as he leapt forward and swung his axe at an approaching orc, hitting it clean in the chest. And before Finn knew it, they were in the middle of a proper battle. Fear was wiped from his mind as he fought beside those four impressive warriors – there was no time to think, survival being the only thing that mattered now.

They held their ground for what seemed like a long time, night fading away slowly as the sun rose somewhere behind the mountains. But the orcs kept coming at them, enraged by those intruders who had – without intending to do so – chased them out from their lair with fire and smoke. Finn could feel his strength wane and was dimly aware of Tauriel staggering somewhere behind him, Kíli trying to shield her while simultaneously fighting for the both of them.

As a tall orc charged at Finn, raising his blade threateningly above his head, the boy reacted instinctively and blocked his attacker with his own sword. His knees buckled under the force of the delivered blow and as he went down he thought that this was it - his end. The orc's weight was however swiftly removed and its body was thrown to the ground, lifeless. Finn looked up and blinked, seeing Dwalin tower above him.

"On your feet, boy," the dwarf muttered and grasped him below his left arm, hefting him back to his feet. "Just hold out a little longer."

Finn stumbled slightly once he stood upright again and picked up his sword from where it had slipped to the ground from his clammy hands. He wanted to ask Dwalin how much longer they would be able to continue like this, fear making its way back into his heart. He did not get to ask his question though, before a sound cut through the air, a sound that Finn had heard a couple of times in the course of his life - a sound that could only mean one thing: they were saved.

The world around Tauriel was a blur, the hilt of her sword slippery in her hands, whether from her own perspiration or the enemy's blood she could not say. All she knew was that she had to keep going, had to keep pushing herself, no matter how exhausted her body, no matter how fading her vision. She was free, had left her prison of the days before behind, and Kíli was with her again, alive and, from what she had been able to tell, well.

She did not stop to ask how, or why, or when, not even when her muddled mind had recognized his brother Fíli at his side, or when they had escaped the flames by a hair's breadth and where met by Dwalin and the boy Finn running towards them. All those questions and their answers could wait for later. She did speak up though, when she noticed Kíli looking at his brother meaningfully while they prepared themselves for an attack because she understood right away what he was trying to tell him. If I do not make it, take her and get her out of here. Do not look back.

But she would not - could not - have that. Not after all this time that she had waited to be reunited with him, not after what she, and possible he, had been through in the meantime. And so she had thrown herself into battle beside him once more, even if their chances at survival were slim and her body refused to cooperate properly. She knew she had lingered in the poisoned air beneath the fortress for too long and hitting her head against the hard stone floor had not helped to improve her condition. She was aware of Kíli trying to shield her with his body, but he could not protect her from each and every orc – there were too many coming at them.

One of the enemies leapt at her and Tauriel reacted quickly, stepping forward to plunge her blade into its chest. Withdrawing her sword she was suddenly hit by a wave of vertigo and staggered blindly, the ground wobbling beneath her feet. She let out a startled gasp, but was prevented from falling by a firm arm being wrapped around her waist. Kíli held her close and she clung to his shoulder gratefully while he used his free arm to continue fighting off their aggressors.

Behind them, Tauriel registered Finn going down, Kíli shooting a worried glance over his shoulder. She knew they would not be able to continue like this for much longer and from the tightening of Kíli's arm around her body, she could tell that he was aware of this, too. With tears of desperation burning in her eyes, she tried to push herself for one last time, attempted to raise her sword once more, but found that she was almost limp in Kíli's arms, the edges of her vision blackening.

A she sagged against Kíli and felt him sway slightly beneath her weight, her ears picked up a sound that appeared to come from far away and which for a moment she was unable to place. "Elves," she then whispered breathlessly into Kíli's ear, even before her mind had time to process what was happening.

Kíli whipped his head around in search of the source of the sound and Tauriel felt another pair of hands - Fíli's, she thought - grab her by her upper arm and steady her on her feet. Of the things that happened next she could not be quite certain, her mind in a haze. There was the sound of galloping hooves, dust being whirled up around their small group, huddled together with everybody holding onto someone else, voices calling out in several tongues.

Tauriel held onto Kíli, but eventually found herself being lifted up onto a horse, away from him. There was an argument and Tauriel realized only after a few seconds that it was her own voice protesting against whatever was happening, refusing to be separated from her dwarven lover, father of her child.

A hand grasped hers and she quieted down, Kíli's eyes coming into focus. He looked worried and weary, specks of dark blood covering his face, his clothes. "I need you to hold on tight," he spoke, his tone pressing, urgent. "Don't let go. I will be right behind you, love." As her breathing became calmer, Kíli shifted his gaze to look at someone behind her. "Go!" he said and before she knew it she was being carried away from him, away from the others, away from her prison that was now a small inferno beneath the grey morning sky.

She tried to turn back around, but her view was blocked by the person sitting in the saddle behind her, holding her tightly against their chest. She struggled for a split second before her strength finally gave out, unconsciousness claiming her. The last thing she was aware of was a voice speaking to her reassuringly in Sindarin. "Hold on, daughter of the forest. You will be brought to safety soon."

