Here's Chapter 56!! I hope you like it! Please comment, vote and follow! Thank you so much! :D

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*Cassy's POV*

Voices.

Whispers, more precisely. That was what I first became aware of. Quiet, dull murmurs filled my ears, as I didn't know where I was or what had happened. I couldn't decipher any of the muffled voices around me, couldn't tell to whom they belonged, even though they seemed familiar.

Light.

That was what started to pull me away from the darkness I had found myself in for so long. The darkness that had numbed my pain and my sorrow ever since I had lost consciousness on the battlefield.

I remembered it all. Painfully. The images were so clear and vibrant in my head that it scared me. I remembered how I had been forced to watch helplessly as Nori had been pierced by a sword and had fallen. I remembered the agonizing pain of seeing my brother, my dear Caspian, being killed when the blow had been meant for me. I remembered the familiar ripping pain that had shot through me as I had been hit by numerous arrows and knives. I remembered hearing my brother's shallow breaths as I had knelt beside him as he died in my arms. I even still remembered Caspian's last words to me, those painful, heartfelt words that he gasped with his last breath.

I remembered collapsing beside my brother, thinking I was going to never see any of my friends again. The light became brighter. So bright that I almost felt blinded even with my eyes still closed. I didn't dare open them, even though I knew I could, for I feared what I would find when I did. I feared the reality that awaited me.

But the light was becoming more and more disturbing with its unrelenting brightness and finally, I groaned lowly as my eyes fluttered slowly open. Though I had to clench them shut immediately upon the bright light that filled the room. There was not much light here, but it was enough to give me a headache.

"Cassy?"

Another voice, this time louder and clearer. I blinked again, my half-open eyes slowly adjusting to the light of the torches that lit the ceiling of the hall. A face appeared in my field of vision, though it was blurry at first and it took me a few moments until I could focus my gaze on the person that was looking at me. Oin sent me a worried but relieved look, deep lines lining his forehead.

"Lass?" The healer asked with concern, his voice a bit too loud for my ears. "Can you hear me?"

I wanted to say yes, wanted to ask the healer to speak more quietly but merely a choked and hoarse sound fell from my lips, my throat too dry to form any words. I swallowed tightly, my own saliva scratching my throat uncomfortably as I looked up at the old dwarf. Oin just nodded, observing me intently as I swallowed another few times until I had regained my voice at least a bit.

"Wh...what... h-happened?" I asked croakily, and I stretched my fingers against the sheets of the bed I was apparently laying in, trying to push myself up into a sitting position. This, however, proved to be a horrible idea, for immediately a searing pain flashed through my entire body, tearing a breathless wheeze from my mouth. I grimaced gravely, clenching my teeth together tightly as to not voice my pain out loud even though it was obvious.

"You should lay still, lass." Oin mumbled as he carefully pushed me back onto the mattress. It was only then that I really started to wonder, and really started to remember. The last time when I'd had my eyes open, I had been laying on the battlefield, bleeding out with my dead brother by my side. I had been dying. But here I was, alive against all odds. The question was where exactly I was now?

"W-where am I-I?" I croaked.

"You're in the healing hall, lass." Oin said. "You've been unconscious for two days since Dwalin found you on the battlefield after the battle."

I nodded. "W-where a-...are the others?" I asked with a grimace.

"Outside the hall. They were crowding me too much whilst I was tending to your wounds. Dwalin had to drag Kili out because he refused to leave your bedside for even a moment. Would you like me to fetch them?"

I nodded as I breathed a sigh of relief. Kili was alive. Kili was alive. I kept chanting in my head as Oin walked out of the hall. I took that moment to look around and I saw numerous beds, occupied by injured dwarfs, men and even one or two elves. Now that Oin was gone from the room I slowly pushed myself up into a sitting position.

"CASSY?!" I looked towards the doors and I couldn't stop the relieved smile from appearing on my face upon seeing Kili hurrying into the room.

"Kili!" I gasped out, still finding it painful to speak.

I suddenly felt Kili's hand on my cheek, warm and gentle as he stroked it over my face. He sat down on the bed beside me and held my face in his warm hands as I gripped the front of his shirt, trying to reassure myself that he was here in front of me, despite the overwhelming pain from the warg bite on my arm.

"You're okay! I'm so glad you're okay..." He mumbled as he rested his forehead against mine, tears welling in the corner of his eyes just like me.

"Y-ou didn't t-think I'd g-go down without a f-fight did you?" I joked, as I tried not to wince.

Kili chuckled and I closed my eyes for a moment, relishing in the sound of his laugh that I thought I'd never hear again. "I was so worried when I saw you being carried in here with arrows sticking out of you, I felt like I was dying when I saw you. I felt useless because I couldn't do anything to help you." He said as a tear finally fell down his cheek.

