Thorin was tall for a dwarf, raven black hair, four braids; two in the front and two in the back, dressed in blue clothing that looked like it had seen much traveling. Though his clothes looked worn, the slight smile that he gave the older man indicated that he knew the other and meant Emily and I will be welcomed into the house. I shifted my weight from foot to foot as the older man glanced at my sister and I, a little confused at our appearance or maybe just our presence.

"Gandalf." Thorin inclined his head, stepping through the front door as 'Gandalf' moved back to allow us in, "I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice. Wouldn't have found it at all, had it not been for that mark on the door." Thorin remarked, removing his cloak. 

"Mark?" A small man inquired confused, stepping into view from behind Gandalf."There's no mark on that door. It was painted a week ago!" The small man exclaimed with annoyance and alarm.

"There is a mark. I put it there myself. Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield." Gandalf announced, after closing the door. The dwarf in question handed his cloak to Kili, looking at 'Bilbo', whom must be the owner of the house. Well, hole in the hill more like.

"So this is the Hobbit you were talking about," Thorin mused with a slight grin crossing his arms, "Tell me Master Baggins have you done much fighting?"

"Pardon me?" Bilbo asked confused. I couldn't help the smile that crept its way a cross my face.

"Axe or sword? What's you weapon of choice?" Thorin pressed coming to stand in front of Bilbo. Bilbo looked so small compared to Thorin. My bet was that Thorin would win in a fight against Bilbo.

"Well I do have some skill in Conkers, if you must know." Bilbo announced a bit too smugly for his own good, "But I fail to see why that's relevant." Bilbo remarked, trying to stand up taller, taking small steps back, clearly uncomfortable with the close proximity.

"What the hell are conkers." Emily asked whispered to me. I didn't have a clue, so I simply shrugged.

"No clue." I admitted.

"Thought as much. He looks more like a grocer than a burglar. Would you agree?" Thorin asked turning to face Emily and I, clearly looking for our opinion.

"I would agree yes." I remarked, giving Bilbo a once over.

"Though sometimes brains are better than muscles," Emily mused, "I can always teach him a thing or two about close combat and sword play, so that he wouldn't be too useless. I much prefer a sword, bow, knifes and my fists. Sam prefers using a sword, knifes and fists."

"I wouldn't mind pointing out some defense tactics." I pitched in, though I would much prefer to know how this was relevant.

"And whom might you two be?" Gandalf asked. I felt everyone's eyes on my sister and I. We exchanged a glance, but before either of us could explain who we were, Thorin jumped in.

"They are Samantha and Emily Mackenzie," Thorin pointed to us respectively when he said out names,"They are with me."

"You never said anything about bringing two females along with us." A muscular dwarf remarked, stroking up to Thorin's side. Thorin looked at us, me more so, giving a reassuring smile.

"Perhaps we should move business to the table." Thorin remarked, ignoring the glare that the other dwarf was shooting his way from not answering him. Thorin than introduced me to the other dwarves before gesturing for me to go first when Balin indicated that we should all sit down to discuss business. I followed Bilbo as he lead us through his cozy home. I looked around me as we walked through several rooms and down a hall and into what appeared to be the dinning room. A long table sat in the middle with a chairs for 15 people. Surprisingly, Emily and I didn't have to duck our heads as we walked through after everyone else had taken their respective seats. Gandalf gave Emily and I a funny look when we walked into the room and took up positions either side of Thorin, Emily on his left, me on his right, but he didn't say anything as he placed a bowl of soup and a mug of something in front of Thorin. Thorin nodded his thanks and started to eat. My stomach rumbled softly at the site of food, but I bite my lip and swallowed several times, looking around at the others around the table. 

"What news from the meeting in Ered Luin?" The muscular dwarf from before asked hopefully, "Did they all come?"

"Aye. Envoys from all seven kingdoms." Thorin nodded. The company murmured with interest and joy. 

"What do the dwarves of the Iron Hills say. Is Dain with us?" Dwalin asked. Thorin shoot me a glance before he answered.

