A/N: Definitely a shorter chapter. I just wanted to get something up, :/ and it seemed like a good stopping point. Hope you like it. Sorry for the wait.

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And now that I've got all that out of the way... Here's your chapter! ;)

When you are willing to compromise and make sacrifices for someone, that's where you feel true love.

-Unknown

I couldn't breathe. I was vaguely aware of the dwarves around me jumping to their feet, reaching for weapons and other forms of defense. No one spared me a second glance until Thorin, in a voice that seemed murky and distorted so that I almost couldn't understand him, told me to stay.

"No."

"Yes." He looked insulted.

"Are you crazy?!"

He looked even more so. "You would be a liability."

Before I knew it, I had marched inches from his face, glaring into his stormy eyes, my own filled with the most anger I could muster, my voice filled with venom. "That's my sister."

Fili, who had appeared beside me without my knowing, put a sympathetic hand on my shoulder and offered me one of his twin swords. I turned to face him, surprised by the guilt in his eyes. He turned to his uncle. "I'll watch her."

I shrugged off the hand on my shoulder, taking the sword. "I don't need watching," I hissed, aiming it at Thorin even though Fili was the one who had said it. "But thank you." Even in my anxiety, my terror, my guilt, I managed a small grateful smile. He returned it. Thorin nodded.

"But if anything happens to him..." he said to me once his nephew had walked away.

"Nothing will," I said. I promise.

0o0o0o0o0o

The good thing was, I found the trolls. The bad thing was, they were holding my sister- and Bilbo- upside down. Closer to the fire than I would have liked. Well, not that I liked trolls having my sister in the first place.

Man, those things were ugly! Grey and stony, and they smelled really bad. "NO!" I screamed, launching myself at the nearest one, not even waiting for the dwarves. A second later, they finally caught up and the real battle began.

I was slicing at any troll parts I could reach. I stabbed the troll holding Faye and Bilbo in the toe, and he dropped them. I leaned over to catch my sister, but someone beat me to it. Surprised, I looked at the oldest Durin brother. Then I smirked, resuming my troll-slaying.

It seemed like only minutes before everyone stopped moving, staring at something behind me. I turned... and screamed.

They had Bilbo.

And Faye.

Kili tried to run forward, with Fili right behind him, but Thorin stopped them. I agreed with his reasoning, though I was loathe to admit it. If they tried anything, they might kill Bilbo or Faye. And then I would kill them.

"Lay down her arms. Or well rip his off!" One of the trolls ordered.

"A-and swallow the girl whole!" One of the others squeaked.

I didn't hesitate to throw down my sword. Thorin was hesitating. I took a step in his direction, and his head swiveled to face my unblinking, angry gaze. "Thorin I swear, if they die and we live, you will wish the trolls would have killed us." I could see in his eyes; he believed I would do it. Good.

Everybody dropped their weapons. Ori was very extra dramatic throwing down his slingshot. I sighed, though it had been at my... threat... that it had happened at all.

Well, aren't we in a pickle now?