A/N So this is the last chapter sadly enough. I wanted to thank those who have commented by sending a PM but anything non-assessment related has unfortunately been pushed out of my head so I kept forgetting to message you all. I want to thank everyone for sticking with this story, and I hope you enjoy this last chapter.

"Now if things get too much for you come back inside. Is that clear?" commented Dis as she securely fastened a cloak around Kili's shoulders.

"Yes mama, I promise" responded Kili with a nod of his head. Dis just hummed and raised an eyebrow. "I said I promise!" exclaimed Kili.

Fili snorted in amusement and when Kili's gaze rounded on him he merely shrugged, "Ma knows what you're like Kili"

Kili rolled his eyes, and bouncing on his toes he asked, almost pleaded. "Can I go now please?"

Dis checked her youngest over once more and deemed him ready so she nodded. Kili grinned broadly at her and gave her a fleeting hug before he was rushing out of the chambers door. Leaving Fili behind, Kili heard his brother calling for him to wait. But Kili was too excited to wait, he had been allowed to go to the wild garden as much as he wanted the past two weeks, but even that began to feel like confinement. But now he was finally allowed outside of the Mountain. As he got closer to the main gate his steps quickened, he knew he should wait for Fili but he just couldn't. He longed for the wide open spaces, no more being told where he could and couldn't go. Even though he wasn't fit enough to help with the last bits of clearing the Mountain. He could choose whether to stay in the chambers, or go to the garden or even go out of the Mountain altogether. Now he had freedom. And how had he longed for it.

He passed dwarves who greeted him, but he did not stop to speak to them. He didn't see it but the dwarves he passed just smiled and watched the young Prince on his way. They all knew what it was like to have the first taste of freedom after being injured and could not begrudge the young dwarf this. They all had trouble in concealing their laughter at the sight of Fili, who was running after his brother looking frazzled.

Kili rounded a corner and finally the main gate was in sight and began to run faster leaving Fili further behind. Dwalin saw him coming so ordered for the gate to be opened, he laughed as Kili did not even wait for the gate to be fully opened.

Kili saw a gap in the slowly opening gate and shot through it. He ran a few paces and then came to an abrupt stop. He paused and raised his face so he was looking up at the sky; he closed his eyes and let out a contented sigh. He kept his eyes closed even when he heard Fili coming to a stop beside him slightly out of breath.

"Nice of you to join me brother" smirked Kili, he had always been a faster runner than Fili, something he had used to his advantage growing up. He didn't need his eyes open to know Fili was frowning at him.

"You should have waited Kili" Fili sternly commented. Kili also knew his brother well enough that he knew Fili would have his arms crossed.

"I'm a big dwarf, I think I can manage getting just outside of the main gate by myself" retorted Kili. He didn't wait for Fili to say anything else before he opened his eyes and darted away and began climbing over the stones, rocks and boulders that lay outside the Mountain.

"Kili!" came Fili's exasperated shout.

Kili chuckled to himself as he ignored his brother and amused himself by walking the vast open space. This lasted for an hour until he came across an area of stone that had a distinct red stain across it. He stood frozen in shock as he stared down at the stain. He forced himself to look up and saw all around him similar red stains, he also realized he was stood near to where he and Thorin had fought against Azog. The place where Thorin had been mortally wounded.

He stood wide eyed and his eyes darted all over the place and his breathing quickened. He rubbed his sweaty palms across his legs. But things only got worse. His mind thrust him back into memories he had buried weeks ago. He heard the clashing of metal, the dying screams and the growling sneers of the enemy. He clenched his eyes shut in the hopes that the memories would fade away and covered his ears to block out the terrifying sounds. It didn't help, soon he was gasping for air and the emotional turmoil brought him down to his knees. He tried to fight it, but it was almost as if his legs had no strength left in them and his knees buckled. He groaned in pain when his knees connected painfully with the stone beneath him, he reached out with his hands to find something, anything, to ground him.

