The day that Keeva told Thorin that she was with child clung on in Thorin's memory... the day that he had learned that he was to be a father, that Fili, his nephew, would soon have a cousin to play with. Thorin remembered fondly how he had walked around for weeks afterwards, an actual smile on his face, obviously the happiest he had been since before Smaug came to Erebor.

Dis, Balin and Dwalin watched, all of them pleased to see that finally Thorin was happy after so many years of loneliness and despair. Even Fili, young as he was, noticed the difference in his uncle.

All of those close to the pair in question knew that things were not as perfect as they seemed. For one, Keeva and Thorin were not each other's One. Keeva had been engaged to one of Thorin's friends who had died at the battle for Azanulbizar and still grieved strongly for her lost love and Thorin himself was not in love with the dwarrowdam that carried his child. She was a friend of his, yes, but Thorin's feelings went no further than that.

Although the baby Keeva carried had not been conceived out of love, it was widely known by all who knew of Keeva's pregnancy (and who the father of her unborn babe was) how much Thorin and Keeva loved their unborn child. Keeva would smile and gently rub her swollen stomach through her dress and Thorin would sit on the floor beside Keeva's chair and talk to the baby about Erebor and about how much Thorin looked forward to the day he would hold his son or daughter in his arms for the first time.

Just like the day that Keeva had told him of her pregnancy, the day the pregnancy had ended would forever be vividly burned into Thorin's mind. The day had begun normally enough, with Thorin going to work at the forge with Dwalin, leaving Keeva alone. There was still over a month until Oin believed the baby was due and Keeva had shown no signs of illness or fatigue. There was no reason that she shouldn't have been left alone.

Thorin worked hard that morning and by mid-afternoon he and Dwalin had completed the work they had been given. Winter had set in and winter was usually a quiet time for the blacksmith. They decided to shut up the forge and head back to their warm homes. Snow had fallen throughout the morning and it was bitterly cold, despite the fact that it was only early on in winter... it was promising to be a long and cold winter.

Out of habit Thorin glanced down the street Keeva lived in on the way and he froze as he took in the sight that he took in. Beside him Dwalin cursed but Thorin was oblivious to everything but the thick smoke that was coming from the window of Keeva's cottage.

"NO!" Thorin had screamed, breaking free of his trance and running down the street through the gathered dwarves. Several of them had tried to enter the dwelling but had been driven back by the heat of the fire that raged within. Thorin, however, felt no heat as he dived through the door, coughing as the smoke burned his airways and made his eyes water.

"Keeva!" he yelled, his voice hoarse and barely audible above the roar of the flames.

"Thorin!" a voice called in reply and Thorin immediately crouched down to the floor and crawled towards it, forcing himself to ignore the flames around him and the painful memories of Smaug's attack on Erebor the fire brought to his mind.

"Thorin, here... Help!" Keeva screamed from where she laid, her legs trapped by a fallen roofing beam. Thorin crawled to her side, pushing the beam off her and gathering her in his arms as she clung to him.

"The baby... it's coming," she told him in a panicked voice. Thorin had felt his stomach drop at the news, his heart pounding in his chest, but he did nothing to outwardly show his distress at the news. Surely it was too early for the baby to arrive... surely Keeva was mistaken

Thorin didn't remember how he and Keeva managed to escape the fire but he definitely remembered what happened afterwards when he had laid Keeva in his own bed at Dis' house as Oin and Dis carefully examined Keeva. Oin had looked at Thorin with a grave expression.

"The child is certainly coming... it may still be some hours yet but he or she is certainly coming."

"But it's too early... isn't it?" Keeva asked, wincing as Dis applied a thick cream to some of her burns.

"I would have preferred that the little one stayed where he or she is for at least another month, given the weather, but the little one is on its way," Oin told her. Thorin hesitated. He knew it would be improper for him to stay but he still wanted to reassure Keeva. Dis laid a comforting hand on his shoulder and Thorin sighed, kissing Keeva on the forehead before Dis ushered him out of the room.

The next few hours were a blur to Thorin but the moment Dis opened the door to his room, the tiny bundle of blankets in her arms, Thorin would never forget. He remembered his heart pounding in his chest, his throat dry as Dis carefully put the tiny, swaddled infant in his arms and quietly told him that he had a son.

Thorin would later blame it on residual smoke but the tears that poured from his eyes as he cradled his son for the first time were genuine. The baby was tiny, even by dwarf standards, but he was perfect at the same time. His head already carried thick, dark hair, so much like Thorin's own, and Thorin recognized many of his own features in his son's face as the boy slept in his arms, tiny fingers curling around one of Thorin's braids.

Sensing that her brother was rather occupied with his son, Dis slipped back into Thorin's room. For his part, Thorin walked to his chair beside the fire and carefully lowered himself into it, cradling the baby close to his chest, wondering if the joyful feeling in his chest was the same feeling his own father had experienced when Thorin, Frerin and Dis had each been placed in his arms.

