AN: And now we return to angst and crippling emotional turmoil. Enjoy the program. :)

OOOOO

Bilbo felt warm. Uncomfortably warm. As if he was buried under layers of furs, or sleeping right next to the fire. He squirmed and moaned and tried to get away from whatever was overheating his body, but he fell still when his mind pointed out one important fact. He was not in camp with the Dwarves and Legolas. He had gone into the mountain. He couldn't remember anything beyond crouching behind that pillar with his new knife, and starting to cut. His memory faded off right around the time he grabbed the banner to wrap up his legs. He assumed, from the thumping headache, that he had pushed himself too far once again. He also assumed that when he woke further, he'd remember more.

But there was something incredibly wrong with all of this. He was in a Dragon's lair, feeling uncomfortably and disgustingly hot. And there was something that felt like a branding iron sliding over the skin of his arm, leaving a terrible stinging in its wake. It felt like fire itself was licking his flesh. He writhed and panicked and tried to pull his arm away from whatever was causing such terrible pain to him. Something clamped down harshly over his wrist and shoulder, keeping him quite still and scaring the living out of him.

With all the strength he possessed, which was hardly substantial at the moment, Bilbo willed his eyes open. At first he didn't understand what he was looking at. There was a mane of black hair and a long, pure white back hunched over him. Whatever face was under the hair was currently hidden, but Bilbo could put the pieces together. Whatever...whoever...this thing was, it was licking him! Licking his cuts and leaving the most agonizing pain behind.

"S-Stop p-please-" Bilbo couldn't make his voice sound commanding, he could hardly use it at all, but it did the trick. Suddenly the thing sat up, revealing to Bilbo that it was straddling the Hobbit's hips, and revealed its face. Or rather, his face. Like his back, this man's face was as pale as the moon and it provided a perfect contrast to his burning golden eyes. He had impossibly sharp cheek bones and full red lips. Incredibly red lips, coated with blood that also dripped down his chin.

"Awake again, are you?" The man asked, and his voice was impossibly deep and it resonated like thunder in Bilbo's chest.

"A-Again?"

"Oh you've slipped in and out of consciousness a few times. You're much more lucid now though." Suddenly Bilbo remembered why his voice sounded so familiar. It really hadn't changed much from Smaug's Dragon form to this...Man form. Smaug sensed Bilbo's fear becoming heightened, and he surmised that he had figured it out. "Yes little thief, I am the Dragon you so fear."

"H-How are you-"

"A Dragon possesses many forms of magic. Taking a different form is fairly easy, in comparison to some of the other things I must do on occasion." Smaug shrugged. "Now hold still, I'm almost done." With that, Smaug hunched back over Bilbo's body and started licking at his arm again. A hiss of pain escaped Bilbo's mouth and he jerked uselessly, trying to get away from Smaug.

"P-Please stop it h-hurts!" Bilbo whined desperately.

"It's supposed to hurt little thief." Smaug chuckled to himself and returned to his task, completely ignoring the little pleas that streamed from Bilbo. When he had finished, he sat back again and looked Bilbo over with a little nod. Bilbo looked down at himself too, mainly at his still stinging arm. He was shocked to find that all the cuts he had made before passing out were gone, sealed up and scarred over. His other arm was healed as well, and it felt impossibly heavy but did not sting as much as the most recently healed arm.

"How..."

"It is as I've said little thief, a Dragon possesses many strange forms of magic. My venom heals wounds quite effectively. Oh you have blood on your forehead." Without so much as a warning, Smaug took Bilbo's face between his hands and places his lips on the Hobbit's forehead, sucking the blood that was there off his skin. Bilbo gasped and tried to pull away, but he was rather useless at the moment. He was in pain and he felt heavy and still so tired. When Smaug finished with the blood on Bilbo's forehead, he sat back once more and smiled wolfishly. "Now then, any more injuries I should know about? I assume there are more, because I still smell blood. There was so much of it, but I've cleaned it off your arms and face. Perhaps your legs..."

