Unwanted Attractions

Chapter 22

  Rosa and The dwarves are led through the raised wooden walkways of the Woodland Realm. The entire place is built out of tree roots in a subterranean cavern. The elves take the dwarves and Rosa down to their prison dungeon. They shove Rosa into one of the cells. She nearly falls but catches herself. She looks in the corner and sees Fili sitting there staring at the wall.
  "Fili are you okay?" Rosa asks him walking closer
  He doesn't answer and continues to stare at the wall
  "Fili?" Rosa asks walking until she's in front of him "Talk to me please," she pleads to him kneeling down
  "Stay away please," Fili tells her trying to sound emotionless, avoiding her gaze 
  "Why, what's wrong?" She asks
  He doesn't say anything just stares blankly at the floor. Rosa shouts in frustration standing up, Fili looks up at her confused as she turns around clutching her hands into fists "What is your problem Fili!? Why do you hate me? What did I do?"
  "I don't hate you, Rosa, I just-"
  "You just what Fili?" she asks turning back to face him "I don't understand, one minute your my friend then the next you totally distance yourself from me. So it seems pretty clear that you do, that or you're getting some laugh messing with my feelings!"
  Fili frowns at how he'd made Rosa feels. Rosa continued on as Fili gets up and then wraps his arms around her making her stop "I didn't mean to make you feel like this. I just...these feelings are new to me and didn't want Thorin or the others to know how much I've come to care about you. I was frightened of what would happen." Fili pulls back gently placing a hand on her cheek. they stare into each other's eyes moving closer Fili then places his lips on hers. Rosa's heart begins to sore, Her mind went blank as she starts kissing back. It felt like hours to her but it was only minutes as Rosa's mind begins racing then the two break the kiss and rest their foreheads together.
  Rosa smiles as she steadies her breath grabbing his hands and holding them close to her. she places a hand on his cheek "It's alright, but just talk to me next time please."
  Fili smiles leaning down to kiss her again. This time his beard tickles her chin causing her to giggle. This makes Fili smile as he pulls away. They then hear voices outside their cell. The two went to the bars to see two Elves escorting Thorin to a cell not far from them. They listen to Balin and thorin talk for a moment then Rosa gently pulls Fili away from the bars. She sits pulling him with her then snuggles into his side. FIli gently pulls her into his lap and hugs her.

  Later, Rosa nuzzles Fili's neck trying not to think about probably never leaving Mirkwood or knowing if Bilbo is alive. Fili sighs hugging Rosa closer to him wishing he could ease her worrying mind. The two sat there and listen to the others talk when suddenly their cell door opened.  Fili helps Rosa up and they look to see Bilbo. Rosa rushes to her brother happy to see him alive and okay. The rest rush to their bars too surprised to see the hobbit. As the dwarves exclaim in surprise. Bilbo shushed them
  "Shhh! There are guards nearby!" He unlocks Thorin's cell and lets him out. He then proceeds to let all the dwarves out of their various cells, and they chuckle gleefully at their good fortune. Some of the dwarves start walking in a certain direction.
  "The stairs. You first. Ori!" Dawlin says pushing Ori towards some stairs 
  "Not that way, down here. Follow me." Bilbo proceeds to lead the company through the Woodland Realm, and they whisper indistinctly. They sneak through the halls of the Woodland Realm and eventually find themselves in the wine cellar. There are some elves there are sound asleep around a table, with several empty bottles of wine in front of them. Bilbo leads them further in. "This way." bilbo whisper to them
  "I don't believe it; we're in the cellars!" Kili whispers shout looking around
  The other dwarves look around getting mad at Bilbo.
  "You were supposed to be leading us out, not further in!"
  "I know what I'm doing!" Bilbo nearly shouted 
  "Shhh!"
  "This way."
  They sneak into a large room in which several barrels are stacked sideways down the middle of the room. All the barrels have one end open.
  "Everyone, climb into the barrels, quickly!" Bilbo instructs them
  "Are you mad?! They'll find us!" Dwalin argued
"No, no, they won't, I promise you. Please, please, you MUST trust me!" Bilbo implores
  The dwarves mill around, as they try to decide with or not to listen to the hobbit. They hear a commotion in the distance. Bilbo looks to Thorin for help
  "Do as he says!"
  With that, each of the dwarves climbs into a barrel.
  Rosa waits looking towards Bilbo confused and concerned "What about you?"
  "I'll be right behind you all."
  Rosa hesitates for a minute then nods to him climbing into the barrel with Fili. Bilbo walks along, counting to make sure everyone has been accounted for.
  "What do we do now?" Bofur asks as all the dwarves stick their heads out of their barrels and watch Bilbo as he walks toward a lever in the ground.
  "Hold your breath." Bilbo  simple answers
  "Hold my breath? What do you mean?" 
  Bilbo pulls the lever, and the part of the floor that the barrels were on tilts downward into an opening; the barrels roll out the opening and fall several feet into a river that runs beneath the Woodland Realm.