In case all of you are impatiently waiting to find out about the state of my bladder, you'll be happy to know that I had successfully peed quite happily at Beorn's house, leaving me with that feeling of comfort and sleepiness.

Sleepiness because Beorn's fire was blazing, the taste of wine had me quite relaxed, and because the guy (Beorn the Bear) was telling, quite possibly, the most boring story known to man.

'Aye,' he said, tipping his head to Thorin. 'The animals are my friends here, and I am equal with them. I do not feed on them, nor herd them. They wander freely, and I talk with them'. I half listened to the story of his life here. We had long wandered away from our own stories and my awkward explanations of 'Yes, I'm a female Dwarf'.

The other Dwarves were wandering about the hall, smoking new found pipe weed and reveling in this comfort that we had found. I had been quite content in talking to no one, and resting against my own chair with the bear head engravings. To this day I wonder whether Beorn had made it all himself, but I suppose that he must have.

'Hullo,' said Bilbo, falling into the chair beside me which had once held Kili. The Hobbit looked quite happy and full, puffing on his pipe and glancing around the hall at the other Dwarves. 'It's quite nice here, isn't it?'

I nodded, smiling. 'Yeah. Aren't you worried that he's going to end up being some crazy axe murderer or something, though? He lives in a house in the woods, for God's sake,' I pointed out, taking a tiny sip of my drink and raising my eyebrows pointedly, as if my point was the most valid of them all.

Bilbo merely blinked. 'Pardon?'

'Nothing'.

The Hobbit settled back into his chair, and then turned to look at me, mouth open. 'You know, I never quite got the chance to thank you for being so kind to me all of those times - with Thorin, and the others Dwarves. So, well, thank you, Millie'.

I waved a hand at him, wrinkling my nose. 'Don't mention it, man. Just looking out for a fellow short person'. I then grew quite sullen at remembering my current height. 'Being short sucks - I'm kind of scared Beorn's going to stand on me or something'.

Bilbo huffed out a small laugh at that. 'I can see what you mean. He is rather large, isn't he?'

I'd smiled quite secretly at that. 'Yeah, tell me about it'. Although, as you have probably guessed, my mind was on things other than Beorn's obvious height and width. Snort.

I cast my eyes over to Bilbo upon seeing him fiddling quite a lot in his chair. His hand was hovering over the flap of his pocket, and his eyes were focused quite fondly on the fire. His jaw worked as he thought, and I remember quickly thinking that this was not the way Bilbo Baggins normally acted. 'Bilbo,' I'd said, drawing my eyes from his pocket to his face. 'What's that in your pocket-?'

The Hobbit burst out with quite an unexpected question then. 'Excuse my bluntness, but are you courting Kili-?'

He was, of course, cut off by the Dwarf himself, who came bumbling over (quite drunk) with a mug of ale in his hands. Bilbo shut his mouth once I sent him a startled, horrified look. 'What about me?' said Kili, standing quite awkwardly between both mine and Bilbo's chairs.

'He didn't say Kili!' I yelped, looking up at the Dwarf. 'He said kitty - he was asking about my cat!'

Kili tilted his head, while Bilbo swallowed his smile with a quick sip of his brimming drink. 'I'm almost certain-' started Kili, but was quickly cut off by my annoyed proclamation of,

'Kili, shut up. You are drunk'. With that, I stood and pulled him away from the sorry looking Bilbo. 'Jeez man, you stink of ale,' I muttered, leaning away from him. 'Hate the smell of that stuff, reminds me of those filthy nights at Uni'.

'I really have no idea what you are talking about most of the time,' said Kili stepping onto the platform surrounding Beorn's dining table. Around it sat Ori, Nori, Dori, Bofur and Bombur.

'I'm a woman clouded by mystery,' I murmured, spinning him around and sitting him on the chair. He looked hazily up at me. 'I thought Dwarves could hold their drink?' Before he could reply, Beorn announced that he would be going to bed, and many of the Dwarves stood to wish him a good sleep, and to thank him for the food and the accommodation.

