After a while I start to notice that the river has calmed down, and the dwarves paddle along in their barrels with their hands.

"Anything behind us?" Thorin asks and I feel my eyes start to search for him.

"Not that I can see." Balin replies.

"I think we've outrun the orcs." Bofur calls and I let out a sigh of relief.

"Not for long; we've lost the current." Thorin clarifies and I furrow my brow.

"(Name) is half drown." Dwalin calls turning to look at me.

"Make for the shore! Come on, let's go!" Thorin orders and I summon what strength I have left to use my powers to push the barrels to the riverbank. Reaching it they climb out onto a slab of rock jutting out a bit into the river.

"Come on!" Dwalin calls as he helps me out of the water and onto the bank.

When Kili is on the rocks, he falls to his knees in pain from the arrow wound in his thigh; it has been bound with cloth, but blood is seeping through. Bofur looks at him concernedly.

"I'm fine, it's nothing." Kili growls covering his wound up.

I lie on the riverbank and take deep breaths as I try to recover my strength.

"On your feet." I hear Thorin call and I let out an annoyed groan.

"Kili's wounded. His leg needs binding." Fili informs his uncle.

"There's an orc pack on our tail; we keep moving." Thorin decides.

"To where?" I ask through ragged breaths.

"To the mountain; we're so close." Bilbo offers and I roll my eyes. I was in no shape to face a dragon.

"A lake lies between us and that mountain. We have no way to cross it." Balin clarifies.

"So, then we go around." Bilbo offers but the dwarves shake their heads.

"The orcs will run us down, as sure as daylight. We have no weapons to defend ourselves." Dwalin interjects.

"Bind his leg, quickly. You have two minutes." Thorin tells Bofur.

"I am cold... and I am wet." I state staring up at the blue sky as a shiver runs through my body.

"You should have stayed with the elves." Thorin interjects and I feel my anger rise.

"That's what you wanted me to do. I mean since you were going to leave me there after we already discussed that you wouldn't." I reply angrily.

"I only wanted to keep you safe." He adds and I roll my eyes and force myself to sit up.

"Yeah right," I add making his brow furrow. "You've been looking for a place to get rid of me since we met. Don't try to justify your actions now."

Before he has a chance to argue a man sneaks up over the pile of rocks and aims an arrow at Ori. As the dwarves realize a man is there, they jump up, and Dwalin, holding a branch, leaps in front of Ori. He raises the branch and begins to charge the man, but the man shoots his arrow and it embeds itself right in the middle of the branch, between Dwalin's hands. Kili raises a rock to throw, but the man shoots the rock out of his hand too.

"Do it again, and you're dead." The man with dark hair says pulling my attention towards him. Fearing the worst, I push myself to my feet and ready myself for anything.

Balin, who is standing near the edge of the group, sees a barge floating in the river behind the man. He slowly approaches the stranger with his hands held in the air.

"Excuse me, but, uh, you're from Laketown, if I'm not mistaken? That barge over there, it wouldn't be available for hire, by any chance?" Balin asks and I watch closely as the man lowers his bow. He turns and walking back the way he had come he climbs aboard his barge as the dwarves approach.

"What makes you think I will help you?" The dark-haired man asks.

"Those boots have seen better days." Balin says and I look down to see that the man's boots were very worn out. The man slowly begins loading the dwarves' empty barrels into his barge as Balin continues, "As has that coat. No doubt you have some hungry mouths to feed. How many bairns?"

"A boy and two girls." He answers.

"And your wife, I'd imagine she's a beauty." Balin states and I see the sadness fill the man's eyes.

"Aye. She was." He adds and I feel my heart clench and I suddenly see him in a new light.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-" Balin starts his smile fading. He is interrupted by Dwalin whispering loudly to Thorin. "Oh, come on, come on, enough with the niceties."

"What's your hurry?" The man asks

"What's it to you?" Dwalin asks narrowing his eyes at the man.

"I would like to know who you are and what you are doing in these lands." The man inquires as he looks from dwarf to dwarf.

"We are simple merchants from the Blue Mountains journeying to see our kin in the Iron Hills." Balin implies giving him a slight bow.

"Simple merchants, you say?" The dark-haired man inquires making me roll my eyes at the dwarves lie.

