Returning Home: A Hobbit Fanfiction

Chapter 22 - Reunion

~~ Celia ~~

Celia honestly didn't know how she was supposed to feel anymore. Finding out your only two remaining family members had fallen off a cliff to their demise? Grief, denial, anger, sure. That's a normal response to death.

But then you're the one dangling over a cliff, and you see them come back and attack an orc leader who's sworn to destroy the family of the dwarf leading your group.

And there's not really a set response for that.

But she had seen the blood on Bilbo's face, and the bandage wrapped around Elena's head, and knew that while it was a miracle that they had survived, they hadn't escaped unscathed. So when she ended up on the back of an eagle (when had this become her life?), she used the time to force herself to acknowledge all the crazy emotions she was feeling, and dispose of them properly so that she would be fit to treat everyone's injuries once they landed.

So by the time they landed, she had mostly come to terms with the day's events, had shed a few tears just to get it out of her system, and had forced down her raging desire to smother her uncle and sister with hugs and never let them go.

Then they had landed, and Thorin hadn't gotten up, and Gandalf had done something to heal him, and then he and Bilbo were hugging, and the day was looking so much better, and -

"I do believe the worst is behind us."

Aaaand Bilbo jinxed it, she thought with a sigh, smacking her hand to her face.

She could hear another smack as Elena did the same thing, and suddenly it was like a dam had been broken. Everyone surged forward, clapping Elena and Bilbo on the back, or the arm, and congratulating them on their survival, or on their skills in fighting the orcs, all talking over each other.

Celia slipped through the excited mass of dwarves until she reached her sister, the dwarves stepping back as they saw her, and all pretending to be occupied with something else for their reunion, although she doubted they were actually that interested in the number of rocks on the Carrock.

Elena started to smile when she saw her, then stopped, her smile wavering and falling off her face, her brown eyes filling with tears. Rushing forward, she pulled her sister into a hug, burying her face into her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I know - I know what this must have done to you, I can see what it did to you, and I'm so sorry. I know you're probably mad, and you have every right to be. Just, please. Please don't hate me. I don't think I could bear it."

Celia let out a laugh that sounded more like a sob, wrapping her arms around her sister in return. "Elena."

Her sister held her tighter at the sound of her name.

"I'm not - I didn't think I would ever see you again. I promise, I'm not mad. I'm not mad at all. I'm just so glad to see you." She closed her eyes, feeling a tear slip past and trickle down her cheek. "I- I thought you were dead." She wiped her face and tried to blink the tears from her eyes as she pulled back slightly so she could look her sister in the face.

"But you're not allowed out of my sight. Ever. That goes for both of you," she added, reaching out and pulling Bilbo into their hug.

He laughed, and if it sounded a little watery, no one said anything. "Well, I don't really plan on wandering off anytime soon, so there'll be no arguments from me."

Celia released Elena reluctantly, nodding towards where Fíli and Kíli were waiting, mixed emotions present on their faces. "I think you should go talk to them," she said softly, tilting her head towards the princes. "I know someone's feeling a little bit guilty."