A/N: I really wanted there to be more to Wynne's conversation with the Warden about her relationship with Alistair. First she's all "dating is wrong, you're selfish..." then she's like "oh just kidding, you're actually really cute together." Not quite like that, but you get what I mean :) Anyway, after the first conversation with Wynne during my first playthrough, I actually paused the game and sat and thought about what she said. My first reaction was that she was right, that falling in love would only complicate things later on. But the more I thought about it, the more wrong it was. This is the conversation that I wanted to see.

Disclaimer: It's Christmas today! Alas, Santa did not drop the rights to Dragon Age or anything of the sort in my stocking this year. Oh well.

...

"Elissa! Elissa, please wait!" Alistair hurried to catch up with her, grabbing her by the arm and turning her around. Her eyes were watery, full of unshed tears. She looked... scared. Elissa never looked scared. Even if she was, she always hid behind a mask of bravery, full of the vibrato of confidence. Her fearful stare took him aback and wretched his heart even more. "Elissa, please..."

"Alistair..." she trailed off, a single tear running down her cheek. He lifted a hand to wipe it, but she backed away out of his reach. "I can't..." She turned on her heel and ran into to woods, her faithful marbari Jamie close behind her.

He stood unmoving for moments, feeling his companions' eyes on his back. Turning around, he caught sight of each of their faces. Leliana looked worried and pitying, torn between which friend to offer comfort to. Sten looked on passively, not acknowledging the emotional interaction that just occurred, though Alistair noticed his lilac eyes met his with some sort of sympathy. Even Zevran had the decency to not look smug, though he knew that was purely for Elissa's sake and not his own. Morrigan kept to herself on the other side of the camp, pretending not to have heard the conversation, though Alistair caught her glance up towards the forest where Elissa ran off.

Alistair then turned his stare towards Wynne. She looked surprised at Elissa's reaction, clearly not expecting such a display of emotion, but there was clearly a look of pride on her face, gratified by the fact she made some sort of lasting impression. Wynne took her gaze away from the forest where Elissa retreated to look at Alistair. She began to step towards him, but Alistair instinctively backed up, holding his hands in front of him as if to ward him off. "Wynne, no..."

"Alistair, please. That was for your..." she started, her voice kind and gentle, but Alistair did not want to hear what she had to say.

"No, Wynne, don't you dare try to tell me that was for my benefit!" His temper was getting the best of him. He and Wynne typically had a fantastic relationship, at least as good as one that a templar and a mage could have. Normally he enjoyed Wynne's nurturing ways, thankful for her motherly instincts that were so foreign to him. "I don't know whose benefit that was for, but it certainly was not for me! What good could have come out of that conversation? What could have possibly gone right with that?" Leliana, Zevran, even Sten took cautious steps back, surprised at Alistair's anger. While he was fierce in battle, the companions had come to know a soft-spoken and goofy young gentleman. To see him act this harshly, especially towards Wynne of all people, was a shock to all.

Wynne, at the very least, had the grace to turn her surprised look to one of shame. She opened her mouth to speak as Alistair marched passed her, but remained silent, opting to let him cool off before trying to converse with him. Alistair marched into his tent, binding the flaps of his tent together as tight as he could to ward off unwelcome visitors.

The remaining members stood around awkwardly, not quite sure how to break the silence or tension that held them there. Slowly, Leliana brought out her lute, sitting by the edge of camp and quietly strumming a peaceful tune. Zevran went back to sharpening his daggers, and Sten returned to his pacing. Only Wynne was left standing, staring into the forest where their leader had run off. Finally, while holding her head up high, she returned to the entrance of her tent and worked on her mending. She sighed into her work as she realized it was Alistair's shirt she was mending.

...

Elissa sighed, idly scratching Jamie's head while allowing her mind to wander. Jamie whimpered, knowing something was wrong with his mistress, sticking his head onto her lap, offering the only comfort he could. Elissa bent over, wrapping her arms around her dog's massive neck, holding on tightly as if she might float away.