"No! Please don't, I am fine!" Bilbo said frantically, but naturally that only increased Smaug's determination. The Dragon smirked at his little captive and scooted down a bit so he could yank Bilbo's trousers off his hips and down to his knees. Bilbo yelped and tried to turn or do something to cover himself. Smaug only pressed down on his hips to stop his moving and lowered his mouth and burning tongue to the open cuts he had revealed. Bilbo couldn't even make himself protest this time, though it hurt just as much. He was captivated, and horrified, watching Smaug slide his tongue over each individual cut, his venom sealing them almost immediately.

When finally he was done, Smaug sat up, but did not release Bilbo's hips. And he did not pull Bilbo's trousers back up either.

"Now then. What are you?" Smaug asked, all traces of playfulness suddenly abandoning his features. Bilbo swallowed dryly and tried to look away from the piercing golden eyes. Smaug snuck his finger beneath Bilbo's chin and raised the scared boy's face back up towards his, making sure Bilbo looked at him. "I think you should keep in mind the fact that you are in my home, alone, and I can hurt you more than you can imagine. Now, what are you?" Smaug hissed, and Bilbo felt a shudder go through his body.

"I-I'm a H-Hobbit." Bilbo squeaked, and Smaug purred happily.

"That's better. And what, prey tell, is a Hobbit?" Smaug demanded, though he no longer held Bilbo's terrified gaze. His golden eyes were sweeping over the little thing beneath him, analyzing Bilbo and cataloging his findings. Before Bilbo could even think up some way to answer him, Smaug started speaking again. "You are small, both height wise and width wise, though from the cut of your clothes, you were not always so slight. Mostly likely, you have recently lost a lot of weight. Is it typical for your kind to have small statures and large bellies?" Smaug's eyes flicked up to Bilbo's again, daring him not to answer.

"Y-Yes, we are all short and fat." Bilbo choked out. Smaug smirked and then tsked.

"Such harsh terms. Surely you have a more flattering outlook on yourself than 'short and fat'."

"In the Shire, being short and fat is a compliment. I am most un-respectable in my size at the moment." Bilbo told him indignantly. Smaug chuckled, enjoying it when the little thing got worked up. So much better than blind panic or fear.

"I see. And your feet, are they also a regular trait of your people?" The Dragon inquired, trailing a finger up the underside of Bilbo's foot. The Hobbit couldn't help but jump and squeal and try to pull his foot away. "They are very sensitive." Smaug stated with a wolfish grin. "I have never met, nor smelled, your kind before. You say you live in the Shire?" Bilbo nodded. "That's in the West, is it not." Another nod. "I have not been very far West. Not for a very long time." For a moment, Smaug sounded rather...sentimental. But then he shook his head and his eyes hardened. "And what are you doing so far from home, with a company of disgusting smelling Dwarves?"

"D-Dwarves?" Bilbo gasped, trying to feign innocence.

"Oh don't be dull, I can smell them on you. I know the taste and smell of Dwarves, no one better. You reek of them. And...oh yes, an Elf as well." Smaug stooped and buried his nose in Bilbo's neck, taking a long sniff before chuckling. "I smell thirteen different Dwarf scents, and one Elf. And you were recently near men. Most likely of Lake Town, am I correct?" Bilbo couldn't find his voice, especially with Smaug still nestled in his neck. "I find it hard to believe you came to my mountain, with such a company, for the sole purpose of gazing upon me in wonder." Smaug drawled with a raised brow.

"I-I-" What could Bilbo really say? He wasn't going to admit to being there as a thief, but he couldn't think of anything else to say.

"There is only one reason you are still alive. Because you intrigue me. If you hope to live, you will continue to do so. Now then, can you move yet?" Smaug asked, his voice switching so effortlessly between lethal and jovial. Bilbo shook his head, his arms and legs still feeling impossibly heavy and buzzing with venom. Smaug only shrugged and scooped his arms under Bilbo, picking him up and holding him close as he stood.

"W-What are you g-going to do with me?" Bilbo asked, his voice cracking with fear and nerves. Smaug chuckled and shrugged, jostling Bilbo a little and making him flinch.

