A/N: I absolutely adore Fenris, but I also think that those three years were really exhausting for Hawke. I wrote this story so that all my future Hawkes can forgive Fenris right away :) Also, I did my best but I am not a native speaker of English, so forgive me if there are any mistakes.

The story contains game spoilers.

Disclaimer: Dragon Age belongs to Bioware.

** Chapter 1 **

Hawke took a large vase from the table and threw it against the wall with all her strength. It crashed into pieces with loud noise, leaving her strangely satisfied. A moment later, she heard a knock on the door and Bohdain's polite voice.

"Is everything all right? May I come in?" He asked.

"Everything is okay," she sighed. "Come in if you wish."

He quickly assessed the damage. "Do you want me to send Orana here to clean?"

"It is fine. I just… dropped it," she said lamely.

He looked at the wall and fragments of the vase scattered around the room but said nothing.

But she was far from being fine. She was furious. She returned from Fenris' mansion a few minutes before. He said that he found his sister and asked Hawke to accompany him to the Hanged Man to meet her. "I need you," he said. She would give everything to hear those words from him and she should be dancing with joy, not throwing vases against the wall. But he only needed her support in case Danarius was there.

She loved Fenris so much that it hurt. He rejected her long time ago but she understood his fears and waited patiently until he conquers his demons and is ready to love her back. Her friends always said that she had a fierce temper, but not in this case. She has always been there for him, ready to help without questions, always believing in him, caring, trusting and supportive. She paid for that with endless sleepless nights spent on staring into the darkness and begging the Maker to help them both. Still, she could not give up. He cared about her, she was certain. He just needed more time to trust her. The problem was that right now she felt that he demanded too much.

I need you there. She repeated the words in her head again and again. "You are pathetic," she sneered looking into the mirror. "You spent three years loving a man who slept with you and lets you know he does not want you ever since. Get rid of him and start to live!"

She stormed out of the room and headed towards the Fenris' mansion.

"Move!" She growled at the elf. "Before I change my mind!"

He looked at her surprised, but left the house without a word.

At the entrance to the Hanged Man, they stumbled upon Varric. He looked at them both, Hawke boiling with rage and Fenris seemingly indifferent as always, though with anxiety in his eyes. The dwarf decided to silently follow them inside. There were only a few guests and they immediately noticed a red-haired woman sitting alone at one of the tables.

"So it is you," she said looking at Fenris.

"Varania?" His eyes widened as he recognized his sister. "I remember you. We played in our master's courtyard when mother worked. You called me…"

"Leto. That is your name," she interrupted, but she was not smiling and her eyes were fixed on the table.

"What's wrong? Why are you so…"

"I give you three guesses," Hawke snapped, quickly assessing the situation.

"Ah, my little Fenris. Predictable as always." Danarius slowly stepped down the stairs accompanied by a few guards.

"I'm sorry it came to this, Leto." Varania apologized, but there was no regret in her voice. She sounded numb, completely unconcerned about her brother's fate.

"You led him here!" Fury flashed in the elf's eyes. "You think it was the right thing to do!"

"Now, now, Fenris. Don't blame your sister. She did what any good Imperial citizen should." Danarius interrupted gently, but his voice sent shivers down Hawke's spine.

"I never wanted these filthy markings, Danarius! But I won't let you kill me to get them."

"Oh, how little you know, my pet." The mage laughed. "And this is your new mistress then? The Champion of Kirkwall? Quite lovely."

His new mistress? Suddenly, Hawke realized that actually it was Fenris who has been the master for the last three years. She would have done anything to deserve his love. All the pain, rejection and despair she suffered for the last three years surfaced in that moment. She never felt so humiliated before.

"If you want him, he is yours," she said to Danarius without thinking.

"What?!" Fenris looked at her, shocked.

"You are kidding, right?" Varric tried to be the only reasonable person in this madness, but no one seemed to hear him.

"Interesting. I will, of course, make it worth your while," the mage offered, looking at them with amusement in his eyes.

"Don't do this, Hawke. I need you!" Fenris pleaded desperately.

"Oh, that's really funny… you did not need me that much for the last three years!" She hissed. "After guarding him for so long," she pointed to the mage "it was nice to have your own bodyguard for a change, wasn't it? And a really devoted one too."

He said nothing, but his green eyes grew dark.

" You are on your own, Fenris."

"I suppose I should not be surprised," he sighed.

"Hawke, this is a really bad idea. Trust me, you do not want to do this." Isabela emerged from one of the dark corners of the pub, where she was evidently following the conversation without being seen.

"Stay out of it!" Hawke warned sharply.

"I always said that a heartbroken woman is more dangerous than a bunch of Qunari," murmured Varric looking at the ceiling.

"No, Varric," the elf interrupted. "Hawke is right. She has been protecting me for too long. I should face the consequences of my actions."

"What should it be, Fenris? Would you throw your life away?" Danarius asked mockingly.

For a moment, Fenris seemed to consider this solution.

"Don't be a fool!" The mage also noticed his hesitation. But the elf has already made his decision.

"I have been a fool for too long. I will go with you," he bent his head with resignation.

"Lovely. Here is a token of my appreciation, Champion," Danarius said. "I'm sure I can arrange to have something more… appropriate sent along soon. Come along everyone. The boat is ready and we have a long way to go."