Grace

~~~

"So how do we get off this rock structure thing?" Emily asks the next morning. She's looking down the tall height with a worrisome look.

"It's called the Carrock it's a territorial mark," Gandalf explains. He's right, it is. But I wonder who exactly he thinks made it. I know who made it and I know what it is. But does he?

"But how do we get off this territorial mark?" Emily repeats.

"There is just no fucking justice in the world," Alex groans.

"Hahaha suckers I can fly," Allie squeals and skips off the side of the Carrock. I grab her left wrist mid flight. I expect to feel her dry skin but instead I grab cool metal. I freeze and so does Allie. Her eyes zero in on the cuff circling her wrist. How long has that been there?

~~~

Allie

~~~

That's when it becomes very clear to me why my left arm feels heavy. There's a metal cuff on my left wrist.

"Let me go Deren! Let me go!" I wail and yank at the cuffs chaining me to the wall.

"I will never let anyone trap me like that again!" I scream and throw a chair at the wall.

"Oh Aule," Grace mumbles and holds my wrist examining the cuff.

"Oh gosh oh no. No no no no no no no," I pant. This can't be happening again.

"Calm down deep breaths Allie. We can get it off don't freak out," Emily assures.

"Why is she freaking out?" Alex inquires.

"Deren used to chain her up like this when Emily and I weren't around," Bilbo responds quietly. Thorin scowls and stomps up to look at the cuff.

"Can you get it off?" Emily asks the dwarves. "It just looks like a simple cuff."

"I doubt Azog just used a simple cuff," Thorin murmurs, only making my panic worsen.

~~~

Grace

~~~~

I sharply turn my head to the dwarf.

"Say yes dwarf," I mouth to the leader.

"But we can still get if off," Thorin lies and nods. Allie cannot tell he's lying and that's what matters.

"How soon?" Allie gasps and starts banging the cuff against a rock.

"As soon as we can get the tools," Thorin promises and grabs her hand to stop her from damaging her wrist.

"But for now we need to get off this rock," Bofur points out and redirects the focus.

"Again how?" Fili deadpans.

"Yes how about those obvious stairs over there dwarf," I say and point to the crude looking stairs leading down. Allie takes a few laborious breaths and walks to the stairs leading everyone down, her wings out in case of emergency.

"Be careful those stairs look as if they were made for something much bigger than us," Allie advises and tugs at the cuff. I can tell she's deeply bothered. Thorin and I are last to descend, following after the company.

"Thank you for lying to her dwarf. She can't handle a break down. Not now," I whisper to Thorin as we carefully step down.

"No thanks necessary, but are you going to call me dwarf all the time?" Thorin inquires.

"Till you stop calling my friends halflings, yes" I reply.

"I wronged your friends. I realize that now. I will do my best to make it up to them and try to gain their friendship. They truly are courageous little creatures and Miss Allie is quite head strong," Thorin observes and I raise an eyebrow at the look he gets when he speaks about Allie.

"Yes she is."

~~~

Sam

~~~

I start down after Emily and before Bilbo. It isn't a big climb not for me. But it is very high up. Glancing down I gulp.

"Sam jump she's after you! She's gonna kill you! You need to jump Sam!" I yell at myself and stare down the waterfall. My mother's angry screams echo from the distance but slowly grow closer and closer. "JUMP!" I shout to myself and step off the cliff edge. Then I'm falling.

The memory flares up abruptly and I stop dead. Suddenly everything seems louder, Bofur's laugh, the chinking of coins from Gloins pocket, Allie's deep breathing, Emily's giggles, Fili's cheesy pick up lines...they all seem so much louder! My steps get slower and I choke on my own breath. I can't breath! I can't focus! I grab a hold of the rock and slump against it. I try to breath shout scream for help but nothing. I am trapped inside my own mind.

My mother's screams echo in my ears.

My father's dying breath screams in my mind.

"Sam! Sam!" Emily exclaims and shakes my should. I can't respond only gaps for breath which does not come.

"Sam! I think she's having a panic attack!" Bilbo gasps and kneels by my beside. "She needs to hold her breath!"

"Sam try to hold your breath!" Emily begs. Don't they see I need to breath. I'll die if I try to hold my breath!

"She won't. Sam forgive me for this," Bilbo pleads then he's kissing me. Sparks explode in my mind and I can't help but hold my breath. Seconds later everything snaps back into focus and Bilbo stops. I gasp for air and cough.

"What was that for?" I ask.

"I know you need to hold your breath if you have a panic attack to make it stop. So I kissed you...and you held your breath," Bilbo answers his voice quiet.

"Thank you," I breathe and kiss his cheek.

"Why did you do that?" Bilbo repeats my earlier question. His cheeks are bright red.

"It was a thanks," I explain.

"Hey is everyone okay?" Allie asks and I look up to see here flying by the stairs.

"Yeah yeah but I don't think I will be able to make it down without having another panic attack," I answer honestly.

"Sam close your eyes and don't open then till I say so," Allie orders and I comply, shutting my eyes. I can feel Allie's short arm a wrap around my waist then my feet leave the ground. "Don't open!" Allie shouts then I feel air rushing past my ears. Seconds later my feet touch the ground. "Okay open them."

"Thank you Allie," I utter and open my eyes to see myself safely on the ground.

"No problem I understand how much panic attacks suck," Allie replies and shrugs.

~~~

"Alright the next part of our journey leads to the small village of Love Leaf. Before we go does anyone have any old enemies that might live there?" Thorin question and looks among the company.

"Nope," Allie replies.

"Nada," Emily answers.

"No comment," Alex says.

"No promises," Grace chimes.

"Great," Thorin sighs deeply and rubs his forehead in annoyance.