After what felt like an eternity spent in darkness, Tauriel had almost forgotten what it was to be enveloped by light. But oh, how bright the light surrounding her was as consciousness returned to her ever so slowly – it was almost too much to bear. What felt like an unearthly vision for a while, a place of light, and air, and whiteness, eventually became reality and Tauriel found that she lay in a wide, soft bed, the silky sheets just as white as the flowing curtains hanging from both the windows and the tall bed posts, wafting gently in a light breeze.

It was a curious place she had been brought to indeed, a private room from the look of it, but yet one that was open to the elements, with high ceilings and paneless, low windows. All furniture, walls and ceiling were decorated with beautiful, intricate carvings and the whole room exuded an air of beauty and tranquility that immediately affected the senses. And yet Tauriel cared for none of that, at least not once her gaze fell upon Kíli sitting in a chair next to the bed, leaning forward with his face resting in his palms.

"Kíli?" she whispered hoarsely, not quite sure whether he was maybe asleep.

He clearly was not, or only half, and immediately flinched, whipping his head around to look at her. He looked pale, his eyes red-rimmed, and Tauriel wondered for a moment whether he had been crying. That thought caused her heart to clench, not only because she could not bear for him to be saddened, but also because of her fear what might have caused him to look so utterly desolate. There was only one thing she could think of that could cause him such grief, such heartache…

Not daring to breathe, she lifted one of her hands to gently cover her stomach and felt a wave of immense relief flood her when she discovered that the small rounding was still there. If anything it was more pronounced than it had been before. She had survived the trial she had been put to and so had her child.

Kíli was at her side instantaneously as her breath hitched on a sob and he sat on the bed, reaching out to cover her hand resting on her stomach. His other hand he brought to her cheek. "Everything is well," he got out, his own voice sounding strained.

Tauriel, too, reached out to cup his face in her palm, his stubble grazing her skin in the way she loved so well. "Are you?" she asked, worried by the way he looked. As if he was about to fall apart any moment.

He turned his face into her palm and grinned, some of his usual spark returning to his features even while she could see a tear or two glistening in the corners of his eyes. "I am," he returned to her question. "Now I am. Just didn't get much rest since we got here." He grimaced. "Or before that," he added a little sheepishly.

Tauriel frowned. "You haven't slept? How long have we been here?" She paused. "Where is here , anyway?" she asked, even though she thought she already knew the answer.

"Rivendell," Kíli replied, confirming her suspicions. "We arrived here the day before yesterday." He paused, looking down at their joined hands resting on her stomach. "What is the last thing you remember?"

She had to think about this for a moment. "Fighting," she then said. "We were fighting. We- we were not doing so well." She frowned, the details of her escape still more than a little fuzzy. "I assume that is when the Elves found us?"

Kíli nodded. "Aye, they did. And just at the right time. You were-ˮ he fell silent for a few seconds, swallowing repeatedly. "You were drifting in and out of consciousness on our way here. Elrond was afraid that it would be too late, that you might be… gone before we reached our destination."

Tauriel pressed her lips together, beginning to understand why Kíli looked so exhausted. "The Lord Elrond himself was there?" she asked, her voice small. The thought of the ancient elf personally coming to her rescue was slightly intimidating.

Kíli smiled, relaxing once more, drawing slow circles on the back of her hand with his thumb. "He was. He's the one who took you on his horse. Together we rode ahead of the others to bring you here more quickly."

At a loss of what to say to this, Tauriel sunk back into her pillows. The fact that Elrond would show such kindness to her, a young elf of lower standing whom he did not even know, was baffling, especially considering the circumstance that neither her relationship with Kíli nor the result of this relationship were likely to have escaped his notice during their journey to Imladris.

Another detail that came back to her made her sit up after a few moments of contemplation. "What about Fili," she asked, "and Dwalin? They… made it, right? And Finn? I remember him struggling, but he's fine now, isn't he?"

Kíli grinned and shifted on the bed, gently pulling her down to lay beside him, so that they lay facing each other, the tips of their noses almost touching. "They're all perfectly fine, I should hope." When Tauriel raised her eyebrows at his choice of words he added, "They have yet to arrive. But they should be here any time."

They were both silent for a while and merely looked at each other. Finally, and almost shyly after being separated for what seemed so long, Kíli shifted forward and pressed his lips to Tauriel's in a firm but chaste kiss. "Never in my life have I been as worried as when you were gone," he said when they broke apart, his voice low and serious. "And never so relieved as when you were returned to me."

His face still so very close to hers, her eyes fluttered closed and she let him kiss her again, more deeply this time, her hands wandering across his chest, his shoulders, the back of his neck. She opened her eyes when he drew back slightly and looked at him, drinking in the sight of his tired, but still so very handsome face. She knew that there were a thousand things to be asked, a thousand matters to be discussed, a thousand stories to be told. But, for the moment, there were only a couple of words that she wanted to say, only a couple of words that she felt he needed to hear. "I love you," she whispered, moving to burrow her face into his chest, his arms moving quickly to embrace her, to mold her to his body as if they had never been separated in the first place.

Hey, no cliffhanger this time! ;) What did you think of it?