'Yeah,' I said. 'Cheers. I haven't been this full since Rivendell'.

He smiled quite charmingly and dipped his head to kiss my hand. Really, he had to lower himself quite far, due to the fact that I was around four foot, and he was around seven or eight. 'That is quite alright. Sleep well, my Lady Dwarf'. His old, almond eyes peered up at me, and I blushed, waving him away with stuttering words.

Beorn had then retreated to his room after sending an amused smirk to somewhere behind me, and the Dwarves soon settled into their seats once again, their voices quieter and their presence calmer.

'He seems a little off to me,' said Kili, now standing behind me. I'd turned to him, confused.

'Yeah, he's a little rough around the edges, but the guy's alright,' I had concluded. 'He's given us food and blankets. Quit being such a moody drunk, Kili. I thought you thought that he was a 'respectable man', or whatever!'

'Think the lad is jealous, lass,' said Dori, and Ori had given a delighted little laugh. I looked down at them, brow furrowed.

'Huh?'

Kili glared at them and walked quickly away, tugging on my sleeve and leaving behind the other Dwarves laughter. 'What were they on about?' I had asked cheekily, only to be shushed by Kili. 'You are jealous! Do not fret, dearest Kili. For my heart can only belong to-' I tore my hand away from his, noticing the pile of apples on the table. 'These apples. Ugh, look how juicy they look!'

Kili stood quite awkwardly beside me as I bit into an apple, rolling my eyes in pleasure. 'I love apples,' I said, between mouthfuls.

'I can see that,' said Kili. Seeing my glare, he had quickly taken a large gulp of his drink, his amused smile hidden beneath the brim. 'What is your opinion on Beorn? Fili seems to think that he is unhinged - living out here alone-'

I snorted. 'And the fact that he can turn into a bear when he fancies it - that's a little odd too,' I'd added, looking at my apple core and then flinging it in the general direction of one of the dogs that wandered by. 'Huh, I didn't know dogs liked apples. But these dogs walk on their bloody hind legs, so I guess that I shouldn't be that surprised'.

That statement had been truthful, in case you're wondering. It seemed that Beorn's close relationship with his animals had spawned the fact that the animals now acted like humans from time to time.

Kili ignored my comment and leaned forward, majorly invading my personal space. 'It sounded like you were flirting with him'. The mug was still perched in his large hands, and I leaned away from him.

My next look aimed at Kili was both baffled and annoyed. 'I beg your pardon?'

Kili had apparently realized his mistake, because he'd then said, 'I didn't mean it like that, Millie. You just - you giggled when he...kissed your hand goodnight'. His dark eyes rolled sideways, as if the very prospect was ludicrous.

I couldn't help but laugh at him, and this was apparently the wrong thing to do. Kili looked as if his pride had been destroyed, and I looked like I was seriously making fun of him. 'Oh, don't get all stroppy, Mister. You're the one accusing me of being some giggling, flirting..maiden!' The face that I had pulled after this statement was enough for Kili to guess that I hadn't a clue what I was talking about.

Kili's face was near horrified. 'Sh!' he hissed sharply, catching the curious eyes of Thorin.

'No,' I said, jabbing a finger into his chest. 'You- no, give me that,' I snapped, taking the ale form his hands clumsily and putting it onto the table quite roughly, only resulting in the drink slopping over the sides. 'You do not accuse me of anything like that again, comprende? I realize that things work differently here, but I am allowed to talk to another man without it being all scandalous. Heck, I thought it was okay for Dwarven women to be all forward?'

Kili shifted. 'Well, yes. Oppose to other cultures-'

'Well then quit it, man. I mean, I saw the guy naked, okay? Excuse me if I'm a little bit all giggly and blushing when I'm around him'.

Kili went sour once again.

