Hello again, dears! :)

I didn't think it would be so soon until I updated this story again! I was planning on doing a chapter for another fic, but I realized I was little stuck for ideas on that one, so while I worked out those little bugs, I decided I'd do another chapter for this story instead, because I already had this one figured out :)

I also appreciate the feedback on my previous chapter and I hope none of you are planning to kill me for what you believe is going to happen (mainly with the Aira/Bilbo/Kili thing xD) But I will say no more on the subject except...well, don't kill me xD

Anyway...without further ado...let us go to find the Hidden Door! Enjoy! :D

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"Anything?" came Thorin's voice.

"Nothing!" was Dwalin's reply a few yards away.

The company had been searching high and low for what felt like hours for any sign of the hidden door. Thorin had been looking over the map off and on throughout that time, trying to figure out just where the door should be. So far, they had found nothing that resembled a door or anything that could lead to it.

After perusing over the map yet again, Thorin finally seemed to crack it. He turned to Aira standing beside him and told her, "If the map is true…then the hidden door lies directly above us."

"Then there must be some way we can get further up the mountain to get to it," said Aira.

"Up here!" they heard Bilbo cry out not too far off. They rushed over to where he was standing, grinning from ear to ear. There they saw a large staircase that was carved into the side of the mountain that led very far up the mountain.

The pleased expression that crossed Thorin's face in that moment was one that had rarely been seen before. "You have keen eyes, Master Baggins," he praised him. After he said that, Aira gave Bilbo a tight hug, feeling glad about his discovery.

"How did we miss that before?" asked Dori, surveying the stairs.

"Your guess is as good as mine," answered Nori.

"Well, come on, then!" exclaimed Gloin, moving towards the stairs and motioning for the company to follow. "We'd best start climbing!"

"He's right," said Balin. "The sun is beginning to set. We must make haste!"

With that being said, the company began their trek up the staircase on the side of the mountain. It seemed like it was going to take a while and they tried going as fast as they could. Time was of the essence and it was something they didn't have much of at that point in time.

As they climbed, Aira couldn't help but glance back in the direction of Laketown, her One being at the forefront of her thoughts. She deeply hoped that Kili wasn't still being stubborn about getting medical help and that he was letting Oin tend to him. If he did not return to her in better condition, she would surely be angry with him.

"He should be here," she thought. "All of them should be here."

Being so lost in her thoughts, she didn't realize that she hadn't stepped all the way on the next step and proceeded to slip and fall hard to the ground. Luckily, she was able to catch herself before she face-planted into the stone. However, she did acquire a slight scrape on her knee from the wall.

Bilbo, who was in front of her, heard her fall and immediately knelt down to help her up. "Aira, are you all right?" he asked.

"Aye, I'm fine," she replied. "I simply missed the stair."

He offered a hand to her and when she took it, he pulled her right back up to her feet. However, Aira's mind wandered back to Kili's accusation of there being something more between her and Bilbo. Now it seemed like it was almost stranger for her to be around him now that she had that on her mind. But she knew that there wasn't anything like that between her and the Hobbit. Looking at him, she knew that she felt nothing like that. She felt an intense love for him, yes, but not that kind of love. It was the kind of love you felt for a close friend whom you had no romantic connection with; someone you felt you could completely trust practically with your life and that you would strongly protect. She and Bilbo were indeed close, but she knew she couldn't love him the way she loved Kili. There was just nothing like that between them and she hoped that Kili would come to realize that, either before they were reunited or somehow afterwards. She still wondered why he would ever think anything like that. Surely, he knew her well enough that she would never, ever be disloyal to him, but then again, he hadn't fully been himself since sustaining his injury.

"Were you thinking about Kili?" asked Bilbo as they continued onward.

She nodded.

"I know you're worried," he told her. "I don't blame you for that…but he will be all right. He has his brother as well as Oin and Bofur, too. I am sure, by now, they've most likely gone to Maori for help, so he has her, as well. He is in good hands."

"I know…," she said in a low voice. "That still doesn't change the fact that I wish he was here with me."

He laid a hand on her shoulder. "I understand. You will be with him again soon, I promise."

