"You're beautiful," was how Anders greeted Hawke every time she woke up. He watched as her eyes blinked open. Anders stared down into those beautiful blue orbs. He could look into those eyes forever. He leaned down and kissed her gently before he spoke those words of endearment to her. He saw Hawke's cheeks turn a slight pink before she mumbled something about how he should not tease her.

"Good morning," she told him as she kissed him back. She frowned softly as he ended the kiss. She already missed the feeling.

Hawke was still getting used to waking up with a kiss. She was getting used to waking up to being called beautiful. She didn't think she was as breathtakingly stunning as Anders thought she was. Yet Anders insisted on calling her this every day. She did not understand why he insistent on doing this to her. It seemed with everywhere she turned, Anders was there to comment on everything from her body to her mind to her jokes to her bravery. Hawke never felt worthy of being called this. She thought that Anders was the better half. Sometimes she didn't know why he wasted his time on her. But she was glad that he chose her as a partner and as a wife.

She yawned softly as she closed her eyes and snuggled up to Anders. He smiled as he put his arm around her and kissed her forehead. He inhaled her scent before he pulled away from her. She smelt like peppermint. It was a strong burning smell that shot him from the nose down to the nerves in his skin. He had no idea how she had this scent stuck to her body the way she did. It couldn't be her natural musk. It had to be a form of magic…

Anders let his eyes close as he felt Hawke move on the bed. She slowly positioned herself on top of him and kissed his naked chest. She started to suck at the skin gently before she moved the lips down his stomach. Even though his eyes were closed, his sense of touch was heightened. He knew where she was going with her actions.

"Oh, love," he whispered as he felt what she was doing.

Hawke never ceased to try to make him happy with every chance she received. He didn't deserve her.

He only wished that he could make her as happy as she made him. And he tried so hard. He tried to make each day a good one even though it seemed that he failed. He tried to stay in the same place as long as possible so she would not be uprooted so frequently. He then finally found that small house for Hawke and he was able to make this house a home for her. Only the best for his soul mate. That's what they were. Soul mates. They went through more good and bad times than most people will ever have with their lover.

Anders had a few ideas to why Hawke did not have as high self-esteem as people thought she did. She deflected any personal pain with a good-hearted joke so she was never really able to face her feelings. She blamed herself for the deaths of her sister and mother. She was convinced that each event was her fault. Anders tried to explain to her that it wasn't, but she would just snap back with the reasons she was nothing but a bad luck charm to all around her. He would always silence her cries with a firm kiss. He didn't want to hear someone ever talk bad about the woman he loved.

Hawke was also extremely wounded by Fenris leaving her that night long ago. It really hurt her and her views about her self worth. Anders remembered the day after. She came to him, completely breaking down as she told him the story. She told him that Fenris slept with her and he had left after experiencing terrible flashbacks to his life before. As she cried, he fumed in anger as he listened to her story. Anders did not give a damn about why he left. Fenris left her. That was all that mattered. If Anders did not have self control, he would have gone after Fenris and make him burn for what he did to her.

But Hawke seemed to find it in her compassionate heart to forgive him and to allow him back into her life. Anders never understood why she chose to forgive and forget. And he never understood why Fenris treated him as the enemy. He didn't do anything wrong. He never hurt Hawke. Fenris was the one to use Hawke. Fenris was the one to lead her on. How dare he say, "break her heart and I will kill you"? When Fenris walked out that door, he was the one to break Hawke's heart and shatter whatever confidence she had.

Fenris didn't deserve to be Hawke's friend. He didn't deserve to be able to stay by her side. He didn't deserve her forgiveness. But that's the kind of person Hawke was. She couldn't stand to hate someone. She was a people pleaser. She was friends with everyone and always sought a peaceful solution.

Anders was the one to teach her that sometimes conflicts could not be solved with words.

"I love you," Anders told her in a dazed voice as Hawke finished. She looked up at him and smiled at him with all the love in her soul. She kissed him once before she got off him and went to make breakfast. He smiled as he pulled the sheets back over his body and went back to sleep for the moment. He enjoyed the fact that he could do this on a near daily basis.

Anders was being complacent. His guard was barely up now that he believed they were free and clear of the imminent threat. He had started to become relaxed in his life. He believed that he could settle down.

He would be punished.