Wynne's words had made their way through Elissa's normally hard defenses easily. Initially, Wynne's insinuation that she would hurt Alistair stung. Though Elissa had a bit more experience with courting and romance than her Templar companion, she was by no way an expert on relationships, and was certainly not trying to use Alistair simply for pleasure while they were out trying to save the world. Alistair's quirkiness, his jokes, his passion… that's what Elissa was falling for. And Elissa was falling hard, having never felt this way about any of the suitors her parents had presented her with.

Alistair had been the source of comfort, the source of steadiness, after her world had crumbled around her. She had made the difficult journey from Highever to Ostagar after Howe's treachery and was subsequently thrown into the chaos of the Grey Wardens. Alistair's diligence and patience eventually began to bring her out of her shell, and she starting embracing her second chance at life.

Fate cruelly took all of that away shortly after, and yet again, Elissa's life was torn apart. What more, Alistair could not provide any source of comfort; his suffering was as great as hers. Elissa took on the task of bringing him back to life. Slowly, they came to terms with what had happened, and began focusing on the tasks ahead, picking up other misfits on the way. They began to enjoy each other's company and value the other's opinions and skills. Friendship and casual flirting slowly morphed into something more… real. It frightened Elissa at first, these new found feelings for her companion. But Alistair's gentlemanly ways and easy smile made her forget her fears of falling in love.

What if Wynne was right? What if she lost him? What if she was forced to choose between him and an innocent life? Between him and the fate of Ferelden? Already on their journey she was forced to make too many difficult choices, all of which had their own consequences.

Sighing again, she wiped a tear from her eye. She became lost in thought, relying on her faithful Jamie to warn her and protect her from any trouble that may come their way. She had another difficult decision to make.

...

The sun was beginning to set, and the campers began to worry about the two Grey Wardens. Alistair had not stepped out of his tent since his confrontation with Wynne; instead, he remained silently inside, and no one truly knew what he was doing in there. Elissa had not come back from her time in the woods either. The companions were mollified by the fact that Jamie was there with her, knowing that they'd at least hear his barks of warning if harm came their way. Still, it was not like either of them to stay away from the camp for this amount of time. It was even less like them to stay separated for this long.

Leliana and Zevran sat about the main fire, preparing the night's meal. Morrigan kept to her own corner while Sten continued his pacing. Wynne sat by her tent, organizing her collection herbs. It looked like any other night, save for the absence of the two Wardens.

Wynne sighed, glancing into the woods once more. Perhaps she had been harsh on Elissa, frightening her unnecessarily, but the girl needed her wisdom. There were things that a person could only learn from experience, and some experience only came with age.

When she first encountered Elissa in the Circle Tower, she volunteered to accompany her in order to advise her. There was no denying that both Elissa and Alistair were most skilled when it came to their blades, but they had been the two newest recruits to join the Grey Wardens, and the two youngest members. How could two children expect to end the Blight without guidance?

Wynne first believed Elissa to be hard headed and stubborn, unwilling to adapt or change her ways if it did not suit her. But Wynne was surprised with how easily Elissa lead their group, taking everyone's needs and concerns into consideration, listening to ideas of each member, then making the best, most informed decision she could. There was a wisdom to Elissa that Wynne had not seen in their journey in the Circle Tower. Perhaps it was because she was simply not looking for it.

As much as she hated to admit it, Wynne felt as if she was an unnecessary companion at times. She certainly helped each member after the battle, but felt more of a burden than a help during the fight itself. And while Elissa valued her opinion on matters, she didn't value it more than the others, as Wynne had originally anticipated. So when she saw an opportunity to point out a flaw in a plan that Elissa clearly had not seen, she jumped at the chance.

In retrospect, it was not one of her finer moments.

To be perfectly honest, she was worried for Alistair. It was clear that he was completely smitten with his Grey Warden companion. Given his past with the Chantry, then with the Grey Wardens, who of course were predominantly male, Elissa was clearly the first female to be in his company for an extended period of time. Wynne could not simply read her like she could with Alistair. He was like an open book, so easy to read and figure out what he was thinking. Elissa always seemed to be planning her next move, and Wynne devoutly hoped the Alistair was not just a pawn in some larger game.

