Chapter 8

*Kili*

Kili's sleep was undisturbed by any sort of dreams or sounds, if fact when he woke up he had no idea that he had really even been asleep. When he tried to move his fingers and felt no movement at all. He could not feel a thing come to think of it. It was like he was floating in mid-air with nothing holding him up. I wonder if this is what flying feels like if you happen to be a bird? Kili asked himself. Slowly, with an effort, he opened his eyes to see the entire company of Thorin Okensheild, with the exception of Bilbo who had left with the Elves although he had wanted to see Kili well again, looking at him expectantly as if he was supposed to do a back flip. Fili smiled brightly at Kili and Kili grinned back.

"I have a strange feeling," he said slowly, looking at every one of them there and cocking an eyebrow, "that I am being watched!"

Fili smile grew larger until his smirk was replaced with a ringing laugh of joy.

"Kee! Oh, Kili, brother!" Fili said over and over again while the rest of the company all smiled and chuckled. Bofur shook his head with a wide grin.

"I think he's feeling alright." Bofur commented.

Kili looked at him seriously. "In truth, I don't know if I am feeling well or absolutely terrible. I can't feel a thing, you could drop that Goblin King right on top of me and I wouldn't know it if I did not see it coming."

"Kili, you just had to mention that creature, did you not?" Fili asked with a grimace.

"Yeah, I did. Now anyone here know what it's like to feel nothing at all, other than me?" Kili said then continued, "It's a real strange feeling, you know, to feel nothing, you have a feeling. Make any sense?"

Fili shook his head, "No, Kee. You do not make any sense at all." Kili sighed. How do you explain feeling no sensation at all? Thorin gazed at his youngest nephew, slightly troubled. Oin came to Kili's rescue from trying to explain.

"His nervous system is probably in shock, nothing to worry about. It will last a few hours at the most." he said.

Kili rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Oh, hooray. That's all I need, to sit here not knowing what is even going on." However, he did not need to wait long before sleep claimed him once more.

He had no dream again and when he woke, Fili too, had fallen asleep. Kili realized that he could feel his brother's hand in his own. He closed his eyes with a relaxed and blissful sigh, for this is the only thing that matters now. He and Fili are alive and together. When Kili reopened his eyes, he noticed that Thorin was still in the room this time by Kili's left side.

"Thorin."

"Yes, Kili?" Thorin inquired.

"How long has it been since I went to sleep?"

"About one hour. Are you hungry, lad?" his uncle replied.

Kili nodded enthusiastically, "I'm starved."

Just then Bombur walked into the room with a steaming bowl of broth, which he handed to Kili. Kili received the bowl eagerly and smiled and nodded his thanks to the elder Dwarf. Kili did not eat quickly, however, because he did not only want to enjoy the rich flavored broth but also because he remembered the last time he had eaten food too quickly on an empty stomach. It did not end well, he thought. When he was half done eating Fili awoke.

"Hey there, lazy bones, did ya sleep well?" Kili asked of his brother, squeezing his hand.

"Hmm. So now I am lazy bones, you fat old troll!" Fili replied with a fake glare. Kili gulped down a mouth full of his food and turned to his elder sibling with a glare of his own.

"FAT OLD TROLL! I'M GONNA GET YOU FOR THAT, BLONDIE!" he half yelled at Fili, who pretended to cower at his brother's show of temper.

"Okay, okay, Kili, I am sorry," he said then added with a smirk, "Baby brother." Kili's face took on a look of complete outrage and disgust at the name Fili had just called him.

"Don't you dare call me that ever again, 'cause if you do, there's going to be some serious trouble." Kili said with a black look. Fili's face dropped his former look and he smiled gently, the spasm around his left eye making it appear as if he was half winking at Kili. Thorin laughed under his breath then took the already-empty bowl from Kili's hand. As he stood to leave Kili stopped him.

"Uncle, when do you think Mum will get here?" Thorin shrugged and replied, "Whenever the news reaches the Blue Mountains, caravans of our people will start to journey here. I expect she will be in the first one to embark." Kili nodded and closed his eyes. When Thorin had gone, though, he reopened them and bit down on the inside of his cheek. His abdomen felt as if someone had tried to gut him.

"Fee!" Kili gasped and grabbed for Fili's hand. His brother's face clouded over with worry as his reached out for Kili's hand. As soon as their hands met, Kili grasped his brother's hand fiercely with a grunt.

"Are you hurting badly, brother?" Fili asked. Kili set his jaw firmly and nodded again. Fili lightly squeezed Kili's hand then he did something unexpected. He carefully slid out of his bed, walked over to Kili side and climbed under the covers next to him. Kili turned to Fili and buried his head in Fili's shoulder. Fili wrapped his arm around his brother and began to hum a song, than he began to sing.

"Lay down your head, and I'll sing you a lullaby. Back through years of Lully-lie-lay, and I'll sing you to sleep and I'll see you tomorrow. Bless you with love for the road that you go…"

Kili relaxed in his brother's gentle hold and laid his head on top of Fili's chest. The sound of Fili quietly singing the song their mother had sung when they were very young Dwarflings mingled with his steady heartbeat. Slowly, to sound of Fili's lullaby and thudding heart in his ear, Kili began to feel to waves of pain lessen until he could feel them no longer. He burrowed in closer to Fili and only "hummed" in response to Fili's cheeky remark about him still being his baby brother after all. The breath slowed in his lungs as a thick blackness settled on his vision and he blinked tiredly. Kili fought with the dark that wanted him to fall asleep. He wanted to stay conscious and to just be with his brother.

A/N I am sorry about my English. It's not very good, I know, and this is probably real hard to read. Sorry again, and thank you my wonderful reviewers and silent favoriters and followers! The song is Sleepingsong by Secret Garden. I was listening to it when I was writing the chapter and could not resist putting it in. Symblime, leggomygreggo2, Apophis god of chaos, Mira Meliandra, and guest reviewer Rebecca thank you sooooo much for your support! I hope you're happy with this one :D