Homeward Bound Part One: An Unexpected Journey

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Bilba woke to the feeling of the bed dipping and opened her eyes to see Thorin settling on the mattress beside her. He sat with his back against the headboard and his legs stretched out in front of him. His arms were folded across his chest and the expression on his face was annoyed.

Bilba sighed and reached a hand out to lightly rest on his thigh. "What did you say to him?"

Thorin replied with something particularly rude about Bard, not looking at her. The sun was beginning to go down, lengthening the shadows in the room; she must have been asleep several hours she thought idly.

"That's not very helpful," she said calmly.

"Why do you assume I did something?"

Bilba yawned. "You do tend to say things you shouldn't."

He gave her an appraising look. "You yelled at Thranduil."

Bilba frowned. "He locked you in a dungeon for two weeks," she grumbled, "and I had no idea where you were! Of course I yelled at him". The memory brought back the feelings of horror and fear she'd felt back then and she scooted closer, wrapped both arms around his leg and pillowed her head on his thigh.

He reached down and put a hand on her head in reassurance, lightly playing with her braid. "Good point," he conceded his voice gentle. He was silent another second and then, his tone teasing, asked, "What about Gandalf?"

Bilba winced. She'd hoped he'd forgotten about that one. "We didn't need to hire a boat from him," she finally said lamely.

Thorin was not impressed. "And Radagast?"

"I was not yelling at him," Bilba defended, deliberately trying to pitch her voice as innocent as possible. "I was just asking him a few--"

"-- dozen --" Thorin interrupted, amused.

" -- questions," Bilba finished dryly. "Anyway, you should let me talk to Bard."

"Why?" Thorin asked, "So you can yell him into submission?"

Bilba smacked him lightly, feeling the muscles in his thigh jump slightly from the contact though Thorin didn't react. "I got Thranduil to let us go, didn't I?"

"I seem to remember Glorfindel having a hand in that," Thorin said mildly, amusement leaking into his voice.

Bilba made a non-committal sound and snuggled in tighter around his leg, allowing her eyes to drift shut again. She made another noise, one of displeasure, a few moments later when she felt him shift suddenly; pulling her partway out of the light doze she'd been in.

Thorin said something quiet and she felt him pulling out of her hold for a moment only to settle next, drawing her back in. Still half asleep, Bilba happily rearranged herself so her head and one hand were resting on his shoulder and chest. It left her other arm in an uncomfortable position under her body but she could live with it. She felt Thorin's arm slide around her back, his hand on her waist and then felt him relax.

Priscilla would kill her if she saw Bilba sleeping in the same bed with Thorin, intended or not. Bilba sighed and relaxed, sleep pulling at her.

She just wouldn't tell Priscilla.

She fell asleep.

The dream started immediately.

She stood on a rocky ledge set into the side of a mountain. Around her the rest of the Company sprawled in sleep, their forms still and quiet.

Directly in front of her a dark opening led into the mountain.

On either side of the door stood two armored figures, young and slim, with shoulder length dark hair and the barest hint of stubble that might one day grow into beards. Both had their heads down and held swords gripped in their hands, points resting on the ground.