So, so sorry for the huge delay on this. There was finals, the holidays, and unfortunately, a little bit of writer's block in the mix, but I am going to get this baby done if it's the last thing I do! To make up a little bit for it, this installment is a little bit longer than normal ones. I'd expect one to two more updates after this. I hope you'll all join me again for the rest and enjoy!

Morning came sooner than both men were hoping, but they had a mission that day, and they weren't about to be late for it. Well, at least Hawke wasn't. If there was one thing he hated more than anything in the world, it was a lack of punctuality. Having known Anders for three years before their relationship alerted him to the fact that the mage wasn't really the best at being on time to most things. But after he moved in, the extent to which his lateness went became painfully clear.

"Hurry up, Anders!" the warrior barked from downstairs. "I told Merrill that we'd be there at first light, and we aren't going to make it if you keep fucking around up there!"

"Hush, Archer, seriously," the mage said as he finally exited their room. "There are other people trying to sleep in this house; have some consideration."

"There are people waiting on us; have some consideration."

"You're such a boy."

"You love it," Hawke said with a smile. Anders couldn't help but smile back and they made their way out of their estate. As they briskly walked over the cobble stone streets, the kiss of the morning's first light began to peak out behind the buildings. And by the time they made it to the Hanged Man, Isabela was already waiting outside where the sun was completely visible.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," the dark haired man said with a groan. He nodded his head towards his lover before they started to head over to the Alienage. "This one couldn't be on time if his life depended on it."

"I was getting prepared for the trip, you arse," Anders spat. "All you can think about when we're about to go off and kill someone or something or whatever is…well killing it!"

"Your point being?"

"I'm the one who thinks about how long we'll be gone, what we might encounter, and what we might need. I had to pack some things, and I was even up before you grabbing food and potions and salves and the like. You'll be thanking me onc-"

"Ladies!" Isabela said, interrupting them. "No one cares. Now let's just go pick up Merrill and get on our way."

After meeting up with their elven companion, the group set off for Sundermount. Their intention was to talk to the Dalish Keeper about fixing Merrill's elluvian. She needed an item – the Arulin'Holm – in order to make it work once more, and she was completely determined to get it. Hawke knew the stories that she had told him about the mirror, and he wasn't so sure that this was the best possible idea. But she was his friend and an adult capable of making her own decisions, so he was happy to help so long as she was sure about it. Isabela felt the same about it.

Anders, on the other hand, was a little more than against the idea. The way he felt about the elf was no secret – he absolutely hated her use of blood magic and her nativity. He refused to get to know her, the way that his lover had over the years, and he found himself disgusted with the fact that Hawke had actually lain with her a few years back. So when he had been told the purpose of this mission, it was very difficult for him to be convinced to go along. Eventually, the warrior had to tell him that he was allowed not to like what was going on, but he really was needed just in case anyone needed to be healed. The mage was reluctant, but accepted, never really knowing how to deny the other man. But as they were approaching their destination, he was regretting that he had agreed to come along. He was already upset that Hawke didn't seem to appreciate the efforts he made to ready their group for an outing. And he also had a great sense of unease that loomed over him.

"Merrill, before we make it all the way there, are you positively sure this is something you want to do?" he asked his fellow mage.

"I know the risks, Anders. But not being able to complete the elluvian would be far more devastating to me than anything that could happen because of completing it."

"That's bloody selfish of you," he murmured, hardly loud enough for anyone but himself to hear.

But of course, Hawke had become quite capable of interpreting his lover's words, mumbled or not. He reached over to grab the other man's hand, and he squeezed it in his own. "Darling, let's just do this without a fuss."

Anders pulled his hand back and grumbled. "I'm not happy with this. I'm not happy with you right now either. Just leave me be."

The rest of their journey was a silent one, but Hawke tried his best not to be too upset about Anders. He had no doubt that, after a successful and uneventful journey, they would be back to being happy with one another. Unfortunately, the warrior was soon to find out that there was more to this mission than he had previously expected. Upon arriving to the Dalish camp, Keeper Marethari was anything but willing to hand over the item Merrill so desperately needed. The young elf then invoked vir sulevanan, which was explained to the group as a trade-off of property for a task. In order to obtain the Arulin'Holm, the group was asked to investigate and solve a problem that was occurring in the caves and passages of the mountain.

As they went on this new quest, they discovered a number of bodies belonging to Merrill's old clan members. The elf was understandably distraught, and even Anders couldn't help but feel bad for her loss. Hawke, disturbed by the condition of the bodies, was eager to move forward and destroy whoever or whatever had killed the elves.

"We've been in here for hours, and all we've seen are spiders," Isabela whined, scuffing her boots against the path. "Is it possible that they just ganged up on your friends and were too much for them?"

"No, it's something else," Merrill said wearily. "I can feel it."

"Well we've reached the end, it seems," Hawke noted as they entered a large chamber, empty save for a cache of gold. "Let's just loot the place and go back. Maybe we'll catch it going the way we came in."

Before he had the chance to take a single step towards the treasure, a monstrous spider-like beast fell to the floor in front of him. An ear-piercing screeched echoed off the chamber walls as it warned them to stay back. It danced around on five powerful legs, but the group could hardly notice anything besides a massive appendage on its posterior end, no doubt ready to stab and slay with venom.

There was no time to think, and the group immediately began to fight attacking legs and desperately trying to avoid its back end. Isabela expertly slashed at the creature's chitinous exterior while the mages worked from a distance to try to stun and hex. The enemy, later explained by Merrill to be called a varterral, was surprisingly fast and agile, but its movements were no match for the rogue. Isabela had spent years perfecting her ability to outmaneuver anything that crossed her path, and she was able to swipe here and there as she avoided kicks, bites, and that deadly stinger.

Hawke, on the other hand, was not quite as lucky. He had always trained to wield a sword and fight on the frontlines, but that also meant that he was normally the one to take on most of the damage. He wasn't overly capable of moving fast, and his bulky and heavy armor kept him from being light on his toes. Normally, he didn't have much of a problem getting away from his enemies. But the varterral was enormous and took up nearly the entire chamber, and this left the warrior with practically nowhere to run.

That, however, was not the warrior's biggest problem at the moment. Hawke really had nowhere to run because he stood completely paralyzed in fear at this creature which surely came out of one of his darkest nightmares. He had encountered dragons and spiders and even darkspawn, but nothing he had ever seen before made him choke up and feel like calling out to his mother. In his mind, he could hear himself screaming, telling himself to run. Move. Anything. But instead he just quivered and shook, eyes bulging out of his skull.

"Archer, do something!" Anders screamed out to him.

Hawke shook his head at the sound of his lover's voice, and he felt muscles regain their function. He could move and run or hide even. Anything but face this monster. I can't leave them though! he thought as he took a hesitant step back. They need me, but more importantly, they'll know I was afraid! With shaking arms, he began to raise his greatsword, determined to step forward and at least try. But before he'd managed to swing his blade, the varterral struck at him with its venomous stinger followed by a kick with a leg that sent the warrior flying across the chamber.

"Hawke!" Merrill screamed as she saw watched in horror as her friend hit the ground with a loud thud.

"I'm ok!" he called back, indicating that his friends should continue fighting.

But Anders was immediately at his side, ready to render any aid necessary. He and the warrior had been together for nearly two years, and the mage had been right by his side during many traumatic and emotional experiences. Hawke wasn't a man who was afraid to shed a tear or two when his mother had died or when he had first learned about Anders' Calling which would eventually lead to his death. Yet, Anders had never imagined that he would ever see the other man wailing and bawling his eyes out, desperately clutching at his abdomen.