Smaug passed away a few hours later.

The discoloration spread until every speck of russet red was drained and the dragon was the color of a dried out corpse.

His breathing became harsh and his movements sluggish. Eventually he curled into a ball and closed his eyes.

He would not open them again.

It was probably not the death he had envisioned. There would be no songs or ballads about the final moments of Smaug, Terror of the Third Age.

He did not die in a titanic battle over his ill-gotten gold like Scatha.

No mountains were crushed with the force of his fall as with Ancalagon the Black.

He did not, with his final words, bring utter ruin to his foes as Glaurung did.

Smaug, the last of the great worms, usurper of the throne of Erebor, false King under the Mountain...

Died in his sleep.

Kili was the one who noticed.

"Bilba," he grabbed her shoulder and shook it lightly. "I think he's dead."

Bilba ignored him. She was currently curled on her side with her head in his lap having a crisis.

Was she even ready to be a mother? Her grandfather didn't think she was ready to handle her own money. Priscilla had chided her in the letter she'd written as though she were a wayward faunt.

She was almost thirty-one years old, very near to her maturity, but she was treated as though she were still a child, incapable of making responsible decisions let alone taking care of another, helpless life.

What if they were right?

Priscilla's oldest son was about her age and he was already married with an infant daughter. She couldn't imagine Priscilla scolding Adalgrim in a letter like she had Bilba. What was the difference? Why did no one believe in her?

What if they had reason? What if there was something wrong with her that everyone but she could see?

"Bilba!"

Kili's voice broke through again. She twitched, and then rolled just enough to glare at him. Couldn't he see she was busy having a mental breakdown?

"Come on," he ordered, urging her up. "Smaug's dead and I think I've been hearing noise from the doorway."

She muttered something uncharitable but allowed him to help her to her feet and went with him toward the blocked off doorway. Once they arrived Kili leaned against the rocks with his ear pressed to the stone.

Bilba stood next to him, facing back into the Treasury. Smaug's corpse dominated the immediate area; past him were mounds and mounds of gold and precious jewels.

Riches beyond measure but not a single coin could be used to stave off hunger or slake thirst.

A shiver ran through her. She didn't want to be pregnant. Not when she was trapped in a room with no exit and no food or water.

Kili straightened, his face tense. "I can't be sure," he said. "Sometimes I think I hear something and other times I don't."

Bilba shuffled forward and pressed her ear to the rock, resting one hand on it. Distantly she thought she heard sound but, as Kili said, it was so muffled and far away she couldn't be sure if it was real or just her mind playing tricks on her.

She moved back and sighed. "I don't know. How deep do you think Smaug buried the entrance?"

Kili shrugged. "It was a big column."

And it was highly unlikely Smaug would have made it quick to tunnel through, he wanted them dead not inconvenienced. Tears pricked at the back of her eyes. If what he had said was true, if she truly was pregnant, then she'd doomed her own children to death before they were even born.

She'd be no better than her mother leaving her to fend for herself in the wild with three trolls at the doorstep.

Kili was looking at her with the classic look of horror males of all races got when faced with a crying woman.

"I'm sure it'll be alright!" he said quickly. "Smaug didn't take into account how dedicated Uncle is. He'll get through in time, you'll see!"

Bilba forced a watery grin. He was almost as bad a liar as she was. Dedication alone wouldn't get Thorin through layers of rock any faster, not with the limited number of people and resources he had at his disposal.

Kili started to look around, chewing on his lower lip as he did. "There should be water," he mumbled, almost to himself. "There's a natural river running through the mountain, they rerouted it when they founded Erebor. The main section ran through the Treasury." He gave her a slight grin. "See? Fili thinks I just ignored all the lessons Uncle was always giving us."

Bilba gave a watery nod and clasped her hands in front of her. Kili was younger than her, maturity wise, but was doing a far better job with keeping it together.

"Alright," she scrubbed at her eyes and face, "let's find it."

Kili looked relieved. He held his hand out and Bilba obediently took it, pretending she didn't feel how cold it was or how it shook slightly in her grip.