"I'm sure I remember a little gilded cage somewhere around here. Should be just your size." Smaug remarked, his liquid gold eyes gliding over the endless hills of treasure. But Bilbo's heart sunk clear to his toes. A cage? Smaug was going to put him in a cage? He shuddered, and he knew that Smaug felt it.

"M-My friends will come looking for me." He told the Dragon, who smirked and chuckled again.

"I assume they will." He remarked with more sass than Bilbo would have thought possible for a Dragon. "I also assume they'll taste delicious as I eat them." He leered down at Bilbo, who tried to shrink away from the Dragon. It was really a futile attempt.

"A-Are you going to eat me too?"

"Not yet." Smaug shrugged. "I have questions, and I've been alone for quite some time. I think I will appreciate your company. For a time, at least." Smaug remarked, suddenly dropping him. Bilbo hissed as something with a corner dug into his back. He managed to squirm off of whatever was trying to impale him, and wrinkled his brow at the sight of a large book, bound with a golden cover. And something else, half hidden by the large tome. It was...breathtaking. It shined and glimmered and sparkled all at once. It looked...warm...and alluring. And Bilbo just knew...the Arkenstone. Smaug was turned away from him, digging in a pile of gold a few feet away, so Bilbo reached out for the gem.

It was alarmingly hard to make his arm move, but sluggishly he managed to wrap his fingers around the gorgeous jewel and put it in his deepest pocket. He could only pray that Smaug wouldn't notice. He just barely got his hand back out of his pocket when Smaug turned back to him with something silver in his hands. It took Bilbo a few moments to realize it was a collar, on a chain. Panic lit like a fire in his stomach and he dredged up all the strength he could manage in order to crawl away from the Dragon.

"Tsk...I thought you were going to be a good little Hobbit. Maybe I should look for that cage after all." Smaug rumbled, simply watching Bilbo's little attempt to get away. Bilbo quickly shook his head, though he didn't know why he detested the idea of a cage more than that of a collar. Though, if Smaug did find the cage, there was no guarantee he would forfeit the collar. Smaug grinned and closed the distance between them, crouching over Bilbo again. He secured the heavy silver collar around Bilbo's neck, his hands lingering to play with the ends of his hair for a few moments. And then he gripped the chain tight in his hands and yanked. Bilbo yelped and scrambled to get to his knees, to take the pressure off his throat.

"Please stop!" Bilbo gasped, gripping the chain as well and trying to pull it out of Smaug's hands. He was exhausted and weak and he couldn't fight the Dragon, but he also couldn't get to his feet like Smaug obviously wanted. The Dragon only frowned and pulled harder. Bilbo choked and forced his feet beneath him, reaching out for something to help him stand. Smaug took his arm and helped him get stable before smiling.

"There now, that wasn't so hard. You do learn fast little one." Smaug remarked, giving Bilbo some slack on the chain. Bilbo nearly fell back to the ground, but for the strong grip Smaug kept on his arm. He took large, gasping breathes, hearing his heartbeat in his ears. The little struggle had made his heart kick up its pace, forcing the meager amount of blood still in his veins to race. He felt the lack of blood quite clearly and he was dizzy. The increased pumping of his heart was also pushing Smaug's venom through his body like a wildfire, and it was all too much. Not enough blood and too much venom, and he felt himself falling. He wasn't even sure if he hit the ground or not, because he was unconscious before he could tell the difference.

OOOOO

"Bilbo?" His eyelids felt heavy. Everything felt heavy, but for some reason he was upset about his eyelids feeling heavy. It was such a small, insignificant thing, to blink ones eyes. And he couldn't do it! Instead, he relied on what he could feel. He was uncomfortable, sitting on something lumpy and hard, but he was warm. And he felt dizzy and his head hurt! Someone's hand pressed to his forehead and it felt so warm. He wanted to press closer to that warmth, but he was so disoriented and he didn't even know who it was who was touching him. "He's ice cold." The voice above him murmured. It sounded... familiar. If he could just open his eyes...

"We don't have time for this, just grab him and let's go." A different, deeper voice, commanded. The first, lighter voice, muttered something in a language Bilbo didn't fully understand, though a few words stuck out. They weren't very flattering. Warm fingers prodded gently around his throat and alerted to the fact that there was something heavy surrounding his neck. Then the fingers were gone and there was a curse.

