Disclaimer: I own the poem and nothing more.

Author's Note: In honor of the successful replacement of my broken copy of Dragon Age II (it's been months since I've played the game, you know) I give you, all the lovely readers out there, this. A poem. I'm a regular poet these days, I've noticed.

This isn't any one version of Hawke here. The "he" is Varric. The adventure is all of them. This is Hawke.

Couldn't stop my heart from skipping a beat;

Couldn't stop my pulse from roaring, loud, in my ears.

Can't stop my palms sweating, or my eyes closing;

I'm not ready now to face my fears.

Not now, not ever. Can't make me.

I shouldn't have to consider what the realm

Of weird is. It's… just creepy.

When I'm afraid, I close my eyes and envision his face.

I can hear his voice, too, if I try a little. It's soothing.

I know that I shouldn't cry, not right now,

But when is it okay to shed a few tears?

Or just scream and fight and have a cow?

This is panic, plain and simple, unfortunately.

Can't shake it off right now, just my luck,

But who ever said that this day would go fairly?

I just want to restart this moment, this time.

I've tried to count back from ten, hoping to awake

From this outrageously disorienting dream.

I can't shake this feeling that I've been here before,

But I haven't, or so it would seem.

It's not like I'm used to being a hero-

I was just a villager at one time.

I went from being at absolutely zero,

To having the world at my fingertips.

Maybe it's the fact that this is a real challenge to

Me, that it isn't just a storybook adventure, too easy.

Determination, and prevailing, and faith, is the answer.

I just… Can't believe… Can't believe this is reality.

I can't believe I'm coming to terms with this

In this moment. This… heartbeat.

In this place… As night's peaceful hiss

Surrounds me. I'm not that strong…

But I'll pretend. Pretend that I'm not afraid.

Pretend that I'm not about to freak out

And take off screaming, going for home.

"This isn't me!" I would shout…

…But I'm the only one who can face

This, aren't I? I'm the only

One who found their- my- place

And stormed the gates, lost but found.

Here but gone and there.

Brave but weak, loud but quiet.

So I'll put on a brave face, a façade.

Let's just hope that everyone buys it.

Of course, now that I think about it, I've been here

Before. Not here here, but… This feeling…

It's real. It's what I feel. Maybe it's not fear

Of the adventure that bothers me, but,

If I face the truth, as scary as

It can be, adventure is sometimes fun- really.

I like it a lot when it brings a change.

But when I get touchy-feely...

…It's the fear of failing at my mission, my job.

I've only let two people down before,

Ever... Time won't repeat. Therefore, I won't sob

About my predicament.

I'll grin and leap into the fray.

I can face what scares me the most.

The mysteries are over,

And the nightmares are toast.

How ridiculous can this day get?

I've already faced my fears and fallen in love.

So, why should I fret?

I'm a hero. I'm a friend. I'm Hawke.

Varric would be proud of my pep talk-

"'Bout time you had one,"

He'd tell me. I thought I wasn't who he'd

Written me as, but as from this feeling I tried to run…

I realized that this me, who I am to the core,

I know that now.

So let the waves crash, and the thunder roar.

Adventure, ready or not, here I come.

This kinda speaks of what I'm going through right now, too. I'm just at the crossroads of life and I'm scared stiff, to tell you the honest truth… But I'm not afraid of moving forward towards my destiny.

Reviews are absolutely lovely.

Flames will be handled by my secretary, who will probably forget about them anyway.