"They will not come." Disappointed expressions crossed the face of the dwarves in front of me, "They say this quest is ours and ours alone."

"You're going on a quest?" Bilbo piped up. I glanced at the funny little man before turning my attention to Thorin, whom placed his mug back down on the table a little too hard.

"Bilbo, my dear fellow," Gandalf announced turning slightly to face the him, "Let us have a little more light." He paused and pulled out a piece of paper, unfolding it and placing it on the table. I bent over slightly to see the map and gasped. It was the same one that Emily and I had found at the shop. I slipped my hand into the pocket that housed the map and signed in relief when my skin touched the worn paper. Pulling it out I unfolded it, placing it beside the one that Gandalf had put on the table. Gandalf and Thorin exchanged a glance and looked at me.

"We got this from an old guy at a shop where we are from. It was what brought us here." I exclaimed, not reviling too much, as I felt it wasn't necessary.

"Well, it would appear that your paths were meant to cross," Gandalf mussed, before drawing everyone's attention to the map that he had placed down. I removed mine, placing it gently back in my pocket, "Far to the east, over ranges and rivers, beyond woods and wastelands lies a single solitary peak."

"The Lonely Mountain." Bilbo said, looking over Thorin's shoulder to read the map.

"Aye, Oin has read the portents," Gloin pipped up, causing some among the group to groan and shake their heads, "And the portents say it is time."

"Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain, as it was foretold." Oin explained setting down his ear trumpet to speak, "When the birds of Yore return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end."

"Uh, what beast?" Bilbo asked, taking a few more steps into the room.

"Well, that would be a reference to Smaug the Terrible, chiefest and greatest calamity of our age," 'Bofur' explained quite relaxed, as smile playing at the corners of his lips. Thorin shifted around in his seat a little as Bofur continued, "Airborne fire-breather, teeth like razors, claws like meethooks, extremely fond of precious metals."

"Yes I know what a dragon is." Bilbo interrupted with a nervous chuckle.

"I'm not afraid! I'm up for it. I'll give him a taste of Dwarvish Iron right up his jacksie!" The more gentler of the dwarves explained with gusto. 

"That's the spirit!" Emily cheered from beside me, a laugh erupting from her mouth.

"Sit Down." Dori growled pulling the other back down and scoffing him.

"The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us," Balin announced, "But we number just thirteen and not thirteen of the best. Nor brightest." Balin admitted honestly.

"Hey, who are you calling dim?" Nori demanded angily.

"What did he say?" Oin asked lifting his hearing aid to his ear. Everyone started shouting and the arguments started getting louder as they all lashed out. If this was whole they were going to act than we'd have no chance of even getting within a 100 yards of the mountain.

"We may be few in number, but we're fighters, all of us. To the LAST DWARF!" Fili shouted after slamming his hand on the table to get everyone's attention.

"And you forget, we have a wizard in our company." Kili included with a smile that did not faultier, "Gandalf will have killed hundreds of dragons in his time."

"Oh, well, now, I-I-I wouldn't say that, I..." Gandalf stuttered nervously. I glanced at the 'wizard' questioningly. It wasn't too hard to tell that he had never killed one before, it was in his expression.

"How many then?" Dori asked.

"Uh, What?" Gandalf asked baffled, looking at over at Dori.

"Well, how many dragons have you killed?" Dori asked again. Gandalf didn't say anything and started chocking on his smoke, "Go on, Give us a number!"

Emily patted Gandalf's back as the dwarves jumped to their feet and started arguing with each other over how many dragons the older man had killed in his life time. Not all the dwarves were arguing, thank heavens. Bofur sat back in his chair and watch quietly.

"SHUT UP!"

"SHAZARA!" Thorin and I shouted over the top of each other, but everyone got the message and sat back down. Some gave each other a glare, while Bifur sat with his fist poised to punch someone. Thorin locked eyes with me before addressing the others, "If we have read these signs do you not think others will have read them too? Rumors have begun to spread. The dragon Smaug has not been seen in over sixty years. Eyes look east to the Mountain, assessing, wondering, weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people lies unprotected. Do we sit back while others claim what is rightfully ours? Or do we seize this chance to take back EREBOR? Du Bekar! Du Bekar!"

