"Your father is a little much, don't you think?" I ask Legolas as we walk side by side towards what I believed were the dungeons.

"I do not think you have the right to question his decisions." He replies making me furrow my brow.

"Don't you?" I ask making him stop in his footsteps. "I don't mean to offend you, or him." I add looking up into his face trying to gauge his expression. "I'm not looking to start a fight or add to the feud you already have with the dwarves. I just think that there is more he could have done than to just let the dwarves wander the land homeless and freezing."

"And what would you have done?" He asks his eyes meeting mine. I find myself in awe of their cerulean blue color. I had noticed earlier that Thranduil's eyes were also a radiant shade of blue, close to that of the Tiffany company blue. Was it just his and his father's eyes that were so vibrant? "Why do you stare at me so?"

"Oh," I blink quickly trying to collect myself a hint of pink flushing my cheeks at my embarrassment. "I'm sorry, it's just I've never seen eyes as blue as yours before. I kind of got distracted by their beauty." I watch as he cocks an eyebrow at me and I clear my throat, "Any way, what were you saying?"

"I asked what you would have done, if you had been in my father's position." He repeats folding his arms over his chest.

"I don't know, but I wouldn't have done what he did." I pause as I look up to meet his gaze. "I would have done what I could have to help them at least find shelter or a place to stay."

"What if they wanted more from you than just your help in relocating. What if they expected you to risk the lives of your own kin to reclaim a home that was lost?" Legolas reasons making me bite my tongue.

"My father once said, 'Asgard is not a place, it's a people'; therefore, I think I would have explained to them that no matter where you were, as long as your people are safe, your home and kingdom are safe."

"Your father was a very wise man." Legolas states making you nod.

"That he was." I add as I turn to look away from him. "I fear he would not be very proud of me right now."

"Why do you think that?" He asks turning to face me, concern filling his eyes.

"There are some things I have done that I am not very proud of. Lying to Thorin and the rest of the dwarves being one of them. I don't know, I just don't think I could handle them looking at me like I'm some kind of monster just because I have powers."

"If they look at you like that, then they were never your friends to begin with." He offers making me roll my eyes.

"That's not very helpful." I state causing a smirk to fill his lips.

"I was not trying to be helpful. Just being honest."

"Again, not helpful." Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes and then let it out. Opening them I meet Legolas's gaze and smile. "Thank you,"

"For what?" He asks tilting his head in confusion.

"For being friendly with me." I state making him nod slightly. "I know you are concerned about my powers and I understand why." I take a deep breath. Should I share with him? What's the worst that could happen.

"When I was younger; when my powers first appeared... I couldn't control them. I would catch fire just from losing my temper, freeze the great hall when I was sad, and when I was happy, I caused a giant tree to appear in the courtyard. Even now I still have issues with controlling them when my emotions are all over the place. I promise I will not lose my cool and do anything to hurt your home or its people."

"Thank you, for your promise. I will hold you to it." Legolas adds making me give him a quick nod as I look down at my hands. "How about we start over."

"How so?" I ask looking up at him.

"As friends." He offers making my heart lift in my chest.

"I would love to be your friend. Thank you, Legolas." I unconsciously reach out and wrapping my arms around his middle pull him against me in a hug. He tenses for a moment before his hands rest gently on my shoulders. When I realize what I had done, I quickly pull away my face red from embarrassment.

"Sorry, I got a head of myself." I quickly clear my throat. "Shall we?"

We talked about random things on the way down to the dungeons. It was surprising how easy it was to talk to him. Especially when I didn't have to hide a big part of myself. I told him how beautiful I found his home to be. He asked about mine. It was a little hard to talk about Asgard but I found he listened closely and didn't interrupt.

"Here we are," Legolas calls as he moves slightly out of the way so that I could walk down the stairs in front of him.

"Thorin?" I call out as I start to look into the cells for him.

"There ya are lass," Dwalin calls and I smile as I look over to see him standing in the doorway of a cell across the way.

"Are you alright? They didn't do anything to you, did they?" Fili asks and I hear Legolas scoff behind me obviously offended.

"I'm fine. I actually owe them my gratitude for saving me from the spiders. Of which you all failed to mention."

"They wouldn't have known. We don't make a habit of letting other lands know of our business." Legolas says from behind me and I nod.

"Then I forgive you all." I say my eyes still searching for Thorin. "Where is Thorin?"

"I'm here." He calls out from a few cells down and I see his hand shoot out to let me know where he was. Biting my lip, I move over to his cell and taking his hand hold it tightly as I look for his face. As my eyes meet his I feel tears sting my eyes. "I am glad to see that you are alright."

"I was so scared." I say my voice scratching as I try not to cry.

"I tried to get to you." He speaks his grip tightening on my hand. "But the spiders..."

"I understand." I reply my eyes focused on our joined hands.

