Bilba sighed and dragged her eyes away from Erebor.

She was being pathetic.

So much for grand gestures and declarations of being better than her mother.

"Where's Fili?"

"Still yelling at Thranduil last I saw," Kili replied. He pulled away from her and frowned. "We need to work on getting you away from here." His eyes flickered toward the mountain, narrowed, and Bilba knew he was thinking the same thing. Thorin must know about the oncoming army yet he seemed perfectly willing to let her, Fili and Kili stay in the camps.

For the first time the tiniest seed of doubt lodged itself firmly in her heart. She'd been hanging on to Fili's and Kili's insistence that Thorin would come around, that he just needed to cool down or just needed a shock and he'd recover and realize what he'd done.

He'd had time to cool now and the news of an army of orcs was a shock by any definition.

What if he'd never been sick at all? What if it hadn't been the ring?

What if it had just been Thorin?

Kili shifted beside her suddenly, breaking into her train of thought. "Come on," he said. He slid off the crate and pulled her after him. "If we can't go back inside Erebor the second safest place is Mirkwood."

"Mirkwood?" Bilba asked in surprise. "Are you forgetting the giant spiders?"

He smiled. "We'll just have to be sure to avoid those," he said flippantly. "It'll be fine."

Bilba rolled her eyes at him but found herself smiling just the same. It was one of the things she loved about Kili. He was always so optimistic and carefree. No matter what they faced he had a smile on his face and confidence in his step.

"Alright," she said. He crooked an arm, exaggerating his gallantry, and she laughed and slid a hand around his bicep, lightly grabbing his arm with her other hand as well.

They walked through the camp together, sidestepping rushing figures, silent in face of the panic and noise of preparation.

"Will Dain arrive in time?" Bilba asked as they sidestepped a pile of boxes, many turned over on their sides and spilling their contents. The camp was large and had been set up to face down the dwarves, and any reinforcements they might bring, inside the mountain. It would take days to reconfigure it to face an army coming from behind them.

Kili nodded. "He should arrive in about two days. The orcs will arrive about two days after that." He frowned, considering. "I was wondering...what if we sent word to Thorin about your--" he waved a hand in the general direction of her stomach. "Maybe it would get him to allow you inside Erebor at least?"

Bilba felt her gut clench with dread. "I don't know," she whispered. "With the way he's acting--" she chewed on her lower lip, "he declared me a traitor and banished all three of us and he's angry enough that he doesn't care if we're at risk dying in a battle. How would he react if he found out I was carrying his sons?" She stopped and looked at him. "Would it reach him? Maybe. Or maybe he'd throw me in a dungeon until I had them, take them from me and cast me out of the mountain."

Kili blanched, actually jerking his head back as though struck. "I don't think--"

"The Thorin we know would never do that," Bilba said. "I don't know about this one though." She turned her eyes to the mountain, looming over them. The clouds had lowered until they nearly touched the peak and the darkness of the day cast it in shadow, making the lifeless rock appear menacing. "Thorin is a king," Bilba continued, never taking her eyes off the last kingdom of the dwarves. "What chance would I possibly have against him if he decided to take his children?"

"He wouldn't dare," Kili insisted. "Fili and I would stop him."

"You've been banished the same as I have," Bilba replied. "By what authority would you stop him?"

Kili's eyes widened and he stumbled for words. "No one would stand for it," he said, halfheartedly. He frowned suddenly, "Wait, how did you know Fili and I were banished?"

"That's what you were talking about before we left, wasn't it?" Bilba said, "Thorin told Fili if you and he left the mountain with me then you would be banished too, right?" When Kili gave no answer she nodded. "It seemed like something he would do. The him that's in there now that is."

Kili swallowed. So much for his and Fili's ability to hide things from her. "Even so," he repeated. "No one would stand for it."

Bilba gave him a patient look. "They stood well enough for us being banished. They're standing for us remaining out here now." The words twisted in her gut as she spoke them. She'd believed herself to be a part of the Company. They'd become her family and she, foolishly, had thought they felt the same.

