Ch. 10

It was early, too early for Peri's tastes, but the fact of the matter was, she was hungry, again.

It had been three weeks since she had woken up after the ordeal and gaining strength every day, Oin however, would still not let her go farther than the sitting room to relax before the fire.

She sighed as she rolled over and into Bofur's warm chest, maybe she could just go back to sleep and ignore the grumbling of her stomach. It was not to be however when a sudden hot flash of nausea hit her hard and sent her scrambling out of Bofur's arms and to the bathroom as fast as she could go.

She had not been kneeling long when she felt her hair being gathered away from her face. Bofur began to rub soothing circles in her back with his other hand as he spoke to her in low sleepy Khuzdul, waiting for the spell to pass as it always did.

When Peridot was finally able to sit back, she looked up at Bofur's sleep rumpled face through watery eyes, he grinned down at her.

"Ready to eat now that you've made room?"

Peri rolled her eyes, "Yes you silly dwarf I am ready to eat now. Just let me rinse my mouth out and I'll join you in the kitchen."

She watched him nod before he planted a kiss to her forehead and wondered off to start an early breakfast.

She leaned over and rested against the cool stone beside the basin. She had started getting sick not long after she had woken from her long illness. Oin said her body had been weakened and she would feel the effects of carrying much stronger than normal. She felt herself relaxing as the coolness of the mountain rock soothed her.

…..

Bofur had finished cooking and set the table before wondering back to the bathroom. Peridot had never joined him the entire time he had been cooking. Leaning against the door frame he watched as she slept against the cool stone of the bathroom wall; he could tell she had not moved since he left her. Smiling slightly he slipped up next to her, squatting down beside her he gently shook her awake.

"'ibin, you need to get up now." She blinked sleepily up at him before letting out a huge yawn.

Bofur helped her slowly off the floor and held her close as they wondered through his rooms and into the bright kitchen.

Peridot had been staying with Bofur ever since she had woken, refusing to be separated. A few of the company had mumbled about propriety, Bofur wasn't sure how much of that they had left seeing as she was already pregnant and all. So she had moved in the day Oin finally let her out of the bed, insisting on walking as far as she could before Bofur finally had scooped her up and carry her down the halls.

Bofur settled Peridot at the dark table covered in all kinds of breakfast foods, meats and grains and fresh fruits all within easy reach of her spot. He set her a cup of peppermint tea and a cool glass of water beside her before taking his own spot across from her, grinning as she began devouring anything within reach.

After several moments of amused silence, Peridot finally looked away from her plate long enough to see Bofur watching her eat over the rim his tea cup. "What?" She asked after swallowing a particularly large bite of bacon.

"Nothing, just glad to see you eating."

"I eat!"

"Aye, you eat. But I haven't seen you eat this much in a while. You've just been nibbling since you moved in. I guess breakfast foods are more to your liking?" Bofur grinned as Peri huffed, unamused at his comment.

"I suppose. Though that brisket Bombur made last night was good."

"He will be glad to know." Bofur watched as Peri slowly began to eat again, not so fast as if she had been starved before speaking again. "I have to return to the mines today."

"Already?"

"Aye, I've been away for a while and need to get back. Rorin has done a fine job but there are a few things I need to see to. He's already agreed to take over for me anytime I need to step away; which will be nice when the little one is born."

Peri nodded as she listened, nibbling on toast slathered in jam.

"Do you want me to have someone come by and look in on you or did you have other plans?"

"I think I'll go spend time with Bilba today. I haven't seen the babies in a while; she didn't bring them last time."

"Would you like me to take you there when I go or do you want to have someone come for you later? I have to leave soon. I'll need to get there before the start of the morning shift."

"I think I'll go lay down for a while longer. I can contact Primrose later if no one stops by before then. I think Dis was wanting to come by around second breakfast. Something about the wedding."

Bofur's smile grew brighter at the mention of their upcoming wedding; he had not hesitated in proposing when Peri had regained consciousness. As soon as all the details could be worked out they would finally tie the knot.

"That sounds good. I'll lock up on the way out so you will have to let her in." Peridot nodded distractedly as her gaze wondered back to the open bedroom door.

"All right my little gem, back to bed with you." Bofur downed the rest of his tea before scooping Peridot up and away from the table, holding her close. He buried his face in her curls, memorizing the scent of clean linen and sunshine that always seemed to hover about her before taking her back to their room and tucking her in; she was asleep before her head touched the pillow.

…

Thorin woke slowly; he blearily stared at the dimly light ceiling wondering what could have woken him at such an hour when he registered the soft humming coming from the boy's room. It was Bilba; humming one her soft Shire lullabies as he heard one of the twins fighting to give up his fussing and sleep.

He lay among the furs and listened for a moment longer before finally rising when he heard the other twin join his brother in wakefulness.

Bilba looked up at him when he entered but not once did she stop her humming, only graced him with that small and warm if tired smile he loved. He crossed over and gently lifted Falin from his nest of knit blankets, settling him against his chest before taking the other rocking chair by the fire.

