Um…hi?

In fear of repeating myself, I really do apologise for the length between updates; I think this one passes the two year mark. I really want to thank you all for returning to read this and to review it; I know I get annoyed with 'unfinished' fics, but hopefully you can appreciate that real life comes first.

Thank you, again, for keeping with this fic and I hope you enjoy this latest offering : )

Please leave a review, I'd love to know what you all think!

Enjoy!

Onwards…..

Ignoring the pain in his hands, the skin ripping under his nails and the blood running back down his wrists to collect in the crease of his elbows, Bofur carried on. Gritting his teeth, the Dwarf put his hand back into the small hole he had made in the wall of stones, pulling out another handful of this godforsaken prison. He could smell fresh air, could taste it on his tongue. How long had they been down here? How long since they had seen actual sunlight? He'd almost forgotten what it looked like.

'Come on, Bilbo, old boy!' he called, looking quickly over his shoulder, blinking dust out of his already red, sore eyes. 'Put your back into it!' he joked.

Bilbo either didn't hear him or chose not to answer. He lay on his back, chest barely rising, eyes closed. His skin was blistered, sore and red. Dirt crusted around his eyes and nose, hair thick with it.

'Oh no' breathed Bofur, flinging down his most recent handful and pushing himself painfully off his knees to his feet. 'No no no!'

He clambered over the rubble the other Dwarves were leaving in their wake and fell back to his knees beside the prostrate Hobbit, ignoring the sharp jab of rocks biting into his flesh.

Gandalf watched him go, his own hands deep in the walls. If Bilbo could only last a few more minutes; just long enough to be free of this place. Given sunlight, fresh water, clean bandages, soothing balm and time, the Hobbit would make a full recovery. Gandalf looked over at the Trio of Dwarves still kneeling together. The two nephews of Thorin would need much more care than that.

'Th…Thorin…'

Thorin looked down into his youngest nephews' bloodshot eyes, and winced at the pain he found there. Kili was shivering, in pain, shock or cold, Thorin did not know. Probably a combination of all three.

'Th…Thorin…Help…'

Thorin felt his weak fingers clutch as his sleeve, fingers too weak to properly take hold, to manipulate anything.

Fili looked down in terror at his brother, then back up to his uncle, as Kili's eyes rolled back into his head, his pleas and mutters for help still falling from his lips. Fili shifted his position to give his sore ribs a reprieve, brushing up against his brother's leg. He almost choked on a startled shout as Kili screamed in pain, eyes flying open, mouth wide. Fili bent to comfort his brother, running a hand soothingly through his blood caked, dirt encrusted hair. Panting, Kili turned his face into his brother's palm, eyes closing again.

Thorin looked down at Kili's leg. The bone, still sticking out at an alarming angle from his thigh, was now caked in dirt and dust, blood black and crusting at the edges of the wound. He hissed in disgust, feeling bile rise up his throat.

'Gandalf' he called hoarsely. 'Gandalf!'

The Wizard made his way carefully forwards from where he had been talking gently to Bofur, who had not left Bilbo's side.

'Thorin, we have almost broken through,' he told the Dwarf. 'Not long now.'

'Kili does not have that long!' hissed Thorin. 'I fear his wound will fester and kill him faster than we can leave this place.'

Gandalf looked down at the gaping wound and studied it. 'Do we have any clean water left?' he asked, looking around at them all. 'Any at all?'

'I have about a pint.' Called Ori, flinging over his small leather canteen. There were no more offers.

Gandalf nodded his thanks bent back down, unscrewing the stopper. 'The wound must be cleansed.' He informed Thorin, who was watching his every move with baited breath. 'The bone will become infected and Kili may lose his leg altogether. Infection is a very real issue here.' He looked back up. 'Keep moving! Quicker! Faster!' he called to the remaining Dwarves.

'If it becomes infected?' Fili asked him, looking up at last. 'What then?'

'Then, I fear I must take up a sword and cut the blackened flesh away.' The wizard told the frightened dwarf. 'But,' he added, more kindly. 'It will not come to that if I can help it. I must clean the wound and reset the bone.'

Fili's eyes widened at that, but he pushed down his own thoughts. Kili needed him to be strong. Panicking would not help any of them.

Thorin nodded. 'What do you need me to do?' he asked, as Gandalf bent over Kili's leg, expression fixed.

'You must hold him still; this will be very painful and he will fight it.'

Thorin nodded, resting his hands on his nephew's hip and knee, above and below the break. Fili did the same on the other side. Kili whined at the loss of contact on his face, and his eyes fluttered opened.

'Now.' Growled out Gandalf, pouring a little water into the wound, using his fingers and the flat of his palm to dig the dirt away from the flesh. Kili contorted in agony, his muscles seizing up as he tried to battle away. He lacked the strength to do much more than feebly kick, his hands flailing in thin air.

But it was the noises he made that broke Thorin's heart and brought a tear to Fili's eyes. It was the wails and whines of a dying man, an alternating high and low pitched keening sound that filled the ears of every being in that cavern and made their hair stand on end.

Finally, when it all seemed too much, Gandalf said a small prayer to himself, before pressing both hands into the wound, pushing the bone back into his leg and into place. This time, Kili found strength that he did not know he possessed; he arched his back in complete agony, all his nerves on fire, pain flooding his system as his bones were manipulated, his skin broken and bleeding. He kicked out as hard as he could, sending the wizard into the floor.

But it was done.

Gandalf pulled off his cloak and wrapped the material around Kili's leg, the dwarf emitting more whimpers.

'It is over, young Dwarf,' he soothed. 'It is done.'

Thorin cradled his nephew's head in his hands, breathing ragged. If he ever had to hear that sound in his lifetime again it would be too soon.

Fili sat motionless, staring at the wall in front of him. Kili's screams still rang in his ears, his mind filled with the pain contorted face of his brother.

'There! We have it!'

Balin straightened up with a wince, pulling his hand out of the wall one last time. As he removed his hand, a great shard of light followed, hitting the opposite wall. All in the cavern turned away, blinded by a light they had long forgotten. Even Bilbo stirred, eyebrows knotting, but still unable to move sore eyelids.

Balin put his hands back into the wall and pulled out a double handful shedding more light in the darkness. Soon, Ori and Nori joined him, hands flailing and fighting against each other in the race to freedom.

Soon, the whole cavern was filled with light and sounds and air. Glorious fresh air. How sweet the forgotten taste, thought Bofur as he pulled Bilbo into a sitting position, flush against his chest. 'See that, little burglar.' He whispered. 'We're free.'

Gandalf moved to take hold of one of Kili's elbows, Fili moving to take the other. Together, they raised the unconscious Dwarf to a half standing position so Gandalf could take all his weight.

Dwalin and Bombur rushed to help Bofur with Bilbo, who had fallen deep into unconsciousness again.

Blinking and gasping, eyes narrowed against his invasion of light, fifteen bruised, bleeding, burnt, but not broken beings walked out of the darkness of their entombment, and into the light.

But it was here where their real challenged awaited them.

Maybe updated soon…? I will honestly try

Thank you for reading!

I'd love to know what you think!

xx