After Aira gave Bilbo a grateful smile, the two of them turned their attentions back to walking up the stairs and keeping up with the rest of the company.

It felt like forever until the top of the staircase was in their sights. Once they could see the top, their speed seemed to increase in anticipation. Their long hike came to an end at last and they beheld a flat stone wall on a large, empty ledge. This surely had to be where the hidden door was.

As Aira observed the wall, her hand came up to her chest and she felt the stone key that lay underneath her shirt against her bare skin. It almost felt heavier in that single moment, as if it knew that it was close to where it was intended to be. Soon, it would be time for it to be put into use; the use for which it had long been denied.

Her gaze drifted over to Thorin and she noticed the pleased grin etched upon his face. She had hoped to see such a look when they finally reached the door and it made her happy to witness it.

This was it. This was what he had waited so many years for.

He moved over to the wall and stared at it, saying in absolute awe and relief, "This must be it…the hidden door!"

Aira slowly came up behind him. She almost didn't want to disturb his moment of peace and reflection, but she knew that she had to.

"Father…," she said to get his attention. When he turned around, she smiled at him and proceeded to lift the leather cord with his key on it up from around her neck. She held it out to him and said, "When we find the door, I believe you will need this."

The grin he already had grew even more as he stepped towards her and gently took the key from her hands.

"I kept it safe…just as you asked," she added.

He laid a hand lightly on her cheek and replied, "And for that, I am most grateful." Now, with perhaps the greatest look of joy he could ever have, Thorin turned to the remainder of the company and declared, holding the key up in the air, "Let all those who doubted us…rue this day!"

A chorus of cheers sounded from the rest in accordance with Thorin's cry. There had been many who told them their journey would be worthless or would fail, but they had proven all of them wrong. They would no longer be underestimated!

"Right then, we have a key…," stated Dwalin, coming up to examine the wall, "…which means that somewhere, there is a keyhole."

Thorin stepped closer to the edge and gazed out towards the sunset, which had turned a beautiful dark orange and pink in color.

"The last light of Durin's Day…will shine upon the keyhole," he said contemplatively, referencing the line that was written on the map Gandalf had given him. He laid one hand on Aira's shoulder and the other on Balin's, giving them both a joyful smile.

They all stood around and watched as Dwalin continued to prod at the wall and for minutes, he was having no luck. The sun was starting to get low; they were running out of time and light. Thorin then asked Nori to help Dwalin out. Nori approached the wall and started tapping the wall with a spoon while holding some sort of metal funnel to his ear while Dwalin continued to pound on the wall.

"We're losing the light," Thorin informed them. "Come on!"

Aira noticed Thorin share an uneasy glance with Balin next to him. Time was short and the keyhole still had not been revealed. They were really feeling on edge about now.

"Be quiet!" cried Nori as Dwalin then started kicking the wall. "I can't hear when you're thumping!"

"I cannot find it…it's not here! It's not here!" Dwalin shouted, now slamming his hands on the wall.

"Oh, no…!" Aira whispered with worry.

She felt a hand rest on her shoulder and turned her head to see Bilbo had moved next to her. There were mixed emotions on his face; a cross of worry and an attempt at comfort, most likely for her. He was trying to reassure her with a look that it was going to be okay, but was failing to hide his own anxiety.

"Break it down!" Thorin ordered hurriedly, seeing that the sun was almost gone.

Some of the Dwarves immediately whipped out their weapons and began to swing them into the wall where the door was supposed to be. The high clanging sound of metal meeting stone reverberated loudly off the walls.

"Break!" cried Dwalin.

"It has to break…," Thorin murmured frantically, looking back to the sun.

The Dwarves kept hammering away which caused some of their weapons to chip or break into pieces. They were becoming desperate and there was only seconds left of light. The sight of it was making Aira's stomach churn and she just couldn't stand it anymore.

"Stop, please!" she shouted, her voice cracking as she almost doubled over.

"It's no good! The door is sealed!" Balin finally cried. "It can't be open by force!"

Frustrated, the Dwarves tossed down their now useless weapons.

"There's a powerful magic on it," said Balin dismally.

