Bilbo hurried down the hill after the dwarves. Instead of leaping over Gollum, his first plan of escape, Bilbo had carefully climbed up and over the creature. This took more time, but Bilbo had escaped detection. He took off the magic ring as he heard voices ahead. Angry words were being exchanged. He ducked behind a nearby tree to listen in, his hobbit curiosity getting the better of him. "He's left us. Gone and run off, back to his hobbit hole at the first sign of danger. We don't need him. He was only a burden, and we are better off without him." Bilbo's heart sank as he heard the unmistakable voice of the dwarven king Thorin. He almost jumped into the clearing to defend himself, recalling his newfound desire to make sure the dwarves could have a home too, when Thorin continued. "And I can only hope he gets himself eaten by wargs. Serves the fool right for thinking he could ever be a useful part of this company."

Bilbo gasped, reeling back. Sure, Thorin had never been the most amiable dwarf, but Bilbo knew Thorin had bigger things to worry about than being nice to the token hobbit, so he had let it go. But to wish his death? Had he really been that much of a burden?

"Bilbo!" Bilbo turned abruptly to see Kili waving at him from the others. Apparently Kili had been told to watch for any pursuing goblins, but had seen him instead. Bilbo paled, and in a panic, turned about and ran. "Bilbo!"

The cry was taken up as Bilbo could hear a few dwarves chasing after him. There weren't enough lumbering footsteps behind him for it to be the whole Company. He stumbled and once again, his ring slipped onto his finger. Bilbo huddled against a tree as Fili, Kili, Bofur, and even Balin went by, missing his invisible form.

The bushes rustled again, and Gandalf and Thorin stepped out into the small clearing. Gandalf looked reproachingly at the dwarf beside him. "I hope you are satisfied with your work, Thorin. Bilbo is an innocent, ignorant of the many dangers of Middle Earth. It will be a miracle if he can navigate his way back to the Shire, assuming he can forage enough food and fight off all the dangers to return. But at least you have succeeded in the task of driving him away. Is it worth it?"

Bilbo and Thorin watched the wizard disappear in the direction where Kili and the others had gone. Thorin sighed and leaned against the same tree Bilbo now hid behind. "I don't want to have to see him die. It would have happened inevitably on our journey." Here Thorin looked to where Gandalf had disappeared into the bushes. "And yet…"

Bilbo didn't move from his hiding place for a long time. He watched Thorin leave the clearing in the opposite direction that the others had. He saw the others return through the clearing, Kili and Fili looking particularly down-trodden. He saw Gandalf looking ten years older trail behind the dwarves. And he thought to himself, I gave my word that I would help them. Nothing has changed.

I will follow them.

The Company was subdued as they trailed behind Thorin, whose face was blank as stone. They didn't speak, except for calls to set up camp and assigned watches. But this routine changed as Gandalf suddenly called for them to climb the trees. Thorin's heart leapt into his throat as he saw his brethren jumping from tree to tree in a desperate attempt to avoid the slobbering beasts below. But his anxiety for his fellow dwarves was surpassed by the fury that flooded his veins at the sight of his fearsome enemy, returned from the dead.

Drawing his sword, he approached his foe, ignoring the cries for him to return to the others' sides. But his desire for vengeance was not to be fulfilled that night. Thorin was disarmed and thrown to the ground in a heap. But as he lay on the rock, eyes closed awaiting death, his last regret was not his failure to kill the orc. It was his treatment of the hobbit that flashed before his eyes. The flashes of hurt quickly hidden beneath a cheerful façade. The disapproving looks from Balin, and the growing coldness of his nephews towards him.

Clang!

Thorin slowly forced his eyes open to see who had come to his aid. He looked up to see blond curls gleaming in the torchlight. He watched, dazed, as the hobbit struck at the orcs.

He came back.

With a mighty roar, the rest of the Company joined in the battle. Thorin felt himself being pulled down by the darkness, but fought to stay awake, to see that the hobbit was really alive and amongst them once more. A cry rang out through the night, and Thorin saw the dwarves redouble their efforts.

"Bilbo!"

He heard his nephew's anguished cry, and saw a small figure fall to the ground. Then darkness took him and he knew no more.

Bilbo opened his eyes to find himself flying. He weakly turned his head to see that he was being held by a large bird. He saw more birds with other members of the Company. He did not see Thorin. As he weakly tried to turn about, to find Thorin, a sudden dizziness overcame him. All was silent once more.

Thorin woke to see Kili and Fili leaning over him worriedly. He pushed them aside roughly as he stumbled to his feet. "The Halfling, where is he?" Before they could say anything, he caught sight of a crumpled form with Gandalf hovering over it. His breath caught in his throat as he knelt beside Gandalf, eyes riveted to the hobbit before him.

Will he live?

The words came unbidden, but he could not force them out of his mouth.

Suddenly, the hobbit's eyes flew open, and he arched up with a gasp, hands flying up to clutch at his chest. Thorin ignored everyone else's presence as he bent over and pulled the hobbit into a firm embrace. "You saved my life." He uttered quietly, almost brokenly, into Bilbo's ear. "I have never been so glad to be proven wrong about someone."

And in that moment, the company was restored.