Thorin only lifted his eyes from his son when he heard his bedroom door open again and he saw Dis emerge, her face pale. Concern stirred within Thorin and the smile on his face was replaced with a look of concern.

"Dis... what is it?" he asked. Dis sniffed and knelt on the floor in front of Thorin, carefully taking the hand he didn't have cradled around his son in her own hands.

"Thorin... Keeva... Oin doesn't think she'll make it. She... she's lost a lot of blood and the burns from the fire have sapped a lot of her strength. Oin is surprised that she's lasted this long, that she even lasted long enough to give birth to this little one." Dis broke off, gently tracing a finger down the baby's cheek. The baby shifted in his sleep but did not waken. Thorin's grip on his son tightened at the news. It was a bitter blow, to face losing Keeva just after their son had been born. Thorin had known much death and suffering throughout his life, to lose yet another friend, the mother of his son, was a painful reminder of how precious life was. Thorin let out a sigh and looked at Dis.

It was apparent how upset Dis was by the news, especially to Thorin, who knew his sister so well. Keeva had been a close friend of Dis' for many years, since before Thror's death, and Keeva's younger brother had been Dis's husband, Gili. They had become even closer after Gili's sudden death during an orc raid seven years before, making the babe Thorin held Fili's cousin twice over.

"I'm sorry. I know you were friends," Thorin said, sincerity in every word

Dis nodded, wiping a tear from her face. "Thank you, Thorin," she told him. Thorin lowered his head and kissed his son's forehead gently before rising to his feet.

"Come on, little one. You should get the chance to meet you mother."

Dis stepped aside and followed Thorin as he walked towards his room. The door was closed and Thorin pushed it open. Oin stood by Keeva's side, watching Thorin with sorrowful eyes.

"I'm sorry, Thorin."

Thorin nodded. "Thank you, Oin. I'm sure you've done all you can. Is… Is she?" Thorin faded off, unable to bring himself to say the words.

"She's still alive but it will not be long now. She's lost too much blood and the injuries she sustained in the fire alone would be cause for concern."

Thorin nodded, approaching the bed. Keeva's eyes were open and she turned her head towards him, smiling weakly.

"Thorin," she greeted, her voice a mere whisper. Thorin went down on his knees so he was on a similar level to Keeva, shifting their son in his arms so Keeva could see the life they had created.

"He's perfect," Keeva smiled, reaching out a pale, trembling hand and touching her son's face. The baby stirred, whimpering, before he opened his eyes. Thorin tensed, ready for him to start crying, but the baby didn't cry. Instead he looked up at Thorin and across at his mother, his fingers releasing their grip on Thorin's braid so he could grasp hold of his mother's finger.

"Have you... thought of a name?" Keeva asked, short of breath, her eyes fixed on her son. Thorin carefully transferred the baby into his mother's arms and Keeva weakly held the baby against her chest.

"I did have one in mind. I wanted to run it by you first, though," Thorin told her. "I was thinking... I was thinking that we could name him Kili."

"Kili... I like it. It runs well with Fili. Kili, son of Thorin, prince of Erebor." Keeva smiled weakly before she lifted her head and pressed her lips to little Kili's head.

"I love you, my little one... my little prince... and let no one ever tell you otherwise."

"Keeva," Thorin whispered when she turned both her eyes towards him.

"Take care of him... love him, protect him, don't let anything happen to him."

"I promise." Thorin nodded, taking Keeva's hand in his own. She squeezed his fingers before she let out a shaky breath and her hand went limp in Thorin's, her eyes darkening, unseeing to the world once more

"Keeva?" Thorin asked, even though he knew in his head that she was gone. Oin walked beside Thorin and felt Keeva's wrist before shaking his head at Thorin. As if he knew that something was wrong, Kili chose that moment to begin to cry, gripping the thick blanket that had covered his chest and legs. Thorin let out a defeated sigh, getting to his feet and pressing his lips to Keeva's forehead before he picked up Kili, cradling his son close to his chest.

"It's alright, Kili... I've got you... I've got you. I'm never going to let anything happen to you. You're safe with me, Kili, I promise."

Looking back on that day, Thorin would forever cringe at the promises he had made, to Keeva, to Kili, and to himself.

The promises he had made, and so soon afterwards, broken.

A.N. So, I've been really obsessed with the Hobbit lately, and the Durin family dynamics in particular, so this fic was born. i've actually been getting a lot of writing done on this story (instead of the stories I've been trying to focus on) so i thought i would start posting. I hope you enjoy, reviews are much appreciated

And if you are interested there is a pic on Tumblr that matches this chapter pretty well. See theevilpickle dot tumblr dot com/image/48156803076

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