Bring Me With Her

Where She Belongs

It took five days for Thorin to fully recover. He was grateful when Talia allowed him to finally get out of bed after two days, though she still kept close watch on him. Now, he was taking a slow stroll down the street, as Talia had suggested that he get some fresh air while she gave Siggy a bath in the backyard.

It was just like when he was affected by the dragon sickness. Even when he was a complete stubborn arse to her, she'd never left his side. She always made sure he was well-fed, getting rest, and receiving proper medication. Talia did everything in her power to make sure he was comfortable. Thorin had to admit that he did enjoy that part of being sick; when Talia would lay him back against her, and hold him in her arms while he napped.

At first, he was afraid that he would crush her slender frame, but Talia assured him that it was nothing she couldn't handle for the couple of hours he slept. Thorin had scolded himself that night and every night since for the chill that he felt in his body when lying back into the pillows. He tried everything to get the feeling to ebb away, from curling into the blankets to putting on his furs. It was no use, and he couldn't deny it. He missed her. It only made him even more anxious for when he wouldn't have to worry about longing for her at night, when he could keep her in his bed for however long he desired.

Thorin took in his surroundings, and realized that he and Talia had never gone this far when they would take their walks. He wasn't worried though, he'd been going in a straight direction the entire time, and figured that he was only a couple of miles from Talia's house. The Dwarf king looked to his side, and came to a sight that he only knew too well.

He had never seen a Terran graveyard before, but as he walked among the tombstones, he recalled the catacombs where his ancestors were buried, and the numerous funeral pyres that were built after the Battle of Azanulbizar...his brother being among them. Thorin swallowed the sting of pain the way he always had, and continued to look. It wasn't long before a familiar figure was standing in front of a stone not too far from him.

Thorin stopped before Howard could hear him coming. He took a few careful steps forward to find that he was talking...as if he were having a conversation with someone. "I like to think that I'm lookin pretty good for being thirty-one. I imagine that if you were here, you'd be bald by now, and that's why God decided to take you that early, so no one would have to look at that sight! The girls would be running for the hills! What? No snippy comeback, Russo? Now that's not like you!" he joked.

Thorin furrowed his eyebrows at that, and he looked to the side to see the stone Howard was looking down at, and his breath hitched in his throat when he saw the name engraved in it. James Angelo Russo. Jimmy. Talia's brother.

"Anyways, I know it's been awhile since I've been here, so I thought I'd give you an update. Bailey's still as beautiful as ever, even though her tongue can give even your sister a run for her money sometimes. We've, ah...we've thought about maybe having another baby. Speaking of, you wouldn't believe how big Ethan's gotten. Three years old, and he's practically a little man!" he laughed. "And he loves Talia! She is hands down his favorite babysitter!

"I've, ah, I've often thought about what kind of a dad you would've been. You were so good with Talia growing up, I always assumed you would've been a master at it, and I would've been the one following in your footsteps... Who would've guessed that I'd never have my best man at my wedding and...that I'd never introduce him to my son." he choked.

Thorin widened his eyes. Talia had never told him how she met Howard, or how she came to be friends with someone much older than her. He...he was Jimmy's best friend. That was when the final piece of the puzzle clicked. No wonder he and Howard had so many differences...he was trying to protect Talia...because her brother wasn't here to do that anymore. She was the last piece of Jimmy that he had left. And the way Howard saw it...Thorin was here to take Talia away from him.