Wow, I can honestly say I'm flattered by the amount of followers for this story, thank you so much! I really hope you're enjoying this! :)

Okay, I've gone a bit over this chapter, and it's actually a lot longer than I'd initially planned, but honestly, I think nobody will mind. ;) Bilbo, our favorite hobbit, has finally decided to take matters into his own hands and decided to seek out Angry Master Thorin for a chat, because they really need one...

I know Thorin technically doesn't become "friends" with Bilbo until the end of the movie, but because of the narrative of this 'fic, I decided I could make him nicer towards Mister Baggins a little earlier than in the canon movie, I hope you won't mind!

Well, on we go! :)

Thorin had eaten a small meal on his own that night, not feeling like being in the company of others right now. He didn't like the walls that had offered him refuge, he'd hated the way lord Elrond had invited the dwarves for dinner, and even more the way everyone in his company had seemed enthusiastic about it.

After much convincing from Gandalf's part, he'd gotten Elrond to read the map he'd brought with him, on which the elven lord had found moon runes. Luckily, the moon itself had been right for them that night, and the lord of Imladris had indeed been able to read the two hundred year old map. They learned that to enter the mountain, they'd need to find the hidden keyhole with the last light of Durin's day if they were ever to make it back to their homeland. Ill news indeed, this didn't leave them much time at all! Gandalf left them after a few words with Elrond, and Balin claimed he needed a short walk, so as to ease his own worries, before he'd go and join the others at the table.

Thorin had been about to seek some place where he would be alone when Bilbo caught his sleeve, very hesitantly. He turned around, slightly startled at the hobbit's actions.

Bilbo didn't know how to say it, but it was now or never, Thorin needed to see him. The hobbit didn't know if the rest of the company had noticed, but he had, and he needed Thorin to see to it, because he could. It wasn't something Bilbo could do.

He'd let Fili's odd behavior slip at the start, thinking it had only been a phase, or because the lad was simply tired. But as his brain added the incident with the soup, the talk he'd had with the blonde before they'd been chased by the beasts and the fact that he'd been falling behind as they'd been running, the hobbit could see the lad needed help. And while the burglar wished he could be the one to give it, he knew this had to come from Thorin, there was no other dwarf that could snap Fili out of whatever he'd been doing to himself, not even Kili. He knew the brothers were close, and while he was also aware of the fact that Kili loved his elder brother, as was normal, he wasn't an authoritative figure, he wouldn't be able to force Fili into changing. Thorin would however, at least he hoped.

However, this was putting Bilbo in a delicate situation. He knew the others probably hadn't realized what was going on, so none of them would be the ones to make Thorin see to his nephew. The burglar knew this rested on his shoulders, and while he knew that what he was doing was the right thing, it didn't make it any easier, as Thorin still made him feel uneasy. Formulating this was not going to be a piece of cake, especially to an irritated dwarf with his arms crossed over his broad chest, giving him a most discouraging look.

"Thorin… I don't know how to put this. But…" Oh god, how was he going to say this? Fili's sick? No, not exactly what it was. Fili doesn't eat? No, too blunt. Your nephew is unstable? Definitely no! Way out of line! Bilbo really hated having to do this now, he wasn't good with words! "Fili wasn't at dinner earlier, he stayed in the room Lord Elrond offered us." There, he'd said it. It might not have been the way he'd wanted to formulate it but… Oh well. The dwarf in front of him would understand, right?

Thorin raised an eyebrow, had the hobbit really come all this way just to tell him this? Bilbo was definitely most odd then. If Fili wanted time alone, he was entitled to have it, he could always come join them later, when he felt rested enough. Why should the burglar be so worried? "What of it?" he asked, shrugging his shoulders, eager to go rest his tired legs himself.

Bilbo was frustrated then, was the great Oakenshield that slow at getting hints? He needed to get Thorin to understand he meant this seriously, not as some joke. He knew Thorin didn't see much in him, he knew Thorin didn't like him and had regretted bringing him on this quest from the start, but maybe if he told him this, he'd see him differently. At least, he hoped he wouldn't blame him with hard words, knowing Thorin had an expert hand in using them. If putting it bluntly didn't do it, Bilbo opted for the story-telling mode, hopefully the Durin dwarf would be able to understand that.

"When we first set out, your nephew was the first to talk to me, the first one to make me feel welcome, and for that I'm grateful towards him Thorin. But I think he'd been pushing himself too far." He bit his lip, uncomfortable with how to follow. Here goes nothing. "He looked out for me, from the start, always riding behind with me and keeping me company. I'm sorry if it felt like I was taking your nephew away from you, I didn't mean it like that, really, I was just so happy that I could talk to someone I guess. But then I noticed it became different, oh he was still nice to me, but he suddenly started by carrying packs and bags from my own pony, you know, saying that I would be more comfortable, not that I minded at all actually." If only I'd known, Bilbo thought sadly.

"Then, it was meals. It was only a little at the start, but slowly I noticed how, when there wasn't enough for everyone, he'd always think of me first. He's also given me parts of his own rations already, refusing no for an answer on times too. I'd thought it was just extras, really, I hadn't realized it was his. And then, that night you sent me to bring him and Kili their bowls as they were watching the ponies, I remember the way he reacted. He just… lost control and knocked it over, he was scared stiff. I know he thinks I think he meant it as an accident, but I know now it wasn't. He was afraid, terrified! I've been trying to figure it out but I don't really know what Fili's been doing to himself, but Thorin, you need to talk to him! Please! If not for me, do it for him, for you! You're a family, please don't let this quest get the better of you!"