Aira looked back at the sunset and watched as, within seconds, it disappeared behind the rocky foothills.

The light was now gone.

"No…!" she whispered as her heart began to fall within her. This couldn't be happening. They had come all this way…they had gotten this far with a great hope of succeeding in their endeavor to get back into the mountain…and now those hopes were horribly dashed within a matter of minutes.

"No!" Thorin cried despondently, moving towards the door. He stopped, pulled out the map from inside his jacket and stared it at, searching madly for another answer or another clue. He reread what was written with a sad tremor in his voice, "The last light of Durin's Day…will shine upon the keyhole."

Aira's hands came up to her face, covering her mouth as she could feel tears coming to her eyes.

Thorin looked up at the rest of the company, seeing that all of them were as crestfallen of the situation as he was. "That's what it says," he told them as if to justify himself. The other Dwarves hung their heads, all hope seeming lost.

"What did we miss?" asked Thorin. When no one could answer, he desperately turned to Balin. "What did we miss…Balin…?" he asked, hoping for something more from him.

But unfortunately, Balin could only respond forlornly, "We've lost the light…there's no more to be done. We had but one chance."

The complete look of despair that crossed Thorin's face in that moment was enough to make anyone else's heart and soul drop. No one else, no matter how hopeless they looked, could match how heartbroken he appeared.

"No…this cannot be…!" were the words that kept floating through his mind.

"Come away, lads…it's over," Balin then said to the others when Thorin remained silent in his despair. At Balin's suggestion, the rest of the Dwarves started trudging back towards the stairs.

They had failed.

Bilbo, however, was the only that wasn't convinced that it was all over. He stood in place, looking puzzled, and grew even more so when he realized the Dwarves were leaving.

"Wait a minute…where are they going?" he asked out loud, really to no one in particular. This couldn't be it. No, there had to be more. It couldn't be that simple. "You can't give up now!" he cried. He whipped his head back and forth as he watched the Dwarves all slowly go back to the stairway. Bilbo looked back in time to see Thorin drop the key to the ground at his feet with complete despair and hopelessness etched upon his face.

"Thorin…," Bilbo said pleadingly. But Thorin ignored him as he walked past and pushed the map into Bilbo's chest. "You can't give up now…," the Hobbit repeated, but he knew it was useless with the Dwarf King.

"It's over, Bilbo…," said Aira with a trembling voice, fighting again to hold her tears back. "There's nothing more we can do."

"No…no, surely, there must be something else," Bilbo suggested, but Aira could only shake her head and, with a deep sigh, follow her father to the steps as the evening light began to disappear and the darkness of night crept in.

The two of them started down the stairs, but only after a few feet, Thorin felt he just couldn't walk much further. He had to sit down, collect his thoughts and try to take in everything that had just happened. He seated himself down on a larger step and lowered his head into his hands, breathing heavily. Airaním sat down beside him and hugged his arm in an attempt to comfort him.

"I'm sorry, Father," she whispered.

Thorin said nothing in return. He was too wrapped up in his despondency; he felt lost and hopeless realizing that they had been too late and would never open the door to Erebor.

He had failed.

Aira, too, felt terrible about the ordeal. She couldn't believe that they had come all that way to only be unsuccessful in their venture. She began to go over everything that had happened previously in her head, trying to remember if they had indeed missed something. Even though she believed it to be over, she thought alike to Bilbo in the back of her mind. Surely, there had to be something they had missed. She reflected upon the words which were written on the map again.

"Stand by the grey stone when the thrush knocks and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the keyhole."

"Stand by the grey stone…when the thrush knocks…."

The thrush…there had been no thrush!

"Father…!" she quietly cried. "Father, wait…we may yet have time!"

He lifted his head finally and looked at her, puzzled. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"The words on the map," she told him, growing more energized as she spoke. "They say 'stand by the grey stone when the thrush knocks'. The keyhole cannot be revealed until every detail comes to pass…and there was no thrush! If there was no thrush, then there may still be a chance!"

While Thorin did see where Aira was going with her point, there still was the matter of the "last light" that was the problem. He shook his head sadly. "That well may be, Aira," he replied, "but the words also say 'the last light of Durin's Day' and there is no more light. How will we find the keyhole if there is no light left to help us?"

