Well this is the last chapter! I hope you have all enjoyed it! This was a hard story to write, so I can imagine it was also hard to read in parts, but thank you so much for sticking with me, so I am giving you all extra brotherly fluff to enjoy. And again, thanks for all your support, and reviews and favs! Always means so much!

Chapter Twelve

"Uncle is actually going to let us go to the forge with him today," Kili said with a grin as he rummaged through the drawer for a clean shirt. "I'm so glad, he's finally allowing us out of the house again; I'm so tired of being laid up."

"Me too," Fili replied with a fond smile. "Toss me my green tunic will you?"

"Here you go!" Kili said and threw the balled up garment at him, which he caught neatly. He shrugged off his nightshirt with a slight wince. His side still pained him a bit when he lifted his arms over his head or bent over, but it was healing. He knew his uncle wasn't going to let him do any heavy lifting at the forge that bay, but he could work the bellows, and that was still better than being cooped up here like he had for almost three weeks.

Kili turned around just as he had taken his shirt off and he didn't miss the pained expression his younger brother still showed at the sight of the knotted scar right under his ribs on his right side.

He suppressed a sigh. Things had definitely gotten better than they were the first few days back home. After Kili's fever had broken and he had reconciled with Uncle Thorin, things had almost gone back to normal, but there was still a certain fear that he caught underlying in Kili when his little brother thought no one was looking. Kili had finally started sleeping in his own bed again, but Fili noticed that he always slept facing Fili even though he knew his ribs must still hurt sleeping on that side all night. No, it wouldn't go away that easily; Fili knew that, Kili knew that, and so did their mother and Uncle Thorin. At least they could pretend though, and that was better than nothing.

But still, Fili felt that perhaps Kili hadn't completely forgiven himself. He hoped he had, but Fili knew his brother better than anyone, and knew how bad he always felt after doing something he shoulder, and even though this had been an accident, he knew how bad Kili had felt for the fact that Fili's wound had been caused by his arrow, and that—while Fili didn't want to really think about it—the truth of the matter was that he had almost died from the wound. He knew how he would feel if their roles had been reversed, and so he knew that Kili was still suffering a bit even though he did his best to hide it from everyone.

He shrugged his shirt on and sat down on the side of his bed decidedly. "Come here, little brother."

Kili turned and looked at him with a slight frown, but came over. "What, Fi?"

"Sit down," Fili said, grabbing his arm and tugging him down beside him. Kili sat, looking uncomfortable. He had never liked being 'talked to' and he knew from the tone Fili used that that was what was about to happen.

"Fili, I don't…" he started, but Fili shook his head, cutting him off.

"No, just let me say something," the blond dwarf said, positioning himself so that he was facing his brother. He took Kili's shoulders firmly and pulled him around to look at him.

"I know you're still beating yourself up about this, and it's time to stop," he said firmly. Kili opened his mouth, but Fili didn't let him protest. "No, just let me speak. I can't stand to see my little brother as dreary for my sake. I'm going to end this now. It was an accident, pure and simple, it could have easily been the other way around and you know it. So please, Ki, let's not do this anymore. I can't stand it when you blame yourself for things, especially when they concern me."

"I was just so afraid to lose you," Kili said quietly, looking earnestly into Fili's eyes. "Just the thought…it terrified me. And to think I had had something to do with it…" He dunked his head and Fili tugged him closer and held him tightly against his chest.

"Hey, you're not going to lose me that easy, Ki," he whispered into the top of his head. He ducked down to look into Kili's face and then said, "I forgive you, you know. I'm sorry because that's what I should have said before. I was just more concerned that you forgive uncle, but, I think I should forgive you too. Will that make it better? You know I don't blame you one bit for what happened, but even so, I forgive you, just like I forgave Uncle what he had to do to save me. Are we good now?"

Kili looked up at him, blinking tears from his eyes. "You forgive me?"

"Of course, Ki," Fili said, taking his face between his hands with a genuine smile. "When have I ever not?"

Kili sighed and then smiled too, suddenly flinging his arms around Fili. "Okay, as long as you forgive me, I'll—I'll try to forgive myself."

"No, you will," Fili said with no uncertain terms.

"Okay, I will," Kili replied and something seemed to lift from his face and Fili was so glad to see it go. He gave his brother one last hug and stood to finish dressing.

"Come on, Ki, Uncle will be ready to leave soon."

Kili nodded and hopped off of the bed, grabbing his own tunic. Fili watched him fondly, breathing a deep relieved sigh. He began to feel that everything was finally back to normal again, and though everything they had gone through had been horrible and frightening, he knew that because of it, he and Kili would only be stronger. And that, after all, wasn't such a bad thing.

Sometimes, he thought as they went to find Uncle Thorin, nightmares can have a good ending too.

I've got another story in the works, a Thorin/OC romance set before the Fall of Erebor. It might be a couple weeks before I start posting it though. I will try to post a couple one shots in that time, though I'm not sure if they will all be Hobbit related. I've got a few hanging around for other fandoms so we'll see. But you can definitely expect a Thorin romance in the future :)