"The collar won't open, and the chain is locked around the pillar." The first voice hissed, and the darker voice muttered something. Bilbo could only assume it was a curse as well, just in a language he didn't understand. "You're a Dwarf, you do something!"

"What is that supposed to mean?" The darker voice demanded.

"I mean that your kind made this chain! Can't you break it?" The lighter one asked with irritation. Bilbo finally managed to force his eyes open and he took in the sight of the two beings standing over him. One was tall with blond hair and ice blue eyes, and his mind vaguely called up a name that seemed to fit. Legolas. And the other was shorter than Legolas, with black hair and sapphire eyes. Thorin, his mind told him. They didn't notice his eyes opening, they were too busy glaring at each other.

"Unless you have bolt cutters, a small forge, or a skeleton key hidden in the frilly folds of your ass-"

"We can't just leave him!" There was a third person now, one with a hat and brown hair and brown eyes...Bofur. Bofur looked down at him, and finally seemed to notice that he was awake. He pushed through Thorin and Legolas and knelt by him, stroking his cheek tenderly. "Hey little one. We're here. We're gonna help yeh." He promised with a warm smile. Help him? Why couldn't he remember why they were helping him? Why was his mind failing him so badly, and why did he hurt so much, all over? "Did Smaug hurt yeh? Yer clothes are all bloody." Bofur asked, as gently as he could.

Smaug. That rang a bell in Bilbo's weak mind. A Dragon, a great Dragon. And also a Man. An ethereal, dangerous Man. With a burning tongue and searing golden eyes. Bilbo had to tell the Dwarves that Smaug could take Man form! He had to tell them about the Dragon's abilities! But his tongue felt swollen in his mouth and his throat felt too dry, like it would crack right in half if Bilbo even tired to speak.

"Bilbo?" Legolas looked so concerned as he knelt by Bilbo's other side. He carded his fingers through the Hobbit's curls and his eyes begged for Bilbo to answer, but try as he might, the only think Bilbo could do was choke on a moan of agony. "Bilbo, I know it's hard, but we don't have a lot of time. The Dragon will be back soon, and we will have to leave. Anything you can tell us could be of use to get you out of here sooner." Legolas sounded sympathetic enough, but didn't he understand? Bilbo could not speak! He could hardly breath, now that he thought about it.

"Why didn't we think ta bring water?" Bofur asked, followed by a curse. "Poor lad's probably dyin of thirst." He lamented.

"We should check him for injuries. Make use of the short time we have." Legolas recommended. Thorin nodded stiffly, though Legolas wasn't really asking for permission, and the Elf began to roll Bilbo's sleeves up. When he was met with pristine white skin, only marred by an abundance of scars, he gasped in shock. There was no way...three days ago, Bilbo's skin was still split from his self injury in Mirkwood. Now it was completely healed. Thorin and Bofur also looked shocked, though they composed themselves quickly.

"How could he be healed? So quickly?" Bofur asked the question they all wanted to know. Bilbo tried again to form a word, but it was really pathetic.

"'Maug." He gasped out, and it drew their attention effectively enough. Bilbo swallowed a few times, forcing the meager amount of saliva he was making to somewhat wet his throat. "Sm-aug." He choked out before coughing weakly.

"Smaug healed you?" Legolas question, and Bilbo managed to nod his head once.

"How?" "Why?" Thorin and Legolas asked at the same time before glaring at each other.

"How did he heal you Bilbo?" Legolas asked before Thorin could pester him about 'why'. Bilbo didn't think he could talk, but he made his arm lift and let gravity do the work pulling it back down, only this time his fingers were resting on his lips. His tongue crept out, feeling like sandpaper on his finger tips, but it was the best he could do to tell them what he meant.

"His tongue?" Bofur guessed, and Bilbo nodded. "He licked yeh?" Bofur guessed again, and Bilbo nodded again.