His sons' tiny hands fisted themselves in the loose fabric of his sleep shirt as he made whimpering sounds. Thorin rocked for a moment, gently patting his sons back.

As soon as Bilba stopped to take a breath he began to sing a song of his own, one he could still remember his mother singing when his own siblings were still young. It had been the first song she had taught him on his harp and one he and sang for Fili and Kili when they had been small and Dis had needed help soothing them after their father had passed.

Bilba's smile grew as she listened to him sing. She had commented more than once that his voice was what had pushed her out her little green door and on the road. It also seemed to be what best calmed their sons, as both boys stopped their fussing and settled back into sleep.

He continued humming the melody as he slowly rocked, waiting until the boys were good and asleep before returning them to their bed.

After settling the boys Thorin pulled Bilba into his chest with one arm, placing a slow kiss to the top of her curls as they gaze down at their sleeping children.

Thorin counted himself blessed beyond measure as he basked in the warm fire glow, surrounded by his small family.

He led his sleepy hobbit back to their bed a short time later, holding her close as they both drifted back into sleep.

…

Nori startled awake when he heard a persistent knocking at his door. Stumbling from his bed, grumbling a bit about the ridiculous hour he was more than a little surprised to find Primrose at his door, face puffy from crying and fresh tears still clinging to her lashes.

"Lass! What is it? What happened?" He drew her in and shut the door before gathering her in to a hug.

"It's nothing. Just stupid…"

"It's not stupid if you are weeping over it. " He murmered into her hair.

"It was just…I…I had another dream."

Nori stepped back to look at Prim better. "Another nightmare? I thought they had gotten better."

"They have, sorta. Oin gave me a tea I can drink at night but it leaves me feeling funny the next day. I don't like to take it all the time. But I still have nightmares without it."

"Why didn't you tell me before?" Nori pulled Primrose further into his home before settling her on the furs before his fireplace and going to make some tea.

"I didn't want to bother you" She whispered, hoping he couldn't hear her from the kitchen as he filled a kettle with water.

"You, my little lady, are never a bother." Nori hung the kettle by the fire before settling himself back down beside her on the furs. "You know you can come to me for anything. That is part of what I'm here for after all."

"I know! It's just… I always feel so foolish. They are nothing but dreams and shouldn't bother me as much as they do."

"They are not foolish, and I wish I had known about them sooner. I can't help you if I don't know." Nori pulled her hand into his lap, fingers tracing the scars left from the warg before speaking again.

"They are battle dreams. I used to have them after the Battle of the Five Armies. Terrible dreams. I woke up once still locked in the haze of one of the bad ones, pulled my knives and swung at Dori when he came to see about the noise. I nicked him before he could get out of the way."

Primrose looked at Nori with wide eyes. "What happened?"

"Ori went for Dwalin while Dori locked me in my room. He's dealt with battle dreams and knows how to get a soldier out of one. It took a while to calm me down and bring me back. That was the worst I had ever been. I had not told anyone they had been getting worse, and Dori had to suffer for it. So please, never feel you are a burden or bothering me if something is wrong. I love you Primrose, more than I can ever tell you. I will always be here to help you with anything, and these dreams are what are bothering you now."

Nori pulled Prims hand to his lips for a quick kiss and rose as the kettle whistled. He made them both cups of soothing chamomile tea before settling back down.

"The dreams are always similar. Sometimes it's the orcs and wargs, sometimes bandits; mostly it's the dwarrow that took Prim. It's always people I love that in danger and I feel as if I'm running through honey trying to reach them before something bad happens."

Primrose dissolved into tears again as she clutched her tea. "I'm so afraid that they will one day come true and I will be left watching someone I love die. I thought most of the dreams were behind me after we made it to the mountain. But after Peridot got kidnapped they have come back, worse than before. And I know you say I'm not a bother but I feel bad for coming here in the middle of the night. It's just; they go away when I'm with you. I feel safe here."

As Prim went quiet again Nori contemplated his tea. After less time than it probably should have he had an idea that he knew Dori was going to explode over. In one swift movement Nori placed his tea on the table before holding out a hand to Primrose, he placed her own cup aside before pulling her from the floor and into his arms. "Then you will just have to stay here."

"What?" Prim looked at him a little confused, "I thought that was what I did when I came over at night."

"No I mean stay. As in I want you to move in with me. You said the dreams get better when you are here with me. So that means you need to stay here with me, always."

"You're sure?"

"Of course I am! We can get your things later in the morning." Nori began to pepper her face in scratchy kisses making her giggle at the feeling of his beard. "For now I think we need to get some rest"

Nori reached up, pulling the few throw pillows and the blanket from the couch onto the floor before he settled Primrose on the furs in his arms. "Sleep now my lady. I'll do my best to keep the nightmares at bay."

Nori lay quiet as Primrose snuggled closer, and would not let himself even close his eyes before he heard her breathing smooth out into a deep sleep.