Though a large part of her still stubbornly believed it was all just a misunderstanding, that any minute now they would come for her and the boys, another part was informing her she'd been a fool, misguided, deluded...wrong.

And as much as it grieved her, as much as she fought to ignore it, that part of her spirit was steadily growing louder with every passing second.

They had reached Thranduil's tent and she felt a flash of relief that she could set the conversation aside for the moment.

The guard stationed outside the entrance to the tent was the same one who'd grabbed her. He immediately stepped forward and dropped to one knee, his hands coming out to lay over hers where she held Kili's arm.

"My Lady," the elf said, his eyes locked on her, "I wanted to offer my deepest apologies. I had no idea--"

"I know you didn't," Bilba said, "so there's nothing to forgive. No harm was done."

"Aside from the part where you manhandled her at all," Kili muttered, his eyes dark.

Bilba not-so-subtly stomped on his foot, ignored his yelp and kept grinning. They were about to ask the elves for refuge after all, best to be nice.

The relief on the elf's face was almost palpable. He stood up and nodded toward the tent. "Your brother is still in there," he addressed Kili, "as are Gandalf, Glorfindel and the human who traveled with them."

Bilba felt her spirits rise. "Gandalf and Glorfindel are here?" She let go of Kili's arm and rushed past them into the tent.

Inside she found Fili leaning against a support pole near the entrance, arms folded over his chest and an annoyed look on his face.

Thranduil stood in the center in a deep discussion with Gandalf. Next to him, as promised, stood Glorfindel and next to him...Bilba felt her eyes widen as she recognized the young man she'd spoken to back in Rivendell, now so far in the past as to be another lifetime.

She started to step forward but a hand closed gently around her bicep and pulled her back. She turned to see Fili studying her, the anger gone from his face to be replaced with a mixture of shock and concern. His eyes, she noticed, were locked not on her face but on her hair, or what was left of it.

"Are you alright?" His eyes were locked on her head. "Your hair--who?"

"I did it to myself." Bilba ran a hand over it self-consciously. She'd cut it in a moment of depression and pique, desperate to give create some distance from the events of the previous hours, even if it was a false distance. Now she gave Fili a tight nod and smiled. "I'm fine," she said, keeping her voice low.

He opened his mouth to say more but, before he could, Gandalf's voice broke out behind her. "Bilba Baggins. There you are!"

Bilba turned to see Gandalf headed toward her. An intense happiness flooded her and, before she knew it, she'd run forward to meet him. He dropped to his knees just before she reached him so she was able to throw her arms around him and bury her face against his neck, inhaling the scent of pipe tobacco and an earthy tone that reminded her so strongly of the Shire it brought a pang of home sickness. His arms wrapped around her and she sighed, relaxing against him. As much as she'd lashed out at him in the past, a fact she deeply regretted, she'd never doubted his friendship.

She drew back, locking her eyes on his. "Gandalf, something is wrong with Thorin. Please, can you help him?"

He sighed and she saw in his weathered features a deep exhaustion she'd never noticed before. It unsettled her, creating a roiling sense of anxiety in her gut that wouldn't calm.

"I shall do my best," he said simply. Bilba studied him and knew, without a doubt, there was so, so much more to say. So much more looming on the horizon, so much more than just a possibly mad King but still he promised her.

Because Gandalf was a healer. He wanted to save everyone, help everyone, even when it wasn't physically possible.

Bilba threw her arms around him again, clinging to him as though she could just stay there in peace and not have to face all she knew lay before her.

Footsteps sounded and she felt a presence near her. She lifted her head to see...Aragorn, that was his name she remembered, kneeling before her. He looked travel weary and worn but there was a quiet strength to him, a bearing that, oddly enough, reminded her of Thorin.

"My Lady," he said, dipping his head slightly in greeting. He grinned at her. "I see you're trying out a new look."

Bilba smiled back. "Haven't you heard?" She ran a hand over the short strands on her head. "It's all the rage nowadays, the new trend."

"Indeed," he mused. "I'll have to mention that to a certain young woman I know the next time I see her. I'm sure she'll be quite interested."

