Ali woke up groggy. Not the normal parting sort of groggy, where you wake up the next morning wondering where you are and why a flamingo was strutting around your room wearing your Sunday dress. This was the strange kind, the kind that makes you peek carefully through your mostly closed eye lids to see if you're in a mafia trunk. Not that she knew what the latter actually felt like.
Still there was a nagging voice in the back of her mind that warned Ali that something wasn't quite right. Peaking an eye open Ali watched as firelight flickered on the wooden walls of their little sanctuary. That's right all of this was still real, dwarves, wizards, hobbits, orcs, ones…ones…why did that of all things pop into her head. She couldn't quite remember where she had heard a one being discussed, but it was there, bothering her.
A slight movement brought Ali back into the moment, as pain swept across her back. Oh bitter nebulan five, it felt as though someone was shoving ice shards through her shoulder. She bit against the rising sounds of protest, doing her best to not draw any attention. They could somehow manage to pull her from her world with no problem but couldn't find some spell for instant healing?
"Careful of those stitches," Bilbo hummed gently from behind her.
Ali stiffened instantly; she hadn't realized that she wasn't alone. As gently as possible she turned just her head, but it wasn't only Bilbo sitting there, it was also Thorin. Never had simply waking up made her feel more like she was caught seeing something she shouldn't have.
They sat across from one another, both of their legs hanging off the over sized chairs. There was a relaxed air, Bilbo had his pipe in one hand, Thorin had removed his jacket and tunic, leaving only his white under shirt, and it looked as though they were having a rather pleasant discussion. It wasn't these things that made Ali want to avert her eyes, no, that would have been the hand holding. Ali glanced back down, sure enough, Bilbo's little hand rested on the top of Thorin's fist on the little table. Then there was the smile, which for Thorin was a little strange, did Thorin ever actually smile.
Gears began to rotate as she remained in shocked silence. The memory of what had happened between waking up and passing out. The nice little thing he had said to Ali, well frankly at the time it hadn't made any sense, now though, it did.
Thorin had realized he was in love with Bilbo, perhaps this entire time he was jealous of her and Bilbo's friendship, thinking that they were possibly something more. That was him confessing his love to Bilbo as she passed out. What was it about this world that couldn't leave things alone for two seconds without something weird jumping out and throwing a wrench in the works? Wait, a wrench in the works? No, that's not possible, there was nothing complicated about Bilbo and Thorin being a couple. The only way that would be bad is if…no, Ali refused to think about it, there was simply no way she had feelings for Thorin. Oh god, she thought about it, but seriously, there was no twinge in her heart.
"Hey how are you feeling? You look really pale," Bilbo and Thorin moved to get up, but Ali laughed, too loud and creepy-like though.
"No, just tired, gonna go back to sleep, important REM cycles to visit and such." Ali turned back over. That was not how one plays it cool, she thought. This shouldn't be bothering her, no, it wasn't bothering her, couldn't be. There was no way Thorin was ever interested, he never even pretended to be, and this wasn't a surprise. It was just because she found him insanely attractive, that's all, like one of those bad boy crushes that every girl has and then gets over. Yep she was totally over it.
"I'll have Oin bring over some more pain medication," Thorin rumbled from behind her, gently resting a hand on her shoulder.
"Oh, no, you don't need to, I can hardly feel it," Ali lied, she scoffed and waved a hand at him.
"It's a pretty bad gash, on both sides in fact," Bilbo was right behind her as well now.
"It's just a scratch," Ali lied again, not finding it hard to not turn around and face them.
"You died," Thorin reminded her, "which I think we should talk about, how…"
"Talk about?" Ali panicked; they couldn't talk about this, what if she said something stupid…like the truth. "Oh it's pretty simple, I have three lives, cause I was baptized at a young age…with unicorn tears." Or that, that was also pretty stupid.
"Unicorn tears?" Bilbo asked, though it was said with less of a question mark and more of a 'bitch we know you playin'.
Thorin must not have taken the sarcasm course at the local hobbit university cause he paused for a moment. "Was that your first?"
If this were any other moment that would have been a perfect 'that's was she said joke', but perhaps Ali could save that for another time.
"Oh my god Thorin you can't just ask if it's my first, you're so rude." Ali tried her best to scoff without turning around or wincing in pain.
"I apologize, I don't fully understand the customs of tourists," Thorin said quietly.
Wait one gosh darned moment…Thorin…apologized. The only way Ali ever thought those two words would go in the same sentence was if it prefaced a sentence like 'Thorin apologized for…for…' yea she would work on figuring that out.
"Hey, lookit fellas Ali's woke up," Bofur smiled and leaned a shoulder against a log pillar in front of her. Around the same corner Nori popped up first, clapping Bofur on the shoulder with a smile, but didn't remove his hand. Well gosh; everyone was in a relationship but Ali it seemed.