When Bilbo had started his rambling, Thorin had only wanted to shut him up, thinking the hobbit would only come up with complete nonsense. But as Bilbo kept on, and described his nephew's change in demeanor, he thought his blood had run cold, or even stopped. Sure he'd noticed Fili's odd behavior, but he'd never assimilated it to such a problem. Would his own nephew do this to himself? Deprive his own body of it's needs? Nonsense! A part of him argued that no, of course not, he wouldn't: this was calm and composed Fili we were talking about! But another part of him could see himself witnessing the scene his nephew had caused when Bilbo had given him the bowl of soup, before he'd ran off. Fili looking surprisingly small as he'd made his way to him. And then Fili falling behind when they'd been chased by the wargs. He'd thought it had only been because the lad hadn't had enough sleep, not because he was physically too weak to keep up with them. Knowing Fili he could well have been concealing some sort of wound he'd acquired, but Thorin would have expected a bruised knee not a bruised mind. Oh god…

As he put the pieces of the puzzle together, Thorin could see the truth behind Bilbo's words, no matter how harsh it seemed. The whole situation suddenly dawned on him, how could he have not seen this himself? How could he have left Fili like this without at least noticing?

He'd promised his sister before he left the Blue Mountains that he'd look out for her boys, his nephews, his own kin. Even though he cared deeply for each individual that formed the company, Kili and Fili were those whom he looked out for the most, his sister's sons held a place no one else ever could. What a great job he'd done at keeping his word, if he'd managed to let Fili sink this much, sink to the point that he wouldn't eat at all, that he felt the need to starve himself.

And suddenly, he saw Bilbo in a different light. He wanted to blame it all on him. After all, it was probably because he'd been looking out for the hobbit that Fili had gotten into this state, if what Bilbo was saying was true. But he couldn't. The dwarf knew their burglar wanted to gain the dwarves friendship but was afraid of him, and he knew he'd have to have gathered quite a bit of courage to come and face him, especially about this and on his own. Bilbo may have been scared of many things, but he wasn't stupid. It couldn't be a lie. He wanted it to, but despite not being on very good terms with him he knew Bilbo was too honorable to lie, especially about Thorin's family. He wouldn't play on his feelings towards his nephews. Fili would have never come to talk about this to him, not on his own, and if Thorin hadn't seen this was what was plaguing his nephew, he doubted any of the others had, Kili not having had the slightest worry over his elder brother since they'd set out, because in his books, everything was going well. Bilbo had seen though. The little hobbit he wanted to despise so much had come to him, alone, to warn him of the condition of his nephew, and Thorin suddenly didn't see him as the cowardly Halfling he kept wanting to see. Maybe Mister Baggins wasn't such a bad soul after all, if he gave him a chance.

Bilbo had expected Thorin to yell at him, to curse him for being the cause of Fili's problems, maybe strike him if he'd gotten into a really foul mood. He'd even expected to be sent back to Bag End, having to make his way home all on his own, without having a chance to say goodbye to the others. So when he felt a strong hand on his shoulder, not a threatening one, actually, it was almost friendly, and looked up to see Thorin smiling –smiling!- at him, he'd been caught completely off guard.

"Thank you Master Burglar. I know I haven't been the nicest person to you, actually, I haven't been very thoughtful of any of you since this quest began. Yet, here you stand, alone, before me. I know you fear me, and I know you think I doubt you. Up till now, I did too. I see I was wrong now.

You're a courageous person, Mister Baggins, and I want to personally thank you, for how you could see to everyone in this company, when I could not. A fine burglar indeed. I would very much like it if we could be friends from now on…"

He didn't leave time for Bilbo to answer, but he hoped it would be enough to mend their relationship, and maybe even start anew, where they could both see in another a good companion, a friend maybe. He strode out slowly, and once he reached the corridor, he allowed himself to panic. He needed to get to where Fili was, not wanting to leave him alone a minute longer...

Actually, all the blame he'd wanted to put on Bilbo hadn't exactly disappeared, Thorin had just changed the source he was currently directing it at, which was now himself. Although Fili might be mostly responsible for doing this to himself, nobody having forced him to inflict such a treatment on his body, Thorin knew he was equally to blame. Oh he'd made the promise to his dear sister to look after her boys, and he'd had all the intentions of keeping it when he swore to her that he'd bring both Kili and Fili back to her, healthy. It was just… Uncle Thorin had sort of disappeared as he made way for Thorin Oakenshield, King under the Mountain. The closer they were getting to Erebor, the more Thorin let the King take over the Uncle, and it had now reached the point that he'd managed to turn a blind eye to the suffering of his own family. Bless Bilbo for reminding him that Uncle Thorin was still needed here.

Thorin hated himself. He hated the way he'd just let the King supplant the Uncle, the way he hadn't seen any wrong in it happening. Hopefully he wasn't too late, hopefully his error hadn't cost him a price he wasn't willing to pay. Getting more and more anxious by the second, he urged himself to move faster, and the dwarf hurried through Lord Elrond's richly adorned galleries.

On a high cliff, leagues away from Thorin Oakenshield and his company, the terror known as the Pale Orc enraged at how his henchmen hadn't managed to catch the bothersome dwarf "king" or the bratty remains of his family, and warned them of what should befall of them should they fail again, before swiftly sending them on the company's tail which they'd been tracking for days now, desperate to see the end of the line of Durin. He'd suffered greatly because of that family, and promised that this Thorin would see the two whelps he'd brought with him on this little adventure of his squeal as he'd torture and kill them slowly, while he'd relish in the heir to Erebor's anguished begging for mercy, before he'd kill him too, slowly and painfully of course. After all, it was only fair payment he was seeking, and the creature would make sure to deliver it as best he could.