The others cheered ruthlessly. Clearly, whatever Thorin had said was motivational.

"You forget the front gate is sealed," Balin remarked regretfully, "There is no way into the mountain."

"That my dear Balin, is not entirely true." Gandalf exclaimed with as he produced an old key from one of his pockets.

"How came you by this?" Thorin asked breathless as he looked at the key with wonder. The key didn't look all that special, but from the way Thorin responded, it had some sentimental meaning to him.

"It was given to me by your father. By Thrain, for safekeeping," Gandalf explained holding the key out for Thorin to take, "It is yours now."

Thorin gently took the key from Gandalf, looking it over before tightly grasping it, closing his eyes and bowing his head as if he was being overrun by memories from the past or silently preying.

"If there is a key, there must be a door." Fili announced. Gandalf nodded before pointing to a paragraph of runes on the map.

"These runes speak of a hidden passage to the lower halls." Gandalf exclaim, almost like he had been rehearsing that very phase over and over again. It was almost like everything was scripted and there wasn't any way for Emily or I to have a say in anything.

"There's another way in." Kili exclaimed, grasping his brother's shoulder, grinning like a cat that just caught a mouse.

"Well, if we can find it, but dwarf doors are impossible to find when closed." Gandalf explained with a shrug before leaning forward to look closely at the map, "The answer lies hidden somewhere in this map and I do not have the skill to find it. But there are others in Middle-Earth who can. The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth, and no small amount of courage. But if we are careful and clever, I believe that it can be done."

"That's why we need a burglar." Ori announced with realization.

"Hmm, a good one, too. An expert, I'd imagine." Bilbo chimed with a nod.

"And are you?" Gloin asked. Everyone turned to face Bilbo.

"Am I what?" Bilbo asked with surprise. I sensed an ounce of fear and regret in his voice. Fear because of the dragon menchined earlier and regret for letting the dwarves into his house probably. He must have been expecting to be a party, not a meeting before going off to kill a dragon and face whatever dangers lay ahead.

"He said he's an expert!" Oin announced with a chuckle. I pinched the bridge of my nose and closed my eyes as the dwarves started cheering. Emily patted my shoulder, giggling.

"We should have invited these guys to Grandma's birthday. She would have loved it." Emily remarked, a bark of laughter escaping her. I could only roll my eyes and shake my head at my sister. She's such a nut job sometimes.

"M—Me? No, no, no, no, no. I'm not a burglar; I've never stolen a thing in my life." Bilbo exclaimed, hopping to persuade the dwarves that he wasn't the person they needed.

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Mr. Baggins," Balin exclaimed, "He's hardly burglar material."

"Aye, the wild is no place for gentle folk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves." Dwalin agreed looking at Thorin. Thorin nodded his head slightly. The others started talking with one another and started to rise in pitch. We wouldn't get anywhere if they kept this up.

"Enough. If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar than a burglar he is," The room felt darker when Gandalf spoke. The dwarves quietened looking at Gandalf, clearly afraid to poke the bear and have it slash out at them, "Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. In fact, they can pass unseen by most if they choose, and while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of dwarf, the scent of hobbit is all but unknown to him, which gives us a distinct advantage."

"That's a good point," Emily mused, "It'll be like trying to catch a rat who knows the smell of the poison you've used multiple times before. Through in a new poison that the rat has never smelt before and you've got one less rat to deal with." Emily explained. Several dwarves nodded in agreement. Gandalf sat down and looked at Thorin.

"You asked me to find the last member of this company and I have chosen Mr. Baggins. There's a lot more to him that appearance suggest, and he's got a great deal more to offer than any of you know, including himself." Gandalf said. "You must trust me on this one."

"And what of the two ladies?" Dori asked, clearly unsure about what Emily and I were doing here. The others mumbled their agreement, leaning forward to give us a once over.