He was startled when he felt a hand grasping his shoulder; he turned his head quickly and found himself looking up at Fili's worried face.

"Kili what's wrong?" questioned Fili, his eyes darting around for any danger that may have befallen his brother. He looked back down when Kili didn't answer, "Kili?"

Kili had turned so he was staring at the stain of blood and was beginning to get lost in the memories again. When Fili saw the blood stain and realized what was happening, he moved so he was knelt in front of Kili blocking his view of the blood stain.

"Kili? Kili look at me!" demanded Fili in a strong voice, he gently, but forcefully, shook Kili's shoulders until Kili looked up at him with wide, grief stricken eyes. "It's alright Kili"

Fili watched as Kili seemed to build up his defences and soon his eyes were blank of all emotion once again. Kili shakily rose to his feet and brushed off Fili's hands and with one more look at the stain of blood he wordlessly he turned away.

Fili was worried that he was losing his brother again so he reached out and desperately grasped Kili's arm. Kili tried to shake him loose but Fili clung on, he couldn't lose his brother, he would protect him against everything, even himself.

"Kili!" Fili held onto his brother until Kili managed to twist his arm out of Fili's grip. "Please Kili! Don't shut me out again!"

Kili whirled to face Fili with an expression, for the first time, the elder could not read. "When have I ever shut you out? And you're one to talk! You left me alone for five weeks!" snapped Kili.

"You shut me out after I told you what happened to Uncle! You would just lie there and stare at nothing!" countered Fili; he saw Kili flinch and instantly wanted to take his words back. Kili was hurting and Fili had probably made it worse. "Kili I'm sor-"

Kili narrowed his eyes and snapped, "Leave it Fili" and then Kili turned and strode back towards the main gate.

"Kili wait!" shouted Fili, but Kili did not stop, he did not even look back. Fili's shoulders slumped in defeat. He turned to look back at all the red stains that remained on the ground and shuddered knowing that one belonged to Kili. The thought that Kili could have died there almost brought tears to his eyes, but knowing that Kili was very much alive allowed him to keep his composure. He took a deep breath and then began following Kili.

Kili stormed into his chambers with his cloak billowing out behind him and spotted his quiver and bow; he grabbed them and then left the chambers and thundered up to the garden where Bofur had made a target for him. This was the first time he was going to use his bow since the battle and he felt a lump in his throat at the very thought of the battle. He reached the garden and was thankful that his mother wasn't there.

He put his quiver on his back and pulled out an arrow and fired. It hit the edge of the target. Nowhere near the centre, before the battle all his arrows would have been directly in the centre. Angrily he grabbed another arrow. This continued again and again until he was out of arrows. They were all scattered across the target. Not one in the centre.

Kili growled in frustration and marched forward to the target and retrieved his arrows. He took up his stance again and fired all of his arrows only to get the same result. He became angrier and angrier every time all the arrows missed the centre. His right hand and lower chest began to ache, but he ignored the slight pain and continued to fire his arrows, retrieve them and fire them again. Kili didn't know how many times this continued, but when he reached back for an arrow a hand suddenly grasped his wrist. The owner of the hand spun him around and he came face to face with Fili.

"Stop Kili" stated Fili firmly.

"I will once I hit the centre more than the rest of the target" snapped Kili,

"I've been watching you Kili, you haven't hit the centre once" observed Fili.

"Which is why I'm going to keep firing arrows until I do" glared Kili.

Fili's grip tightened and he narrowed his eyes, "That will only do more harm than good"

Kili wrenched his arm from Fili's hold and hissed, "What would you know of archery?"

Kili went to fire an arrow, but Fili stopped him. "Enough."

The youngest Durin just glared and tired again to fire his arrow, "Kili you fool" sighed Fili,

"Oh that's right! Kili the fool, Kili the troublemaker, Kili the one who causes disruption! I'm the perfect example of what a dwarf shouldn't do aren't I?!" exploded Kili.