'Oh, Jesus-' I threw my hands into the air, glad that I had the sense to have an angry quiet rant. 'I am very stressed right now. I mean, first of all I find myself here, and then I find out that I've shrunk nearly two feet. Then it's all like 'let's go kill a dragon!' and I'm like 'say what?' and everyone is so freaked out by what I say, and it's so difficult to try and hold back on my own language, and my own customs'. In case you are wondering, I had been having the mental breakdown that you all waited for so patiently. 'And I'm dead Kili, I'm dead'.

My hand had flown to my mouth in utter horror. My wide, hazel eyes had found his, and to my mortification, I felt the moisture in my eyes and the wobbly lip and the furrowed brow. 'Oh my, I'm dead'.

Kili glanced behind him at the chatting and eating Dwarves, looking entirely lost. 'I am far too drunk for this,' he had muttered, before pulling me off to a further part of the hall and through some wooden, sliding doors. While the Dwarves would camp out in the main hall, Beorn had insisted that I take this smaller room.

By the time the door slid shut behind us, I was heaving out great, high sobs, clutching my hair tightly. 'You don't- you don't get it, Kili. I'm so lost. I want my room and my mum and her perfume smell. My memory foam mattress and my stupid bloody cat - but then I don't. I love it here, I do. It's everything that my world isn't, and I couldn't go back even if I wanted, because Elrond says that I'm dead!'

Kili had looked as if he wanted to call me mental, but was too worried that I would grow even more hysterical.

'Kili,' I'd choked out, staring him dead in the eye. 'Kili, I think I'm having a nervous breakdown, or an asthma attack, or like, an epiphany-'

I had felt quite bad for him, you know. I mean, he was drunk, all of his friends and family were just outside that sliding door, eating and drinking and sharing stories, completely unaware that he was dealing with an angry, upset and sobbing woman. I felt for him, I really did. That's why I still admire the way that he had taken my firmly by my shoulders and said, 'Millie- Alexandria'.

He had sounded so much like my mother that my full on sobs and quickly turned to embarrassing little chokes.

'What are you trying to tell me?' he'd asked, and I had known then that it was time, that I had to tell someone and that if I would tell anyone, it would have always been him.

So, I had told him. You remember that I had only told a few people? Well, Kili was the third. Gandalf and Elrond being the first two, of course. Although, I'm pretty sure that Gandalf also told Galadriel. Of course, back then I had not know who she was.

'I couldn't tell you before,' I'd rushed out, wishing that my cheeks weren't so wet, my voice so strangled and my eyes so red. God, I was an ugly crier. 'Gandalf knows, and Elrond - that's what we had been talking about that time in Rivendell. I'm not-' I groaned, and Kili's hand dropped from my shoulders as I had moved away from him. 'I don't know how to say it without it sounding too weird!'

I walked over to the small table in the room and stood in front of it, well aware that Kili stood away from me, staring with those stupid bloody eyes.

Finally, I said, 'Gandalf said that I'm not from Middle Earth, and that's true. Very true. I'm from...somewhere else. It's very different from here. The culture, the people - all different. There aren't any Dwarves, Hobbits or Elves or Orcs - only Men. Humans. I-I...there are these books and films, but I never really liked them nor disliked them...I just never took notice of them'. It had never occurred to me that Kili would not know what a 'film' was.

I rubbed my forehead angrily. 'Jesus. Um. I mean, I think they're based on this. They must be, yeah. I mean, I saw the posters at bus stops and trailers in the cinema - and it all fits'.

Kili started forward. 'Millie, I don't-'

I held up a hand. 'They're like books - history books, let's call them. I'm from the future, this is the past. My future is very different from this past. No Dwarves - nothing. I was 5'6, Kili. I was tall. And then I got thrown into this world, a world that I know nothing about - and I'm short. That's why I'm so useless, why I'm clueless and terrified-'

I held up my hands, snorting disdainfully. 'Just thought you'd want to know,' I had finished lamely.