Bilba pulled away completely from Gandalf, who hadn't given any comment on her hair though she didn't doubt he'd noticed, and curtsied, thinking how ridiculous she must look in her oversized coat and dress, hair shorn to mere stubble on her head. "My Lord Aragorn," she said formally, "it's a pleasure to meet you again. If I may ask, what brings you here?"

"I came with Gandalf," he explained. "I found out what your quest was and wanted to see what had happened to the small Hobbit lass I'd met. On the way we met Glorfindel returning to warn us of the movements of Mordor. He turned with us and we came together."

"Well," Bilba said, "the circumstances may not be the best but it is a pleasure to meet you again."

"The pleasure is all mine," he replied instantly. "I wanted to let you know I delivered your letters safely to the Shire as you requested."

It took a second for Bilba to remember what he was talking about. It seemed ages ago she'd written those letters. In fact the Shire itself seemed a lifetime ago. Looking back on it was almost as though she were viewing someone else's life.

She tried to remember what she'd written and grinned ruefully. Though the words were murky in her mind she had no doubt they'd been full of naivety and foolish optimism, two descriptors she'd put long since set aside and with no regret. "I imagine none of the letters went over that well did they?"

He returned her smile. "Not entirely, though Seth and Priscilla seemed nothing but worried about you."

Bilba nodded. She owed them both an apology. They'd effectively taken over raising her after her parent's deaths. She'd grown up alongside their sons, eaten at their table and leaving them without a word of explanation had been both cruel and immature.

She just hoped she'd have a chance to make it up to them.

Aragorn reached in his pack and came out with something. "After meeting your grandfather," he said slowly, "I wasn't entirely comfortable with leaving your property with him." He frowned and reached out to place her parent's rings and Bungo's doll into her hands. "I hope I did the right thing. I feared if I gave them to the Thain you might well never see them again."

"That angry, was he?" Bilba asked. He didn't answer. She didn't need him too. She studied the rings and the small doll, running a hand lightly over the cool metal and thin fabric before tucking them carefully into a pocket of the coat. "Thank you," she said, lifting her eyes to Aragorn. "I appreciate it."

He nodded.

A hand landed lightly on her head, running over the shorn strands. Bilba looked up to see Glorfindel standing over her. "I see you took what I said to the extreme," he remarked dryly."

"I've been told I'm a pretty extreme person," Bilba responded. "And you never know when you might run into a Balrog with a hair fetish."

Glorfindel snorted in amusement.

Someone cleared their throat and Bilba saw Fili step up next to her. Kili was next to him and Bilba imagined he'd been filling his brother in on everything he'd missed since Kili had left the tent. She managed to catch Fili's eye.

Please don't tell. It was pretty obvious Gandalf, Aragorn and Glorfindel didn't know about her pregnancy and she'd prefer to keep it that way. The fewer that knew the longer it would take to get to Thorin. She had no doubt he would find out eventually but she hoped it might be after he'd recovered...or after her sons were born and grown enough to look after themselves.

Her stomach twisted again at the thought. It would mean she'd been left behind by her family...again.

Fili gave her a dry look in response. As if I would.

Bilba smiled. Thank you.

He gave a lopsided grin and refocused on Thranduil who'd been standing back while the others greeted Bilba. He raised an eyebrow at her now. "You seem to have made some rather...interesting friends along your journey."

Bilba shrugged. Gandalf had already been her friend. Aragorn she'd met by chance and Thranduil already knew she'd met Glorfindel.

"We wanted to ask if she could be escorted to Mirkwood," Fili cut in, drawing his attention. "It won't be safe for her here once the army arrives."

Gandalf frowned. "Why can't she go to Erebor?"

Fili sighed. "It's as I was telling you. Uncle is not himself. He's banished the three of us and, even with news of the army advancing, shows no sign of relenting."

Thranduil said something unflattering under his breath and Bilba barely kept herself from responding. The last thing she needed was to annoy the elf and miss out on her chances of getting to safety. She had her unborn children to think about. She couldn't afford to be as reckless as she'd once been.

There was a muscle jumping in Fili's jaw and Kili's eyes were narrowed but they too managed to refrain from saying anything.

