Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, Tolkien and his Estate do, and I'm not trying to profit from it.

It was the aftermath of the Battle of Five Armies, and Oin, a dwarf of Thorin and Company, who was among the few to survive the battle unharmed, was in charge of the makeshift hospital tent for the injured dwarves. He had been tending to Thorin's deadly wounds as best as he could with one of his healing ointments, but it was becoming obvious now that the dwarves' legendary leader would not live much longer.

He couldn't understand how none of his medicines could save the great Oakenshield, who had survived many dangers before this and come out of them not only alive, but with a sense of greatness to boot, too. Then he remembered a fact that even the dwarf race had to accept as truth: everything must die sometime, no matter how much we love it (or him), because only elves are immortal among the Free Peoples, but there will always be the intermediate heaven for dwarves, the Halls of Waiting, where his kind sit or roam at will speaking amongst themselves or watching the ever-growing historical tapestries of Vairë the Weaver, and one day, the day of renewal would come, too, when the world would be healed of its hurts.

Still, however, it didn't comfort him that his medicine wasn't perfect, especially when his people lost a great one among their ranks. Oin was, by nature, very creative and dedicated to helping others find original solutions to their problems. He could solve number puzzles of almost any kind, measure and mix ingredients for his ointments and other medicines, make recipe sheets, and multiply ingredients within divided circles. The old dwarf enjoyed caring for others and fostering their growth, whether they were fellow dwarves, or trusted allies of his people. Sure, it was hard work, but dwarves were supposed to be hard workers, and he wasn't about to be accused of sloth, like his extinct ancestors, the petty-dwarves, had been.

Now, though, Thorin was about to die, and as he came out of his thought, he noticed that Bilbo the hobbit had just stepped in and was saying farewell to Thorin. After hearing the dwarf-king's last words, Bilbo went off to cry by himself, and as he did, Oin realized that for the first time in his life, he was starting to feel empathy for a non-dwarf, namely, Bilbo.

He went out to talk to Bilbo, who was weeping in another nearby tent, after asking another dwarf healer to tend to his duties temporarily. "How bad do you feel, Burglar Baggins?" he asked.

"Please," said Bilbo, "I don't want to be called 'Burglar' right now, Oin. If you must speak with me, call me Bilbo."

"Very well, Bilbo," said Oin, "Do you know something? I weep for Thorin's loss, too, but he is not altogether gone. There is a place far away called the Halls of Waiting, where all dwarf souls rest until the end of time and the restoration of the world. And although I do not know where hobbits go after they die, I believe that one day, you and Thorin shall meet again. If I can, and the rest of his Company can, surely you can, as well."

"Actually, I already suspected that," Bilbo admitted. "I didn't think Thorin was bluffing about that remark."

"I am just trying to say that I can understand your emotions," replied Oin, "and way down underneath my natural dwarf instincts, like desire for treasure and all, I cherish a harmonious environment without emotional conflict. I'm more sociable than I acted like during the Quest, with my fellow dwarves, and I'm sure I will be with the men of this area, also, after Dale is rebuilt, and perhaps even the elves of Mirkwood, if they don't trouble us again."

"But how do I know that's true with you, Oin?" asked Bilbo, "When Thorin was enchanted by that blasted dragon sickness, it seemed to me that all the rest of you, except perhaps for Fili, Kili, and maybe Bombur, were of like mind with him. How do I know you didn't agree with Thorin then, or even now?"

"Not all of us were of like mind to King under the Mountain, my friend," Oin responded, "He was of higher authority than we were. Some of us disagreed privately, like Balin and myself, and maybe Ori. I know what it is like not to like or trust elves, like most dwarves do, but before Smaug came and poisoned this land, the dwarves of the Lonely Mountain were in complete harmony and co-operation with the elves, as well as the men of Dale. If I were King under the Mountain, I'd wish to act on the best outcome for all the Free Peoples, not just dwarves, and try to tune into the needs of others and create a supporting environment. I did have one private talk with Roäc once, before the business with the Arkenstone, telling him that I secretly thought Thorin was mad, but I was in no position to act on it, and I had sympathy and shame for what our King did to you afterwards."

"Well," said Bilbo, "I think you could have shown more boldness in opposing Thorin's illness, but I'm glad to hear that there were some others who didn't approve of his actions or thoughts, and I've known all of you long enough to know that you are not liars. Did you really want this Quest to turn out for the better for all?"

"Yes," said Oin, "I did not intend for it to end like this, Bilbo. I always plan and organize my commitments in advance, because I invested a substantial sum of money in this adventure. I wanted it to end without sorrow, not with it. And I do not dishonor my obligations, ever. I am a dwarf of my word, and if I ever go on another adventure, I will plan my part and stay true to it as best I can again."

"Thank you, Oin," Bilbo replied, "It's good to hear that there's another dwarf who cares about more than gold and his own kind in Thorin's Company. Thank you again; I'm glad you came over to talk to me, though I doubt I will feel better for a long time yet."

"Well, it's what I like to do," said Oin. "I'm well-read and analytical enough to see when a friend is suffering somehow. I am glad I could help."

Bilbo thanked him one more time, and Oin left to return to his duties. Along the way, he passed by the wizard Gandalf, his left arm in a sling.

"That was well done, Oin!" he complimented the dwarf. "It is good to see that you dwarves have grown to truly care about my extraordinary burglar!"

"Thanks, Gandalf," Oin said, "I just thought it was the right thing to do."

"It was," said Gandalf, "even though it took you away from your duties as a camp healer for several minutes. I always thought you were one of the most virtuous dwarves of the Company, after Balin, Fili, and Kili, for your empathy and intuitive sense of other people's emotions and understanding of their feelings. We should all be glad you were in the Quest, too!" And the wizard walked away to visit with Bilbo.

And Oin suddenly realized that he had just answered his own questions about why it wasn't completely evil that so many lives were regularly lost or that his ointments didn't always succeed in healing.

Yes, he thought. A dwarf can be a nice person to others, after all.