Didn't think I was coming back did you? A few notes before I get this thing started. Firstly, I'm ignoring the fact that Hawke's companions probably stay with her for more than a few days for the sake of this story. Secondly, I'm foreseeing one or two more chapters to this particular fanfiction before it combines with the characters from my other Dragon Age fic, Impending Darkness. But, no worries if you don't like that, there will only be a small lead-in to it in the last chapter, and then that will start in a different fic. Furthermore, I'm keeping the untarnished theme to this chapter, if you can tell by the end. Please review when you've finished reading, I would love to know what you think! Enjoy!

It had only been a few days since the destruction of the Kirkwall Chantry. One day. And yet, it seemed like I had lived through a lifetime. I rubbed my forehead absentmindedly, hoping the repeated motion of my calloused finger pads would ease my headache away. The events of the past few days continued to run through my mind as I moved through the overgrown combination of both grass and weeds. Although the barn itself had seemed abandoned, chances were we would be found if we stayed here much longer. Sighing softly, I reminded myself that I had chosen this fate.

"Anders, I need to speak with you," The words came with more harshness than I had intended; I was still reeling from his earlier actions. Less than an hour was not very much time to get over shock though, I reasoned with myself. We had only just made it to the Circle, preparing to fight Meredith. His eyes met mine, unreadable. He didn't move. "Somewhere a bit more—not here." I added, my voice softening a little. Then I walked to an adjoining room, motioning for him to follow me.

Once we were inside, he looked at me expectantly, and I hurriedly tried to put together my half-formed thoughts.

"We don't have much time, but this may be the last time we have to talk." I sighed, running a hand through my dark hair. "This is all so…complicated. Overwhelming. I can barely follow my own thoughts, let alone communicate them to you. I still can't believe what you did. Maybe I don't want to believe that it had come to that, or that you are capable of such things. Regardless…I've made my decision. We can work out everything else later."

I had barely finished speaking when he crashed his lips onto mine, wrapping his arms around me as I leaned into the desperate kiss. It only was a few seconds before he pulled quickly away, distancing himself from me with a worried glance. I blinked a few times, stunned mind trying to catch up.

"I shouldn't have-"he stammered quickly, "It wasn't right of me to assume…" He trailed off. Despite everything, I couldn't help the small quirk of my lip.

"It's only wrong of you if you have the incorrect assumption." I told him quietly. "I meant what I said. I'll have more time to be angry when our lives aren't immediately on the line." With that said, I was back in his arms again. After we broke the kiss off, he still held me in his arms.

"After what I did, I'm going to have to be on the run." He said. "I was wondering…hoping that…that is if you can…Will you come with me?"

I finished my scouting of the surrounding woods, verifying that there was still no one directly in the area. I grabbed my worn leather sack from its hiding spot, and reentered the barn. From a distance I could see Anders' figure sitting hunched over on our makeshift bed, and felt a tremor of panic run through me. Was something wrong? As I rushed over, he looked up at me, the sight of his eyes-their normal golden-brown- flooding me with relief.

"You're back?" he asked, wonderingly.

"Of course I'm back," I said, frowning in confusion. "I was scouting. There's no one in the vicinity. And I got us some food." I threw the pack at him, and he riffled through it. He was silent as I sat next to him, picking out an apple from my satchel.

"I thought you had left," he said quietly. "I wouldn't have blamed you." Oh. He was practically oozing guilt. My headache intensified as I realized how complicated this was; how tenuous our situation was.

"I thought I was going to have to kill you," I told him. "I can't—it's impossible for me to imagine myself without you, let alone it being my own doing. That I would be responsible for the killing blow. But I couldn't do that; I couldn't take your life away from you.

"Remember when I said that I wanted you beside me until the day that I die? I meant it. I still do. I know you better than you think I do. I know that you're a good man, driven by desperation. How many years did you spend working on a peaceful solution? How many days did you spend pouring over that manifesto of yours? I noticed that. Things needed to change, I recognized that. I'll never be alright with the way that it was done, and I'm still hurt that you didn't trust me, but what's done is done.

"Now is the time for you to atone, and you will do it through your actions and not through your blood. Vengeance-he's changing you, isn't he? Both of you. Let me help. I'll be your moral compass, keep you in the right direction."

"Why?" he asked quietly, hope starting to show on his face. Not for the first time, my heart broke at how little love he had been given in his life.

"Because someone needs to. And I love you." I told him. There were the slow workings of a smile on his face as he pulled me into his arms. Then he got up abruptly, rummaging through his sack. Retrieving something, he came back to me.

"Melody, I know that this is the worst possible timing, but I've had this for years. I didn't think it would work, with Meredith and me being an apostate, and then now when I thought you would never forgive me. I don't know how it will work, but I want you by my side forever. I love you more than anything in my life."

In his hands he held a silver ring, set with a small diamond and intricate carvings. The light bounced off of it, polished by several years of being held. Gleaming and sparkling where the sunbeams hit it, it was the most pristine, stunning thing I have seen in my life.