Kili had been staring with that hard mask on. The one where his eyes were all big and his mouth a line and his whole body just still. I stepped forward, looking desperately at him and his eyes found mine and I knew that it was okay that I had told him, that I was supposed to.

'I didn't think that you'd believe me'.

'I think you've handled the whole thing quite well, considering everything,' Kili huffed out. 'Only you, Millie. Only you could have a story like that'. He moved forward with ungraceful movements, and we met with a hug that was loose and tight and something that I had needed very much. 'I'm sorry,' he'd muttered into my ear, and he still smelt of ale. 'You've been carrying many secrets, some that would break even the strongest Dwarfs confidence'.

I snorted into his chest. 'Have you seen me? I'm a wreck of crying, falling over and laughing inappropriately'.

'I still don't quite understand it all, but I think I can understand the basic story that you've told me. As...strange as it is'. There was a pause in which I relished in his close contact, the rumble of his voice, the smell of him, ale and all. 'You do not want the others to know?'

I shook my head in his arms. 'They can't. I...I think I will tell Thorin sometime. I needed to tell you,' I said honestly, closing my eyes and leaning into him. Screw corny, I wasn't letting this moment go. 'I needed to. You are handling this well though, I gotta say'.

Kili shrugged into the embrace 'I've learnt to expect nothing other than the unexpected from you, Millie'. I'd snorted, nodding. 'Would you like me to talk you to sleep, my Lady Dwarf - or whatever you are. Once we gather the things that Beorn gave us, we'll be on our way early tomorrow morning'.

I had pulled away from him, rubbing at my tear sticky cheeks. 'Sure thing, Prince-y'.

Once I had settled into the futon on the floor with Kili's eyes on me, I looked up at him expectantly. Something had been different from that moment on, and we both knew it. There was an understanding, a secret out in the opening. How he had handled told me that Kili was worth my time, and that was enough.

The dark Dwarf settled beside my head, sitting cross legged and shrugging off his heavy leathers, boots and his weapons, until he was left in the blue cotton shirt. He looked down at me, and I looked up at him.

'Tell me about when you were younger,' I had asked him. Kili had nodded once, and then stared at the wooden wall opposite us, folding his hands in his lap.

'Fili and I were raised in the Blue Mountains by our mother, Dis. When we were young, our father died in battle with Orcs. His name was Kaladrak, and according to our mother, he most resembled Fili'. Somehow, my hand found the material of Kili's shirt in my sleepiness, and he had looked half down at me. 'Thorin was very involved in our childhood, and taught us much of what we know. He named Fili Heir around forty years ago, and myself thirty. Balin was also a teacher to us, as was Bofur-'

Although I had tried to stay awake, I had fallen asleep to those words. I found out more though, don't worry. In any moment of quiet I would always ask Kili of his childhood and his home, in an attempt to gather as much information as I could.

That is where the night had ended for me, but as I had found the next morning, the Dwarves and Bilbo and Gandalf had stayed up later than I, listening to the sound of bears scratching on the outside walls, sharing stories and filling up their stomachs.

Thankfully, they hadn't noticed my nervous breakdown.

I know, it's not all that long, and it's very Millie/Kili focused, but I think that by this time in the story they should be growing closer on an emotional level. She told him, though you guess right if you think that he doesn't entirely understand. Yeah, he gets it, but it was all rather sudden. They'll discuss it more, don't you worry.

Next chapter will feature more Bilbo/Dwarf/Gandalf.

I know that things were a little shitty there guys, but thank you all for being so lovely and awesome. I cannot thank you all enough, seriously. I don't want to go on, so I'll stop. But thank you.

On another note, I saw Les Miserables and oh my, it was beautiful. If you haven't seen it, please go. The ending had me flapping my hands about and crying - it wasn't pretty.

Thank you for the reviews. To the negative ones, hey, you helped me get over 600!