"I've been found out, looks like the jig is up," Ali pretended to sigh, pushing herself up without trying to look like she was in too much pain, though she could feel her face paling as she spoke. She hadn't ever contemplated what stitches would feel like pulling on her flesh, and now she knew. It was like one of those unpleasant life lessons that you wish you still didn't know, another example would be biting into a lemon slice for the first time.
Then like a hurricane all the dwarves, Gandalf, and a giant all came whirling into the small room at once. Fili and Kili in particular were devastating as they actually crawled into the hay with her. Questions flying about her state, shoulder, dreams, batman, deer, goldfish, half of the things Ali didn't even understand.
"Enough," Oin barked, "can't ya see the lass is tired, git on wit yall," Oin thankfully shooed them all out of the room, save for Thorin, Bilbo, Gandalf, and the Giant.
"Ali, I would like to introduce you to our host, Beorn." Gandalf motioned to the giant man who inclined his head with a smile.
"I hear your journey has not been an easy one," Beorn's deep voice filled the room instantly.
"I've had worse," liar, Ali thought instantly, "gosh where are my manners?" In the garbage with your ability to tell the truth, Ali motioned to stand to shake his hand but was met with a resounding opposition.
"Just rest, it's been a pleasure," Beorn inclined his head then exited the room, moving surprisingly fluidly for a man his size.
"Lassie drink this," Oin grumbled, handing her a small shot of some greenish-brown liquid.
"What is it?" Ali asked, taking a quick whiff, not only did it look like swamp sludge but it smelled like swamp gas. "Wheew doc, this smells wonderful."
"Tis fer the pain," Oin said, trying to tip the sludge towards her face.
Oh hell no, Ali thought, she would rather lick a controller at chucky cheese than drink whatever swamp sludge this man had poured.
"Actually, I was hoping that I could have a moment to talk with Ali," Bilbo looked around the room, "just a little moment is all," he added when it looked as though Thorin was going to protest.
"No, drink lass," Oin repeated again trying to tip the concoction.
"Actually I'd like to talk with Bilbo as well," Ali smiled, trying to force the drink down while Oin pushed it up.
"Come now master dwarves, let us leave them be," Gandalf finally broke in, but his look told Ali that they would be having their own private discussion later.
They were hesitant but finally began to move out of the room, Thorin throwing a look at Bilbo, probably longing to never part. Ali's stomach turned, stupid stomach didn't know what to do.
"So, unicorn tears huh?" Bilbo started once they had all exited.
"I hear they're the loneliest animals in the world," or imaginary, Ali added in her mind, although dragons were real so really who knew anymore.
Moving quietly Bilbo got up and peaked out the door, turning back around he leveled a stern glare right at her. Was it possible that he knew she was jealous?
"Alright, what are you hiding?" Bilbo asked, always too smart for his own good.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Ali half smiled and cursed herself for instantly looking away.
"Don't play dumb with me, you've been hiding something from the very beginning, and up until now I have held my tongue but not any longer. No, ma'am we have gone too far for this." Bilbo wagged his finger at Ali making sure she understood that he was not going to take no for an answer.
"I…I…" Ali felt lost, and confused, but also tired, of everything, of carrying around this huge secret the whole time. Perhaps now that Thorin had found his love he would be more willing to allow Ali to die for the company. Was she okay with dying for them? "I'm sorry," Ali put her head down on her knees and instantly regretted it, sitting back up with a hiss. Then everything came spilling out, about her father and mother, living on the streets, never having friends, and lastly what she was and why she was here.
When she had finally finished they sat there in silence, Ali wiping away one of the few tears that had escaped her. Bilbo stared off, with what looked like a sad thinking face.
"No," Bilbo said, turning his gaze back to Ali. Had he not believed anything she said?
The door behind Bilbo pushed open, shoving the little hobbit away, shocked and somewhat angry.
"Yes Bilbo, what she says is true," Gandalf sighed, taking a seat in the corner, he began to pull out his pipe while the other two watched.
"That's not what I mean, I mean we can find another way to defeat Azog, let's tell the others, they can help." Gandalf only shook his head at Bilbo, pulling in to light his pipe.
"I'm afraid that's where you're wrong," Gandalf sat back, thinking about his next words. "When this journey comes to a close things will not be as simple as they are now, there will be hurtles we cannot predict. Saying that if Ali is standing over yonder and Thorin knows what is to come means nothing for fate. No, I'm afraid Bilbo, that fate would find its way to Thorin either way, it is only by Lady Galadriel's loop that we might find a solution."
"YOU CALL…"
"Shhh," Gandalf and Ali stopped Bilbo's yell.
"You call this a solution?" Bilbo spat at Gandalf, Ali felt shocked at the level of anger. "What sort of solution is exchanging one life for another?"
"Ali has consented to this," Gandalf began but Bilbo wasn't ready to hear more.
