Lightly she knocked, listening for sounds of movement, nothing, so she knocked again a little harder, still nothing. Should she just go in his room? Would he mind? Ali thought about going back and asking Balin if doing something like that was considered taboo.

What the hell, Ali shrugged, throwing caution to the wind, and turned the handle, the door creaked open lightly. This courage was a superpower of its own, she didn't know if she should drink more often or less. "Thorin?" She called softly, no answer. She should just turn around, she thought, but instead took a step into the dark room, peering around. "Thorin?" Ali called again, now entirely in the room.

"Right here," Ali jumped as Thorin's voice rumbled from behind her. Before she had time to turn he snapped the door shut with one hand and wrapped the other around her waist, pulling her against his chest. "What took you so long?"

"Why is it so dark in here?" Ali wiggled in his arms, her heart pounding from the scare.

"I wanted to surprise you," Thorin lightly kissed her neck, "it worked." He chuckled, turning her in his arms he pulled her close to his chest again.

"Thanks for that, Captain Obvious," Ali began to relax, letting Thorin steal a little kiss. Then another, and another. As each kiss deepened she relaxed more, not even noticing they were moving through the room until the backs of her knees hit the bed. Her eyes flew open as Thorin tipped them over and they fell, bracing his fall to avoid crushing her. Ali's heart began to pick up pace. Thorin's hand hiked up her skirt and ran up the length of her thigh. Her heart thumped against her ribs. His hand stroked down her leg and back up, this time his thumb ran up her inner thigh, getting dangerously close to…

"Th-Thorin, wait!" Ali broke the kiss and tried to turn away but his body locked her down.

"What wrong, I thought…is this not how you see us?" Thorin pulled off her, a sudden burst of cold air hitting her chest.

"No, that's not what I mean," Ali sat up. "It's just…I've never really…you know…with anyone." Ali watched Thorin standing at the side of the bed, her eyes finally adjusting to the dark.

At first he looked upset, then confused, then he opened his mouth to say something and closed it, and back to confused. "Never?" Thorin finally asked.

Ali shook her head, thankful for the dark as she could feel her face heating up. She made sure to look anywhere but at Thorin. She would need more wine for that sort of conversation. Self consciously Ali rubbed her arms, feeling cold. There was a blanket lying along the other side of the bed. She turned to crawl over for it but was stopped when Thorin's hand pulled her back by her ankle. She was forced to yank her skirt down before it rose up over her knees.

Before she could ask what he was doing, Thorin flopped down on top of her, smushing her face into the mattress. "What…are you…doing?" Ali asked trying to push herself up under his weight.

"You're cold right?" Thorin mumbled into the blankets by her ear. She could feel the vibrations from his deep voice in her back, slowly she nodded. "I'll be your blanket." Thorin laughed lightly and kissed the back of her neck.

"Why are you so damn cute?" Ali muttered into the blankets. Seriously, where was he getting these lines from? He had to be some sort of playboy that was the only explanation. The thought of him holding another woman like this actually made Ali a bit jealous.

"I'm not cute…" Thorin grumbled, and if she wasn't wrong…sounded rather offended. As she opened her mouth to apologize, Thorin shifted above her and ran his hand up her side. Ali grabbed his hand and tensed.

"What? I wasn't going to try anything," Thorin lifted off her slightly and pulled at his hand.

Oh sweet moon pies did it tickle, but she couldn't tell him that. His fingers flexed against her side, the thin elvish material not helping anything. Ali jerked against him, trying not to laugh.

"What are you doing? Did I hurt you?" Thorin grabbed her side to pull her over and check.

"Nothing!" Ali's voice hitched when his fingers grazed her hip bone. "I'm fine."

"Ali, are you ticklish?" Thorin flexed his fingers to test and Ali gasped.

She had been found out. There was nothing to do now but escape and evade. Ali tried to dart out from under him, but his hand was already on her hip, pulling her back. This time she couldn't help the laugh the burst out, Ali tried desperately to escape. Even going so far as to try and shimmy down through his legs.

"Oh no, I've found your weakness now!" Thorin wrestled with her, as gently as possible while staying just in control of the situation. Ali had his hand in both of hers, trying to push his away. It was a weak attempt, though he wanted her to feel strong so he allowed her to push his hand away an inch or two for a second at a time.

