(This is Part 3 of "A Job" and "A Gala"! Read those first to understand what's going on!)

Taking a deep breath, you dialed the number elegantly scrolled on the back of the business card. Thorin watched with bated breath. It had been nearly a week since the gala where you began your seduction of one Samuel Maug, or Smaug as others referred to him. Now it was time to call him and get yourself into a position to properly spy.

"Mr. Mau-I mean, Samuel? It's Y/F/N, from the gala...Yes that's right. Oakenshield's treasure...I-I wanted to see you. I realized that you're right....Thorin doesn't appreciate me. At all." You met Thorin's gaze and he glared at you. You fought to keep the smile off your face. This was what every employee dreamed about. Being able to insult their not-always-so-nice employer and get away with it.

"I can meet you...Oh, really? I'd like that very much...I don't think Erebor Manor is a good place for you to pick me up. How about Bag End?...Yes, Mr. Baggins is a dear friend. He won't breathe a word to Thorin...Thank you, Samuel. Until then." You hung up the phone and let out a sigh. Your knees were practically knocking together and you felt horrible.

"Well done, dear. Put Thorin in his place AND attract Smaug's attention all in one phone call. You're a natural." You glanced over at Thorin. He was staring right at you, prompted Dis to excuse herself. "Do you truly believe that of me? That I don't appreciate you?" Your brows scrunched together. "What? Of course not. I said that for Smaug's benefit." Okay, you were lying just a little bit. You did feel underappreciated, but you certainly weren't going to tell him that. "I need to go change before heading to Bilbo's." You scampered from the room as quickly as possible.

The first little meeting with Smaug went well. You let him compliment and dazzle you. You knew you couldn't just dive in head first with him. He was cautious, albeit cocky. He may have obtained his wealth and power by force, but he was far more wary and on alert about keeping what he'd already gained rather than adding to it. You had to be careful and take your time, something that Thorin found irritating for some reason.

It was several weeks later when you came to realization that these weren't just meetings to vent about your "lover" to Smaug. Somehow, without you realizing it, they had turned into dates. And you were enjoying them. Maybe it was because you'd been attracted to Thorin for so long without so much as a hint of reciprocated feelings and you were ready to move on. Or maybe it was because it had been a while since your last date. You didn't know but you did know that you liked hanging out with Smaug. You would have thought that would change when you saw his true nature.

"Y/N, come here would you, my dear," Smaug beckoned. You were sitting in his library that held more books than you thought you could read in a lifetime. You rose from your seat and joined him. Without a word, he slid a velvet box over to you. You blinked in surprise. "W-What is it?" He simply gestured to the box with a nod of his head. With shaking hands, you opened the small parcel. Inside, sat a ring with a jewel like you'd never seen before.

"S-Samuel, it's gorgeous. But whatever is it for?" you asked, afraid of the answer. It was far too soon in your "relationship" for that. "It is for you, treasure. A gift. A lovely jewel for an even lovelier one." You closed it carefully. "Samuel, it's lovely, but I-I'm not worthy of such a thing." Smaug arched a brow. "Oh, and why not? Is it because you are not who you say you are, Y/N?"

You felt a lump form in your throat. Had you been found out? How?! "I know you've been sent by Oakenshield. He wants you to spy on me." You tried to keep your eyes form widening. "That's ridiculous. Thorin has no idea I'm here. He'd kill us both if he knew." Smaug rose gracefully and beckoned you to follow after him. You did, slowly. If you had been found out, you were a dead woman. Whether by Smaug's hand or Thorin's remained to be seen.

Smaug lead you to a room you'd never been in, although you had indeed seen the person standing in the middle of the room. "Alfrid. You lying snake," you hissed. Smaug placed a warning hand on your shoulder, preventing you from attacking the man. "I don't think he's the lying snake here, Y/N." Smaug turned to Alfrid. "You've served your purpose." You flinched when the gun you didn't know he'd been holding went off and Alfrid fell down dead to the ground. You didn't say anything for a second until Smaug was in front of you.

"So what now? You kill me?" Smaug chuckled. "Kill you? I have told you that you are precious, Y/N. Why should I kill someone I hold so dear?" Your brows furrowed again. "Then what? If I don't bring Thorin back something, I'll die anyway."

"You will not. I shall see to it personally." You took a step back. "What do you want from me, Samuel?" He cocked his head to the side. "Do I frighten you treasure?" You nodded and his smile grew. "It is not you I wish to frighten. It is Oakenshield. I have plans for him and I wish for your help." You started to shake your head.

