Warning: there is no triggering material in this one, just lots and lots of happy smiling family fluff :)

Epilogue

Kili shifted anxiously in the saddle of his pony as Erebor loomed into sight. Home. They had been traveling for the last month and a half, and he very site of Erebor made him feel so many things; excitement, nervousness, happiness, and concern.

He blew his bangs out of his eyes and directed his pony next to Elrond's horse.

"Don't be nervous." Elrond told him.

Kili nodded. He was nervous, but a good nervous. He hadn't seen his brother, or uncle or kin in more than a year and he was excited to see them, but also nervous. He had been in such a bad place last time he saw them, he couldnt help but wince at the memories. As excited as he was to be reunited with his family, he was worried. He had learned so much in Rivendell, how to channel his emotions in a healthy way, how to find peace with himself. It had been easy there, in a place of healing where the methods he had learned came like second nature. But this wasn't Rivendel, this was the Real World. Would he still be able to carry on the same way, without the help of Elrond or the other elves. He didn't know, but he hoped so.

"What if they don't recognize me? Or they dont like what they see?" he voiced his concerns out loud. Elrond reached out and put a hand on Kili's shoulder.

"They will."

Fili paced back and forth infront of the mantle, ignoring the limb in his walk. His injuries had been grave, but he had made it through and was healing well.

"Are they here yet?" he asked anxiously

Thorin couldn't help but smile at his excitement. "They should be soon, Dwalin said the North guard spotted them not ten minutes ago."

Fili smiled, "Good. I can hardly wait to see my brother."

Few minutes late, a dwarf walked in and cleared his throat;

"My lords, they are here." he said, and Fili actually bounced up and down. Thorin chuckled and watched his excited nephew run out of the living room. He was just excited to see Kili, he just hoped Kili had forgiven him for what he did. He closed his eyes and shook the mental frame of his nephews bewildered face from his mind.

Fili strode out into the hallway, looking anxiously around for his brother. Then he saw a small dark haired dwarf standing next to Elrond and smiled. Kili. He walked as fast as his leg would let him and opened his arms up wide.

"Kili!" he shouted, unable to restrain his excitement. "Welcome home!" and embraced his brother in a large bear hug.

"Fili! Am I glad to see you! It has been far to long!" Kili exclaimed in his ear. They withdrew from each other, each looking over the other fondly.

Fili smiled, Kili looked like Kili. The one he knew before the quest. Happy, handsome, healthy, happy-go-lucky Kili.

Kili was looking around the hall in awe, "So, this is Erebor? I never imagined it would be so big." Fili nodded, "You get used to it." He couldn't stop smiling, he gave his brother's shoulder a squeeze, then turned to Lord Elrond, who had been watching their reunion with a smile on his face.

"Welcome, Lord Elrond to Erebor. I hope your travels went smoothly." He greeted the elf politely, Elrond nodded in thanks.

Fili gestured towards the living room.

"Come, Im sure you want to rest."

Thorin stood when Fili, Kili and Elrond came into the room. He smiled at Kili, who looked healthy and happy, then nodded at Elrond.

"It's good to have you back with us." Thorin told his nephew, and Kili nodded politely. A slight hesitation in his smile now.

As overjoyed as Kili was to see his brother, he was less so to see his uncle. This was the dwarf who had ordered him away, who had shoved him, cursed at him and took his knife away. He had many conversations with Elrond about this moment, about the emotions he would feel, about how he would act, but now that he was here living it, all he could do was stare.

"Kili?" Elrond prompted, knowing that this was the moment the young dwarf had been dreading since they left Rivendell. But then Kili took a step towards Thorin and embraced him.

"Ive missed you so much, Uncle."

Thorin laughed as he wrapped his arms around his youngest. "It is so good to see you, Kili." He murmured in a low voice, suddenly overcome by emotions. The last time he saw Kili, the lad was merely a shadow; so lost, so sad, so confused that he barely even recognized himself. Now, Kili was here, shining bright in his arms. He pulled Kili out in front of him;

"Look at you, you look so much better."

Kili beamed, "I feel so much better."

Thorin squeezed his shoulders, "I'm proud of you, it takes courage to pull through something like that and you did."

Kili just smiled.

They stared at eachother for a few more moments, and then Thorin's eyes lit on Elrond. He never thought he would feel so much gratitude towards an elf.

"I am sure you are hungry after your journey, Master Elf. Please, let's go to the dinning all." Thorin said, with a wave of his hand. He wanted to make sure that they gave the brothers enough space to get reacquainted.

As Elrond and Thorin left, the brothers looked at each other. This was the first time they had been alone since Beorn's, more than a year ago. So much had happened that they each felt slightly nervous around the other, so much had changed since they last saw each other. Kili was standing up straight with confidence, and smiling, and was wearing loose sleeves that didn't quite cover the scars but they didn't seem to bother him anymore.

While Fili bore the scars from the Battle of Five Armies on his face, scars that would never fade, and had a limp that would never heal.

Kili noticed them, and took a step towards his brother, then reached out his hand, fingers tracing lightly over the scar on Fili's cheek.

"Does it hurt?" he asked, and for a moment, Fili was hit with nostalgia as Kili's words echoed his own from long ago. Fili shook his head, "No. If this looks bad, you should have seen the orc who thought he could behead me." he said with a smile. Kili laughed, a sound that neither had heard in far too long.

"You must tell me everything that happened since Beorn's." Kili demanded, Fili smiled, "I will, only if you tell me what happened to you after you left."

"Deal."

"You first." they both said at the same time and both laughed a little.

So they started, laughing, interrupting, and teasing each other until their stories ended.

"I can't believe you fell for an elf." Fili smirked as Kili told him about Tauriel.

"I can't believe you allowed Bilbo to stuff you in an apple barrel and throw you down a river. What an adventure!" Kili retorted with a laugh.

Fili smiled at his brother, until now Erebor had just felt like fortress, but now, with his brother laughing beside him, it felt like home. Suddenly, it came to him; the third thing he was thankful for.

"I'm thankful for you." he told Kili.

Kili grinned, "You do that too?"

"What?"

"The "Three Things I'm Thankful For" thing?"

"Yes, I guess I do. Now thinking of it." Fili replied.

Since Bilbo left, he had been doing it. Everytime something went wrong; he fell because of his leg, noticed people staring at his face, or felt the pressures of being Prince, he found that he would pause, take a deep breathe and Bilbo's voice would ring in his ears; name three things you are thankful for right now. It was surprisingly calming.

"I guess a little bit of Bilbo has rubbed off on me. He was the one who got me started with it." he continued contemplatively.

"how did you hear about it?" Fili asked

"Rivendell. When I felt like-you know-I would pause and ask myself what I was thankful for. It helped... " Kili trailed, suddenly nervous about talking about it infront of his brother.

"So, what are yours?" Fili then asked, Kili smiled, "I'll tell you if you tell me."

"Alright. I'll start." Kili though for a second, then answered.

"That it's not raining, that we finally have a place to call home, and that you are my big brother." he finished. "Your turn."

Fili couldn't help but smile, "How did you do that?"

"What?"

"You stole mine!"

"Ha! I guess good minds think alike!"

And finally things were at peace.

I am home.

The End!

888

Thank you all for sticking with me until the end. And now I challenge you; What are three things that you are thankful for today?

I am thankful you; my cats, my family and you, my readers. Thank you for supporting me through writing this!

This simple question has helped me so much. So, next time you are feeling down, try it. Best of luck to all of you!

Hannon le :)