He knew there was a point where this would stop being playful, just as he sensed her beginning to panic he pulled back. By now she was on her back, he caught both her hands above her head easily and pinned them to the bed.

Thorin was caught off guard when he looked down at her. Ali's hair was mussed in a tangled halo around her head. Little tears had begun to form in her blue eyes from laughing. He hadn't remembered her smile being this breathtaking before. Thorin dropped his head to the blankets beside her, if he continued to look at her he might do something he would regret. Her chest puffed lightly from the struggle and laughing, pressing against him off and on.

Did she know what she was doing to him? The sheer will power it took to pull away when he wanted her this badly.

"Thorin?" Ali breathed.

Thorin pressed a gentle kiss to her shoulder, for now that would be all he was allowed. "Yes fuhum lukhud?" he sighed, not finding the strength to actually get off her.

"What does that mean?" Ali asked, raising her leg.

The feel of her thigh against his was lightning even through his trousers. Thorin rolled off instantly, he let go of her hands and landed flat on his back on the bed, and got out of the danger zone.

"Thorin?" Ali shifted up onto her side and looked at him, "what's wrong? I thought you were gonna keep me warm."

"Oh, well-" Thorin held his hands at sides as Ali rolled onto his chest. Shifting around until she seemingly became comfortable resting her chin on her hands and staring up at him from his chest. This woman was going to be his undoing. "There, now you'll stay warm." Thorin finally breathed out, not realizing he was holding it in.

"What does it mean?" Ali stared up at him expectantly.

This was it. Thorin found himself more nervous than the time he had to face his sister after feeding Fili and Kili enough sugar to keep them up for days.

"It means Northern Lights," Thorin watched the ceiling. Distantly he could hear the company downstairs still partying.

"Is it cause you find me colorful and swooshy?" Ali wiggled when she spoke, apparently not upset with the nickname. Thorin tensed as she rubbed against him, Mahal was testing his will and he feared he might fail.

"If you would like. I see you as my fuhum lukhud, not for those reasons but because when things appeared at its blackest you arrived. Foreign and beautiful, at first I didn't know what to make of you, but the longer I watched, the more entranced I became. Even still I find that when I wish to give in and despair, you remind me that even in the darkest places there is light and wonder." Thorin cleared his throat, that explanation had sounded less corny in his head. His fingers slipped into his pocket for the beads.

Without warning Ali pulled his head into a deep kiss, and then broke it just as quickly. "Thorin I don't have poetic words to tell you how I feel. Somehow each time you take me by surprise. I love you so much that the thoughts just won't form."

Thorin felt as if his heart stopped when she spoke. To him that simple declaration was so much more beautiful than anything he had ever said. Gently he sat up, Ali shifted down until she was straddling his lap. She smiled up at him so brightly he barely even noticed the dark that surrounded them.

"There's one more thing," Thorin finally pulled the two silver beads from his pocket and showed them to her. "It's a dwarven custom, I understand that where you are from there are no dwarves, so it's alright if you don't wish to participate."

"No, please, I want to, tell me," Ali shifted eagerly. Mahal save him if she didn't sit still.

"When two dwarves promise themselves to another, each will braid a bead into the other's hair. It represents the love that the wearer holds for the other, and shows others that they are spoken for." Thorin's heart still beat hard despite her earlier confession. What would he do if she refused him right here?

"So it's like a promise ring, or bead in this case. Will it be okay for me to do this since I'm not a dwarf?" Ali gently took one from his palm and looked at it.

"You are my One, which means that if you accept my offer, all that I have and am, will be yours as well, be it treasure or tradition." Thorin smiled at her lightly, hoping she understood completely. "This is a serious tradition for us. Only under the most grievous circumstances should one remove the bead from their braid." Thorin warned Ali, her eyes flicked up to him for a second.

"I understand. Will you make a promise for me as well?" Ali rolled the little bead around her palm gently.

"Of course, anything," Thorin was almost scared to know.

"Thorin, there's a dragon in Erebor, and after that who knows what's going to happen. Will you promise me, that no matter what happens to me, after you have Erebor, you will be the best king it's ever seen?" Ali looked up at him through her lashes, he didn't like the way that sounded.

"Nothing's going to happen to you, I'll protect you no matter what." Thorin wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her into him. His chest tightened with the thought of not having her next to him. That would never be a reality, he would make sure.

"I'm not saying anything will happen to me. But just in case." Ali whispered into his chest.