"Treasure, My Precious Jewel, Oakenshield has been using you from the beginning. You know this. Why do you continue to let him? He cannot harm you under my protection." You looked up at him as your mind began to race. You knew he was at least partially correct. But could you betray Thorin, the man who pulled you out of the life of struggle? "I won't make you decide now, my dear. Take as much time as you need. I only ask that you be honest with me. I do not give second chances lightly and I certainly never give third ones." He took your hand in a surprisingly gentle grip before placing a kiss to the back of it.

"Get your hands off her!" You jumped at the sound of Thorin's voice. Smaug dropped your hand and practically hissed at Thorin. "Oakenshield, once again cropping up where you don't belong." Thorin was aiming his own gun at Smaug. "Y/N, get away from him." You couldn't move. Seeing Thorin and Smaug facing off against one another was something that terrified you.

"Why are you here, Thorin?" you asked. Thorin looked confused for a moment. "Protecting you." You scoffed a little. "You're the one who threw me into the dragon's lair in the first place." Smaug chuckled darkly. "A dragon? Is that what you think of me?" You shushed him and turned your attention back to Thorin. "I've been by his side and supposedly in danger for weeks now. Why now are you deciding that I need protection? Could it be because little Alfrid was also a spy? Only instead of spying on Samuel, he was spying on me? For both of you?"

"He here to make sure you were safe," Thorin insisted, still pointing his gun at Smaug. "Really? Then why is he dead and I'm still alive? Samuel knew. He knew this entire time that I was spying on him and not once had he threatened my life." You stepped in between the two men, still facing Thorin. You heard Smaug lower his gun behind you. Thorin kept his raised.

"Isn't she fabulous, Oakenshield? Worthy of all my estate and every brick of Moria. And of course, Erebor Manor. She is even worthy of a king's jewel, isn't she? A jewel that I have offered her," Smaug hissed from behind you. Thorin growled, but his eyes didn't leave yours. "The Arkenstone is not yours to give! Especially not to a traitor." Your eyes narrowed. "The Arkenstone is MINE! Erebor Manor is MINE! You shall not have them! Move Y/N or so help me I will do what I should have done when I first met you."

You stood your ground while your thoughts bounced. He wasn't kidding. He would shoot you and you knew it. You glanced at Dis who standing behind him. She looked apologetic but also distrustful. So did her sons and Balin. They never saw you as one of them and they wouldn't bat an eye if Thorin shot you right then and there. Anger coursed through you at the thought that you meant nothing to most of them. You felt something cold being pressed into your palm.

"The choice is yours, Treasure. I will not stop you, whatever you decide," Smaug whispered, pressing a kiss to your hair. The weight of the gun your hand was somewhat foreign. Smaug stepped back and Thorin's gun followed him. You stepped between them once again. "You will not hurt him. Not until I know everything!" you demanded. Thorin's gaze hardened again.

"I was wrong. You aren't worthy to be part of my family. You belong with him. You snake in the grass. Betrayer." Thorin looked ready to kill so you did the only thing you could think. You raised the gun in your hand and fired. A loud swear echoed through the room and you looked to see Thorin on the ground, clutching his foot.

"Leave now or next time I aim for your heart...if you even have one," you barked. It only took an instant for the shock to wear off and Thorin's people jumped to get him away from you. "Know this, Thorin Oakenshield. I will not rest until I tear Erebor apart, brick by brick. Everything you hold dear will be taken from you. You have awoken a true dragon and there will be hell to pay."

Dis, Balin, and the others dragged Thorin out of Smaug's manor, spewing curses at you the whole way. You moved to watch from the window as he was pulled into the car and driven away. Smaug came and stood behind you, resting his chin in the crook of your neck. "You truly are a wonder, My Jewel." You turned for a moment and did something you never thought you would. You grabbed his face and kissed him. You poured every last ounce of feeling you had into the kiss before breaking away and looking back out the window. "Just you wait, Samuel. Thorin Oakenshield has no idea what's coming for him." Smaug chuckled as he slipped his ring on one of your fingers. "The Arkenstone is right where it belongs. On the hand of a queen and a true dragon."

(a/n: I'll be honest, when I first started parts 2 and 3, this was NOT the ending I had in mind, but  my fingers and the fic took on a life of their own and this was the result!)