"Ok," Kili whispered to himself. He pointed off to the left. "I think it's that way."

He started walking and off they went. Kili cast a sidelong look at Smaug's corpse. "You know, since we don't have any food..."

"No," Bilba cut in instantly. "I'm not eating anything I had an argument with."

Kili grimaced, his mouth twisting in disgust. "Right."

"Not to mention we sort of poisoned him," Bilba continued, "we also don't know if he had any parasites or other infections and we have no fire to cook him." Nausea roiled in her gut as she said that and she swallowed.

"Bad idea," Kili agreed.

Bilba nodded. She didn't mention it but there was also the fact that Smaug was a servant and creation of Morgoth. She wasn't sure such a creature could be eaten.

They traveled slowly through the Treasury, moving over massive piles of gold and jewelry.

"Just exactly what was anyone thinking? It would take years to find the Arken-whatever." Bilba grumbled as they made their way over yet another pile. Her legs sunk in to her knees with every step, making it feel like she was slogging through mud. The ground constantly shifted and slipped under her feet, making her jump and flinch every time with the fear she was going to fall.

"I don't know." Kili answered. He had an almost death grip on her hand, holding her up as they went. They'd gone so far that they could no longer see Smaug, suggesting the Treasury was a truly ridiculous size. She couldn't even imagine the depth. "Bilba," Kili said slowly, "about what Smaug said--"

"We don't know it's true," Bilba cut in. A cold feeling shot through her as her mind went back over the symptoms she'd been experiencing. One hand went to her stomach, resting lightly on the small bump. "We don't know," she insisted again, trying to convince herself. "I'll have to find out, after we get out of here." She'd heard tale that human women would often go to Rivendell and the elves would be able to tell them if they were pregnant, sometimes even what gender the baby would be. She hoped the elves in Mirkwood might be able to do the same.

Kili's eyes narrowed but he graciously kept his mouth shut. That fact alone gained him her eternal trust and loyalty, not that he hadn't had it already.

His eyes widened suddenly and he held a hand up. "Listen."

Bilba frowned then felt her own eyes widen as her ears registered the unmistakable, distant sound of running water.

"See?" Kili shouted in excitement, "What did I tell you? Come on!"

He dragged on her hand and they sloughed as fast as they could through piles of loose treasure.

The sound of water grew louder and clearer until, finally, they rounded a corner and found themselves facing the source.

"Wow," Bilba said, the word slipping out on its own.

When Kili had said a water source she'd imagined a small, simple pool or fountain.

She should have realized dwarves didn't do anything by halves.

The fountain dominated the wall, slim and narrow but reaching up nearly to the ceiling. It was comprised of delicate, intricately carved tubes and bowls, leading down to a basin probably wide enough and deep enough to swim in. The water came out at the top and followed the lines of the fountain down, splitting as it did until it was a cascade, streams of water sparkling off the polished metal.

Metal that appeared to be solid silver and, even left alone this long, was still so highly polished she could see her own reflection in it.

Kili beamed with pride. "All the main fountains in Erebor are like that," he explained, "there's one on every level. Uncle says people would come from all over Middle Earth to see them. They would call Grandfather the Lord of the Silver Fountains."

"I can believe it." Bilba continued to stare at the massive structure, such a work of art she had trouble accepting it served a practical purpose. "I wonder why Smaug bothered keeping it clear." He certainly hadn't bothered with the rest of the Treasury, treasure littering it in piles and heaps from corner to corner.

Kili shrugged. "He had to drink too."

He stepped forward and Bilba followed. The water was cool, crisp and delicious and she sighed as it hit her parched throat.

After they'd both had their fill they turned to survey the silent room.

"Now what?" Bilba asked.

Kili chewed on his lower lip. "I don't know. The rocks in front of the two passages are huge, we couldn't move them and we don't have any tools to try and dig through them."

"What about secret passages?" Bilba studied the walls, trying futilely to spot evidence of a dwarven door. "Thorin said the entire mountain is riddled with them."

"Not the Treasury," Kili answered. "If there were Uncle would have already used it to get in here."

