The Undecided Title Of Sara Miller *Hobbit Fanfiction* (Thorin/OC)

Chapter 9: Swimming

Fili and Kili were most of the way to the stand of trees with the last of the ponies by the time Sara caught up with them. The clump of trees that sheltered the animals was on the riverbank, and Sara had to shout to be heard over the roar of the water.

"Fili, Kili!"

They stopped just shy of the trees and turned to her, their faces giving away nothing. There was no mischievous glint in their eyes, just flat slightly pained gazes.

"Ms. Miller," said Fili. "What do you need?"

Not quite sure how to proceed she fidgeted with the zipper on her pants. Fili must have seen her discomfort for he tried again.

"Ms. Sara?" She looked up at him and the words seemed to spill from her mouth like water from a dam.

"Look, I know the last few days have been hard, and you must think I'm a freak, but if you all go on ignoring me I will go insane." They didn't reply, simply stared back at her in shock and surprise.

"It's hard enough being away from home, and not knowing if I'll ever get back. I have no idea why the Aule and Yavanna sent me or if they will ever send me home. I'm traveling with a company of dwarves who hate me. Not only that, we are going to face down a dragon which, quite frankly, terrifies me. I'm cold, wet, miserable, and no one will talk to me. Your uncle never wanted me here. He's been looking for a way to get rid of me ever since that first night. I heard him and Balin talking. Do you have any idea what it's like to travel under that pressure?"

Her eyes stung with the unshed tears of anger and frustration, but she stubbornly plowed on, not wanting to give in to the pressure threatening to burst in her chest.

"I was only allowed to come because the dwarf king didn't want to lose Gandalf's help. Most of you see me as no more than a burden. But I have nowhere else to go. Now to top it all off, two of the people who were making this whole ordeal remotely less miserable won't even talk to me. I just don't..."

Kili lunged forward unexpectedly, startling her, but in a moment he had crushed her to his chest in a bone-breaking embrace. She stood stock-still as he held her to him but slowly her arms came around him and she gripped him back tightly. The sudden comfort broke the dam of resolve and the tears slipped slowly down her cheeks. He held her until she collected herself and then held her at arm's length examining her carefully.

"Ms. Miller?" he asked, his eyes searching her face as she wiped the last of the tears away. "Are you angry with us?" She shook her head.

"I never was mad at you, except maybe when you wanted to send me away because you thought I was pregnant. I guess I was pretty upset with you all. But, I'm not mad anymore. I just.... I don't want to be alone anymore. I...I have had enough people leave me."

"Are you sure you not angry Ms. Miller?" asked Kili.

"I will be if you ever call me Ms. Miller again. If I never hear someone call me that again it will be too soon." Kill seemed taken aback for a moment but then grinned.

"Very well, Mistress Miller it is." She jabbed him hard in the ribs and he jumped away smiling as he massaged his superficial wound.

"I actually missed you calling me that," she confessed sheepishly.

"I knew you would warm to it," he said cheekily. She turned to face Fili who had still not said anything. He was gazing at her, his expression unreadable.

"Fili I..."

"I'm sorry," said Fili cutting over her. "I never meant to make you feel like we didn't want you with us. We assumed you did not desire to not speak to us after the debacle the other night."