Gandalf muttered something. "We don't have time for this. If you'll excuse me I'll go try to knock some sense into the King under the Mountain's head, before it's too late."

With that he stormed out. Bilba's heart swelled with hope at the sight. Surely Gandalf would reach him and it would be alright.

Thranduil spoke up again. "I will send my own escort with you, to ensure your safe passage to my palace."

It was a surprising gesture. It occurred to her that he hadn't mentioned her pregnancy either, though he owed her nothing. Bilba nodded at him. Thranduil might be many things but he wasn't a monster and she felt her estimation of him rise.

"Thank you," she said, "I--"

A commotion arose outside the tent and, a moment later, Bard stormed in. Bilba was startled at the change in the man's appearance since she'd last seen him a short time earlier. His hair was wild and in disarray, his weapons appeared hastily slung on and he was out of breath and harried.

"Your Majesty," he addressed Thranduil, "I need you to take control of the men I brought with me from Lake-town."

Aragorn frowned from where he'd been standing near Glorfindel."The men follow you, Lord Bard, from what I hear. Why would you turn over your leadership now?"

"The route the orcs take will send them straight through Lake-town and it is unlikely anyone there knows they are coming," Bard said. He took a deep breath. "My children are among them. I have to go. I have to get my children and warn the rest of the town."

Bilba tensed, her mind going to the quiet little girl who'd crawled through her window and the older girl who'd stormed a house full of dwarves to save her.

Thranduil frowned. "You cannot go. I have enough with my own army. I cannot be in command of yours as well."

Bard looked panicked. He turned toward Aragorn. "Then you can do it. Please. I must get my children and return."

Aragorn was shaking his head, his expression grim. "Your men don't know me and I don't know them. I also don't know this area. There's no way I could possibly lead them effectively or prepare them for the battle. They would be left at a great disadvantage."

Glorfindel spoke before Bard could face him. "I'm planning on leaving immediately. If the Witch King of Angmar truly leads the army I'm the best chance at facing him for the moment."

Bilba started at that news. He planned to go personally take on the Witch King? She had no chance to further contemplate it as she saw despair wash over Bard's face and felt her heart go out to him. He must feel torn in two. On the one hand the men who were there had come on his account and under his leadership. On the other hand, however, his children were alone and without protection with an army of orcs advancing on them.

"I'll go." The words came out before she'd fully thought them out but they were more than loud enough to instantly have the attention of everyone in the tent.

"No," Fili said instantly. "Bilba...no."

"It takes two days to get to Lake-town, we'll have plenty of time," Bilba argued, turning to face him. "the orcs won't arrive for four days. We should be able to get there with no problem, warn the others, get Bard's children and, if we hurry, cut straight across into Mirkwood long before the orcs arrive."

"I cannot in good conscience ask you to go," Bard said, his voice hoarse, "not when--"

"You're not asking," Bilba cut him off, a warning in her eyes. "I'm offering. It's the best strategy and you know it."

"I'll go with her," Aragorn said suddenly. "You have no need of me immediately. I can see her and the residents of Lake-town safely to the edge of Mirkwood and return in time for the battle."

"I'll go too," Kili said instantly. He grinned at her. "After all, I promised didn't I?"

Fili rolled his eyes. "Mahal, you're both insane." He sighed. "Fine, but I'm going as well."

Bilba looked at Bard again. "See? I'll have plenty of protection. We'll save the people in your town and then seek safety in Mirkwood."

"What about your illness?" Bard said. "You could barely walk in Lake-town the last time."

Bilba shrugged. "I'll wait on the shore while Fili and Kili go in."

Bard studied her, clearly struggling. As he spoke Aragorn moved quietly until he stood behind Bilba. Fili and Kili flanked her, leaving her in a protected semi-circle.

"Thank you," Bard said finally. "Thank you." He dropped to one knee in front of her and grabbed her hands. "May Eru himself speed you on your way."

Bilba nodded. She took a deep breath, let it out and then turned to face Fili, Kili and Aragorn.

"Alright. If this is going to work we better leave now."