"He must have some kind of healing enzyme in his saliva." Legolas murmured, more to himself than to the other, but Bilbo once again nodded. Thorin opened his mouth to ask a question, mostly likely the 'Why' that he'd wanted to know a minute ago, but he was interrupted by the sound of great whooshes of air. Bofur and Legolas looked pained to have to leave Bilbo to Smaug's mercy, but Thorin simply grabbed Bofur and yanked him up to his feet.

"We'll come back for you burglar." Thorin murmured before leaving with Bofur trailing unhappily after him. Legolas stroked his cheek for a moment before standing as well.

"I promise, we'll return." He said, in a much more heartfelt, pleasant tone. Bilbo watched as the three of them disappeared back into the tunnel, wanting to cry as they did. For a myriad of reasons. Mostly because he couldn't go with them. But also because Thorin...well he hardly even recognized the Dwarf. He had been so impersonal, so harsh. He didn't look concerned for Bilbo, and his eyes were continuously roving over the treasure surrounding them, always looking for that one jewel. Which happened to be within Bilbo's pocket.

Bilbo had to wonder, if he had given Thorin the stone right then and there...would Thorin even care about what happened to him after that? Would he leave Bilbo, chained and collared and at Smaug's mercy while he summoned his army? Would he even care to rescue Bilbo once the army did come? His eyes watered and Thranduil's words echoed in his head.

"The moment Thorin steps foot in the treasury, he will begin to change. He will fall prey to the madness that took his grandfather and his father, and which has taken many of his relatives. Gold Sickness will make him someone you do not want to know."

Bilbo had tried so hard to believe it wouldn't happen to Thorin. The Hobbit had hoped that the yelling he had done, followed by Thorin's comforting, in Lake Town, as well tender moment they spent when they opened the secret entrance, meant that Thorin wasn't going to be like his family. Maybe he could be better than the Gold Sickness. But...the Thorin of the last few days, and the Thorin in the dungeons of Mirkwood, said something different all together. How could he so easily abandon Bilbo? How could he be so cold and focused only on what he wanted?

Bilbo was literally shaken from his thoughts as Smaug landed on the pile of gold Bilbo was laying on. The Dragon stretched before his body started writhing and changing, shrinking. Bilbo watched in undisguised fascination as Smaug's wings vanished, and his scales receded, and his tail retracted. He shrank and changed until he was standing as a Man, and this time Bilbo had the misfortune of noticing that he was naked. But his eyes didn't linger on that, they were drawn to the two things that Smaug was holding. A silver jug and a burlap sack, both of which he carelessly tossed next to Bilbo before sitting. He maneuvered himself so that he was sitting cross legged and then pulled Bilbo onto his lap. Bilbo could offer no resistance.

"I see some of your little friends came to find you." Smaug spoke as though it didn't bother him, though Bilbo's heart was hammering far too fast to reply, even if he could. He thought Smaug would be furious, but the Dragon was utterly calm. Smaug reached for the silver jug, helping Bilbo sit up before bringing the jug to his lips. Bilbo tried to sniff at the liquid that Smaug was trying to get him to drink, but he smelled nothing. "Oh don't be so paranoid, it's only water. Drink." Smaug commanded, tilting the jug up so the water could meet with Bilbo's cracked lips.

Once Bilbo had one swallow of water, he needed more. His throat begged for it. He did his best to raise his arms to hold the jug on his own, but Smaug only seemed to find it amusing, and continued holding the container for the parched Hobbit. When Bilbo's frenzy for water died down, Smaug put the jug to the side and chuckled. Bilbo had drunk quite a bit, but there was still a lot of the water now soaking the Hobbit's shirt.

"A-Are you a-angry?" Bilbo whispered once he felt he could speak without shattering his throat. Smaug considered it for a moment before shaking his head.

"I knew they would come. I hoped that they would be stupid enough to come while I was still here, but it appears they took advantage of my hunting." Smaug replied, still sounding absurdly calm. "And they only proved a point." He added, reaching for the burlap sack.

"A point?" Bilbo questioned, wary of the bag now that he noticed that there was fresh blood dripping from the bottom.

