Imagine: the battle of the five armies is over and all is well. Erebor has been rebuilt and Alex had stayed to help. It was late and she walks into Thorin's room - thinking it was her own. Alex only realises it was actually the King's bedroom when she lies down on the bed and comes face to face with a sleepy Thorin.

Alex's P.O.V

God, I'm exhausted!! It's been such a long day. Let me explain. Since the battle of the five armies was announced to be over, the rebuilding of Erebor began. Due to this, many meeting were held with neighbouring kingdoms, including with the Elves of Mirkwood and Rivendell; that was one of the things that Thorin had decided to put me incharge of!! He had declared, at his corination, that I was the royal nagotiator which was another word for 'peace keeper'. Let's be real, he only decided this as I was the only one who had no sort of fued with them; he himself didn't want to deal with the elves and it was no secret that I happily got along with them. Lord Elrond and King Thranduil especially seemed to like me, even Legolas seemed to enjoy our conversations. But as I was the royal nagotiator, that also meant that I had to do the same with other kingdoms and races. So today I had attended a multiple of meetings with the royals and lords of Mirkwood, Rivendell, Rohan and Gondor, as well as a few other dwarf kingdoms and with Bard who had been crowned king of course, to arrange each separate peace treaties and to set up a trades deal. It took many meets and would take a lot more, but they all appeared to be heading in the right direction. Along with the meetings, I had travelled to Dale in order to check on how they were with their own rebuilding; I joined the Company for lunch afterwards before resuming my work and contribution to help rebuild Erebor - I ended up finding myself in royal library with Ori and Bifur as we dusted and organised the thousands of books that had been stored and somehow unharmed - though a couple hundreds were. After the six hours long task, the three of us finally finished and hurried to join the others, as well as the lords and kings, for dinner in the grand hall; two hours into our joyful, talkative and eventful meal, however, I was alarted by Lord Elrond, the Lord of Iron Hill and King Earnur (Gondor) that they needed to return to their homes by lunch time the next day. As soon as I heard this, I hurried to excused myself after asking Thorin if I could use his study to write up the three peace treaties; he nodded of course, though asked me to take some food with me as I hadn't eaten all that much. The joys of sitting next to the dwarf king at our meals. Add another three hours to my day and I had three completely written out peace treaties, ready to be sighed the next day; I checked the large clock that was in the corner to discover that it was around eleven at night!! I expected it to be late at night as the sun had long since left the sky, replaced by a full moon which lit up the dark night sky.

So yes. After such a day as this, I was exhausted and I could practically hear my bed calling for me. Or maybe it was the other way round?? Either way, I placed the peace treaties into a file and left them on Thorin's desk before blowing out the five candles I had lit; I locked the door to the king's study and began to make my way towards my room through the maze of hallways. It wouldn't surprise me if I became lost....again. But tonight, however, I managed to find my way through the mountain in my tired haze and reach the door to my bed chambers; I pushed the door open and shut it once I had stepped in. The room was nearly pitch black, the faded light from the full moon gleamed in through the windows; I didn't bother to light a candle or lamp and just made a B-line for my large bed. I removed my boots and trousers, unlaced my corset and nearly ripped it off with a sigh of relief as I left myself in my short blue dress; I let my hair down from the ponytail and braids, running my fingers through my long locks so that it was knot free before finally, I climbed into bed, sliding under the covers as it was a rather chilly night. Now lay down, my head on the pillow and my body covered with the soft fur blanket; I was happily beginning to fall asleep...until I turned over and suddenly came face to face with a confused and rather amused Thorin!! With wide eyes, I suddenly found myself very much awake and pushing away from Thorin to allow us both some space "wha!? Thorin?!" my voice showed the more than clear shock "what the hell are you doing in my room?! Or better yet, in my bed?!" I asked; the king chuckled as he pushed myself up so that he was resting on his elbows "how tired are you exactly??" he asked with a grin. I rose a brow in confusion but answered him truthfully, stating I was extremely exhausted "but what does that have to do with you being in my bed??" I asked earning yet another chuckle as the dwarf rubbed his eyes, ridding them of their tiredness "because, my dear human friend, this is actually my bed and you are in my chambers" he informed. Wait....what?! Now that my eyes had adjusted to the darkness, I glanced around the room to realised....this really wasn't my.....oh god.

Groaning at my mistake, I rubbed a hand down my face "well...this is embarrassing" I mumbled, earning an amused laugh from the dwarf king "I'm just gonna...go" and with that, I began to move further away and towards the edge of the bed. But before I could get off of the bed, however, I felt a hand suddenly grip onto my own and gently pull me back to where I once was, even further so that I was now lay back down on the bed....pressed tightly against Thorin's bare chest!! I was thankful that I could feel the dwarf was wearing some kind of shorts. My cheeks began to burn - I was greatful it was nearly pitch black. He wrapped his strong arms around my thin frame and he tangled our legs together. "Em...Thorin-" he cut me off before I could say anything more than his name "it's nearly midnight, are you only just going to bed now??" he asked; I was taken back by the question, still trying to get my head around what was happening "em well...yeah" I managed to speak up "I needed to write up the peace treaties for tomorrow" I explained. Hearing the dwarf sigh, Thorin tightened his embrace around my thin body "you shouldn't be so exhausted from your duties to make you mistake someone elses bed chambers for your own...that could put you in a dangerous situation" he stated, the concern and worry staining his voice "though I have to admit...I'm not complaining that you ended up in my own chambers". Damn it!! Just when I thought I had control over my burning cheeks!! Hesitantly, I moved my arms from my side and gently wrapped them around the dwarf, somehow making us come even closer together as I pressed my hands to his broad back. "So what have you done today to make youself so tired??" Thorin asked, his eyes closed as he listened; I began to explain the context of my long and hard working day, earning a few approving hums from the king. By the time I had finished explaining my day, I wasn't sure if I had bored him to sleep or not; his eyes had remained closed, his breath stready but his hold on me never loosened - I was hardly complaining.