I stand there for a moment just relishing in the feeling that being back with Thorin gave me. I felt relieved and even though we were standing in the dungeons; him on one side of the bars and I on the other, I felt that this was where I belonged. Taking a deep breath, I turn to Legolas and giving him a sad smile say in Elvish.

"lothron im dortho na în?" (May I stay with him?) I ask.

"Whui?" (Why?) He asks his eyes narrowed in confusion.

"Im iest na deri an nín gwedeir sí." (I wish to wait for my brother's here.) I answer hopefulness in my eyes.

"No," He replies shaking his head. "You still need to treat your injuries." Legolas motions to my sides and I let out a heavy sigh as I turn back to Thorin.

"I would stay with you..."

"You need to heal first." Thorin finishes and I nod. "I have no doubt that we will be here waiting for you when you are well." I grip tighter to his hands silently wishing I could hug him. I turn to Legolas who meets my gaze then sighs.

"You can see him for just a moment." Legolas says from behind me as he reaches forward to hand me the keys to Thorin's cell. I smile brightly as I reach forward and unlocking the cell hand the keys back to Legolas. "I'll give you some privacy."

"Thank you." I say as I turn from Legolas and walk into Thorin's cell. When we are alone, I bite my lips as the air between us becomes awkward.

"(Name)," Thorin says as he motions over to the cot like bed in his cell. "Would you like to sit?"

"Thank you," I answer as I walk over and sit down, where he quickly joins me.

After another awkward silence I am about to say something when he speaks, "Again, I am sorry I was unable to make it to you."

"Thorin, I understand. Those spiders... those were something truly terrifying."

"But you are part of my company, I promised to keep you safe." He pauses his eyes staring off into the ether. "I almost failed... I almost lost you."

A lump fills my throat making it hard to breathe. Something deep inside me felt like he was feeling the same thing I was and I force a smile.

"But you didn't." I reply as I look down at his hands. "I wasn't about to let you all go into that mountain without me."

"I have been thinking about that. Maybe it's best if you stay behind." He says and my heart clenches. Was I being rejected?

"Why?" I ask suddenly feeling both hurt and angry.

"I do not think I could live if something ever happened to you." He answers his deep steel grey eyes meeting mine.

"I can take care of myself Thorin. I've been doing it for years." I reply as I quickly advert my gaze to the floor. "The spiders were just something I couldn't handle. I don't do spiders. I really, really dislike spiders."

"How do I know you won't be at the mercy of what else may come? There are many creatures of the night here, not just giant spiders." He argues. Furrowing my brow, I pull my hands away from his and standing up walk to the other side of the cell, my eyes focused on the cold wall.

"Thorin, I will not be treated like some fair maiden that needs protecting. I am not some damsel in distress. I'm..." I pause feeling that familiar fear of being rejected and being looked at like a monster filling my head. I couldn't tell him. Not yet. "I can handle myself. I promise you won't have to worry about me."

"I will always worry about you." Thorin interjects as he stands and walking over to me gently grabs my elbow turning me towards him. I look down into his eyes as his free hand reaches up to gently cup my cheek. Closing my eyes, I lean into his touch sighing as the rough calluses scrape against my skin.

"Please don't go where I can't follow." I beg tears stinging my eyes. "I can't take being left behind again."

"(Name)..." He starts only to pull my head down to rest upon his shoulder. "I will not leave you."

My body relaxes as I let out a breath I hadn't been aware I was holding. His hands gently smooth my hair back as he therapeutically starts to repeat the motion. My heart starts to race in my chest and I realize that whether I wanted to or not, I was falling, and falling hard for Thorin. Did he feel the same, or was he just doing all of this out of habit? Was all this just something the dwarves would do or say to make each other feel safe and loved.

"(Name), if we survive all this, I have something I wish to tell you." Thorin declares making me pull away to meet his hungry eyes.

"Why can't you tell me now?" I ask looking down at the ground between us.

"There are circumstances I must attend to first." He answers and I nod. "But I will tell you, and I hope you'll give me an answer."

"Thorin, I will impatiently wait for your words." I add making him smirk.

God, I loved his smile. I felt the urge to kiss him overcome me and I bite my lip as my eyes look down at his own lips. I am about to say more when the sound of someone clearing their throat catches my attention. I turn from Thorin and back toward the cell door to see Legolas standing there and I nod slightly.

"You must go. Make sure they take care of your injuries." Thorin demands and I nod.

"I will be back." I reply making him gently rub my arms.

"(Name), we must get back." Legolas announces and I let out a heavy sigh.

"I'm coming." I call back to him as I quickly lean forward and hug Thorin. His strong arms wrap around my waist giving me a tight squeeze. It was only after I hugged him did I realize that I was about a good head taller than him; so, his head was at the same level as my chest. My face flushes red in embarrassment as I slowly pull away from him. "I will try to get you out of here."

"I have faith in you." He replies and I smile. His hands slowly move from my waist to my hand as I slowly leave him in the cell alone.

"Go get healed up lass," I hear Balin say as I pass him and I offer him a soft smile as I nod.

"I will."