"That they can't save you. I have the key to your chain, and your collar. And only I can release you." Smaug told him proudly and reached into the bag, pulling out something that Bilbo could only guess was part of deer at one point. He gagged a little at the sight, though he tried to hide it from Smaug. The Dragon of course noticed anyways, though he was hardly intending to feed the Hobbit raw meat. He knew enough about the lesser life forms to know that they got sick if they ate raw meat.

Smaug summoned his fire and breathed it out at a slow interval, carefully cooking the deer leg all the way through until it was appropriate for Bilbo to eat. He tore off a chunk and held it up to Bilbo's mouth. Bilbo really didn't want to be fed, he'd had enough of that in Lake Town when his hands were bound. But he also did not want to anger Smaug. He was also quite confused about why Smaug was bothering to feed him at all. Smaug must have sensed his hesitance and inquiry.

"You'll be weak for a quite a few days, you lost so much blood my little pet. But food and water and rest will help you heal faster." The Dragon told him, with an almost caring tone. Bilbo's brows scrunched up, even more confused. "How am I supposed to get any kind of entertainment or use from a damaged pet? I will heal you and then you will amuse me." Smaug told him confidently, tearing off another piece of meat.

"H-How can I amuse you?" Bilbo asked, though he was unsure he truly wanted to know. Smaug chuckled and stuffed the meat into Bilbo's mouth.

"I can think of many things we can do. First of all, I expect a long interesting story about why you have come here from your homeland. As well, I want to know why you nearly bled yourself dry." If Bilbo weren't so frightfully low on blood, some of it might have risen to his cheeks at the patronizing tone the Dragon took. He turned his eyes away from Smaug's face and towards the food the Dragon was still trying to feed him. Bilbo could hardly taste it. He wasn't even hungry, but he knew he should eat. Even if he was being fed by a Dragon.

Smaug seemed content enough to simply sit in silence as he fed Bilbo. He had to make sure his pet was in good health, first and foremost. His venom could cure many things, but he had no way of replenishing lost blood. He could only hope that a Hobbit was good at regenerating. If Smaug was right, and he usually was, his little Bilbo had been bleeding himself for quite some time, so obviously his body was used to it. Maybe not to the extent that he had gone in recent days, but it was used to running on less blood than a normal Hobbit.

Smaug was not usually one to mother and heal and fret. But Bilbo was so little, so adorable. It felt wrong to think of the Hobbit bleeding to death, or burning to death, or starving. Any of the deaths he could think of did not seem to fit. Which would make it problematic when he did finally decide to kill Bilbo. Still, he did not intend to make such a decision for a long while yet. Not until Bilbo stopped being of use. His use at the moment was simply that he gave Smaug something to do. It was frightfully boring being a Dragon some days. Having an adorable Hobbit to heal gave him something to do, even if it wasn't in his usual list of behaviors.

Bilbo did not trust him, that was obvious, but he did not need to trust him. In fact, he shouldn't trust him. Smaug was a Dragon, after all. And one day, Smaug would kill Bilbo. Until that day, Bilbo would be perfectly safe in his care. Well...unless Smaug decided that he wasn't. He was fickle. He may very well decide to torture Bilbo just for the fun of it. He doubted he would, because remembering Bilbo drenched in blood and shaking was not something he wanted to do, much less relive. What was it exactly about this little creature that made him doubt his very instincts as a Dragon? He should adore the thought of blood and gore, for any creature! And yet, Bilbo was one of the few beings he had ever met whom he wished to heal rather than destroy.

"Are all Hobbits so endearing?" Smaug questioned randomly. Bilbo jumped a little at the out of the blue question and swallowed the bite of deer in his mouth.

"Endearing?" He asked, wary of what the Wyrm was asking.

"I am a Dragon, little Bilbo. I do not spend much of my time healing dying creatures who have stolen from me. By all rights I should want to see you bleed to death at my hand. And yet, for some reason, it disturbs me when I remember you drenched in blood. I can only assume it is your fault that I am having these domestic thoughts." Smaug said rationally, though Bilbo looked even paler than before, if that were possible.