"Samantha and Emily are not of this world." Gandalf stepped in. My whipped my head to look at him, but he continued before I could ask him what and how he knew, "They are from a different time zone, though I am unsure why or how they got here."

"They come with us." Thorin exclaimed in a rush before anyone could object. I was quick blown away that he would include us when we only met minutes away, "Give him a contract and get the ladies to sign it as well. It'll save us time."

"Please." Bilbo begged, fear iced over the word as Balin stood unfolding what must be the contract.

"Alright we're off." Bofur cheered, a grin bring a youthful appear to his face and a sparkle to his eyes.

"It's just the usual summary of out-of-pocket-expenses, time required, remuneration, funeral arrangements, so forth." Balin announced handing the contract to Thorin who then passed it to Bilbo. Funeral arrangements? Are we really going to fight a dragon? Emily joined Blibo as he skimmed through the contract.

"Funeral arrangements?!" Bilbo cried, echoing my thoughts. The contact unfolded right now to the floor as Bilbo walked into the hallway, Emily and I in toe. I could almost smell the fear, horror and anxiety radiating from the hobbit. Ignoring the multiple hands grappling at the contact, I focused my attention to Thorin and Gandlf behind me. My eyes were on the contract, but I wasn't reading it.

"I cannot guarantee his safety." Thorin announced.

"Understood." Gandalf answered.

"Nor will I be responsible for his fate." Thorin finished, his tone grave.

"Agreed." Was the last I heard before Bilbo started to read the contract out loud. I want to hit him, but refrained. He didn't have much in the way of being brave, but I had a feeling that the trip would change that. For better or worse, I didn't know.

"Terms: Cash on delivery, up to, but not exceeding one fourteenth of total profit, if any... seems fair... eh... present company shall not be liable for injuries inflicted by or sustained as a consequence, therefore including, but not limited to, lacerations... eviscerations..." Bilbo read, turning the page slightly before looking over to the company with horrified curiosity, "Incineration?"

"Oh, aye, he'll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye." Bofur announced with amusement. I watched as Emily and Bilbo paled beside me. Emily gripped my upper arm to steady me as the room spun around me. All that was going through my head was the horrific scene of Private Peters burning to death as a group of terroist slowly tortured him to death trying to get their hands on information that Peters didn't have. What made it worse was that I couldn't do anything to help him. I had been with him when they pinched him and I had foolishly followed without back up, which resulted in his death. It was my fault he had died. I should have radioed for back up. The image of him thrashing and pulling at the bonds that help him as he was set alight, stabbed, cut, punched and kicked until he was dead filled my head and wouldn't go away. I didn't realize I was crying or that I was on the floor until a pair of unfamiliar arms wrapped around me.

"You alright, lass? Lad?" Balin asked concerned.

"Yeah. She is just having flash backs to when her partner was tortured to death. But she'll be fine." Emily said, rubbing my back. I wiped angrily at the tears and looked up at the person holding me gentle. It was Thorin. I ducked my head and exited his embrace. It wasn't that I didn't like it, it was just I didn't want to act weak around him or any of the other males that were in the company. I whipped at the trails that the tears left on my cheeks and looked at Bilbo.

"Uh... yeah... feel a bit faint." Bilbo answered, bending over. He looked ten times more pale than what I felt.

"Think furnace with wings." Bofur announced standing up and moving around to stand next to Thorin in the doorway where he had retreated after letting me go. I could still feel his arms around me, even though I knew they weren't.

"Air... I-I-I... need air." Bilbo stammered, breathless. He was hyperventilating. 

"Flash of light, searing pain, then poof!" Bofur explained, animatedly, "Your nothing more than a pile of ash."

Bilbo stood up straight, making an almost duck face while he tried to control his breathing. His breath faltered slightly before he turned to face the company and exclaimed, "Nope." Before he collapsed.

"Oh very helpful, Bofur." Gandalf huffed as Emily picked up an unconscious Bilbo and took followed Gandalf into another room. I bowed my head and headed for the front door, mumbling under my breath that I needed fresh air as a blush pinched at my face.

