As always, many, many belated thanks to the kind reviewers of this story at FanFic.net, who were interested enough to stick with a story starring mainly original characters. Especial thanks to Finch, who pointed out a goofy and potentially embarrassing mistake.

I wrote this story in about two weeks, including rewrites, in what felt like a white-hot fever of creation. I got so wrapped up in it that I had nightmares about Nargothrond and Glaurung, and this is one of the few stories I've written that actually made me cry while I was writing it. (The other one was 'A Path With No Returning', at, yup, you guessed it-Fanfic.net. )