"That doesn't matter, it's still a sacrifice. Not a thing civilized people do," Bilbo had begun to pace.
"Bilbo, Thorin will grow into an even more amazing king, and then Fili will rule after him, bringing security and food to his people, they need to live. I'll be able to save at least three royal lives with my one normal one," Ali argued, which felt weird that she was arguing for why she should save the life of the man Bilbo loved. "Plus he will always have you."
"I don't think you understand what Thorin needs," Bilbo started, looking at her like she was about to just stab herself here. Gandalf cleared his throat and stood quickly, making Ali sort of suspicious.
"I shall excuse myself," Gandalf inclined his head and opening the door sharply, they were all surprised as a figure fell into the room.
"Ho, mercy," Bofur jumped to his feet, pretending to dust himself off. Gandalf just sighed and finished exiting the room.
"Is there no such thing as a private conversation anymore?" Bilbo growled, hand on his forehead.
"Apologies," Bofur cleared his throat, looking around awkwardly.
"What do you need," Ali asked, half worried, half just trying to fill in the awkward moment.
"No, she means what did you hear?" Bilbo growled, becoming more distraught by the moment.
"Hear?" Bofur looked towards the roof, as if he actually had to think about it, "well through the door tis hard ta hear near anythin'."
"Then why are you here?" Bilbo asked, his exasperation fading.
"I wanted ta talk ta Ali 'bout Nori," Bofur shuffled his toe in the hay, "ya see I don' know how ta tell the other's 'e's ma one."
"Your one?" Ali asked, there was that word again, it was like she had heard it sometime before.
"My soul mate as humans would call, the one that Aule destined fer me ta love," Bofur continued, dragging out his lovey dovey-ness.
"You're not fooling anyone, everyone already knows about you and Nori. You heard everything didn't you?" Bilbo looked matter-of-factly at Bofur who just looked back blankly. It wasn't true though, Ali thought, she didn't know about him and Nori. Sure she had an idea since the pipe snatching, and the moment on eagle rock, but nothing solid. Bofur startled Ali when he darted down next to her.
"Ya can't do it Ali," Bofur grabbed her hand; sneaky man had actually heard what they were talking about. "Ya can't do again what you did to us yesterday, you didn't see everyone. It would break their hearts." Even Bofur was jumping on the, don't kill yourself band wagon. Not that it wasn't normally a great band wagon to be on, but this time it was different.
"Stop, Bofur just stop," Ali couldn't help but feel sad as she looked into his puppy dog brown eyes, then up to Bilbo's sad motherly expression. "Both of you need to cut it out right now. I didn't say everything out loud so that I could argue with you, and if I wanted to keep it a secret I simply wouldn't have said anything at all. What I want, what I need is support." A sad look passed between them both. "A month ago I was nothing more than just one of the many homeless people living in Philly, and now I'm here in a fantasy land, surrounded by strange people, and stranger monsters. I'm frankly terrified that I died, and that I need to do it again. I'm not here on vacation okay. It would be nice to know that I have someone in my corner."
Oh boy did they look guilty, as if she had just caught them trying to fish out of an expensive aquarium.
"I'm not gonna be okay with ya die'n, but I'll fight with ya till the end," Bofur finally said, smiling at her. Bilbo on the other hand just nodded. "What 'bout Thorin though? I know how hurt I'd be if Nori did the same ta me."
"What do you mean?" Ali asked cocking her head to the side.
"Since, he's ur one?" Bofur looked back, mirroring her confusion.
"What did you say?" Ali was sure she heard him wrong.
"He said cheese is fun," Bilbo snapped into the conversation, grabbing Bofur's jacket and hauling him to the door. "We should let you rest; we'll talk when you wake up."
As the door slammed, Ali continued to sit there in shock. Apparently nobody else had gotten the memo about Thorin and Bilbo being together. She hoped that Bofur's little mix-up didn't really upset Bilbo as much as that door slam made it seem. Perhaps when they told the company they were rather confusing in their explanation? Yea, that was definitely what had to have happened.
Sliding down as carefully as possible Ali stared over at the little shot glass, contemplating whether or not it was actually worth it.
Unfortunately between her thoughts about Bilbo and Thorin, dying, and the pain of having been thrown off a cliff by a giant wolf, well it was looking better and better. Grabbing the little shot Ali held it up.
"Here goes nothing," Ali did a little cheers for herself; the term yolo was no longer applicable for several reasons. Tipping it back she cringed, this time it tasted less like grass and more like strait up bile. "Oh god this had better work."
So I've finally updated! Yay! Sorry but I had the worst case of writers block.
I have to thank everyone who comments on this story and lets me know what they like, don't like, needs more explanation, ect..
You have all been so helpful.
If your reading this and haven't commented yet, please do! I love all comments!
Thank you and stay tuned next week to see what Thorin and Bilbo were talking about!
MUAH!