"So, not picturing me bleeding to death is considered domestic?" Bilbo asked, being startlingly bold. Smaug was surprisingly amused by the Hobbit's sass, rather than annoyed. He grinned, and Bilbo shrunk further into himself. Bilbo swallowed thickly and looked away from the Dragon. "I do not know if Hobbits are endearing. I do not know why you seem to think I am endearing. I was under the impression that I am problematic and rather useless." Bilbo told him softly, mournfully. Smaug felt irrationally indignant at the suggestion of Bilbo being problematic and useless.

"Who would say such a thing about you?" He demanded, capturing Bilbo's face in his hand and pointing it back towards him. Bilbo's eyes grew wide at the anger on Smaug's face and he tried to pull away from Smaug's claw. But the Dragon only strengthened his hold and growled in his throat. "Who would dare to insult my pet?"

"N-No one!" Bilbo yelped, though it was obviously a lie.

"Tell me little Hobbit or I shall become quite sorely displeased!" Smaug hissed and Bilbo sputtered out an answer before he could further incur the Dragon's wrath.

"T-The company! T-They said I was useless and a hindrance and stupid when all I wanted was to be included and help them and I gave up my simple life for them! But they still thought I was hopeless and nothing but a foolish Hobbit who should have stayed home!" Bilbo rambled before squeezing his eyes shut. He did not care to see what kind of expression Smaug would have at his admission. He certainly wasn't expecting to be collected and held to Smaug's chest while the Dragon murmured something in a language Bilbo did not understand. Eventually Smaug's rambling turned into Westron and Bilbo was shocked at what he was saying.

"My pet, mine. No one will hurt you my pet. You are not useless, you are mine and you are of great use because you are mine. I will end all of them, every last one. My pet, not theirs, and no one calls my pet useless and stupid." Smaug continued saying such things for a few minutes before growling and gently putting Bilbo back onto the pile of gold he was sitting on. And then he stood, with murder in his eyes. "I will end them." He growled and Bilbo's heart stuttered with fear. What had he done?

"No! Please, don't! Please don't kill them!" Smaug frowned down at Bilbo but reluctantly allowed Bilbo to argue for his tormentors lives.

"And why should I spare the idiots who dared insult my pet?" Smaug questioned, his voice as sharp as a razor's edge.

"T-They didn't mean to hurt my feelings! They thought I was like them, and I could take being insulted. A-And the one who said the meanest things wanted to make me go home, so I would be safe. He said those horrible things to try and protect me!" Bilbo still wasn't convinced of that, because it had all felt so real and personal when Thorin had said those things. But if it would keep Smaug from going on a murderous rampage and killing the company, he would pretend to believe it. Smaug huffed, a little cloud of black smoke rising from his lips, but he rolled his shoulders back and looked placated enough.

"They still deserve to die." He said, though he was sitting down again, so Bilbo believed he probably wouldn't be killing any Dwarves just yet. Smaug pulled Bilbo back onto his lap and tore off more meat, offering it to Bilbo. When the Hobbit shook his head, for now he truly was not hungry, the Dragon ate it himself, petting Bilbo's curls as he looked off into the distant golden hills, obviously deep in thought. Bilbo shuddered, wondering what he could possibly be thinking about. But he probably didn't want to know. And as much as it riled him up in his mind to be treated like a pet, he remained still and let Smaug toy with his curls. At least he wasn't being eaten or getting his company killed. If it kept everyone safe, he would bare being a pet. Even if it shattered his remaining hope for every going home and being happy again.

If he was honest with himself, he knew he would never see the Shire again. Yes, he hoped. Every day he hoped to see the rolling hills and the little rivers. It wouldn't be the same, because he wasn't the same. And even if he survived to return, he would stay with Beorn for quite a while before going to the Shire. Would it still be there, whole and beautiful, by the time he got back? If he ever got back. In his current situation, he held no hope of seeing it again. No, he would probably die there in Erebor. Either by Smaug's hands, or perhaps Thorin's hands when he saw Bilbo so pathetic and complaint to the Dragon. Or maybe his own hands, now that he thought about it. He'd obviously come far to close to that already. But, compared to this...was that really such a bad thing? Would it really be so terrible to drift away as his blood ran out of his veins, if it meant being free of the Dragon and the Gold Sick Dwarf King?