-

I stepped outside and took a deep breath in, rejoicing at the sharpness of the cool night breeze that blow softly. Sighing, I took a right and wondered onto a patch of bare, lush grass and lay down. Closing my eyes, I let myself relax as I listened to the sounds of the night. There wasn't much to hear but the sound of the insects and the night based animals that flow overhead or brushed up beside me and freaked out, running for cover encase the thing that they touched would bite them. Letting my body relax and my breathing level out, I didn't notice the passage of time until the sounds of Gandalf and Bilbo talking woke me up. Opening my eyes, I glanced towards the side of the house less than four paces away from me and spotted a window that had been left open. Possibly to let the gentle breeze blow into the house and cool it done because of the amount of bodies inside.

"You've been sitting quietly for far too long. Tell me, when did doilies and your mother's dishes become so important to you?" Gandalf announced with a huff of annoyance as his shadow moved across the window, "I remember a young Hobbit who always was running off in search of elves and the woods, who'd stay out late, come home after dark, trailing mud and twigs and fireflies," I smiled and giggled quietly, watching as actual fireflies flew around the garden beside the house, "A young hobbit who would have liked nothing better than to find out what was beyond the borders of the Shire. The world is not in your books and maps; it's out there."

"I can't just go running off into the blue. I am a Baggins, of Bag End!" Bilbo announced with pride, but under the pride I could hear the hint of longing. The young, adventurous side of him was still there, just suppressed and neglected.

"You are also a Took," Gandalf added. Bilbo scoffed, "Did you know that your Great-great-great-great-uncle, Bullroarer Took, was so large he could ride a real horse?"

"Yes." Bilbo answered.

"Well he could. And in the battle of Green Fields, he charged the goblin ranks. He swung his club so hard it knocked the Goblin King's head clean off, and it sailed a hundred yards through the air and went down a rabbit hole. And thus the battle was won, and the game of golf invented at the same time." Gandalf announced rather casually. I bite my lip and covered my mouth at the thought of golf having been invited my a guy knock someone's head off and having it land in the hole. 

Crap! That's pretty cool. I grinned in general amusement at the my imagination played the scene in my head. 

"I do believe you made that up." Bilbo announced, a smile in his voice.

"Well, all good stories deserve embellishment," Gandalf admitted honestly, "You'll have a tale or two of your own when you come back."

"Can you promise that I will come back?" Bilbo asked, almost pleadingly.  I felt for the guy, I really did. Having so much pressure put on you to do stuff that you have never done, but may have wanted to do when you were younger is a very thought, but if you don't rise to the occasion, you can only ever stay where you are. That's the whole point of branching off from things that you know.

"No," Gandalf answered honestly, "And if you do... you will not be the same." Bilbo laughed softly as a hush fell over them both.

"That's what I thought. Sorry, Gandalf. I can't sign this. You've got the wrong hobbit." I heard the soft sound of someone shuffling away and got up from my position, thinking it was about time that I went back in. I took several towards the window, paused for a moment and leaned forward on the window seal with my arms, pulling back the thin curtain. 

"That didn't go very well," I announced. Gandalf looked up at me amused that I had been eavesdropping.

"No. It did not." Gandalf answered with a sigh. I jumped up and squeezed through the window,  stepping into the room and taking the seat that Bilbo must have been sitting in.

"You were hopping he'd want to join the group, weren't you? I think you should have gone a little easier and taken a more relaxed approach.  You might have brought this all on him too fast, but that's just my thought's on the matter." I offered, placing a comforting hand on Gandalf's shoulder before standing up and walking into the hallway but I hide when I heard Balin and Thorin talking.

"It appears we have lost our Burglar." Balin announced, "Probably for the best. The odds were always against us. After all, what are we? Merchants, miners, tinkers, toy-makers; Hardly the stuff of legend."

"There are few warriors amongst us." Thorin admitted pointed out.

"Old warriors." Balin corrected.

You have Emily and I. We are fresh to this world, but we are still soldiers. I shifted a little in my hiding to get a better view of the two dwarves.

