One That Got Away

Chapter 24

"I need your advice," Thorin said, walking into the kitchen where Andy was washing dishes.

"Towel," she said, pointing and he started drying.

"Mara and I aren't fighting again, if that's what you think." he started. "But she's ignoring me. Not as though she is refusing to acknowledge me, but she's distracted and serious. She keep pouring over books and talking with people on her computer about finding a way back. She is focused completely on getting us back to Erebor."

"So, then, that's good," Andy said evenly.

"Except I'm trying to take her on a date," Thorin groaned. "David said I wasn't allowed to marry her until we had a proper date and since every attempt at a date thus far has ended poorly, I have yet to succeed."

"Mom said you could marry her," Andy pointed out.

"But I want the approval of all of her family. Even you," he said, and Andy laughed.

"You just make her happy, that's all I ask." Andy smiled and Thorin sighed.

"What do I do? She's so focused on getting us back home she doesn't even talk about anything else. How am I supposed to propose when she's in this state?"

"Wait. Be patient. Spend time with her, support her in everything she does, even if it's not romantic. Looking back, she'll appreciate it and be all the more fond of you for it." Andy smiled and Thorin sighed.

"Might as well," he mumbled and went off to find Mara. Andy shook her head.

"I don't care if it's Tauriel's favorite color, I won't do it!" Fili snapped, storming into the kitchen and opening the refrigerator.

"Hello, Boys," Andy said.

"Andy, will you please tell my starstruck brother that bringing two thousand blue flowers into Erebor is a bad idea?" Fili demanded.

"It's for Tauriel." Kili snapped. "She loves flowers and blue, and I love her and it's for the wedding. Andy, it's not insane if it's for the wedding, is it?" he demanded.

"If it's for the bride," she shrugged.

"Aha!" Kili said and Fili snorted, opening a can of soda.

"I still won't wear the tunic."

"You look great in blue! Your eyes are blue."

"The color you showed me isn't blue, it's grey! All gross and dull. It looks like slate."

"It looks like the sky!" The two left bickering about colors and skies. Andy managed to finish the dishes and get started on dinner before the Twins showed up.

"We have a problem," they said as one.

"Mara and Thorin-"

"-are going back to Erebor-"

"-fairly soon and taking the-"

"-princes with them."

"Which means that when-"

"-Mara and Thorin have a kid-"

"-Fili will no longer be heir-"

"-which might cause some issues-"

"-and trouble in the royal-"

"-family." Andy was used to the way they talked, but it took her a minute to catch up.

"Don't worry about it, it's none of your business," she warned, mixing sauces.

"We have to worry."

"She's our sister."

"And more importantly-"

"-t will be our niece-"

"-or nephew-"

"-in another world."

"You do realize once they leave-"

"We'll never see them again?" Andy stilled and looked at the Twins, grim and severe.

"But she'll be happy, right?" Andy said and the Twins exchanged a look. "You told me yourselves that she doesn't belong here, but in Arda-Arda right? So she'll be happy, and she may miss us and we will miss her, but she will be where she belongs. And us too. It's official. After Thanksgiving we're moving again. This time, to Ireland." She beamed at the astonished Twins.

"What?"

"Really?"

"Really-really," Andy nodded and the Twins shared a look. Something seemed to pass between the two and twin grins split across their faces. They squeezed Andy in a hug and went off into the house, speaking in their own language. Andy shook her head, this time with a wide grin, and went back to dinner.

"I thought we agreed to tell everyone at Thanksgiving dinner," David said, strolling in.

"Well, they needed something to look forward to," Andy smiled and pecked his cheek.

"Yeah, yeah," David mumbled peering into the sauce pot. "What is that?"

"Bolognese. It's in that old recipe book," she waved a hand at the open text. "Italian."

"Why is it orange?"

"I may or may not have put in too many carrots," Andy muttered and frowned slightly.

"It'll taste great either way," David assured her and pecked her on the cheek. "Gotta go finish with that travel guy. He's taking me for a fool," he sighed and slumped off. Andy smiled slightly as the snow came down on the window and the sounds of talk and scattered laughs echoed in the house. Truth be told Andy was trying to convince herself just as much as the boys that everything would be okay, that letting Mara leave was the best thing for her, but she was scared. She had only known Mara for a fraction of her life, but the girl was still heavy in her mind. Did Mara really belong in another world? Maybe, maybe not, she couldn't tell or See or anything. But she did know she would support her. No matter what. And with that thought, Andy forced a smile and went on with life.

Dinner was happy and excited, since the Twins couldn't keep their mouths shut and Mara was going on about a lead she may or may nat have found. In between the clamor about Blarney Castle and the First Song, Pythia managed to remind everyone to start packing.

"Mom, we're not even going to start packing for another week," David said in confusion.

"That's what you think," Pythia said with a significant look in his general direction. "But I have a feeling we'll be leaving early, for one reason or another." Which just somehow managed to spoil the mood altogether, didn't it?

Thorin woke up hours later, blinking in the soft glow of Mara's laptop and glanced at her. She was frowning, glaring at the screen and reading quickly, eyes racing back and forth.

"Mara," Thorin called softly and she reached her hand towards him, eyes on her screen. He intertwined his fingers with hers and watched her thinking. A little wrinkle was between her brows and her eyes were narrowed slightly, like she was ready to snap an angry retort at her computer. The blue light cast a ghostly glow over her whole face and she managed to look older than Balin for a moment.

"I just don't understand how we travelled back and forth. It seems like we only exist around one another for a reason, but that just doesn't sound right. If that was the truth then why were Amelia and Beatrix transported as well? And if the elves of Lothlorien are to be believed Poe was there too. So why? Why them and why me? Is it a pattern? Blood lines? Or are we sent to save people? If that was the case then Amelia failed spectacularly and so did Beatrix. And Poe certainly didn't save anyone. So what is the link?" she muttered scrolling down.

"Mara, my love," Thorin said and she looked at him, eyes blinking. "I know this is bothering you, and tomorrow I will help you search, but you need your rest. Come to bed and tomorrow, we'll search for the answer. Together." Mara smiled ashamedly and closed the laptop, banishing the light. She curled up against his chest and sighed in relief.

"What would I do without you?" she mumbled as sleep tugged at them both.

"Let's hope we never find out."