Aira didn't answer right away, but went back to trying to analyze the words along with what had happened before. Yes, there was no light, but there had to be something; there had to be another way.

"And the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the keyhole."

"The setting sun with the last light…the setting sun with the last light…"

"The setting sun…with the last light of Durin's Day…"

"The setting sun…with the last light of Durin's Day…," Aira spoke as she realized she had perhaps made another discovery regarding the written words. Her eyes widened and she anxiously clutched onto Thorin's arm. "The setting sun with the last light! The sun and the last light are separate!"

"If that is so, then what other light is there after the sun has set?" asked Thorin dismally.

Aira lifted her eyes to the sky. The sun had fallen behind the foothills and there was only darkness, save for the faint lights of the stars. That couldn't possibly be enough to show the location of the keyhole. But then her eyes found something much brighter only slightly to the left of where she had been looking, slowly emerging from behind some clouds.

"The moon…," she said quietly. "That's it…that has to be it!" She looked again to Thorin. "Father, the moon! That's it!"

Just then, they heard Bilbo shouting from above, "The keyhole! Come back! Come back! It's the light of the moon! The last moon of autumn!"

"Bilbo figured it out, too…!" Aira exclaimed in a hushed voice as she started to laugh joyfully.

A smile of utter relief appeared on Thorin's face as he met Aira's gaze again. He took her face in his hands and firmly kissed her brow. "Mahal bless you both for your cleverness!" he praised her before taking off back up the steps as quickly as he could.

Now smiling herself, Aira followed after him after calling out to the others below, "Come back, lads, quickly! It's not over!"

As soon as she reached the top of the stairs, she got there in time to see the key to Erebor bouncing across the stone floor and Thorin stomping down on the leather cord, stopping it before it could fall over the edge of the cliff. She froze in place and watched as her father slowly bent down and picked the key up. She moved beside him and caught the grin of elation that he had as he glanced at the key. Then her eyes moved back to the wall and there, just as she and Bilbo had suspected, was a pillar of white light that shone down from the sky and, at the end of the light, she could see a large hole in the hall.

It was the keyhole.

The moment they had waited for was now upon them.

She felt a large hand on her shoulder and, when she turned her head, she found Thorin looking at her and was holding the key in front of her. From the expression on his face, she knew what he was doing: he was offering to let her be the one to unlock the door. In all honestly, she was surprised that he would even think to make such an offer to her when going back to Erebor had been his only great dream for many years.

As flattered as she was, however, that was one offer she knew she could never accept.

Aira shook her head and lightly pushed Thorin's hand away. "No…," she said, "you know I could never accept this privilege. This is your home and you have waited for this day for so long. The honor should be yours, not mine."

Without a moment of delay, Thorin moved to the door and ever so carefully slipped the key into the keyhole, into which it fit perfectly. For a brief moment he remained perfectly still, but then he braced his hands against the stone and pushed until part of the wall swung back and revealed a dark hallway within.

The company stood in complete, still silence, taking in the sacredness of the moment. It had finally happened; the door to Erebor had been opened. The first part of achieving their plan had succeeded and now they were one step closer to taking back the mountain.

"Erebor…!" Thorin whispered in reverence.

Balin tried to speak to Thorin in that moment, but his emotions got the best of him and he could find no words to say as tears filled his eyes. Thorin placed a consoling hand on his shoulder and then walked inside the open hall.

"I know these walls…these halls…this stone…," he stated, his own voice beginning to show emotion, placing his hands upon the walls and feeling the familiar cold, smoothness of the stone he once knew. He turned to Balin behind him again. "Do you remember it, Balin? Chambers filled with golden light…!"

"I remember," were the words Balin could finally muster as he stepped inside and the others followed behind him.

Bilbo was about to walk inside after them when he realized that Aira had not moved from her place, tears continuing to fall from her eyes. He wondered why and he went back to her. "Aira, what's wrong?" he asked.

She sniffed quietly, conjured up a faint smile and replied to him, "It's really happening. We're really here." Quickly, she brushed away what tears were left on her face. "It's just…overwhelming. I have dreamt of this moment for a long time, much like my father."