"We'll need food, supplies, weapons. Can you help us?" Thorin asks stepping forward.

The man's eyes look at the barrels and examines the various dents and nicks they received during the fight with the orcs.

"I know where these barrels came from." He says.

"What of it?" Thorin questions.

"I don't know what business you had with the elves, but I don't think it ended well. No one enters Laketown but by leave of the Master. All his wealth comes from trade with the Woodland Realm. He will see you in irons before risking the wrath of King Thranduil." He boards his barge and tosses a rope to Balin.

"Offer him more." Thorin mouths to Balin.

"I'll wager there are ways to enter that town unseen." Balin inquires.

"Aye. But for that, you will need a smuggler."

"For which we will pay double." Balin adds causing the man to look at them suspiciously.

After a moment of thought he reluctantly nods and then motions for everyone to climb aboard the barge. He eyes me suspiciously as I follow the dwarves and climb aboard. I give him a forced smile as I move to stand beside Bilbo. I was still a little ticked off at Thorin so I didn't want to talk to him.

A fog settles upon the water as he pushes us from the shoreline and out into the water. Rubbing my shoulders, I wish I could use my powers to warm my body. If I did that however, they would know and they would look at me differently. I didn't want that. So, I just sat here next to Bilbo, my arms wrapped tightly around my middle.

A few moments later I hear Bilbo ask the man's name to learn that it is Bard. Bilbo thanks him for his help in the stead of the dwarves who are on the front of the barge counting their coin to make sure they had enough money to pay him.

"If you do not mind me asking," I hear Bard ask and I turn to see him looking at me. "What are you doing traveling with a group of dwarves?"

"I'm trying to get home." I answer honestly.

"Where do you hail from?" He asks.

"Somewhere very far away." I reply thinking about home and the people there. Surprise fills my body when I realize how long it had been since I thought about Bucky. How was he doing? Did he know I was missing? Did he even care? Now that he had Natasha, he didn't need me anymore. What hurt the most was that Natasha and I used to be really close. But now... I let out a heavy sigh as I grip tightly to my sides.

"I hope you are able to return there safely, um?" Bard replies and I offer him a sad smile as I meet his honey colored eyes.

"(Name), and I hope I am too." I reply glancing back out over the water.

The dwarves are off in their own world as the fog slowly begins to thin revealing the Lonely Mountain. Gloin stops talking when he realizes that all the others have slowly stood up and are looking at something in the distance. He turns to see the mountain and quickly gives the rest of his coin to them.

"Bless my beard. Take it. Take all of it." Gloin says handing Balin a sack of coins he had secretly withheld before. Bilbo coughs and gestures his head toward Bard, who is approaching the dwarves on their end of the barge.

"The money, quick, give it to me." Bard orders impatiently.

"We'll pay you when we get our provisions, but not before." Thorin states making me roll my eyes.

"If you value your freedom, you'll do as I say. There are guards ahead." Bard implies making them look forward to see the rooftops of Laketown in the distance. "Get into the barrels." He orders making me eye the barrels then him.

"I'm not doing that." I state making them stare at me. "I'm human I can pass for a distant relation of some sort." Bard stares at me for a moment not sure how to respond.

"Very well, we will say you are a distant relative of my late wife." Bard says and I nod. He eyes my outfit before continuing. "But they aren't going to buy that with what you are wearing."

"I don't wear dresses." I add furrowing my brow. He clenches his jaw before he pulls his coat off and hands it to me.

"Here, this should help." Taking it from him I eye it suspiciously.

"Thank you," I say as I take the coat and sliding my arms into it am surprised to find how soft it was.

"The rest of you into the barrels." He orders and I pull the coat closed around my body. I glance out of the corner of my eye to see Thorin eyeing me but I ignore him. I was still angry. I start thinking to myself that maybe I should have stayed with the elves in Mirkwood.

When the dwarves are all secure in their barrels, I turn to Bard who had rejoined me at the back of the barge and ask, "What is the plan?" He smirks as he leans forward to whisper in my ear.

"I'm going to fill the barrels with fish."

