The moment I opened my eyes I wished I hadn't. A massive bear charged in my direction, its gaping maw revealing a mouthful of razor-sharp teeth. Fili and Kili were carrying me on a makeshift stretcher, and we were sprinting across a grassy field.

"What a time to wake up, Shaft Killer." Kili panted.

The bear's claws tore up the ground, clods of dirt flying in its wake. It was quickly gaining ground on us.

I had no idea where I was or how I'd gotten here. The last thing I remembered was falling into a mineshaft, but this wasn't the time to ask questions. Not with a massive animal trying to kill us.

I swallowed a scream and gripped the sides of the stretcher in a death grip. I dimly noticed the splint securing my right wrist. "We're supposed to play dead!" I bit out.

Kili shot her an incredulous look. "What would that accomplish?"

Nothing. I ground my teeth in frustration. Not now that the bear had marked us as prey. Son of a bitch. We were in for it now. Bears presented one of the greatest dangers to humans in the wilderness.

This one would rip us to shreds if it caught us. Figures I'd survive up to this point only to become bear chow.

Bombur outstripped Kili and Fili quickly reaching the head of the group. I wondered if his massive belly was made of air because it seemed impossible someone that large could move so quickly.

I fumbled for my coat pocket, relieved to find the mace still there. If the bear reached us, I'd spray it in the face!

Up ahead there was a house ensconced in a natural bower created by a cluster of trees and bushes. The Company sprinted through the gates into the courtyard and slammed against a massive set of oak doors at the front of the cottage. Bits of thatch drifted down from the impact.

"Open them!" One of the dwarves shouted frantically.

The bear charged into the yard and roared viciously.

Thorin shoved through the cluster of dwarves and lifted the cross bar, kicking the doors open with his boot. They all scrambled inside just as the bear crashed into the doors with the force of a battering ram.

The dwarves lurched backwards, gripping the edges of the door as the bear tried to force its head through.

Its paw swiped at Dwalin and the dwarf leapt back to avoid being impaled. He hefted his ax and slashed at the appendage.

The bear snarled, withdrawing its paw and attacked again.

"Close it!" Kili shouted, lowering my stretcher to the ground. He drew his own sword and advanced on the bear.

I glanced around frantically for a weapon; a fire poker, a plank of wood, anything to defend myself with. Something told me the mace wouldn't be enough to ward off this bear. It was too pissed off.

The cottage was spotless with scented rushes lined neatly across the floor of the foyer. I tried to get up to search another room for a makeshift weapon but found my legs fast asleep. Bilbo backed up toward me, his eyes wide with fear.

Thorin struck the bear across the nose with the flat of his blade. It recoiled with a snarl. "Hurry up!"

The rest of the Company plowed into the door, forcing the bear to retract its head, and slammed the crossbar in place.

The only sound in the cottage was the heavy breathing of the dwarves and Bilbo.

"Who...was...that?" Fili wheezed, hands on his knees.

Gandalf leaned heavily on his staff, a rueful smile curving his thin lips. "That was our host."

The dwarves gaped at him in stunned disbelief.

I shook my head and winced when a sharp pain stabbed the back of my skull. Reaching up I discovered a considerable goose egg. Dried blood flaked off on my fingertips. I rubbed them together grimacing. "Will someone please tell me what's going on?"

At the sound of my voice fifteen heads swerved in my direction. Everyone wore varying surprised and elated expressions as they looked at me, except for Fili and Kili.

"You're awake!" Bilbo exclaimed and enveloped me in an enthusiastic hug.

I laughed, confused by his excitement and patted him awkwardly on the back.

"Truly, happy news." Thorin softly. "We are glad to have you with us once more, milady."

My heart fluttered at the gentle look in his eyes. He'd been looking at me like that more and more. I didn't know what to think. Or feel.

A painful cramp seized my left calve, breaking our gaze. I hissed sharply and grabbed my leg to massage it. Jeez, I was falling apart! "Ok, time to fill me in on what I missed."

OoO

The company sat around the massive butcher style table. I guzzled a tankard of water while the dwarves filled me in on their harrowing journey through the goblin tunnels and their subsequent ambush from an orc pack. Bilbo refilled the glass from a pitcher he'd found on the dining table.

The sandpaper taste fled my mouth only after I downed half the water pitcher. My stomach ballooned uncomfortably from all the liquid but already I felt less dehydrated. "I was out for two and a half days?" I shook my head. "I can't believe all that happened."

Goblins, orcs, eagles. It all happened just like in the story. Which meant...My gaze sharpened on Bilbo.

The hobbit had found the One Ring!

I was torn between amazement and horror. My eyes dropped to his coat pocket. Was it there? The little circle of metal that caused such death and destruction.

Humans are easily corrupted. Boromir was taken in by the ring almost as soon as his eyes laid on it.

Knowing the ring was here I was surprised to find myself unaffected. Is it because I'm from another world? Or is there some other reason for my resistance?

Perhaps, it's because of all the trouble I knew the ring caused that I remained free from its lure.