Bilba sighed and sat down on the edge of the wide lip of the fountain. She propped an elbow on her knee and put her chin in her hand, studying the stupid gold.

"So," Kili started to say slowly, sitting next to her, "do you think that--"

Bilba leapt to her feet. "Let's look for the Arken-whatever!"

Kili blinked at her in confusion. "The Arkenstone? I thought we already established we'll never find it."

"Well," Bilba flapped her hands, wringing them nervously. "I don't know. I mean, it's not like we have anything better to do, right?"

She turned to assess the gold, an idea forming. "Do you think Smaug had a favorite place?"

"I guess," Kili said, trying to figure out where she was going. "He was probably as much a creature of habit as anyone."

"Okay." Bilba stepped forward, the coins clinking as her feet hit them. "So if he had a favorite place maybe he surrounded it with his favorite things?"

Kili stood up and walked to her side. "It's possible. You think the Arkenstone was one of his favorite things?"

"Maybe." If the rock was as amazing as everyone kept claiming it was wouldn't it tempt a dragon as well? She moved out into the gold, grimacing at the cool feel against her feet. "Ok, we know the direction he came from. Let's start looking. Maybe there will be a depression or disturbance showing where he was sleeping."

Kili didn't argue. It wasn't like there was anything else to do aside from sit and wait to starve to death.

Not that she felt Thorin would feel particularly mollified to find the Arkenstone next to their corpses once he finally broke through.

Finding Smaug's resting spot proved to be remarkably simple. Kili remembered Smaug as coming from the same direction Bilba did so it was a small matter to trace the track backward. They soon found an area where the gold had clearly been arranged to form a bowl in the center, perfect for a sleeping dragon. Ranging the edges were massive statues, mountains of precious gems and mounds of uncut mithril.

"Alright," Kili said. "Assuming he felt the same way we do about the Arkenstone, then it would probably be here."

Bilba nodded. Smaug had arrayed his bed with his most precious objects and, according to the dwarves, the Arkenstone had been the most precious of them all.

So it should be here.

She frowned, speaking of precious things...

"Do you still have my ring?"

Kili had been studying the gold but now looked at her in surprise. "What?"

"My ring," Bilba repeated, "the one you so brilliantly took off even though it made you invisible so the dragon couldn't catch you."

His eyes narrowed. "I was trying to distract him from you!" Muttering he dug in a pocket and pulled the ring out, holding it up between his fingers.

Bilba felt a jolt and put her hand out, palm up. "Give it here."

"Gladly," Kili muttered, placing it in her hand. As he did a shudder seemed to pass over his frame. When he pulled his hand back he suddenly seemed straighter, a light returning to his eyes she hadn't realized was missing. "I'm glad to be rid of the thing."

"Why?" Bilba asked in confusion. "It's just a ring." As she spoke a feeling of relief washed over her. She wasn't trained or wearing armor and she wasn't as strong or courageous as the others. She was a small hobbit from Bag End who had stepped out her door and wound up in situations far over her head. Having a ring that allowed her to become invisible, gave her a chance to escape when things got rough, helped. It didn't help the present situation, granted, but it helped her peace of mind. Especially if what the cursed dragon said was true. She couldn't fight if she was pregnant but she could run and her chances would be a thousand times better if she were invisible.

Kili's eyes were fixed on the ring, an odd look in his eyes, and she shoved it in a pocket. The ring was hers. He could look all he wanted but she wasn't giving it up ever again.

"Come on," she stated, a little more sharply than she'd intended. "Let's start looking."

She stalked forward and dropped to her knees, hands digging through a pile of gold. The beginnings of hunger pangs started to gnaw at her stomach and fear coursed through her. Her hands trembled and sweat beaded her forehead. She didn't want to be hungry. Being hungry forced her to acknowledge her circumstances and she didn't want to do that.

Kili knelt next to her, his own hands moving through the gold.

"Bilba," he started to say, only to stop as she snarled at him.

He was silent a moment longer and then sighed. "Do you think we should try and tell him?"