I let out an involuntary snort and my hand shoots up to cover my mouth. They were going to hate this. Bard's barge is stopped at a dock just outside the city; Bard hops off and speaks to a man. The man looks at me curiously for a moment before he returns to speaking with bard. Bard points back at his barrels while talking to the man. Bard shakes the man's hands and I bite my lips to try to keep from laughing.

All the dwarves in their individual barrels listen anxiously; suddenly, dead fish are poured into the barrels. The dwarves splutter in surprise. I look away as I try to stifle a giggle. When the barrels are full Bard climbs back onto the barge and pushes it away from the dock and toward the city.

Bard poles the barge toward the gate of the city; on deck are the 14 barrels all full of fish, with a dwarf or hobbit inside as well. I hear the dwarves groan and complain in their barrels causing Bard to kick the barrel closest to him.

"Quiet! We're approaching the toll gate." He orders making me stand closer to him worry filling my body.

"Halt! Goods inspection. Papers, please. Oh, it's you, Bard." The gatekeeper calls his tone changing when he sees Bard. Bard brings his barge up to the gatekeeper's office, and the gatekeeper steps out to see him.

"Morning, Percy." Bard replies moving closer to him.

"Anything to declare?" Percy calls.

"Nothing, but that I am cold and tired, and ready for home." Bard replies as he hands the gatekeeper some papers.

"You and me both. And Her?" Percy asks motioning to me.

"A distant relation on my wives' side. She's come to visit the children." Bard clarifies making Percy nod.

As the gatekeeper takes the papers and goes into his office to stamp them, Bard looks around warily. Why was he so worried?

"Here we are. All in order." Percy says as he holds out Bard's papers, but a man, suddenly steps out of the shadows and grabs the papers.

"Not so fast." A man says as he comes into view. He reads Bard's papers, then looks myself and the barrels. "Consignment of empty barrels from the Woodland Realm. Only, they're not empty, are they, Bard?" He tosses Bard's papers to the wind and approaches him, with some of Laketown's soldiers behind him. I notice as Bard tenses in front of me causing me to stand up straight behind him. Thankfully he hadn't noticed me yet.

"If I recall correctly, you're licensed as a bargeman, not a fisherman." The sly man adds as he picks up one of the fish from a barrel and holds it up to Bard. He doesn't see Bombur's eyes looking up from the gap where the fish had been. I gulp down a breath of air hoping he was just dumb enough not to notice. In doing so I unwilling call attention to myself. "Who's this?"

"That's none of your business." Bard replies as he moves to stand in between the man and myself.

"Wrong. It's the Master's business, which makes it my business." He replies his eyes looking me up and down. I pull the jacket tighter as I become uncomfortable.

"Oh, come on, Alfrid, have a heart. People need to eat!" Bard yells out pulling the conversation from me back to the fish.

"These fish are illegal." Alfrid throws the fish he was holding into the water, then commands the soldiers. "Empty the barrels over the side." The soldiers move to comply.

"You heard him. Into the canal. Come on, get a move on." One of the soldier's orders and I feel my heart drop as they begin tipping the barrels over and letting the fish fall into the canal.

"Folk in this town are struggling. Times are hard. Food is scarce." Bard warns moving closer to Alfrid.

"That's not my problem." Alfrid retorts his words full of annoyance.

"And when the people hear the Master is dumping fish back in the lake, when the rioting starts, will it be your problem then?" Bard and Alfrid stare at each other intensely for a few seconds, then finally Alfrid raises his hand to the soldiers.

"Stop." He orders and I feel my body relax as the soldiers stop tipping the barrels over and return to the buildings. "Ever the people's champion, eh, Bard? Protector of the common folk? You might have their favor now, bargeman, but it won't last." Alfrid glances over at me and I recognize the look in his eyes. I glare at him in return prompting him to walk away.

"Raise the gate!" Percy cries and a large portcullis blocking the channel is raised, and Bard begins to pole his barge through. As he passes, Alfrid turns around and shouts to him.

"The Master has his eye on you; you'd do well to remember. We know where you live."

"It's a small town, Alfrid; everyone knows where everyone lives." Bard replies causing a smirk to fill my lips.

As we move through the channel, I look around at the city of Laketown and it looks quite poor and ramshackle. There are many channels of water throughout the town, through which various boats float. Bard poles his barge down the main channel.

