Christine smiled. "We will be honored to join your company, Thorin!" said Christine. "What are you doing, Chris? Have you lost your mind?!" snapped Feiicity. "Felicity, what have I told you about this? If Christine wants to go, she wants to go." said Mary Anne. "But our place is here." said Felicity. "Well, Felicity, you don't have to go if you don't want to. Mary Anne and I could go." said Christine. "That's fine with me." said Felicity. "There is some kinks in your sister that needs to be worked out!" whispered Thorin. "Kinks? What are you saying Thorin Oakenshield?" asked Christine. "She's very adamant of living her life here, when she can live a luxourous life with us, and another bonus as well." said Thorin, trying to drop a hint to Felicity about Fili. "Thorin, I'm not a doofas, you know. I can see where this is leading." said Felicity. "Why are you still refusing Fili?" asked Christine. "Because I'm not ready for a relationship, okay?" asked Felicity. "Stubborn ass." grumbled Mary Anne. "Can you two leave for a few minutes? I like to talk to Christine alone." said Thorin. "Of course." said Mary Anne and Felicity together, and they left the room.
"Christine, for the sake of yourself and all of us, please don't let me catch you harm or attempt to harm yourself again. You really had me worried, we thought we lost you." said Thorin gently, as he placed his hand on Christine's cheek. "But I thought you hated me--that's what I did what I did.." said Christine. "Well it doesn't necessarily mean you have to go off an do that, Chris. And I never really hated you any ways." said Thorin, taking Christine into his arms. Thorin held her in his arms, as they sat in silence. "Just promise me you will never do that again." said Thorin. "I promise, Thorin." said Christine, laying her head upon Thorin's chest. As Thorin held her in his arms, he began to hum a soft tune, at first, and then he started to sing softly. He knew Christine had missed hearing him sing, and he sang softly to her, as he held her. An hour later, a nurse entered. "Miss Bankston you will be released. I got some forms here for you to sign for your discharge." said the nurse. Christine smiled and took the papers, and signed them. "Does that mean she can go home?" asked Thorin. The nurse smiled. "She can go home now." said the nurse, and she left the room. "Go get the girls. Tell them,its back to the homestead!" smiled Christine. Thorin nodded, and he sent for Felicity and Mary Anne.
Later, they returned home. All the dwarves and Bilbo felt delighted to see them that they have returned. Thorin announced to the dwarves that Christine and Mary Anne will be joining them to return to Middle Earth. "What of Felicity? She's staying behind?" asked Balin. "Right now its up in the air with her. She really doesn't know what he wants." said Christine. "Someone needs to convince her. It wouldn't be the same on the road with only two Bankston sisters!" said Mary Anne. "Maybe I should convince her." said Fili. "I really doubt she would listen to you, Fili." said Thorin. "Thorin, if I done a little sweet talking to her, maybe it would work." said FIli. "Oh maybe you could just recite her a sonnet or sing an Ode to her, that might do the trick." joked Mary Anne. Fili grinned. "You know, that isn't a bad idea. Can I borrow your grandmother's harp, girls?" asked Fili. "Of course." smiled Christine. Thorin laughed. He knew that my convince Felicity into joining. "He's pulling one of your stunts!" said Christine, smiling at Thorin. "He takes by it honestly!" grinned Thorin. "You can say that again!" laughed Dwalin.
Fili did all what he could to persuade Felicity into joining the company, but Felicity still remained adamant of not going. Now it frustrated FIli to an extent, he just wanted to give up and not worry about it. Fili came out, feeling very frustrated and annoyed. "Still no go?" asked Christine. "Still no go." said Fili. "We'll just haveto leave her behind then." said Christine. She really hated to say that, but she too, started to feel annoyed with Felicity's stubborn ways. That same night, Christine discussed her discovery on returning to Middle Earth with Thorin and the dwarves. "In order for all of us to return to Middle Earth, is to return the way you all came." said Christine. "So you're saying, it has to be storming really bad in order for another portal to open, so we can go back?" said Thorin. "Yes. And the good thing of this is, we're in Spring, and we get a lot of thunderstorms, very bad ones at that. So here on out, we have to keeo a close eye on the weather." said Christine. "When will the next storm be?" asked Thorin. "I watched the news this morning, its going to be dry all week. But the weather man said by next week, there will be several thunderstorms coming in, so by my calculations, we could leave next week." said Christine. "Good. Well job done, Christine!" smiled Thorin.