"Tell who what?" Bilba said, her voice sharp.

He barely flinched. "Uncle. What Smaug said, about...you know."

Bilba swallowed. "Should we find a way to leave word that not only did we die but possibly his unborn children as well? His unborn children who may or may not exist depending on if Smaug was telling the truth? No, Kili, we shouldn't."

He put his head down, hair falling over his face. She hadn't noticed before but it had come loose from the clasp he usually used to keep it off his face. It made him look young and she could feel the anger draining out of her.

Bilba focused on her own mound. "I don't know even know if he wants children," she mumbled. "What if he's angry?"

The sound of coins moving under Kili's hands stopped.

"Did you know that Uncle had a brother?"

Bilba frowned at him, trying to figure out what he was talking about. "Yes. He's mentioned it before."

Kili nodded. "Counting my mother that's three children. For dwarves that's a huge family."

"It is?" Bilba asked in surprise. Back in the Shire her family had been considered the oddity for only having her and Bungo. Most families with six or more children were considered average if not a bit on the small side.

"Dwarves don't have children easily," Kili continued. "There aren't a lot of dwarf women and many of the ones that do exist don't want to be pregnant for two years."

Bilba nearly fell over. "Two years?"

He looked startled and then stammered. "Not that I think you'll be pregnant that long. They'd only be half dwarf, so surely that would be a shorter pregnancy, right?"

Bilba had no idea. Hobbits were generally pregnant around a year, humans she knew were pregnant for less than that and Elves, if she recalled correctly, were pregnant about a year. How long would she be pregnant? It wasn't as though there were a lot of half dwarf half hobbit children running around she could ask.

"Anyway," Kili cut into her musings, "what I was trying to get at is children are an enormous blessing to dwarves. Fili and I were considered blessings from Mahal, gifted to the exiles of Erebor as a promise the kingdom would one day be reclaimed."

He recited the words by rote and Bilba raised an eyebrow. "Heard that a lot have you?"

He ducked his head, an embarrassed smile on his lips. "Once or twice." He reached over and grabbed her shoulder. "Regardless, though, Uncle would be beside himself with excitement if he knew."

Bilba felt her own smile start to fade. She looked around the room, the enormous, sealed off room. Her stomach rumbled again, wanting food she couldn't give it. She put her palm flat over the slight bulge in her stomach.

"Yeah," she whispered.

Kili squeezed her shoulder and then pulled his hand away.

They resumed searching in silence.

***

The days passed.

The only way they knew was the light, already dim, would slowly fade and almost go out for a time and then return, suggesting it was keeping track of days and nights.

When it grew too dark to see the two of them would go to the fountain and spend the night there before resuming the search in the morning.

The hunger pangs only grew worse until she felt as though her stomach were chewing on her spine. She knew Kili felt the same, he didn't say anything about it but his face grew more and more serious, the lines of his body more tense. Bilba had always thought he looked like a younger version of his Uncle but the resemblance was even clearer without the happy expression he normally wore.

Neither of them spoke about her possible pregnancy. Bilba tried her best not to think about it but she found her hand straying almost constantly to her stomach. All she could imagine were two little lives slowly fading away before she ever had the chance to meet them. Several times her vision would blur and she would freeze in place, watching tears fall on her hands where they had been shifting through the gold.

For some reason she was convinced she carried twin boys. She could even picture them, dark hair and crystal blue eyes they'd inherited from their father.

She almost felt as thought she'd already met them...somehow.

She wanted to meet them.

Valar, please let her get to meet them.

***

Kili wasn't sure what happened at first.

One second he was asleep, dreaming of his brother bursting into the room with a huge platter of pulled pork.

The next second adrenaline was racing through his veins and he was on his feet without realizing he'd gotten up. One hand clutched the hilt of a sword he'd found in the trove and his body was already in the stance Dwalin had spent decades drilling into him and the other trainees.

It took him a second for his mind to catch up to his body and actually register what was happening.

Bilba was screaming.

The sound was awful. Horrible, anguished screams as though she'd been gutted and turned inside out.