I was DYING for some domestic family fluff a month or so ago so I just gave in and wrote it, but didn't want to post because I was like "well grey wardens have messy taint so they can't really reproduce and I don't want to get yelled at for getting it wrong"... then I was like. Wait. David Gaider can do what he wants with grey warden babies and so can I. Besides, what if someone else is thirsting for this content as badly as I am?

A Little Family

Anders sat awake in the darkness. Hawke was sleeping beside him, utterly peaceful for the first time in what felt like weeks. He put a hand to her cheek, stroked it with one finger. She barely stirred.

He was just as exhausted – even Justice was blissfully silent for once – but he couldn't help himself. Anders pushed himself out of bed and all but tiptoed to the bassinet on Hawke's side of the room.

Their newborn was sleeping, or appeared to be. Anders put a hand to her chest and felt its gentle rise and fall. He exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding since he got up.

"Be careful, love, she just went to sleep."

Anders started so hard that he almost fell backward into the bed. Hawke stifled a snort.

"Andraste's tits, you scared me," he whispered back. "Go back to sleep. It's fine."

Hawke ignored him and pushed herself into a sitting position. "I keep waking up to check on her too. It's just… I can't believe she's here. It feels like a dream."

"Doesn't it? But here we are."

Hawke smiled at him, smiled at their new daughter. That expression – one so full of content, of hope – warmed his chest.

"Here we are, a new little family. I wonder if this is what my parents felt like when I was born."

Anders looked back to the baby. Her eyes were closed, but he longed to reach in and hold her, to feel her tiny heartbeat against his hands. But Hawke was right; she'd just gone to sleep, and both she and her mother needed all the rest they could get.

"When are you going to tell Varric about her? And Carver? I'm sure he'd be excited to know he's an uncle."

Hawke bit her lip. "I don't know… Carver, soon. But Varric? Maybe after he leaves Kirkwall... Whenever that is."

Anders' eyebrows nearly shot to his hairline. "What do you mean?"

"I've just been thinking about what Sebastian said in Kirkwall. Do you remember?"

"What, that he would hunt us down? He can certainly try."

"I wouldn't underestimate him. He won't do it until he has Starkhaven's army behind him, but that could happen any day now. He's had plenty of time."

"What does Sebastian have to do with any of this?"

"I'm afraid he could intercept my letters, somehow. I don't want him to find us. I know it's impossible, but I want her to live as normal a life as possible."

Anders' expression softened. "That's going to be very difficult."

"I know. I just…" She put her hands to her eyes and pressed. "I don't know. I'm sorry, love, I'm just so tired."

"Get some rest."

"I can't. I can't stop thinking about it…"

"You're exhausted. You need sleep." Anders leaned forward to kiss her forehead. "Take it from me. I'm a professional."

Hawke snorted. "A professional at giving birth?"

"I daresay I've delivered more babies than you. The Fereldan refugees were getting surprisingly busy in Darktown."

Hawke burst out laughing at that – and clapped her hand over her mouth. The baby shifted and murmured in her sleep.

"She's so beautiful, isn't she?" Anders asked. He put a hand to their daughter's head and gently smoothed out her fledging black hair. "I want everything to be perfect for her. I want a better life for her than I had."

"We'll do our best. Hopefully we can stay here for a few more years… This is such a lovely little home. It's nice being a bit closer to a village, too."

"We will, so long as we're careful."

Hawke nodded thoughtfully. She reached out for Anders' free hand and slipped her fingers between his.

"You know, we still haven't thought of a name for her yet."

"Hard to do when you're dodging Templars and the like," Anders said. "Have you gotten any ideas?"

It was difficult to tell in the dark, but it looked like Hawke was blushing. "I think I did. I just thought of it a while ago, after she was born."

She didn't continue, so Anders gave her hand a quick squeeze. "What is it?"

"I was just thinking… She looks so much like Bethany did when the twins were born. What if… Would it bother you if we named her after my sister?"

"I think Bethany is a perfect name."

Hawke gave him a relived smile. "Really? You think so?"

"A perfect name for a perfect daughter."