As my curiousity managed to get the better of me, I craned my neck to an angle so that I could finally gaze at Thorin's face properly. Oh, how peaceful he looked. And the word 'peaceful' was one that I could rarely describe Thorin Oakenshield to be. And...he looked so handsome like this - not that he wasn't always handsome; I just so rarely get such a close chance to stare at his emotion full face and expressions. All of a sudden, Thorin's lips parted a bit "why are you staring at me??" he asked before opening his right eye, soon followed by his other; he held an amused and rather proud smirk as he gazed down at me. Damn it Thorin!! He doesn't help my burning cheeks one bit!! In embarrassment, I dropped my gaze and looked away from the dwarf; I heard and felt him chuckle at my reaction, tightening his embrace slightly before resting his head on top of my own. He took and let out a deep breath, forcing a shiver down my spine as his hot breath hit my neck; I forced myself to remember how to breath - why did he had to have such an effect over me?? Such a control over over me?? Once again, my body's reaction earned yet another chuckle from the king before I finally decided to ask how his own day had been "long, that's for sure" he sighed out "I finally finished all of the paper works regarding the rebuilding of Erebor, the ground and second level of the mountain is now completely organised and clean, my own study is now what it looked like before Smaug attacked and I had a meeting with my kin from other areas of Middle Earth" he explained. I was rather impressed as there were more than five high stacks of papers in need of being read and signed by the king only this morning. "Sounds like it's been a busy day for both of us" I mumbled as I rested my head against the dwarves shoulder, earning a hum of agreement "indeed, which is why we need to get some sleep" he stated, reminded me of just how late in the night it was and how exahausted I was and still am.

"You're not wrong" I agreed "I em...I guess I best get going" I stated, though the arms wrapped securely around my body didn't budge an inch - they somehow pulled me even closer to the dwarves body!! "And risk mistaking someone elses chambers for your own?? No, you can stay right where you are" he stated, his voice thick with tiredness - I probably sounded the same; his statement took me back a little as I remained silent. He really wanted me to stay here the night?? With him?? Upon hearing my stunned silence, Thorin once again opened his eyes and gazed down at me so that he could look me in the eye - his voice and expression suddenly became very serious but both still held a softness and gentleness to them; he pulled away slightly, his arms loosening around me so that he could look at me properly. "But if you really want to return to your own chambers, you can?? You don't have to do anything you don't want to" he reassured before making an offer "I'll even walk you to your door to make sure you actually enter your own chambers". Once again, I was taken back by his words but soon realised why he was saying these things; Thorin wanted to make sure I knew that I could do as I wished in this situation, especially to make extra sure that I didn't feel any sort of pressure. It was strange and unknown but a feeling of some sorts suddenly took over upon hearing his words. And I found myself really not liking how he had moved away a bit and had loosened his once tight embrace to give me some space; I felt...cold and lonely. When I was in the dwarf king's arms, I felt safe, warm and secure, as well as had a sense of....belonging. And now those feelings are gone and I really wanted them back. Hesitantly, I shook my head "no, I..." I found myself feeling nervous as I looked down at the mattress, my cheeks once again beginning to burn as I blushed "I...I want to stay here" I finally managed to admit "I want to stay....I want to stay with you".

Slowly raising my gaze to see what reaction was coming from the king, I saw that he was showing a soft and rather loving smile; he reached out once again and gently pulled me back against his chest, though this time it wasn't a surprise and I complied happily until we were back to the position as before - our bodies pressed tightly together, our arms wrapped around one another as our legs tangled together. I rested my head against his shoulder as he rested his one against the top of my head; I felt those feelings of warmth, security and....there was something else but I couldn't put my finger on it. "Then you can stay for as long as you want" he reassured, pressing a kiss against my forehead "Alex...you can come to my chambers whenever you want, stay the night if you want...you don't need to ask" he stated; a thought came to mind that I voiced "what if you have someone else in here?? Maybe after you meet someone that you particularly like??" I asked "I'd hate to be a mood killer". Chuckling, Thorin once again tightened his arms around my frame "trust me, that won't be an issue" he promised "if you want to come to my chambers, then by all means, do....I'd certainly like to do this more often but only if you want to as well". Smiling, I nodded my head every so slightly "I might just take you up on your offer" I stated as I knew the 'might' was actually a 'definately'; the king grinned into my hair "can't wait" was all I heard. Knowing we were both on the verge of falling asleep, I decided it was time to actually call it a night "good night Thorin" I mumbled tiredly; the king once again kissed my forehead as he also mumbled his reply "good night my nogazen". As if his soothing low voice was a lullaby singing me to sleep, I found myself entering the land of dreams within seconds. Never had I fallen asleep feeling so safe, secure, warm and....loved?!