"Of course, I will rule justly." Thorin whispered back, running his fingers through her hair.

"Thanks, now let me braid this into your hair." Ali squirmed against him, the excitement returning. This was harder than he expected…in more ways than one.

No matter how he tried, Thorin was unable to stop his hands from shaking while he braided Ali's hair. It was a small braid, just behind her ear. It trailed down and fell in front of her shoulder. Ali said she positively loved it, and refused when he tried to redo it. He could do better and he knew it. The braid she placed in his hair was perfect, his was terrible.

"You're just being over critical, you tend to do that." Ali leaned into him and rested her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes, fingers playing with her braid. Perhaps she was tired. Thorin lay back on the bed and closed his eyes as well.

Sleep would not come to him though. He felt Ali's breathing slow, every once in a while she would sigh softly and move around lightly. Still Thorin lay, pretending sleep was an option while he held her this close. It wasn't that she was heavy. In fact at dinner he had wished she might eat more than she did, which was already an impressive amount. The weight she had lost when she was sick before they reached Beorn's had never come back. While she slept on his chest Thorin found it wasn't difficult in the least for his chest to rise and fall as if she wasn't even resting on him. He could tell that this journey had not been an easy one for her, not that she would complain of course. If she had yet to complain about the difficult road he had drug her on, then she would probably never.

Was this how it would be for the rest of their years? Thorin could lay beside the most beautiful woman in Middle-Earth, but be unable to close his eyes? Wondering how he could continue to convince her to stay by his side when he knew she deserved much better. No, this had something to do with the promise. Ali said it didn't mean that anything would happen, but he felt uneasy about it.

"Get outta the Spanish food isle." Ali mumbled in her sleep. Thorin leaned in closer, unsure what 'Spanish food' was? "Deatheaters have no place on the Death Star." Thorin continued to listen, it wasn't surprising that he didn't understand what she was talking about. "Didn't know Storm troopers liked tacos." He knew he would have to ask about this when she woke.

Thorin froze, the sudden realization chilled him to the core. How hadn't he seen this before?! For some reason the word 'tacos' opened a terrible rift between them. He didn't understand her references. Nobody here understood them.

Ali wanted to return home. She had made him promise because she didn't plan on being here for the rest of her years. Thorin's heart hammered against his chest, he was almost sure it was loud enough to wake her. He had been so blind.

Thorin's arms circled around Ali's shoulders. As of yet she had only told him scarce details about her previous life. She had lost her mother when she was young, and had a strained relationship with her father so she left to find adventure and acceptance. Every day he waited for her to become more comfortable with him so that she could open up and talk about it. There was more to everything then she was telling him.

"The Sith can't have my petunias!" Ali jerked awake, one knee colliding between Thorin's legs. The pain immediately caused Thorin to try and shield himself too late.

"Mahal save me," Thorin groaned, turning away from a slightly confused Ali.

"Oh dear lord, did I just knee you in the nuts?" Ali's hands fluttered over Thorin when she realized, unsure of how she was supposed to help him.

This was it, this was how he was going to die, balls crushed by the same woman who threatened to crush his heart. It was unjust.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!" Ali flopped down in front of him, trying to push her face close to his. "Please forgive me. You can punch my boob if that makes you feel better."

"What?" Thorin asked. That was the most absurd solution he had ever heard. Slowly the pain began to fade, slowly, ever so slowly.

"So that's a no, what would you like? I know it must hurt like hell." Ali rambled, Thorin wanted to laugh, wanted to, but couldn't.

"Do you plan to return home?" Thorin wasn't one to beat around the bush. So as he lay there, curled in on himself after a woman kneed him in the balls, he asked, steadying himself for more pain.

"What?" Ali sat back, narrowing her eyes at him. He could tell she was thinking over what he was asking. "Should I?"

"No," Thorin groaned, stretching himself out, testing to see how sore he still was. It was definitely fading, but still, he would have to remember that move in case she started talking about the Sith again.

"What was that question for?" Ali asked, crossing her legs and sitting beside him.

"No reason," Thorin shut his eyes, realizing that perhaps he didn't want an answer to such a question. Then decided on one more topic, "what's a taco?"

Thanks to all the wonderful folks who are reading and reviewing!

I love the suggestions I get, each and everyone of them

I also love how entirely too cute these two are :)

Thank you and Muah!