As darkness falls the dwarves, Gandalf, and I wait for Bilbo to return from his scouting. I rub at my ribs as the pain slowly starts to fade. Thankfully Oin said none of them were broken and he gave me a salve to rub on my abdomen. It had been very helpful. I lean against a nearby tree and letting out a heavy sigh wish I would soak in a hot bath. My back stings at the contact of something hard against the sores left from the rope whippings.

I quickly turn back toward the rest of our company who are waiting for Bilbo. When Bilbo returns Dwalin asks him, "How close is the pack?"

"Too close. A couple of leagues, no more, but that is not the worst of it."

"Have the Wargs picked up our scent?"

"Not yet, but they will; we have another problem."

"Did they see you? They saw you!" Gandalf says to Bilbo suddenly worried.

"No, that's not it."

Gandalf smiles and turns to the rest of us as he says, "What did I tell you? Quiet as a mouse. Excellent burglar material."

The dwarves chuckle loudly in appreciation of Bilbo. Bilbo looks exasperated that no one is hearing him out and suddenly hollers, "Will you listen- Will you just listen? I'm trying to tell you there is something else out there."

I furrow my brow as I move closer to the company.

"What form did it take? Like a bear?" Gandalf asks and Bilbo looks at him surprised as he says, "Ye...Y- yes. But bigger, much bigger."

Bofur turns to Gandalf as he says, "You knew about this beast?"

Gandalf turns and walks a few steps away.

"I say we double back." Bofur says turning back to the rest of us.

"And be run down by a pack of Orcs." Thorin says as he shakes his head.

Gandalf suddenly turns back to us and says, "There is a house, it's not far from here, where we might take refuge."

Thorin raises an eyebrow suspiciously as he says, "Whose house? Are they friend or foe?"

"Neither. He will help us, or he will kill us." Gandalf says making the dwarves look at each other in dismay.

"What choice do we have?" I say right as a roar splits the night behind us.

"None." Gandalf replies.

And once again we are running. Running across plains and streams until suddenly an ear-splitting roar sounds nearby making us stop.

"This way, quickly!" Gandalf calls out causing the dwarves to panic. Bombur looks on in shock until I grab him and pull him along after us.

As we exit the forest, we spy a house surrounded by a hedge in the middle of a plain. "To the house! Run!" Gandalf says we run across the plain; Bombur, the fattest dwarf, outruns all the rest of us in his fear. I would have laughed at his sudden swiftness, but the sound of roars draws closer.

They run through a gate in the hedge. "Come on, get inside!" Gandalf cries as he stops and waits for us all to make it through the hedge. We run to the front door of the house; it is closed. Bombur, who reaches the door first, throws himself against it but falls flat on his back when the door doesn't budge. The rest of us catch up and begin throwing ourselves against the door, trying to open it. I look back as a massive bear breaks out from the edge of the forest and runs toward us.

"Open the door!" Gandalf cries and I turn to see it rushing toward us causing me to freeze in my stance.

"Quickly!" I hear Thorin cry out as he pushes through the dwarves pressed against the door, manages to raise the exterior bolt, opening the doors. The dwarves bolt inside, and I feel someone jerk me inside the house as they try to slam the door shut, but the bear has already gotten its head in the door. As the bear roars and tries to push the door open, the dwarves yell and strain to close it. Bilbo pulls out his sword and points it unsteadily at the bear. Gandalf looks on in apparent amusement. The dwarves yell as they press against the door.

"Come on, lads!" Dwalin says and I am instantly pulled from my fear. I run back to the door and along with the dwarves give it a final heave, managing to close the door and drop the bolt across it. We all sigh in shock, fear, and tiredness.

"What is that?" Ori asks as I stare at the door.

"That...is our host." Gandalf says and I instantly feel my head jerk toward him in bewilderment.

"His name is Beorn, and he is a skin-changer." Gandalf says and I look over to see Oin check his hearing trumpet to make sure he has heard Gandalf correctly. "Sometimes he's a huge black bear; sometimes he's a great strong man. The bear is unpredictable, but the man can be reasoned with. However, he is not overly fond of dwarves."