Bilbo slipped off into a dreamless sleep sometime later, a little frown on his face from the things he was surely over thinking. Smaug chuckled at his little pout and laid down, tucking the small body in next to him. Being a Dragon, he could sleep for centuries. But he could also stay awake for decades. And he was content to just watch his pet, and keep an eye out for those despicable, death deserving rats called Dwarves. If he saw even one of them, he would not cease until they were all dead, and Bilbo was his. Only his. He swore it.

OOOOO

Thorin, Legolas, and Bofur stood just within the tunnel, listening to the Dragon and their Hobbit speak. Eventually it appeared that Bilbo was asleep, or that Smaug had simply decided he was done conversing for the moment, because it grew very quiet. And in the stillness, guilt pressed heavily on the two Dwarves, while rage grew in the Elf's belly. Bilbo still hurt so badly because of the things they had said to and about him. And even though he defended them, he did not sound convinced of what he was saying.

Legolas glared at the two, though mostly at Thorin, and felt an ache deep in his soul. He wanted so bad to comfort Bilbo. Everything in his nature said he should be the one who comforted the Hobbit who he was in love with. He could not deny that he was in love with Bilbo, even if Bilbo did not love him back. And all he wanted was to protect the little Hobbit. He had failed Bilbo, in many ways, and it was physically hurting him now to think of Bilbo as Smaug's captive and pet. And even worse, that there was nothing he could do about it.

Eventually Thorin made a face and started walking back up the tunnel. Bofur reluctantly followed, and Legolas even more reluctantly started after them. Once they were back in the little camp they had set up at the top of the tunnel, he could no longer contain himself and he let out a string of curses in Sindarin. Thorin turned to him with a raised brow, as if daring the Elf to question his judgment. In the end, Legolas didn't have to.

"We shouldn't have left him! Who knows what Smaug could do to him!" Bofur fretted, Bombur immediately waddling over to try and comfort his brother.

"Obviously Smaug is quite taken with Bilbo. He won't hurt him. Not yet." Thorin sounded so confident, but his confidence and cool denouement about the situation only drove Legolas' anger higher.

"How can you be so calm when the one you profess to love is being held as Smaug's pet?" He demanded, only barely keeping himself from outright snarling at the Dwarf. Thorin clenched his hands and had to calm himself for a moment before he could address Legolas.

"And what would you suggest I do Elf? Weep bitterly and sulk around doing nothing? If the moral of my company is better served by my acting heartbroken, I will defer to your advice. But until that is truly the case, I will remain level headed and use my anger and sadness in a conductive way!" Thorin snapped, and Legolas found that, though he had many thing to say to the Dwarf, none of them would come to his lips. "Dwalin, Balin!" Thorin barked for his advisers and marched away to a more secluded part of the tunnel, the two Dwarves hurrying over to him. Legolas glared after the Dwarf King before storming to the corner where he and Bilbo had sat only a day ago. How he missed his Hobbit.

"Thorin will snap out of it." Bofur told him gently, and Legolas looked up in surprise. He didn't hear the Dwarf approach him. He must be very upset to let a Dwarf sneak up on him!

"And if he doesn't? My father has told me of the bane of Durin's line. What if Thorin is suffering the same that his grandfather and father did? There is no cure for such a Madness." Legolas suggested, and Bofur looked uncomfortable.

"I believe Thorin is stronger than that. At least I hope so." Bofur tried to smile, and surprisingly, Legolas tried to smile back. He wasn't very fond of Dwarves. He tolerated them more than his father did, but they always rubbed him the wrong way. Only a few of them refrained from making Legolas want to swear. Bofur was one of those few.

"I hope so too." He admitted. Bofur tilted his head in question, not expecting that from Legolas. "For Bilbo's sake...I hope you're right."

OOOOO

AN: I actually like Smaug. And no, he will not be developing any romantic feelings for Bilbo, so don't worry about that. Two people pining over our Hobbit is quite enough. Feel free to leave a question or comment!