"That is not what I meant and you know it!" retorted Fili,

But Kili appeared not to have heard him, "I remember how Uncle originally wasn't going to let me come on the quest. I imagine there are dwarves who think I shouldn't have! I couldn't even save Uncle!"

Fili sighed internally, and that was what everything came down to. Kili still felt guilt over their Uncle's death, even almost three months after the battle. "Kili. What happened to Uncle wasn't your fault"

Kili's eyes clenched shut and he tried to turn away, but Fili engulfed him in a tight hug. He hoped and prayed that Kili would believe him, because he knew once Kili did. He would have his little brother back for good.

"But-" started Kili,

"It wasn't your fault" Fili softly ordered. He felt Kili shudder and then came the quiet sound of someone trying to conceal a sob. "Let it out Kili. It wasn't your fault". He felt Kili bury his head into his shoulder and Fili gently and slowly lowered them to the ground. He tightened his arms around Kili and gently rocked him. He felt tears stinging the backs of his eyes at the sound of his brother's sobs but he didn't let his tears fall, he remained strong for his brother.

Soon Kili's tears stopped, but Fili continued to hug his brother. Slowly Kili untensed and slowly, so very slowly, almost hesitantly, Fili felt Kili's own arms wrap around his back. Fili smiled into Kili's hair, he knew everything would be alright.

Three more months had passed. Fili had not yet been crowned King, he wanted to wait until the first caravans arrived from the Blue Mountains. Which was due to be any day. The Mountain had been restored to its former glory thanks to all the hard work from the dwarves of the Iron Hills and the Company. Kili had even been able to help with the work, which had pleased him because he finally felt useful. Fili and Dis had looked on with joy as Kili began to return to being the dwarf they both remembered and loved from before the battle. He seemed to have finally left his depression behind him and could now smile and laugh freely.

The month before Kili had even walked back to where he had found the blood stains on the stone. Most had now faded, but some remained. Fili had been worried and had not wanted Kili to do this fearing another setback. But Kili had been stubborn and had even stated, "I'm going with or without you". So Fili had followed his brother incase another setback did occur. Thankfully nothing happened, Kili had grown a little unsettled, but so had Fili. Anyone would have if they had stood there, whether they had been involved in the battle or not.

Fili and Kili were up in the garden again with Kili practising with his bow and arrows. He had steadily improved, but had yet to fire all his arrows into the centre of the target.

Kili had fired all but one arrow, so far all had hit the centre. Fili was leaning against a tree watching and holding his breath as he watched Kili take a steadying breath as he reached for his last arrow.

Twang.

Thud.

Kili stared at the target in disbelief. Fili moved so he was stood beside Kili and took in where the arrow had landed. He grasped Kili's left shoulder with his hand and shook Kili grinning.

"You did it brother! All arrows in the centre!"

Kili turned grinning at Fili and whooped in excitement. They turned hearing a laugh and saw Dis watching them.

"Mama did you see?!" exclaimed Kili,

"Yes I saw" smiled Dis as she walked towards them and embraced Kili, "I had no doubt your archery skills would return. You are too much like your father for them not to"

Dis reached out and brought Fili into the embrace, "I am proud of you both, so are your father and Uncle. Never forget that". She kissed both their brows and then left leaving them to their own devices.

Kili sighed happily, "Today is a good day"

"That it is brother. That it is" agreed Fili, there was a time when he wondered if he would ever see Kili smile or laugh genuinely again. But that was a distant worry now.

They walked to the edge of the garden and looked out at the view in front of them. Kili sucked in a breath and confused Fili followed his brother's eye line, and then smiled. In the distance the caravans from the Blue Mountains could be seen making their way slowly towards the Mountain. Fili looked back to see Kili clutching the necklace made by Lalia, smiling he wrapped an arm around Kili's shoulders. Knowing Kili was waiting for a certain dwarf lass to arrive at the Mountain with the caravans.

"I would say today is the best day brother" smiled Fili, Kili smiled and nodded in agreement. Together they stood and watched the caravans, knowing that as long as they stood together they could face anything that was thrown at them.

The End.