I reached up and wiped the tears away before I spoke, "You helping me now by being here." I gently pulled him down and kissed him slowly, savouring the feeling as he returned the kiss immediately.

"As much as I love a good reunion, could you at least let us say hello?"

Kili and I broke our kiss when we heard Fili's familiar voice. I looked up and smiled upon seeing the company; Bilbo, Bombur, Dori, Bofur, Ori, Dwalin, Balin, Fili, Oin and Gloin were all stood around the bed sending me worried but relieved smiles. I couldn't help but let my smile falter when I noticed that Thorin, Nori, Bifur and Caspian were not among us.

"You should be laying down." Oin told me when he moved closer. I just shook my head in reply. I didn't want to lie down, didn't want to rest. As far as I knew, I had been resting for a few days. I would not go back to sleeping my time away when all I really wanted was to know what had happened and to see my friends.

"You are still feverish, Cassy. It won't do you any good to strain your strength more." Balin said.

"I don't want to lie down." I replied firmly, looking up at the company defiantly. "I want to see my friends and know what happened to you all. I want to mourn those that were lost. I want to know what happened... I want you to tell me why I woke up in a fur-covered bed when all I know is that when I last closed my eyes I was holding my dead brother in my arms before I laid on the battleground amongst blood and screams, waiting for death to take me away."

The others held my gaze for a moment. I looked into Kili's eyed and saw his warm brown eyes filled with sadness and pain as he looked at me before he inclined his head, his eyebrows drawing together in a deep frown. I merely looked up at him, unwilling to give in, even though I could feel how tired I was and how much my body craved rest. My skin was warm, almost hot, and covered in a thin sheen of sweat, and I could tell that Balin was probably right when he had told me that I was feverish. But I didn't care at the moment. All I really wanted at the moment was answers, and I wouldn't rest until I got them, for I knew that if I did, my sleep would only be haunted by the horrible memories that were embedded in my mind.

"I-... " Kili hesitated, taking in a deep breath before moved closer to me on the bed. His hands found their way to my legs, and I didn't protest as they came to lie on my uninjured thigh. It was as if Kili felt the need to touch me in order to assure himself that I was actually here, and to be honest, it did me good to feel his touch as well. It took Kili a moment before he looked back up at me, and I could see the hesitance in his gaze before he cleared his throat quietly and nodded slightly.

"Dwalin found you after the battle had ended." Kili started to explain quietly, holding my gaze as he spoke. "You were mortally wounded. The arrow that... that pierced you," Kili had to clear his throat before he could continue, his voice filled with pain as he told me about my own fall. "It would have killed you, had it not been for Dwalin finding you when he did."

My eyes stung with hot tears that I was trying desperately to hold back as I listened to Kili whose gaze had become compassionate and sad as he kept on talking quietly.

"Dwalin brought you to the healing hall where Oin took care of you with the help of the elves. Your wounds were treated and they're slowly healing but... but the scars will probably stay with you."

Kili's fingers trailed slow patterns on the material of my breeches that covered my thighs and I shortly closed my eyes, a few tears escaping my closed lids and rolling down my tanned cheeks as I nodded slightly, trying to organize my whirling thoughts upon the information Kili was giving me.

"What happened to... to Thorin and Bifur?" I asked quietly, my voice nothing more than a tear-filled whisper.

"I found Bifur the same day I found you. He was dead before we found him." Dwalin said.

I nodded numbly. "A-and Thorin?" I asked.

"He's dying. There's nothing anyone can do for him now. He has at least four days left before he passes from this life." Bofur sighed.

"Can I s-see him?" I asked to no one in particular.

"If you're feeling better by tomorrow afternoon then of course." Kili spoke up. "We've all spoken to him so it's only right that you do too."

I clenched my eyes closed, now unable to keep myself from crying as my hands found Kili's on my leg. I squeezed them tightly, sniffling quietly as I spoke.

"Thank you." I whispered genuinely to my fiance as I reopened my eyes. Kili merely nodded at me, squeezing my hands lightly in reply. It took me a moment to regain my voice enough to speak clearly again. "I didn't dream it then... is C-aspian... is my brother really gone?" I choked out.

"I'm so sorry lass, there was nothing we could do for him, he was already gone." Balin said gently.

I nodded slowly. He was already dead before I fell unconscious so I didn't need to ask, I just hoped that I had dreamt that part... obviously not.

The tears were already falling from my eyes at an alarming rate before I even realised. It was only when sobs wracked my entire body that I realised how much I was crying hysterically. I didn't even notice Kili pull me against his chest as I cried, not caring about the searing pain that shot through me every time I sobbed. I inhaled Kili's familiar scent as I cried against his chest.