Reaching a dock, Bard poles the barge up to rest at it. After looking around, he knocks over one of the barrels, and a dwarf falls out along with a pile of fish. Bard continues knocking over barrels. He reaches for Dwalin's barrel, but Dwalin pokes his head up through the fish.

"Get your hands off me." Dwalin glares making Bard take a step back.

The remaining dwarves and Bilbo struggle out of their barrels, looking greasy and slimy from the fish. I walk over to help them but suddenly catch a whiff of the fishy smell and reach up to cover my nose.

"Dear lord you guys stink." I say causing them to turn and glare at me.

The dock keeper looks on in shock. Bard approaches him and slips him a coin.

"You didn't see them; they were never here. The fish you can have for nothing." He whispers.

"Follow me." Bard calls as he starts to lead us away through the city.

As we stride through Laketown, a young boy with chocolatey hair runs up to Bard calling, "Da! Our house, it's being watched."

Bard looks at Thorin and hatches a plan. As Bard reveals his plan to the dwarves, I glance around at the people of Laketown. My heart went out to them as I saw that they were living in squalor. Who was this Master and why did he apparently live a life of luxury while his people suffered? I bite my tongue as my brow's nit in anger.

"Come along (Name)," Bard calls to me and I turn to see that Thorin and his group have already disappeared.

I follow Bard and his son, as they lead the way to their house. It doesn't take us long but just before Bard enters his house, he tosses an apple to one of the fishermen below.

"You can tell the Master that I'm done for the day." Bard says as he motions me forward into his home. Inside the house, Bard's daughters, rush over to greet their father.

"Da! Where have you been?" The younger of the two asks quickly followed by the elder.

"Father! There you are. I was worried." Both daughters run to their father, and they hug. Bard then hands his bag to the eldest as he turns to his son.

"Here's something to eat. Bain, get them in." He says and I follow the boy down to where we would meet the dwarves. Upon reaching the room I realize that they are about to come in through the toilet and let out a snort. This was going to be hilarious. I quickly pull my cell phone out of my pocket and with a little hope I turn it on to see that it still works. I give out a silent yay to myself as I turn the camera on and aim it towards the toilet.

After looking around, Bain knocks on the wall near the toilet three times. Dwalin's head appears through the toilet, which is open to the water below.

"If you speak of this to anyone, I'll rip your arms off." Dwalin warns and I cover my mouth to keep from laughing. Dwalin raises the seat and begins to pull himself out of the toilet. Bain reaches out to help him, but Dwalin slaps his hand away. "Get off."

"Oh, come now, don't be cross with the boy." I say a bright smile on my face as he lifts himself out of the toilet to stand beside me.

"Says the one who got to walk here normally." Dwalin retorts and I shake my head.

"Are you recording this?" Dwalin asks noticing my phone and I instantly shake my head.

"I would never do that." I reply as I stifle a giggle.

"Up there." Bain says as he points up the stairs, and Dwalin goes up. Bilbo pokes his head up through the toilet, looking flabbergasted, and Bain helps him out. The rest of the dwarves follow and head upstairs.

"Da... why are there dwarves climbing out of our toilet?" Sigrid asks eyeballing them one by one.

"Will they bring us luck?" The younger daughter asks and I swear it was like my soul left my body I wanted to laugh so bad.

Nori emerges from the toilet with some leaves stuck to his hair and then I notice that Thorin is the last to appear and when our eyes meet, I feel my laughter fade and replace itself with anger. I turn off the recording and sliding the phone into my pocket turn and walk upstairs. I might have temporarily forgotten about them leaving me behind but the feelings of anger and abandonment were still there.

As Bard's children hand out blankets and wraps to the dwarves, I make my way over to look out the window as the town below. The dwarves start to talk amongst themselves but I do not listen. My mind is a million miles away. How much longer would this last? How much longer would I be with everyone here?

My eyes move to the mountain. It was properly named as it sat alone amongst the night sky. We were almost there, but I couldn't help the foreboding feeling creeping over me. The dragon weighed heavily on my mind. Thor's stories always made it seem like defeating a dragon was easy; but would that be the case here?

Only time would tell.