A/N: I'll apologize in advance.

This is the part I was writing the other night when I was being tortured for four and a half hours

Kali's sword was abandoned, as was her bow and quiver of arrows. She threw everything off that was of no use anymore, save for one small longsword at her side. Her boots slid on the cracked ice, sloshing through the cold water that layered atop it. There was even still an arrow protruding from her collarbone but the only thing in her mind that pushed through the mist was that of Thorin, "Thorin...."

Kali dropped to her knees next to him, tears brimming her eyes. There was a large cut across his forehead, which was the worst of his facial injuries, and a small gash in his lip. Blood splattered his temple and cheeks, matting in his scruff, "Kali..." Thorin's breathing was laboured and he coughed between words.

"Sh-sh," Kali was shaking with fear, "Thorin..." what could you say to someone who'd hated you all your life? Someone who'd wanted nothing to do with you up until moments before joining a battle?

It was as if he could read her body language. Thorin rapidly searched for her hand and Kali gave him both hers, "Kali-"

Kali shushed him, her voice shaking, "Save your breath, Thorin."

He coughed, spitting up some blood, "No. You should never have been here- Never have come back..." there was a long pause where Thorin could only attempt to catch his breath, "What were you thinking-"

"I wasn't thinking," Kali brought up her right hand, her bruised and bloodied right hand, to swipe at her eyes, sniffling slightly, "I never think you should know this. I would follow you blindly through anything."

Her attempt at a joke brought a small smile to Thorin's lips, "You stupid dwarrowdam... I've broken my promise to Nituri," through his darkening vision, her saw Kali's brow knit, "I promised to keep you safe."

A tear slid down Kali's cheek, creating a clean trail through the grime, "I made the same promise for you..." Leave it to mother to force us to protect each other.

Thorin coughed through what Kali thought was a snort, "You would have made a fine wife for Kili..."

Kali caught a sob in her throat before it could escape. Anyone who saw her cry would not see her for a very long time and she was not planning on allowing Thorin from her sight any time soon, "Keep your eyes open, Thorin, you can live through this," her words were voiced so unevenly she was having a hard time convincing herself.

Thorin smiled, "You should not have taken my side in this matter."

"I would have followed you anywhere, Thorin," Kali began pulling away, her vision blurring too much for her liking, "My brother. My captain... My King..."

Bilbo ran down nearby stairs, straight past Kali and to Thorin. She refused to leave, even to give them privacy, "Bilbo..." Thorin muttered.

"Don't move! Don't move!" Bilbo demanded, "Lie still!" he moved back Thorin's outer coat to look at his wound and Kali sucked in a harsh breath to deter another sob when Bilbo recoiled, holding a hand to his mouth "Oh..."

"I'm glad you're here..." Thorin's voice shook, growing deeper with every word as if all support was being knocked out from underneath it. He spoke over Bilbo's shushing, "I wish to part from you in friendship, as I have with Kali."

Bilbo shook his head in denial, "No. You are not going anywhere, Thorin. You're going to live."

"I would like to take back my words and my deeds at the gate," Thorin confessed slowly, "You did what only a true friend would do. Forgive me... I was too blind to see. I'm so sorry that I have led you into such peril," his apology ended in him choking on more of his own blood and Kali attempted to distance herself further, but to no avail.

Bilbo took Thorin's hand tightly in his and leaned in, "No, no, I'm glad to have shared in all your perils, Thorin - each and every one of them." he whispered desperately, "And it's more than any Baggins deserves."

The two shared a warm smile with each other, "Farewell, Master Burglar. Go back to your books and your armchair. Plant your trees - watch them grow." he choked again, harder than any other time, and his teeth went red, ""If more people valued home above gold this world would be a merrier place..."

Thorin gasped deeply and both Kali and Bilbo knew his life was fading. Bilbo was taking fast, deep breaths, "No! No! No! No! No! No! Thorin! Oh don't you dare!" Kali began slowly moving towards the two and only feet away she heard Thorin take his dying breath. His grip on Bilbo's hand went slack and the glint faded from his icy eyes. Bilbo laned down to be at eye level with Thorin, gazing off in the same direction, "Thorin, Thorin, wake up. The Eagles... the Eagles... the Eagles are here... Thorin, the Eag..."

Kali fell on the other side of Bilbo, somehow holding back the gut wrenching sobs that shook her entire frame, "Bilbo... he's gone..."

The hobbit shook his head, releasing Thorin's hand. He was crying, stifling his sobs with the back of his hand. Seeing Bilbo, who'd been through far too much for someone so soft hearted as he was, fall apart like that broke something in Kali and a long, high pitched whine came from the back of her throat. She brought her knees to her chest to wrap her arms around them and buried her head into her knees, all self control gone.

Sometime amongst her uncontrollable tears Bilbo had got up and left, she found out when there were footsteps crunching in the snow, when she looked up at the sound and found she was without the Hobbit's company. Kali stood, quickly, and moved away from them, not having the guts to face any other living being, friend or foe.

*

Her aimless wandering around the bloodied ground of the battlefield brought her to the gates of Erebor. A cold wind blew from somewhere within, as if the Mountain knew it had no King. Kali slowly walked inside, past the discarded armour they'd thrown off, past the golden bell and straight through to the Great Hall.

 She waited there in a corner for what seemed to her as forever but it was really only two hours. Two hours in which she paid no attention to anything that was happening with her surroundings. The solemn noises of the Mountain King's funeral preparations never made it to her ears. If only she had been a moment quicker, she could have saved Thorin.

 Kali decided it best to let Fili and Kili grieve alone until they were ready to allow her to share in their sorrow. It was only when she looked up to search for them when a new wave of dread washed over her. 

 Three bodies had been prepared for burial.

 Not one.