The dwarves look at each other in dismay. Ori peaks out a crack in the door and after a few seconds he says, "He's leaving!" Dori pulls him away from the door as he says, "Come away from there! It's not natural, none of it. It's obvious: he's under some dark spell."

"Don't be a fool; he's under no enchantment but his own. Alright now, get some sleep, all of you. You'll be safe here tonight." Gandalf says causing the dwarves to start spreading out through the house. I stare at the door for a moment before I turn to look at the contents of the house. I walk over to an empty space near a window and smile as I look out over the night sky. Even though we were being stalked by Orcs and hiding from a host who may or may not kill us I felt safe.

I look from the window back to the room to see a little alcove that if I placed a blanket in just the right place, I would have a little privacy. Glancing around I find one sitting on the table and grabbing it make a beeline for the alcove. Reaching it I toss the blanket up over a beam and pulling part of it down I block off the view from the rest of the room. Once I am sure no one can see me I pull off my jacket and set it to the side. Next, I remove my shirt so that I could use my cell phone hologram to see the extent of my back's wounds.

Placing my phone behind me I prop it up against the wall so that it will take a detailed clip of wounds. I turn slowly allowing the phone to take its video before I turn back to it. Sliding my fingers around it, I pull up the video and wince as I see the bruised lines covering my back. It was worse than I thought. There was no way I was going to be able to lay on my back and sleep.

"Well shit." I say aloud as my hands fall into my lap.

Glancing up at the ceiling my mind is suddenly taken back to the last time I had injured my back bad enough that I couldn't lay down. Closing my eyes, I picture that moment in my mind and smile as it plays out.

"Show me your back." Bucky says as he pulls me into a corner after a mission.

"What? No," I reply pulling my arm from his grasp as I go to walk away.

"(Name), I know you're hurt. Either you show me your back, or I'm gonna drag your pretty ass to the med bay."

"I'd like to see you try." I entice making a smirk fills his lips.

"Don't test me doll, show me your back." He replies his face turning serious.

"Buck, can we just drop it? If I go to med bay, they're gonna tell Thor I'm hurt, and he'll freak out."

"Then let me take care of you. Please?" He asks and I let out a heavy sigh and nod as I turn around so he can lift the back of my shirt up. When he does, I hear him wince and I roll my eyes. "Okay, first, I'm gonna need you in my room." I turn back to him with a raised eyebrow and he glares at me. "Not for that pervert. I want to put some medicine on your back."

"And you won't say anything to anyone?"

"I promise," he says leaning forward to gently place a kiss on my lips. "Now hurry up, I'll be there after I hit the med bay."

My eyes open as I feel a tear fall down my cheek. Clearing my throat, I reach for my phone and even though it'll only make me sadder I open my gallery. I tap through the pictures until I find a video of Thor, Loki, and I from my most recent birthday party.

"This is stupid Thor; I don't need to do this." I call out as my brother sits a cake down in front of me.

"How is celebrating our baby sister's birthday stupid?" Loki asks from behind the camera and I chuckle.

"Because I don't even know when my actual birthday is." I answer.

"That matters not. We are going to celebrate this like true Midgardians." Loki replies making Thor smile brightly.

"Exactly. Now little sister, come, blow out your candles." Thor exclaims causing me to roll my eyes.

As they set the obviously handmade cake in front of me a chuckle escapes my lips. I take a second and make a wish before I blow out all my candles. My brothers laugh as they start to wish me happy birthday. Then Loki takes the phone and turning it towards the three of us he takes a picture.

As the video stops, I am left with that picture floating as a hologram in front of me causing tears to fill my eyes. I missed my idiot brothers. I missed how overbearing and protective they were and constantly being surrounded by little groups of brothers in the dwarves made the longing worse. Pulling my knees up to my chest I stare at the picture. They were looking for me, right? Knowing them, they'd never give up until they found me.

Letting out a heavy sigh I reach for my shirt and after slipping it over my shoulders I reach out and turn off my phone. I lean my side against the wall and propping my head up I try my best to get some sleep. "Goodnight brothers."