A rustle from the bushes on the edge of camp startled her, and she looked up to see Elissa emerging from the woods. It was evident that she had been crying; her eyes were swollen and her face was flushed. But her face held that look she always had after making a difficult decision, only after considering all possibilities. A twang of guilt hit Wynne, knowing that she was the one who caused that look, and knowing that she would be responsible for the consequences her actions caused.

Alistair poked his head out of his tent at the sound of the trees rustling, then fully emerged to make his way towards her, only stopping once he saw the look on his lover's face. Elissa didn't even look at Alistair; instead, she marched right towards the elder witch. Wynne stood up to meet her.

"Wynne, may I speak with you for a moment?" The young girl had made her way towards Wynne and was now standing face to face with her.

Wynne looked down, abashed. "Of course, Elissa. Though let me say, perhaps I…"

"Perhaps you crossed some sort of line earlier?" Elissa countered. Wynne felt her cheeks reddened, ashamed. "Well, perhaps you might have. Nonetheless, what was said was said, and you've made me think, even question some of my previous decisions." Alistair paled as a pained expression crossed over his face. He wanted to reach out to her, to stop her from whatever it was she was about to do. But he was helpless, and could only look on as Elissa continued on.

"You said that love is selfish, and that we as Grey Wardens cannot be selfish. To a point, I agree with you." Her eyes glanced at Alistair, who had paled as he listened closely. Forcing her gaze from her love's, she continued on. "But Alistair and I are, above all else, human. We have had everything in our lives taken away from us; our lives have turned upside down. Alistair had his home taken away from him when he was sent to the Chantry. He had his second chance with the Grey Wardens, and you know how that ended." Elissa fought to keep her voice steady, though tears flowed freely down her face. "And I lost… everything. My parents, my brother, my home…. I had a second chance with the Grey Wardens too. But before I even came to appreciate that, to even realize that it was a second chance rather than a cruel punishment, that was all taken away too."

Her voiced cracked with each emphasized word, and Wynne felt her guilt well up inside her. But before she could offer any comfort, Elissa continued on, her voice strangled. "But through all of the terrible things thrust upon us, and though we have a near impossible task ahead of us, we found our third chance in each other." Out of the corner of her eye, Wynne saw Alistair visibly relax with a drop of his shoulders. "After all that we have been through, we owe Ferelden nothing. But the thought of having a future, a life with Alistair after the Blight: that is what keeps me going. That is what keeps me fighting. So the thought of putting an end to this now, before we've even had a chance to learn how to love each other in a normal life… why should I, when he's the only thing worth fighting for?"

Wynne had no response, and the two just stared blankly at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, in a voice so quiet it was barely audible, Wynne whispered: "You're right."

Elissa sighed in relief and wiped the tears away from her face. She turned towards Alistair and was surprised to see his face wet with tears as well. She made her way hastily to him, wrapping her arms around his middle and pressing her face to his chest. He did not hesitate enfolding her in his arms, placing a kiss on top of her head.

Wynne watched the two young Wardens embracing, Alistair whispering something in Elissa's ear, and Elissa giving a watery chuckle, before giving him a sweet, chaste kiss. As the pair stood to the side, their foreheads pressed together in a tight embrace, Wynne felt a lightness within her that she had not felt since venturing from the Tower with them.

Perhaps there was hope after all.

...

A/N: I know it may not seem like it in this story, but I really do like Wynne. This conversation made me kinda angry with her for a bit, but I think her heart is in the right place. I think it's a misconception that, since she's older, she knows everything and knows the proper way to behave all the time. All of the companions say stupid or hurtful things sometimes, and here's Wynne's example.

I clearly read too much into this. If anyone feels like chatting about character development, just PM me! I love to chat and swap ideas :)

(Kudos to you if you're still humming "A Girl Worth Fighting For" from Mulan. I can't get that out of my head since I've decided to title this fic that.)