After a few minutes I calmed down enough to look around at the silent company. As my gaze wandered over the rest of my companions, the lump in my throat became more and more prominent, and I felt hot tears streaming down my face as my eyes wandered over Ori and Dori who looked at the same time so happy to see me but he also looked so sad.

Ori and Dori had a small smile on their faces, and though they were genuine, I could see the pain hidden behind them. Taking a shuddering breath, I went to climb out of the bed but suddenly eleven pairs of hands reached out to push me gently back on the bed.

I groaned, partly out of frustration and partly out of pain. "I'm just standing up, I'm not going for a moonlight stroll." I argued and smiled in thanks when Kili and Dwalin helped me to stand.

Once I was standing I took a step forward despite the overwhelming pain in my thigh. My gaze wandering over the company again.

I could feel their gazes on me as I slowly walked towards Dori and Ori on unsteady legs, coming to a halt before them, my vision blurry due to my tear-filled eyes.

"I'm sorry." I whispered then, as the two -ri brothers shot me a questioning look before their brows drew together in a concerned frown. My voice was raw as I spoke and upon my next words Dori and Ori's faces fell and there was nothing more left but sadness in their gazes. "I- ... I was too slow. I wanted to save Nori, but I... I was too far away and I-... I couldn't help him."

They slowly shook their heads at me as I kept repeating how sorry I was for not being able to save Nori. I had been there and if I had only been a bit faster and had I paid a bit more attention then Nori might still be alive.

"It is not your fault, lass." Dori spoke quietly, and I twitched as I felt his hand on my bandaged shoulder, squeezing gently. "Nori had fought fiercely to the end. My brother died an honourable death."

I took a shuddering breath as I nodded, remembering how Nori had killed one orc after the other before he had fallen. Ori gave me a sad smile as he carefully wiped away a few tears from my cheeks before he placed his hand on my other shoulder. I resisted the urge to hiss in pain when he touched my wounded shoulder.

"You did everything you could, I'm sure of it." Dori said slowly, reassuringly. "We all did. But even our best was not enough to save all those we loved in the end." I sniffled quietly and Dori and Ori gently pulled me in for a group hug, careful not to squeeze me too tightly. "We have all lost friends and family in that battle, Cassy. And there is no one to blame but war itself."

I merely stood in the dwarfs' embrace, crying quietly into their shoulders as they held me. I was aware of the others staring at us, was aware of the concern and the sadness in the room. And it was all just so overwhelming that I couldn't stop my crying for a long while, but none of my friends said anything to interrupt. They waited patiently until I had calmed down again, and it was only then that I felt Ori and Dori's grip around my loosen as they slightly pulled away from me, both shooting me a gentle smile. I just couldn't bring myself to return it.

"We have all lost so much." Fili murmured softly, rubbing my back in a comforting gesture. "I am just grateful that we didn't lose you, as well."

I couldn't muster a good reply to that, the lump in my throat preventing me from speaking.

"You need to rest, lass." Oin told me firmly before Kili and Fili helped me back into the bed.

Everyone said their goodbyes and that they'd visit me tomorrow. Kili was the last one left beside my bed. He leaned down and placed a gentle, lingering kiss to my lips.

"I'll be back to visit you first thing in the morning." He told me although he looked hesitant to leave.

I reached out and grabbed his hand as he stood, and Kili looked down at me questioningly, though his expression changed quickly as he looked at me.

"Stay with me?" I whispered, unconsciously grabbing his hand a bit tighter as I thought about sleeping in this room, at the mercy of my own cruel memories and dreams. I didn't want to be alone. "Please?"

Kili immediately nodded, looking relieved that I wanted him to stay with me which made me smile. I could see the understanding in his warm brown eyes as he shook off his boots. He climbed into bed next to me and I scooted over to give him more space. It was only a few moments until Kili had covered us both with the same blanket and his arm gently wrapped around me underneath it, carefully pulling me closer until my back was pressed against his front. His other arm came to rest beneath my head and I sighed quietly as I felt myself being engulfed in his warmth. My hand found his where it lay merely a few centimetres away from the scar on my side, and my fingers intertwined lightly with Kili's as I felt his warm breath ghost over my neck.

I stayed silent for a while, both of us simply enjoying each other's presence and nearness. I had already fallen half-asleep, my eyes closed when I heard Kili's voice again.

"I love you, Cassy. And I will never let anything like this happen to you again. I promise." He murmured the sincere words into my ear.

"I love you too, Kili." I squeezed his hand on my stomach lightly in reply before I let sleep claim me once more.

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I hope you liked it! Please comment, vote and follow! Thank you! :):)