One That Got Away

Chapter 14

"They've been gone a long time," David mumbled, pacing.

"Uncle said he didn't want to rush home. He wanted it to be romantic," Kili supplied, halfway through a game of Checkers with Tom. He was losing. "You're cheating, you have to be!"

"No, you still think this is Chess," Tom snapped, taking another piece.

"Is anyone else worried about the two missing people?" David snapped.

"They're on a date, leave them be," Andy said. There was the sound of running and the door slammed open then closed. Thorin and Mara stood in the hall, panting and wild eyed, looking like the just ran away from another Dragon.

"Uncle?" Fili asked in worry. Thorin shook his head wildly while Mara started pacing. "What happened?" Thorin flinched while Mara kicked the couch.

"That bastard!" she snarled and Thorin covered his eye.

"Well done, Fi," mumbled Kili as Ben peeked his head into the room from the kitchen.

"Arthur brought his son to America," snarled Mara.

"The one in Armenia?"

"Now he's the one in America," Ben remarked to answer Fili's question.

"He's the one next door! He stalked us all the way to Old Town," raged Mara, pacing back and forth. With a viscous shout she punched the wall. She cursed loudly and pulled her hand back with a sour face. "And my hand is broken." David sighed and grabbed his jacket off the couch.

"Let's go to the hospital," he sighed and Mara shook her head.

"I'm not leaving until Arthur Jr. gets deported," she snapped and sat down, cradling her hand.

"His name is Arthur Jr.?" snored Ben and Tom as one.

"No. His name is Aleksander," Thorin corrected taking Mara's hand gently and examining the bruised and broken knuckles. "Your fingers are broken and the skin is in no better shape. This needs to be set and attended to," Thorin said and Mara rolled her eyes.

"I've had plenty of broken limbs before, Thorin you know tha-aaah!" she shouted as he poked her index finger gently.

"You don't have your magic, you can't heal yourself or burst through stone. A healer is what you need."

"Which is at the hospital," David snapped and Mara glared at them both.

"When are the men in my life going to understand I can take care of myself?" she snapped.

"When you stop punching walls," Thorin said and picked her up.

"Hey!" she protested but Thorin refused to let her go, following David and Andy out the door. David was getting ready to signal for a car when there came a laugh.

"Well if it isn't my future in-laws," came a robotic voice. Thorin turned with a dark look and Mara pressed her face into his shoulder, clenching her good hand. Ben froze in the doorway, last one out of the house, and glared with Tom as Fili and Kili took in this new sight. He was in a wheelchair and had dark glittering eyes. His lips never moved but the small screen on his lap let out sound. A wire ran from his temple to the screen and he had an eerie smile on his face. "I see you came out to meet my boy Aleksander."

"We're on our way to the hospital, Arthur," said David in an even tone.

"Has the poor dear fainted? Is that why the fiery spirit is so still in the midnight air?" Arthur said through his screen. Kili couldn't fathom it. "Aleksander! Come here!" he called and a man stepped from the shadows. Kili stared as Fili cursed softly. He was attractive. Any two-bit halfwit could tell you that, but he was also regal. He held himself with all the same pride and strength of Thorin and all the same majesty. "This is your future family. Say hello."