He gave her a bright smile and said to her as he graciously extended a hand to her, "Then you should join him along with the rest of us inside the mountain you have dreamt so long of seeing."

The smile he gave her brought a smile of her own and she accepted his kindness, taking his hand and letting him lead her to the door. The two of them stepped through the doorway and the crisp, cool air from inside washed over them. Aira inhaled deeply the mountain air and it felt as great as she always imagined it would be.

As they came in, they noticed everyone looking up at something above the door. It was a depiction of a throne and a Dwarven inscription was written above and below it in ancient runes.

Gloin read the inscription, "Herein lies the seventh kingdom of Durin's Folk. May the Heart of the Mountain unite all Dwarves in defense of this home."

"The throne of the King," Balin explained, motioning to the picture above the door to Bilbo, who nodded in understanding.

He noticed there was a small round shape with what appeared to be light coming from it just over the throne. "What's that above it?" he asked.

"The Arkenstone," Balin answered.

"Arkenstone," Bilbo repeated. "And what's that?"

"That, Master Burglar…," said Thorin, who had gone a little further into the tunnel behind him, "…is why you are here."

All the Dwarves stared at Bilbo with anticipation as he began to grasp what his purpose for being there was: he was going to be the one to retrieve the Arkenstone from inside the mountain.

"No pressure…no pressure at all…," he thought to himself.

After a few more moments, the company decided to go back outside so they could devise a plan for what to do next. Aira noticed that Thorin hadn't moved yet and she understood why. He still was relishing in the moment and the fact that he was home now. She had a feeling that waves of memories were probably still overcoming him as he stood in place, staring down the corridor in front of him.

She came up behind him and laid a hand on his shoulder to alert him to her presence. When he saw it was her, his eyes grew brighter and his lips twitched upward into a pleasant grin.

"This is it. We really did it!" Aira exclaimed merrily.

Thorin wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. "Did you ever doubt that we would?" he asked.

"Not once," she answered right away, shaking her head. Then she lifted her gaze and looked around her. "Oh, I wish Fili and Kili were here."

Rubbing her shoulders reassuringly, he replied, "I know. As do I…but they will be with us again in time and then they shall see for themselves."

"I do hope it will be soon." Then she went back to looking around the room, observing every little detail. "I know…that this is only a secret passage…and it perhaps cannot compare to the wonder of the halls in this mountain…," she said to him, "but to me…this is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen!"

He gently nudged her with his arm so that she stood facing him. Then he put his hands on her shoulders and said to her, "And this is only the beginning, my daughter."

After he said that, his gaze diverted back to the door and he suddenly walked over to it, making Aira wonder what he was doing. Then she saw him reach for the back of the key that was still sitting inside the keyhole. He pulled the key out from the door and walked back to her, dangling the key on its leather cord between his hands as he walked, and then he held it up for her once he was back in front of her.

"But, Father, we have no more use for it," she told him in confusion.

"I know…but I still feel it should belong to you," was his answer. "It is something I no longer want you to keep safe, but it is now my gift to you for helping us get this far." He proceeded to place the leather cord back around her neck and gently guided the key back down until the cord was secure and the key then rested against her chest again.

Then he softly placed a loving kiss on her forehead and added sweetly, "Happy birthday."

She couldn't help but smile and let out a glad gasp. He had remembered, even though she never thought he wouldn't, and it made her happy that she could be a part of such a momentous occasion on her special day.

Thorin then touched his forehead to Aira's and whispered, "I love you, Aira."

A single joyful tear fell from her eye as she clutched the key to Erebor in her hand and replied "And I love you, Father."

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I hope this chapter didn't seem too fast-paced xD I know things kinda go fast in the movie in this part, but it just seemed that they went quick-ER in writing xD

Yay, FINALLY, they've made it to Erebor! :D

So what do you think now lies in store for Aira? What part will she play as the rest of DOS unfolds?

(I didn't say "the rest of the journey" because, well, things change in BotFA and we aint there yet! That'll be Part III! xD)

Leave your comments or questions in a review or a PM! Feedback is much appreciated! :)

Until the next update!