Chapter 3

"Thank you for helping me today, Hawke," Anders thanked the rogue, "I am glad we could talk things through as well."

"It was my pleasure Anders, I will always be here if you want to talk," Annette told the mage before turning to leave the clinic.

"You're not planning on walking through Darktown on your own?" Anders called after her.

Annette turned in the doorway to look back at the blonde male. "I was going to stop by the Hanged Man and have a drink with Varric and Isabela…"

"I shall walk you, at night Darktown is not a place for young women such as yourself to walk alone."

Annette tried to disguise the soft colour of pink she felt rise to her cheeks as Anders walked over to her and out of the clinic. Annette moved out of the door way, allowing Anders to lock up his home and work place.

Spending the day with the female, Anders had realised how different Annette was to people he had met in Fereldan. Growing up surrounded by magic, most people he had met had hated magic and had even turned their own siblings into the Circle but Annette insisted on protecting her sister. It was remarkable to him; when Annette turned up outside the Chantry with just Varric and a red-head named Aveline he understood why Bethany wasn't by her sister's side – Annette wanted to protect her.

Anders and Annette walked side by side towards the tavern where Isabela and Varric lived. The tavern was a place where everybody knew your name, even the serving women, and they knew your favourite drink. It was the only thing that was normal in the two's lives.

As the pair walked into the tavern they were greeted by the smell of alcohol and drunken laughter from various individuals. Annette caught sight of the blonde dwarf she had befriended and made her way over to him, Anders following her closely.

"Hawke, Blondie, what brings you here?" Varric asked when the two sat at the table he had occupied.

"Just want to see how my favourite dwarf is doing," Annette replied and winked at him. "And Anders insisted on walking me here."

"Blondie, when are you going to get it in your head that Hawke doesn't need walking anywhere, everybody knows what she is capable of," Varric told the mage.

Anders rolled his eyes at the dwarf and looked around the tavern. "No sign of Isabela?" he asked.

"Oh, I see I am missed then," the pirate said from behind Anders.

"Actually I wanted to know how you are; you left my clinic quite angry."

Isabela shot the mage an evil look before taking her seat next to Varric.

"I am fine, thank you for the concern," she said bitterly, "I just needed to use the lavatory."

"A bit too much information there, Rivaini," Varric uttered under his breath.

"I heard that, Dwarf," Isabela said and picked up her mug of alcohol and took a chug.

"'Dwarf'? That's the best nickname you could come up with?" Varric laughed.

"How about Chest Hair?" Isabela shot back.

"Better…"

"We can't all have the ability to make up exceptionally good nicknames now, can we Varric?" Annette complimented Varric in the slightest way. Varric just smiled at the human and took a sip from his mug.

"Anything planned for tomorrow, Hawke?" Varric asked.

"Yes, as a matter of fact," Annette smiled, "I promised someone a favour which includes delivering an amulet to a Dalish clan who's Keeper is named Marethari."

"There is a Dalish clan in Sundermount," Varric informed, "We could give them a try?"

Annette smiled and nodded, "Who's up for it?" Annette glanced from Varric to Isabela to Anders and back to Varric.

"Wherever you go, I'll be there just soo I can tell the story," Varric smiled, "I'm in."

"Just make sure you make me seem even sexier then I already am," Isabela purred, "You can count me in."

Annette looked at Anders, an almost hopeful look filling her eyes. Anders then realised that he couldn't say no. Not when she looked at him like that. That moment was also when Anders realised his affection for the female rogue. He heard Justice's voice side against his decision as he said the words falling out of his mouth.

"I'm in," Anders told Annette, looking into her blue eyes.

Annette broke the eyes contact from the mage beside her and looked at the pirate and dwarf in front of her, "It is settled then, we shall meet here around noon."

"It will take a day or two to get to the camp," Varric told Annette, "I think you should bring Bethany."

"I was planning to," Annette said to the dwarf, "I cannot risk leaving her here for the Templars."

Anders bit back a smile at Annette's words. Annette's dislike to the Templars was one of the little things that Justice liked about her – he thought she could make a great companion against the Templars and could help the two out when the time came.

Ander brought himself out of Justice's thoughts and concentrated on Annette and the two companions he had begun to befriend over the past week.

"What was going through your mind when you took down that ogre, Hawke?" Varric asked,

"Well, first thought was 'Maker, what do they feed these things?'" She joked and the group burst into laughter, Anders included -even though the laughter barely reached his eyes. "What made you ask such a question?"

"Oh you know the usual." The dwarf winked at Annette before writing in his notebook.

"To tell the story one day and exaggerate?" Isabela questioned.

"You know it, Rivaini," Varric said simply.

"Then I will have to tell you the whole story," Annette offered and looked at Isabel and Anders. "Another time, though, I do not wish to bore the rest of our group with my horrible story-telling abilities."

"I will book you in for next week ten, yes?" Varric accepted the offer Annette placed in front of him.

"That will be fine; right now I need a drink."

Anders watched as Annette stood from where she was sitting and walked over to the counter that separated the employees from the customers. Anders couldn't help his eyes that travelled down from her black hair to the space between the rogue's hips as her hips swayed with her strides.

He had definitely grown an affection for this beautiful woman.


Not my best chapter /:

Sorry...

Reviews are always welcome -wink wink- and thank you for the story alert/ faves