I shrugged. In any event, the ring would not be a problem for several decades. If for some reason I ended up stuck here permanently, well, I was in my thirties. I'd be dead before Frodo ever departed the Shire with the ring. There was some morbid comfort in that.

Oin recrafted a splint for my broken wrist, acquiring the materials from somewhere in the cottage. I winced as he fastened it securely into place.

Needing a distraction from the pain, I glanced at Gandalf. "You should have had the eagles stick around. They could've flown us straight to the mountain."

"That's actually a fair point." Dwalin grumbled.

The other dwarves nodded.

We all looked at the wizard for an explanation.

Gandalf huffed. "The eagles are free spirits. I may ask for their aid, but I do not command them."

"Then what use are they?" Dwalin muttered. 

"Enough!" The wizard rose shaking out his billowing sleeves. "I suggest well all get some rest. We will need it when Beorn returns to his human form."

Fortunately, everyone was too exhausted to demand more of an explanation from Gandalf. I curled up on a bit of floor between Bilbo and Kili, using my arm as a pillow. Soon a chorus of dwarven snores filled the cottage.

I waited for my eyelids to droop. Instead, I lay there wide awake my mind spinning with everything that had happened. I rolled onto my back and stared up at the rafters. Things were getting more serious. Next would be Mirkwood and giant spiders.

I shivered. I hated spiders.

After another hour of shuffling through the upcoming points of the Hobbit I gave up on sleep and crawled out from beneath my blanket. It was warm in the cabin from the fire Fili and Kili built in the fireplace. I shed my jacket, folding it carefully into a neat bundle.

I noticed it had a slight tear on the left cuff but had so far survived the journey well. Hooray, for modern durability. This coat was one my last ties to home and I didn't want to lose it.

"Can't sleep?" Thorin's voice drifted out of the dark and circled around me like a lasso.

I stiffened, my back going poker straight. "No."

Thorin sat in a chair beside the fire, long slender pipe clutched in his fingers. The scent of tobacco smoke curled up from the bowl. "Would you care for a cup of tea?"

Unlike the others, the dwarf king favored tobacco over marijuana. I was tempted to commandeer Bilbo's pipe for a little while and indulge, though I wasn't much of a smoker.

Thorin regarded me with faint amusement when I didn't answer right away. "Well?"

"Sure." I joined him, plunking down in the second armchair. "I distinctly remember you saying you didn't like tea."

Dwarves preferred ale and wine from what I'd witnessed.

"True, but I am not in the mood for something more bracing." Thorin admitted, pulling another drag on his pipe.

I jiggled my legs, nervous. This is the first time we'd been alone since waking beside each other in Rivendell. Privacy was scarce when on the road with a baker's dozen of dwarves, a hobbit, and a wizard.

It had the makings of a bad barroom joke.

The shrill whistle of the kettle pulled Thorin out of his chair, giving me time to regain my composure. I sucked in a deep breath. Get a grip, girl. This is Thorin. Your friend. There's no reason to be nervous.

I accepted a cup of tea and brought it up to my nose, inhaling the gentle chamomile fragrance. "Beorn must be well stocked." I commented, curling my fingers around the cup handle. "I haven't had decent tea since Rivendell."

A cloud drifted over Thorin's face at the mention of the elf city.

I rolled my eyes. Would he ever get over his racism?

The dwarf king changed the subject. "How are you faring?"

I rested my head against the back of the chair. "My head? Oin gave me some willow bark. It's helped with the pain a little."

Thorin's jaw clenched. "Forgive me, tis my fault you suffered injury."

Now, his reticence made more sense. I smiled at him. "How do you figure? You didn't shove me into that hole."

"No, but I should have taken more care. Were I not so weary, I would have noticed the trap laid out for us." Thorin confessed, guilt twisting his lips. He sucked in an angry huff of his pipe; his brows furrowed in a glower. "I am sorry, Adelaide."

"Don't be. I knew this quest was risky when I agreed to come along." I was as much to blame as anyone here.

Thorin hunched forward, resting an elbow on his knees. "You are not a warrior. Tis not your burden to bear."

I disagreed. I was responsible for myself no matter what Thorin believed. A burden to bear? His words hurt though I know he meant no offense by them. With my good hand I set my tea on the arm of the chair. "I suppose we'll have to agree to disagree."

An awkward silence descended over us.

The wood popped in the fireplace sending up sparks. Thorin prodded the log with a poker and the middle collapsed in a pile of ash. It was impossible to know what he was thinking. His handsome features could have been carved from stone.

I sipped my tea, the warmth settling comfortably in my middle.

After a minute, Thorin curled his fist on the armrest and broke the détente. "Gandalf is right about one thing." He rose from the chair. "We will fare better confronting our host if we are rested."

I finished my tea and placed the empty cup on the kitchen table. Thorin's hand covered mine, startling me.

I felt my eyes widen as I looked at him. He was standing close. Too close. "What is it?"

He looked on the verge of saying something then pulled back.

My fingers curled on the table's rough surface, suddenly painfully aware of the absence of his own hand.

Thorin turned to leave. "Good eve, milady."

I frowned after him, confused by his hot and cold behavior. Its as if Thorin himself did not know what he wanted.

To be fair, neither did I.