"I will take each and everyone of there dwarves over an army from the Iron Hills. For when I called upon them, they came. Loyalty. Honor. A willing heart. I can ask for no more than that." Thorin exclaimed with conviction.

"You don't have to do this," Balin pleaded, standing up. "You have a choice. You've done honorably by our people. You have built a new life for us in the Blue Mountains. A life of peace and plenty. A life that is worth more than all the gold of Erebor." I was pleasantly surprised to hear something familiar within this world, but I knew Balin's plea was falling on deaf ears. I could see the determination in Thorin's face as he spoke, holding out the key Gandalf had given him.

"From my grandfather to my father, this has come to me. They dreamt of the day when the dwarves of Erebor would reclaim their homeland. There is no choice, Balin. Not for me."

There is always a choice, ya ding bat. I huffed silently.

"Then we are with you laddie," Balin confirmed with pride, clasping a hand on Thorin's forearm in reassurance. "We will see it done."

Looking down at my boot clad feet, I moved to go into the living but stopped when I only heard one set of footsteps leaving. Thorin still stood in his original position, glance off into the distance, probably watch Balin, whom had started a conversation with another dwarf that I couldn't see.

"I know you're there," Startled, I stayed as still as possible, hoping he was talking to someone else and not me. "Please step into the light." Thorin commanded gently. When no one else moved in the empty hallway, I stepped froward as Thorin turned to me, taking a lose stance with my arms behind my back and my head held high. "Why were you listening?"

"I apologize for the intrusion and for eavesdropping on your conversation with Balin. I hadn't planned to do what I did, but instinct took over. However, what you were saying about loyalty, honor and a willing heart, are a big part of my military training and our moto," I explained, a little uneasy at first, but I relaxed the more I spoke. "Sir, you do have a choice and the choices you make affect you and the world around you. Choices can be heard, they can be easy. But no matter the situation, there is always a choice. Sir."

Thorin didn't say anything after I had delivered my mini speak. I could hear the incest outside. In the silence, I came to realize that the others had grown silent, but I didn't dare move. I kept my form neat and tidy, evenly breathing.

"You seem to know a lot." Thorin commented, intrigued.

"I'm in charge of a unit and it is my job to know what I'm talking about and make decisions that will get all my men and women home safely." I exclaimed.

"Why are you helping us?"

"'Never get tired of doing little things for others, sometimes those little things occupy the biggest part of their hearts.' Author unknown." I recited. Thorin looked at me, but didn't speak. Stepping forward, he placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Welcome, sister. To the company. I look forward to winning the fight against the dragon with you." Was all Thorin said before he walked into the living room. I stood, slightly stunned at what just happened. I had expected him to go bat shit crazy for eavesdropping, but he didn't. Though I could see caution and a hint of anger in his body language, he hadn't acted upon it. Stepping backwards, I leaned my back and head against the hard wooden wall. The smell of freshly lit tobacco danced into the hallway, tickling my nostrils. A soft humming filled the warm air, bring goosebumps to my skin.

Far over, the misty mountains cold,

To dungeons deep, and caverns old.

We must away, ere break of day,

To find our long forgotten gold.

Thorin sung gently. When the pause between the choruses was filled once again with Thorin's voice, I noticed that slowly the rest of the company added their voices until they were all singing as one.

The pines were roaring, on the heights,

The wind was moaning, in the night.

The fire was red, it's flaming spread.

The trees like torches blazed with light.

"Sam."

"Crap!" I squeaked, jumping as my sister appeared beside me out of the blue. Emily giggled softly, gently punching my arm.

"We should go to bed if we are going wake up when the others do," Emily pointed out. Nodding, I followed as my sister lead me outside to where our bedding was lain in the front yard. Laying down, I pulled my blankets over my body, welcoming the familiar warmth they gave. "I spoke to Balin and he told me that we'd be leaving when the sun first kisses the sky."

"How poetic." I mumbled, letting my muscles relax as I closed my eyes and let my mind wonder airily.